He'd left Charleston after high school set on joining the Navy.He'd been convinced that leaving was the right thing, that he was destined for a higher purpose than living in a small Southern city and the girl he hadn't been able to put out of his mind—and maybe that had been true at eighteen.But it didn't have to remain true at forty.
He'd lost Cadie once because he had walked away without telling her what she meant to him.He was not going to make that mistake again.
Barrett pulled away from the curb.
"Where are we going?"Cadie said.
"You'll see," he said.
He drove through the historic district.The October afternoon was clear and mild, and the sunlight came through the windshield at a low angle that warmed the car.
Barrett parked near Waterfront Park and came around to open Cadie's door.She looked up at him as she stepped out, and he saw the curiosity in her expression.She glanced toward the park entrance, then back at him.
"A walk?"she said.
"A walk," Barrett said.
He took her hand and they entered the park together.The paths were lined with palmettos and live oaks.The harbor stretched out beyond the seawall in a wide expanse of blue.A breeze came off the water carrying the smell of salt air.Boats moved in the distance, their white sails catching the light.
Along the main path, the Pineapple Fountain came into view with water cascading over the bronze sculpture and catching the sun.A few people sat on the surrounding benches, and children chased each other near the edge of the splash pool.The sound of the fountain and the distant call of gulls overhead were calming.
Barrett felt the tension in Cadie's hand ease as they walked.Her grip relaxed, and her stride slowed.He matched her pace, not in a hurry.For the first time in as long as he could remember, he wasn't under a deadline.He was simply walking beside a woman he cared about, and the joy of it surprised him.
Past the fountain, Barrett guided her along the waterfront.The harbor was beautiful.The water shifted between shades of gray and blue, and the distant buildings of Mount Pleasant were visible across the expanse.Cadie leaned into him slightly as they walked, and Barrett put his arm around her shoulders.
When she turned to look out at the water, he noticed the lovely green of her eyes, and the way her dark hair moved in the breeze.
At a lookout point that overlooked the harbor, Barrett stopped near the wooden railing.Then he turned to face Cadie and took both of her hands in his.
She looked at him, waiting.
Barrett was not a man who talked about his feelings.He'd been trained to compartmentalize, to set aside emotion and focus on the task.He had carried that discipline into civilian life and used it as a shield against anything that threatened to get too close.But standing in front of Cadie with the harbor behind her was different.
"I need to tell you something," he said.
Cadie squeezed his hands gently."I'm listening."
"I've always regretted losing you."The words came out steadier than he expected."When I left for the Navy, I told myself it was the right decision.And I don't regret my service.But it didn't have to mean giving you up."He paused, holding her gaze."If I had told you how I felt back then, maybe I could have made it work.Instead, I just left without looking back.That was a mistake."
Cadie didn't look away from him."We were eighteen," she said."We didn't know how to say the things that mattered."
"I should have tried," he said."I should have told you that you were the one person I didn't want to leave behind."
Cadie pressed her lips together, as if holding back emotion.
Barrett lifted one of her hands and kissed her fingers."I didn't even take you on a proper date," he said."And I intend to make up for that."
With her free hand, Cadie touched his face, tracing the line of his jaw.She seemed unable to find the right words.
Barrett understood.Some emotions couldn't be voiced properly, and the look on her face said more than words could have."We're doing this together," he said."We have a second chance."
He smiled at her in an unguarded manner."What would we have done on a romantic date as high school seniors?"
Cadie's expression changed, and a slow smile lit her eyes.She seemed to understand what he had in mind.
"Well, this park is a good start," she said."Because neither of us had any money back then."
Barrett laughed and pulled her into his arms.He held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his.She rested her head against his chest, and he pressed his cheek to her hair.He didn't want to let go.Holding her was a feeling he intended to remember.
