First Time in Forever (Puffin Island 1)

Pulling up outside the cottage, she saw that Lizzy had fallen asleep.

Absolved of responsibility for a brief, blissful moment, she closed her eyes.

Only when the child slept did she manage to shake off the tension.

*

OUT IN THE BAY, Ryan made use of that wind as he hauled the sail and turned the boat. “So, your charm with women is something I aspire to emulate.”

Alec ducked under the boom. “I wasn’t trying to charm anyone.”

“That’s good to know.” But he could tell that his friend’s black mood had lifted and was glad he’d suggested making the most of the wind and the tide.

Work could wait until darkness fell over the water.

In the meantime, he was going to make the most of living next to some of the best sailing waters on the planet.

Penobscot Bay was peppered with hundreds of small uninhabited islands, many with secluded anchorages. A few of the larger islands, like Puffin, had working harbors and communities that swelled to ten times the size during the summer months.

They sailed along the coast, past beautiful old estates of weathered clapboard and wooded enclaves, rocky coves where forest met the sea, inlets, harbors and fishing villages dependent on lobstering and commercial fishing. Ducks and gulls bobbed on the surface of the water, and in the distance he could see the ferry making one of its three times a day trips back to the mainland.

With the wind in their sails, they sped across the water to Fisherman’s Creek, past rocky outcrops, nesting birds and seal colonies, finally returning to the island as the sun set.

Ryan pulled his hat low over his eyes as they approached the harbor. “So, what did you think of her?”

“She should come with a warning. Marry this woman and your investments could go down as well as up.”

“I was talking about Emily.”

“Oh,” Alec shrugged. “She looked tense. Jumpy. And she has a kid. Kids mean responsibility. Never mess with a single mother. There is never any question of a casual relationship. They’re testing you out to see if you’re marriage material.”

Ryan decided not to disclose Lizzy’s parentage. Not because he didn’t trust Alec, but because he respected Emily too much to reveal her secrets. “Did you notice she sat with her back to the water?”

“She had no choice. You picked a table that wasn’t big enough for five. I notice you squashed yourself next to her.”

“She picked the same seat the day before, and the table was plenty big enough.”

“What are you saying? That she doesn’t like water?”

“I don’t know what I’m saying, but there’s something there.” Ryan gauged the distance and guided the yacht skillfully again

st the dock.

“You’re showing a lot of interest in her.”

“Just being supportive. That’s what we islanders do.”

“How supportive? Are you planning on tucking her in and kissing her good-night?”

Ryan thought about it. “I might, except I have a feeling I wouldn’t be welcome.”

“Women always welcome you.”

“I think there’s more to her than meets the eye.”

“There’s more to every woman than meets the eye.” Alec sprang off the boat. “That’s the problem.”

*