Page 60 of Sea La Vie
Tate's voice fills my mind from our conversation about going out on the water alone. But what’s one more time? I’ve been doing this for so long now and have never had an issue before, even if I am down a motor.
I slide my phone off the counter and type in the number with shaky hands. It rings a few times before an older gentleman answers the phone.
“I’m calling to see if there are any spots left in the tournament tomorrow? I’d like to enter my boat.”
“Someone dropped out this morning,” he answers, his voice gruff like so many of the weathered fishermen of the area. “The spot is yours if you want it.”
“Yes,” I say, before giving myself time to back out. “I’ll take it.”
“Be here at five tomorrow morning and get registered. You’ll head out at six and have until six tomorrow evening to catch as many fish as you can. The most fish wins.”
“Perfect,” I say and thank him before hanging up. I do some quick thinking on how long it will take me to get to Haven’s Harbor. If I leave now, I should have enough time to grab a quick dinner before docking up for the night, and be ready to go at five.
Midge noses the door open and plops on her butt. She looks up at me and tilts her head as if she was eavesdropping on my conversation.
“No one has to know,” I tell her. “If I win, we’ll just deposit the check and be good to go. If I lose, I lose. No big deal.”
Midge whines and tilts her head the other way, and I roll my eyes. “Not you too.”
25
Beau 1963
“How have we managed to sneak around all summer without you getting caught?” I chuckle. Emma rolls onto her side on the big worn quilt stretched in the sand and faces me.
It’s overcast today, the clouds gray and ominous, bringing with them an unusual chill to the air.
“I thought for sure they were going to catch me the night you threw pebbles at my window and I climbed down the trellis.” She grins mischievously then turns somber. “I wish they weren’t so hard on you.”
I laugh half-heartedly. “They just don’t know me yet,” I say. “Give them time, and they’ll warm up to me. Plus, I decided I’m not always going to be a fisherman. I’m going to build boats, make plenty of money, and give you the life you’ve always dreamed of.”
Emma frowns and reaches a perfectly polished nail out to my chin. “They said we’re leaving in a week, Beau.” Tears begin sliding down her cheeks, and I gently brush them away with thepad of my thumb. “Gosh I’m going to miss this, lying on the beach, exploring—I’m going to miss you so much, Beau.”
“You don’t think they’ll give me a chance, do you?” I ask.
Emma bites her lip. “They still want me to marry my dad’s colleague’s son. They were talking about it again last night at dinner, saying what a fine young man he is, and how I'll always be taken care of.”
I bristle at that. “I can take care of you just fine.”
“I know you can, Beau. I know. But I don’t know how to getthemto see that.” She rolls into me, tucking her body into mine, and I hold her as she starts to cry. “I don’t know what to do,” she says. “I don’t want to go home.”
“Then don’t,” I plead. “Stay here with me, please Emma. I…I love you.”
She angles her face up to mine. “You do?” She asks softly.
“More than anything in the world,” I tell her. “I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, when you had first gotten into town. I watched you from the docks, mesmerized by you, and when I saw that dollar bill fly out of your purse, I considered it fate. We are supposed to be together, Emma.”
She rolls to her knees, leaning over me, her copper strands falling into her face. I push them back over her shoulders, afraid to look her in the eye.
“I love you, too,” she says softly. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. This summer with you has been the best summer of my life. I’ve never felt the way I do when I’m with you.”
I move to my knees too, mirroring her and taking her wrists in my hands. The waves begin to crash more aggressively onto the sand, lightly spraying us with foamy water.
“Forever with you wouldn’t be long enough,” I tell her. “I know you’re going back to Charleston, but I’ll find you. I’ll always find you, in this lifetime and every lifetime after this.” I place herhand on my chest and lay mine gently along hers, right above her heart. “Do you feel that?” I ask her. “Our hearts beat to the same rhythm.”
Another tear slips down her cheek and she smiles. In town, the church bells ring, and an ominous chime sounds out seven times. “I’ve got to get going,” she says. “The big party for the bank's grand opening is tonight.”
“Okay,” I say. “We still have a week, Emma. We’ll figure this out.”
