Page 51 of The Seven Rings
The stateroom was mostly bed with, she noted, storage as its base.
“Nice. Nice, clean, and efficient, with style tossed in. The man’s got vision.”
“He just keeps racking up those points,” Cleo murmured. “Let’s get this food put away, and set sail.”
When they went back up, Trey finished putting the last pet PFD on Yoda. “I can turn my first mate status over to you if you want.”
“I’ll take it.” Pleased, Cleo walked over to cast off. “On your orders, Captain.”
“Day’s wasting. Cast off.”
When they motored out of the slip, Cleo moved over to Owen. Sonya caught a few words of conversation as she sat on one of the benches and prepared to enjoy herself.
“They’re talking engines, rigging, draft, whatever. If she wasn’t already hooked on him, andThe Sirendidn’t seal the deal,The Horizonwould. It really is a beautiful boat.”
“Took him several years from design to maiden voyage. Weekends, evenings, vacation time, but he got just what he wanted. And Cleo? She knows what she’s doing outside of a Sunfish?”
“Oh yeah, she does. Bet you do, too.”
“Born and raised by the bay. But I’ve got no problem demoting myself to second mate.”
On Owen’s orders, Cleo hoisted sails. From her seat, Sonya watched the white mainsail rise, billow, and snap as it filled with air.
“Gorgeous.” She tipped her face up asThe Horizonstreamed on the wind and water.
At the wheel, Owen heeled into it, let her fly. Jones moved up to the bow to stand and let his short, ragged ears do the same.
Obviously up for an adventure, Yoda joined Mookie on the starboard side to watch the water. In her pink PFD, Pyewacket stretched out on the bench like a sunbather.
“Born sailors,” Trey commented, and Sonya laughed.
Adjusting her sunglasses, she looked up at the cliffs where the manor stood over the shore and sea.
“It’s beautiful, from every angle. You know, I always imagined living in a big old house. Something interesting, something with history. I even collected pictures of houses for a while. Victorians topped my list, but Tudors, Colonials, whatever caught my eye. Nothing I imagined ever came close to the manor.”
“It was meant to be yours.”
“I feel that more every day.” She nodded to Cleo and Owen. “She’s trying to talk him into letting her take the wheel.”
Amused, Trey gave the brim of her ball cap a tap. “I can tell you, he doesn’t give it up easy.”
And when Owen did, shoving his hands in his pockets and stepping back, Trey thought: Yeah, he’s sunk. Completely, totally, absolutely sunk.
After a few minutes, Owen left her at the wheel and crossed the deck to the cooler.
“Is it beer o’clock already?” Sonya asked him.
“I don’t drink when I drive, don’t drink when I sail.” He pulled out a Coke. “Want?”
Trey wagged his fingers, and Owen passed drinks over.
“You’re not driving the boat,” Sonya pointed out.
“For a few minutes. She’s got it.”
“Can I have a turn?”
Studying her, Owen took a long drink. “Have you ever handled a thirty-eight-foot sloop?”
