Message in a Bottle - Nicholas Sparks [33]
“Mahogany.”
“The whole boat?”
“Most of it. Except for the masts and some of the interior.”
She nodded again, and Garrett watched as she walked alongside Happenstance. As she stepped farther away, he couldn’t help but notice her figure and how her straight, dark hair grazed her shoulders. But it wasn’t only the way she looked that caught his eye—there was a confidence in the way she moved. It was as if she knew exactly what men were thinking as she stood near them, he realized suddenly. He shook his head.
“Did they really use this boat to spy on the Germans in World War Two?” she asked, turning to face him.
He laughed under his breath, doing his best to clear his mind. “That’s what the previous owner told me, though I don’t know if it was true or if he said it to get a higher price.”
“Well, even if it wasn’t, it’s still a beautiful boat. How long did it take you to restore it?”
“Almost a year.”
She peeked in one of the round windows, but it was too dark to make out much of the interior. “What did you sail on while you were fixing Happenstance?”
“We didn’t. There wasn’t enough time, not with working in the shop, teaching classes, and trying to get this one ready.”
“Did you go through sailing withdrawals?” she asked with a smile, and for the first time, Garrett realized he was enjoying the conversation.
“Absolutely. But they all went away just as soon as we finished and got her out on the water.”
Again, she heard the word “we.”
“I’m sure they did.”
After admiring the boat for another few seconds, she returned to his side. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Garrett wondered if she knew he was watching her from the corners of his eyes.
“Well,” she finally said as she crossed her arms, “I’ve probably taken enough of your time.”
“It’s okay,” he said, and again he felt the sweat on his forehead. “I love to talk about sailing.”
“I would, too. It always looked like fun to me.”
“You sound like you’ve never gone sailing before.”
She shrugged. “I haven’t. I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve never actually had the chance.”
She looked at him when she spoke, and when their eyes met, Garrett found himself reaching for the bandanna for the second time in a few minutes. Damn, it’s hot out here. He wiped his forehead and heard the words coming out of his mouth before he could stop them.
“Well, if you’d like to go, I usually take her out after work. You’re welcome to come along this evening.”
Why he’d said that, he wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe, he thought, it was a desire for female companionship after all these years, if only for a short time. Or maybe it had something to do with the way her eyes lit up whenever she talked. But no matter what the reason, he had just asked her to come with him, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
Theresa, too, was a little surprised, but she quickly decided to accept. It was, after all, the reason she’d come to Wilmington.
“I’d love to,” she said. “What time?”
He put the bandanna away, feeling a little unsettled about what he’d just done. “How about seven o’clock? The sun begins to drop then, and it’s the ideal time to go out.”
“Seven o’clock is great for me. I’ll bring along something to eat.” To Garrett’s surprise, she looked both pleased and excited about going.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but it’s the least I can do. After all, you didn’t have to offer to bring me along. Are sandwiches okay?”
Garrett took a small step backward, suddenly needing a little breathing space. “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not that picky.”
“Okay,” she said, then paused for a moment. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, waiting to see if he’d say anything else. When he didn’t, she absently adjusted the purse on her shoulder. “I guess I’ll see you tonight. Here at the boat, right?”
“Right here,” he said, and realized how tense he sounded. He cleared his throat and smiled a little. “It will be fun. You’ll enjoy it.”
“I’m sure I will. See you later.”
She