Page 62 of Visions of You

“Of course.”

The soft rustle came again, and Gabe shifted behind me.

“April,” he whispered urgently. “Turn around slowly.”

With my heart pounding, I expected either a knife-toting crackhead or a wild boar as I slowly turned around. My breath caught, wonder sending chills through my body. A delighted smile cracked my face as three tiny deer stepped out of the brush and onto the sand ten feet away. They looked like normal deer, except they were the size of a Labrador retriever.

“Are those Key deer?” I whispered, afraid to spook them as I slowly sat upright.

Gabe nodded and matched my soft voice. “They’re pretty common on Big Pine Key and they even swim across to Dove and Calypso Keys. I’ve never seen any here before, but Bahia Honda isn’t too far away.” He reached over and gently shook Hailey’s shoulder.

She fluttered her eyes open, and Gabe held a finger to his lips and pointed behind her. She turned around and the nearest deer flicked its ears as it stared at her. The other two froze as they saw us too. They watched us for a long moment that became suspended in time. The trio didn’t act skittish, though we did nothing to startle them.

The first deer was slightly larger than the other two. After pawing the sand a time or two, it turned around and reentered the bush. The other two deer followed, and they disappeared as quietly as they’d emerged.

All three of us smiled at each other, remaining silent. I had wanted to see a Key deer since arriving but had never glimpsed one.

Their visit was the perfect cap to a perfect day.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Gabe

I carrieda scuba tank on each bare shoulder as I walked along the brick path next to the canal. Balancing carefully, I stepped aboardIndigo Dreams, our backup boat kept tied up a short distance from the slips of the two workhorse boats. She was smaller than the others but more than roomy enough for April and me. I slid the two tanks into their plastic holders. The canal was currently empty.Shark Baitwas on the afternoon dive with Wyatt leading the group, and Dad was leading an all-day fishing charter.

The day after our adventure at Bahia Honda, I’d worked on the dive schedule to give April a couple of afternoons off to give me a dive refresher and go on our private trip. A week later, here we were. I glanced absently at the two tanks, considering their implications.

It had been a very long time since I’d had as much fun as our day at the beach. We’d almost been like a family, though I wasn’t quite sure what possessed me to ask April about wanting kids.

Not exactly a question for a casual relationship, is it?

But she’d answered honestly and confirmed our pact, whichhelped me get my own head screwed back on straight. I felt so damn comfortable around April, it was easy to get lulled into thinking we were something we weren’t.

I was a little worried about Hailey getting too attached. As I’d put her to bed that night, she’d wrapped her arms around my neck. “Can we go to the beach again with April? Soon?”

“We had a great day, didn’t we?”

She lay down and I pulled the blankets up to her neck. She nodded. “I like April.”

“She likes you too, angel. I’m glad you had a terrific day. Sweet dreams.” I kissed her forehead and turned off her bedside lamp.

Returning to the living room, I sat on the couch, taking comfort in the fact that April was happy at Calypso Key. I shouldn’t need to worry about her moving on and hurting Hailey. Just the idea opened a hollowness in my stomach. I picked up a woodworking magazine, banishing that troubling line of thought.

April convinced me to take my refresher from her. I had misgivings about it. I was rustier than hell and didn’t want to admit to being a little nervous too. But she meant what she’d told me on the beach.

She was a confident and encouraging teacher, taking me slowly through the skills and procedures until I refamiliarized myself with them. The experience made me realize how much I’d boxed myself in. It had been years since I’d attempted something I wasn’t an expert at, and learning from my girlfriend was definitely a new experience.

One I found I didn’t mind at all.

April had a quiet way of instilling confidence and never once gave a hint of superiority. We’d taken over the pool behind the Big House, so I didn’t have a resort audience watching me make a fool of myself. And even my nosy family had stayed away. I’d never used scuba in that pool before, so it was a good place to make my new start. Of course, April thought my nerves and hesitation were simply due to the long layoff from diving. Why would she think otherwise?

Maybe it was time to let the old, painful memories go.

If only I could get the guilt to leave as well.

With a sigh, I turned my mind from the subject, not wanting to go down that path when I had an afternoon alone with April to look forward to. Hearing footsteps, I looked up and smiled as she hopped aboard. Dressed in a skin-tight, long-sleeved rash guard and shorts, she looked delectable. She carried a BCD and reg in each hand and set them on the fiberglass deck before sidling up to me.

I inhaled as she ran both hands up my bare torso, a gleam in her eye. “Ready to get wet?”

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