least they went out on good terms, but... I know how hard it can be to lose a parent. It hurts so deep, and that just never goes away." I looked down at the wooden planks, remembering my own grief. My heart ached for Robbie. This wasn't something that could simply be gotten over. "I'm supposed to meet up with him later this week. I'll tell him you said hi."
"I'm sure he'll just love that," Sheriff Matt said, rolling his eyes. "He's got potential. I just wish he'd see that. You sure you don't want a fish?"
"Yes, I'm sure," I said, nodding vigorously.
"I'll see you around, then. Have a good afternoon," the sheriff called out as he limped back toward the County Jail. I watched him for a moment. I knew he had been in the Army, but he never spoke about his injury. The way his eyes clouded whenever anyone mentioned it, though, I had a feeling it was not just a physical injury that caused the pain.
I continued along the dock. The smell of fish and seaweed brought back happy memories of my childhood. I had spent most of my days out on the ocean, playing with Robbie on boats or in the water. Even at school, sailing was all that Robbie and I ever talked about. We had big plans to sail across the ocean and see the world. Those plans had seemed so important back then.
I came around to a marina slip that was usually empty. I considered it my "dream" stall. It was where I liked to launch my windsurfing gear, and where I someday hoped to put a boat of my own. Where I was expecting an empty space, a beautiful, shiny new J111 racing sailboat sat bobbing gently.
I whistled softly, looking her up and down. She was just big enough that you could fit a party on the deck, but small enough that two could easily sail her. She had a strong, tall mast and what looked like new sails. I knew from experience that when properly handled, she would fly like the wind across the water. She was a beautiful, fast racing boat.
"Do you like it?" Robbie asked, stepping out from behind me. He had on his typical sailing gear of windbreaker-like pants and a tight fitting rash-guard shirt. His muscles, honed from years of sailing, were prominently displayed through the thin fabric.
"What do you mean, 'do I like it'? It's a beautiful boat. You win races with that kind of boat," I answered.
"Good. She's yours." Robbie watched my expression carefully as shook my head, trying to figure out exactly what he meant.
"You're giving me a boat?"
"Yes. I figured it's the least I could do. I knew you could always use something to race in, so I thought this would work. Do you like it?" A hint of concern that I might turn him down entered his voice, but he did his best to keep it hidden.
He needn't have worried. This was the boat of my dreams.
"This is almost too nice, Robbie. I don't know what to say," I said, stepping closer to the beautiful work of art that was this boat.
"Yes. You should say yes. It's not like I can't afford it."
"Then yes. And a big, big thank you," I said. His face relaxed as I smiled. "How did you know I would want this one? She's perfect."
Robbie blushed slightly. "I saw that you placed with this boat at nationals last year. You got your best times with this model."
"This has always been my favorite." I grinned and gave him a hug. His body pressed into mine, and I felt something in the pit of my stomach start to heat. I liked the way he felt against me. I held on for a moment longer than necessary, pulling away reluctantly. He just felt so good.
"You want to take her out for a spin?" Robbie's green eyes glinted in the sun with excitement.
"Hell yes! I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait," I said, hopping onto the deck and starting to untie the lines. Robbie laughed, his smile shining across the boat as he untied the mooring lines and jumped aboard.
He went to the back of the boat, taking control of the helm while I started the engine. The motor whirred to life and Robbie navigated us out of the harbor and into deeper
"I'm sure he'll just love that," Sheriff Matt said, rolling his eyes. "He's got potential. I just wish he'd see that. You sure you don't want a fish?"
"Yes, I'm sure," I said, nodding vigorously.
"I'll see you around, then. Have a good afternoon," the sheriff called out as he limped back toward the County Jail. I watched him for a moment. I knew he had been in the Army, but he never spoke about his injury. The way his eyes clouded whenever anyone mentioned it, though, I had a feeling it was not just a physical injury that caused the pain.
I continued along the dock. The smell of fish and seaweed brought back happy memories of my childhood. I had spent most of my days out on the ocean, playing with Robbie on boats or in the water. Even at school, sailing was all that Robbie and I ever talked about. We had big plans to sail across the ocean and see the world. Those plans had seemed so important back then.
I came around to a marina slip that was usually empty. I considered it my "dream" stall. It was where I liked to launch my windsurfing gear, and where I someday hoped to put a boat of my own. Where I was expecting an empty space, a beautiful, shiny new J111 racing sailboat sat bobbing gently.
I whistled softly, looking her up and down. She was just big enough that you could fit a party on the deck, but small enough that two could easily sail her. She had a strong, tall mast and what looked like new sails. I knew from experience that when properly handled, she would fly like the wind across the water. She was a beautiful, fast racing boat.
"Do you like it?" Robbie asked, stepping out from behind me. He had on his typical sailing gear of windbreaker-like pants and a tight fitting rash-guard shirt. His muscles, honed from years of sailing, were prominently displayed through the thin fabric.
"What do you mean, 'do I like it'? It's a beautiful boat. You win races with that kind of boat," I answered.
"Good. She's yours." Robbie watched my expression carefully as shook my head, trying to figure out exactly what he meant.
"You're giving me a boat?"
"Yes. I figured it's the least I could do. I knew you could always use something to race in, so I thought this would work. Do you like it?" A hint of concern that I might turn him down entered his voice, but he did his best to keep it hidden.
He needn't have worried. This was the boat of my dreams.
"This is almost too nice, Robbie. I don't know what to say," I said, stepping closer to the beautiful work of art that was this boat.
"Yes. You should say yes. It's not like I can't afford it."
"Then yes. And a big, big thank you," I said. His face relaxed as I smiled. "How did you know I would want this one? She's perfect."
Robbie blushed slightly. "I saw that you placed with this boat at nationals last year. You got your best times with this model."
"This has always been my favorite." I grinned and gave him a hug. His body pressed into mine, and I felt something in the pit of my stomach start to heat. I liked the way he felt against me. I held on for a moment longer than necessary, pulling away reluctantly. He just felt so good.
"You want to take her out for a spin?" Robbie's green eyes glinted in the sun with excitement.
"Hell yes! I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait," I said, hopping onto the deck and starting to untie the lines. Robbie laughed, his smile shining across the boat as he untied the mooring lines and jumped aboard.
He went to the back of the boat, taking control of the helm while I started the engine. The motor whirred to life and Robbie navigated us out of the harbor and into deeper
Similar Books
