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“I wish Dad could see these,” I said.
Tyler offered me a sympathetic smile. “I know.”
A breath left my throat.
“What?” Tyler said.
“I promised Dad I would give him a bottle to drink if we actually found any intact. We should drink a bottle.”
Tyler’s jaw dropped. “You’re joking, right?”
“No. It’s perfect. It will be our homage to Dad.”
“Indy, that’s crazy.”
“Exactly.” I plucked a bottle from the tub. “You find some wine glasses. I’ll find some chairs. Meet you on the top deck.”
“Indy,” he called as I marched away with Dad’s spirit dancing inside me.
With determination in my steps, I climbed the stairs to the top deck of the boat. The wind tousled my hair as I set the antique bottle down on a small table and gazed across the breathtaking view of the full moon rising up from the eastern horizon. A hint of the sun’s warmth lingered in the air and mixed with breezes drifting off the ocean.
Tyler joined me, holding two wine glasses. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about this?”
I met his gaze, filled with a mix of confidence and joy. “Absolutely. Dad would have loved this.”
A small smile played on his lips. “Okay, then. Let’s do it. Want me to do the honors?”
I handed him the bottle. “Sure.”
He peeled the red wax from the top of the bottle and prodded the cork with his finger.
“Is it okay?” I asked.
“The cork is still intact, so that’s a good sign.”
He carefully pushed the corkscrew into the cork, but it crumbled away. “Shit. The cork is compromised.”
“It’ll be okay. Keep going.”
Working painfully slow, he finally pulled the cork from the bottle, and it released a small pop.
“Yay,” I cheered.
Grinning at me, he sniffed the contents and scrunched his nose. He held it toward me.
I smelled the open bottle. “Smells good.” I held the two glasses toward him. “Go on then, pour us a glass.”
He poured dark ruby liquid into our glasses, and the scent that wafted from the wine was rich and intoxicating.
Raising my glass, I met Tyler’s eyes. “Here’s to Old Smithy. I love you, Dad.”
“To Old Smithy.”
We both sipped.
"Yum.” I grinned at Tyler.
Tyler puffed out his cheeks. His eyes bulged, and he raced to the side and spat overboard. “Bloody hell, that’s disgusting.”
