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"Why?" he asked.
"There was always a reason. Kate got pregnant young and had a baby, so her life totally changed. And my father just couldn't seem to work out any kind of visitation plan with my mother."
"Doesn't sound like he tried that hard." He stopped abruptly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"No, it's true. He didn't try that hard, and my mom didn't, either. I think they both wanted to move on, and I was the person who dragged them back to that time in their lives they wanted to forget. My mother told me once that she got pregnant with me to try to save the marriage."
"Why would she tell you that?"
"It just came out one night when she had too much wine. It actually made sense to me. But I'm making her sound worse than she is. She does love me, and we did have a relationship, just not the greatest one. It was a long time ago."
"I'm beginning to understand why you took to the sea."
"I wasn't just running away from family, I've always had wanderlust, always wanted to travel, and so I did."
"I always wanted to travel, too, one of the reasons I joined the Navy. I just didn't expect to see so much hot desert."
"I can't imagine living in a landlocked country or state. I'd go crazy in the middle of the country."
He smiled. "I think you would."
"So where's that salad you were bragging about?"
"It's in the galley. Do you want to eat down there or up here?"
"Up here. It's a beautiful night. And the stars are just coming out." Besides that, close proximity to the sleeping berth below was only going to put ideas in her head that she didn't want to think about right now.
While Drew pulled dinner together, she gazed out at the water, thinking of a different sea on the other side of the world, of how many miles she'd traveled, how many lies she'd told, how lonely and scared she'd felt. But tonight, back in the city where she was born, and with a man who had freed her soul once before, she felt like she'd finally come all the way home again.
Drew came up the stairs, juggling a couple of plates. While she set up a picnic on the bench, he went back down for the rest of the items.
The crab salad was delicious and flavorful, and the freshly baked bread made a nice accompaniment to the meal. They ate quickly and quietly and finished off with a fresh fruit medley of berries, melon and orange slices.
"That was perfect," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"I picked it up at Giancomo's on Fisherman's Wharf."
"Then I guess you weren't bragging when you said you do good take-out."
"I know what I'm good at." He gave her at thoughtful look. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."
"What's that?" she asked, feeling wary about his tone.
"Where are your friends, Ria?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's not a difficult question. You must have had friends in your life."
"I've lost track of most people, but sure, I have friends. They're around."
"Not around here that I've seen."
"No, most of them are still working on boats at various ports around the world. And now I don't have time for friends, and even if I did what would I have in common with other twenty-eight-year-olds when I'm raising a teenager? They're hitting up clubs on the weekends, and I'm helping Megan get ready for the prom."
"You're sacrificing a lot for her."
"It's not a sacrifice. I love her. She's my family. And I'd give up on a lot more than friends for her."
He nodded. "I know you would." He looked up at the stars. "It's a clear night."
"And this is a great view," she said. "Although, we'd see more stars if we were further away from the city."
"Did you ever get scared out in the middle of the ocean?"
"I've been through some bad storms, and I have a healthy respect for Mother Nature, but I never came close to being in real trouble."
"I guess you're not counting the boat that blew up."
She stared back at him. "Do you want to talk about that now?"
"No. Not tonight." He took a breath. "I don't want to talk anymore at all."
"Neither do I."
"I want to kiss you, Ria. And I don't want to stop there."
