“Hello, ladies.”
“Ooh, and so polite!”
The other woman, cheeks puffed out and red, laughed. She was paddling hard against the wind and the thought crossed his mind that he hoped she would not need medical assistance anytime soon.
As they passed him by, the first one shouted back, “How about you meet us at that inn back there for a drink later? My treat!”
He saluted them, noting how they both shrieked with laughter, but he kept his answer—a hearty “no”—to himself. The waters ahead were teeming with so many adventurers that Wade began to wonder if he would ever find Priscilla out here. Water lapped over his board and he slowed, taking it all in. A sea lion’s head broke the surface of the water mere yards in front of him. The animal turned his head like a periscope, slowly and purposefully. After a minute or so, he dove downward, his bulky body splitting the water before following the rest of him into the depths.
Wade considered his options: paddle like crazy in hopes that the lion would lose interest in him or hold his ground and hope that he already had.
He chose to stay put. That’s when he noticed a deep-toned bark followed by the grind of a boat engine in the distance. He snapped a look across the channel where a lone dock jutted out into the harbor, surrounded by a shore of jagged rocks. A fat sea lion, one of the largest he’d ever seen, sunned itself on the edge. Several other sea lions swam around the base of the dock, their heads breaking the surface of the water followed by flippers and tails when they dove below.
“Wade!”
He looked between the dock and saw her there, her paddle at her side. Priscilla stood tall, confident, her red hair billowing behind her. A goddess.
He went mute ... dumbstruck.
The sound of that engine grew. She shaded her eyes, a smile dancing on her face. She cupped her hand around her mouth and shouted, “I’m not sure if this harbor is big enough for the both of us.”
He grinned and shouted back, “I will prove you wrong about that.” Wade continued to watch her, ever aware of the raft of sea lions frolicking on just the other side of her. His pulse quickened. She drew him toward her with her light and joy, her beauty and love of adventure. How could he have become so mired in loss to not trust in what he had found?
The water turned choppy, the noise from that boat engine growing louder. He turned, noting that a sleek vessel had entered through the harbor mouth, its hull shaped liked a classic cigarette boat. Wade frowned as the boat made its way down the channel at higher speed than was allowed.
He swung his gaze back to Priscilla, aware that her smile had faded too. He shaded his eyes. She looked over her shoulder toward the approaching boat and dug her paddle into the water, turning hard toward the dock behind her. The speedboat continued toward them without slowing, its passengers’ mouths open in celebratory smiles, likely oblivious to their captain’s reckless behavior.
He frowned. She was trying to get out of the boat’s way, but would those sea lions be open to her joining them?
All other vessels on the channel near the speeding boat had scattered. If Wade stayed put, he, too, would be out of harm’s way—from what he could tell about the boat’s direction—though subject to a wake that might very well upend him and his board.
Then the unthinkable—the boat turned slightly and headed straight for Priscilla. Wade waved his paddle over his head, hoping to get the speedboat captain’s attention. When that didn’t work, he dropped his paddle into the water and gave it a hard shove. Everything was happening so fast. He paddled harder, gulping air as he did.
Priscilla had nearly reached the dock and hovered beside it, probably staying careful not to disturb its resident. Instead of continuing down the channel, the speedboat slowed, but only slightly. Laughter punctuated the air.
“Shoo!” one of the boaters called out.
The captain continued straight for the dock, skimming it as it passed. Wade kept his eyes trained on Priscilla, who had turned her board again and paddled farther away, only to switch back again after the boat passed her, like she was trapped.
Wade cut through the center of the channel as the speedboat’s engine revved. “Hey!” He held up his paddle to get the guy’s attention. “Stop!”
The guy waved and shouted, “Steer clear! I’m gonna clear my dock!”
Clear the dock? Did he not see Priscilla there, trapped? That’s when he realized: The boat captain was trying to scare off the sea lion that had taken up residence on his dock so he could land there.
Unfortunately, Priscilla had nearly reached the dock again. “Cilla!” Wade shouted. “Move away from the dock!” Whatever fears he’d had about being on the water had completely vanished, his mind gripped at the thought of Priscilla in the water, surrounded by sea lions. Even the gentlest of creatures could turn aggressive when their territory became threatened.
As she tried to move away, the boat once again skirted the dock. Wade groaned, and paddled faster than he thought possible just as the massive sea lion dove into the water, knocking Priscilla off her board and into the murky channel waters below.
“Priscilla!”
She heard him calling out to her, her mind jostling between the shock of cold water surrounding her and the fact that Wade had showed up out here in the middle of choppy waters.
He was paddling hard toward her. Priscilla could tell by the excessive rippling of his biceps as he charged forward, digging in his paddle, determination lining his brow. Amazing what one could make out from yards away.
“There’s a girl in the water!” someone shouted.
The captain of the sleek boat cut its engine and passengers scrambled to peer over the side at her.
“A girl?” the driver shouted. “Where?”
Was she that unremarkable that the boat captain had not seen her? She rolled her eyes like a teenager and made a mental note to purchase a neon yellow rash guard to wear the next time.
Wade had traversed much of the channel, sending all kinds of sparks through her as she floated there, trying to determine her next move. Forget about that daft boat captain. The one who mattered had seen her—and he was paddling this way.
“Cilla!”
“Wade.” Her voice broke when she said his name, surprising even her. She clung to her board, her paddle nowhere to be found, her arms wobbling like jelly fish.
When Wade reached her, he knelt on his board. Then he reached across and warmed her hands with one of his. “When we get back to shore I’m going to wring that boat captain’s neck,” he muttered.
“I would buy a ticket to see that.”
His gaze washed over hers.
She smiled up at him.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Just cold. And a little scared my toes might become somebody’s lunch.”
A crushingly loud bark split the air. Priscilla held her breath. The big ol’ sea lion that had caused her to fall off her board hoisted its well-fed self back onto the dock, causing it to groan and shudder under the animal’s weight. She swung a startled look back at Wade. “He outweighs us all, I’m sure.”
Wade winked. “Probably best not to think on that right now.”
A voice from behind broke through. “Need some help?”
“Might have thought of that earlier, Captain,” Wade muttered and swung a gaze toward the guy at the helm of that boat. He turned back to Priscilla, giving her a gentle look. “I’ll steady the board. Do you think you can climb back on?”
“I cannot believe you are here.” Her voice trembled, her lips surprising cold. “You are ... you’re my rescuer.”
Wade stared at her for a beat, concern in his eyes. He swung another look toward that boat. A woman watched them with a worried frown, her forehead knotted. She held a towel out to him. “Please. Let us help?”
He nodded. “We need a ride back to the inn.”
“Absolutely,” the woman said. “Get her to the stairs and we’ll take you where you need to go.”<
br />
Priscilla watched as he handed the woman his paddle. Then with free hands, he carefully gripped the edge of Priscilla’s board and pulled her around toward the waiting boat. “I’ll hold your board while you climb into the boat.”
Minutes later, Wade, with Priscilla wrapped in a towel, sat on the speedboat as a remorseful captain ferried them back to the inn. She shivered and Wade cinched her closer to him. He put his warm hand on her cheek, the touch of him warming her to the core.
She turned a look up at him. “You have an anchor on your back.”
“Do I?”
Priscilla took him in, his browning skin, the way his dark eyes followed her. “It’s sexy.”
He broke out in a grin and tightened his grip on her. “That’s quite a compliment coming from a mermaid like yourself.”
She smiled broadly at this, suddenly growing warmer. Priscilla had never felt quite this safe in her entire life. “What does it mean?”
“I had it made one day in my twenties when I found myself being tossed around by uncertainty.” His jaw twitched. “It was meant to remind me that strength and stability are there for the taking, that there’s always something bigger holding me in place. Frankly, I had forgotten it was there.”
“I’m glad you’ve been reminded.”
He wicked a look at her. “Yeah, me too.”
They sat in silence, the whir of the boat’s engine the only sound between them. Finally, Priscilla spoke. “You told me that you never wanted to paddle board, that you never wanted to be prey.”
“Did I say that?”
“You did.”
He chuckled. “Well, then, I suppose you could say that my concerns were legitimate.”
She smiled at him, yet still unsure of what it all meant. “Oh, Wade, I am so confused by you. I honestly don’t know what to think right now.”
“Ask me anything.”
She stared at him. “Why did you come? I thought we were ... done.”
He brushed strands of hair from her cheek. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved the last time together. Would you believe that I wanted to sweep you off your feet?”
“Instead I got swept off my board.”
He groaned and pulled her closer. After a moment, he whispered, “Yes, and I’ve never been so afraid in my life.”
“Really?” she said. “Even more afraid than climbing onto that paddle board in the first place? Of possibly being prey to that big ol’ sea lion—or worse?”
He paused, then said, “Even more afraid than that.”
“Wow,” she whispered, searching his eyes. Then Priscilla lowered herself back into his embrace, nuzzling close to him beneath his chin. “Wow.”
Chapter 17
“So you really think teenagers will enjoy a harbor cruise?” Meg was asking.
Trace put a fist to her hip. “You mean sittin’ around being fed while someone else does the carting around? Yep, I think it’s a great idea.”
Priscilla nodded her agreement. “Oh, darling, yes. I think they’ll love it. And I’ve already spoken with Chef and he’s planning foods he thinks they’ll enjoy.”
Liddy picked up her phone and made some notes. “I’d better check on that. His idea of teen-friendly food might be tuna without the tartare.”
Meg laughed. “Or lamb with extra mint jelly.”
Priscilla laughed lightly. “Not to worry. We don’t know how exotic their tastes are so I’ve asked him to stick with sandwiches and chips.”
“And some of those fresh-baked brownies, I hope,” Trace added.
Priscilla nodded. “I’ll make sure to tuck an extra one in your box, Trace. I’m so glad you’ve agreed to come along as a chaperone.”
Trace stared at Priscilla, blinking rapidly. “I-I’m super happy you’ll have me. I can’t wait!”
Sophia breezed into the early morning meeting looking as if she’d fallen out of a magazine. Her hair hung loose and fresh at her shoulders, her yellow sundress showing off her tanned skin. “Good morning, ladies.” She set a basket of scones on the table. “I tried a new recipe I hope you will like—cranberry-tangerine.”
Her gift was met with a crescendo of oohs.
“Some people have a gift,” Liddy said, biting into a scone. She pointed at Sophia. “You are just one of those people. Whip up a scone? Sure. Throw together a beautiful dress? Why not?”
Sophia smiled. “You are embarrassing me.”
Meg broke off a piece of the decadent bread and popped it into her mouth. “Nothing to be embarrassed about, Sophia. This is heavenly. I’m so glad we’re related now.”
“Speaking of family,” Liddy said, throwing her gaze Priscilla’s way. “Have you heard from Wade about the, you know, deal?”
“Family?” Trace interrupted, pursed her lips, and looked from Liddy to Priscilla and back again. “Is there something you haven’t told me yet, Priscilla?”
Heat crawled up Priscilla’s neck. She and Wade had spent considerable time together over the past few weeks, but they had not discussed anything ... permanent. She wasn’t sure if they ever would. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Liddy. But”—she held up her forefinger—“I know that he hopes to hear something soon. Perhaps even today.”
Meg sighed. “Good. Looking forward to seeing less stress on that man’s face.”
“And more support for the center soon, hopefully,” Liddy added.
“Yes,” said Priscilla. “Hopefully.”
By the time the first two groups of teens arrived at the dock, Priscilla had forgotten all about the incident in the harbor several weeks prior. Well, almost. She waited to greet the campers beside a stack of life vests—though their captain had already told her they would not be required to wear them on the boat.
The girls bounded up to her with Amber leading the way. From behind, some of the boys dawdled, their hands in their pockets, their eyes guarded, while others seemed to jostle their way along, elbowing each other and becoming distracted by the other boats, the sea, and anything else that flew, splashed, or dove.
As the kids climbed aboard, Priscilla handed them each a life vest “just in case.” Trace was waiting on board clad in tan shorts, a windbreaker, and a visor advertising Sea Glass Inn. Priscilla cracked a smile when she caught sight of the whistle hanging around Trace’s neck.
Joaquin, one of the younger boys in Wade’s Money Smart class, dawdled behind. Priscilla held a life vest out to him. “Welcome, aboard.”
The boy glanced at the vest, his hands in his pockets. His stance was stiff and unfriendly, but in his eyes Priscilla saw fear. She put the vest back onto the pile and instead gestured for him to join her. She smiled. “Let me show you around. Would that be okay?”
He nodded, his eyes snapping left to right, as if surveying his surroundings.
While the rest of the kids were finding the perfect spot to sit, Priscilla led Joaquin inside the boat’s cabin and up some steps where the captain was preparing to depart.
“Captain Alex, I have someone for you to meet. This is Joaquin.”
Captain Alex was a burly man with curly black hair, a thick beard, and a kind smile. He reached out a hand. “Greetings, Joaquin!”
Joaquin shook the captain’s hand wordlessly.
He gestured toward a woman wearing garb similar to his. “And this is my First Mate, Maria.”
“Welcome, Joaquin,” Maria said.
Priscilla held the captain’s gaze, gesturing slightly toward the boy. Captain Alex gave her a brief nod and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You’re going to be our Junior Captain today. The views are amazing up here—you’ll be astounded!” He swung his gaze back to Joaquin. “How does that sound?”
Joaquin seemed to think about this. He swiped a tongue across his teeth and nodded. “Yeah. Cool.”
As Priscilla made her way back to the main deck, relief flowed through her. Inside the cabin, the girls clumped together near a window, talking over each other. Outside, several of the boys hung over the
side until Trace shooed them off the rails.
The captain called everyone out onto the deck, then gave them all a brief rundown of the rules before pushing the boat away from the dock. The captain moved slowly through the harbor and spoke through a loudspeaker to call out egrets, herons, and pelicans that hovered above the water. He also told them to watch for sea lions and bat rays that sometimes swam close to the surface.
A small sea lion poked through the water on the starboard side. “Hey,” one of the boys said, “isn’t that the fish that knocked you over, Priscilla?”
“He was that little?” Staci said.
Another boy said, “That little thing? I could’ve won him arm wrestlin’!”
“That’s cuz sea lions don’t have arms!” Mari said.
The first boy cracked up, which fed into a frenzy of laughter, most of it directed at Priscilla. She leaned against the railing, her arms over the side, her own laughter filling her ears. The rush of air against her skin lifted her spirit further. So much peace out here on the water, with these kids. Priscilla could honestly say, she’d found so much of what she had been searching for.
Though the time had barely dipped into the afternoon, camp day number one was already going well. Wade was waiting for them as they disembarked and Priscilla tried to gauge his expression for any sign that his New York sale was no longer in jeopardy.
Unfortunately, his face was still a mask.
He kissed her swiftly, then turned to the group of boys who had straggled off the boat. “Ready for a swim?”
And ... they were off.
Liddy held up a clipboard. “Okay, ladies. We’ll be meeting Priscilla and her crew in the spa soon for some fun downtime. Let’s go back to your suite and change clothes, shall we?”
After the girls had disappeared, Priscilla wandered up to the salon. Katrina laughed when she saw her. “You look beat! Here”—she patted the top of an empty salon chair—“sit.”
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