Anne Eames - Two Weddings And A Bride

Her back still to him, she spoke. “Why don’t you use the bathroom first. I’ll wait until you’re settled in the other room.”

Jake stared at her rounded shoulders a moment, not ready to call it a night, but not knowing what else to say or do. Slapping his hands on his thighs, he sighed and said, “Okay, fine,” and headed for his duffel in the next room.

A few seconds later, armed with toothbrush and paste, he returned and went about his nightly ritual in record time. He paused at the connecting door when he’d finished. She still hadn’t moved.

“Well…good night then,” he said and shut the door behind him.

The steady lapping of waves tugged Jake from a deep sleep. He lay with his eyes closed and remembered other mornings when similar sounds began his day, when the motion beneath him hinted at what kind of a sail he could expect when he came around. It’d been nearly five years since he’d lost Cat’s Meow to his ex-wife, Sally.

He still missed his boat.

He stretched lazily, then wandered to the window and tugged the drapes open. He expected a serene strip of sand but was surprised at the number of early risers already staking out choice spots. He stood there a moment planning his day—shave, shower, breakfast, then down to the beach. Tough duty. His cutoffs were on the floor next to the bed where he’d left them last night. He pulled them on, found his shaving kit and went to the door. All was quiet on the other side, but remembering yesterday he knocked loudly and called out her name. “Catherine.” Silence. Louder, he said, “Ready or not, here I come.” When nothing came back, he inched the door open a crack and poked his head inside. The bed was empty.

He pushed the door open all the way and saw the deserted room. The bathroom door was ajar and all the lights were out. He stood in the middle of the room, smelling her perfume, and realized he was disappointed she’d gone somewhere without him.

“Now look, Alley,” he lectured himself aloud, heading for the john, “a deal’s a deal.” They’d agreed to come and go as they pleased. Why did he care where she was anyway. He’d just go about his day as planned. If he ran into her, fine. If

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