Page 80 of Saltwater Promises
Mike continued to call her every day, just to check in. Lynn found it all exceedingly perplexing. He encouraged her to stay safe, and even helped her find a therapist close to her home, but there was nothing else from him. He’d stopped suggesting visits – no more surprise flights, no more wineries or walks with Biggles. It was like, all of a sudden, he wanted nothing to do with her.
No, that wasn’t true. He still stayed in touch, just at a distance. All this time, she thought they would have some great reunion once the case was done and she could tell him how she felt about him. Instead, they were drifting further apart.
Although…when he had first seen her in that cabin, he had held her so tightly that it took her breath away. For a moment, she thought he must feel the same way she did.
But it was just a moment, because after that, she didn’t see him again.
She tried not to push it at first. There was a lot going on – therapy, another show proposal at Stormy Gallery – but after about two weeks, Lynn decided she’d had enough. The sting of regret was still fresh in her mind, and she wasn’t going to let Mike disappear from her life again.
She called him on Thursday to let him know she’d be on San Juan Island that weekend, and she wanted to get dinner.
“I kind of owe you, you know,” she said, “for saving my life and all.”
“I’m happy to take you to dinner,” he said. “But I can’t take credit for any of that.”
Lynn didn’t care what he said, as long as he agreed to it. She’d almost gone to her grave without telling Mike how she felt, and it was the only regret that she had.
That Saturday, when she stepped off of the ferry in Friday Harbor, it didn’t matter that Mike was waiting there, looking unbelievably cool and intimidating in his dark aviators.
Her mind was made up. He would hear what she had to say if it was the last thing she did.
