‘I saw it from out on the boat one day. The sunlight happened to catch the ice at the right moment. At first, I thought someone was using a mirror to try and attract my attention, you know how they do in the movies?’
I nodded.
‘But when I came in closer to investigate I realized it was the sunlight reflecting over the ice. I came back later in the truck, picked my way down the cliff.’ He gestured. ‘And I found this place.’
‘Nature really is something special.’
‘Sure is. That’s why I want to share it with other people. Show them the beauty this place has to offer. Obviously, this excursionwould be for a younger, more adventurous crowd. Small groups. Most of my excursions would be. But I do have some in mind that would be suitable for less physically capable people.’
His phone suddenly chimed in his pocket. ‘Did not think it would get service in here,’ he commented, pulling it out.
I watched him read the message, his brow furrowing. ‘What’s wrong? It’s not your dad, is it?’
He looked up. ‘Mm? No. It’s Jim. Wanting to know if I can crew another trip for him.’
‘When?’
‘Leaving in two days.’
My heart sank at the thought of him going away so soon after we’d connected. But I wasn’t going to play the part of clingy girlfriend. I wasn’t that kind of woman, and even if I was, I knew Jonah wasn’t the kind of guy to put up with that kind of behavior. If there was one thing I’d learned from my relationship with Nick, it was that you couldn’t hold on to someone who didn’t want to be held on to.
‘Are you going to go?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know. Maybe. I’ll give him a call later.’
34
JONAH
‘You really like her, don’t you?’ Dad said.
He was still in his pajamas, but at least he was out of bed. As soon as I’d arrived, he’d started begging me to help him get out of the bedroom.
‘If I have to stare at these walls any longer I’ll jump out the window,’ he’d grumbled. ‘I’m going out of my mind here. Take me for a drive. We can stop at the hotel. I won’t tell your mother. Please, Jonah.’
It was more than my life was worth though. If I took him to the hotel, he wouldn’t have to tell my mother. The town grapevine would take care of that. We compromised on helping him out of the bedroom and outside the house for some fresh air. Between my parents’ house and the cliff was a long, stone terrace that spanned the length of the house, about ninety-eight feet. There was an outdoor entertainment area at one end, with an outdoor kitchen including a barbecue and pizza oven, large concrete banquet table and chairs, and an area of comfortable seating. My father and I sat at the other end, on white wooden Adirondack chairs, overlooking the sloping lawn that led down towards a fire pit area, and the edge of the cliff. It was chilly, butbearable. It hadn’t snowed since the storm the other night, so the ground was clear but icy. The salt air would do him good, I figured. I even let him talk me into getting us a beer each from the kitchen. ‘What’s the point of surviving the stroke if I can’t enjoy life?’ he’d said.
‘If Mom comes home early though,’ I’d warned him, ‘you better be strong enough to throw that bottle over the balcony before she sees it. I’m not taking the heat for this.’
‘I can tell you really like Mae,’ he continued. ‘I can tell by the way you kept looking at her all night. You never looked at Jessica like that. Or any of the girls you’ve bought home over the years. Not that there have been that many of them.’
‘I wasn’t stupid enough to subject every girl I dated to Mom,’ I told him. ‘But yeah,’ I agreed, taking a swig from my bottle. ‘I really like Mae.’
‘Good. I’m glad. It’s about time you found someone who looks at you the way she does. Someone who sees you for you. I don’t think Jessica ever did. I know she didn’t. You were dollar signs, to her. An illustrious name. A coveted trophy. You, Jonah, were her ticket to an easy life. I’m not saying she didn’t care for you. But she didn’t love you in the way a woman is supposed to love a man.’
I stared at him in surprise. ‘Wow. That’s cynical. I’d expect that from Mom, but you?’
‘What?’ he said. ‘I’m shrewder than I look. How else do you think I’ve done so well in business over the years?’
At the mention of the hotel I looked away, my face hardening.
‘Relax,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to hassle you about taking over. I’ll leave that to your mother.’
‘You know, deep down, that I’m not the right person for the job,’ I told him. ‘Right?’
He sighed. ‘It’s not that simple. I wish it was.’
‘Itisthat simple as far as I’m concerned.’
