Half-Hitched

by Isabel Sharpe

  The second the two of them disappeared between the trees, Sarah abandoned all pretense at civility. “What the hell was that?”

  Derek did everything he could to look appalled and furious, but he was ready to sing hallelujah. Not only had Addie not been with Kevin last night, Kevin had shown his true colors to Sarah, who would waste no time passing the information along to her best friend. And that would very nicely take care of Kevin. “Looks like they’re an item.”

  “He was supposed to be with Addie last night.”

  “Addie was exactly where she was supposed to be.”

  Sarah glared at him, then stalked over and poked him in the chest. “Listen to me.”

  He caught her finger. “Hey. Hands off the merchandise.”

  “You listening to me?”

  He suppressed a smile. He liked Sarah. “I’m listening.”

  “Why didn’t you sleep with me that night? No bullshit.”

  “Because you were drunk, because you’re my best friend’s sister and because I had nothing to give you beyond that one night. No bullshit.”

  She was quiet awhile, digesting that. Actually he’d never seen her hold so still. “So are you really not a player?”

  “I’m not.” He held her gaze. “Never had the time or inclination.”

  “Why did I overhear my brother talking as if you were?”

  Derek kept himself from rolling his eyes. That again. “Because he likes the cliché of sailors. Woman in every port, ha-ha-ha. It’s our little joke. Not very funny, but we’re guys. We like that stuff.”

  Sarah nodded, still frowning, but clearly calmer. Derek picked up his shirt and put it back on. He was done chopping wood.

  “You like Addie don’t you?”

  “I do.” He was surprised by the question, surprised by his immediate answer and by the emotion in his voice. Yes, he liked her. Against all logic, a woman he barely knew, he liked her a whole hell of a lot.

  Sarah twisted her lip. Started to speak, changed her mind. Folded her arms across her chest and glared at him some more.

  He gave her a brotherly punch on the shoulder. “Spit it out, Sarah.”

  “Hey. The merchandise!”

  “Sorry.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Truce?”

  Her expression softened. “Okay, truce.”

  “Good.” He risked a smile and actually got a warm one back. “Now what were you going to tell me?”

  “There’s a hidden cove on this island.”

  “Yeah?”

  “One you can’t get to unless you know where to find the entrance. It’s a total family secret.”

  “I see.” He didn’t yet, but was willing to be patient.

  “Addie’s still there.”

  Derek eyed her warily, not sure what she was getting at. “Okay.”

  “Naked.”

  He swallowed and said the only thing he was capable of: “Glrmph.”

  “Listen to me. Pay close attention.” Sarah leaned closer, blue eyes direct and no-nonsense. “Because I’m only going to say this once.”

  * * *

  SARAH SAT ON the ledge near her favorite rock, a white crystalline boulder dropped in the middle of jagged gray granite, as if the gods had been playing sky golf and lost track of one ball. At high tide the rock was near-covered, but now it sat exposed in all its glory.

  Newly slathered with SPF 50 after sunbathing with Addie, loving this stretch of sunny days after the fog and clouds earlier in the week, Sarah was shucking corn. Forty ears, in preparation for the rehearsal dinner that night. The bag of unshucked sat to her right, the paper shopping bag for husks on her left. The naked ears, she was laying in the family’s huge midnight-blue enameled pot with white specks she’d always thought looked like snow. They’d use the pot again to cook lobsters for the wedding feast the following night, when weather forecasters predicted more perfection. Paul and Ellen deserved nothing less.

  From the clearing where she’d confronted Derek and learned the truth about Kevin’s snakelike character, Sarah had gone straight to the house and volunteered for a job, needing a steadying task. She still couldn’t believe Kevin, the guy she was so sure would find love with Addie, the guy she and Addie had been so crazy about for so many years, was a complete jerk.

  She ripped off a handful of husks, threw them in the bag. And she still couldn’t believe she’d told Derek where to find naked Addie. Derek! The guy she wanted. The guy she’d lusted after for years, pined after for many pointless hours, hoping this week that she could finally change his mind.

  Pointless. She could see that now so clearly. Maybe she’d finally gotten sick of all the years chasing men when that one crucial concept was missing: them wanting her, too. Maybe she was growing up. Definitely she was ready to string Kevin up by his balls and she was ready to change her opinion of Derek. Definitely she was trying to be happy for Derek and Addie, even if they only had through Sunday together. She and Addie had talked that morning and it was pretty clear to Sarah that Addie was smitten with Derek, even as she’d tried to pretend Kevin still had a chance. Funny how you could figure out other people’s crap much more easily than your own.

  Kevin. And Carrie! Jeez. How typically male. Sarah rubbed an ear free of the last few strands of silk. Though, really, in her new mood of analytical maturity, she should examine that statement, too. What was a typical male? Not fair to say Clueless Neanderthal. Paul wasn’t like that. Joe wasn’t like that. And now it seemed Paul had been right all along and Derek wasn’t like that, either. So there were exceptions. She just couldn’t seem to fall in love with exceptions. Look what she did with Derek the second she realized he was a good guy—gave up on him immediately and handed him over to her best friend. And she should have known immediately that if she’d wanted Kevin at some point, he must be bad news.

  A strand of silk escaped the garbage and flew on a welcome puff of breeze toward the water. Following it with her eyes, she saw Joe coming toward her, striding easily across the rocky beach, hair wet and tousled. Joe would understand. He’d listen. He’d tease her if she was being ridiculous and support her if she wasn’t.

  She should really work on falling in love with Joe.

  “Hey, Sarah. I’ve been sent to help you.”

  Sarah beamed at him and gestured to the ledge. “Pull up a rock.”

  “As soon as I find one that fits.” He tried a few places, attempting the difficult task of getting the shape of the human butt to match comfortably with the craggy formations. “There.”

  “Just showered?”

  “I went swimming.”

  Sarah gaped at him. “What are you, a polar bear?”

  “Warm day.” He picked up an ear and started working with her. “Sure cooled me off in a hurry.”

  “The breeze should pick up in a minute. The tide is changing.”

  “Yeah?” He glanced at her admiringly. He looked handsome today. The bit of sun on his face helped brighten his complexion, heightened his cheekbones. “How can you tell?”

  “Lobster buoys.” She pointed at the nearest, yellow and white striped. “They point out when the tide’s going out, in when it’s coming in. Right now they’re starting to swing around.”

  “Cool.”

  She added a corn ear to the pot and wiped her hands on her shorts. Time to confess, since she confessed pretty much everything to this man. “Joe?”

  “Sarah?”

  “I’m afraid I’ve done a terribly unselfish thing.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s awful.”

  “Sarah, I’m so sorry.” He picked up on the game right away, features contorting with worry. “How can I help?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before.” She pressed diva-fingers to her temple and closed her eyes. “I think I’m in s
hock.”

  “No!” He gasped comically. “What did you do?”

  “Believe it or not, I’m about to tell you.” She opened her eyes and resumed her normal voice. “I realized Kevin is a complete A-hole. But Derek is a good guy.”

  “Agreed on both counts.”

  “Yeah, well.” Sarah shrugged. “Took me a while to figure it out.”

  “You should have asked me. I know everything.”

  “Uh-huh.” She took his corn and added it to the pot, tore more husks from her own. “I also decided it was stupid to hold out hope for Derek.”

  “Really?” He stopped with his hand in the bag of corn, dark eyes clear and watchful. “You gave up on him? Really?”

  “Yes.” She let out another heaving sigh, enjoying her role tremendously. “Completely.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, Joe.” Sarah smiled sadly, feeling wise and old, and the way Joe was looking at her, maybe lovely, too. “He didn’t want me.”

  “The fool.”

  “And there’s more.”

  “Sarah...” He cringed, putting a hand to his chest. “I’m not sure my heart can take this.”

  “I gave him a green-light push toward Addie just now. He really likes her and she really likes him.”

  “Wow, Sarah. That was a really generous thing to do.” He tsk-tsked, eyes twinkling. “You must feel terrible.”

  “I should.” She wrinkled her nose, surprised by what she was about to say. “But I don’t. I feel sort of glad for them. And sort of relieved.”

  A slow smile spread over Joe’s face, making him even more attractive. Maybe it was the light? The beautiful Mainescape around them? “I’m speechless.”

  She nodded, proud inside, but not wanting to be gross about it. Joe’s approval meant a lot to her. For nearly ten years since she met him when he stepped in to help her out with a cranky customer at the campus bookstore, their friendship had consisted of Joe being a steady, stable source of comfort and support, while she flailed and wailed and stumbled through life.

  “Joe?”

  “Sarah?”

  She frowned down at her next ear of corn. “What do you get from this friendship with me?”

  “Uh. I— Huh?”

  She giggled. Maybe he could be a clueless male, too. “I mean, you give me total acceptance, unconditional support, lifts and reality checks when I need them. What do I give you?”

  “Aw, Sarah...” He tossed husks toward the garbage. They missed and fell onto a sandy patch below the ledge.

  “I’ll get them.” They spoke together, both scrambling down to pick them up, each gathering half. He didn’t answer her smile with his usual bright one. Looked down at his feet. Out to sea. She shouldn’t have asked him the question.

  “You don’t have to answer, Joe.” Especially if his answer was, You bring me nothing.

  “I don’t have the words right yet.”

  Sarah bit her lip, feeling queasy. “Tactful phrasing required?”

  “No.” He took the husks from her hand, tossed them into the garbage bag and came back to stand in front of her, looking down at her earnestly. “Risky phrasing.”

  “What do you mean?” Sudden fear. She knew what was coming. A truth she’d denied for years because it suited her to. God, why was she seeing everything so clearly today? Couldn’t she space it all out a little? She wanted to turn and run back to the cove, interrupt Addie and Derek and tell them sorry, but she changed her mind and they had to have a threesome immediately.

  Then Joe did something she’d never seen him do. He changed. He got taller and broader and more muscular and more masculine. Before her eyes. She couldn’t breathe.

  He took her hand, put it to his lips then pressed it to his heart. “You are loyal and generous and you make me laugh and cry and suffer and celebrate and always, always hope.”

  Sarah’s breath went in as if it would never stop. No one had ever said anything that lovely and romantic to her. Ever.

  “Joe, that was so beautiful,” she whispered.

  The breeze she’d predicted sprang up, playing with his now-dry hair, sending strands of hers across her face. For one terrifying moment, she thought this new version of Joe was going to kiss her. He had that look in his eye, one she’d seen plenty of times, but never on Joe. The predatory my-woman look.

  No, no, no, not Joe, that wasn’t right, he wasn’t—

  Oh, dear. He was.

  Would she let him? No! She wasn’t ready!

  God took care of her. The breeze strengthened and knocked over the garbage bag, spilling husks everywhere. By the time they got those cleaned up and went back to their work, Joe was himself again, the moment was over, and they were back to being comfortable friends.

  Almost. Sarah couldn’t quite forget. For that one second the thought of kissing Joe had been terrifying, yes. But also just the tiniest bit...thrilling.

  And maybe, if she allowed herself to think about it—absolutely right.

  * * *

  ADDIE WOKE UP, bleary-eyed and cranky and very, very sandy. What time was it? Where was she? What was she—

  Right. Storness Island. The secret cove. She’d been there all morning with Sarah. They’d had a long conversation analyzing the world and all men in it, noting particularly how unworthy way too many of them were.

  That part was mostly Sarah.

  Addie struggled to sit up, brushing back a tangle of hair. Then they’d moved on to discuss, specifically, Kevin, Derek and Joe, and how maybe Sarah had been wrong about Derek. And how Addie should give him a chance as well as Kevin and see what happened because you couldn’t have enough eggs in different baskets.

  That part was mostly Sarah, too.

  After she left, insisting Addie stay on for a good while to relax, Addie had been exhausted. Give Derek a chance this weekend? And Kevin? The woman who’d been tempted to spend this week filing? Please.

  Since the day was hot, she’d retreated to a banana shaped spot at the edge of the beach, where bushes and vegetation had formed a sheltering canopy, and covered herself with her towel. Apparently she’d kicked it off at some point while she was asleep and, just as apparently, a warm breeze had come up and blown more sand on her, plus the sun had moved and taken away a lot of the shade. So now she was naked, sweaty, thirsty and probably a little sunburned.

  She stood up groggily and shook out her towel in the stiffening breeze, eyes squeezed shut and head turned, then tried to brush the sticky sand off her sticky body.

  Ouch. Sand grains brushing over sunburned skin equaled sandpaper. Addie looked longingly toward the water. A skinny promontory and a kind of zigzag in the island’s coast formed a natural pool that looked perfect for swimming, and hid whoever was in the cove from passing boats. The tide was low now, but should be on its way in. Sarah told her the best time for swimming was sunny days when high tide had been creeping up over preheated sand and rocks all afternoon. This water wouldn’t be warm, but it would get this sand off more effectively and a lot less painfully.

  She marched down the beach, which was relatively steep so the tide hadn’t gone out that far, and gingerly stepped in.

  Brrrr. Cold. Especially on heated skin.

  She stuck her other foot in.

  Really cold.

  This would take considerable courage, but if Addie did a superfast wash-off of sand and sweat, her body would feel great when she was back in the warm sun again.

  She hoped.

  Another step, and another, until she was up to her knees, then thighs, then...oh that was cold. Men would not want to do this. Not if they wanted to have children someday.

  A few more steps and the coarsening sand under her feet turned to pebbles, then rocks. She had to pick her way carefully, testing with her feet to be sure stones
were stable before trusting them with her weight.

  It would be much easier to swim.

  In past her waist, she paused, swirling her hands in the greenish depths, following shafts of sunlight picking up tiny particles, not unlike sunbeams shining through dust or mist.

  So. This swimming thing. She needed to dive in and get it over with.

  Ready?

  One. Two. Three. No!

  Chicken.

  One more step, then she’d dive for sure. Addie stepped bravely forward onto a stone that toppled and threw her. She shrieked and fell, tried to regain her footing, floundered, then lost the bottom entirely and went under. She flailed to the surface, treading water, gasping, already turning so she could get back to shore as fast as possible. One long stroke in, she got the bottom back under her feet. Whew. Another step and she stumbled and fell again into what she had now decided was fresh iceberg melt. Feet scrambling, she fell twice more, sputtering and shrieking, before she finally reached sand and stability in waist-high water, so she could stagger safely back to—

  Derek.

  Oh, my God.

  Derek was standing on the beach, feet spread, hands on his hips, grinning.

  Her eyes shot open about as wide as they could go; her hands sprang to cover her breasts. Thank God water was still covering...the rest.

  What the hell was he doing here? Sarah said no one knew about the cove. How did he find her? What was she going to do? Why was he standing there staring at her?

  Her teeth started to chatter.

  She was naked and the water was freezing.

  “Uh. Hi, Derek.”

  “Hi, there.”

  She wanted to growl at his cheerfulness. “Um, could you turn around so I can go get my towel?”

  “Nope.” He was enjoying himself, the rat.

  “Nope? What do you mean nope?”

  “What do you think?” He walked forward a few steps and guess what, did some more grinning and staring.

  Damn it, Derek, this was not fair.

  Time for her rational superpowers. Like this: she could run for her towel, giving him only a speeding peek, which might not be all that terrible considering he’d had his hands all over her last night.