AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I turn back to face the boat's bow, the wind on my face. "I'm sorry too. I'm sure I made a face."
Judah's low answering chuckle settles low in my belly, and my core clenches. Why is it that everything this man does is attractive to me?
"You did." He admits, "But you didn't order the wine, Isobel. Your opinion wasn't asked. You have every right not to enjoy it."
Damn it.
I look away, willing away the burning in my eyes. I know he's right, but twenty-three years of gnawing inadequacy and self-doubt, fueled by my parent's steadfast indifference, has pretty much trained me to look for my own fault in any given situation. It's a little uncomfortable for someone to see that and call me on it. I was so taken aback by the rush that came the first time I saw this man's face that all my usual defenses went down, and now I don't know how to put them back up.
"Isobel?"
Confident I'm not about to embarrass myself further by crying, I turn back to look at him and lift the book resting in my lap. "We should probably read these, right?" My voice sounds falsely cheery and casual, "Unless you want to go back there and play twenty questions, rare disease edition."
Judah's lips split in a crooked grin, the wind ruffling his graying hair and his eyes shining behind his glasses. "Don't tell me that's what the Bradley family played on road trips instead ofI Spy."
I have to press my lips together to keep myself from grinning back at him. "Not a road trip kind of family. Though I remember some pretty intense rounds of Harvard trivia on the way to Rosh Hashanah services."
His answering bark of laughter makes me giggle too. Our family members are standing just a few yards behind us, but I can hardly hear their voices over the wind carrying the boat. I feel better than I have in a long time and allow my eyes to drift back down to my book. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Judah opens his, and we lapse into silence, reading side by side.
There have been lots of long silences in my life, but this one doesn't feel lonely. Judah must realize we're reading the same book at some point because he says, "The bridge in this chapter is going to be significant, don't you think?"
My lips twitch, though I keep my eyes down. "Definitely."
Reuben finds us not long later, grinning when he sees our matching books. "I wondered if you two had fallen off somewhere. Is this a book club?"
"Apparently." Judah chuckles. "I picked it up at the airport."
"Me too," I admit, smiling. "You can have my copy when I'm done. We can discuss the book's underlying themes at your wedding reception."
Reuben tilts his head back and laughs. "Sounds like fun, though I'm worried the cake-cutting and first dance will be distracting." Evie appears at his side, her hair less tidy than usual from the wind and her cheeks flushed. She looks happier than I've seen her in a long time. "Dad and Isobel accidentally started a book club." He tells her, "Should we join?"
"Absolutely." My sister grins, sitting cross-legged on the deck across from us. "No, seriously. Can we do that? Virtual family book club once a month?"
I nod immediately, my cheeks aching from smiling so big. "I'd love that. I don't read enough."
"None of us do, I bet." Reuben sighs, sitting down next to his fiancée and kissing her temple. Behind them, I can see other boats dotted over the turquoise sea around us and a beautiful stretch of coastline in the distance. "You'll know soon enough, Isobel. Medical school is not for the faint of heart."
And just like that, all my newfound peace is gone. My stomach churning, I look away from the group, trying to fight back the urge to vomit. I'm not going to puke in front of them. God,we were having a nice moment-
It's no use.
Scrambling to the side of the boat, I lean over the railing, staring down into the waves for a fraction of a second before my stomach rolls, and I heave, vomiting the remains of my breakfast right into the water. I'm only alone for a second before someone has gathered my hair back, and a hand is rubbing soothing circles over my back.
"You're alright. Get it all out." Judah murmurs and my eyes burn with tears of humiliation as another wave of nausea hits me, and I heave again.
"Dad!" Evie calls loudly behind me. "Take us back to the resort! Isobel is seasick!"
I squeeze my eyes shut, panting, and the moment I'm sure it's over, I scramble to my feet. "I'm fine," I assure Reuben and Evie, not daring to look at Judah. "I'm really ok." Kennedy, Tom, and Mom have all appeared, staring at me, and my chest tightens with embarrassment. "I'm fine," I repeat, shaking my head.
Mom's lips pinch. "You never used to have a problem on boats. Did you have anything alcoholic to drink at breakfast?"
"No." I pull my water bottle out of my bag and take a long sip, swishing the water around in my mouth to get rid of the foul taste. I want to disappear.What is wrong with me?
"I think we should head back.Now." Judah tells the group, his voice deep and laced with authority.
"No." I won't ruin the first outing Evie planned because I'm a basket case. "No, I'm okay. I'm just going to lay down below."
Nobody stops me as I gather my things and slip back around the cockpit, passing Dad at the wheel, whose signature disappointed frown is firmly in place. "Let's skip the mimosas at breakfast tomorrow, Isobel."
