Page 55 of Summer Affair

“I need a captain’s hat.” He glanced around and, not finding one, settled for another sip of his drink.

“I’ll have to buy you one,” she said as the gentle sway of the catamaran on the calm water soothed her.

Once they hit the open waters of the bay, he shut off the engine. “Ready for me to lift the sails?” he called out.

“Absolutely,” she replied, taking the last bite of her sandwich.

As a gentle breeze blew and the water lapped against the boat, he pulled a few ropes and the bright blue sails filled up with air, sending the boat further away from the camp.

The sun was warming everything up, and the air was crisp as salt water sprayed on her face. Damion’s new catamaran was sleek and beautiful as it cut quickly through the water.

She felt a thrill of excitement as the wind caught the sails, propelling them even faster.

As they sailed, the worries of the past few days seemed to drift away, almost as if they were leaving everything behind them.

She felt the warmth of the sun on her skin and the cool spray of the sea, and for the first time in days, she felt truly at peace.

Chapter Seventeen

Dean adjusted the sails and felt completely free while the cool breeze whipped across his face and the catamaran glided smoothly through the bay. The sun was bright overhead and the water sparkled like a thousand diamonds. Andrea’s laughter mingled with the gentle slapping of waves against the hull and the distant calls of seabirds, mixing together to create a serene symphony. At that very moment, with the pair of them out on the water, everything seemed perfect.

He watched as Andrea leaned back and closed her eyes while she soaked up the sun. She looked completely relaxed. Her weariness from the past few days seemed to melt away under the warm embrace of the sun and the salty breeze.

“Isn’t this perfect?” Andrea murmured, her voice dreamy.

“Yeah, it really is,” Dean agreed, reaching out to squeeze her hand. They had found a little pocket of paradise, a temporary escape from the complexities of their lives. The tension about their relationship that had been simmering between them seemed to dissolve in the face of such tranquility.

He kept stealing glances in her direction, he couldn’t help himself. She was so beautiful with her face relaxed, eyes closed, a soft smile playing on her lips and her hair blowing in the wind. He loved seeing her like this, carefree and happy.

The conversation they’d had about their ambiguous relationship still lingered in his mind. They needed to talk, and soon, but for now, he wanted to focus on enjoying this time together.

She still looked a little tired and slightly pale from being sick the day before, but the smile on her lips had him relaxing.

He watched as a pair of dolphins surfaced nearby, playfully leaping out of the water.

“Look, dolphins,” he said, nudging Andrea gently. She opened her eyes and sat up, and he saw her wince slightly before smiling and cheering.

“Wow, they’re so close to us!” She pulled out her phone to video them when they surfaced.

They spent the next few minutes watching the dolphins, laughing as the sleek creatures danced in the water around them. It was one of those magical moments that seemed almost too good to be true.

When the dolphins disappeared behind them, Andrea settled back with a slight groan. “This is exactly what I needed.”

“Me too. Just you, me, and the open water.”

For the next few moments, she seemed unable to find a comfortable spot. She shifted uncomfortably a few times before gasping and doubling over in pain. Her face contorted in agony, her hands clutching her abdomen. Dean’s heart skipped a beat, and panic surged through him.

He heard a strange sound from her as she slumped in the seat.

“Andrea?” His heart pounded as he rushed to her side. “What’s wrong?”

Andrea’s eyes fluttered and tried to focus on him.

“Dean, something’s…” Her eyes closed again, then she leaned forward and threw up. Her body went limp in his arms.

Panic surged through him as he held her and shifted to make sure she was secure on the boat. Then he rushed over and secured the sails and turned the boat back to the camp. He grabbed his phone and punched in Dr. Lea Val’s number.

“Lea, it’s Dean. Something’s wrong with Andrea. We’re out on the catamaran in the bay. She was sick yesterday. She threw up and now she’s unconscious. I’m heading back to camp. Can you meet us at the docks?” he asked quickly.