The Choice - Nicholas Sparks [40]
“It’s a pretty town,” she finally said.
“I’ve always loved it,” he agreed. “Growing up, I used to dream about moving to a big city, but in the end, this is home for me.”
They turned toward the inlet. Behind them, Beaufort grew smaller; up ahead, the waters of Onslow Bay embraced the Atlantic. A solitary cloud drifted overhead, puffy and full, as if molded from snow. The gentle blue sky spread over water speckled with golden prisms of sunlight. In time, the hectic activity of Back Sound gave way to a sense of isolation, broken only by the sight of an occasional boat pulling into the shallows of Shackleford Banks. The three couples at the front of the boat were as transfixed by the view as she was, and even the kids seemed to have quieted. They sat contentedly on laps, their bodies relaxed, as if they were ready for a nap. Gabby could feel the wind whipping through her hair and the balm of the summer sun.
“Hey, Trav,” Stephanie called out, “is this okay?”
Travis broke from his reverie and glanced around.
“Let’s go a bit farther. I want to make sure we have enough room. We’ve got a rookie on board.”
Stephanie nodded, and the boat accelerated again.
Gabby leaned toward him. “How does this work, by the way?”
“It’s easy,” he said. “First, I fill the parachute and get it ready to accept the harnesses by using that bar over there.” He pointed toward the corner of the boat. “Then, you and your partner put the harnesses on, I clip those to the long bar, and you take a seat on the platform. I start the crank and you lift off. It takes a couple of minutes to reach the right height, and then . . . well, you float around. You get a great view of Beaufort and the lighthouse, and—because the weather’s been so clear—you might get to see some dolphins, porpoises, rays, sharks, even turtles. I’ve seen whales on occasion. We might slow the boat, let you dunk your feet, and then go up again. It’s a blast.”
“Sharks?”
“Of course. It’s the ocean.”
“Do they bite?”
“Some do. Bull sharks can be pretty nasty.”
“Then I’d rather not be dunked, thank you very much.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. They won’t bother you.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“I’ve never, in all the years I’ve done this, heard of anyone getting bitten by a shark while parasailing. You’re in the water for maybe two or three seconds at the most. And usually sharks feed at dusk.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“How about if I’m with you? Then would you try it? You shouldn’t miss it.”
She hesitated, then gave a quick nod. “I’ll think about it,” she offered. “I’m not promising anything.”
“Fair enough.”
“Of course, you’re assuming that you and I will go up together.”
He winked as he flashed that smile of his. “Of course.”
Gabby tried to ignore the leaping sensation in her stomach. Instead, she reached for her bag and pulled out some lotion. After dabbing a bit on her hand, she began nervously to apply some to her face, trying to regain some distance.
“Stephanie tells me you’re a world traveler.”
“I’ve traveled a bit.”
“She made it sound like more than that. Like you’ve pretty much been everywhere.”
He shook his head. “I wish. Believe me, there are lots of places I haven’t seen.”
“What’s been your favorite place?”
He took a while to answer, a wistful expression on his face. “I don’t know.”
“Well . . . where would you suggest I go?”
“It’s not like that,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“Traveling has less to do with seeing things than experiencing them. . . .” He surveyed the water, gathering his thoughts. “Let me put it this way. When I graduated from college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I just decided to take a year to see the world. I had a bit