“Inventive.”
I chuckle. “Yes. But it’s so beautiful. Like art on the beach. But also, Jekyll Island is full of history. It used to be a retreat for the uber rich. It’s so interesting.”
“Wait a minute. You like history?”
His joke catches me so off guard that my laugh again draws the attention of our neighbors. “Just a little bit.”
The look he’s giving me is so open and interested. It's making me wonder what he’s interested in. I feel my face warm, and I swallow. “What about you? Have you done much traveling?”
“Not outside of Europe yet, I’m afraid. But I’ve been all over Europe.”
“Where all? Or what are the highlights?”
“Italy, Spain, and Romania would be my highlights,” he says, and nods his thanks to our server as she sets down our drinks.
“Romania? I’m not sure I’ve known anyone to go to Romania.”
“It’s beautiful there, great hiking, history. You’d hate it.”
As it turns out, spicy corn ribs are corn! They’re strips of corncut from the cob, cooked and seasoned. I’m going to have to learn to make them. Mai would be so impressed.
Actually, I don’t know how excited she would be about me eating corn.
Our empty plate is exchanged for our crispy golden-brown fish and chunky chips. I don’t even have to taste it to know it’s good.
I pick up my fork and Malcolm stops me. “Don’t you want a photo for your mam?”
“Yes!” My proof-of-life photos had become rare since Malcolm, but I’d told him about them and the photo of my meal I’d sent her the night we met. I snap a photo, then hold my phone up to take a photo of him.
“Let me take it of us together.” He holds out his hand. I adjust the camera and hand it to him, then he uses his long arms to capture us both.
“We look good together,” he says, looking at the picture and handing me my phone.
We look good together. Oh my.
Malcolm raises his fork to me. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
We both laugh, and I marvel at the fact that I have an inside joke-type thing with an amazing, out-of-this-world handsome, Scotsman. The Makenna of a week ago would have never even entertained the possibility. It makes me wonder what else I’vediscounted in my life that could actually be possible.
32
Malcolm
Wepulluptothe treehouse and it’s as bonnie as the photos online. Makenna is bouncing in her seat. I’m so glad nobody had booked this place after she’d canceled.
“It’s magical.” She pulls her eyes from the property and looks at me. “Can you believe we get to stay here?”
I grin at her and pull into the designated parking area. “Ready to explore?”
“Oh, aye.” She laughs and gets out of the car.
The light in her eyes when she’s excited gives a new purpose to my life. I never want to see it go out.
Below the treehouse, there’s a picnic table, a hammock, and hiding where it’s hardly noticeable is the hot tub. It’s been styled to blend into the environment. It looks like a hot spring.I hate that Makenna’s not going to be able to use it.
“Holy guacamole!” She’s spotted the hot tub. “It’s settled. I’ll have to come back here sometime.”
