In a way, this place, this land, was her most firm connection to Mom.
“I’m sorry to pry,” Simon said. “You don’t need to answer if you don’t want to. Dolores said your mom left because your father forgot her. Did he forget you as well?”
“Never completely,” she responded. “But once he forgot Mom, it was … harder. He got a job that required a lot of traveling. He’d keep calling and sending messages, but without frequent personal contact, it wasn’t the same. It was more like having a distant father, following a divorce.” She rubbed the corner of her eye. “He passed away about ten years ago.”
Simon nodded, and they continued to stare at the distant chain of mountains.
“My parents died when I was in college,” Simon then said. “They went together, at least. I was starting up Aries. Everett—he was my dad’s friend, so he helped me with the company. Dad never saw it.”
Before she realized what she’d done, she sought his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Dad loved to travel. I always wanted to go with him when I was little. Pretend to be an adventurer.” Little creases appeared between his eyebrows as he stared at the horizon.
“I know.”
“What?”
“I mean …” she shook her head. “You said it. In Vegas. That you were an adventurer.Jason. Fresh from the volcanic fields of Iceland.”
He frowned more. “I didn’t tell you who I was?”
“You did, but only after we got married. Don’t worry.” She smiled. “I lied, too. I told you I was a fashion magazine editor.”
Simon squinted for a moment, then burst into laughter. “I didn’t tell you who I was.”
She had no idea why that was important, but oh, it was so lovely to see him laugh. To see Vegas Simon again. It gave her hope—even if she told herself for the umpteenth time she shouldn’t have any—that he was still in there. That there was a sliver of Simon just as magical as that night had been.
She turned her eyes upon the mountains of the new world opening up to them. She’d never bought into Simon’s cover story back then, but it was entertaining to listen to and entertaining to fantasize about. The two of them, going out into the wide, wild world like two brave adventurers.
Their relationship now might not be what she’d thought of back then, but maybe this didn’t exclude the rest. She was already at the end of the world.
All she needed to do was take a step forward and dive into it.
Chapter 10
“Mommy, Mommy, look what I got!” Shanna raced across the beach, the fine sand sticking to her little feet.
Mom opened her arms, welcoming her into a hug. “Show me, sweetie. Oh, it’s beautiful.” She turned the scallop shell around, revealing its pearlescent insides. “I’ll have to comb the beach for some myself.”
“You won’t find it!” Shanna grinned at her. “I got it from the ocean. I dived to the bottom!”
Mom laughed and ruffled Shanna’s hair. “Aren’t you my little mermaid?”
***
The catamaranBellaglided through the coastal waters of the Abel Tasman National Park. Simon clung to the railing on its port side, watching the dense forests and tiny coves sheltering sandy beaches whiz by.
“Smart, coming outside peak tourist season,” their captain, Alfie, said to Shanna, who’d naturally roped him into a conversation. “You'll have heaps more room to yourself, especially on the beach. Now, if you want some tips on the choice, secluded ones, I’ve got you covered.”
As far as Alfie knew, they were tourists wanting to go on a trek in the park. But Shanna had done one of her tracking spells this morning, and while she was chatting with Alfie, she was also supposed to listen to her senses—or whatever she did—to hone in on the point where her mother had been.
“Brought many girls here, huh, Alfie?” Shanna asked. Alfie appeared to be about fifty, but his easygoing smile and lively dark eyes spoke of him being quite the player in his youth.
“A sweet talker never spills the beans, ay.”
As Simon looked back, he caught Alfie winking at a blushing and laughing Shanna. A strange, tight feeling awoke in his stomach, as if his insides had twisted together. Alfie obviously wasn’t hitting on Shanna, and even if he were, what did it matter?
It didn’t. Definitely not.
