The Best of Me

by Tina Wainscott

  She felt so different than the woman who had arrived at the small airport seven days ago. He found a parking spot and took one of her bags as they headed into the building. She checked in and was delighted to find him taking a seat in the waiting area.

  “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” she found herself saying as she sat down next to him.

  “Don’t you want me to stay?”

  She touched his arm. “Yes, I do. It’s just what people say, you know, to be polite. I know, part of the Great Green Lie.”

  Too soon they announced the boarding of her flight to Miami. She and Chris stood simultaneously. They both started to say something, both stopped. She smiled, taking a deep breath.

  She said, “Thank you for everything.”

  A man of few words, he simply pulled her close and kissed her. Afterward, he framed her face with his hands.

  “Be happy, Lucy.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

  She wanted to get his address, or give him one of her business cards, but his words came back to her about clean breaks. To heck with clean breaks, she thought, digging in her purse and giving him a card.

  “In case…” Did she even want to hope that he would write?

  He looked at the card made of deep blue vellum. “I’m not much of a writer.”

  “That’s okay.” But it wasn’t. He meant to leave her behind, and that just killed her.

  She focused her attention on gathering up her carry-on bag. He was looking at her when she started to say goodbye. The tears began forming, but she wouldn’t let him see.

  “Goodbye,” she whispered and turned quickly to blend with the group filtering out the door.

  To look back or not to look back? If she turned and saw him watching, the tears would surely come. And if she turned to find he’d already left, she’d feel even worse. Just before she walked out of view, she paused, bit her lower lip and turned.

  He waved.

  She found herself wiping at her eyes before she could duck out of view and hurry toward the plane. Hers was a window seat, and she searched for any sign of Chris beyond the windows of the terminal. The sun reflected off the glass, and she couldn’t tell whether he waited there or not. She wanted to believe he was there, so she waved just in case. And then she let one tear slide down her cheek.

  CHRIS PRESSED his palm against the heated glass in response to Lucy’s wave. Then he turned away and headed back to the car. She’d looked so sad. When he reached the car, he leaned against it as the plane roared to life. Now he could concentrate on Liberty. Lucy was a distraction—a pleasant one, but a distraction just the same.

  And he was going to miss the hell out of her.

  12

  “YOU HAVE A FATAL CASE of tropical fever, young lady,” Vicki diagnosed after looking into Lucy’s eyes at lunch the following day. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed in front of her, blond hair spilling over her shoulders.

  “Is that what this is?”

  Vicki narrowed her blue eyes. “You had a fling with that dolphin guy, didn’t you?”

  “No, I didn’t have a fling.” Vicki looked skeptical, as well she should. They’d been friends since college, but Lucy felt closer to her than she did to her own sisters. “Well, I didn’t.”

  “Bull-loney. Girl, your eyes are sparkling and your cheeks are flushing big time.”

  “Okay, we got…close.”

  Vicki leaned even nearer. “How close?”

  Lucy hedged, not wanting to share all the intimate details. “We took a shower together.”

  “Lucy!” Vicki tossed a napkin at her. “You mean to tell me you took a shower—naked, I presume—and didn’t go all the way?”

  “That’s what I’m telling you. And you want to know what else?” Lucy enjoyed the disbelief in her friend’s eyes. “We spent the night naked together in a hammock and didn’t go all the way.”

  “What?!” Vicki’s expression changed when she saw the truth in Lucy’s eyes. “Lucy, that is so damned romantic.” After Lucy told her about some of her sea adventures, Vicki said, “What got into you down there?”

  “I don’t know, but I want it back.”

  “It’s tropical fever, I’m telling you. You went down to paradise, fell in love—”

  Lucy straightened. “What makes you say I fell in love?”

  “I can see it in your eyes. Good grief, it’s written all over your face. Anyway, it happens all the time on vacations like that. You’re out of your element, you fall in love, then you come back to reality and realize what you’ve got isn’t so bad after all and you can’t actually live down there.”

  She felt empty at Vicki’s words. “That’s what Chris said. But I don’t know, this feels…different.”

  “You’ll get over it, trust me.”

  “I hope so.” She moved the lettuce around on her plate, but hadn’t eaten more than a bite. “I feel miserable and empty and lonely. All I know is I didn’t feel this way when I was with him. Down there.”

  “Ah, you are in love.”

  “What if I am? I know I can’t have him or that life. I know all of that, but I still fell in love with him. I miss him and Liberty, too. I keep wanting to call the travel agent and book a return flight.”

  “Going back’s the worst thing you can do. Why prolong something that’s going to end? Especially if ending hurts this bad already.” Vicki leaned over and put her hand on Lucy’s arm. “You’ll get over it, hon. I mean, where could it go between the two of you? He’s not going to move up here. And I certainly don’t see you giving up everything and living down there helping him save dolphins.”

  “I know it would never work. I know I sound star-struck or something.”

  “It’s okay to feel like that sometimes. I think it’s good for the soul.”

  “Then tell me this, oh, wise Vicki. If it’s good for the soul, why does it hurt so damned bad?”

  LUCY’S EX-HUSBAND had been busy in meetings all morning, but his anticipated visit came right after she returned from lunch.

  “So, the island girl is back at last,” Tom said, making himself comfortable in one of her chairs. “How was it?” He did his usual annoying habit of tossing his straight blond hair off to the side with a flick of his head.

  She was startled to realize he looked a bit like Crandall. “Uh, it was good.”

  He studied her. “You look different.”

  “The tan,” she said.

  “No, something else. You look…relaxed. Don’t get too relaxed around here, Luce. We have a lot of work to do.” He glanced at his watch, another annoying habit. “But I had to tell you the news. I landed the Empire Hotels account.”

  She picked up the stack of mail her secretary had left and started opening it. “That’s great.”

  “Great? It’s fantastic! Empire is the biggest hotel chain in the world. And they’re going with me—er, with us.”

  She looked up and smiled. “I’m glad for you.”

  “I’m celebrating by buying a Porsche. And a Rolex. Heck, I deserve it.”

  “Good for you,” she said, running the gold-plated letter opener down the seam of an envelope.

  He stared at her in disbelief. “Come on, Luce, it’s killing you. Admit it.”

  She set down the envelope. “Do you think we do anything important? Not making money, but helping people.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Making money is important, Luce. What’s got into you?”

  “I met a guy who has dedicated his life to saving dolphins. That’s important.” She waved at the office in general. “We don’t save lives or souls or anything.”

  “We didn’t get into the advertising business to save lives. We did it to make money, to be successful and revel in our creativity. Remember?”

  She twisted her mouth. “I remember.”

  “Don’t forget it.” He glanced at his watch. “Gotta go. Ciao.”

  This was just tropical fever. She would get back in the groove. She would always cherish he
r time with Chris and Liberty, but her life was here.

  Be happy, Lucy.

  His words echoed through her soul. This was where her happiness was. It was time to get back into her life. That should take, oh, about a week. Then the Bahamas and all of it would really be a dream and nothing more. No problem, mon.

  “YOU’RE DOING WHAT?” Tom asked, hands on his hips as he hovered near Lucy’s desk.

  “I’m going back down to the Bahamas.”

  “You just got back, and it’s taken you two weeks to come down from the clouds. Now you’re leaving again?”

  She placed her hands on the desk. “I have some business to attend to.”

  “How long are you going to be gone?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What?”

  “Not overly long. Everything’s taken care of as far as my accounts are concerned.”

  “You should be out there hustling up new accounts, not traipsing around in the Bahamas. I’ve been pulling more than my share of the load for a long time. I haven’t complained, but now I’m speaking up.”

  Anger bubbled inside her. “Then why don’t you buy me out?”

  His eyes widened. “Luce, you don’t mean that.”

  She stopped, startled that the words had come so easily. “No, of course I don’t. I’m just tired of your insinuations that I’m not pulling my share. Maybe there are more important things than the business.”

  “Nothing is more important than the business,” he ground out, finger jabbing the desk.

  She shot to her feet. “And that included our marriage, didn’t it, Tom? Let me tell you something…I can’t live and die by this firm anymore. I love this company, and I’ve put my heart and soul into it from the beginning. But I need a life. I want to find someone to share that life with, someone to dream with, and I’m not ever going to do that if I live at work.”

  He grew silent for a moment. “Is that someone down in the Bahamas?”

  “I don’t know. I just have to go down there, okay? We’ll talk about this when I come back.”

  THIS IS CRAZY. Why are you doing this? It’ll never work. She hadn’t let herself think of the fact that Chris had not written or called in the two weeks since she’d left. For all she knew, he had forgotten her the same way he’d predicted she would forget him. Now she was thinking about it as the cab drove her from the airport. Her heart fluttered inside as they neared the park. What if he didn’t want her there? What if their whole time together meant nothing to him, and now she would be a nuisance?

  She wasn’t there to make a commitment or to give up her life to chase dolphin dreams with Chris. This trip was closure. One more time to experience it again and to finally say goodbye.

  Bailey’s car was parked to the side, along with three rental mopeds. Her heart jumped at the sight, but it wasn’t where Chris usually parked. She tried hard to keep herself from running through the entrance.

  “Lucy,” Bill said with a smile. “What a surprise.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  She smoothed down the long, flowered skirt and tank top she’d bought on her first trip.

  Chris wasn’t at the pool, though it was long past noon. She ignored the dull hammering of her heart as she stepped over the chain that said Keep Away! and took the final steps to the pool. She couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath—the pool was drained of every trace of water.

  “No,” she whispered. “He can’t be gone.” She had no way to get in touch with him. “Stupid, stupid, stupid coming down here without calling first,” she muttered, walking back toward the office.

  Bailey’s musical voice drifted from the back of the park. He stood by one of the pools, gesturing as he spoke. “I caught dis giant sawfish myself,” he was telling a family of pale-skinned tourists. “Nearly got my ankles cut off, but I got ’im by the back of the head and held on tight. We fought for two hours, he and I, until he finally gave up and let me take him in.”

  “Bailey!” she shouted from across the area.

  He jerked, then had the decency to look embarrassed along with shocked at seeing her. He gave a sheepish smile to the tourists and bolted before Lucy could tell them he was full of it.

  “Miss Lucy, what are you doing here? I thought you were left for good.”

  “Where’s Chris?” she said on a rush of breath.

  “He be gone.”

  “What do you mean, gone?”

  “He take the dolphin fish and leave. He said it was time to take him outta dis place.”

  “So he released Liberty in the ocean and went home?”

  He shook his head. “No, he take him to dat place he stay at. Me and Bill and a bunch of other guys helped him get the dolphin fish from the pool to a stretcher and den to the…Miss Lucy?”

  She was already running to the road to hail a cab. Bailey caught up to her.

  “You want me to take you dere?”

  “Yes, take me dere—there!”

  Her anticipation built again as they neared the plantation. No more disappointments, she prayed. Her heart couldn’t take it. Then she saw him in the distance, waist-deep in the water where he had those nets laid out in a half moon.

  “Drop me here, Bailey,” she said, hopping out before he could even stop the car. She pulled out her luggage and left it behind some hibiscus bushes by the entrance.

  “Sheesh, love do crazy t’ings to people,” Bailey muttered, putting the car in reverse.

  Love? No, it couldn’t be love. She was just in love with Chris. And all she could think about was being in his arms again. With her heart in her throat, she ran toward the beach.

  13

  THE WIND RUFFLED Lucy’s hair as she neared Chris. He still hadn’t seen her. Being totally oblivious to everything but Liberty was nothing new. Neither was the feeling in her stomach as she took in his strong, tan shoulders that tapered to narrow hips beneath the water’s surface. He was so beautiful, so wild, so everything opposite of what she wanted in life.

  The doubts started again. What if he’s not happy that you came? You could leave before he sees you, save your pride before it’s shattered to pieces.

  Chris held the wriggling fish out to Liberty, but the fish jerked and Liberty scooted beneath the water. She kicked off her sandals and took a step closer.

  Leave now, save yourself, the voice whispered. But she couldn’t move, because as though he somehow sensed she was there, he slowly turned toward her—and blinked.

  “Lucy?”

  She took a few steps closer to the water’s edge. “Yeah.” She glanced down, then up at him again.

  “Is that really you, or am I hallucinating?”

  She wrapped her arms around her waist. “It’s me.”

  Then he smiled, that dazzling smile that melted right into her and let her know he was happy to see her. He washed his hands in the water and waded toward the shore. She didn’t give him the chance to even reach the shallow part. She ran headlong into the water, drenching her skirt and not caring in the least.

  His arms went around her, anchoring her to his body and squeezing her tighter than she’d ever been held. “Mmm, you smell so good, and you look so good, and you feel so good.” He moved back a few inches, his gaze sweeping what he could see of her. “My, you look good,” he said at last, shaking his head.

  She leaned up and kissed his chin. “So do you.”

  His hair was damp and mussed, he smelled slightly of fish, and he obviously didn’t believe what she’d said.

  She couldn’t believe she was back, and that he was happy to see her. What am I doing? I must be crazy. But the smile that spread across her face was nothing short of exhilarating. “Do I have dimples?” she asked, tilting her face.

  He placed his thumbs on either side of her mouth. “Oh, yeah.” Then he pulled her closer for a kiss, devouring her with his tongue and straddling her between his legs. When he pulled away at last, her legs could hardly hold her up. He held her steady, still looking at her with disbelief. “
Why are you here?”

  “I…I forgot something.”

  “You came all the way back because you forgot something? What could possibly be that important?”

  She swallowed. “My heart.”

  “Oh, Lucy,” he murmured, pulling her close for another kiss. When he finished the kiss, he framed her face with his hands, his thumbs moving in slow circles over her cheeks. “This is crazy.”

  “I know, I’ve been telling myself that for weeks now.”

  His legs brushed hers, holding them, giving them support. “Oh, girl,” he said in a voice that rumbled right into her bloodstream. “You don’t know what you’re doing to me.”

  “That sentiment is mutual, believe me. My best friend thinks I’m nuts, my partner thinks I have tropical fever, and I agree with them. The only time I really smiled since I left was when I decided to come back.”

  “I don’t care if you are crazy. I’m glad you came back. I missed you.”

  She felt her gaze soften as she looked in his eyes. “Did you?”

  “More than I wanted to.”

  “Then why didn’t you write or call?”

  “Clean break,” he said with a nod.

  “You were never going to call me? Ever?”

  He looked down for a moment before meeting her hurt gaze. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe when my head was straighter.”

  Liberty brushed by her, making her jump before she realized what it was. She put her hand in the water, and he touched his snout to it.

  “I went to the park, and when you were gone…” She shook her head, reliving the heartbreak again. “So this is what the nets were for.”

  “Yep. He’s doing great. He’s picking up the schools of fish swimming in the pen with his sonar, but I haven’t gotten him to eat a live one yet. He’s been fed dead fish for so long, live ones scare him. But he is starting to swim in straight lines instead of circles.” He reached over and pulled her close. His sigh ruffled her hair. “Girl, I’m not letting you get away this time.”

  He meant no more near misses in the shower. His body told her body that in simple terms, understandable and agreeable to both parties.

  “I had no intention of letting you get chivalrous with my heart again.”