She rolled her eyes, but then nodded, a shy turn of her mouth blessing her pouty lips. “I’d like that. Thank you.”
“Great. Call the Ocean Explorers Club and leave your number with the front desk. I’ll text you when I get to work.”
“Sounds good.” She picked up her towel, sweaty yoga clothes, and sandals. “Thanks for the swim. It was… memorable.” The corner of her mouth turned up as if we shared a secret. “See you soon, Elias. Nice meeting you, Niko.”
“Bye,” I said and watched her head for the dunes.
Niko clapped me on the shoulder, and I jumped. “Well, well, well.” I didn’t need to see his face to know he sported his smug grin. “How the mighty have fallen.”
“Shut it, Niko.”
He doubled over laughing—so dramatic. I spun away from him and marched toward the house. He jogged up next to me, but before he could add any more annoying commentary, I tried to make sure he understood the score. “I’m serious, man. She just needs help with swimming. She nearly drowned today, and I can’t have that on my conscience.”
“Uh-huh.” His raised eyebrows and drawn-out, sarcastic tone told me he wasn’t buying it. I didn’t blame him; I wasn’t entirely convinced myself. Truth was, after today, I wanted to get to know Lena. She intrigued me. Passionate about health and fitness, an entrepreneur, easy to talk to and not at all clingy—thank the gods—we connected on so many levels. Not to mention she was sexy as hell.
I wanted to know everything about her. Where had she traveled? How had she come to own a yoga studio? What did she do for fun? I had an overwhelming urge to comfort her, soothe her loneliness, and provide her with the friendship and connection she so desperately missed from her life. Help her feel like she belonged.
Panic tightened around my neck like a noose. That string of thoughts sounded like Niko, not me. I didn’t want to tether myself to a single person. She may not be clingy now, but I knew from experience how women could get in a relationship. I refused to let anyone put a box around my life, limit my freedom, and bind me with expectation. No way. I needed my independence. The ocean was my home, as vast and wide as life’s possibilities, and no relationship could ever replace its wonders.
But the beast caged in my chest stirred again and demanded attention. I glanced over my shoulder. In the distance, Lena descended from the top of the dune into the tree-cover, and all I could think about was when I’d get to see her again.
Chapter Eight
LENA
The next week sailed by in a flurry of meetings, lawyers, banks, and paperwork. By Saturday night, I was looking forward to a lazy Sunday free of responsibility and a long swim with the charming instructor whose magnetic voice, athletic body, and carefree personality was becoming harder to resist with each lesson. Dawn splayed its fingers over the horizon as I pedaled my way into Harbour Town, and the early morning’s quiet stillness delivered the peace and tranquility I’d hoped for.
I locked my beach cruiser to the bike rack in front of the breakfast joint my grandma and I had frequented since I was a child. I hadn’t visited the spot yet on this trip, scared the experience might trigger further heartache and grief. But as I climbed the creaky steps of the familiar wooden porch, the weight atop my shoulders didn’t become any heavier, and the aching hole in my heart didn’t expand.
The touch of the cool, damp air against my skin, the island smells swirling together with coffee and bakery, the whine and whirr of the espresso machine… Memories surfaced, and instead of pain and loss, nostalgia and reminiscence conjured a sense of comfort and home.
But the real test waited inside.
I pushed through the front door into a near-empty café, and the owner—my grandma’s closest friend—looked up from the register. Her eyes went wide, and I smiled. “Hi, Sonia.”
“Lena! Oh, Lena, my dear.”
The older woman with kind eyes, dark, wrinkled skin, and a motherly mien walked around the counter and opened her arms. I stepped into them, and she wrapped me in a warm hug. Her perfume’s floral scent and the softness of her loving embrace brought me to tears, and a single sob escaped me as they spilled down my face. I squeezed harder, relieved my emotions stemmed from happiness instead of grief. I’d missed Sonia, and her presence and our connection amplified my sense of home.
“My beautiful girl.” She pulled back and held me at arm’s length. “I was wondering when you’d come by. If you’d waited much longer, I’d have come knocking on your door.” She chuckled and pulled me back into her arms.
“I’m sorry. I should have come sooner, but…”
She released me again and held my hands in her knobby fingers. “No sorries, hun. I miss your grandma terribly. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. You needed time, and that’s perfectly fine. Now. What can I get you for breakfast while we catch up?”
“Just a triple latte for now, thanks.”
“Still over-caffeinating?”
I laughed. “Yes. Grandma never could break me of the habit.”
“Bah!” She waved a hand and walked behind the counter to the espresso machine. “There’s nothing wrong with coffee. Your grandma just had a thing about caffeine.”
“But a glass of brandy or two was okay.” I chuckled and shook my head.
“We all have our vices. So. Tell me. What have you been up to?”
I leaned against the counter and watched her pack coffee into the portafilter. “Paperwork. Sorting through an entire life’s worth of stuff. Deciding what to keep, what to donate.”
