“I’ll be staying at Camp Santorini most of the time, my brother-in-law’s camp, you should come on over and let me take you for a spin on his boat.”
“I just might,” I said. “We’ll be there performing at some point, so perhaps our days will overlap.”
“But I’m at the Pines Camp for the first few days,” he said. “I’ll be visiting friends there.”
“Me too,” I said, excited that I’d remembered the name. “At least I think that’s our first stop. There are so many Pines and Camps and strange-sounding names, it’s hard to keep track.” Howie was getting the girls riled up again, planning a singing competition on the main deck, and between the champagne mimosas and this gentleman’s attention, I was starting to feel a whole lot better.
“Come on, darlin’,” he said, “let’s head downstairs to the lower deck where we can get a little privacy.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “I’m comfortable here.”
“But it’s so loud, I can barely hear your sweet voice.”
At his suggestion, I linked my arm through his and took thestaircase down to the lower deck, closer to the water, where the steam engine made a loud shushing sound and the rhythm of the paddle wheel drowned out the noisy patrons on the upper deck. I was feeling warm and friendly, but I could tell he was a fair bit more lit up than I was.
“You are a hot little number,” he said as soon as we were at the back of the boat. There was no one else down there, and he leaned me against the railing. I let him kiss me. I needed to feel someone’s warmth and wished his urgency would soothe me. He tasted like gin. He held my head in one hand and slipped the other around my rear, pressing me into the railing. It reminded me of that night on the West Coast, the recklessness in me coming to the surface. I could tell what his intentions were, and for a split second I wanted that power, to give him whatever he needed. I wanted this stranger to need me, to desire me so badly. But the railing was digging into my back and his body was pushing hard against mine, and just as fast as it crossed my mind to give in, I pushed him away.
“Steady on there,” I said, twisting my way out of his overly eager embrace. “We just met.”
“I’m sorry, doll, you got me all worked up all of a sudden, you talking about your dancing like you did, and you being so damn pretty.”
“That’s no way to treat a lady you barely know.”
“I’m sorry, here, why don’t you sit down, take a load off.” He motioned to the wooden benches flanked alongside both sides of the boat. It was far less plush down on the lower deck, and I had a sudden concern that no one from my group had noticed I’d left or knew where I was. He had his back turned to me and was fidgeting with his trousers.
“I’m going to head back up,” I said, walking toward the staircase. “And you should probably lay off that gin.”
“Hey, wait. Please—we were just starting to have some fun,” he called out behind me. “I’m sorry. Come on back, please.…”
What the hell was it with these men? What did they all take me for? I reeled at the thought of what had transpired in just a few minutes, going from flirting and light kissing to him pushing for something more. I wanted to curse him, but as I walked back upstairs, I had to admit to myself that I’d wanted him, too, even if just for a second, I’d wanted to feel something, anything.
The last few hours on the boat seemed long and arduous after that initial encounter, but fortunately that Andrew fella stayed out of my way.
That night we stayed at the Blue Mountain House—a log cabin set up for travelers just passing through. It was a quaint and simple place, but it gave us a chance to get some much-needed sleep after two full days of travel. Sharing a bed with Ruthie, just after we turned out the lights, I finally gave in and asked her what I’d wanted to ask all day. “Did he say anything after I left yesterday?”
“Who?”
“Archie. Who do you think?”
“Well, geez, Olive, you left his train car in such a huff that I wouldn’t expect you to care what he thought of you.”
“I don’t care. But did he say anything or not?”
“No. Not a word. No one spoke of it. I don’t think they dared after that scene you caused.”
“He tried to woo me under false pretenses,” I said adamantly.
“And you think that’s unusual?”
“I thought it would be for this particular man.”
“You hardly know him.”
“I thought I did.”
“Oh, honey…” She took my hand under the covers and squeezed it. “I’m sorry. We’ll find you a good guy, okay? I promise you.”
“I don’t want a good guy,” I said. “They bore the pants off me.”
