Page 50 of A Foolish Work Flirtation

I hear the engine cut off, and the boat stops. The waves hit against the boat, pushing it up and down. As I step onto the deck, I look back at the coastline and the clear azure water. I can’t believe how beautiful it is here.

“I’ll show you how to get the main sail up. First, put a life jacket on.” Alex reaches into a storage compartment and hands me one.

I tuck my hair back into a ponytail before putting the lifejacket over my head and clipping it in place. “The ocean is relatively calm today.”

He looks at the display. “Even so, we are not anchoring, and the boat could move while you are hoisting the sail. Right now, I have the boat pointing into the wind. As the sail goes up, it shouldn’t catch.”

“Climb onto the deck and unzip the sail bag.” Alex stands near me and points. “The first thing you need to do is locate the main halyard, which is the blue line.” He follows me and watches as I unzip the bag.

I look at him. “The rope?”

He nods. “Yes, you’ll find many sailing terms you’ll need to learn. Follow the main halyard back to the mast, and I’ll take the slack out.”

He effortlessly moves back to the steering wheel and adjusts the wench. “As you pull, keep a close eye on the sail so it doesn’t get tangled. It’s easy at first, but it’ll get more difficult.”

I begin pulling on the line and watch as the white sail begins to unfurl. “Should I keep going?” I look at him.

“Yes, keep pulling at a steady pace.”

It starts to get heavy, but I keep pulling the line and watching the sail. After a few pulls, it becomes heavy enough that I struggle with the weight of it.

“A little more, Immy.”

When the sail fully extends, I glance at him.

He raises his chin. “Good. You can make your way back.”

I walk slowly to keep my balance, and he holds his hand out as I get close. I grasp his hand and allow him to help me back on the deck.

“Now, we need to tighten it down while making a few adjustments. I’ve kept tension on the main halyard, so the sail didn’t move much. Here, wrap the line four times on the wench and tighten.”

I take the line from him and carefully wrap it.

He heads to the main sail. “Hold on. I need to ease the main sheet, and then I’ll finish tightening.”

I watch him go through various steps to secure the sail, and then he turns the boat to catch the wind. “Learning to sail is about playing the angle of the wind to the sail.”

“It’s beautiful out here.” I look over the glittering blue water.

“It’s a good day to learn to sail.”

“Do you ever come out here during a storm?”

He shakes his head. “No, part of sailing is keeping an eye on the weather and seeking a safe area if needed. Usually in a protected area along the coast.”

I smile. “It’s quieter without the engine.”

“Sailing can be your next milestone. We have a sailing school based in Bermuda. If you spend two weeks there, you’ll become proficient.”

I nod and look out over the water. Will he keep me on? It must take considerable time to become knowledgeable enough to run tours. Maybe he’ll want to distance himself now that I’ve insisted we keep our connection private.

“What are you thinking?” His voice is deep and rough.

I turn and meet his gaze. “I didn’t think any of this through, and now if I want to stay, it puts you in an awkward position.”

“I don’t feel awkward, Immy.” His eyes intensify, but he doesn’t step closer to me.

“Are you angry?”

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