Brody said that one day he saw Nate jump off the dock, fully clothed, after he’d wrestled with Terri on the soccer field as they fought for the ball. “The boy needed to cool off. I’m not sure he knows how much pain he’s in.”
“So maybe he’ll break off his engagement and...” Frank didn’t finish because both men knew what would happen. Terri already had two strikes against her. Add another one and she’d have to leave town. “The gossip here would be more than she could bear,” Frank said softly. “Terri would have to move to some big city where people don’t know each other. Then she’d be far away from...from us.” Frank collapsed onto a chair. “This is a problem.”
“Yeah,” Brody said. “A really big problem.”
* * *
Nate and Terri were closing the hooks on the life jackets of a couple of little boys. The kids’ parents were putting their gear into a rented boat, and Terri was giving them directions to Moonlight Beach.
“Moonlight?” the seven-year-old asked. “Doesn’t the sun shine there?”
This unintentional double entendre made his dad laugh and his wife elbowed him.
Nate and Terri exchanged looks. People on holiday! He nodded to something behind her back. “I think that man is trying to get your attention.”
Turning, she saw her father and Uncle Frank standing by the clubhouse.
“I take it he’s the sheriff?”
“Yeah,” Terri said, standing up. “I’m sure he’s here to find out all about you. Uh-oh.”
As Nate watched, the sheriff bunched his fingertips, kissed them, then flung his arm out. It was a gesture Nate had seen many times in Italy, but rarely at home. “I think he’s glad to see you.”
“No,” Terri said with a sigh as the boys ran to their parents. “I mean, yes, he is, but he means that I have to fix the kisses.” Looking at the sheriff, she raised a hand in question and he held up three fingers. “Damn it!” She looked at Nate. “I have a job that will take me about an hour and a half. I’ll meet you back here.” She headed to her boat.
Nate was right behind her. “So whose kisses do you have to fix? Are they French or regular?”
Terri laughed. “Neither. Unfortunately. It’s all three signs. I have to go get my car and drive around the lake to—”
“You can drive a car? I thought maybe you had webbed feet since you live on water. And I’m going with you.”
She’d already learned that no amount of persuasion kept Nate Taggert from doing whatever he wanted to do. He was like some great unmovable bear. When he said he was going to do something, he did it. “Not all of us are rich girls with fancy BMWs. I have a car in my garage.”
“I saw it.” His tone implied that the ancient vehicle didn’t deserve to be called an automobile.
She didn’t answer, but when she turned to her boat, she was smiling. Since she’d met Nate he’d become... What was he actually? Friend? Companion? Coworker? “Soul mate,” she whispered.
“What did you say?” Nate asked as he got into her boat and started the motor. Gradually, they had assigned themselves jobs and duties. Who did the laundry? Terri. Who cooked? Nate. Who went to the grocery? Together. Who controlled the remote? Nate. But then, Terri liked to read so she didn’t mind. Who lost things? Who found things? Who drove? Even who handled the banking? That was Nate.
On the fourth day, her father had tried to have a serious talk with her. “You’re getting too attached to him. How about if I move in with you and Nate stays in my apartment?”
“We’re doing fine,” Terri said. “I enjoy his company. He’s easy to live with. Did you order the extra beer for the party?”
“You two are never more than inches apart.”
“So? We’re friends.”
“When you see him say ‘I do’ to Stacy Hartman, are you going to smile and be happy for them?”
“Of course. Dad, it’s okay. Really, it is. I admit that I am attracted to him, but Nate has absolutely none of that boy-girl interest in me. He’s utterly and completely faithful to Stacy Hartman in body and mind.” She knew her father wasn’t convinced, but she wasn’t going to give up an excellent workmate for her dad’s worries.
Terri was in the boat with Nate and they were heading to their house. No, she corrected herself, to her house. Well, technically, it belonged to Aunt Aggie, but it seemed like it was theirs.
She and Nate were already so used to each other that they didn’t speak as they ran into the house and went to opposite ends. Bathroom break, then a quick run to the kitchen. Terri beat him to the fridge to get a couple of oranges and bottles of water. She knew he was always hungry. When Nate got there, he grabbed a handful of paper towels.
They were out the front door in minutes, then stopped. His silver-blue BMW was in the driveway. Her fifteen-year-old car was inside the closed garage.
“Which vehicle should we take?” Nate asked as though it were a real decision to be made.