Chapter Sixteen

Tim steered his Mercedes G550 north out of Lobster Cove and headed for the Spinnaker Yacht Club. He’d already launched and loaded the boat so they could take off right away. His stomach jumped with the desire to get going.

To get out there, skating with the wind across the water.

Of course, that might also have something to do with Angie sitting in his passenger seat.

Man, she looked good, although he had serious doubts about her shoes being practical for sailing. He intended to take it easy and keep Fantasy as flat as possible, but she’d still need to be light on her feet and able to move from the low to the high side every time they tacked.

He liked the sparkly lobster on her hat. Actually, he liked the whole package. The hat just brought more of the cute.

He’d stowed his camera in a waterproof bag under the hull, in case he could talk her into letting him take some pictures of her on the island.

He wouldn’t push the issue, especially as he hadn’t told her yet that he was a photographer. That day wasn’t today.

In no time, he turned into the Yacht Club’s crushed clamshell parking lot and grabbed a space. He put the car in reverse, turned off the engine, and pulled up the hand brake. “We’re here. You ready?”

She smiled at him, her eyes bright. “I am if you are.”

“Let’s go.” He got out of the car and noticed she made no effort to do so. Of course. His mother had trained him better. After rounding around the back of the Mercedes, he opened her door and offered his hand to help her out. “My lady Sparky.”

Laughing, she put her small hand in his and let him help her out. “Thank you, kind lord Skipper.”

“Just trying to prove that chivalry is not dead.”

“And doing a good job of it.”

“Does calling me Skipper make Chester the new Gilligan?”

She giggled. “I don’t think so.”

He offered her his arm and she threaded her arm through his. Her bright eyes dazzled him to the point that he momentarily lost his power of speech, so much so that he had to clear his throat. He nodded toward the dock where he’d moored the boat and cleared his throat again. “C’mon.”

“I’m looking forward to going sailing with you.”

Tim picked up her hand and kissed it. “Me too.”

****

They’d passed a whole bunch of really big yachts on the way to get to Tim’s boat. As they walked along the dock, the boats got increasingly smaller.

She had the feeling that she was leaving Kansas with Dorothy and Toto.

The Welcome to Oz sign came up fast on the horizon.

She should have picked out the red espadrilles instead of the white, because, you know, ruby slippers and all that.

Tim led her past all the increasingly smaller boats until they got to the end of the dock. Tied to it was what, to Angelique’s way of thinking was the smallest boat in the world.

“Here we are,” Tim said. “I’ll board her first, then help you.”

“I thought you had a yacht.”

He grinned. “I do. This is she.”

The boat pitched and rocked as he stepped down onto it. He raised his hand out to her. “Take my hand. I’ll steady you as you step across the lifeline.”

She froze, just couldn’t make herself move.

“It’s okay. You’ll be fine.” He cleared his throat. “I’m not going to let anything bad to happen to you.”

Taking a deep breath, she took his hand and inched to the edge of the dock.

“That’s it. Now put one foot over the lifeline and then the other.”

“Okay.” She lifted her leg and got halfway over the rail when the boat pulled slightly away from the dock. So there she was, one foot on the boat, the other on the dock, with the distance between the two getting bigger. “Tim?” She squeaked.

“Don’t panic. I got you.” He pulled on a rope and got the boat back in closer. “Now bring your other foot over.”

She whimpered a little but got her other leg onto the boat. She heaved a sigh of relief. “I thought you’d have a gangplank or something.”

He barked out a laugh. “A gangplank would probably be bigger than the Melges. Sit here while I tie us loose and cast off.”

“Okay.” She sat on the bench and watched him as he worked to get them moving. It seemed very complicated.

And the boat floated closer to the water than she’d expected. Just what had she gotten herself into?

****

Tim had been right about Angie’s shoes. They were not practical boat shoes. He headed for the breakwater then he would change course to get them to Bar Island.

He supposed while they were still in relatively calm water he should teach her a thing or two about sailing the boat in case he needed her to jump in and help.

“Here are some things it might be helpful for you to know.”

She turned those gorgeous dark eyes to him, so he launched into an explanation about the two sails, the main and the jib, how there were no ropes on a boat but lines, to trim the sails, and halyards, to raise and lower them. He showed her the winch and how it worked.

She listened solemnly, like a novice nun at mass with the Pope.

“It’s easy, you’ll see. Fun!” He grinned and pointed the bow high into the wind. The breeze grabbed the sails and they started to cut through the water on a beat, heeling slightly.

The sun glittered the waves, the air smelled crisp and cool, and the sky was blue and cloudless.

What a great day!