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But that was ridiculous.
It was over.
Serenity was gone.
Sighing, he turned away and headed to his cabin.
Serenity paused on board the ship as she came face-to-face with Jake. Frowning, she looked up at the surly pirate who leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“They’ve no idea who I am, Miss James, and I’d deeply appreciate it if you don’t educate them.”
“Are you going to cut out my tongue?”
He gave a wry smile. “No.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about, I think my days of writing are over.”
He looked incredulous. “I don’t understand.”
Serenity sighed and looked back at Morgan’s ship. “I no longer believe in fairy tales and happily-ever-after.”
The colonial crew bustled around them as they prepared to sail.
“What about you?” she asked. “Are you heading home?”
“Aye. I can’t stand another day without my wife.”
What she wouldn’t give to have Morgan feel that way about her. “I’m sure she misses you.”
“No, you’re not,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “You’re probably wondering what she sees in me. If you want to know the truth, I ask myself that same question every day.”
She blushed at the truth of his words. “So why did you leave your wife to begin with?”
“Morgan needed me.”
“You think a lot of him, don’t you?”
He laughed. “Sometimes.”
“Jake?” she asked. “Why didn’t you kill him when you captured him all those years ago?”
Jake sighed, and she could tell her question made him uncomfortable.
He paused so long, she was sure he wouldn’t answer, and then he said, “Morgan had more guts than any man I’d ever seen. He was scarce more than a babe and yet he had the courage of a lion. How could I destroy a man like that?”
She thought about that and how strange life was. Had Jake killed Morgan that day, all the men Morgan had saved from the British would still be impressed, and she…
She would never have known love. Would never have known a man’s touch.
One life touched so many.
“You know, I have a lot to apologize to you for,” he said. “I should have never taken you away from your family.”
His apology stunned her.
“I am truly sorry, Miss James, for any pain or fear I caused you. I know we didn’t start out on the best terms, but I hope you’ll forgive me.” He extended his hand to her. “Friends?”
She smiled. “Friends.”
