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“Lunch is served.”
Clarissa blinks in shock. “Did… did you make all this?” She gestures wildly at the cheese and fruit platter, deli sandwiches, marinated olives, and chilled sparkling mineral water on display.
“Yes, I became a master culinarian overnight just from being in your vicinity. No! Hah, I bought all this from the McMillan Deli this morning.” I pick up one of the napkins, which prominently displays their green and yellow logo.
Clarissa laughs and shakes her head. “Well, it’s like they say. Store-bought is fine, too.”
We grab our biodegradable plates and pick at the offerings. While we eat, sea birds drift above us, making their calls of curiosity and warning. I admit, the gulls look particularly lovely right now. But I’m more than happy to make do with the food in front of me.
My sandwich has a lovely blood spread on the bread, making it both delicious and digestible for me. Clarissa makes sounds of delight and pleasure as she eats through tiny balls of squeaky mozzarella and kalamata olives drenched in olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and orange peel. The cubed melons and sliced strawberries make for a delicious and light dessert.
Clarissa points and gasps every time another dolphin swims by, its dorsal fin is easy to pick out in this smooth water. We even spot what we think is an otter. It would be strange this far out, but not unheard of.
“This is turning into the best afternoon of my entire life.” Clarissa sighs.
“You flatter me,” I say, feeling my cheeks go ice cold again. “You’re honestly telling me after spending your life traveling all over the place, this little outing is your best time?”
Clarissa looks down at her empty plate. She seems to chew on her cheek and fidget with the delicate paper in her hands. The sides rip a little, and she finally looks up at me with a toothy smile.
“Guess I just appreciate the company more!”
There’s something off in the way she says it. Like she’s holding something back that she desperately wants to tell me. How could I blame her, when I feel the exact same way? I want to grab those pink cheeks, kiss her deeply, and seduce her right here in the middle of the ocean. I’m not sure if that would be incredibly romantic or horribly inappropriate.
Doesn’t quite matter. I won’t be finding out today, anyway. Maybe I’ll meet a beautiful and more importantly, willing, stranger on my upcoming journey. They’ll spend hours talking to me over endless margaritas, and we’ll share a passionate kiss at the final call. Then we’ll go back to my boat and make love until dawn, where they’ll confess they want to go with me and never look back.
Yeah. That might mend my broken heart. I’d still rather have Clarissa with me, though. Sometimes I think I’m my own worst enemy. One day I’ll find someone who checks all the boxes. Someone I can trust, someone I want to open up to, someone I’m determined to keep around who I don’t lose interest in after a few dates.
One day.
“Ready to continue the tour?” I ask.
Clarissa nods and helps me clean up. We rewrap the leftovers and make sure anything that might get caught in the wind is stowed away in the cooler. Then I get back in the captain’s chair and start the engine.
When I look over again to make sure she’s ready, I notice Clarissa’s face looks beet red.
“Did you forget to apply sunscreen?” I ask.
Clarissa blinks and looks at me dumbfounded. “Huh? Oh, why?” She slaps her palms to her cheeks.
“Look at you. All that effort into looking like a proper seaman and didn’t even use sunscreen. There’s some in the pack over there.” I gesture towards my emergency supply bag. “It’s vampire grade so it should be more than enough.”
Clarissa mutters a quiet thanks and retrieves the stuff. “Guess I thought the hat would protect me…”
“Sunlight reflects off the water. Same with snow, by the way. You can get a sunburn even on a cloudy day. You should always protect yourself, regardless of how nice the weather is.”
Clarissa applies some to her bare arms and face and stows it back in the pack.
“Where to now?” she asks, fidgeting her fingers in the hem of her shirt.
“Wherever the waves take us.”
24
CLARISSA
My phone rings. The electronic beeping melody interrupts what was an incredibly melancholy and bittersweet mood. This has been, genuinely, one of the best and worst days of my life. For just a little bit longer, I got to live in a fantasy life where it was just me and Emile, sailing into the horizon. Not a single care or worry between us.
It’s all a fantasy, though. And my phone flashing Todd’s number is a harsh reminder of that fact. I narrow my eyes and briefly consider tossing my phone into the water. His interruption of this small retreat is just too encompassing of everything that’s wrecking me right now.
