Nothing if not persistent. I like persistence, and cheek. Every morning for 8 days he'd be down on the beach as I headed up to the resort for breakfast. Always with something flattering to say. Always with the invitation to go for a boat ride. Now I'm no blushing teenager and I was quite well aware of the subtext and I would flirt right back and keep on trucking, but it certainly made me wonder...
And one morning I decided that it was time to go for a boat ride. I went to the same spot I usually sat, brandy in hand a nice fatty to greet the morning, except I didn't meander up for breakfast, I was waiting for a particular boat to show up. And then I wasn't and then I was ... and when it did my breath got short and I decided nope - not going. It was like I was 13 all over again. Stupid for an old woman I'd expect.
But as with so many other things, it works itself out. I pretended to read a book until he came over to chat. I declined his offer of a ride - he kept talking and seeing that wasn't getting him anywhere he pouted a bit and went back to talking and laughing with the rest of the crew. I would have paid serious coin to understand what they were saying right then, considering the looks I caught coming my way. So I decided I was chicken and started to get ready to head for breakfast when he couched his next invitation in a smartass comment. So I asked him why I should go in his boat. Fresh lobster for lunch out on Booby Key, and since he had given me a handsome excuse I said ok, let's go.
If you've ever been out on the ocean in 5 foot wide 18 foot long wooden fishing boat you know how the swell moves you, and once you integrate that with the woody vibrations of a fair sized outboard motor, the tropical sun beating down and the occasional burst of salt spray as you crest some cross chop you have a good idea of what was going on in my - cough cough - head.
It was freeing that ride. It was where I belonged right there, right then. Every time I turned around Bobby's eyes met mine. A wordless understanding and I almost got lost there. I didn't have to speak, just lean back and let the wind clear my soul and ride the mother sea, knowing that if I lost my balance the captain would be there to catch me, and he was.
We got to the island for the lobster picnic, passed the lobster to the crew who spend the day grilling them over an open fire for everyone who comes out to the island, lots of people snorkeling, out for a catamaran or seadoo ride, and we headed inland. He'd seen me with my ever present camera and he wanted me to see the point break. The trail was a little rugged and I liked that he assumed that I would be just fine traversing it yet he never let my hand go and always made sure I saw the deadfall. The trail was like a green tunnel with quick peeks of azure through the branches, and then we were there.
He talked me into climbing down a bank I wasn't sure I could get back up the moment I felt the strength in has arms and he lifted me over a ledge. We wandered down onto the sandy shoal where the ocean created little pools behind the breakwater, his hand always at my elbow or at the small of my back, just hovering. Twice he caught me as I lost footing on the rocks in the pools. The second time he just smiled, I'll take care of you sweetie, no problem. So cliche now - not so cliche just then. We played around in the pools like children on holiday, and I was happy to have found someone who could tap into their 8 year old child as easily as I could.
Climbing out of the pools we plopped ourselves down in the sand and just leaned into each other and watched the ocean. Our own little corner of the world, seabirds overhead, sun in my face and his heart beating against my shoulder and his arms wrapped around me, I could have stayed there forever.
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