After All (Cape Harbor 1)

When they stopped along the side of the road, she and Bowie rushed out of the truck. Brooklyn grabbed the blanket, Bowie the basket, and they set off down the path, stepping over exposed roots, ducking under overgrown branches, and walking through bushes that hid the trail. They came into the clearing, and she paused—it was exactly like she had remembered. A haven away from their hectic lives—even as teens, they’d come out here to destress—and he had brought her back knowing this was where she would want to be. Wildflowers of every color stood tall along the seagrass. The water of the inlet moved slowly, barely creating any waves, and the sand looked pristine. Some of her happier times had happened here, most of them with Bowie.

“Where is everyone?”

“As many times as I’ve been out here to think, I’ve never seen anyone.”

“Remember when we spent days here, clearing away the dead shrubs?”

“I do. We created this place without even knowing it was here.” He paused. “What are you doing?” he asked as she spread the blanket haphazardly on the ground.

She kicked off her shoes. Next, she took off her shirt and shimmied out of her jeans. Without answering him, she dove into the water, staying under until she couldn’t hold her breath any longer. When she surfaced, Bowie was standing at the edge of the water, staring at her.

“Are you going to come in?”

“I’m having a little trouble here, B.”

Her eyes went right to his jeans. “No one is around. I think you should join me.”

“I’m going to be honest. Fifteen years is a long time to wait for the love of your life to return, to get back to where we were when things went south. It only took once, but you’re burned into my soul, and from the day I saw you in your car, I’ve wanted you. If I come in, it’s only to get you out and finish what we started at my house. I fully intend to lay you down on this blanket and make love to you. I don’t know if I can wait any longer.”

“What are you waiting for then, Bowie?”

Her man stripped out of his clothes, leaving him fully exposed for nature to get an eyeful. He dove into the water, much faster than she’d hoped. She wanted a minute or two to look him over, to really study him. Growing up, she had seen him change from a gangly teenager to a man, and their one time together had been rushed. They didn’t have to rush anymore; however, Bowie had other ideas.

Brooklyn tried to look for him in the water but couldn’t tell where he was. She circled and waited for him to pop up out of the water, and when she felt something touch her legs, her first instinct was to scream.

“People could hear you,” he said after he rose out of the water. He pressed his chest to her back, making her shiver. He kissed the droplets of water from her skin, nipping along her collarbone until he got to her ear. Bowie tugged lightly on her lobe before he turned her around in his arms, picked her up, and carried her to the blanket.

Brooklyn didn’t care that they were soaking wet or that they were outside, and someone could happen upon them. What she cared about was that this was where they spent most of their time growing up, this was where she saw Bowie as more than a friend, and this was where she was going to tell him she loved him. Brooklyn cupped his cheek as he hovered over her. “I love you, Bowie.”

THIRTY-FIVE

Bowie stood in the sunroom and watched as the Austin Woods trawler left port. The crew stood starboard and waved. Its flag flew at half-mast. They would be the only ship leaving port because of the current rainstorm, and Carly’s family would be on their way to church by the time the ship returned. Bowie raised his coffee cup in salute and glanced down at Carly’s empty rocker. Her afghan lay folded over the armrest. It was hard to believe that little over a month ago his life had changed because of her.

He heard his girls laughing. They were upstairs, getting ready for the funeral. He smiled at the thought of them being his girls and looked to the sky, sending up a silent prayer. The weather needed to change. He needed the rain to stop because by the end of the day he wanted Brystol to know he was her father, and the plan was to tell her after they spread Carly’s ashes. The past few days had been hard on him, and he was ready to tell her the truth.

The Hewett women came downstairs just as he walked into the room. He was taken aback by their beauty, even in these somber times. He reached for Brooklyn’s hand and pulled her into his side, kissing her temple. Being free to love her any way he wanted had always been a dream, and now that it had come true, he couldn’t get enough of her.