Beachfront Embrace

by Michele Gilcrest

  “That would mean everything to me. Thank you so much, Clara. You won’t regret it.”

  “I sure hope not. You showed up at the height of my relationship with Mike. Things were good between us, but somehow, I’ve allowed my family affairs to get in the way. I’m open to seeing where things will lead with you and me, but I also really need to take some time and rekindle what I have going with him. When you do it right, you can balance romantic love, life goals, and other things of importance while loving your family… you don’t have to choose one over the other. I’m learning that the hard way, and I think you are, too.”

  “I agree. But, it’s never too late. Go get him. I know he’ll welcome you with open arms, Clara. You 're a beautiful woman with a big heart. If he can’t see that, then there’s something wrong with him, not you,” Agnes responded.

  “Thanks. Just do me a favor.”

  “Anything,” Agnes said.

  “Keep your hands to yourself. This one is mine,” Clara said, giving her a devilish smile.

  “Well deserved, and you don’t have to worry. Scout’s honor,” Agnes said, holding her hand up, pledging her loyalty.

  “Mm hmm.”

  Clara wasn’t ready to hug and pretend as if everything was all better. Their history as sisters still existed; however, for the first time she felt a small, hardened area of her heart being revived again. That had to count for something.

  Mackenzie sat on one end of the boat, watching Brody pull out of the dock. He brought miniature sandwiches, grapes, and cookies, and even gave her a blanket just in case the early fall-like temperature made her chilly.

  “You did all this for me? Everything is amazing, Brody. Thank you.”

  “No thanks needed. I asked you out… the least I could do was try to make things special for you,” he said.

  “You went above and beyond special. Everything is perfect. With the scenic Patuxent River as our backdrop, and this meal prepared for two, what more could a woman ask for?”

  “Good. I’m glad you like it. If it’s all right with you, the plan is to sail a couple of miles out and then maybe coast a little. That way, we can have time to talk while we grab a bite to eat. I’ll have to admit I’m a little rusty with dating,” he said, fumbling over his words out of nervousness.

  “You’re fine, and I love the plan. Everything sounds perfect,” she said, trying to be graceful while her hair kept whipping her in the face.

  “So, is this what you like to do during your down time? One would think you’d need a break from boats since it’s what you do for work.”

  “I live for the water and beach life. I’d live either near or on the water twenty-four seven if I could afford to,” he said.

  “Really?”

  “Sure, it’s the most peaceful place I know. Maybe the mountains would be my backup location, but even that would be an occasional getaway and not a permanent home for me,” he replied.

  “I’m sure that’s one reason the team at Lighthouse Tours works so well together. You’re all tied to the water in one way or another. Your knowledge probably helps enhance the customer experience a great deal,” she said.

  “I’m certain of it. Everybody has their own unique skill set they bring to the table, which is always nice.”

  He began slowing down the boat a bit, enjoying that Mackenzie didn’t mind leading the conversation. He was nervous but continued to focus on giving her the best experience possible.

  “What else do you like to do during your free time?” she asked.

  “This may sound rather boring, but when I’m off, I like to kick back, throw a few ribs in the smoker, enjoy something cool to drink, and catch up on my sports. There’s not much more to it really,” he said.

  “Oh, come on, Brody. Surely you like to get out every once in a while? You know, come to think of it, I can’t recall one time where you ever brought a lady friend by the café. Do you ever go on dates or at least hang out with the guys?”

  He cut the engine off and allowed the boat to continue to glide while he joined her on the other side of his cooler.

  “When I tell you I’m a man of peace and solitude, I mean it. I know it might sound strange, and maybe I should even be embarrassed by it, but I like to wind down at the end of a long day’s work… and usually that’s it. Most of the guys go home to their wives and girlfriends at night and as for me… I got burned by the last girl I dated, so most of the time I just fly solo. It’s okay, though… it doesn’t bother me. I’m used to it.” He admitted.

  “Interesting. So, why did you decide to take a chance on me?” she asked.

  He could feel his face turning flush, so he busied himself, reaching in the cooler to offer her a drink.

  “To be honest, I didn’t even think you would say yes. From the look on your face, I think even you were surprised by your own response.” He laughed. She joined in with him.

  “I plead the fifth. No harm intended, but you caught me off guard, that’s for sure.” She smiled.

  “But, you still said yes. What were you thinking at that moment?”

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  “What do I have to lose, maybe? I’ve always thought you were a nice guy… from what I knew of you. Plus, I felt pretty confident that you wouldn’t pull anything crazy on me, given that I’ve known Mike and Ms. Mae for a long time,” she said.

  “That’s a smart way of looking at it. Even though, I’m not the kind of guy who would do anything disrespectful or play games, even if I didn’t know Mike and Ms. Mae. My folks raised me better than that.”

  He chugged down some of his soda.

  “Brody, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you where you’re from.”

  “Annapolis, Maryland. My father still lives there in the house where I grew up in Emerald Cove,” he said.

  “That’s wonderful. Are you two close?”

  “Very. He has a boat slip out back and just takes off, sailing whenever he feels like it. He’s the reason I love it so much,” he said.

  “I’ll bet… what about your mom?”

  “She’s no longer with us. She’s been gone for almost a decade now… she passed from a sudden heart attack. Even the doctors couldn’t make sense of why a healthy woman who exercised all the time and was thriving would live such a brief life. It made little sense.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. My sister and I really worried about dad the first couple of years after losing her. But, thankfully, he was able to come around.”

  “Are you and your sister close?” she asked.

  “Yes, but from a distance. She, my brother-in-law, and my niece and nephew are stationed in Colorado at Peterson Air Force Base. He has at least ten more years to serve before he can think about retiring. What about you? Any siblings or close family members, besides your daughter?”

  “Nope. It’s just me and Stephanie. She’s my pride and joy. She’s a straight-A student, the president of the Care Club at school that runs food drives for the local community, and she’s very kind-hearted. I’m sure all parents say that about their kids, but it’s true,” she said proudly.

  “I believe it. Especially if she’s anything like you. I’d love to hang out with her some time.”

  “She’d probably like that. Get ready for her to talk your ears off. She inherited the gift of gab from her mother.”

  “I welcome the conversation,” he said, gazing into her eyes.

  “To be honest, I can’t believe I didn’t work up the courage to ask you out before now. You’re absolutely beautiful inside and out, Mackenzie.”

  She felt a tingling sensation at the pit of her stomach and was surprised that Brody, the quiet mechanic from across the street, could leave such an impression.

  “Please… call me Mack.” She closed her eyes, holding her head up to bathe in the sun before it shifted behind a cloud.

  “Keep your eyes closed and listen to the sound of the water gently rocking the boat. Isn’t it peaceful?” he asked. />
  “Yes. It’s heavenly. What I wouldn’t give to take some time off work and just relax out here for a week.”

  “That’s not impossible, you know. I can help you make that wish come true if that’s what you desire to do.” He offered.

  She opened her eyes and giggled.

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You never know when I might actually decide to take you up on the offer.”

  “Hey, all you have to do is say the word. In the meantime, how about a sandwich?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  “Take your pick. I ordered a variety from the deli since I didn’t know what you like. It’s nothing fancy, but I figured I’d go with something that was easy to bring on a boat.”

  She looked over the choices and grabbed a ham sandwich. Mackenzie could easily settle for simple rather than a fancy date with a loser.

  “Hey, Brody, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

  “Go right ahead, I’m an open book.”

  “Earlier, you mentioned something about getting burned by the last girl you dated… if I’m not prying too much, what happened?” she asked.

  He thought for a moment, trying to find the right words.

  “We were living together. I made the decision against my better judgement, but she needed a place to stay temporarily, so I welcomed her into my home. I came home early one day… and well… let’s just say she had company over.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah. It took forever to get the image out of my mind. I don’t understand what’s wrong with people. Is it really that difficult to be honest about how you feel? If someone doesn’t want to continue in a relationship, you’re under no obligation to stay. All I want is someone who will level with me and tell the truth,” he said.

  “Don’t get me started. I could tell you stories for days.”

  “I’d much rather hear stories about you, your hobbies, your life growing up, basically everything there is to know about you.”

  Mackenzie felt like a young girl with an uncontrollable grin displayed on her face.

  “Wow, where do I begin?” she asked.

  “Anywhere. You have my undivided attention.”

  “Let’s see, I grew up here in Solomons… been here all my life, except for my time spent away at college in Baltimore. As for hobbies, I love to go antiquing whenever I have the spare time.”

  “Antiquing?” he asked.

  “Yes, shopping for antiques. It’s really fun.” She chuckled.

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Of course, my favorite activity is laying out on the beach, but lately I haven’t had the time.”

  “You know what I hear when I listen to you speak?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “I hear the voice of someone who works really hard and doesn’t take enough time for herself.”

  “Well, aren’t you one to talk?” she said, then she flicked a little water from her water bottle, playfully teasing him.

  Brody gasped with an enormous smile, feeling surprised by her sense of humor.

  “Oh, so you have a naughty side to you. Okay, you picked the wrong guy to mess with. I’m not afraid of a little water.”

  “Can you swim?” she asked.

  “Of course, I can swim. If needed, I could jump in the water right now and make it to shore and back.”

  Mack observed the distance to shore, and then locked eyes with him, slowly revealing a smirk.

  “No way. Please tell me you 're not thinking… what I think you’re thinking.” Brody laughed.

  “Why not? What’s a little swim on a first date? Since you want to suggest that I work too much and don’t make time for fun… let’s have a little fun. Last one in the water is a rotten egg.”

  “Wait. You want me to jump in the water fully dressed? I didn’t bring any spare clothing and neither did you,” he said, partially smiling, intrigued, and partially nervous.

  “Oh, I think we have a chicken on board. I guess we’ll just play it safe and stay in the boat, then… bock, bock, bock.” She teased.

  He stood up and began removing articles of clothing down to his boxer shorts. He figured it was okay, since a lot of them looked like real shorts, anyway.

  She was so shocked, never once thinking he’d take her up on the idea. He seemed more like a run of the mill and abide by the rules kind of guy. Even she was acting out of character, and her adrenaline was pumping.

  “Brody, wait. I was just playing around with you. You don’t really have to do this.”

  “No, no, a dare is a dare. Never underestimate the Brodster. That’s what my friends called me back in college. I had a reputation for being a dare devil… and, my dear… you just awakened that side of me. There’s no turning back now. I’ll meet you in the water,” he yelled as he climbed to the edge and dived overboard, head first.

  Oh my word. What have I started? she thought to herself.

  “Well, so much for pretty hair and nice clothing for our first date,” she said, not removing a thing, but diving in head first behind him.

  Chapter 10

  After the tenth knock on Mike’s door, Clara’s confidence began dwindling. She questioned if she made the right decision to surprise him instead of calling ahead.

  She left, making it as far as the driver’s side of her car before hearing the creaking sound of his front door.

  “Hello, may I help you?” A woman with brunette hair turned on the porch light and stood comfortably in the doorway as if she belonged there.

  “Uh, I’m sorry. I must have the wrong house,” she said, looking around.

  “Actually, that can’t be. This is the right house. My name is Clara, I’m looking for Mike,” she said, sounding genuinely confused.

  In the background, she could hear Mike using a few choice words.

  “Diane, whoever it is, tell them I’ll be there in just a minute. The fax machine keeps jamming on me. I’ll be right up,” he yelled.

  “Sure,” she said and then returned her attention to Clara.

  “Sorry. You know how these high-tech machines can be. They look nice and have a ton of buttons, but when we need it to work, we can’t figure the darn things out to save our lives. Why don’t you have a seat right here on the front porch. I’m sure he’ll be with you in just a second. Can I offer you anything to drink?” Diane asked.

  Clara took one look at this woman’s long gorgeous hair and toned body in yoga pants, and felt sick.

  “Would you like to sit?” she asked, pointing toward the wicker chair.

  “No. No, thank you. If Mike’s busy, I can always catch up with him at the office.”

  “Are you sure? It will only take a few more minutes. What was your name again? Clarissa?” she asked.

  “It’s Clara. Clara Covington.” She took a few steps backward and then picked up the tempo, feeling like a fool.

  What was I thinking? Why would Mike wait around for me to get matters with my sister in order when he could have another woman in a heartbeat? She turned, reaching for her door handle, blocking out the rest of their conversation.

  “Clara,” Mike’s voice shouted.

  “Clara, I’m here. I just had to fix the fax. Hold on a second,” he said, trying to sprint to catch up with her.

  She sat in the car with both hands on the wheel, fighting back the burning sensation in her eyes.

  “Clara, where are you going? Did you hear what I said? I was caught up with the stupid fax machine. It was literally jamming an important contract that I was supposed to submit a half an hour ago. Why don’t you come inside? I’d love for you to meet my cousin, Diane, and her husband Bruce.”

  “Your cousin?” she asked.

  “Yeah, who did you think it was?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve never mentioned anything about having a cousin Diane before. How was I supposed to know?”

  “True. Well, I have a cousin named Diane who I haven’t spoken to in a while. She and Bruce live not too far away from my paren
ts. They actually moved there to be closer to each other. Anyway, they’re in the middle of a road trip and made a pit stop to say hello, before continuing on to Florida.”

  Clara leaned back on the headrest, feeling foolish, yet again.

  “Wait. Did you think?”

  “Ah, never mind what I was thinking. I just didn’t want to intrude if you had company, that’s all. Especially company with long gorgeous hair and the body of a physical trainer.” She sniggled.

  “Well, she is a fitness coach, but I swear I wouldn’t do that to you,” he said, reaching through the window and confidently laying the sweetest kiss on her lips to reassure her.

  “That feels nice,” she whispered.

  “There’s more where that came from. I’m so glad you came here tonight. I’ve missed you. I need you, Clara. If you’re not comfortable opening up and talking with me just yet, I understand. As long as I know you still want me in your life, that’s all that matters to me.”

  “You seemed so distant when we last spoke. I thought you were angry with me… and, well, I know communication with me hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. I just came over here to say I’m sorry. I can do better… I will do better. You’re an important part of my life and I can’t shut you out. I understand that now,” she said.

  Mike opened the door and gently tugged on both of her arms, pulling her out of the car.

  “Since we’re off the clock, I get to do whatever I want without regard for who’s watching, right?”

  She giggled, nodding her head yes.

  “Good.”

  In the background, Mike’s cousin bellowed his name loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

  “Mike, your mother is on video chat. Come on in and bring your lady friend with you. We both want to meet her,” she yelled.