Page 87 of Crossing the Line
“I’m putting my life in your hands, Angel. Be gentle.”
She took his hand. “On three then. One. Two. Three.”
They fell for what felt like forever before dropping into the warm waiting waters. He still had a grip on Waverly’s hand, and before he could start dragging their bodies to the surface flickering with sunlight, she appeared before him.
Her lips brushed his once, twice. And then she was pulling them up toward the light.
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Sylvia and Robert returned to theSea Goddesswith shopping bags galore.
“Is there anything left on the island, Mom?” Waverly asked with a laugh as Leonidas called in reinforcements to help tote the bags into the cabin.
“Only what she couldn’t carry,” Robert teased.
“Let me change, and then it’s present time,” Sylvia announced, clapping her hands. Her filmy maxi dress fluttered around her legs in the breeze. She blew them all kisses and fluttered and fussed her way into the master cabin.
“Speaking of gifts,” Robert said, he pulled a tiny canvas bag out of his shirt pocket. “I saw this and thought of you.” He handed it over to Waverly.
She opened the delicate little drawstring and a woven bracelet in turquoise and gold fell into her waiting palm. It wasn’t an expensive trinket, not like the drawerful of apology glitter she had back home, but it was obviously handmade.
“A little girl was selling them by the dock. She and her grandmother sit down every Saturday afternoon and make them,” Robert explained.
Charmed, Waverly slid it onto her wrist. “Thank you, Dad.” She hesitated and then threw her arms around his neck for a hug. The awkwardness reminded her that there had been a lot of disappointments and disagreements between them and their last hug.
“I’m just really glad we’re all here together,” her father said haltingly, as ill at ease as Waverly.
She smiled at him. “Me, too.”
“Who’s ready for their present?” Sylvia asked, clapping her hands as she reappeared. She’d changed into a snake print kaftan and a pair of matching platform sandals. She held a large shopping bag emblazoned with Greek in one hand and a significantly smaller bag in the other. “One for each of you,” she announced, shoving the big bag at Waverly and the little one at Xavier.
“I can’t accept—” Xavier began.
“Don’t bother, X. My mother doesn’t take no for an answer,” Waverly warned him.
“Open, open!” Sylvia chirped.
Within her bag, Waverly found an oversized, floppy sun hat in white linen. It screamed Hollywood. She laughed and placed it on her head. The brim was so wide it drooped to her shoulders. She put her sunglasses on and posed, hand on hip, looking off into the distance. “How do I look, dah-lings?”
Sylvia giggled. “Oh, please, can I take a picture?”
Waverly felt her spine stiffen and then relax. At least this picture had no ulterior motives, just Sylvia’s daughter enjoying their family vacation. She could give her this one. “Sure, Mom.”
Sylvia gleefully plucked her phone out of her bathing suit strap. “Over by the rail so we can see the island in the background,” she ordered.
Waverly posed for six or seven shots before her mother was satisfied. “Now how do I find those filters Kate showed me?” Sylvia muttered to herself. She wandered off to the shade to edit the picture to perfection.
Waverly returned to Xavier who was still staring into his bag.
“Did you get a matching hat?” she teased.
Xavier shook his head. “Uh, nope.” He pulled a piece of material out of the bag, held it by two fingers.
“Oh, my God. Mom!” Waverly screeched, snatching the red and blue Grigioperla swim trunks out of Xavier’s hand. “That is so inappropriate!”
“What?” Sylvia asked innocently. “I didn’t know if Xavier had brought a suit, and I wanted him to be able to enjoy the pool.”
Waverly covered her mouth to hide her horrified laughter. “You’re unbelievable.”
