Page 40 of Deadly Waves

“It sounds like a plan,” Grady said.

“How does it sound to you?” James asked, focusing on Mandy. Under normal circumstances her pale countenance would worry him. This one time he found it adorable because she was so obviously frazzled.

“Um … yeah.” Mandy’s blue eyes were so wide James momentarily worried they would pop out of her head. “I’m afraid.” She blurted the words out so quickly James had to strain to hear her.

“Why are you afraid?” James asked, adopting a pragmatic tone.

“Because … what if I accidentally slip through the bars and get eaten?”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“What if the boat blows up and I’m left alone in the middle of the ocean and I get eaten?”

James pursed his lips to keep from laughing. “That’s not going to happen either.”

“What if I fall overboard and get eaten?” Mandy challenged. “Before you say ‘that’s not going to happen,’ I would like to remind you of New Orleans and how that exact scenario did happen – only with alligators.”

“Baby, I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” James said. “I’m also not going to let you miss out on this experience because you’re frightened. You’ll never forgive yourself. This is why I didn’t want to tell you until we were already on the boat. This is just like the shark tour on our honeymoon.”

Mandy balked. “I could get eaten!”

“I’m pretty sure I can make that happen when we’re alone together later,” James teased.

It took Mandy a moment to realize what he was referring to. “James!”

“Mandy!” James mocked his wife’s voice to perfection. “It’s going to be okay. You don’t have to go in the cage if you don’t want to. We can sit on the boat. The sharks come to the surface a lot in the area we’re going.”

“Really?” Mandy visibly relaxed. “I don’t have to go in the cage if I don’t want to?”

“I would actually be happier if you didn’t go in the cage, but I’m not going to stop you,” James said. “We’ll play it by ear when we get there. How does that sound?”

“Exciting.”

James’ face split into a wide grin. “Good. Now … eat your breakfast.”

“Okay.” Mandy lapsed into silence for a moment. “James?”

“Hmm.”

“We need to take photos.”

This time the excitement was evident in her voice and James couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ve got it taken care of, baby. I hired a professional photographer to go with us. I figured you would want a lot of inspiration when you decide to shift the trip memories from your mind to a canvas when we get home.”

“Oh, cool.” Mandy dug into her hash browns, relieved. “Oh, and James?”

“What?”

“I really love you.”

James’ heart rolled at the admission. “I love you, too.”

“No, I really mean it.”

James frowned. “Are you insinuating I don’t mean it?”

“I’m insinuating that no woman has ever loved a man as much as I love you.” Mandy’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and for once James wasn’t upset to see them. He’d heard the words before. They’d merely come out of his mouth when talking to her.

“I feel the same way about you,” James said. “Now eat your breakfast. I’m not messing around. This is going to be a day you’ll never forget, baby. I want it to be perfect.”

“It already is.”