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“Yes,” I confirmed, trying my best to sound nonchalant. “Just casual.”
Maia let out a peal of laughter that bounced off the tanks and wetsuits lining the walls. “Yeah, so were Gabe and April. Who are now married, I might add.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Well, Aiden and I are not them.”
“Sure, sis.” She winked at me and stood, walking behind the glass counter. “I’ll get you sorted, don’t worry.”
She ran a finger down her computer terminal, studying the schedule. “Okay, how about Friday morning? I can have Nona watch Skye for a few hours, and you don’t need to start work until the afternoon.”
“That’s perfect. Thanks, Maia. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Anytime.” She paused, her eyes still dancing. “If you’re happy, I’m happy. Besides, I don’t want you dying on me.”
“Jeez, way to increase my confidence!” Despite my words, a rush of affection for my sister washed over me. “And who knows? Maybe a little adventure is just what I need.”
She waggled her brows. “Or maybe, it’s what you both need.”
Chapter Nineteen
Aiden
Dove Key Marina slid slowly past as I motored out at an easy idle. Once past the breakwater, I turned the key, and the rhythmic purr of the engine gave way to more natural sounds—a chorus of lapping waves and the soft flutter of the sail I unfurled. The late morning sun cast an iridescent gleam on the water, like a thousand diamonds scattered across a blue velvet floor.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” I said to Stella, who stood beside me with the kind of easy grace that comes from years of being in tune with the sea. The breeze tugged playfully at her hair, making her look like the wild, carefree creature she was out here.
“Better than good. It’s magical.”
On impulse, I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her toward me. I kissed her soundly, tasting and exploring those incredible lips. We’d settled into a happy routine, as routine as we were able to, anyway. When we weren’t together, I missed her with an ache that felt almost physical, a phantom pain from a part that wasn’t there. Her mouth drove me to extremes, and this kiss was no different. A slight vibration in my hand holding the wheel made me end the kiss with a reluctant groan. The boat, still unnamed, was yearning for direction, like a living thing waiting for a command. I slightly adjusted course as Stella laughed beside me.
“Oh, this is wonderful!” She inhaled the bracing air. “We’re firing on all cylinders, aren’t we?”
“That would be an understatement. Want to take the wheel?” I gestured toward the helm with an inviting tilt of my head.
“Really? All our boats are motorboats.” Stella turned to me, her eyebrows arched in playful skepticism. “I’m not experienced with sails.”
“You’ll be fine.” I stepped aside to make room for her. “Just keep her steady into the wind. You want to maintain our heading at about forty-five degrees off the bowline. Watch the luff of the sail—if it starts to flap, ease up on the wheel just a bit.”
“Got it, Captain.” She shot me a mock salute before confidently taking the wheel. Immediately, she altered course slightly and the thrum running through the sail vanished.
“See? You’re a natural. Just feel the response of the rudder. Let it guide you.”
Stella nodded, focused, her hands firm on the wooden wheel as the boat obeyed her every subtle command. The clinking of the rigging was as familiar to me as my own heartbeat as I nudged her side. “See? I could fall overboard and drown, and you’d have no trouble finding your way back to the marina.”
She burst into laughter, though her concentration never wavered from the task at hand. “Don’t even say that! But I guess skills transfer over. Kind of like riding a bike, I guess.”
“Except with more water and less likelihood of scraped knees.”
“True, but there’s something about the ocean. It’s unpredictable, thrilling…” Her voice trailed off as she absorbed the enormity of the open waters around us.
“Thrilling, yes,” I mused, leaning against the wooden console. “But today, she’s being kind to us. A perfect day for sailing and diving.”
I watched Stella work, admiring the way she blended with the elements, becoming part of the boat, the water, the sky. It was a dance of sorts. The sail billowed above us, full and taut, harnessing the power of the wind. Around us, the world was boundless, a horizon that promised adventure and whispered tales of the deep. Moments like these made all the complexities of life on land dissolve into insignificance, leaving only the simplicity and purity of the sea.
It was easy to let my mind wander back. Back to those carefree high school days, before we knew what pain and heartache were. They were fond memories. “Hey, remember that time in high school when we borrowed Coach Thompson’s kayak and ended up tipping into the ocean?” Grinning, I sidled up next to her.
Stella’s eyes lit up with the memory as a large swell lifted the boat and lowered it, making her wobble. “Borrowed is a generous term for what we did. And by tipped, I take it you mean you showing off and capsizing us?”
“Me? Never!”
