The next afternoon Cassandra met Delbert at the owner’s suite, and they headed out for a walk along the harbor. They walked and chatted and pointed out things to each other. Sailboats that slipped past under motor, heading out to the deeper part of the harbor to unfurl their sails. A large yacht with music blaring and people spilling onto all levels of the boat. A lone fisherman bobbing in his small fishing boat just offshore. A lone blue heron wading at the waters’ edge. Everything seemed special and new when shared with Del.
The wind picked up and whipped around them. Her hair flew in all directions and she wished she would have thought to have pulled it back. She gathered the curls in one hand as they walked along.
“Sure is breezy today, isn’t it? I heard a storm is headed in this evening.” Delbert glanced up at the sky. “It looks like it’s darkening a bit in that direction.”
She glanced in the direction he pointed. Clouds of dark blue and grey gathered. “Does look like a storm is headed for us.”
They walked a bit further, then Del paused, looking at the sky again. “Maybe we should head back. It looks like it’s coming in faster than I thought.”
She nodded, and they turned around. Soon they picked up their pace as the storm got closer. Finally, before they could reach the safety of the hotel, large raindrops splattered around them. Delbert grabbed her hand. “Let’s make a run for it.”
They raced, hand in hand, along the end of the harbor walk and cut up toward the hotel. But not before they were soaked to the skin. They reached Delbert’s suite, and he opened the door for her to slip inside. She stood dripping on the rug by the door.
“Let me get us some towels.” Delbert disappeared and returned with big, thirsty towels.
She dried off as best she could, shivering slightly. “I should head up to my room and change clothes.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I’ll change into dry clothes, too.”
“I’ll be back soon.” She slipped out of his suite and headed to her room.
She went into her room and looked in the mirror. She looked like a bedraggled kitten and was sorry Del had seen her looking like that. Slipping off her wet clothes, she headed to the bathroom and hung them to drip dry in the shower. She dried off yet again and went to her closet, picking out a pair of slacks, a knit top, and a teal sweater. She debated drying her hair and curling it with the flat iron… but her hair was thick and it would take a long time. Way too much time. She finger brushed the curls and left them to dry on their own. A quick re-touch of makeup, and she was ready to head back to Del’s.
When she returned, he’d changed into slacks and a knit shirt. His hair was still damp. “I heated some water. Would you like some hot tea to warm you up?”
“Yes, that sounds wonderful.”
They made their tea in big mugs and carried it over to a pair of chairs by the window. Lightning flashed in the sky and rain poured down, slashing through the slats on the pergola and dancing around on the patio.
“That wasn’t exactly in my plans for a leisurely walk with you.” Del smiled and took a sip of his tea.
“Nor mine.” She laughed. “But do you remember that time that one summer when we got caught in the storm out on the beach? We hid out under the porch of that deserted beach house?”
“I remember that. It was the last summer I came here.” A thoughtful look crossed his features. “I remember wondering if I should kiss you. But I never got up the nerve.”
“You were going to kiss me?”
“Sure was. Only… I chickened out.”
“That’s too bad… I would have liked that.”
“At least I can kiss you whenever I want now.” He grinned and leaned over and kissed her.
She laughed. “Yes. Yes, you can.”
“I wonder if things would have been different if I had kissed you back then.” A crease furrowed his brow. “Would we have tried harder to keep in touch? Maybe all these years wouldn’t have slipped by without seeing each other.”
She looked out at a flash of lightning, then back at Del. “I guess we’ll never know.”
“I regret that choice. Not kissing you then.”
“We all have choices in life we regret. But we can’t change them later. We don’t get a do-over.”
“But we kind of did. Didn’t we? This chance again?” He reached over and touched her face. “And I’m so grateful for it.”
“I am, too.”
“And not taking that chance all those years ago. It taught me something.”
“What’s that?”
“Never let the opportunity pass by to do what feels right.” He took one of her hands in his, holding it tightly. “So… I’m going to take a chance and tell you something.”
She held her breath, her eyes locked with his.
“Cassandra… I love you. I have since I was a boy. It’s never wavered. I know we’ve just started dating, but it doesn’t change how I feel. And I want to make sure you know how I feel about you.”
“You… what did you say?” Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly. Had he really said what she’d wanted to hear for all these years?
“I said that I love you.”
She swallowed, her heart pounding. “Delbert… I feel the same way. I’ve felt this way my whole life, it seems. That first summer when we were just kids, and we spent hours together. Exploring the beaches. Collecting shells. And talking. Always talking. Then as we got older… I figured out it was more than friendship. How deeply I cared about you.”
He looked at her, his eyes filled with warmth and emotion.
She waited for the words to form. The ones she’d wanted to say to him for so very many years. “I love you, Delbert Hamilton. With every fiber in my being. With my whole heart.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “That, I think, is the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard.”
Cassandra stood out on the balcony of the Bay Suite long after Delbert had walked her back to her room. She didn’t want the day to end. She took out each minute of the evening and examined it like a person would do when they found a stack of long-lost photographs. Remembering every little detail, every feeling.
Delbert Hamilton loved her.
Her heart filled at the thought. And she truly loved him. She had for years. The men she’d dated had always fallen short compared to Del.
Especially Vincent, the cheater.
Though there was a small part of her she held back, even from Del. She wanted to believe his feelings for her, and she did. As much as she could. Del was different than Vincent. Kinder. An honest man.
But then, she’d thought she really knew Vincent, too. She’d been sure they were going to get married.
Until he proved her wrong. So very wrong.
She got up and walked back inside, closing the door behind her. It might take some time, but she was sure that after a while she’d get over the distrust that Vincent had so firmly etched in her very soul.
And Del would be just the man to help her get over it. She smiled to herself as she went to get ready for bed.
Delbert Hamilton loved her.