“No pressure, Maddy. It doesn’t have to be a date... just a man and a woman going out for a sail.”
Maddy lifted a brow. “Don’t you have enough women in your life already?”
He chuckled. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? I’ve always had great women in my life—don’t tell my sisters. I like them to think they’re a burden.”
She smiled at the warmth in his tone.
“Fact is, I’m probably more comfortable with women than most guys are.” He looked at her through lashes that looked golden in the light of the setting sun. “So what do you say? You could bring your sisters along if you like.”
“Um, no. I would not like.”
He looked at her askance. “Okay...”
“All that tension between them can be very uncomfortable.”
“Sounds like a story I need to hear sometime. Perhaps during a leisurely sail...”
She chuckled. “You’re relentless.”
“One of my finer qualities.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure about that. But I guess a day on the sea does sound like a nice escape.” Her heart pounded at the thought of hours alone with Connor. She hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.
“It’ll be a blast, you’ll see. We’ll make a day of it. I’ll do all the work, and you can sit back and enjoy going wherever the wind takes us. This Saturday work for you?”
“That should be fine.” Maybe it would rain. Did she want it to rain?
“All right then. It’s a plan.” He clapped his hands together, and his gaze dropped to the mower. “Now, why don’t we see if we can get this old machine up and running?”
Chapter 19
Maddy waffled back and forth all week about whether or not going sailing with Connor was a good idea. She reminded herself it wasn’t a date. She even mentioned the outing to her sisters, striking just the right casual tone.
It hadn’t fooled anyone. Least of all Maddy herself.
In the end she decided to leave it in God’s hands. Good weather: good idea. Bad weather: bad idea. And when Saturday dawned bright and sunny, she told herself it must be an answer to her prayers.
Now, as she settled on the bench at the stern of the boat, she found herself second-guessing even God.
Connor looked like male perfection as he readied the boat, going about the business as if it were second nature. He wore a pair of black and turquoise trunks and a white T-shirt that the wind molded to his skin. His hair was tied back with a leather strap, and his sunglasses shielded his eyes from the sunlight glaring off the water.
Maddy tucked a loose wisp behind her ear. “Can I help with anything?”
“Almost done. Just sit back and relax. There are drinks in the cooler.” He nodded to it. “Help yourself.”
Maddy fished a bottled water from the ice, and by the time she was seated again he had the boat untied and was back onboard. He took his place behind the big wheel at the stern.
The motor rumbled beneath her as he put it in gear and maneuvered from the slip. The boat steadied as it sliced through the calm bay. Her white sleeveless blouse billowed in the wind.
The week had flown by. Connor had come over to paint the exterior of the house on Tuesday and Thursday while the sisters painted inside. Maddy, worried about Nora and the paint fumes, suggested she start in the kitchen and dining room, where there were many windows they could open.
Thursday had been Maddy’s last day at the Landing. Cheryl returned to work yesterday, and Connor had texted to say she was delighted with how smoothly the restaurant was running.
Without the restaurant Maddy would have extra time, and the house would come along more quickly. But she found herself reluctant to return to the problems awaiting her back home.
“Doing all right over there?” Connor asked over the wind.
“Perfect.” She smiled up at him. She was sitting adjacent to where he stood, clearly in his element behind the captain’s wheel.
