Andy put his cooler on the kitchen table so it would be ready for the morning. He made sure his ice packs were in the freezer. He placed a bag of chips and a few granola bars next to the cooler so all he had to do in the morning was throw everything inside. Three o’clock in the morning came early even when he didn’t stay up too late, so he hoped the monotonous task of getting things ready for the next day would take his mind off Samira.
He hadn’t expected to react the way he did to seeing her after so many years. The last time he had seen her was at her parents’ funeral nearly twelve years ago, and only from a distance. The last time he had spoken to her was before she moved to Washington, DC.
Stepping into the bathroom, he quickly stripped off his clothes, so he could take a shower. His thoughts continued to drift back to Samira as he worked the smooth, earthy-scented body wash into a lather and attempted to wash away all thoughts of his day.
He was still feeling restless after he had dried off and wrapped the gray towel around his waist. The only thing that might fix his sour mood would be to take a walk and get some fresh air. He threw on a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt, then headed out his back sliding glass door and down to the beach.
He barely made it a few steps when he saw Samira sitting on a large rock with her eyes closed. A jolt of excitement coursedthrough him at seeing her, even though he had taken the walk to forget about her.
“Twice in one day? Must be a sign,” he drawled after he watched her for a few moments.
“What are you doing here?” Samira asked, with obvious irritation.
“I needed to take a walk. Clear my head,” he answered without his eyes moving from hers.
“And you chose here, of all places …”
“Well, I live right there,” he said with a nod toward the small house to his left.
Samira turned and looked in the direction he indicated at his small blue cottage with windows along the entire back looking over the bay and the furnished deck. It was a small home, but it had a spectacular view. He kept his rows of crab pots along the side of the house.
“Nice. I would have chosen someplace else had I known you lived here,” Samira said.
“How long are you in town for?” Andy asked, ignoring her tone.
“I told my boss I’d be back in DC tomorrow afternoon. I’ve already been here for a week, and it’s a busy time for the hotel,” Samira answered.
Andy was quiet for a moment. He examined Samira from her toes up to her honey brown eyes before averting them to look out over the water.
“You aren’t staying for the race?”
The Skipjack Race happened once a year on Labor Day, out on the Tangier Sound. It was the highlight of the year and a major tradition. The island was one of few places to find the large commercial sailing vessels, and their number was dwindling.
“My aunt wants me to, but I have to work,” Samira answered simply.
“Work wouldn’t understand?” he asked.
“Maybe. But I’m not sure I want to stay. I left for a reason,” she pointed out.
“And that reason was me. I get it. But that was a long time ago. I was hoping maybe we could clear the air. Catch up. I have room on my boat,” he offered.
He watched her eyes widen in surprise. She licked her lips, a nervous habit as he recalled, then looked out over the water. For a moment, he didn’t think she would say anything else.
“I forgot how beautiful it is here,” she said quietly, her gaze fixed on the red-tinted sky.
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight,” Andy said without looking away from her profile.
Samira turned her attention back to Andy, and her lips curved into a smile. It was a small smile, but he found it encouraging.
“So, what do you say? I know your aunt would be happy if you stayed a little longer.”
“I can’t stay,” Samira said before pausing for a moment. “But I’ll think about coming back for the Skipjack Race. I’ll have to talk to my boss. You’re right about Aunt Mary. And she shouldn’t spend Labor Day alone.”
Andy released the breath he was holding. He needed to make things right with Samira. He knew that the moment he saw her standing in her aunt’s kitchen.
“It’ll just be my mom and my first mate, Eddy, out on the boat with me. You really should come out with your aunt,” Andy invited again.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’ll be alright, but I don’t know how Aunt Mary would feel, considering everything,” Samira hesitated.
