Chapter 25
Bert shifted her upward until Mary’s face was closer to his.
Her eyes widened, and then her smile beamed toward him.
They stayed in that position for a long moment, wrapped in each other, the ship rocking gently beneath them.
Outside the window, the harbor of Saint John spread out in the fading light, but Bert’s attention was focused entirely on the woman in his arms.
This was what he’d been afraid to want. What he’d convinced himself he couldn’t have. And now that they’d vowed their love and weren’t running from the complications, he felt like he could finally breathe.
“We should get ready for dinner,” she said eventually, though she made no move to pull away.
“We should,” Bert agreed, but he didn’t let go either.
They continued standing, her held over the floor, safely in his arms, letting the reality of their feelings sink in. There would be time later to deal with Colin and Diane, to finish the mission they’d started.
But right now, at this moment, they were just Mary and Bert. Two people who’d found each other despite fear and complications and all the reasons it might not work.
And that was enough. More than enough. It was everything.
He had been in love with her for a long time, but watching her at Cape Enrage Lighthouse, he realized that what he’d felt before was just the beginning.
Seeing her face light up as the guide explained the history of the keeper’s cottage, hearing her laugh when a seabird swooped too close and startled them both, feeling her lean into his touch with unconscious trust…
this was when he understood the full depth of what love could be.
She was radiant today. There was a lightness to her he hadn’t seen before, a freedom that seemed to come from deep within.
Every moment felt significant. The way she’d turn to share something she’d noticed, her eyes bright with interest. The unconscious way she’d reach for his hand when she wanted his attention.
The soft sound of her laughter. He collected the memories like treasures, moments he’d remember when he was old and gray and hopefully still with her.
But more than that, he’d watched Mary observe and assess, tracking Colin’s behavior.
Saw the frustration in her eyes when Diane smiled and laughed, unknowing that the nephew she trusted might be unworthy of her trust. He saw Mary’s fierce protectiveness, the same quality that made her such a good Keeper of all the Keepers, now focused on helping someone she’d known for less than a week.
That was Mary. Seeing someone in need and immediately stepping in to help. It was one of the things Bert loved most about her, even as it made him want to wrap her in protective bubble wrap and never let anything bad touch her.
Bert had listened as Mary voiced her fears, her hands twisting in her lap, her voice small in a way that was so unlike her usual confidence. And his heart broke a little at how much she’d been carrying alone, and how she’d convinced herself she might not be enough.
He held her, letting her release the fear and tension she’d been carrying for so long.
And at that moment, holding her while she was vulnerable and trusting him with her deepest worries, Bert felt something shift in his chest. The old scars from past failed relationships, the betrayals that had made him cautious and guarded, didn’t define him anymore.
Mary defined him now. Mary and the life they could build together. And that was worth every risk.
Eventually, they had to get ready for dinner, the reality of their situation pressing back in. They had a job to do. Diane needed their help. Colin needed to be stopped. Everything else could wait.
He lowered her carefully into her wheelchair, placing another sweet kiss on her lips before stepping back. Mary maneuvered to the closet where she’d hung her dinner outfit.
She glanced at the bathroom. “Why don’t you shower while I get dressed?”
Understanding she needed privacy, he nodded. By the time he finished, she had dressed herself. Bert stared at her beauty. The blouse was deep blue, elegant without being formal. Her hair curled about her shoulders, and her makeup was subtle and made her eyes luminous.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, meaning it with every fiber of his being.
“You clean up pretty well,” Mary replied, taking in his slacks and button-down. “Ready to face the masses?”
“With you? Always.”
Dinner was in the main dining room, just like every night, but now it felt different. Tonight, they weren’t just playing roles. They were together, in love, and figuring out how to be a couple while simultaneously working a case.
They were seated at a table with Eleanor, Thomas, Carolyn, and another couple Mary had met briefly.
The conversation flowed easily, helped along by good wine and excellent food.
Bert found himself genuinely enjoying the company, the kind of relaxed social interaction that had felt difficult since leaving the military, but somehow came naturally with Mary beside him.
But he kept one eye on the nearby table where Colin and Diane sat with George and another passenger. Diane seemed bright and engaged, laughing at appropriate moments.
Colin was the perfect attentive nephew, cutting Diane’s meat before she could ask, refilling her water glass, and gently steering the conversation away when topics got too complicated.
To anyone not looking for it, he seemed caring and devoted.
But Bert saw the control underneath, the way Colin managed every aspect of Diane’s experience.
“So,” Carolyn said, drawing Bert’s attention back to their table. “Have you two set a wedding date yet? We keep asking Mary, but she says you’re both too busy with work to plan.”
Mary shot Bert a look that was part amusement, and he squeezed her hand under the table.
Bert improvised. “We’ll need some time to plan something meaningful rather than rushing. Mary deserves a wedding she’ll remember.”
“Spring is lovely for weddings,” Eleanor agreed. “Will you marry in Montana? I imagine the mountains would make a beautiful backdrop.”
“That’s the idea,” Mary said, warming to the fiction they were creating. “Something small and intimate. Just close friends and family.”
“Smart choice,” Thomas said. “Carolyn and I had a huge wedding. Three hundred guests, most of whom we barely knew. If we could do it over, we’d elope.”
“You would not,” Carolyn protested with affection. “You loved every minute of that wedding.”
“I loved marrying you,” Thomas corrected, taking her hand. “The wedding itself was just expensive chaos.”
The conversation drifted to wedding stories, relationship advice, the kind of gentle nosiness that came from passengers who’d gotten to know each other over several days of close quarters.
Bert played his part, answering questions and weaving their cover story with enough detail to be convincing but not so much that they’d trip themselves up later.
After dinner, passengers dispersed to various evening activities. Colin and Diane headed to the salon to join the other bridge players.
Bert and Mary excused themselves, seemingly to retreat to their stateroom.
“Are you sure you won’t join us?” Diane asked, her expression hopeful.
Mary just shook her head with a smile. “I’m not a bridge player, and—”
“Oh… you’re not?”
Bert noticed Mary jolted ever so slightly before she replied, “I have a headache and think we’ll turn in early.”
With goodbyes said, they headed to their stateroom. The moment the door closed, Bert said, “I take it that Diane knows you don’t play cards?”
“I haven’t played cards since being on the trip. And yes, I had told Diane that I didn’t play.” She reached out and took his hand. “She’s definitely forgetting things.”
Bert stood. “I want to see what medication Diane is on.”
“How?”
Lifting a brow, he retrieved his tactical kit. “I can get inside any room.”
She rolled her lips in, her gaze staying on him.
“What are you thinking?”
Mary sighed, then looked down at her wheelchair and waved her hands. “I wish I could do that with you.”
“Okay.” He grinned.
“Okay?” Her single-word question was filled with incredulity.
“Yeah. How about you go with me? You can be my lookout.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips curved upward. “I’d love to!”
“You hang near the elevator. If Colin or Diane comes down, and I’m not out, you’ll let me know. I can slip out through their sliding glass door and make my way to the deck below.” He leaned down so they were eye level. “But that’s all you’ll do. Promise?”
Nodding quickly, she continued to grin. “Promise.”