"His wife is pregnant with their firstborn. She hates flying, so it's hard to get to the island." He shrugged and kissed my head again, smoothing the hair he'd disturbed with his fingers. "Besides, they are running a bed and breakfast in Iowa, his wife's home state. They are super happy out there, and they don't need to fly out to some lavish beach house."
"Hmm," I murmured. The roar of the engines and Robbie's gentle fingers in my hair were lulling me into a delightful sleepiness. "I think we are going to have a wonderful weekend."
"Me too," Robbie whispered as the plane lifted into the air. "Me too."
Chapter 12
The island was more spectacular than I could have dreamed. I kept my face pressed up to the window like a child as the town car drove through the island streets and up to the beach mansion. As the driver pulled into the rounded driveway in front of the impressive house, I pinched the inside of my arm to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Robbie glanced over with a frown at the slight yelping sound I made, but I just grinned at him. This was no dream.
The car parked and I stood in front of the house, just taking it all in. The air was humid and rich with the smell of the ocean and plant life. After the reds and golds of the trees up North, the lush greenness, even in the dark, was almost overwhelming. Night coated the island like a blanket, but spotlights illuminated the big house with white columns and a red tile roof, making it seem welcoming and warm.
"You ready for a nice little cruise before bed?" Robbie asked, taking my hand as I stood looking at the house. I turned toward him, my brow furrowed, and he smiled. "I did promise to take you sailing today."
I laughed. A slight breeze played with my hair, and I felt the need to be out on the water. It was a perfect evening for sailing; the stars were twinkling brightly in the sky, and the moon was just rising over the horizon. I kissed Robbie's cheek and then took off running.
Robbie was hot on my trail as I followed a small path of sand around the side of the house. I came around the corner and stopped dead in my tracks at the view. The ocean stretched out before me with thousands of stars mirrored in its shimmering depths. Robbie giggled as he dodged past me, running quickly down to the dock. He jumped easily from the small, wooden dock into a suspiciously familiar boat bobbing gently in the dark waves.
I sprinted after him, my steps falling with hollow thuds on the wood out to the boat. I slowed my steps long enough to untie the boat and then leapt aboard Avery's Hope. Robbie turned on the engine, carefully guiding us out onto the ocean. I took off my shoes, reveling in the sensation of the sea air across my bare skin and my toes on the deck. My normal sailing shoes were back in my bag at the house, but for now, barefoot was better than any shoes I could have wanted.
The water was dark blue with tips of silver moonlight. The waves caught the sparkles of the stars and the entire world felt like a giant reflective jewel. The air was cool enough to be comfortable and smelled fresh and clean like only open ocean air could. I took a deep breath and the air revitalized me after the long flight.
The shore was a faint line on the horizon when Robbie turned off the motor. I went to prep the sails, but Robbie grabbed my hand instead.
"You ready for dinner?" Robbie's eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
"Dinner?" I asked. I hadn't even realized that I was hungry, but my stomach suddenly growled an answer for me.
"Wait here," Robbie said, letting go of my hand and ducking down into the hold. I could hear him opening and closing doors and cabinets, so I sat down on the bow of the boat to wait. After a moment, he emerged and sat across from me, setting a platter of food between us. The food was arranged in beautiful patterns that I knew Robbie would never have taken the time to make.
"You had this whole thing planned, didn't you?" I asked, shaking my head.
"Yup," he replied with a cheesy grin. I laughed and peered at the plate, trying to decide what I wanted to eat first. There were fried plantains, jerked shrimp, fresh fruit in neat squares, and little tiny bite-sized versions of what appeared to be key lime pie. I popped one of the pies into my mouth, enjoying the sweet and tangy flavor.
"What else do you have planned?" I picked up a shrimp and ate it slowly; the spices of the jerk seasoning were spicy and delicious.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Robbie answered with a sly smile. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight. I laughed and kept eating, knowing I would enjoy anything Robbie had in store.
We ate in comfortable silence. The food was delicious and I was hungrier than I had expected. It felt wonderful just to be with Robbie, to have the moonlight and the ocean and only him. The boat rocked gently, caressed by the waves. It was like old times with Robbie, only better. His smile in the moonlight sent my heart to fluttering. Anything could happen out here, and I had high hopes for the evening.
"You were hungry," he observed. He smiled as his eyes followed my fingers to my mouth as I licked the last of the key lime pie from them.
I giggled and glanced at the plate. Together we had cleaned it to nothing but crumbs, and I was considering using my tongue to get those last little morsels. I felt perfectly full and very content.
"It was delicious. I think those fried plantains might be my new favorite food," I said. Robbie laughed and picked the plate up before rising. With confident steps, he padded down into the galley, and I could hear the clank of the plate against the sink as he took care of putting the dish away.
I stood, rolling my shoulders as I walked to the rail of the boat. The dark water sloshed rhythmically against the hull, and I could feel the tension in my shoulders melting into the night. A small smirk crossed my face as I heard Robbie come up behind me.
"Hey, look down there. I think I see some sort of fish," I said to him, pointing at the navy blue water. He leaned out across the railing, searching the water with his eyes. I felt him stiffen as I pushed his shoulders, but it was too late. He toppled into the water with a splash. "Yup, I definitely see a Robbie-fish!"
"Hey," he spluttered, coming to the surface. "You know, you're supposed to wait at least twenty minutes between eating and swimming!"
I laughed and went to the rear of the boat to push the steps into the water. Robbie swam with strong strokes to meet me.
"Help me up," he dared, reaching up his hand with a grin plastered on his face. I hesitated for only a second, ultimately deciding I should keep with the tradition. He pulled me into the water easily, and I laughed as I went under.