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“You’re fine,” he said. “I’ll be right here.”

He stood behind her and guided her hand, giving the throttle a little fuel. Turning the boat around in the channel, he headed out to open water.

“The sea is like glass tonight,” he said. “It’s the only time I like to go out. I have dinner in the galley below, but we’ll eat up here on deck.”

“Now I can’t wait.”

They steered together, his hands over hers, not speaking, and she leaned back a little, feeling his body behind her. It felt right, and she felt safe.

In twenty minutes, the boat was in the position he wanted, and he dropped the anchor. The lights of the village marina and the shacks along the cove were visible. No one along the water had taken their Christmas lights down yet, and the display was breathtaking.

“Christmas lights are up until Epiphany around here,” Alphé said. “I’m glad we came out tonight.”

“Me too. I was just thinking that if you hadn’t run aground outside Bonnet Island, I’d be home alone tonight.”

“It was destined,” Alphé said. “I can feel it here.” He pointed to his heart. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll get the food.”

Everything felt surreal: the way they’d met, the boat ride, the things he said to her. She sat on a white vinyl semicircular lounge, glad she’d remembered to wear a jacket since it was colder on the water. In minutes he returned with an old-fashioned wicker picnic basket over his arm with an ice bucket and a bottle of champagne in the other.

“I wasn’t sure if you drank alcohol or not, so I have sparkling cider, too.”

“That’s so thoughtful. I’ll drink champagne anytime.”

Placing the bucket and bottle on the table, he got two fluted glasses out of the basket, handing them to Katrina, and proceeded to uncork the bottle, which let go with a pop and the usual merriment that goes along with it.

“Oh, this is good,” she said, sipping it.

“I don’t have many hobbies, but I am learning about pairing fish with wine.”

“Well, that’s a handy hobby for a fisherman! What goes with this?” She looked at the bottle. “Blanc de blanc?”

“Oysters and caviar, and I have both,” he said with a chuckle that charmed her.

“I’m impressed,” she said, looking at him sidelong.

“The advantage to fishing is the extra time it gives you when you’re trawling around, dragging your nets. I listen to a lot of audiobooks.”

“You’re a reader?”

The more he spoke, the better he sounded to her.

“I’m a listener,” he replied, grinning. He held his glass out. “To beautiful Katrina on our first date. I hope it’s one of many.”

“Me too.” She touched his glass with hers and took a sip. “Delicious.”

He placed his glass on the table and unpacked the basket. There was caviar, like he’d promised, with chopped hard-boiled egg on cream cheese and chives, served with toast points.

“Did you make this yourself?” she asked.

“My mother did most of it, but I helped,” he said, laughing. “I sound like a seven-year-old.”

“It’s so good. Thank you.”

Next, he served the oysters on the half shell resting in a bowl of ice, shrimp cocktail, and for dinner, piping hot crab cakes served out of a thermos, with fried potatoes and coleslaw, hot homemade rolls and butter, and for dessert, packed in ice, bananas foster.

Embarrassed that she felt out of control, Katrina ate everything. “I’m mortified,” she said after they’d cleaned up. “I feel like a stuffed sausage.”

“I like a good appetite,” he said. “My ex has bulimia. I guess that isn’t the imagery we want for dinner.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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