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“So, how are you feeling now?”
“Better than this morning.” He held a hand up. “And I’ve been a good boy and watched baseball on TV today. What have you been up to?”
Hope took a big drink, then sighed and closed her eyes. “Damage control. Everyone in the group is doing fine, and they’re all worshipping you, by the way. There was a small article in the paper about it, but it was pretty sparse. I was afraid the reporter was going to make some big exposé out of it, but he wrote a good, factual article.”
She waved her hand. “Back to the guests. I’m giving all eight of them full refunds for their stay and a fifty-percent credit for their next booking. I talked to them today.” She turned to him. “You managed that whole ordeal like a real pro. Sounds like you scared the hell out of them to start, then pulled them together to get through it. I really owe you. Thank you.”
“They did great out there.” Alex smiled slightly, gazing at the ocean with a faraway look before turning to her. “I’m really sorry this happened.”
Hope’s mouth dropped open. “What are you apologizing for? If you hadn’t been there, I don’t even want to think about what might have happened. Yet again, Alex saves the day. The last thing you need to do is apologize.”
He shifted in his chair, grimacing. “It comes with the territory. I did what I had to.”
“Oh, what happened was just an average day at the office, huh?”
He brushed a hand over his chin, scraping the stubble. “No, I have to admit that was a first.”
“What happened to the boat, Alex?”
“I don’t know. We’ve had some issues, but nothing major. The bilge pump, maybe? I was leading the dive and got a bad feeling and brought the group back. Hope, I watched that boat sink right in front of my eyes.”
“I’m so glad no one was injured. That could have been such a disaster.” Alex rested his hands on the table, and looking down, she grew concerned. Grasping his hand, she turned it palm up, inspecting it. There were red marks and flaps of exposed skin that looked surgically cut. “You hurt your hands. I didn’t even know.”
“It’s nothing. They got soft being in the water, and I got a couple of cuts.”
She shook her head. “Your average days could stand to be a little less exciting, you know.”
He laughed softly, and she let go of his hand. Then, like the day before, she remembered the feel of it on her cheek and the look in his eyes as they nearly kissed.
Hope leaned forward in the chair, her heart speeding up as she spoke softly. “And what about my accident? Was that just an average day too?”
“Oh no. That was different. And don’t ever do it again.”
“Don’t worry, that didn’t make my shortlist of experiences to repeat.” She tilted her head. “I wasn’t sure it even affected you. You seemed so calm the whole time.”
Alex leaned forward and laughed. “Oh my God! I was anything but calm. You scared me half to death.”
“I think you should consider a new career. You’ve got a serious poker face.” She felt so different from the last time she was here—happy, calm, and at home with him.
His eyes were warm. “I like my current career just fine. It’s gotten a whole lot more interesting in the past few months.”
Hope thought of several responses to that, but didn’t feel like pointing out that a lot of those experiences had been negative.
If he’s not going to dwell on it, why should I?
Instead, she let her smile fall into a contented sigh. “It hasn’t been boring.”
Hope got up to stand at the railing. The sky radiated shades of red and orange. She inhaled the salty air, listening to the sounds of the water lapping against the wooden pilings below. Because the apartment was elevated and out over the water, it commanded a full view available nowhere else in the resort. The flat light made the surface of the ocean appear like shimmering mercury, more like liquid metal than water.
“Oh, Alex. This is beautiful.” Hope took it in, holding the rail with both hands, the wood warm under her hands.
He replied, “Yes, it is.”
Then his chair scraped the deck as he rose to stand behind her. Hope was warm, relaxed, and so grateful for his presence. She leaned back against him, just enjoying his comforting solidness as he rested his hands on her shoulders. His thumb stroked her tattoo as they stood together, neither speaking as they watched the vivid colors above.
Eventually Hope closed her eyes, enjoying the moment and for once not thinking about anything else. Alex’s chest rose as he inhaled deeply. A wind gust from the side had lifted her hair off her neck and she tilted her head sideways, relishing the air blowing across her skin and cooling it. The breeze was sensuous, like an invisible caress, and she parted her lips slightly.
Then the cool air above her skin became warm.
