“We’ve taken many, but with George’s back, he can no longer hoist, and I’m just happy to have the time with him.”
“What about you, Shelley? Have you done this before?” Quinn asked.
“I’ve seen it done plenty of times, but I’ve never actually done it myself.”
“So you’ve been on a lot of other sailboats before?”
She nodded. “With my parents. But they always hired a crew to handle things like hoisting the sails and piloting the boat, even though I always thought getting to chart the course and control the speed seemed like the best part of sailing.” When she realized they were all staring at her, her cheeks flushed as though she felt she’d said too much. “Anyway, I’m just happy to finally get a chance to do it now.”
Quinn stared at her for a long moment, his brain rushing to put the pieces of her life together. From what she’d just said, she’d obviously grown up in a wealthy family. Which went a long way to explaining her aversion to learning that he was a Rockwell. He’d met plenty of people like the family she’d described, and it made him want to work even harder to prove to her that he was nothing like them.
Or am I?
Because wasn’t he always working so hard that he missed out on things like sailing and hanging out with his family...and having a bonfire with Shelley?
His parents had always made time for each other and for their children. His father sailed frequently and his mother blew glass, and they still went out on dates every week and kissed each other like newlyweds even though they'd been married forever. Whereas, on the opposite end of the spectrum, his grandfather had never made time for his grandmother.
And one thing Quinn knew with absolute certainty was that he did not want to become Chandler.
The mast hitting his arm brought him back to the present. He reached around Shelley and placed her hands on the rope. “You want to hold it like this.”
Shelley hoisted the sail like a pro, then grinned at Quinn. “That was such a rush!”
“You did it perfectly. See how the mainsail is fluttering? That’s called luffing.”
He wrapped the mainsheet around the winch and cranked it until the mainsail stopped luffing. Then he led them to the cockpit and took the helm. Once settled, he placed Shelley’s hand on the helm and asked her to hold her steady while he deployed the jib. She handled the helm like she’d done it a million times—with a sexy confidence that was Shelley through and through—and he knew she must have spent a lot of time watching the crew work while she was on the boats, not just sunbathing on the deck.
“You did a fine job, Shelley,” George said. “Maybe one day you’ll be able to convince your parents to do more things so they don’t miss out like we did.” He pulled Georgette into an embrace. “And, Quinn, you’re right. I’m a darn lucky man, and my Georgette is probably the only woman who would put up with someone like me.”
“Oh, George. That’s not true. Remember the way Patricia used to chase you?”
While Georgette and George debated his admirer, Quinn focused on Shelley. He wanted to know more about her, and to apologize about a million more times until she knew exactly how bad he felt. But since this wasn’t the time or the place to discuss their relationship, in front of two strangers, for now he simply reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear and ask, “Where are you from?”
Her lips parted, and he heard her breath hitch as if his touch affected her more than she knew how to handle. Lord knew, he felt exactly the same way—he could barely keep his hands off her.
Finally, she replied, “Greenwich is where I grew up, but I spent a lot of my youth traveling with my family to Africa, Europe, Asia.”
From most people, that might have sounded like they were bragging. But Shelley sounded more wistful than anything, and given how much she loved the small-town feel of the island, he thought he knew why. “It must have been hard not having a home base as a kid.”
She looked at him in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected him to have such insight into her emotions. Probably because he’d been such a jerk the night before. “It was. And I’m not complaining, but honestly, as a kid I wanted a more normal life.”
“I’ve never been to Africa, but it’s on my bucket list,” Georgette said.
Quinn hadn’t realized Georgette and George had tuned back into his conversation with Shelley.
“We’ll get there, honey,” George assured her.
“What’s on your bucket list, Shelley?” Georgette asked.
She looked relieved to have the subject diverted from her childhood. “My bucket list? Not traveling to faraway places visiting diamond mines, that’s for sure.”