Page 94 of All The Way Under
Tears well.
“It is so perfect, Brody.”
The details. The flowers. The soft lights. The high-tech equipment that looks like he stole from work.
“You do know the way to my heart.”
That slipped and wasn’t very friend-like, but at least he knows how I’m feeling.
“I can’t believe you did all this for me.”
He lifts and lowers one shoulder. “There’s a whole picnic down below. It was no big deal.”
He reaches out an arm, and I think he’s going to wrap me in his arms, but instead says, “Here, let me take your bag.”
My stomach sinks. Is this really a friend date? I’ll die of embarrassment, and then I’ll perish altogether if it is.
He takes it, and I follow him down to the berth where there are electric candles, more flowers, and all my favorite snacks. I take off my shoes.
“You stay here and have some snacks. I need to finish up, and I don’t want your help.”
“I was supposed to be captain,” I say.
“If this isn’t perfect, I’ll never forgive myself, so just do what I say.”
“So grouchy,” I say. “Fine. Aye, aye, captain.”
His eyes light up. “God, having you here doesn’t feel real.”
I pop a grape in my mouth. “Oh, I’m here all right, and I’m ready to date.”
His smile turns into something feral.Yes. I recognize that. My stomach leaps.
“Be right back,” he says.
Another grape. A piece of cheese. A gummy bear. I can’t eat much. I’m stuck in a feedback loop, operating in a place I’m not familiar with these days.
The hull groans and adjusts, and the creak of dock lines releasing tells me we’re off. The water laps in a calming slap, slap pattern. There’s a thump as the mooring line is pulled in. More calmness and peace fill me. There’s a palm-sized velvet bag on the board of food and the temptation is too strong. I peek inside to see my bracelets. The ones I left in his mailbox when I never thought I’d see them…or him, again.
The picnic is set up on the bed, and there’s a small bathroom down here. It smells like new construction has taken place. As I look at my bracelets, I wonder how long it took for him to know that he’d give them back. How long until he knew I’d be on this boat with him.
I call up, pulling my sweater out of my bag. “Can I come up yet?”
“Yes!” he calls back, faint with the wind and the water rushing around us.
He has music playing as I come up, something soft and classical. The sunset is magical. Although it always is, this one feels special.
“We won’t go out too far. There’s a perfect cove to anchor that I checked out yesterday.”
“Foxglass Cove?” I return, standing next to him so my shoulder brushes his.
He seems intent on the water and the navigation, so I keep talking.
“While we weren’t together,” I say, clearing my throat. “I saw a fundraiser for Conner and Turner. They both lost their jobs while they were captured. I donated and made sure they’d be set up for a long time. I just…the guilt was too heavy. We didn’t worry about that kind of stuff, you know? It was anonymous, sothey don’t know it was me. I didn’t want recognition, but I hope they figured it out.”
He smiles down at me warmly.
“That was really nice of you, Saylor. There’s no guilt to be had with that, though. They may not have escaped at all if you and I hadn’t shown up. They got their lives back. I’m sure they’re thankful for that,” he replies. “Yes, Foxglass Cove. That’s the spot. I should have known you would know.”
