Chapter 20
JONAH
I didn’t even go home first after stepping off the boat, which in hindsight was probably a mistake because after four days at sea hauling up traps, I wasn’t smelling or looking my best. I didn’t think of that though, in my urgent need to see her.
The entire time I’d been at sea, she was all I thought about.
I’d replayed that kiss so many times in my head, analyzing the look on her face after, in doubt that it mirrored the expression on my own.
Luckily, for us both, she wasn’t at the cottage when I stopped by, and checking the time, I realized she would still be working. I sent her a quick message.
Dinner tonight?
Then headed home to shower the stink off me. When I got out of the shower, she’d replied.
I’d love to.
I fired back:
Pick you at 7?
And was rewarded with a thumbs-up.
Realizing I had hours to kill until then, and exhausted from the days on the boat, fighting to stand and work in rough seas and taking it in shifts to keep watch during the night, I decided to take a quick afternoon nap so I’d be refreshed for my date with Mae.
I fell immediately into a deep sleep, until the ringtone of my phone dragged me out of it.
Feeling groggy, I fumbled for my phone on the bedside table, trying to gauge from the light outside what time it was, worried that I’d slept too long and missed picking up Mae.
‘Jonah?’
Suppressing a sigh, I cursed myself for not checking the name on the screen before answering. ‘Hi, Mom.’
‘When did you get back?’
‘A couple of hours ago.’
She sniffed down the phone. ‘You should have called. You know your father worries about you when you’re out at Williams Bank.’
‘Sorry. You’re right. I should have called. How is he?’
‘Nice of you to ask. His blood pressure is a little high. The doctor wants us to monitor it ourselves more often.’
I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes, immediately concerned. ‘What else have they said? Do they know what’s causing it? It’s not a sign of another impending stroke, is it?’
‘They don’t think so, but he’s booked in for another scan at the end of this week to rule it out.’
‘I can take him. Take you both.’
‘Thank you.’ Her tone shifted. ‘They said the stress of work isn’t helping, Jonah. But then we knew that.’
‘He’s not working, he’s still at home, isn’t he?’
‘His body might be here, but his mind is in the office. He’s been working on his laptop, and taking calls when he’s supposed to be resting. I’ve told him to stop until I’m blue in the face but he won’t listen to me. You know what he’s like. Worries about the hotel.’
‘I’ll have a word to him.’
‘Good. You can do that tonight when you come for dinner.’
‘Uh.’ I tried frantically to remember whether I’d committed to dinner and forgotten. ‘Did we have plans?’
‘Your father hasn’t seen you all week, Jonah. He’s unwell. Surely you can spare some time to visit?’
‘Of course. I’ll come by around six for an hour or so.’
‘An hour? Why, do you have somewhere more important you need to be?’
‘Not more important, no. But—’
‘Good, then that’s settled. You’ll stay for dinner.’
I gave up. It was only a matter of time before she found out anyway. This town had eyes and ears everywhere. ‘Only if I can bring a guest.’
‘A guest? Who?’
‘A friend.’
‘A woman?’
‘Yes.’
She was quiet for a few moments. ‘Fine. I’ll set an extra place.’
Mae’s door was open before I’d even turned the truck’s engine off and knowing that she’d been waiting and watching for me put a smile on my face, because I was sure as hell keen to see her too.
‘Hey, stranger,’ she said shyly from the porch.
‘You’re a sight for sore eyes,’ I told her.
She put a hand on one hip. ‘Are you just saying that because you’ve been stuck on a boat with only men to look at for the past few days?’
I snorted with laughter. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had made me laugh as much as Mae did.
‘Are you calling Jim ugly?’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m just saying maybe your standards and expectations are a little low, because you’ve been at sea.’
I walked up the porch steps and stopped right in front of her, drinking the sight of her in.
I had to resist the urge to pick right up where we’d left off, because she was so damn cute and she was looking at me as if she’d been waiting for this moment for the past fifty years.
Only the fact that I’d already promised my mother we’d come to dinner was stopping me from scooping her up in my arms and kicking the cottage door down.
‘I missed you,’ she said softly. ‘Weirdly.’
‘Why is it weird?’
‘Because I barely know you.’
I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, noticing the way she shivered ever so slightly when my palm touched her cheek. ‘Is that what your heart is telling you? That I’m still a stranger?’
She shook her head. ‘No.’
‘Good. Because all I could think of when I was out on the boat was you.’
She smiled shyly. ‘Really?’
‘Really. There were so many moments when I wished you were there by my side. Incredible sunsets and sunrises that don’t make any sense with how beautiful they are, and I wished I was sharing them with you.’
She licked her lips before she spoke. ‘What an odd coincidence.’
‘What is?’
‘I watched those same sunrises and sunsets from here and wished you were here.’
‘Of course, that wasn’t the only time I wished you were by my side,’ I said, trying to lighten the mood because if she didn’t stop looking at me like that we definitely weren’t going to make dinner.
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah, I could have done with another set of hands when I was hauling the traps up.’
She laughed. ‘It’s just my muscles you want me for then?’
I ran my eyes over her beautiful face. ‘I wouldn’t say just.’
She broke the spell by stepping backwards and looking down at herself. ‘I wasn’t sure how to dress, because, in typical Jonah style, you haven’t told me where we’re going.’
‘Yes, I have. Dinner.’
‘But where? I didn’t know whether to wear jeans and a sweater, or a dress.’
‘And? What did you go for in the end?’
‘Something in between.’ She opened the sides of her coat, revealing a nice pair of tailored black trousers, black boots with a heel, and a black chiffony top that tied up at the neck. It had a low neckline, but not too low. Just enough to hint at the gentle swell of cleavage.
‘You look perfect,’ I said, and I meant it.
As far as I was concerned, she could have been wearing the reindeer onesie again and I’d have thought she looked perfect.
My mother, on the hand, wouldn’t have been very impressed.
I checked my watch. ‘We’d better get going.
And can I just say in advance that I’m sorry. ’
‘For what?’
‘For what’s going to happen next.’
‘That sounds ominous.’
‘It could be.’
‘Should I be worried?’
I held out my hand and she took it, curling her fingers into my palm.
‘No,’ I told her with a smile. ‘I’ve got you.’