Rivers end boxset volume.., p.126
River's End Boxset Volume 3, page 126
She was breathless and full of anticipation. An encompassing warmth and sense of pleasure and excitement overcame Lillian. From absolutely nothing. The seaside sunset was simply being shared with a man. A man whose hand seemed to scorch hers with its intense heat. It was so ridiculous.
But not imagined.
Same heat. Same energy. Same state of confusion. That was exactly how it happened when they were twenty-three.
Luckily, the hormonal, impulsive, lustful girl she was that night was seven years older now and wiser. She wouldn’t act it out again, but she couldn’t deny wanting to.
To mask her emotional urges, she remarked idly, “I never pictured surfers in Washington State.”
“Southern California, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico are the first places you expect to see surfers, huh? But they’re here too. They are all wearing extra-thick wet suits; since it’s the Northern Pacific and icy cold. They surf almost all year round. I never got into it. I prefer being on the water, controlling where I go on it, not being tumbled around like a washing machine, never knowing which way is up. I have a few friends whose kids surf. They love it. Most get a bit fanatical about it.”
A shiver traveled up her spine. He glanced at her, feeling it also. “Cold?”
“Getting chilly now that the sun is gone. At home, it’s at least ten degrees warmer. We get the extremes, both cold and hot. So, I’m used to cold temperatures. But this is like a slow chill, fading into somewhere in between.”
He chuckled. “Yes, the ocean air can’t compete with dry heat, and can be very harsh at times. Even temperate climates dip down pretty low and go up in a swoop. Our average temperature is mid-seventies in the summer and mid-thirties in the winter.”
“Does it rain as much as I’ve heard?”
He released her and rose to his feet, turning to offer his hand to pull her up. They were facing each other and staring too long when they spoke. Closer too. So much closer now. “Not sure what you heard, but yes, it rains a lot. More than half the year. The rest of the time, it’s foggy and gray. Seeing the sun is glorious and its effect is greatly appreciated by all the residents. You can see how the abundance of rain makes everything sparkly clean. But the flip side is we have a lot of darker days and lingering clouds.”
She shuddered. “I hate clouds. And rain.”
He laughed. “I hate extreme heat and extreme cold.”
“Dear God, how can people enjoy this weather?”
“Oh, sixty-five degrees and partly cloudy is my sweet spot.”
She cringed as she rolled her eyes. “That’s exactly what your granddad said. It must be hereditary. No way for me. Sunny skies and eighty degrees at least is my idea of a sweet spot. If I’m not working or trying to be productive, I can even enjoy a ninety-plus degree day where I can really enjoy a relaxing time in the river.”
“Shoot me. My idea of hell on earth is to be boiled to death.”
“Wow, we are polar opposites.”
He reached up and lifted a stray strand of her thick hair before tucking it ever so gently, behind her ear.
She imagined how gentle his hands would be when tucking her son into bed. If Benny skinned his knee, she could see him lifting him up and gently treating the mild injury that would have put Benny in tears. There seemed to be a calm serenity about Matt, along with an admirable streak of tenderness and care. She knew she recognized it and was drawn to it that night in the bar.
Seven long years ago.
And now? The spark still flickered between them. He smiled at her comment. “Polar opposites can usually carry on the most interesting conversations.” He paused, letting his hand dip down and take hers. “Like the kind of conversations I have with you.”
She snorted. “That was the best line I’ve heard in a while.”
His head shook. “The last woman I used a line on was you. It was cringeworthy then and it would be now if I were doing it to seduce you.”
“How do you get your women then?”
He bit his lip. “Good question. I don’t know. I dated a few women from the area that I knew from my youth. So, not really a pickup, just reconnecting. Sometimes I have dates with people I meet in my ordinary life. People with similar tastes and common interests. But using tired pickup lines in singles’ bars? God, I gave that up after a small, dark-haired girl slipped away and broke my heart.”
Damn! if her heart didn’t thump. “You barely knew me. Only for a few hours.”
“True. But we did more than I usually do in a year. We had sex and we got drunk and laughed together like old friends, which was awesome. But our conversation? That was also pretty stimulating.”
“I didn’t actually break your heart.”
He stared deeply into her face, his gaze scouring her features. “Okay, maybe not. But perhaps I caught a glimpse of you easily capturing my heart. I never felt a connection like that before or since. What about you? Be honest.”
“Honestly, I can’t. It’s all happening again too soon. Like it was then and now. I am not like that. Instant attraction is like a flash in the pan. It’s over and done.”
“I agree. But I am feeling something new and different with you. It’s an undeniable energy.”
She chewed on her lower lip. How honest could she be? He vocalized the exact thoughts she was thinking. “Okay. I thought it could have potentially been a good connection at the time. And it seems to have picked up where it left off.”
He grinned. “I’ll take that. Yes. The potential is there. I don’t and haven’t found that very often, if ever, with other people.”
“Okay. I can admit to that. I don’t like all people and can’t suffer many for long periods of time. But you seem so easy to get to know. It’s like a gift with you.”
“It might be. But I find it easiest when I’m with you.”
She didn’t release his hand but turned and tugged him toward her as she hopped onto the beach below. He followed and they strolled, their hands linked. No words were necessary. “Careful, there you go again. That was a borderline line.”
“Nope. Never. I will not admit it. That was the truth. Not my fault if guys use it to deceive others or play around with them.”
He slowly walked up the sand dune to a slim trail in the thick grasses that dropped down to a paved walking path. It was a heavenly respite on Lillian’s calves and feet after the soft, sinking sand. The path also had intermittent lighting. “The state park maintains this area.” He told her more about it as they sauntered back towards the marina and his truck. When the trail went below the jetty where the water wasn’t visible, the crashing sounds and thrashing vibrations still shot right through Lillian.
Finally, they released their hands and climbed into the cab of his truck. “Where are you staying?”
She rattled off the name of the small, cheap motel she booked for the night.
“I’m going to say something that you can totally decline without offending me. I just thought I would throw it out. As you know, I live with my granddad, so I hope that would buffer this if it seems creepy or weird. But you’re welcome to stay with us for the week. We have a spare room and bathroom that locks, and Granddad is there too so I swear it’s not a come-on, or a line and it’s definitely not intended to sound creepy or weird. It’s a safe place to stay and maybe I could show you around Westport some more.”
Wow. She never expected that. Not so soon. So incredibly soon. But strangely enough, it wasn’t creepy or strange even though she would never agree to it under ordinary circumstances. Plus, Granddad was there. She could literally see Matt in his own home and environment. She could also snoop through his house. Maybe find all the answers as to whether or not she should share her most cherished person with this stranger?
Leaping on her chance for a unique opportunity, she said, “It is strange. And normally, I would give it a hard pass and a loud no. But it’s not creepy and your granddad is delightful. I would be grateful to have both of your company in this strange place. Okay.”
He nodded without yelling a whoop of joy, as if he just duped her. And now she was about to experience living with him.
CHAPTER 7
SOON AFTER ARRIVING BACK at Matt’s home, they found Granddad already in bed. Matt led her to the prepared small guest room. It was clean, neat and functional. They said goodnight before she tucked herself into bed. Lillian was not sleeping though. Staring at the ceiling, she relived every moment of their meeting today, from his utter surprise at seeing her to when he slipped his hand behind her ear to tuck in a strand of her hair. That moment created chills that raised the hairs on her arms. For God’s sake. Even now, alone in bed, she experienced a physical reaction to him.
He was so handsome. So kind. So interesting and different from her, yet so similar.
She analyzed and tried to neutrally evaluate every story and every reaction she remembered with a more critical eye, seeking any flaws. What vices did he have? What were his innermost thoughts? She was scanning for a detrimental imperfection and the potential for him to be a bastard or someone who might betray her never left her brain. She needed some sign before she could tell him.
As of now, that sign had not arrived.
Morning came and she slipped into the small bathroom Matt said she could use during her stay. She showered and got dressed before coming out to the most domestic and innocuous scene she could imagine: Matt was serving his granddad eggs and toast. It instantly warmed her heart as it appeared to be their normal routine. It wasn’t being done for her benefit or to make Matt seem sweet or impressive. Which was exactly why it was so sweet and impressive.
“Good morning, Dr. Lillian,” Granddad said as soon as he noticed her.
She flushed and glanced at Matt, who gave her a warm smile. “It’s okay, I told Granddad you’re staying for the week with us so I can show you around the place.”
“Yes. And good morning to both of you but please just call me Lillian. You certainly don’t have to call me doctor.”
“But it’s something you worked so hard to earn. I don’t socialize very often with doctors.”
She loved this man and she smiled at him with a genuine, wide, toothy grin. “Well, then I shall gratefully accept it as a compliment from you.”
“What do you like to eat for breakfast?”
“Anything. Guest. Good manners prohibit me from answering that.”
He raised his eyebrows in challenge. “Host. Good manners demand that I provide you with whatever you prefer to eat. That’s why I asked.”
“I’m not picky with any kinds of food except animal products, which automatically makes me seem picky and hard to cook for. I start to worry you’ll rescind the invite now that I reminded you of that.”
He laughed outright and very loud. “I thought of it as soon as I asked you what you wanted for breakfast. Maybe some toast with avocado or peanut butter? I can also offer you oatmeal or some other brands of cereal, but we only have cow’s milk, so…?”
Hearing Matt actually thought about it and tried to think of her possible preferences warmed her heart and flushed her cheeks. “A piece of toast with peanut butter actually sounds perfect.”
“How about a cup of coffee?”
“That would be lovely.”
Granddad nodded to the chair beside him. “Please sit down and tell me what you thought of seeing the ocean for your very first time.”
Lillian sat down and Matt served her coffee and toast. Giving him a warm thank you, she turned to Granddad and embarked on a light, fun, heart-warming conversation. One thing that stood out to her and what she most appreciated from Matt was that he let them carry on their discussion and only interjected a few times. He let Granddad tell his long stories and patiently waited for them to end, as did she. Lillian observed his infinite care, respect and patience in Matt’s interactions with his elder. The same way she treated her grandparents.
She saw something genuine and real about Matt. She doubted she was wrong.
Finally, only after their lengthy conversation ended, did Granddad rise to leave. He explained he had to begin his morning walk around the block, a ritual he insisted on performing alone.
“Gotta keep moving. It’s like oil to these old joints.”
“Always alone?”
“Heck, yeah, Dr. Lillian. I’m nearly as old as the ocean, and not yet in any need of babysitting. I can still walk just fine and until I get lost or confused, God release me from such a condition or day, I’ll enjoy my morning walks as I always have.”
Matt nodded his agreement. “Yes, he’s sharper than I am most days.”
“True, that, my son. True, that.”
Lillian could not restrain a laugh at his hip answer, especially when he winked at Matt. She remained seated, having finished her morning meal. Matt cleared the table, washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen before he sat down too. They shared what was left in the coffee pot and Lillian noticed and appreciated their candor when they spoke to her.
Only after Granddad closed the front door did Matt turn to her with a warm smile and say, “Thank you for letting him tell his stories. They are long-winded at times, especially when you’ve heard them for decades, but they mean the whole world to him.”
“I wasn’t letting him tell them. I enjoyed hearing all about them. And I asked him to continue. I found his early days at sea utterly fascinating. I would love to hear more about it. Don’t forget, sea stuff is crazy new to me.”
His pleased expression at her answer should not have made her warm and fuzzy inside but it did. What? She was flushing with undisguised pleasure because she pleased him? Yikes. What the hell!?
“So, I asked our relief captain to take my clients out today. Maybe we could go back to the beach and enjoy a picnic. Walk around the marina and later… perhaps I could show you my boat. That is, if you’re interested.”
Her heart lurched with joy. He totally arranged his day around her. For her. After she popped up without any planning or warning. He could have been justifiably annoyed and unaccommodating. Instead, he catered to her vegetarian diet and canceled his workday. “I never meant to impose on you like this. When I showed up, I was thinking we could meet for coffee sometime this week, working around your schedule. I would never have expected to barge into your house, insist on eating a specific diet and keep you from your work. I’m the worst guest ever and I’m not even a guest.”
He leaned forward to reply, “I can’t tell you how welcome you are, or I would never bother to be so polite, so remember that. I want to do this. I want to spend the whole day with you more than anything else I can think of. I’m more thrilled than I’ve been in years just looking forward to this day.”
Her heart swelled with pride. He said all the right things, but without any smarminess. She could tell he wasn’t feeding her what she wanted to hear. “In that case, I’d love to spend the day doing what you just described.”
He smiled with relief. She smiled back and damn! Her heart actually started to hurt now.
Matt stared at the small woman beside him. The sun reflected its rays on her dark hair, shimmering in the strands. She was so lovely. Everything about her. Her smile was very sweet and yet, also confident. Commanding, and always in control, during these soft, intimate moments, Lillian seemed astounded and so grateful for the simplest kind words or deeds towards her. She seemed surprised that Matt was a decent human being. It was so easy to please her in such small ways and he loved watching her soak it up. His only goal was to keep bringing that incredibly wonderful look on her face and sparkle in her eyes.
Having her there, in his town, staying with him didn’t compute. Lying awake for most of the night, Matt was trying to figure out how she ended up there. Sleeping over, in his town, in his house.
The more time he spent with her, the more he saw her inner self and it matched her truly lovely, exquisite exterior. Of course, that was what drew him to her first, even during their second meeting at her family’s ranch. And now? All the energy and heart he remembered about her came through. Tough and strong. Intelligent and so well-read on many topics. She could debate with anyone and never back down in her opinions. She had a gift when it came to arguing her viewpoint, based on lots of facts. She could have been a successful lawyer if she weren’t so smitten with animals.
She also knew how to listen. She could swiftly alternate from fierce advocate to sweet caregiver in a moment. The contrast fascinated and enthralled Matt. She had his undivided attention.
And his exclusive attraction.
He liked how she was kind, attentive, considerate and caring with Granddad. That might have been the most revealing part of her character than anything else. Her degrees and her fancy job and obviously wealthy family notwithstanding, her kind demeanor was all about her. The way she smiled and actively listened to his granddad’s tales of the sea. Sometimes, he launched into lengthy stories that never seemed to end, but she calmly took it all in with humor and appreciation.
Matt was intrigued, interested and impressed. The heady combination was unique for him; no other woman he ever met in his nearly thirty years managed to do that for him.
They spent the day exploring the beach. The agreed-upon picnic consisted of vegan choices. Lillian was pleasantly surprised when he kept respecting her chosen diet without further commenting on it. Choosing a private section of beach where only a few walkers or joggers passed below them, they sat in the dry, warm sands near the sand dunes that were covered in long, thick grass. They later took their shoes off and let the sand tickle their toes as they ambled down to the edge of the surf. The small waves lapped and licked their feet. She cringed and laughed at how cold the water was on her bare skin.
They also brought and flew a kite that Matt stored in his garage. The coastal wind kept the daytime temperatures pleasant in the summer sun despite the extra heat. Lillian claimed that this was not hot at all compared to the heat she endured most summers.
They wandered through the entire marina, browsing the vessels from the pleasure crafts at one end to the commercial fishery and crabbing boats at the opposite end. The commercial area was closed off to the public. It was grimier, without any eye towards offering an appealing ambiance. It was all functional. The stench of crab, fish and all things harvested from the salt water was far stronger. She wrinkled her nose and tried to keep from gagging. Matt barely seemed to notice it although he knew it could be overwhelming to some people.
