Page 105 of Summer People
Flora frowns. She’s always tried to join in with us, but she has a way of constantly insulting people that makes everyone uncomfortable. Any interaction with her is awkward, though it’s gotten worse lately. Even Sutton avoids her now. Which I prefer. I’ve never liked the woman.
“We should line up,” Wilder suggests.
I watch warily as they move toward the edge of the dock. They only stop when they’re standing closer to the ferry than I’d like. I run my hand over my beard as Blue and a few other regulars step up too.
“Her first time, huh?” Cank asks from beside me.
I nod. “Both of them.”
“Oh, Sutton will be fine. She’s got the wetsuit and years of Maine living.”
“It’s Libby,” we say at the same time. And we leave it at that. There’s no need to finish the thought.
For the next two minutes, we watch as the ferry slowly moves away from the dock. The boat’s speaker crackles, and the captain says, “And as we pull away, turn and give a wave to the islanders as they perform the Monhegan Goodbye.”
The horn blows, and all twelve of the islanders participating launch themselves off the pier. Shrieks and screams and giggles ring through the air, followed by a series of splashes as the ferry speeds away.
Sutton and Wilder surface first, and Maggie pops up two seconds later. Then the trio races to the rocks, splashing wildly and yanking on each other. A few more heads appear before I see the blond hair I’ve been watching for.
“Oh my god.” Libby pops up and sucks in a huge breath before submerging again, thrashing her arms wildly.
My stomach bottoms out. What is she doing?
Her blond ponytail comes up again, only to vanish once more.
Does she not know how to swim?
Pulse thudding in my ears, I run the three steps from my spot next to Cank to the edge and jump.
I drop quickly, and then my body hits the icy water. Although it’s been at least ten years since I’ve punished myself by getting into this ice bath, the shock of the cold sends a familiar rush through my body.
My head breaches the surface quickly, and I spin, looking for her. “Libby,” I call, panic seizing me.
Her head pops up two feet from me, and I lunge, latching on to her and pulling her tight to my chest.
She sucks in a big breath and blinks, her lashes wet and clinging together. “Fisher?” Her eyes are wide and her teeth chatter as droplets of water run down her pale skin. “Wh-what are you doing?”
Relief floods me. “Apparently saving you.” With one arm firmly wrapped around her waist, I turn and use the other to swim to shore. My heart is still pounding when I step onto the rocks and stand in the waist-deep water. “Why would you jump in if you can’t swim?”
Maybe it’s pointless to ask. Honestly, it seems like something she would do. Jump and then learn to swim when she hits the water. Why worry until she has to, right? I tighten my hold on her. I’ll do the worrying for her, I guess.
“I can swim. But the cold water was a shock, so I guess I panicked a bit, and I swear something pulled on my leg.” She snuggles into my chest. “But you jumped in fully dressed.”
“You needed me,” I whisper into her wet hair. “And if you need me, I always come.”
I pull her back a fraction and tip her chin. When her blue eyes meet mine, my heart skips in my chest. There’s no hiding the truth at this moment.
“Hell, Princess. Don’t you know by now that I’m head-over-heels in love with you?”
Her lips form the most adorable O. “You love me?” she whispers. Those crystalline irises brighten as she studies me, as if she’s trying to comprehend how this could be true. “Really?”
Does she seriously have to even ask? Who couldn’t love this woman? She’s daring and kind, fun and caring. She makes every fucking day of my life better. She makes me want to live. Makes me want to jump in and experience everything, but only if she’s at my side, doing it right along with me.
This might not have been the time or place to make my confession, but I don’t want her to doubt how I feel for even one second. With a smile, I tuck a wet lock of hair behind her ear. “I love you so damn much, Libby Sweet.”
Her quivering purple lips pull up in a pretty smile. “I love you too.” She says it like it’s the most wondrous thing. Like it’s mind-boggling that we’re only now voicing the sentiment. Because we both know that it’s been true for a long time. She’s in awe, thrilled. As if she believes we could have missed out on this. Or maybe that’s what I’m thinking, because, fuck, I worked so hardnot to fall for her. And if I’d succeeded, then I would have missed out on this. I would have missed out on living.
“Thank fuck,” I mutter. Swamped with emotion, I drop my lips to hers.
