“As soon as I find one that fits.” He tried a few places, attempting the difficult task of getting the shape of the human butt to match comfortably with the craggy formations. “There.”
“Just showered?”
“I went swimming.”
Sarah gaped at him. “What are you, a polar bear?”
“Warm day.” He picked up an ear and started working with her. “Sure cooled me off in a hurry.”
“The breeze should pick up in a minute. The tide is changing.”
“Yeah?” He glanced at her admiringly. He looked handsome today. The bit of sun on his face helped brighten his complexion, heightened his cheekbones. “How can you tell?”
“Lobster buoys.” She pointed at the nearest, yellow and white striped. “They point out when the tide’s going out, in when it’s coming in. Right now they’re starting to swing around.”
“Cool.”
She added a corn ear to the pot and wiped her hands on her shorts. Time to confess, since she confessed pretty much everything to this man. “Joe?”
“Sarah?”
“I’m afraid I’ve done a terribly unselfish thing.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s awful.”
“Sarah, I’m so sorry.” He picked up on the game right away, features contorting with worry. “How can I help?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before.” She pressed diva-fingers to her temple and closed her eyes. “I think I’m in shock.”
“No!” He gasped comically. “What did you do?”
“Believe it or not, I’m about to tell you.” She opened her eyes and resumed her normal voice. “I realized Kevin is a complete A-hole. But Derek is a good guy.”
“Agreed on both counts.”
“Yeah, well.” Sarah shrugged. “Took me a while to figure it out.”
“You should have asked me. I know everything.”
“Uh-huh.” She took his corn and added it to the pot, tore more husks from her own. “I also decided it was stupid to hold out hope for Derek.”
“Really?” He stopped with his hand in the bag of corn, dark eyes clear and watchful. “You gave up on him? Really?”
“Yes.” She let out another heaving sigh, enjoying her role tremendously. “Completely.”
“Why?”
“Because, Joe.” Sarah smiled sadly, feeling wise and old, and the way Joe was looking at her, maybe lovely, too. “He didn’t want me.”
“The fool.”
“And there’s more.”
“Sarah...” He cringed, putting a hand to his chest. “I’m not sure my heart can take this.”
“I gave him a green-light push toward Addie just now. He really likes her and she really likes him.”
“Wow, Sarah. That was a really generous thing to do.” He tsk-tsked, eyes twinkling. “You must feel terrible.”
“I should.” She wrinkled her nose, surprised by what she was about to say. “But I don’t. I feel sort of glad for them. And sort of relieved.”
A slow smile spread over Joe’s face, making him even more attractive. Maybe it was the light? The beautiful Mainescape around them? “I’m speechless.”
She nodded, proud inside, but not wanting to be gross about it. Joe’s approval meant a lot to her. For nearly ten years since she met him when he stepped in to help her out with a cranky customer at the campus bookstore, their friendship had consisted of Joe being a steady, stable source of comfort and support, while she flailed and wailed and stumbled through life.
“Joe?”
“Sarah?”
She frowned down at her next ear of corn. “What do you get from this friendship with me?”
“Uh. I— Huh?”
She giggled. Maybe he could be a clueless male, too. “I mean, you give me total acceptance, unconditional support, lifts and reality checks when I need them. What do I give you?”
“Aw, Sarah...” He tossed husks toward the garbage. They missed and fell onto a sandy patch below the ledge.
“I’ll get them.” They spoke together, both scrambling down to pick them up, each gathering half. He didn’t answer her smile with his usual bright one. Looked down at his feet. Out to sea. She shouldn’t have asked him the question.