Merry with a Captain (Love Beach, Holiday Collection)

Chapter 9

9

T he next morning, Fletch had to make a phone call to the physiotherapy clinic. He’d forgotten he had an appointment so he changed it to the next available time. He was looking forward to spending the day with Robyn, and no way would he cancel on her.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and he left the motel to pick her up. The sea was glorious. Damn, how he missed spending time on the water. Every time he looked across the waves, it made him more determined to get himself cleared so he could go back aboard Intrepid.

It seemed like forever since he’d walked her decks. Both he and Beck needed to meet and organize the next year's cruising plan. They hadn't discussed how they were going to handle the captain issue. Micki had been doing a great job, and he knew their relationship was growing more serious all the time. Fletch wanted his ship back, but he also didn't want to usurp Micki.

There were a number of weeks already blocked off for guests and others for leasing Intrepid. Although he wasn't exactly sure of the location of all of them, he knew a couple were in the Caribbean and one was in the Mediterranean. He pondered the idea of letting Micki captain during the leasing agreements. They were usually contracted for two to three weeks, so that wasn't a lot of time for him to be off ship.

He opened the window and lifted his face to the breeze blowing in. Yep, there was no doubt about it. He missed the roll of the waves under the hull of his baby. But there was nothing he could do about it right now, and it would all work out as it should in the end, so he chose to put it out of his mind. He had a great day planned, and nothing was going to interfere with that.

He pulled up to the valet at Robyn's hotel. She was sitting on a bench outside. The sun was shining off her hair, and he decided then and there he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. And perhaps get her out on Intrepid as well.

She hadn't seen him yet, so it gave him an opportunity to pull up and park. He jumped out and walked over to her.

"Hey," he said, and she startled.

"Oh! Sorry. I didn't see you." She stood and picked up a large, colorful striped canvas bag.

"Here let me take that." He reached for it and was surprised how heavy it was. "You planning on leaving home?"

She laughed. “Funny. I just packed up some snacks and bottles of water. I even got a couple of sandwiches from the coffee shop in case we got hungry later. No point in spending more money than we need to.”

“There was no need to worry about that. I'll take care of things." Fletch walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

She climbed up, and he put her bag at her feet. When he got in she said, “You don't have to take care of everything. I'm good to pitch in.”

He glanced at her and smiled. “I’m kind of old-fashioned, I asked you so…” He raised his shoulder and grinned.

She did up her seatbelt and pointed out the windshield. "To the restaurant young man, this girl is hungry." Robyn crossed her jean clad legs and settled on the seat.

“Righto, off we go. It's not far, just around the corner.”

She laughed. "That's what my parents used to say when we went on a road trip and they were always wrong."

It had been a perfect day, and Robyn didn’t want it to end. The breakfast had been great, and the drive along the coast even better. They even found a secluded beach where they stopped for the sandwiches she had brought along.

The sun had warmed the beach, and it almost felt like summer. After their lunch, they laid back on the blanket and watched the clouds. They even had a nap, at least she did. When she’d woken, Fletch was awake and watching the sky. Their level of comfort was growing, and there was no need to fill any voids by keeping busy, or talking. Simply being together was enough.

The day had flown by, and the sunset was going to be spectacular. Clouds on the eastern horizon began to look like molten gold, the reflection of the sun setting in the west painting the sky in a breathtaking display of gold, pink, purple, and a rainbow of orange against the inky blue of the sea. Which was calm, almost like a mill pond.

“Those clouds on the horizon mean we could be in for a change of weather. The same with the wispy ones above us." Fletch put his arm around her as the temperature dropped. They weren’t the only ones on the Love Beach pier, it was like the whole town came out to watch the sun go down.

She looked up, and gasped. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful. I cannot get over how hot pink those clouds are. And all the other colors that seem to shift and change constantly."

She rested her head against him and snuggled in closer to his side.

"Cold?" he asked.

“A little. You’re warm as a furnace, and I don't know how you aren't cold in just a shirt." She shivered, and he tightened his arm around her.

“I tend to run hot. Even in winter, it doesn't bother me too much."

"Then you'll be fine if you decide to come with me over Christmas,” she said, but didn't wait for him to reply and continued. "I still have to bundle up in the winter. And I should've thought better and brought warmer clothes today. It was so lovely this morning, it fooled me into thinking it was summer-like weather.

"It was really warm at that beach we found. Like the greenhouse effect, the trees around the beach kept the heat in and the sun beat right down on top of us. We couldn't have asked for a better day.” With her head resting against his chest, his deep voice rumbled next to her ear.

She nodded. "No, we couldn't have asked for a better day. And I'm really glad you suggested it. Just look at that sky now."

“If you like this, then you’d love to see the sunset on the ocean."

"You mean from a boat?" she asked.

“Mmhm, and sometimes you can even catch the green flash,” he told her.

“I’ve heard of the green flash, but I've never seen it. Maybe one day I will. They say it's good luck if you see it.”

“Then we have to make sure you get the chance to see the green flash. It won't be long now until the colors die down. Then we can go in and get you warmed up.” He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, creating a lovely friction which chased away the cold.

Tonight, she wasn't sure about asking him to stay. They hadn't talked about next steps, and even though she craved him, she thought it best to just let it ride. She was sure it was on his mind as much as it was on hers, and letting it happen naturally, organically was the best thing. From her experience when you tried to force anything, rather than drawing you closer, it pushed you apart.

She shivered. "I'd like to start heading back if you don't mind. I'm chilled right to the bone, and as you said, the sky has darkened quite a bit and very quickly."

He stood, and she did as well and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning into him to capture as much heat as possible. He hugged her tight, and they walked off the pier.

"The wind is picking up, and see the waves as well,” he observed. "Let's get you inside."

In the truck, he turned on the seat warmer and blasted the heat, turning vents so they blew on her. "Okay?” he asked.

"Much better, thank you. Look at me, my teeth are chattering. I'm such a baby." Robyn took the jacket he pulled from the backseat and placed it over top of her. “But it was definitely worth it. I don't think I'd ever seen a sunset so beautiful.”

"It was a good one. Do you stargaze?" he asked and put his hands in front of the vent. “It's getting hot now.”

“Yes, I love stargazing and watching for falling stars. I'm a real oh-look-at-the-moon kind of girl." She smiled at him. "One trip I'd like to take, which seems like a bit of an oxymoron considering I get cold easy, is to an ice hotel in Norway and watch the aurora borealis.”

He let out a laugh. "That sure is unexpected. But I can see the draw. I hear those hotels are amazing, plus you're given all kinds of blankets and stuff to keep you warm. Actually, it's not such a bad idea."

"One day," she told him. "There's so much to see and do in the world, and I would love to see and do it all. Too bad we have to work for a living.”

"Then you just need to find a job that allows you to see and do all of the things."

She turned to him. "I think that might be a little easier said than done. But yes, it would be wonderful to find something like that."

He was thoughtful for a moment. "Penny for your thoughts." Robyn reached out from under the warmth of the coat and gave him a gentle nudge on the arm.

"Just thinking it would be great to figure out how to make something like that happen. Now then, are you hungry, are you tired and wanna go back to your room, is there anything else you'd like to do?"

She met his gaze, and searched to see if he held any indication that he had something in mind. By the dashboard light it was difficult to see expression in his eyes.

"I'm a bit peckish. I think I could have a snack and maybe a hot toddy, or a special hot chocolate.”

"Let's go see what we can find." Fletch backed out of the parking space and made his way through the traffic towards the market and her hotel.

"I've just pulled up the Love Beach Christmas Market app and there's a place called Hot-liday Drinks, weird name, but it might be just what we're looking for. I don't remember seeing it last night, but it looks like it's on a laneway beside the market." She studied the map then put the phone down.

They were approaching the market and she watched for the cafe.

“Keep an eye out for an open parking spot.”

"I see it," she said.

“Right, now to find a parking spot. I'd like to get as close as possible so you don't have to walk too far in the cold."

She glanced at him, he was busy searching for a place to pull in, and she was moved over his concern for her, whether she was cold or hungry. In that moment, she realized what a wonderful man he is and how lucky any woman would be to have him as her partner.

I want him.

She wasn't surprised when that thought flashed through her mind. Because she knew she’d fallen for him that first night over a month ago. She could only hope that he felt the same way.