Page 23 of The Unbound Bookshop
Relief raced through her. With all her worrying about today, she hadn’t even considered the condition of the bathroom and kitchen. Thankfully, Edwin Mackensie had. But why had he gone to so much trouble to fix a boat he planned to sell for next to nothing? He’d just leapfrogged from eccentric to certifiable.
“Any questions before you embark?” Herman glanced between her and Flynn.
“Just one,” Flynn said. “How many beds are there?”
“I believe there’s only one, sir.”
At Herman’s far-too-casual confession, Sage’s stomach vaulted before plummeting into a free fall.No way. This wasn’t happening. Under no circumstances would she share a bed with Flynn “Can’t Be Counted On” Cahill. She’d sooner sleep topside with a life buoy as a pillow than sleep in the sameroomwith him, let alone the same bed.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at Flynn. But for a split second, from the corner of her eye, she thought she caught the faintest of smiles. A possibility that didn’t upset her as much as it should.
Chapter 13
FLYNN
Flynn stood rootedto the dock, his gaze following Herman and Sage as they boarded theMarvelous Mira.
Cap shimmied his backside, eager to embark, but waiting patiently for Flynn to get his act together.
Flynn tightened his grip on Cap’s leash but still didn’t budge.
Come on. One foot in front of the other.
He tried to cajole his body into motion, but his brain kept his feet glued in place, working overtime to sort through his conflicted emotions.
Despite his love for the wide-open water, he hadn’t been near a sailboat since his brother’s death. Too many painful memories. Besides, forgoing his greatest passion in life while pursuing Kevin’s was a fitting consequence for the selfish choice he’d made ten years ago. The day his brother died.
“Are you coming?” Sage called from the starboard deck. “Or are you giving up already?” Her inflection indicated she wouldn’t be surprised if he quit.
Even in his current condition, with his body and brain at odds, she did something to him on a molecular level. Something he couldn’t explain. The feeling reminded him of the first time he set sail, when the wind and water came together like art, physics, and magic all rolled into one. His stomach sank while his heart soared, wholly transcendent and intoxicating. He couldn’t get enough. And after all these years, she still had the same effect. How was that possible?
He squinted in the sunlight, taking in her ethereal appearance. Her hair shone in the golden light, fluttering gently in the briny sea breeze. The long skirt of her white cotton sundress billowed around her legs like a sail, drawing his focus to her slender ankles—and the braided friendship bracelet she still wore.
He closed his eyes. The moment she’d given him and Kevin their matching bracelets remained imprinted on his mind. Life had been so simple then. The future had been bright and promising, brimming with the call of adventure. And now?
Now, all love and joy and hope for something better lay buried with his brother.
“Are you okay?” Her tone softened slightly, and he realized he’d grimaced, pained by the memory.
“Peachy.” He cleared his throat, returning to the present. “Just caught a glare while I admired my new boat.” He tossed a teasing grin in her direction, grateful he could hide his pain with humor.
Sage rolled her eyes and turned her back to him.
Patting Cap’s head, he murmured, “Ready, boy?”
Cap nudged his palm for moral support, and Flynn straightened.
It’s now or never.
Letting Cap lead, he crossed the gangway, his heart thudding inside his chest with each step.
Three days. He could keep it together for that long, couldn’t he?
As Herman gave his little spiel, reiterating the rules and Mackensie’s expectations—find the diary, blah, blah, blah—Flynn let his gaze wander. Even after weeks lost at sea, theMarvelous Mirawas a bona fide babe. Easily the classiest boat he’d ever seen, and his parents had dozens scattered along both coastlines.
Her white paint needed a fresh coat, and the rigging looked worn. He wouldn’t know about the sails until he unfurled them, but he had a hunch they’d seen better days. All in all, there was a good chance theMarvelous Mirawasn’t even seaworthy. But what did it matter? It wasn’t like he planned to set sail. It would be good enough to simply own her.
Herman continued their tour below deck, starting with the galley, which was roomier than Flynn expected.
