The Do-Over

by Julie A. Richman

  It was finally our time.

  Finishing marinated chicken kebobs and foil packets of zucchini Wes had prepared on the little propane grill, I sat back with a smile. “Oh my God, that was delicious. Thank you.” We had stayed docked at the marina and were just enjoying the lights on the harbor and music from other boats.

  “So, in that big oversized bag you brought, I’m hoping you’ve got a bathing suit and clothes. Overnight stuff?”

  “I do have a change of clothes and a bathing suit.”

  “Okay. Well here’s what I’d like to propose. I can certainly lend you tee-shirts, plenty of toothbrushes and toiletries on board. I’ve got two cabins below, so no pressure. If you don’t have plans, we could get out early, at first light, sail east, either a leisurely sailing day or see how far toward the east end of the island we can make it. Just figure it out as we go. Catch a great sunset. If we don’t go as far, we can be back tomorrow night, if we end up out toward Greenport, we’d be back Sunday night. What do you think?”

  “I think you’re going to need to lend me a tee-shirt or two.”

  His light-hearted laugh made me smile. “My pleasure. I’ll have to pick you out some good ones.”

  The thought of sleeping in Wes’ tee-shirts made me smile. Getting up, he quickly bounded down the stairs and was back in a moment, spreading out maps on the teak table. As I slid in next to him on the bench (versus across from him), I couldn’t contain my smile. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  Showing me our routes along the shoreline, we talked about all the other possibilities along the Sound, both on the Long Island and Connecticut shorelines and my heart soared that this wouldn’t just be one isolated weekend, but something we could enjoy together, even just an escape dinner cruise out into the harbor to watch sunset. And in that moment, I felt hope that I didn’t realize I’d lost when I’d found out that Frank had been cheating on me, when I had to remain strong for our daughter. I’d spent every day trying to rebuild. But there were two things that had evaded me. Hope and Happiness. And I’d been afraid to feel them because I feared I didn’t have the strength to have them stripped from my heart yet again.

  But as I looked at Wes, a man who’d experienced devastating losses, I realized he wanted to take me on a journey with him. A journey where hope and happiness were possible. Because out on the open waters, there was a second wind and I had the choice to let it swirl around my face and blow my hair all askew or not. But I was being given a choice. And that in itself was a gift.

  “Okay, daybreak is going to be here soon. Let me get you set-up.”

  Going downstairs, he led me to the larger aft cabin, pulling out a fresh toothbrush for me. Disappearing, he arrived a few minutes later with two tee-shirts and a wide-grin. In his left hand was a Ramones shirt, in his right The Clash.

  “Hard choice.” I laughed.

  “Why is that?” He was being coy.

  Looking up at him through my lashes, I reached out and grabbed The Clash shirt. Should I Stay or Should I Go, playing on full blast in my head.

  He laughed, “Well, if you get lonely, you know where to find me.” The man was now torturing me.

  “Don’t make me be the aggressor.”

  He nodded. “Okay, I’ll remember that.”

  It was sometime before dawn when I felt him wrapped around me, melted into him and fell back to sleep.

  Sunrise and the start of our adventure would be quickly upon us.

  Chapter 16

  “T.”

  I felt his hand brush my hair from my forehead and the mattress depress as he sat down next to me. My nose twitched at the smell of strong coffee and I knew I was smiling before I’d even opened my eyes.

  T. I liked that. He called me T.

  “Hey.” I stretched, pulling myself up on the pillows and taking the steaming mug he was handing me. “Mmmm.”

  “It’s a little before sunrise. I thought it would be fun to sail into it.”

  “Sounds perfect.” I leaned forward to kiss his tantalizing lips – just because they were there. And I could.

  Wes laughed. “No. That’s perfect.” And with a ruffle of my hair. “See you topside.” And he left me with my coffee to pull it together.

  It was just so easy to be with this man.

  As I climbed up on deck, we were just pulling away from our slip and heading out into Manhasset Harbor. The sky was still black and dotted with stars. This was truly a fitting restart to where we’d once stalled so long ago and I was loving the synergy of the continuation. Where we once before ended at dawn, today it signified a new beginning.

  With the marina’s now shimmering lights behind us and the edges of the eastern sky brightening, I went and stood next to Wes in the cockpit as we watched dawn break together. It was officially a new day.

  “Can I be doing anything to help? Cook breakfast? Hoist sails?” Even I had to laugh at the last suggestion.

  “I could eat.”

  “So how do you like your eggs, Mr. Bergman?” I really knew so little about him.

  “There isn’t an egg I don’t like, T. Surprise me.”

  Smiling. “You got it. Sail on, sail on, Sailor.” I quoted The Beach Boys and disappeared down into the salon.

  Opening every little cubby in the kitchen and marveling at its efficiency, I should not have been surprised at how well Wes had it stocked with great foods and fine herbs. Immediately in my glory, as cooking was a Zen thing for me and always a way of sharing love, I immediately began chopping herbs and separating egg yolks and egg whites. The minute I saw the smoked salmon, fresh dill and muffin tins (the man had muffin tins on his boat), I got this idea for baked eggs with salmon drizzled with a dill hollandaise sauce. Add some English muffins and fruit and we’d be good to go until later in the day.

  “Something smells amazing down there,” Wes yelled down at me.

  “Few more minutes.” I was ladling the sauce over the perfectly browned muffin-shaped eggs, feeling very proud of myself.

  I bounded the steps, bringing everything to the teak table in a few loads and called to Wes.

  “Tara. Holy smokes, this looks amazing.”

  “Now let’s just hope it tastes that way. Would really hate to poison you the first time I cooked for you.” We sat down across from one another; Wes with the smile of a Cheshire cat.

  Taking his first bite, he closed his eyes, the grin on his face sublime. “Oh my God. I’m kidnapping you and never letting you off this boat. Gorgeous and she can cook.”

  “They did come out good.” I was relieved, as I dug in, my appetite more voracious from the fresh air than I’d expected.

  “This is delicious.”

  “Well, you had great ingredients for me to play with and I love to cook. I see fresh herbs and I’m in creative heaven.”

  “I’m now embarrassed by my chicken kebobs.” His smile was sheepish as he took another egg muffin from the tray, poked a hole in the top and poured a drowning dose of dill hollandaise into it, until the sauce covered the plate to its edges. “Would it be rude to lick my plate?”

  “Your boat. Your rules.”

  “Licking is fully acceptable then.”

  “Good rule,” I muttered. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “I think I’ll save some of this sauce.” Wes’ smile was playful. “For dessert.”

  “I’d forgotten what a cute town this is and how hilly.” With a slip secured at Danford’s Hotel & Marina nestled in Port Jefferson harbor, we wandered in and out of the town’s little shops.

  “Taste this.” Wes had speared a piece of salami on a toothpick and was about to feed it to me. The look on his face made me want to eat more than the single slice of salami. I could see his amusement and feel the sexual tension building between us in the farm-to-gourmet store.

  With a smile, I opened my mouth for him. “Oh yum, that is good. I love the fennel in it.”

  “That is produced at a local farm just east of Riverhead,” the woman behind the c
ounter informed us. “Have you tried the Chianti Salami?”

  We shook our heads no and she produced a long, thin salami from the case, cutting slices for each of us. The minute the taste buds on the side of my tongue savored the salt, I turned to Wes, who was looking at me like someone was giving him a hand job. The man was on the brink of a new kind of oral gratification.

  “Okay, can we get a half pound of this and a half pound of the fennel, thinly sliced? What cheeses do you like?” He turned to me.

  “I love the triple crèmes and any kind of blue cheese or gorgonzola.”

  “We are so damn compatible,” he laughed, leaning in for a kiss and I could feel my greed rising as I yearned for the softness of his lips. Lord help those poor women who had to kiss thin-lipped men.

  Out on the street, he pointed to a local coffee shop. “Want to grab us some coffees and I’ll run down the hill and put the food on the boat.”

  “Sure, what are you drinking?” Thrilled I didn’t have to climb back up the hill, I was glad to let him go alone.

  “Cappuccino,” he called over his shoulder with a smile, already loping down the sidewalk toward the harbor.

  Grabbing our coffees and a table, I pulled my phone from my purse and immediately laughed at the barrage of texts sitting there from Laynie.

  So?

  I need details?

  Are you alive?

  If not, I hope he fucked you to death.

  Where the hell are you?

  You know you are killing me.

  Taking a sip of my latte, I answered. All is well. We sailed out to Pt. Jeff. Walking around the town. Wes just went to put some stuff on the boat.

  OMG you are alive. Details, please.

  Having fun. Not much to report yet. Taking it slow. He is so easy to be with. He is just one of those rare good guys.

  He’d better be or I’ll have to stab him with pins.

  I choked on my coffee at Laynie’s last text.

  I see him coming up the hill. Talk to you later.

  When are you coming back?

  Sailing back tomorrow.

  Have fun. And show him how a grown woman fucks!

  I laughed at her last swipe at Keiko and CB. Damn right I will!

  As Wes approached, I couldn’t help but smile. The man was timeless cool. The hair, the sunglasses, the ease with which his body moved. I wondered how many people passed him thinking, what band is that guy with? Isn’t he somebody famous?

  I could see that he was talking on the phone, observing as his face broke into a huge smile when he noticed I was watching him. Sliding into the chair next to me at the little wrought-iron café table, he put down a small paper bag and picked up his Cappuccino, mouthing, “Yum. Thank you,” after the first sip.

  “Yeah, she’s right here. You have a bone to pick with her? And you really think I’m going to hand her this phone.” He was smirking.

  “Oh no, what did I do now?”

  “No clue.” He shook his head, handing me the phone.

  “Hello,” I was pretty sure I knew who was on the other end of the line.

  “You bitch,” she exclaimed.

  Yup. I was right. “Hey Stace.”

  “Stace? Wes is the only one that calls me Stace.”

  Laughing, “Well, now there are two of us. So, what did I do now?”

  “Oh my God, that book. It ended in a cliffhanger. I’m dying here. I can’t even breathe. I hate you, Tara.”

  “Well don’t hate me for too long,” I was smiling at Wes, as I spoke to his sister. “You’re getting something in the mail today. So, now it’s all up to your mailman.”

  “Well that fucker better not be late. I’m going out now to check the mail.”

  “Okay, well enjoy.”

  “Don’t hang up. I’m taking you with me to the mailbox.” I heard some scraping. “It’s here,” she exclaimed. “Shit Tara, do you have a tape fetish or something?”

  Choking on my latte, I looked directly at her brother, “A tape fetish? Are you asking me if I like things tightly bound?” Now I was smirking and Wes was choking on his Cappuccino.

  “Oh my God, Tara, what do I do?”

  “Hit the power button. That will bring you to your library of books.”

  “The rest of the series is here.” I couldn’t help but smile at the excitement in Stacy’s voice. “I have all the books.”

  “Yup.”

  “Tara.”

  I was biting my lip, not wanting to have an emotional moment with Stacy. “Now stop bitching at me and you can get off that damn cliff and find out what happens next. Here’s Wes.” I handed him the phone.

  “Yeah, I’ll call you tomorrow night when I get home,” he told his sister before hanging up. “What did you do?” He was looking at me with that glorious smile.

  “Okay, well Stacy, this woman Andie who’s on the same chemo schedule and I all started reading this book series together. I thought it would be something fun we could all talk about during treatments. But I didn’t know if Stacy would be into it, so for the first book in the series, I bought paperbacks. When I saw she liked it, I ordered her an eReader and downloaded the rest of the series and some other books I thought she might like.” Wes was silent, smiling at me. “So the first book ends on a huge cliffhanger, which is why Stacy was cursing me out. But little did she know, in her mailbox was her new eReader with the rest of the series.”

  Wes shook his head, “You are a gem. A true gem. That you are even thinking about ways to make things better for her is so selfless and beautiful.”

  “It’s really nothing. I’ve always been a voracious reader from the time I was a kid. And a good book transports you to a different world and sometimes, we all just need a break from the world we’re in. So, I thought this might be good for Stacy and then Andie joined us, so that makes it even more fun.”

  Sliding the paper bag over to me, Wes cocked his head to the side. His voice was a little choked when he spoke. “I saw this in a shop down the hill and it made me think of you.”

  Smiling, I just looked at him.

  “Open it,” he urged.

  Reaching inside the bag I could feel a small box, telling me this was some kind of jewelry and I think the shock registered on my face, because Wes just laughed at my reaction. As I pulled the small rectangular box from the bag, I couldn’t stop smiling. “What did you do?”

  “You’ll see.” And there was that smile. That smile that begged to have my lips all over it.

  Opening the small box, I gasped. This man. This amazing man. Sitting on a cottony pillow was a silver chained necklace with three long rectangular bars of sea glass. Jade sea glass. The exact color of the dress I was wearing when we met again.

  “It matches my jade dress. It’s beautiful, Wes.” I searched his eyes and could see the joy he received in giving, in making someone else happy. “Thank you so much. Will you put it on me?” I asked, knowing it would look beautiful against my white tee-shirt. Handing him the ends of the necklace, I lifted my hair, the afternoon breeze making me shiver slightly. Before fastening the chain, Wes dipped his face to my neck, his soft curls brushing my shoulder, exacerbating my previous shiver. Feeling the touch of his full, soft lips before fastening the chain brought a full-on quake in my chair. His chuckle sounded self-satisfied and I knew I was both blushing and ready to pull this man into a back alley.

  Turning to him, “How does it look?”

  “Perfect.”

  Digging in my purse, I pulled out a mirror. “It does look perfect,” I agreed, running my fingers over the rough sand blasted glass. Leaning forward, I kissed Wes softly. And again. “You are so thoughtful.”

  “The color caught my eye as I was passing the shop and all I could think of was the jade dress and that cute outfit you wore years ago. It seemed like it would be a perfect match for that dress. Which, by the way, you look very hot in.” And there was that smile. Melt.

  Laughing, “I didn’t know if you even recognized me.”

&n
bsp; Wes laughed. “The moment I walked in.” Shaking his head with a smile, “Lady, don’t you know you are unforgettable.” Lightly, he ran his fingertips down my forearm and across the back of my hand. “I thought you recognized me. But I wasn’t totally sure. I kind of kept going back and forth throughout the entire meeting. Does she realize that we know each other?”

  “You didn’t hear me screaming in my head the entire time, Wes, it’s me!”

  “Tara, I’m not surprised that fate has brought us together again. We both knew, from the moment we met, that we were destined to be a part of one another’s lives.” And with a wry laugh, he added, “It just took a while.”

  Taking a sip of my latte, I let his words settle in. “This is a gift. It really is. You see, you were the best boyfriend I never had.”

  “I guess we both needed to get to this place to be ready.”

  “And to appreciate,” I added.

  “I think you’re right,” Wes agreed. “I’m not walking off a boat without you this time, Tara.”

  “That was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.” I rubbed my full belly as Wes and I walked, hand-in-hand, through the historic village toward the waterfront.

  “That’s because you had great company.”

  “So true,” I laughed.

  Reaching the Second Wind, Wes pulled out the reclining pad chairs and I eased down onto mine.

  “Be right back,” He called over his shoulder with a smile, disappearing below deck.

  Relaxed and contented, I breathed in the salty air and got comfortable in my chair, stretching out my legs. It had been a perfect day. A long, exhausting perfect day. The fresh air and activity had totally wiped me out and closing my eyes for a minute, I knew I might not reopen them for another eight hours.

  “You’re not falling asleep on me, are you?” I opened my eyes to a smiling Wes standing over me, holding two brandy snifters. “Cognac?” He bent down to hand me a glass.