“Whenever we get the chance.” He glanced in his mirror and saw Lulu looking back at him, loyal and devoted. He was hoping she played her role well and helped Fliss to unwind.
Fortunately she seemed relaxed enough at the moment.
“Matilda said you and Chase sail together.”
“Sometimes. And sometimes I sail with his brother Brett. Sometimes I just take Lulu.” He parked at the pretty waterfront and heard Fliss sigh.
“I love this place. They have the most spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display. Grams used to bring us.”
“I saw you a few times.” And he’d watched her, seen her face glow as she’d watched the night sky light up with a glittering explosion of stars. “We used to come here, too. My dad was a member of the yacht club.”
She turned to look at him. “You must miss sailing with your father. I know you loved that. I used to sit on the beach and watch the two of you.”
The pain was sudden and acute, like a kick in the gut. “Yes. It was the time we both used to unwind. He was the one who taught me. Took me out on the water before I could walk. He had so much knowledge about the waters around Gardiner’s Bay and Shelter Island.”
“And he passed that on to you.”
“Sometimes he took Vanessa, and I used to hate that because it was something I did with him. It was ours. I didn’t want to share it with my sister. I was fiercely jealous.” He glanced at her. “I bet you can’t understand that. You shared everything with your sister.”
“And nothing with my father. I guess every family is different.”
“I guess it is.” He parked and sat for a minute fighting off the memories that swooped and swirled around him. “Once a year we used to compete in the yacht race. My father was so competitive.” It made him smile to remember it. “Sometimes we just used to go out on the water and spend the weekend harbor hopping.”
“Is it worse sailing without him or does it help?”
“It helps. It definitely helps.”
“Then let’s sail. Let’s do this.” She gave his hand a squeeze and opened the car door.
Lulu sprang out, tail wagging approval, game for anything.
And so was Fliss. It was one of the things he’d always loved about her, the fact that whatever anyone suggested her answer was always yes.
He watched her tease and play with Lulu, talking to her, telling her she was a beautiful girl and clever.
Grateful for those few extra moments, he shook off the dark cloud, climbed out of the car and removed the cooler and a large bag from the trunk.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
“As it happens I am, which is just as well because over-catering seems to be a habit of yours. You inherited your mother’s hospitality gene.” She straightened. “I didn’t know you kept your boat at the yacht club. What about your private dock?”
“I might move it there eventually, but right now it’s convenient for me to keep it here.”
Lulu was running in circles, tail wagging.
“Someone is excited.” Fliss stooped to fuss over her again. “How long have you had her?”
“The boat or the dog?”
She laughed. “Lulu.”
“Six years.” Seth slammed the car door and carried the gear to the boat. “She was the star of a long-running TV series. She was injured filming a stunt, and they brought her to my clinic.”
“This is when you were working in California?”
“Yes. We got talking about how she’d have to be retired and how hard it would be to find a home for her. She gave me a look. Big eyes. Sorrowful. I was completely taken in. It was only later I learned that ‘sorrowful’ on demand was one of her party tricks.”
“So you kept her. Lucky dog.”