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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
LIVY
Livy took a break from behind the wheel ofDestiny’s Smileand sat in the cockpit, giving Jake a chance to have a turn at the helm.
“You looked at ease,” said Brooke, giving her a smile. “Like a real pro.”
Livy grinned. “I’d forgotten what it felt like to be out on the water like this. One of the students at culinary school had a sailboat, and a few of us used to go out with him.”
“A cook and a sailor too? Perfect,” teased Brooke.
Livy nudged Brooke. “You sound like my mother, trying to make every man seem interesting. Honestly, I can’t tell you how much fun I’m having this summer without any of those thoughts coming from her. She knows I’m here to work, so she’s laid off on any romance plans for me. It feels so freeing.”
“You get along well with everyone,” said Brooke.
Livy glanced at the men talking to one another. “It’s a nice group of people here at the cove. That makes it easy.” She grinned. “Eric told me he has a surprise for us.”
“Wonder what it is,” said Brooke, getting up and going over to him. When she returned, she wore a big smile. “Guess what? We’re going snorkeling.”
Livy grinned and gave Eric a thumbs-up sign. She’d snorkeled before, on family vacations in the Caribbean, but it had been a few years. Still, she remembered the thrill of seeing fish swim around her.
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Later, Eric dropped anchor offshore between Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach. “This is a suggested area to try,” he said. “All kinds of wildlife too.” A tour boat wasn’t too far away.
Livy pulled on a white T-shirt she’d brought to help prevent sunburn on her fair skin.
After trying various facemasks, she found one that fit. The flippers she was wearing were a little short but would work. The snorkel tube had been sprayed with a sanitizing liquid, and she was ready to go.
Brooke looked adorable in a bikini she and Charlie had helped her pick out. Jake seemed to think so too, from the way he kept glancing at her. Both he and Eric were appealing, as well.
“Okay, let’s stick fairly close together,” said Eric. “You all slip into the water, and I’ll follow. We don’t want to get too far away from the boat.”
Rather than jump, Jake hung his legs over the swim platform at the stern of the boat and slid into the water, gasping a bit from the cold. He treaded water and waited for Brooke, then Livy to join him.
Eric was the last one in and spent a moment adjusting his mask before he gave the “ready” signal, and they took off swimming along the surface of the clear water.
As Livy swam along, awash in memories of past vacations snorkeling in the Caribbean, she thought of Brooke and realized how generous her parents had been to her and her brothers, giving them vacations and other privileges. Now, as an adult on her own, she was determined to enjoy every day of what seemed like a magical summer.
She felt a tug on her arm and turned to see Eric facing her, pointing at something below them. She gave him a thumbs-up sign, and studied the colorful fish swimming in a small group. Then, a bottlenose dolphin playfully swam around them, and Livy’s pulse raced with excitement. This was such a treat.
Too soon, Jake indicated it was time to go back. Livy treaded water and realized that what they’d seen wasn’t that far from the boat. She swam to it and waited while Jake went aboard and helped Brooke. Eric signaled it was her turn, and she climbed aboard with Jake’s helping hand.
When Eric came aboard, he took off his mask, turned, and grinned at her. “That was spectacular.”
Impulsively, Livy threw her arms around him. “The best.” She turned to the others. “I’m starving. Let’s have lunch.”
Too late, she realized from the silly grin on Eric’s face how much he’d enjoyed that hug.
