Page 59 of Suddenly Yours

Across the deck, I saw Max catch my eye again. He was leaning against the mast with Cora tucked into his side, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in years. He gave me a small, knowing nod, a silent “I know what’s going on between you two and I’m happy for you” before turning back to whatever joke Ben was telling him.

I closed my eyes, letting the wind and the vibration of the waves underneath us drown out my lingering mental checklist. The smell of salt air and sunblock swirled around me. For today, I was just a girl on a boat with the man of my dreams beside me.

We traveled for almost an hour before the sails were closed up and we dropped anchor in a small cove area.

Adam had outdone himself with the picnic. There was fresh bread he’d made from scratch, cheeses, various fruits and smoked meats, and a cake wrapped carefully in parchment that Lilly guarded like a secret until later.

We ate sprawled across the deck, passing plates, laughing when the boat shifted and sent someone’s plate sliding.

At one point, Cade brushed his thumb along my knuckles absentmindedly, like he didn’t even realize he was doing it. He had done this our whole lives, yet now it felt different. It was more than just a friendly touch.

I realized then, somewhere between the taste of sea air and the sound of Max joking with Ben about sail angles, that this was happiness without conditions. No one was asking me to be something I wasn’t or telling me what I should want out of life.

The sound of a cork popping drew cheers as the main dish was served.

“Alright, everyone,” Adam called out, his voice carrying easily over the wind. “The main course is served, poached salmon.”

My chef’s brain, which I had tried so hard to switch off, involuntarily started cataloging the aromas and tastes. It was a beautiful spread: cold poached salmon with a creamy cucumber sauce, a vibrant orzo salad flecked with feta and kalamata olives, and a bowl of cherries so dark they looked like rubies.

I felt Cade shift beside me as he stood up to help pass plates. “Stay put,” he commanded gently, flashing a grin that made my stomach do a little flip that had nothing to do with the soft waves rocking the boat. “I’ve got you.”

He returned a moment later with two plates balanced expertly. As I took my first bite of the salmon, I let out a low moan of appreciation. It was perfectly flaked, chilled just enough to be refreshing against the midday heat.

“Don’t tell him it’s good,” Max yelled from the mast, his mouth half-full of bread. “His ego is already structural to the boat.”

Everyone laughed.

“Too late,” I called back, raising my fork. “Adam, if you ever get tired of working out at the resort, I’ve got a spot for you in my kitchen!”

“My baking skills are not as good as my cooking ones,” he said in his thick French accent.

The banter flowed as easily as the wine. We ate with our plates in our laps, bracing our feet against the deck as the boat rocked lightly. There’s a specific kind of intimacy that happens on a boat. The physical closeness, the shared rhythm of the ocean clears away the polite small talk.

After lunch, the wind and the waves died down to a whisper as the sun rose higher. Everyone grew warmer and the water turned from a choppy sapphire to a still, translucent turquoise. We were in a sheltered cove with high rock walls shielding us from the current.

Within minutes, Ben and Cal had jumped off the stern, their splashes sending a spray of cool water over the rest of us.

“Are you going in?” Cade asked. He had shed his tank top, revealing the hard-earned muscles of his broad shoulders. I tried not to stare, but the way the sunlight played over them made it difficult. I admired all of the tattoos he’d gotten, despite his parents’ complaints. Actually, I was even thinking of getting a few myself.

How was it I’d never thought him sexy before? I mean, I had, but not like this. God, I’d been so blind.

“In a minute,” I said, my voice a little breathy. “I’m just… soaking this in.”

He lingered, looking down at me with an expression that was softer than his usual rugged exterior. He reached out, his hand hovering for a second before he tucked a stray, salt-crusted hair behind my ear.

“This suits you,” he murmured.

“What does?”

“The peace. You’ve been wearing the weight of the world since you moved here. It’s nice to see you put it down for a few hours.”

I smiled. He didn’t wait for an answer. He just gave my shoulder a lingering squeeze before turning and diving cleanly over the railing. I watched the spot where he broke the surface, the ripples expanding outward until they hit the side of the hull.

I looked around at my friends, my people, and felt a sudden, sharp pang of gratitude. I stood up, peeled off my cover-up, and walked toward the edge, ready to jump in.

The water was a shock, a sharp, bracing cold that slapped the lingering heat from my skin and forced a gasp from my lungs as I broke the surface. I shook my head, spraying droplets everywhere, and blinked the salt from my eyes.

“See? Not so bad!” Cade shouted from a few feet away. He was treading water with an effortless power that made me envious. I felt like I was peddling madly just to keep my head above water.