Page 32 of Until You Found Me

She likes the boat and his relief is far more immense than it should be because it matters more than he wishes it did. “Alright, are you ready? Get seasick at all?”

“I dunno, but we’re about to find out.”

“There’s a bucket in the corner or lean over the rail, but not too far. I got some dramamine if you need it. I know how shit that can be.”

They putter out of the harbor until he can unravel the sail and she watches him fascinated, as if he’s performing a magic act. “You work out here, but you’ve gotten seasick?”

“Used to work on the bigger tuna boats and spent every night wanting to vomit inside those little cabins. Can’t be cramped in, need to be out here where it’s open.”

The first sail catches the wind and flings open, prompting her smile to grow wider.

“Just one for now,” he says. “We’ll take the slow way around. Wanna open the second one the way back?”

“Can I? Really?”

With a nod, he chuckles in agreement and guides them around the bay, hoping they’ll get lucky and he can show her an even more stunning view.

They eat a late lunch of sandwiches and potato chips that he packed and then settle on the padded bench near the bow of the boat.

“How did you get him?” She strokes the dog’s velvet ears between her fingers.

“He belonged to my ex. She left him behind when she left me,” he says bluntly. There’s no reason to tiptoe around it, even if he hates the idea of talking about Lydia around Tessa.

“Oh.”

“It was a long time ago. Five, maybe six years. I was a shitty person to be with. I deserved it.”

“I very much doubt that.”

“Worked too much. Was never around, couldn’t be present, couldn’t do a lotta things. Made mistakes.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair and looking out at the ocean. “I’m hard to be with. Hard to love—”

He cuts himself off because it was never about love with Lydia, no matter how many times she told him it was. No matter how often he wished he was a little less broken when it came to knowing how to give that to her. He doesn’t tell Tessa that Lydia was a drunken one-night stand who moved herself into his trailer and a part of him was lonely enough that he let her do it. He doesn’t tell her that when she gave him an ultimatum to quit his job and stay home with her or break up, he let her go.

Tessa touches her fingertips to the back of his hand, where it rests along the rail. “I don’t know anything about what happened, but I do know that you’re the easiest person to be around I’ve ever met. I’m not just saying that because I can’t remember anyone else.”

He dips his head at her smile and carefully crafted joke, and pats the dog on the head. “I got Vegas out of it. Pretty good deal.”

“Amazing deal. He’s the best dog.” The conversation lulls a moment until she changes the subject. “I think I’m ready to start working on the domes whenever you are. I’m feeling better and having something to focus on might be a good distraction.”

“Okay, I’ll let Arthur know and we’ll get on it this week. Getyou swinging a hammer and rolling some paint.”

She grins. “Maybe I’ll find a long-lost calling and some direction on what to do with my life if I don’t remember the other one in full.”

“Dome builder?”

Tessa shrugs. “Why not? Makes about as much sense as anything else, right? Dome builder, cookie baker…we never used those hot chocolate bombs, by the way. I still owe you a cup.”

“I’ll take you up on that, and don’t worry about the job thing now.”

“It’s hard not to. It both feels like this all happened yesterday and like it’s been months and months and I’m dragging my heels. So weird. Everything is just so weird. Everything except this, being out here with you.”

Waves collide softly as the wind picks up, and his reply is forgotten as he spots a pod of visitors behind her.

This is an everyday occurrence for him, but it’ll be brand new for her. He still remembers when they chased his boat for the very first time and how he couldn’t stop thinking about it for days. He gets up to offer his hand, tugging her to her feet and pointing her confused stare toward the water, seeing that same wonderment he felt a long time ago blossom in her eyes.

“Dolphins?” she whispers, as if speaking too loud might scare them.

“Mhmm, a whole family. Most people don’t know that we have a lot of them in these parts. Come on, let’s flip the second sail, if we go faster they might chase the boat. The wind is picking up.”

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