“No. I’ll drive. I know where we’re going, and you don’t.”
A faint smile crosses his face.
I head for the driver’s seat. As soon as he can’t see my expression, Iallow the giddy smile to spread across my face.
It sort of feels like Sawyer Bennett just agreed to go on a date with me.
“Just let me do it,” Sawyer insists.
“No. I want to learn how.”
“There’s nothing to learn, Wren. You’re just going to get a blister.”
I keep a stubborn hold on the oars, and Sawyer sighs before leaning back and throwing his hands up in awhatevergesture.
“Okay. Fine. We’ll get there by sunset, probably. Perfect timing to turn back around.”
If I wasn’t concerned about losing a paddle, I’d drop one and flip him off.
We’re in a small rowboat, about ten feet from the dock. There are only two seats, and Sawyer tried to take the center one. But I wasn’t downplaying my nautical abilities. Once we get on board the sailboat, I won’t know what to do with any of the ropes or with … anything. Won’t be able to contribute.
I doubt the guy would have agreed to let me take the rental out actually if Sawyer hadn’t been with me to impress the marina crew. We’re about an hour from Atlantic Yacht Club because an outing at work didn’t sound all that special. But we could be at that marina because this one looks exactly the same. Especially from this vantage point in the water.
Rowing sounded noncomplicated. It’s not complicated, but it’s not easy either. I lean back, pulling the oar handles to my chest.
“Let me know if I’m about to hit anything,” I tell him since I’m sitting backward.
“They’ll have pulled the other boats out for the winter before we reach them.”
I glare at him. “I play tennis, and I ride horses, okay? I can be athletic.”
“How is Apollo?” he asks casually.
“She’s, uh … she’s good,” I respond, momentarily startled by the question. I don’t think I’ve mentioned my mare’s name around him this summer. Meaning he remembered it from one of my letters this past fall.
It’s disconcerting, flipping from acknowledging all we know about each other and all we’re pretending not to. Especially since learning last night that there are major things I don’t know about him. I told him I trust him, and I meant it. But I’m not sure he trusts me, and that bothers me—a lot.
“She’s here,” I add. “I had her trailered from Connecticut so I could ride her more this summer.”
“So, your horse has a summer place too?”
“Yep.”
I fight a wince as the wooden handle rubs the heel of my hand. Sawyer might have been right about the blisters.
“Willowbrook?”
“Yeah,” I say, surprised he knows the name of the stable.
Sawyer nods once. “Skylar took lessons there for a bit.”
“Oh.”
I wasn’t sure we’d discuss his sister today. Now that he’s brought her up, I don’t know if I should ask more questions or not.
Before I can decide, Sawyer continues, “She loved clothes and fashion too. She used to paint her nails a different color every day of the week. Made the whole house stink constantly.”
“Sounds like a kindred spirit. Rory hid all my nail polish once; shewas so sick of the smell.”
