by Melody Grace
“Well, how do you like sailing? A buddy of mine has a boat we can borrow. Don’t worry, I’ll hire a skipper for the day,” he added, with a self-deprecating laugh.
Sailing? In the daytime? Letitia let out a breath of relief that she didn’t even realize she’d been holding. That didn’t sound like he was expecting to take things to the next level, not unless he was planning on stripping her naked on-deck in the middle of Sweetbriar Cove harbor.
And Seth just didn’t seem like that kind of guy.
“That sounds perfect,” Letitia said, enthusiastic. “I love to sail.”
They confirmed the details, and Letitia hung up, smiling.
See? What was that annoying saying her mother was always quoting, about the grass growing greener where it was watered? Letting herself be distracted by Chase was a waste of the opportunities she’d been planning all month. A silly crush didn’t change anything. She knew what she wanted – and it was more than just a summer fling.
She was looking for forever.
9
Letitia went to bed that night feeling determined, and clearly her subconscious decided to behave, because she slept like a baby, without any pesky passionate dreams. She woke the next morning feeling fresh, invigorated, and ready to spend the day out on the open waves with a man who might just be perfect for her.
She was going to give Seth her undivided attention, just the two of them together, and nobody else around to distract her. Who knew? Maybe one day she would be telling their grandkids about this date, the day that made her realize he was the one.
But when she pulled up at the harbor, all her good intentions went and jumped straight off the end of the pier. Because who should be chatting to Seth on the dock, but a very familiar suntanned surfer?
Letitia groaned. She couldn’t escape Chase if she tried!
She fetched her tote bag from the car and approached the dock, wondering how on earth Chase Kinsella had wound up gate-crashing yet another date. Did the man have a tracker alerting him every time Letitia met someone new?
Or did he just wake up in the morning, and decide to make her squirm?
“Hi,” she called, and the men turned. They couldn’t have been more different if they’d tried: Seth was dressed in dock shoes and a casual linen button-down, clean-shaven and wearing the wire-rimmed glasses that gave him an endearingly earnest smile. And Chase… Well, his tank top was faded and stretched, and his cut-off jeans were unravelling at the hem, and his flip-flops had seen better days.
Still, her stomach did a rebellious flip of anticipation, just seeing him there: tall and golden in the sunlight. It was no use trying to ignore him. The God of Tempting Distractions had taken one look at all her earnest plans and laughed.
But Chase wasn’t laughing. He looked back and forth between them with a surprised expression on his face. “Wait a minute,” he said slowly, putting two and two together and coming up with a whole lot of third wheel. “Your big date is with Letitia?”
“You guys know each other?” Seth asked, beaming. “Small town, I should have guessed it.” He greeted Letitia with a kiss on the cheek. “Welcome to our vessel for the day,” he said, taking her hand, helping her to step aboard.
“It looks great.” Letitia glanced around. The sailboat was sleek and compact, with a gleaming wooden deck, and a snug cabin; the cushions and sails all trimmed with blue. “Do you sail often?”
“Not at all.” Seth grinned. “Which is how I got talking to Chase at the pub the other night. I was telling him, I had a big date I needed to impress out on the water. He volunteered his services as skipper for the day.”
“Oh,” Letitia replied faintly. “What a coincidence!”
The three of them. Together. Great.
Seth’s cellphone sounded. He checked the screen and winced. “I know I promised we would be off the grid but… It’s my sister,” he said, apologetic. “I should make sure nothing’s in meltdown, before we head out.”
“Of course,” Letitia managed a smile. “Take your time.”
He disappeared into the cabin to take the call. The moment he was out of earshot, Chase turned to Letitia. “I swear, I didn’t know,” he said, placing his hand on his chest. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were a Boy Scout?” Letitia asked, skeptical.
Chase grinned. “OK, maybe I was kicked out for running an illegal betting ring,” he admitted, “And scamming all the other kids out of their candy money, but the point stands. You never mentioned his name! How was I supposed to know?”
Letitia couldn’t come up with a good reason.
“If it helps, the guy is seriously smitten,” Chase added. “He’s paying me an obscene about of money to make it look like he knows his way around a boat.”
“Well, I’m glad this whole mix-up is working out for you,” Letitia said, a wry note in her voice.
Chase grinned. “Aww, c’mon. This’ll be fun! I’ll be able to give you advice in real time. See for myself how Letitia Prescott closes the deal.”
“There’ll be no deal-closing with you around!” Letitia blurted, her cheeks flushing. Was he serious?!
Chase looked amused. “I meant emotionally. Getting him to think about commitment.”
“Oh.” She swallowed hard. Way to make things awkward. “Well, that’s what I meant, too.”
“Although, I’m telling you, you won’t have to work hard,” he added, looking away. “He says you’re the perfect woman.”
“That’s…nice.” Letitia tried to get her head back in the game. Today was supposed to be about growing closer to Seth. Seeing how compatible they could be, long-term. If they shared the same ambitions and values. Having Chase along for the ride didn’t change any of that.
Even if he was a major distraction.
But when Seth rejoined them, he had an apologetic smile on his face. “I am so, so sorry,” he began, taking Letitia’s hand. “But I’m going to have to rain-check our day together. My mom had a fall.”
“Oh no!” Letitia exclaimed.
“She’s fine,” Seth added quickly, “My sister was with her. But they’re on the way to the hospital now for X-rays, and I should really go meet them there.”
“Of course!” Letitia exclaimed. “I’m so sorry! I hope everything is OK.”
“It will be,” he said, reassuring. “I’m more worried about the nursing staff on call. My mother can be quite a handful,” he added with a smile.
“Stay as long as you need.” Letitia insisted. “We can get together another time.”
“But there’s no need for you to miss out on the fun,” Seth said, suddenly brightening. “You and Chase should go out on the water, without me.”
“That’s OK,” Letitia tried to protest, but he talked over her.
“Please, have fun. I insist! The boat’s rented for the day, and I packed us a picnic, too. It shouldn’t go to waste.” Seth’s phone buzzed again. “I really should get going. I’ll call you later!”
He kissed Letitia on the cheek, then hurried back down the dock to his car. A moment later, he was high-tailing it out of the harbor parking lot, leaving Chase and Letitia alone. On a sailboat. All set for a romantic day out.
“So…” Chase began, shooting her a sideways look. “What’s the verdict? Are we taking this baby out for a spin?”
Letitia paused. She knew she should probably just head back home, maybe grab her laptop and get some extra work in while she had the chance. But then again… The ocean did look inviting today, with the waves rolling gently beneath them, sunlight glinting against blue. It had been forever since she’d been out on the water, and she already had a taste for the salty sea breeze.
Still, she couldn’t just hijack the date, and go out sailing with Chase, instead.
Could she?
“I don’t know,” she replied, torn. “I’m sure you probably have a dozen things you’d rather be doing.”
“Instead of sailing in a fancy yacht on somebody else’s dime?” Chase looked around
, making beeline for the lavish hamper set just inside the cabin. “He wasn’t lying about that picnic. He went all out,” he added, opening the basket. “Lobster rolls, champagne…” he said invitingly. “And the good popcorn, too. You should definitely marry this guy,” he added, stuffing a handful in his mouth, and producing a corkscrew.
“Because of his choice in snacks?” Letitia asked, amused.
“Hey, there are worse ways to judge a man,” Chase grinned back. He popped the cork on the champagne, and poured two glasses. “At least you’ll never go hungry.”
He held out one of the champagne glasses to her, and after a moment’s hesitation, Letitia took it. The bubbles burst, delicious against her tongue, as the sun warmed her bare shoulders. And with the wind dancing gently around them, she suddenly couldn’t think of a good reason not to enjoy the day.
It didn’t have to be romantic. They were in broad daylight, remember? Just two friends, hanging out, perfectly innocent.
“It would be a shame, letting all this go to waste,” she agreed slowly. “After he went to so much trouble…”
“That’s the spirit,” Chase said, already heading for the wheel. He turned a key, and the boat’s engine hummed to life. “He did insist. It would be rude not to oblige him!”
Letitia settled in, sunning herself on the stern of the boat as Chase steered them out of the harbor. Once they were clear of the other boats, out in open water, he cut the engine, and unfurled the massive sail instead to catch the wind. Letitia could have helped, she knew her port from her starboard, but she decided to sit back and enjoy her champagne instead.
After all, the view from here was pretty great.
“Jackson told me about a great cove, just down the coast,” he said, coming around to trim the jib nearby. “I figure we can sail down, drop anchor, and take a swim into shore.”
“Sounds good.” She watched as he expertly pulled a rope taut, capturing an air pocket so the sail propelled them forwards. “When did you learn how to sail?”
“I picked it up, here and there,” he said, knotting it in place. His biceps bulged with the effort, and Letitia was glad she’d put on a massive pair of sunglasses, so he couldn’t see her staring.
“It’s like surfing, in a way,” Chase continued, “You have to work with the elements, not against them. Feel the tide, and the wind…”
He reached up to grab a rope, his tank top clinging tight to his muscular torso.
Speaking of things she’d like to feel…
Letitia snapped her eyes away, flushing. “Did you grow up by the ocean?” she asked, trying to distract herself.
“Nowhere close.” Chase replied. “Philadelphia. But we would schlep out here to the Cape to stay with Grandpa Earl every summer, and spend the whole month splashing around. I loved it. When it came to college, it was no contest,” he added, with an impish grin. “I applied to five different schools, all in California, packed up the first chance I got.”
“And I’m sure you were a model student,” she said, teasing.
He grinned. “I got great grades, thank you very much. The trick was, I scheduled all my classes after eleven, so I’d get a full morning’s surf in beforehand.”
“Smart,” Letitia laughed. She could just imagine him traipsing into the lecture hall with wet hair and swimming trunks. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d brought his surfboard, too.
“I like to think so.” Chase moved over to the starboard side of the boat, and adjusted the sail to catch more wind. “By the time I graduated, I already had enough web design clients that I didn’t need to think about finding a real job.”
“Wait, you design websites?” Letitia repeated, sitting up. “How come you never mentioned that?”
“You never asked.” Chase flashed a grin. “What, did you think I was some lazy, broke beach bum?”
“No…” Letitia lied. “I just can’t picture you in front of a computer screen all day long.”
That much wasn’t a lie. He was the last guy she would expect in a suit and tie.
“It’s why I work remotely, and keep my client list small,” Chase replied. “Why spend all day working, when you could be having fun instead?”
“I don’t know… I think work is fun.” Letitia said. “And yes, I know how that makes me sound,” she added, before he could make a teasing remark. “But I love it. Pitching investors, closing deals… Being in the room where it all happens.”
Chase pretended to yawn. “You would get along with my brother, Aidan,” he said. “The guy can talk corporate mergers until the cows come home.”
“Cassie said that, too,” Letitia smiled. “She wanted to fix us up. Said we’d be perfect together.”
Chase paused, turning away to retie a rope. “Probably,” he said, his voice even. “But since he’s away, you’ll just have to make do with your string of loyal suitors, instead.”
Letitia thought she heard an odd tone in his voice, but before she could say anything, Chase straightened up. “We should be there soon,” he said, all smiles again. “I’d tell you to sit back and relax, but since you haven’t offered to lift a finger to help me…”
Letitia laughed. “Just making sure you earn your keep,” she shot back. “Besides, you’re the expert. I wouldn’t want to slow you down.”
“Yeah yeah,” Chase laughed, and headed back to the wheel.
She relaxed. She must have been imagining things. Besides, why would Chase mind who she was dating? He was the one who’d offered to play wingman, after all. Insisted on it, even. So, she lay back in the sun again, enjoying the gentle roll of the boat as they sped smoothly through the water, and in no time at all, they’d rounded the coast, arriving at a secluded little cove.
Chase lowered the anchor, and came back to join her, the boat bobbing gently on the tide. “I’ll say one thing for Seth, he knows how to plan a good date,” he said, looking out at the ocean. “It’s the perfect day for it.”
“Mmhmm,” Letitia murmured, pouring herself more champagne.
“How’s it working out with you guys?” Chase glanced over. “Good, I’m guessing, if you haven’t sent him to the hospital yet.”
“Very funny,” she winced at the reminder of the Bee Incident. “Am I ever going to live that down?”
“Nope.” Chase grinned. “I’m still giving Luke a hard time about the night he ran through the town square wearing nothing but a scuba mask.”
She choked on her drink. “He did what?”
“He was eight at the time, to be fair,” Chase added, smiling. “But the Kinsellas never forget.”
“Good to know,” she replied, recovering. “I thought Aunt June had let her gossip skills slip.”
Chase gave a chuckle. “Nothing gets past that woman, does it? She found me at Luke’s the other day, and demanded to know my shoe size and marital status. You know, I’m surprised you haven’t recruited her for your husband hunt,” he added. “She seems to know everything around here. Every man, at least.”
Letitia paused. “I guess I didn’t want her talking around town. It does sound kind of… intense, when you say it out loud. You weren’t exactly supportive,” she reminded him. “I think your exact words were, ‘crazy’ ‘foolish’ and ‘harebrained’.”
“Yes, but that was before I knew you,” Chase replied, grinning. “Before I knew it really mattered to you, finding someone.”
“It did,” Letitia nodded. “I mean, it does.”
But for some reason, she felt uncomfortable, talking about it now. Seth, and all her plans and strategy felt miles away, back on shore, and for now, she’d like to keep it that way. She took another gulp of champagne, and wriggled her bare toes in the breeze.
“How about we make a rule?” she suggested, leaning back. “No dating talk for the rest of the day.”
“Suits me,” Chase agreed with an amiable yawn.
“Of course it does,” she said. “You try to do as little as possible.”
“I date!” he protested.
>
“More than once, with the same girl?” she raised an eyebrow.
“OK, maybe not.” He sat up long enough to strip off his T-shirt, and toss it to the deck in a balled-up heap. “But since we have a new rule not to talk about dating, you won’t be giving me a hard time about it, will you?”
Letitia swallowed. “Nope,” she answered, her voice coming out strangled. But who could blame her? The man was a bronzed God, all tanned skin and gently curving muscles.
Down girl.
She looked away, scolding herself. Chase was her friend, not a hunk of meat to objectify. She jammed her huge sunhat onto her head, and hoped it was enough to hide her flushing cheeks. What was she doing, letting her gaze stray? She didn’t need to drool over Chase. After all, she’d spent a very pleasant ten minutes kissing Seth on her front steps just the other night.
Pleasant, chaste, and nothing like the heat that was licking in her bloodstream just watching Chase dig two beers from the cooler. He passed her one and sprawled back on the cushioned bench with a look of contentment on his face. “There,” he said, with a satisfied sigh, gazing at the blue horizon. “Isn’t this better than being cooped up inside all day?”
“How do you know I would be inside?” Letitia asked, pulling herself together. “I could have been planning to hit the spa, or go for a run instead.”
“Sure.” He shot her a grin. “You had that look, like you were running a mental ‘to-do’ list in your mind.”
Letitia sipped her beer, feeling bashful. “OK, maybe you’re right. But I do have a ton of stuff waiting for me,” she added. “The office keeps calling, and my dad… Which is kind of the same thing. He runs the company,” she explained, and Chase’s eyebrows shot up.
“What’s it like, being the boss’s daughter? You must get all the fun perks.”
Letitia gave a sigh. “Nope. It’s actually the opposite. My dad doesn’t take me seriously. He never has.”
Chase looked confused. “Has he met you? You’re the most competent person I’ve ever met.”
She smiled, feeling a glow of pride. “Thank you. But, it’s no use. He still sees me as his little girl, I guess.” She gave a rueful shrug. “I have to jump through all kind of hoops to even get a word in. But I’m hoping the project I’m working on now will change all of that.”
