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“Before I go, can I bring you some water? Anything?” Charlotte asked.
“Water. No ice. Just water,” said Brooke.
Charlotte left and returned with a glass of water and a few saltines. “Here you go. Feel better soon.”
“Eric’s okay with you taking my place?”
“Yes, he seemed fine with it. Get your rest. See you later.”
When she went downstairs, Eric was waiting for her in his car in the driveway.
She gathered her things and went to join him, surprised to find Shane sitting in the passenger seat.
“Hi,” she said, sliding into the backseat of the silver Mercedes sedan. “Thanks for letting me take Brooke’s place. I’m looking forward to a nice sail.”
Eric greeted her with a smile. “Welcome aboard, Charlie. I asked Shane to come because the water’s a little rough today with the cold front coming in later. Hopefully, we can beat it.”
“Is Brooke okay?” Shane asked.
“She has a migraine,” Charlotte said. “She just needs a day of rest and quiet.”
“Yes, that’s the best way to handle one,” said Eric.
Charlotte sat quietly in the back, content to listen to Eric and Shane talk about the last boat show in Miami. She tuned them out and let her thoughts linger on publicity campaigns for the Inn. If they worked, life would become much more hectic. She wondered if she or her cousins were ready for that. Brooke had remarked that she wanted the Inn to stay in the family, but that meant that one of them would have to be willing to remain to help Gran.
“Hey, Charlie, you hungry? Want to grab lunch at the marina?” Eric asked.
“Yes. I was up early and I’m ready for lunch,” she replied.
“Well, it can’t compare to Gracie’s at the Salty Key Inn, but it’ll do,” said Eric.
She laughed. They’d all been to Gracie’s for breakfast or lunch at one time or another and agreed it was unbeatable.
###
The marina near the mouth of Old Tampa Bay was a well-organized operation with seemingly every facility one would want, including a bar and a restaurant. They parked, and while she and Shane found seats at the bar, Eric went out on the dock to check on the boat.
Charlotte looked at the menu and decided on a grouper sandwich and a bottle of beer.
Shane ordered the same, and while they waited for their food, Eric joined them.
“We’ve got plenty of gas. I ordered ice, water, and beer to be delivered to the boat. Things look clear for a nice sail. Wind is up a bit, but we’ll be all right,” said Eric sliding onto a stool beside Charlotte.
Without even looking at the menu, he ordered the bar special—grouper sandwich and fries. “And add a hoppy beer to that,” he said to the bartender.
“This is a happening place,” said Charlotte. “Do you do a lot of sailing?”
“Not as much as I’d like,” said Eric. “Depends on my work. I try to have a light schedule on Wednesdays and the weekends, but it’s pretty busy most of the time. My specialty is outside of normal plastic surgery.”
Charlotte’s attention was drawn to Shane chatting with a waitress who was all but climbing into his lap. She sometimes forgot what effect he had on women.
After they ate, they walked down the dock to Eric’s boat.
“She’s a beauty,” said Shane. “A Catalina 355. Sweet!”
Eric grinned. “Yeah, she’s awesome.”
“I love her name.Destiny’s Smile,” said Charlotte. “With your medical specialty working on mouths, you’ve chosen a name that suits her.”
