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Alex ushered her to the other end of the vessel, to a small group of friends. After the introductions, when it seemed like Jocelyn would add perfectly to their conversation, she left to other hostess duties. She figured Reg and Jocelyn could meet by accident. She’d done all she could.
***
They were a half hour out of port when Reggie, getting restless, moved topside for a breath of fresh air. It was a startling day on the water, with colors so brilliant that it took his vision extra time to take in what his eyes were seeing. At first, looking toward the bow of the boat, he thought it was some kind of mirage, the auburn hair floating on the current of air like a movie picture in a slow motion. The woman’s bottom was dancing, not to some tune, but simply swaying, as it moved to some inner rhythm and melody that only she was hearing.
He walked cautiously toward the alluring female, wondering if she’d suddenly turn into another woman and disappoint him. And if she didn’t, if it was Jocelyn, why was she here, when she wasn’t due back from London until the following day?
“Jocelyn,” he hailed her from five feet off, speaking loudly so she’d be certain to hear him.
She jerked around, recognizing the voice.
“Good God, I thought you were in Boston.”
“Who told you that?” he asked.
“Alex.”
“Alex lied to you.”
“I guess so,” Jocelyn replied.
“Just as you lied to me,” Reggie said.
“What do you mean?” she asked. For a moment, it totally slipped her mind that she’d returned early from Europe and had yet to tell the man in front of her.
“You’re returning from London tomorrow. That was the plan, I believe.”
“I came back three days ago,” she admitted.
Used to drawing inside himself, he was so well practiced that Jocelyn wouldn’t know. But he knew. He could feel the tightness growing, feeling the past few months rapidly falling away from him as if they’d never happened.
“I needed some time away,” she explained.
“Three weeks wasn’t enough?” he asked.
“Not after I talked to Alex yesterday. Listen Reggie,” she went on before he could question her further. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I really didn’t. And I’m sorry, I’d never have shown up like this if I knew you were coming. Your old girlfriend obviously got her jollies thinking that she could arrange our being together. But what I really need is a little more time.”
“Longer yet?”
“I got in so much trouble before, I’ll tell you right out. I’m not running away, I just need a few more days.”
“A few more days for what?”
“I need to think, feel, do what I do when I can’t decide on things.”
“What do you need to think about?” he asked.
“Hey, I thought you said you understood my occasional need for solace,” she challenged his question.
“I do, but if it’s about our relationship, we’ll discuss it now.”
“You’re not being fair.”
“I’m being perfectly fair. It’s obvious that you and I don’t communicate well from long distances, our phone conversations were ghastly. I’m not particularly happy about waiting another few fucking days to see you. If you have something to tell me, do it now.”
“You sound angry,” she said, seeing his grim expression. Though she couldn’t quite tell what was going on in his mystifying mind.
“Maybe.”
