by Rachel Hanna
"Not to pry, but has that been a problem in romantic relationships?"
They stopped for a moment and sat down on a park bench. "Why do you think I live on an island with old people? None of them care who I am. They're not impressed by my money."
"But don't you want to live a different lifestyle at some point? On the mainland?"
"Maybe. Right now I'm happy where I am. It's comfortable."
"What do you say we get some of that pound cake?"
He smiled. "I say that sounds like a fantastic idea."
After getting strawberry pound cake at Hotcakes, Danielle felt like she might explode. She normally didn’t eat this much or this often, but she was having such a good time that she couldn’t help herself.
“Your turn,” she said.
“Okay, let me think… What is your biggest regret in life?”
They’d been sitting on a bench under a huge live oak tree, draped in Spanish moss, watching people as they walked around the square.
“I don’t like to have regrets, but I guess if I had one it would be going on a first date with Richard.”
“I don’t think you should regret that.”
She looked at him. “No? And why is that?”
“Because if you hadn’t met Richard and found out what a giant jerk he was, you wouldn’t be sitting here under a tree with me right now.”
Her heart skipped a beat. What did he mean by that? “Bennett, I… um…”
“Relax. I just meant that you’ve been a great nurse to the residents, so I’m obviously glad you met Richard.”
She laughed. “So, you’re glad that Richard screwed me over and ruined my career just so I would be forced to flee to your island?”
“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds a bit self serving.”
“A bit?” She knocked her shoulder into his. The more time she spent with Bennett, the more comfortable she became. They were definitely friends, but she had to admit that sometimes she felt twinges of more. She just wasn’t sure what it meant or what to do about it. Dating a co-worker had turned out very badly the last time. She could only imagine what dating her boss would cause.
“Your turn.”
“What is your most embarrassing moment?”
Bennett thought for a minute. “First day of middle school. I was a nerdy kid, and I definitely wasn’t popular or anything. Didn’t help that I wore tattered thrift store clothing. Anyway, on the first day of school I was walking across the cafeteria, tray in hand, trying to find a table. I slipped on a banana peel - literally - and slid under the table, tray still in hand.”
“Oh, my gosh! What did you do?”
“I stayed under the table.”
Danielle laughed. “So you just sat under the table and ate your food?"
He nodded his head. "I couldn't show my face. I just decided I was hungry enough to stay under there, I guess."
"That's so terrible. I feel sorry for little Bennett," she said, patting his knee without thinking. She quickly pulled her hand back.
"What about you? What is your most embarrassing moment?"
Danielle turned her head and stared at him. "Seriously? Given what I've been through in the last year, you don't know that answer already?"
He bit his lip. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking."
“Excuse me, folks," a woman said as she walked over. She was petite, with more curly hair than Danielle had ever seen in her life.
"Hi," Danielle said, looking up at her.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but we're having a free yoga class in a few minutes, so I thought I'd see if y'all might like to attend? It's going to be right here on the square."
Danielle pointed to Bennett. "I don't think this guy is meant for yoga."
He quickly turned his head and looked at her. "You don't think I could do yoga?"
"Oh no, I didn't mean to start an argument…" the woman said.
"No argument. It just sounds like my friend here is throwing down a challenge," Bennett said, looking at Danielle.
"I was just joking. Besides, I'm sure we have to get back home soon."
"It sounds like you're scared," he said. The woman stood there, looking back-and-forth between them as they bantered.
"Okay, fine. I've taken yoga classes before back in the city. Have you ever taken a yoga class?" She crossed her arms and waited for an answer.
Bennett cleared his throat. "Well, no. But it doesn't look so hard."
The woman started laughing. "Famous last words. Don't worry, I will go easy on you. By the way, I'm Janine. I own the yoga studio here. Are you new in town?"
"Bennett owns Wisteria Island. I'm the island’s nurse.”
"Wow. So, you’re Bennett Alexander. I thought you were some kind of mythical creature. I can't wait to tell people you came to my yoga class."
He stood up, smiled, and shook her hand. "There's money in it for you if you don't kill me," he said, chuckling as they followed her across the square.
"Can we please do something more relaxing?" Bennett said as they walked away from the scene of the crime. Well, the yoga class anyway. Never in his life had he sweated so much. Who knew that bending yourself into all of those positions was actually hard work?
"I thought yoga was relaxing," Danielle said, chuckling.
"I have to give it to you, you were great at that. Maybe you should sign up for some classes."
"And do what? Hop in the boat a couple of times a week and drive myself over here?"
"I don't mind bringing you. I enjoy coming over here, but I don't normally have anyone to do that with."
He was getting dangerously close to making them sound like a couple. He couldn't help it. She was just so easy to get along with. It all felt so natural, and that was dangerous. He’d never been able to trust a woman, especially since he started making so much money.
But there was something different about Danielle. She wasn't impressed by his money. In fact, she seemed like a person who wasn't impressed by much. It would take a lot of work on his part to impress her.
"Maybe I can get Janine to come over to the island and do some yoga classes. I'm sure the residents would enjoy it."
He noticed anytime he brought up something that sounded more personal, like their friendship, Danielle would steer the conversation back to work. She was probably smart to do that.
"Should we go get some more pound cake? Or maybe one of those cupcakes?”
"After doing all of that yoga? I burned so many calories! Not sure I should ruin it!”
“Come on, you're already in great shape.”
As soon as he said it, he wanted to reel the words back in like a fishing line. He was her boss. He wasn't supposed to be commenting on her shape, good or bad. Bennett wasn't that kind of guy. He didn't feel like her boss right now, and that was getting into awfully dangerous territory.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
She smiled. "I know what you meant. And thank you. I was really big into exercising back at my old job. We had a nice gym in the hospital."
"Still, I shouldn't have commented on your physical appearance. I've had more than enough training in human resources to know that."
"Relax, Bennett. I think I know who you are. I wasn't offended. I promise I won’t sue you.”
He chuckled. “So, is that a no on the cupcake?”
"Okay, you talked me into it."
Chapter 12
They stood on the dock, waiting for the tour guide to be ready for them. Danielle didn't know what this marsh tour was going to be like. She had visions of alligators leaping through the air and taking off her head. Although she wasn't someone who studied nature, she was pretty sure alligators weren't prone to doing that.
"You guys can come aboard," the tour guide, William, said. From what she had overheard when he was talking to Bennett, he had started the tour guide and charter company very recently. He had grown up in the area, and he knew just about everything there was to know about the marshland
s.
"Thanks for taking us last minute," Bennett said as he reached back for Danielle's hand. She took his hand, noticing how firm and warm it was, and stepped into the boat.
They both took a seat while William got the motor started and they began to weave through the grassy marshes.
"No problem. I'm always happy to go out on a tour. Looking at all of this beautiful nature never gets old."
"It really is a beautiful area. I wasn't familiar with the low country until I took this job," Danielle said.
"I can't imagine living anywhere else. I've left a couple of times, but I always came back home. I'm engaged, so we will be here forever."
"Congratulations!" Bennett said.
"Yeah, she runs the yoga studio in town."
Danielle laughed. "She's the one who almost killed us on the square today."
William looked at them and chuckled. "She kills me regularly."
As they continued moving through the dense marsh, Danielle listened to everything he had to say about the area, the nature and the land. It was all very interesting, and she found herself asking questions.
"You wouldn't believe the population of plants and animals that live in our salt marsh habitat. The tides come in and out each day, breathing new life into the environment. Some people think these marshes are just gross, muddy places, but that's not true. If we didn't have the marshes, many of the animals in this area would cease to exist. There's an entire food chain based upon these salt marshes," William said as they glided along.
Every so often, Bennett would look at her and smile, obviously enjoying the tour. She also got the feeling that he was enjoying her company, and she had to admit she was enjoying his. It felt unnerving, dangerous even.
"How often do the tides come in and out?" Danielle asked.
"Every six hours and six minutes, the tides come in. It almost covers up all the grasses, but it also stirs up the bottom to release more nutrients.”
“Wow, very interesting. Isn't it amazing how mother nature just knows how to tell time like that?" Danielle said, laughing.
"What sort of wildlife do you see around here?" Bennett asked.
"We see all kinds of things, including alligators. My favorites are the blue crabs. They scavenge little animals. Then you have the wading birds that have their feasts in the tidal flats by eating crabs, snails and fish. I also see deer from time to time, although they’re getting crowded out of their habitat by development, it seems.”
They continued moving along with William pointing out all kinds of things. Danielle didn't know that the marshes were so interesting. She just saw them as bodies of water with a lot of grass sticking up. The smells and the sounds and sights of the marsh were every bit as exciting as looking out over the beautiful open ocean.
"The time of year makes a big difference in the salt marshes. Certain things happen in spring, summer, fall and winter."
"Like what?" Bennett asked.
"Well, like in the spring is when the salt marshes start to green. Insects hatch, the birds breed. You start to really hear the music of the marsh during that time of year."
"What's it like in winter? Danielle asked.
"Well, the cord grass dies, but it builds peat from the rotting stems, and that fertilizes the plankton in the bays and the ocean. You also see raccoons at night as they forage on oysters and clams."
"What is that smell exactly?" Danielle finally asked, waving her hand in front of her face.
William laughed. "Many people ask that question. That pungent smell is something that is quite natural in these coastal areas. It's really a mixture of things. For one, there's the salt water and chlorophyll from the plants. There's a lot of decay that goes on in the marsh as the plants and animals decompose and release nitrogen into the air. Then there's the sulfur which is a kind of rotten egg smell. That only happens when the marsh has been dug or disturbed in some way."
She was amazed at how much William really knew about the marsh. It was like he had taken a master’s degree level course in it.
"Something keeps biting me," Danielle said, slapping at her arm.
"Oh yeah," William said, nodding his head. "Those are called no-see-ums.”
"No-see-ums?”
"They are little blood-sucking insects."
Danielle felt twitchy all of the sudden. "Like mosquitoes?"
"Kind of, but you can't see them, thus their name. They can really bite something fierce. Over five million of their eggs are usually laid per acre in the spring and fall."
"Gross."
"Here, spray some of this on you," he said, handing her a bottle of something. At this point, she was willing to spray battery acid directly on her skin if it helped.
"Look over there!" Bennett said, pointing at something.
"Yep, there's an alligator.”
Without thinking, Danielle jumped sideways, right up against Bennett.
"Sorry," she said, quietly.
He looked at her, clearing his throat. "No problem."
There was a long moment of awkward silence between them as she slowly slid herself a couple of inches back in the other direction.
"No worries about the alligator," William said, not noticing their strange exchange. “He won't bother us if we don't bother him.”
For the next hour, they meandered their way through the marshes until they were finally back at the dock. As they stepped off and thanked William, Danielle couldn't remember a time in the recent past where she had enjoyed herself more. Surprisingly, she had learned a lot and been very interested in what William had to say about her new home.
Her home.
That was the first time she had allowed herself to think of this place as something more than a temporary stop to get her away from the craziness that was her life.
But as each day passed, she thought less of the hospital as her home and more of Wisteria Island.
"Thanks again," Bennett said, turning around and waving at William as they walked away.
"I don't know about you, but I’m exhausted!"
"Yeah, I guess we’d better get back to the island. Our dock is just down here a short way."
"Bennett?"
He stopped and looked at her.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for bringing me here today. I've been feeling a little lost, like a fish out of water lately, but this place has made me feel like it might be possible to make my home here."
"I'm glad, Danielle," he said, smiling. "I can see you doing really great things on the island, so anything I can do to keep you here, I'm willing."
They started walking again. "I'm curious. Did you take your other nurses on field trips like this?"
He laughed, looking over at her. "Not a single one."
The island finally felt normal again now that all the guests had gone. Well, whatever normal was for Wisteria Island.
She never would've admitted it to anyone out loud, but she couldn't stop smiling after her day of fun with Bennett. He was her boss. This was a fact that she had to remind herself of repeatedly.
He sure didn't feel like her boss. He felt, at the very least, like her friend. Opening herself up to trusting anyone again seemed just about as safe as jumping into that marsh next to an alligator.
Bennett was a different kind of guy, despite his wealth. In fact, if she were listing the kindest people she had ever met, he would be near the top of the list.
A couple of times during their outing, she had found herself smiling and having butterflies in her stomach like she was a high school girl about to go out on her first date. This was dangerous territory, and she knew it. She couldn't stop thinking about how well they had gotten along, and how much fun she’d had.
Even when she had dated Richard, fun wasn't really their thing. They talked about work a lot, and they occasionally went out for expensive dinners and bottles of wine. One time, he had taken her to an art gallery opening, and when she had complained how boring it was, they’d gotten into a big argument.
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Never in his life had Richard ever been on a marsh tour. He certainly wouldn't have known how to take a boat to an island. In fact, he had a maid, a driver and a staff of people that waited on him hand and foot when he wasn't at work. To say that he had a God complex was an understatement.
"Dorothy?" Danielle called as she knocked on Dorothy Monroe's front door. She had been putting off visiting her for days now. The woman was a bit scary, and Danielle wasn’t easily intimidated.
There was no answer, but she knew Dorothy was inside. She knocked on the door again, calling her name.
"Dorothy, it's Danielle, the nurse. I'm not going away.”
Still, nothing. For a moment, she started to worry. This was, after all, an island full of older people. What if she had passed away inside? It wasn't like she had a lot of friends on the island who were coming by to check on her regularly.
Just as she was about to text Bennett to ask him what to do, she heard someone moving around inside. The door lock clicked, and Dorothy opened it, standing there with the most unwelcome of looks on her face. She was wearing a long flowy nightgown with a gold and pink pattern and big bell sleeves.
"Oh, good. I was beginning to worry."
Dorothy stared at her for a moment. "You thought I was dead, didn't you?"
"Can I come in?"
She sighed loudly. "Suit yourself."
She stepped back, and Danielle walked into the living room. The place was decorated like something out of an old Hollywood movie, everything shiny and gold. Lots of mirrors. Vintage red sofas. She wondered how Dorothy got all of this to the island in the first place.
"Wow, you have a beautiful place here."
Dorothy walked around her and over to the sofa, sitting down. She pulled a cigarette out of the nearby package and lit it up. Danielle was definitely against smoking, but she couldn't help but notice how cool Dorothy looked doing it. Like an old Hollywood starlet from back in the day before cigarettes were known to be unhealthy.
"Thank you. I had to hire a special transport boat to bring my things here when I moved."
"Well, it's lovely," Danielle said, sitting down in a chair.
