The Choice - Nicholas Sparks [53]
“Uh-huh. I think you got too much sun today.”
“Probably,” he said. He motioned to her bottle as he stood. “Want another?”
She hadn’t even realized she’d finished. “I’d better not.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
“That’s not the point. I don’t want to give you the wrong impression about me.”
“I doubt that’s possible.”
“I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate it.”
“Then it’s a good thing he’s not here, isn’t it? Besides, we’re just getting to know each other. What harm is there in that?”
“Fine.” She sighed. “Last one, though.”
He brought two more over and opened hers. As soon as she took a drink and felt the corresponding buzz as it went down, she heard a voice inside her whisper, You shouldn’t be doing this.
“You’d like him,” she said, trying to reestablish some boundaries between them. “He’s a great guy.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“And yes, to answer your earlier question, he’s tall.”
“I thought you didn’t want to talk about him.”
“I don’t. I just want you to know I love him.”
“Love is a wonderful thing. It makes life worthwhile. I love being in love.”
“Spoken like a man with plenty of experience. But keep in mind that true love lasts forever.”
“Poets would say that true love always ends in tragedy.”
“And you’re a poet?”
“No. I’m just telling you what they say. I’m not saying I agree. Like you, I’m more of a happy-ending romantic. My parents have been married forever, and that’s what I want to have one day, too.”
Gabby couldn’t help thinking that he was very good at this sort of flirty banter—and then reminded herself that it was because he’d had a lot of practice. Still, she had to admit there was something flattering about his attention, even if she knew Kevin wouldn’t approve.
“Did you know that I almost bought your house?” he asked.
She shook her head, surprised.
“It was for sale at the same time this one was. I liked the floor plan better than this one, but this one already had the deck and the boathouse and a lift. It was a tough choice.”
“And now you’ve even got a hot tub.”
“You like that?” He cocked an eyebrow. “We could get in later, once the sun goes down.”
“I don’t have my suit.”
“Bathing suits are optional, of course.”
She rolled her eyes, pointedly ignoring the shiver that had gone through her. “I don’t think so.”
He stretched, looking pleased with himself. “How about just our feet, then.”
“I could probably handle that.”
“It’s a start.”
“And a finish.”
“That goes without saying.”
On the other side of the creek, the setting sun was changing the sky to a golden palette of colors that stretched across the horizon. Travis pulled another chair closer and propped his feet on it. Gabby stared across the water, feeling a sense of well-being she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Tell me about Africa,” she said. “Is it as otherwordly as it seems?”
“It was for me,” he said. “I kept wanting to go back. Like something in my genes recognized it as home, even though there was so little there that I saw that reminded me of the world I came from.”
“Did you see any lions or elephants?”
“Many.”
“Was that amazing?”
“It’s something I’ll never forget.”
She was quiet for a moment. “I’m envious.”
“Then go. And if you do, make sure you visit Victoria Falls. It’s the most amazing place I’ve ever seen. The rainbows, the mist, the incredible roar—it’s like you’re standing on the very edge of the world.”
She smiled dreamily. “How long were you there?”
“Which time?”
“How many times have you been there?”
“Three.”
She tried to imagine living a life so free but somehow failed. “Tell me about all of them.”
They talked quietly for a long time, dusk giving way to darkness. His colorful descriptions of people and places were vivid and detailed, making her feel as if she’d been alongside him, and she found herself wondering how many times, and with how many other women, he’d shared these stories. Halfway through, he rose from the table and brought back two bottles of water, respecting her earlier comment, and the appreciation she felt added to her growing sense of affection for Travis. Though she