Page 40 of The Cherry Blossom Boathouse

“Pull yourself together,” he muttered as he headed for the shower. Coral trailed after him, parking herself in the doorway with that judgmental stare she’d perfected over the years. “Don’t start,” he told the dog as he scrubbed the last traces of smoke from his skin.

Clean and dressed in jeans that weren’t stained with boat grease and the navy button-down Mabel had given him for Christmas (tags removed approximately ten minutes ago), Luke got to work. He wanted to take Sophie somewhere special. Do something special.

And he had the perfect idea.

Seventeen

Sophie

Sophie stole a glance at Luke as he maneuvered the boat through a narrow channel. The morning light caught in his dark hair, highlighting strands of chestnut she hadn’t noticed before. His profile against the bright sky was painfully handsome, strong jaw dusted with stubble, straight nose, those unfairly long eyelashes. His hands on the wheel moved with casual confidence, the same hands that had cupped her…

Down, girl, she admonished herself. We’re not even at breakfast yet.

Though if breakfast went well, perhaps they could move on to…brunch activities?

Oh God, I did not just think that. I am not the sort of woman who makes food-based sexual innuendos, she thought. Except apparently I am now.

He’d arrived at her boathouse half an hour ago, telling her he had a surprise for her, looking at her with that same expression he’d had the night before: hunger.

“See something interesting?” he asked her now, catching her staring at him.

“Just admiring the local wildlife,” Sophie replied, refusing to be embarrassed about being caught. “You clean up rather nicely for someone who spent the night battling a forest fire. I, meanwhile, spent fifteen minutes trying to get my hair to do that effortless wavy thing instead of its usual ‘recently electrocuted’ look.”

Luke’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Had motivation to make an effort. And your hair looks nice.”

The casual admission sent a pleasant flutter through her stomach. This slightly softer-around-the-edges, almost playful version of Luke was a revelation. She wondered how many people in Solace Springs had seen this side of him.

“So,” she said, “are you going to tell me where we’re going, or is the mysterious lake captain routine part of your charm offensive?”

“We’re almost—” Luke began, then nodded ahead. “There.”

Sophie turned to follow his gaze and felt her breath catch in her throat.

In a small, sheltered inlet ahead of them, something extraordinary floated on the water’s surface. At first glance, it looked like an island had broken free from the shore. A lush, flowering oasis perhaps twenty feet across. But as they drew closer, she realized it was a carefully constructed platform, its edges softened by trailing plants that dipped into the water. What looked like wisteria branches were woven into an arbor overhead.

“What is this place?” Sophie breathed.

“Something I built a few years back. Started as a project to study lake plant growth. Turned into something more.”

He guided the boat alongside the floating garden, securing it to a small dock that extended from one edge. The platform bobbed gently with their movement, but remained remarkably stable. Up close, Sophie could see the ingenuity of its construction in the form of a base of weathered wood supporting beds of soil where spring blooms created a riot of color: purple crocuses, yellow daffodils, tiny blue forget-me-nots, and delicate white snowdrops.

“It’s incredible,” she said as Luke helped her from the boat, his hand warm and steady in hers. “You must be some kind of water wizard.”

Sophie breathed in the scent of flowers mingled with fresh lake air as birds darted overhead; the gentle lapping of water against the edges created a soothing rhythm beneath them. At the center, a clear space held what looked like a handmade table fashioned from smooth driftwood, surrounded by cushions instead of chairs.

“I thought you might like breakfast here,” Luke said, suddenly looking almost shy, so at odds with his usual confidence. “It’s private. Peaceful.”

“It’s perfect,” Sophie replied honestly, while her brain helpfully chimed in: And deeply romantic, you impossible man. Who DOES this? Marcus’s idea of romance was remembering to order extra spring rolls with the takeaway.

“Though I’m beginning to suspect you’re actually some kind of water nymph disguised as a local lake hermit with a hero complex,” she added.

Sophie wandered the small space, marveling at the details. Small solar lights were strung along the arbor, waiting for evening to illuminate them. Clever irrigation systems kept the plant beds watered. It was both wild and meticulously planned…rather like the man who’d created it.

“How does it float?” she asked, crouching to examine the edge. “I mean, I assume there’s not a team of mermen underneath holding it up, though at this point I wouldn’t rule anything out.”

“Recycled dock materials underneath, sealed and reinforced,” Luke explained. “The plants keep it balanced. Took some trial and error to get the weight distribution right.”

“I’m impressed,” Sophie said, rejoining him at the center. “Though not entirely surprised. You seem to have a knack for making impossible things work.”