The Quietest Shop on Main (Shops on Main #3)

Chapter 13

13

T oday was the day.

Skyla put a hand to her churning stomach. She wasn’t even on the boat yet, and she was already seasick.

Maybe seasick wasn’t the right word.

Date sick?

No…that couldn’t be it. Any time she had with Dalton was amazing, but something about this date had her all tied up in knots.

The doorbell rang, and Skyla groaned, leaning her weight onto the bathroom counter.

“Sky?” Grandpa coughed. “Where are you?”

“Coming,” she called, her voice slightly hoarse. Closing her eyes, she blew out a breath. She could do this. Dalton would make sure it was safe. She was bringing a thermos of hot tea. Her coat would keep her warm. It wasn’t scary at all.

“Sky?”

Skyla gave herself a shake and came out of the bathroom. She’d pulled her hair back tonight. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get a headache. And she was wearing clothes she normally didn’t wear in public.

Thermal underwear, paired with two heavy sweatshirts and her warmest pants. She currently wore three sets of socks and had boots to keep out the water. Her coat and hat and gloves weren’t exactly meant for boating in the winter, but she would do her best to stay warm.

“Oh.” Skyla came to a screeching halt. “I…uh…” She patted her hair and grimaced. Analiese was supposed to come over and stay with Grandpa for the evening, but Skyla hadn’t expected Dalton to come with his sister. Skyla had been planning to meet him at the dock.

Dalton’s eyes went from her head to her toes and back, turning warm and welcoming as they landed on her face. “You look amazing.”

Skyla froze, her jaw growing slightly slack. “W-what?”

Grandpa snorted a laugh. “And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” Shaking his head, he walked out of the front entryway. “My turn next, pretty Skylark. Make sure the sharks are gone.”

Skyla felt the blood drain from her head. “Sharks?” she mouthed.

Dalton huffed and walked toward her. “We’re on a boat, Skyla. Even if there are sharks, they can’t do anything to us.” He grinned. “If we were surfing…that might be different.”

“I’m not surfing.” Skyla wasn’t even going to consider something like that. The idea of riding a wave on a piece of flimsy wood was more terrifying than sharks circling the boat she was on. Not happening. Ever.

Right now she wasn’t sure she would ever even read a book about surfing.

“No surfing,” Dalton assured her. He held out his hand. “Just you, me, and a couple of poles.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Whattya think?”

Skyla swallowed hard. “Okay.”

Dalton smiled at her reassuringly and took her hand, walking her to the front door. “Where are your boots?”

Skyla pointed to the front closet, and Dalton dutifully retrieved them, helping her get them on.

Next came her coat, two hats and gloves.

Frowning, Dalton studied her before turning back to the closet. “Aha!”

Skyla smiled when Dalton pulled out the scarf he’d wrapped around her last time, once again tucking it into her coat.

“Can’t forget to keep your chin warm,” he said.

“How many scarves do you have?” Skyla teased. “I think you’ve put at least three different ones around my neck at this point.”

“Well, if you’d use the one I gave you, I wouldn’t have to keep giving you new ones.”

Skyla gave him a look. “How many?”

Dalton made a face, pretending to concentrate and counted on his fingers before shrugging. “I don’t know. Analiese once took up crocheting, and she never got past doing scarves. When she gets stressed, she makes another one.”

Skyla’s heart dropped to her stomach. “She was really hurt, wasn’t she?”

Dalton nodded sagely. “She was. But she’s doing better, so we’re counting it as a win.”

Skyla reached out with her gloved hand, patting his chest. “I think we can thank you for some of that progress.”

Dalton shook his head. “I didn’t really do anything. You can’t heal a person, you know? You can only provide a safe space for them to heal themselves.”

Skyla disagreed, but she decided not to argue. She knew Dalton was a knight in shining armor, even if he didn’t see it himself.

“Okey-doke. Ready?” He looked her over again and chuckled. “You look a little shell-shocked.” He rubbed his hands up and down her upper arms. “You know I wouldn’t take you out there if I was worried it was unsafe, right?”

Skyla’s head bobbed. “I know,” she squeaked.

“Then what has you looking like you want to tuck tail and run?”

Skyla forced her fear back down her throat. “I just…it’s going to be dark and cold, and I can’t see what’s swimming in the water…” She cut off. Maybe it was stupid to say all that out loud..

This was Dalton. The man who rubbed her feet and fed her tacos. The man who cuddled her on the couch and watched a movie he probably hated, just so Skyla was comfortable. The man who spent time in a library and let her talk about books and dreams and took care of his sister when she was hurting.

The man who loved fishing and being on the water.

Going fishing with him was the least Skyla could do to show that she cared enough to learn about his needs and wants as well.

Before Dalton could take the time to reassure her again, Skyla stepped forward. “Actually…now that I think about it,” she stated, working to keep her voice steady. “Maybe it’ll be nice not to always be waiting for someone to come sneak up behind us and share embarrassing childhood memories.”

Dalton’s grin was slow and deliciously boyish. His hands wrapped around her waist, which seemed triple its size with all her gear on. “I don’t think I’ll complain about that,” he whispered, leaning down to rub his nose against hers. “But you don’t have to go,” he reassured her quietly. “I’m not going to force you into this.”

Skyla gathered every ounce of courage she had and pressed up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I want to,” she insisted. “Really. I want to.”

Dalton wasn’t quite sure that Skyla meant it when she said she wanted to come, but come, she had.

“Watch your step,” he said, helping her from the gangway onto the boat. He smiled as she stood still for a moment, rocking slightly with the movement of the ocean. “Steady?”

Skyla’s eyes were wide, but she nodded. “I think so.”

“Great. Hang on.” He unhooked the gangway and untied the boat before waving to Dewey, who was helping from the dock. “Thanks!”

His friend saluted him, grinning wildly, and began whistling as he walked back toward land. Dalton owed him a bonus, especially since he’d be waiting to help them dock when they got back.

“This way.” Dalton ushered Skyla up the ladder into the wheelhouse, and he shut the door behind them. “There,” he breathed. “Much better.”

Skyla gingerly sat down, her hands clasped in her lap. “Now what?”

Dalton grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Now we make our way out to the bright, blue ocean.”

Skyla gave him a small smile. “It’s not exactly bright right now.”

“Maybe not, but it’s still blue.” Dalton winked and went to work. It took a full ten minutes to slowly make his way out of the harbor and into a free space where he could push the engine up into a speed worth traveling.

He smiled as he drove. He loved it out here. The freedom, the peace, the quiet. Man versus nature. There was something so humbling about the ocean. It made a man feel small and powerful all at the same time, making Dalton grateful he’d never finished medical school.

Maybe his paycheck wasn’t the same as a surgeon, but his sense of joy and freedom were worth the smaller bank account.

“You love it.”

Dalton’s head snapped toward Skyla. “What was that?”

A look that could only be described as soft and adoring sat comfortably on Skyla’s face. “You love it,” she said a little louder. “What you’re doing. It’s clear on every line of your face how much you want to be out here.”

Dalton chuckled, slightly uncomfortable that he’d been that easy to read. Yeah…that’s exactly what he’d been thinking about, but he didn’t usually go around advertising his private thoughts. Especially those ridiculous mushy style ones.

“I guess I do,” he admitted. He shrugged. “What’s not to like?” He smiled at her. “You said it. I’ve got you all alone in the dark, without chance of interruption. I’m not sure it gets much better.”

Skyla laughed and twisted in her seat to stare out the dark window. “It’s just so…big out here. It’s dark, but the ocean just seems like it goes on forever. Sometimes it makes me feel small.”

“I think it makes everyone feel small,” Dalton agreed. “That’s part of its power. The ocean can take away or give. You never quite know what you’re going to get, but you can be sure it’s worth the experience.”

Skyla’s smile grew, and she settled back in her seat. “I didn’t realize being a ship captain also made you a philosophizer.”

Dalton pursed his lips and nodded. “Long hours outside civilization gives you lots of time to think. It’s a hazard of the job, I’m afraid.” He checked his readings and turned the wheel a little. “We’re not going out too crazy far, so give me about another five minutes and I’ll have us in a good spot.”

“What are we fishing for?” Skyla asked, standing up and moving next to him. She clasped her hands at her back and leaned over, studying the instruments. “And how in the world can you read all this? It makes no sense.”

“Here.” Dalton stepped aside and pulled her in front of him. He then pointed to a screen. “We want this spot here. So, turn slowly…”

Curse winter coats and cold nights.

On one hand, cold was a perfect excuse for getting a girl to cuddle. On the other, being dressed to be outdoors put way too many layers between Dalton and Skyla. He wanted to smell her hair and wrap his arms around her waist.

Instead, he had a mouthful of her beanie cap, and he couldn’t even find her waist beneath all the layers she was wearing.

He could only hope that wouldn’t lessen his chances for getting a kiss tonight. It had been his plan for a while now, and he was eager to finally take that step.

He’d been waiting for what seemed like forever. Holding hands was great. Holding her in his arms was better. Kissing her sounded like heaven.

Dalton snorted at himself. He was getting mushy again. It was a good thing those thoughts weren’t as readable as his enjoyment of the ocean, or Skyla would probably go running for the hills.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Dalton kissed her temple. “Nope. Sorry. Just a weird thought.”

“Want to share it?”

Dalton chuckled. “Probably shouldn’t. Besides…” He began messing with the engine. “We’re here.”

It only took a few minutes to get them anchored and settled so they could head down to the deck.

“Geez, it’s cold out here,” Skyla muttered, putting her gloved hands on her cheeks.

“Do you want one of my crew’s coats?” Dalton asked. “They’re huge, but they’ll hold out the water better.”

Skyla made a face. “No. It’s fine.”

Dalton paused. Something in that answer needed decoding. He went back to setting up the fishing rods they were going to use. She was cold. But she didn’t want…ah. Got it.

He finished with the rod, then began to unbuckle his coat.

“What are you doing?” Skyla cried. “Dalton. It’s freezing out.”

Ignoring her concern, Dalton finally had all the snaps and buttons taken care of and stripped out of the coat, swinging it around Skyla’s shoulders, then using it as an excuse to pull her in close.

“Dalton,” she whispered, her gaze wide and steady on his.

Well, this had worked out better than he thought. “You don’t want to wear a stranger’s coat, right?” he asked, his tone husky enough to betray where his thoughts were going.

“How did you…” Skyla smiled. “Sometimes I think you can read minds,” she said, her voice still soft. Her footing shifted with the boat, and she fell into his chest.

Yep. This was going to work out better than fine.

Still using the coat to hold her captive, Dalton lowered his head when she didn’t pull back right away. “The coat will warm you up,” he whispered, still getting lower. “But I’ve heard of something that’ll keep you warm all evening.”

“Oh?” she breathed, one of her hands clenched against his sweater. “I think I’d like to try it out.”

One side of his mouth lifted. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

There could have been a thousand rockfish right under the boat, and Dalton wouldn’t have had a clue. Once his mouth landed on hers and Skyla sighed, melting into him, he was completely lost.

He’d had it all planned out in his mind. The way he would help her with her reel, the way he would be right up against her back and tease her ear, then her neck, warming her up to the idea of a kiss.

In the end, none of it had been needed. He might still try it out. After all, more kissing wasn’t going to be a bad thing and he hated for his planning to go to waste, but taking advantage of the moment was definitely proving to be the better option.

He foresaw a lot of fishing in their future.