Page 155 of Key West Homecoming

Jake smiled. “You're fun, Emma. I mean it. I think you've spent so much time being responsible that you forgot you're allowed to enjoy yourself.”

Emma looked toward the water.

There was some truth in that, although she wasn't sure she wanted to examine all of it while sitting barefoot in a bar.

“Maybe I needed the right tour guide.”

“I'll take partial credit.”

She smiled and took another drink of beer.

At six, they walked to Mallory Square as the light turned gold.

Emma finally understood what everyone meant by the sunset celebration. Hundreds of people crowded the square. Performers worked every open patch of pavement, and a man with a shopping cart full of trained house cats somehow convinced one of them to jump through a flaming hoop.

Emma stared. “Now that's a cat.”

“That's Dominique's cat.”

“That cat just jumped through fire.”

“That cat has a pension.”

A juggler pulled someone from the crowd. A man on a unicycle insulted tourists for five minutes and earned a hat full of money. Someone's dog got loose and was returned before its owner realized how far it had gone.

Out beyond the pilings, a schooner with red sails moved slowly across the water.

Emma had seen pictures of Key West sunsets. She had assumed the photographs exaggerated them.

They didn't.

The sun dropped toward the horizon until the water seemed to catch the light. When it finally disappeared, the whole square applauded.

Emma laughed and clapped with everyone else.

She turned toward Jake and found him watching her.

“You're supposed to be looking at the sunset.”

“I've seen it.”

Emma smiled. “That isn't the point.”

“I know.”

He stepped closer.

“Besides, I like this view better.”

It was a ridiculous line, and Emma knew it. She also knew she liked hearing it from him.

She leaned into Jake when he put an arm around her. For a few minutes, they stayed that way in the middle of the crowd.

On the walk back up Duval, they bought key lime pie on sticks dipped in chocolate.

“This is a crime against a perfectly good pie,” Emma said.

Then she finished hers before Jake was halfway through his.