The Sky Beneath Her(65)

I grabbed my cross-body and closed and locked the door behind me. “Are we leaving out of Wanchese?”

“No, I’m borrowing a boat from a guy who docks in Colington.” The neighborhood was located on the west side of the barrier island and faced Albemarle Sound and the sunsets.

“Do you have boat connections all over the Outer Banks?”

“Boat people run in similar circles,” he joked.

He reached the truck first and opened my door.

“Wow, I don’t ever remember you opening a door for me.”

“I’ve evolved.”

I climbed in and hooked my seat belt. The crumbs on the seat and floor mat were gone. My God, did he vacuum for me?

“So why the sunset ride?” I asked.

“It’s beautiful. And we could both use a little beauty.”

After a fifteen-minute drive, he turned onto Colington Road. We wove past an eclectic mix of small homes, trailers, and some larger houses. We crossed a small bridge that connected to Colington Island, where the yacht club was located.

“You have serious connections,” I said.

“Jeff keeps a house and a boat down here.”

“Jeff from Virginia Beach and the last dive?”

“One and the same.”

We parked in the lot, and he grabbed a small cooler. I followed him to a docked pontoon boat. It had a flat bottom, perfect for the sound’s shallow waters. He climbed aboard and held out his hand for me. I took it, liking the calloused warmth of his fingers around mine.

He set the cooler down and unknotted the ropes attached to the dock. From under the driver’s seat cushion, he removed a key that fit the ignition.

The sun had dipped lower, and the air wasn’t as hot as it had been. I took the seat beside his. “Any destination?”

“Thought we’d ride north.”

That meant under the Wright Memorial Bridge and along the coast, past the towns of Southern Shores and Duck. I wondered if we could meet up without talking about or being in the proximity of the Oceanus.

He nodded to the cooler. “Drinks if you want one.”

I opened the cooler and selected a light beer. He took a soda. For as long as I’d known Nathan, I’d never seen him drink on the boat.

The boat rumbled along the calm waters. The breeze was soft, and the evening sun had softened. This was nice. I’d forgotten how beautiful this area was.

“Anyone special in your life?” I asked.

He looked amused. “What brought that up?”

“Just curious. There’s a seven-year gap in my knowledge of Nathan.”

“I’ve dated. Once it was serious. I thought she was the one.”

“Who?”

The sunlight reflected off his hat, shadowing his features. “Doesn’t matter. We weren’t right for each other.”

“Why wasn’t she the one?”

“I travel. I keep on the move. She wanted a house and the white picket fence.”

Made me think about my ex. “Do you regret breaking up with her?”

He hesitated. “She’s married now and expecting her first child. Happy ending.”

“For her or you?”

“Both of us.” He regarded me. “What about you?”

“My ex-husband wanted the house and the yard, and I thought I did. I moved into his place. Got all settled. Decorated a little. But we just drifted. He ended up moving out and filed for divorce.”

“You got the house?”

“No. I’m now officially evicted.”

“What drew you to him?” He kept his tone neutral, but I sensed a keen interest.

“Dave was as solid and unwavering as a mountain. It was good at first. But it began to feel restricting, like a straitjacket. He figured out that he didn’t make me happy. And he stopped trying.”

“Where’s Dave now?”

“He found a sweet little thing that has no hang-ups. I expect a wedding announcement on social media soon.”

“You follow him?”

“I did. I haven’t checked lately.”

“You miss him?”

“No. My therapist said I’m emotionally unavailable.”

“I don’t get that vibe from you. If anything, you’re overloaded with emotions.”

I’d never thought about it that way. There was so much boiling inside me that I had to keep my distance to survive.

I stared out over the calm waters of the sound as he angled the boat under the bridge that joined the mainland to the Outer Banks. The air was soft, and the sound waters smooth as glass. Something about this moment felt right. “I thought I was like Mom. She could be distant.”

“She wasn’t an easy person.”

“Neither am I.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I always got along with you great.”

“Really? We fought a lot.”

A smile teased his lips. “Not about anything big. Always small stuff.”

All our fights had felt huge to me, but I’d been a teenager. And now I could see he’d been right.

“I’m not sure I’ll go back to the city.” The admission surprised me. “I think cleaning houses suits me.”

“You should find a way to work diving into that life plan. You’re one of the best.”