Page 16 of Meet Me in Tahiti

She took another bite. This was nice. She was glad he’d found her in the crowd earlier. It was making this stop a lot more fun than if she’d wandered around alone.

“So, what is it you do for a living, Tessa?” he asked.

She swallowed a bite of gelato. “Thanks for asking. I’m in marketing.”

“Hmm. Okay, so I’ve been out sailing for a lot of years now,” he said, “so don’t take this the wrong way, but what exactly does a marketing professional do all day?”

She smiled at the question. Talking about her job was always a treat. “Well, I run a lot of ad campaigns for different companies, mostly small businesses in theregion. A few larger ones. Manage their campaigns. Analyze the data that comes in. Make suggestions.”

He nodded with interest. “Sounds really cool.”

“It is. I love it.” The money was great, too. She’d taken a step up when she’d landed the job.

He smiled. “So, do you work in downtown Miami?”

She smiled. “Yes. And, you know, it was quite an adjustment, moving from a small city like Cincinnati to somewhere the size of Miami, but I love it. I’ve got a little apartment in the city but further out, all my own.”

He nodded again. “I’ll bet. And yeah, it’s a great place to live. I used to live in the city, too.”

Now that surprised her. “You did?”

He nodded. “I loved it.”

“Wow,” she mumbled. “Such a small world.”

She looked up at him, still wondering why he was spending time with her, as much as she was enjoying herself. “You’re not just being nice to me, are you?”

He made a face. “No. Why would I do that?”

She shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Because I’m sadly alone in paradise, and you’re the friendly captain, just making sure your guests are all having a good trip. Getting our money’s worth, ensuring a five-star review for the charter agency. It’s in your job description, right?”

He chuckled again but then studied her for a beat. “You’re not a charity case, Tessa. And it’s not in my job description to join the guests at every port of call.”

She nodded, letting the words settle.

“It’s just weird,” she said. “I came here to prove I didn’t need anyone, and now I’m over-analyzingwhether I’m being pitied. By everyone. Sorry.” She spooned another bite and let the cold creaminess glaze over her tongue.

Russ smiled. “That’s the thing about trips like this. Sometimes they bring clarity. Sometimes they just make things more complicated.”

Now, this was another reason she liked spending time with him—he had a lot of interesting things to say. “You’re speaking from experience?”

He looked out at the water. “Let’s just say I’ve done my fair share of complicated.”

They walked farther into the square, where musicians were playing an island tune on a wooden drum and what looked to be some other traditional wind and string instruments. A group of children played nearby in the shade.

Tessa was enchanted by it. “Did you ever think you’d end up here?” she asked quietly.

Russ shook his head. “No. But I guess that’s how life works. You don’t always get a map.”

She nodded, her gaze on the musicians. “I thought I had one. It turns out it led straight to a dead end.”

He bumped her shoulder lightly and took another bite of his gelato. “Maybe it was just a detour.”

Tessa looked at him, her heart skipping a beat. His eyes were sincere. Warm. Understanding. He was probably right. “To something better?” she said, holding up the empty ice cream container.

He nodded. “To something better,” he said, clinking his paper cup to hers in a mock toast. He smiled. “Youdeserve so much better than a guy who fools around on you, Tessa. I hope you know that.”

“I do,” she said, and she meant it. He held her gaze for a long moment. Tessa stared back, her heart beating faster. He was kind, and he was understanding. A rare find, especially given all of his other attributes.

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