by Aurora Rey
“I have another if you’d like more.”
Graham shook her head. “No, I was just surprised. That’s more than my usual limit on a work night.”
“Do you feel okay?”
Graham took stock of herself. “Yeah. Probably because it was spread out over a few hours. What time is it, anyway?”
Mat looked down at her watch. “Just after eleven.”
Graham cringed. “Are you going out at six in the morning?”
“Not until seven. We have to shift to account for low tide.”
“I guess that’s a little better. Still, it’s late.”
Mat gave her a flirtatious smile. “Is that your way of telling me you’d like me to take you to bed?”
The mere mention of being taken to bed turned her on. “Maybe. I promise I won’t keep you up half the night.”
“Don’t be making promises you may not be able to keep.”
Graham lifted her chin at the playful challenge. “If I’m a guilty party, I’m not alone.”
Mat stood and extended her hand. “I never said you were. And I’m the first to admit, there are things in life far more interesting than sleep.”
Graham looked up at Mat, let her gaze linger. “On that, we are in perfect agreement.”
Chapter Thirteen
Graham had no idea what time she and Mat finally fell asleep, but she knew she was not ready to get up. Mat slid from the bed. Graham whimpered a little and burrowed down under the sheet and light blanket Mat had pulled over them during the night.
“You can stay if you want,” Mat said.
“No, no.” Graham tossed the covers aside and sat up. “I have to be at work at eight-thirty, so I need to get up, too.”
“Do you want coffee before you go?”
She thought of the last cup she’d had at Mat’s—so strong that even a pile of sugar and creamer had barely lightened it. “I’m good. I’ve got to go home to shower and get ready for work anyway.”
Graham pulled on her clothes and looked up to find Mat watching her. Mat smirked. “Maybe you should start bringing a bag.”
She glanced down at her outfit. She quirked a brow. “Am I obviously on a walk of shame?”
Mat shook her head. “Not at all. I just want you to feel cool bringing a change of clothes and a toothbrush if you want. It seems like we’re past the point of wondering if you’re going to spend the night.”
Graham swallowed the flutter of excitement. Whether it was the promise of yet another date with Mat, or the idea of moving to some new level with her, she couldn’t be sure. “I’ll do that. Thanks.”
“Good.” Mat nodded, adding emphasis to the statement.
“I’ll see you again soon I hope.” Graham felt more confident saying that, but she still blushed.
“Absolutely.” Mat opened the door, but grabbed Graham’s hand before she could walk by. She pulled her into a kiss that, while casual, still managed to make Graham’s knees wobbly. “Have a great day.”
“You, too.”
Graham walked home with her head in the clouds. From the food to the conversation to the sex, everything about last night had been perfect. Including the fact that, when it came down to it, there wasn’t any pressure. It was such a relief not to have an agenda, or to wonder what every little thing meant. It gave her room to sit back and enjoy it. And was she ever enjoying it.
She walked up the stairs just as Jess came down. “Hey, stranger. Good night?”
Graham didn’t even try to suppress the grin. “Great night.”
“Nice. You can tell me all about it later. I’ll be home at eight.”
Graham made a sympathetic face. “Long day. Good luck.”
Jess waved a hand in dismissal. “It’s all good. I turned off the coffee, but it’s probably still hot.”
“You’re a goddess.” Graham kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
Jess went on her way and Graham let herself in. She considered lounging on the sofa with a cup of coffee, but decided to go ahead and get ready for work. She could take it with her and be early, and hopefully catch Will before the customers piled on board.
A short while later, Graham walked up the ramp to the Dolphin IX, sipping her delicious extra light, extra sweet coffee. Once on board, she spied Will behind the counter of the small cantina on the lower deck. She slid the metal and glass door aside and poked her head in. “Morning, Will.”
Will looked up and grinned. “Morning to you, too. You’re here early.”
Graham shrugged. “I got up with Mat, so I’m running ahead of schedule.”
“Ah. I should have guessed it wasn’t your own doing.”
“Hey.” Graham put her free hand on her hip. “I’m punctual.”
“You are.” Will angled her head playfully. “You’re also never out of bed a second sooner than you have to be.”
She didn’t mind Will’s teasing about her not being a morning person, but she felt the need to give as good as she got. “I just don’t see why anyone would be.”
“Since you stayed over, I’m taking it you had a good night?”
“Such a good night. She made me what might be the best meal I’ve had in my entire life. And then we talked and drank wine until eleven and then she took me to bed.” Graham sighed. “So many orgasms, Will. So many.”
Will chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you came by your sleepiness honestly. Want some coffee?”
Graham lifted her travel mug. “I’m good.”
“You know, you’d get more caffeine if you didn’t fill that halfway with cream.”
Graham raised her hand. “It wakes me up just fine, thank you. How was your night?”
“Good.” Will got a far-away look in her eyes and a goofy grin on her face. Graham still found it hard to believe that she’d harbored a crush on Will for the better part of six months, not because she no longer found Will attractive, but because she couldn’t believe how she’d missed the fact that Will was so completely in love with Nora.
“Let me guess, you didn’t get much sleep, either.”
Will shrugged, blushed. “Some.”
Before Graham could tease her any further, Charles passed along the outside of the boat. She hooked a thumb in his direction. “That’s my cue.”
“When am I going to meet this studly lobsterwoman?”
“Lobsterman,” Graham said. When Will raised a brow, she added, “It’s some sort of code, apparently, that female fishermen and lobstermen hate being set apart from their male counterparts.”
Will nodded affably. “Makes sense. So, when do I get to meet her?”
“Soon, I hope. But I don’t want to jinx anything.”
Will smiled her understanding smile. “I feel you.”
Graham waved a good-bye and headed up to the top deck of the boat. She found Charles reviewing the logs of the previous day’s sightings. “Two new calves yesterday, huh?”
Graham hadn’t been the first to see them, but she had laid eyes on both yearlings during her shifts. “Yeah. One with Salt and the other with Tapioca and Roswell.”
“What about Grackle?”
“No sign of him yet. I’m hoping that means he broke away to start looking for a mate of his own.”
“You and me both.”
The boat filled and they headed out. Graham went through her lecture, pausing now and again to point out the birds that swooped and swam around them. Much like the day before, the whales were active. She and Charles tag-teamed the loud speaker and recorded the sightings. Graham didn’t think she’d ever grow tired of watching the animals move through the water or hearing the delighted squeals of children and adults alike when they swam particularly close. It made her feel like her life had a real purpose, but one that managed to be fun at the same time.
The second sail of the day was more crowded and included a ton of little kids. Charles had her do the lecture again and, by the time she was done, Graham was the most popular person on board. They swarmed around her, wan
ting to touch the whale tooth she’d showed or have their picture taken with her. She couldn’t decide if it made her feel like a kindergarten teacher or a princess at Disney World. Not that she minded. This was her version, she imagined, of Mat’s nieces and nephews.
When the sightings began in earnest, her following quickly abandoned her for a spot along the boat’s rail. She picked up her binoculars and helped Charles identify the whales they saw—a lot of repeats from the morning, but a few new ones as well.
When they docked for the second time that day, Graham gathered her things and headed down in search of Will. She found her stacking receipts and counting money from the day’s sales. “Hot plans tonight?”
“Martha and Heidi are coming over for dinner and cards.”
Graham smiled. Martha and Heidi were two of Aunt Nora’s closest friends. She was pretty sure they helped Nora come to her senses when she’d called things off with Will the spring before. “That sounds like fun.”
“Do you want to come? I’m sure there will be plenty of food.”
Graham dismissed her with a wave. “No, no. You enjoy your couples’ night.”
“What are you up to?”
“I’ve got a hot date of my own.”
“You’re seeing Mat again?” It was hard to tell if Will was surprised or amused.
“I wish. Me and half my wardrobe will be spending some quality time together at the Laundromat.”
Will laughed. “You know you’re always welcome to use the washer and dryer at our place.”
“I appreciate the offer. Even more, I love to hear you call it ‘our place.’” Graham put a hand on Will’s arm. “Really love it. But if I go to the Laundromat, I can get it all done at once.”
“All right. If you change your mind, the invitation stands.”
“Thanks. Have a good night.” Graham offered a parting wave and headed out. She walked home via Bradford rather than Commercial, in part to avoid the crowds and in part to avoid the temptation to stop somewhere for a glass of wine and to watch the world go by. When she got to her apartment, she found it empty. Athena gave her a disinterested look before going back to sleep.
Sigh. No distractions.
She gathered up her dirty clothes—a basket and a large sack—and loaded them into her car. The Laundromat was near empty so she divvied her things up among three washers and set them to run. She looked around and wished she’d thought to bring a book. She pulled out her phone instead, perusing Instagram and Twitter with mild interest.
Graham resisted the urge to text Mat for about twenty minutes, not wanting to come off as clingy or like she didn’t have a life of her own. But as she sat in an uncomfortable chair watching her sheets and shirts progress through the spin cycle, boredom set in. Besides, she reasoned, Mat had issued the last invitation. She clicked to the messages screen and gave in. Thanks again for dinner. It was amazing and I had a great time. A thousand times more fun than I’m having right now.
She didn’t expect an immediate response, but one came just a few seconds later. And what are you up to this evening?
Instead of typing a response, Graham took a photo of the washing machine and sent it.
Mat replied with the emoji of the face whose eyes and mouth were nothing more than straight lines. That’s a pretty low bar.
Graham contemplated an apology, but decided to tease back. I did say a thousand times. She added a winky face, then replaced it with the one that included a kiss.
Oh, well, then. The flashing dots told Graham more was coming. Interested in joining my cousin and his girlfriend for dinner next week?
Even though Mat hadn’t used it in reference to her, Graham’s heart did a flip at the word girlfriend. They might not be there yet, but if Mat was inviting her on a double date, she had to think of Graham as more than just sex. Graham closed her eyes and let her head tip back against the wall. Not her girlfriend, yet. Such a small word, but so many big implications.
She might not be ready to admit it to Mat—or anyone else, for that matter—but it was probably time to be honest with herself. She liked Mat, a lot. More than a lot. Graham wanted to be her girlfriend, complete with all the rights and responsibilities that came with it. Mat might not be using those words, but Graham wanted to believe she felt the same. Sure, she might not be interested in settling down and starting a family, but Graham was years away from wanting that herself.
She hadn’t been lying when she told Jess and Will and Nora that she was perfectly content with something casual. She just hadn’t expected things with Mat to go so well. Graham couldn’t imagine happening upon someone she wanted to spend time with more than she did with Mat. She certainly couldn’t fathom having better chemistry with someone else. I’d love to. Let me know when and where.
I’ll confirm with him and be in touch. In the meantime, enjoy your laundry.
Graham smiled at her phone for a moment, then realized her washers had stopped. She transferred the damp piles to dryers, fed them a pile of quarters. She waited some more, then folded and loaded everything back into her car. She still managed to get home before Jess, so she took the liberty of putting a pesto pizza in the oven and making a salad. She spied a bottle of chardonnay in the fridge and decided to open it. Why the hell not?
Chapter Fourteen
Mat leaned against the doorframe and watched Dom straighten his tie. Ties were a bit fussy for her, at least for a date, but he made her rethink her outfit of charcoal pants and a slim black button-down. “I’m not underdressed, am I?”
“You look great.” Dom turned to face her. “I just like wearing ties. Still making up for lost time, I suppose.”
Mat smiled at the assertion. “They suit you.”
“Just as that,” he moved a finger up and down to indicate her clothing, “suits you. What do you call that look, anyway? Sophisticated stud? Sharp-dressed butch?”
“Uh, I don’t call it anything.”
“Oh, I know. Get-laid chic.”
Mat shook her head. “You’re ridiculous. And if you don’t stop preening, we’re going to be late.”
“I’m ready. Let’s go.”
They were halfway down the driveway when Mat’s phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket, thinking it might be Graham. The screen read, “Mom.” She glanced at Dom. “I should take this.”
“It’s all good. I told Renata I’d walk by her place and pick her up anyway. We’ll meet you there.”
Mat rolled her eyes. “All right, Romeo. See you in a little bit.” She swiped a finger across the screen. “Hi, Ma.”
“How are you, Mattie? How’s the catch?” It was how she started every conversation.
“It’s good. The currents seem to be working in our favor.”
“That’s good, that’s good. Your father will be pleased. And Emilio says you helped convince some chef to make us their exclusive supplier.”
Mat smiled. “I did. Not that I don’t trust him to—”
She interrupted with a quick tut-tut. “They don’t come more hard-working than Emilio, but suave he is not. You’ve got a softer touch. The customers like that, especially the women.”
Mat appreciated the compliment, even if it was rooted in her mother’s wish she’d take over the business side of the family operation instead of heading out to sea every morning. “I’m happy to play salesman every now and then, especially if it improves the bottom line.”
“Emilio may not say so, but he’s glad for the help.” Mat thought this might be the lead-in to a lecture, but she was spared when her mother said, “But that’s not why I’m calling.”
Mat chuckled. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’m making sure you’re coming to Dores and Martin’s party next weekend.”
“Ah.” Her aunt and uncle, Dom’s parents, were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. They’d shunned anything formal or fancy, so the party had turned into a massive Sunday dinner at their house. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”
�
��Good. And since you won’t be fishing, you can come with us to Mass at eight.”
Mat swallowed a groan. She didn’t mind Mass. Sometimes, she even enjoyed it. Even if she didn’t believe in everything the Catholic Church pedaled, she found the ritual of it, the familiarity, soothing. She simply preferred to use her mornings off for sleeping in, especially if she had company. If the way things were going with Graham were any indication, she’d definitely have company. Still, she wasn’t one to disappoint her mother. “Okay, Ma.”
“Excellent. We’ll be sure to save you a seat. Now, what are you up to tonight?”
Mat made a face. “Having dinner with Dom.” At least it wasn’t a lie.
“Dores says he and Renata are getting serious.”
“He’s smitten, that’s for sure.”
“That’s sweet. You give him my best. I’ll see you Sunday.”
Mat pinched the bridge of her nose. “I will, Ma. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Mattie. Be good.”
Mat ended the call and looked at her phone for a moment. It still struck her as strange that her parents, her whole family really, were so completely okay with Dom’s transition. Sure, there’d been shock, initially, but once he’d actually gone through with it, no one seemed to give it a second thought. And since he was now he and not she, of course everyone would be on board with him getting married and settling down. With a nice Portuguese girl, no less.
She shook her head. She didn’t begrudge Dom any of it. She was just a little envious, maybe. Mat had made peace with her life, but it was perfectly normal to have those moments of wishing for something more. Like winning the lottery and becoming a millionaire—not a realistic game plan, but okay to think about now and then.
Now, however, was not one of those moments. She had a date to get to, and being late was not her style.
* * *
Graham was excited to meet Dom and his girlfriend. Based on the little bit she’d heard, Graham guessed—hoped—she and Renata would have a lot in common. Even more, she liked the idea of a double date. Her girlfriend in grad school had been a doctoral student in biology. The crazy hours she spent in her research mentor’s lab made it difficult to align their schedules. Graham didn’t hold it against her, but she’d wished they could have been friends with other couples, gone out together.
