by Coralie Moss
For her final dinner, she donned the green velvet dress and an extra layer of mascara and took a table overlooking the sea. Anna relished each dish recommended by her waiter, savored every bite of dessert, and left the resort the next morning as the sun was rising.
The drive to the airport and the security line at the airport left her plenty of time to rehash her final conversation with Daniel. She was surprised at her lack of emotion. Or maybe it would hit her later. She didn’t know, but a sense of calm stayed with her through take-off and into landing. It was only when her arrival home was delayed because of a missed ferry, and she realized she’d be spending the night in a Vancouver hotel blanketed by thick, gray fog that she lost her composure and allowed herself to revisit the tiny grains of hope clinging to her like the sand at the bottom of her carry-on.
This hotel had no Jorge. No infinity pool on her balcony, no twinkling stars, no skin-caressing tropical breezes. It did offer a plush bed and room service. Anna changed into her cashmere sweater and pajama pants, propped herself against a phalanx of pillows, and opened her sketchbook.
Her cell phone was face up on the bedside table, quiet and dark. She pressed her thumb to unlock it. The only unread mail was work-related. Nothing from Liam—of course, he was in the woods. And nothing from Daniel, but that was…expected?
She shrugged and smoothed her hand over the empty page of her sketchbook, more inclined to make a list or let her mind meander than to draw. The box of pencils she’d last used her first morning at the resort was a mess, so she re-ordered them by color and sharpened the ones that were dull. And when she finished with that, the blank expanse of white in front of her continued to offer nothing by way of inspiration.
The television on the desk at her feet presented a possibility, but she’d never been a TV watcher and had no desire to start now. And the tub was barely adequate, so a bubble bath was out of consideration. She sighed. The room didn’t appear to care.
Her phone buzzed. Someone cared.
“Where are you?” Elaine texted.
She unlocked her phone again, and texted back, “Hotel in Vancouver. Missed the last ferry. Home tomorrow.”
“Want to talk?”
She dropped her hands to her lap, let her gaze roam the room. She wasn’t ready to talk, not yet, not even to her best friend. “Lunch tomorrow?”
“My treat,” texted Elaine, followed by a kissy-face emoji. That tugged a smile out of Anna. She ended their back and forth with the same emoji, got out of bed, got her laptop and its cord, and made a cup of mint tea from the selection provided by the hotel.
Elaine’s text jogged her memory.
Her friend had tossed a business idea on the table, and they hadn’t talked about it since. And not only was Elaine not prone to making idle offers of financial backing or business partnering, she was one of those people who made small businesses work. Anna opened her laptop once she settled in the pillow throne of her bed and signed on to her email. She’d already seen the waiting message from Harry. When she read it, she grinned and kicked her feet under the covers. It seemed Harry’s wife’s nephew had ideas that didn’t jive with Harry’s concept of what the interior of a classic boat should look like and he wanted her back on board.
She squeezed out the tea bag, stirred in the packet of honey, and got to work.
And stopped. Harry wanted to spiff up his boat so it would be ready to rent out starting the following spring. As Elaine had reminded her, floating bed-and-breakfasts were originally her idea. She put off answering Harry’s email and dove into research.
Elaine picked her up late the next morning, drove her home so she could drop off her bags, and took them to lunch at a new spot that had opened between Anna’s cottage and the center of town. She waited until they had bowls of bone broth soup in front of them before she started her examination.
“I’m not quizzing you, Anna. I just want to know everything that happened. Everything,” Elaine explained, drawing out each syllable of the word.
Anna blew on her soup spoon and slurped up the broth. “This is good, El. You ever think of doing a soup truck?”
Elaine harrumphed.
Anna grinned to herself. “I take it that’s a no?”
“I did consider it. I mean, who doesn’t like soup? Does Daniel like soup? You have any soup in Mexico?”
“No, no soup. Lots of amazing guacamole. Some incredible wines from the region. And a moderate amount of heartbreak.” She lifted the spoon to her mouth again, her gaze on the contents of her bowl.
“I heard that.” Elaine leaned in.
Anna buttered one of the slabs of wood-fired sourdough bread, handed it across the table, and buttered one for herself. She dipped it into the broth until the bread threatened to fall apart and lifted it quickly to her mouth.
“Mm,” she said, “so good.”
The soup was fortifying, and even though she’d had a full day to figure out how to describe her trip and its accumulation of revelations, she was having a hard time getting started.
“Daniel looked good, Elaine, really, really good,” she began, looking across the table. “And the resort was something else. Right on the Pacific. We had a staff member dedicated to taking care of us the entire stay. I even went snorkeling and saw manta rays.”
Elaine peered at her. “That’s all lovely, but you’re telling me nothing about what it was like to see someone you were in love with a long time ago.”
“It was painful and beautiful, El. And it’s clear to me that Daniel and I will not be seeing each other again.” She watched her words send Elaine’s eyebrows arching over her eyes and her mouth into an O.
“Never?” she asked.
“Okay, maybe not never, but not any time soon.” She had a few more sips of the soup and took her time getting as much butter as she could onto another slab of bread. “Danny had a major epiphany the second night we were there, and that was after he did something at dinner that really irritated me.”
“Did you two get sexual?”
Anna nodded. “Earlier that day.”
“You want to talk about what it was like?” Elaine set her spoon beside her bowl and rested her elbows on the table.
“Not yet. I’m still processing.” She wiped her mouth with the napkin and let their waitress clear the table. “But I would like to talk about that business proposal you made.”
“Which one? The floating bordellos?” Elaine waved the waitress back over. “You want any dessert?”
Anna shook her head. “No, thanks, just herbal tea please, something with ginger in it.” She turned her attention back to Elaine. “And yes, the floating B and B, that idea. Harry emailed me. It looks like his nephew’s ideas were a little too modern for his tastes and he wants me back on board. But that would be like working for the competition, wouldn’t it?”
Elaine leaned into her chair, smoothing her fingers across the edge of the wood table. “We don’t have a boat yet, and we already know Harry’s got a particular vision for his boats, right?”
“Yes,” she said. “White or cream, primary colors only. Stripes or all one color. He’s not terribly imaginative, but he’s got a solid reputation for the boats he leases out.”
“He does have a good crew,” Elaine agreed. “But I think it would be fine for you to do this one job, and if you need to do it guilt-free, tell him you and I have been talking about doing something similar.”
“I can live with that.”
“So, when do we go boat shopping?”
Anna grinned. “I started last night. I’ll send you the links when I get home.”
The bell above the entrance to the café tinkled, letting in more customers. Anna waved and returned her attention to Elaine.
“How’re things with Richie?” she asked. She was ready to hear about someone else’s love life.
“We’ve been together less than six months,” Elaine said, “and I can’t remember the last time I felt this comfortable having a man in my life. We’re mono
gamous—which in and of itself is unusual for me—and we’ve spent almost every night together.” She looked at Anna full on, pointed to her face with both forefingers. “Do I even look like me?”
“Are you happy?”
“I’m very happy.”
“Is Ruby happy?” Anna teased.
“Ruby is deliriously happy. Ruby has eyes for no other man. Ruby is…” She opened her arms wide before slapping her thighs and whispering across the table. “Did I ever tell you about the time we were having sex and it was so intense that I cried?”
Anna shook her. “No, but I’m not surprised, El. I had a moment in Mexico where Daniel was moving too fast, and I freaked out. On the inside, I mean. I had to ask him to stop.”
“Then what did you do?”
“We did other things, but there was no…” she paused and lowered her voice, “penis in vagina. At all.”
“How’re things with you and Liam?”
Anna relaxed, felt her color rise and her body go lightly dreamy. “Liam’s different,” she said, “very different from any other man I’ve been with. Not that there’ve been all that many.”
“Are you seeing him tonight?”
“He’s camping for another week or so,” she said, draining the last of her tea. “And I should go. Harry’s texted me twice, and Gary Jr., Suki, and Gigi want to have a talk about their cottage.”
Elaine left cash on the table and stood, slipping her wallet back into her bag. “They say when they’re moving to Toronto?”
Anna frowned and shook her head. “After Christmas. I’m in total denial at the moment,” she said, shoving her arms into her raincoat. “How the hell am I going to manage being a long-distance grandmother? You’re going to have to help me watch my wine consumption.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think Romy’s heading for a divorce.”
“Oh, Elaine, I’m so sorry.” She opened the passenger door and climbed into the truck.
“I am too, but I had a feeling it wasn’t going to work. Romy had to indulge her need for a father figure. I’m just sorry the man she chose turned out to be chronically attracted to wooing his graduate students.”
Anna rolled her eyes and buckled her seat belt. “Any chance she’ll come back to the island and work for the Brazen Hussy Floating Bordello company?”
Elaine laughed as she put the truck in gear. “If I can get her here for a visit, we might be able to pick her creative brain a bit. Between the two of you, the insides of our boats ought to be gorgeous.”
Anna smiled. She spent so much time in sailboats and refurbished fishing boats that she could already picture what the interiors might look like. She glanced at her best friend, happy their crazy idea might end up being not so crazy after all.
Her week continued the theme of Getting Stuff Done. Gigi and Gary Jr. were perfectly able to divide the use of the cottage on their own, but they wanted her to sit in on their discussion. Anna suspected they hoped she would volunteer in some capacity to help with future rentals, but she made it clear she’d be available for emergencies—and opinions—only. She had to sit tight on her maternal inclination to smooth the rough edges.
She also had to sit on the urge to call Daniel. She’d give him a full week, and if he hadn’t called or emailed, she would initiate contact. There were some things she wanted to say.
Chapter Sixteen
Monday morning school traffic was at its peak when Anna parked her truck at the marina and dragged her wide-strapped canvas work bag from the passenger seat. Rain was beginning to come down in earnest, and there wasn’t a visible line separating the gray of the sky and the gray of the water. She zipped her hooded slicker to her chin and waved to the guys standing in the office before taking the wood ramp to the docks, eager to see what her next project entailed. Having two custom jobs this time of year was unusual, having two complete re-fittings was rare, and getting to work with her sexy neighbor was a total bonus.
The two-masted ketch purchased by Liam’s clients had been moved from storage and was now moored at the furthest berth. Its once red exterior had faded to a splotchy pink. She could see someone who might be Liam loading bags onto the boat’s deck.
Her belly fluttered in anticipation. They’d had a brief phone conversation once he returned from his camping expedition. Neither had volunteered much detail about their respective trips. Today, they’d be confined in tight quarters, possibly for hours, giving them plenty of time to cover the past two weeks, and what needed to be done with the boat.
There would be time to get on to more personal things too.
Liam came up from below decks, his bearded face framed by the hood of a bright yellow slicker. He gestured for Anna to toss her bag and dropped it into the space behind him then stepped into the cockpit and extended his hand across the gunwale.
“Welcome aboard the Blood Vessel.”
Anna followed him down the short ladder and into the main cabin. She pulled the hood of her slicker off her head and went to undo the snaps when Liam gave a low, appreciative whistle.
“Sunshine agrees with you.” He brought his nose close to her hair. “I swear you still smell like the beach.”
She smiled. Yes, sunshine did agree with her, as did beach walks, infinity pools, and flying first class. “I swear I’ve showered since I got back. Maybe it’s the hotel shampoo I pilfered. Looks like camping agrees with you. I like the new facial hair.”
Liam grinned and scratched at the side of his jaw. “We’ll see how much longer I can keep this up. It’s kind of itchy.”
“May I?” she asked, gesturing to his face.
He leaned in, lifted his chin, closed his eyes, and tried to purr. It came out more like a tortured growl.
Anna rubbed her fingers along his jaw. “Nice kitty.”
“So, you had a good time?” He stepped to the side and bent over to remove a few measuring tools from the box.
“I did.” She kept the tone of her response even-keeled and moved the conversation back to his trip. “And you? It wasn’t too cold for sleeping under the stars?”
Liam straightened, his head almost grazing the ceiling of the tight quarters. “Good thing my gear was rated for below freezing because it rained and snowed and everything in between. But the mountains were stunning, and I even got to walk on a glacier.” He pivoted, grinning, and looked for a clear surface for his sketchbook and measuring tools. “Would you mind emptying the cupboards and counters? I brought some heavy-duty trash bags. And we don’t need to be precious about it. We can just heave the bags onto the deck as you fill them. Or I’ll do it.”
“You want me to go through the fore stateroom as well?”
He looked confused. “There’s only one cabin.”
“Fore means the one in front.” She pointed to the front of the boat.
“Ah! I get it. I’m on a bit of a learning curve with all the nautical terms.”
“I’d be happy to give you a crash course,” she said, continuing to gesture as she spoke. “Fore means front, aft is the back area, port is the left side of the boat, and starboard is the right. Shall I continue?”
“Please do.”
“The ropes that attach to the sails are called sheets, some sails are called shrouds, and never, ever kill an albatross.”
Liam seemed entertained by her knowledge of nautical terminology. His eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled. “I don’t think I know what an albatross looks like, and this is the first time I’ve ever been asked to do custom work on a boat. Any advice you have, I’m all ears.”
“Do you know anything about her?” Anna asked. She ran her hands along the curved moldings of the countertops. She loved the creative ways boat builders used space, all the nooks and crannies and hidden shelves and drawers. Unfortunately for this boat, not much looked salvageable. And luckily for this boat, the owners had Liam in charge.
“Her?”
“Boats are referred to in the feminine,” she said.
“Oh. No,
I don’t know anything the boat. My clients were thrilled when I told them I could get started on the reno from here. We’ll arrange to have it trucked to the east coast around the time I head back to New York.”
“No idea if there are any structural problems?”
He shrugged. “I assume that if it’s in the water, everything’s okay?”
“Ooh, I’d recommend seeing if anyone up at the marina office could check it out.”
“I’ll see what the owners say, but that sounds like a good idea.”
“What’s the plan for today, boss?” Anna pulled a fleece jacket from her bag. There was no heat in the boat, and the temperature drop while she was in Mexico signaled the coastal rainforest’s seasonal deluge was there to stay. She hung her rain gear over a hook in the galley.
“Clean out everything that’s not nailed down,” said Liam. “I want to get a clearer sense of the interior lines and for what can stay.” He hefted a lightweight crowbar and placed it near the sketchbook. “We’ll rip out anything that’s a definite no. I’ll take some pictures to send to the owners, see what they want to keep.”
“Have you checked out the head?” Anna asked. Liam looked confused. She clarified, “The bathroom. Sorry, I should have included that in your first lesson.”
“I have no idea where it is.”
“Where we’re standing right now is the galley, otherwise known as the kitchen and dining area.” Anna reached past him and opened the narrow door he’d been leaning against. The toilet was missing its lid, the ancient linoleum floor covering was cracked and peeling away, and whatever material had been used to create cupboards and countertops was not meant for long-term use at sea. She stepped to the side so Liam could peer into the tiny space.
“Oh, God,” he said.
“You might want to start in here with that crowbar,” she said.
He recoiled, and closed the door. “I hope that’s not indicative of what the rest of the boat looks like. Everything in there’s got to go.”
Anna grabbed the doorknob to the stateroom in the front of the boat. She was enjoying showing off her knowledge. And appreciative he wasn’t being a Mr. Know-It-All. “Only one way to find out. You ready?”