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It had been years since she'd been this close to the ocean, and the salty breeze stirred something within her – an inexplicable sense of peace. It was hard to believe that only a few hours earlier, she had been a stranger in this charming corner of the world. Though she couldn't shake off the feeling of being an outsider, there was something about Chesham Cove that made her feel as if she were coming home.
Somewhere here was the exact place where she, Roxanne, and her parents had stood to take that old photo—and Charlotte wanted to find it.
CHAPTER TEN
The sun dipped low in the sky, burning dully through the rain clouds, as Charlotte finally found the spot where the old photograph had been taken. A soft breeze played with her hair, carrying the smell of saltwater and the distant cries of seagulls. The waves crashed against the rocky coastline, their white foam contrasting vividly with the dark stones.
"Roxanne would love this," she murmured to herself, thinking of her sister's affinity for beautiful landscapes. Charlotte’s landscapes were what Roxanne always cooed over.
There was a group of fishermen docked nearby, but she couldn’t imagine asking the any of the brawny outdoorsman to take her picture, and so Charlotte carefully pulled out her phone and glanced at the photograph again, comparing it to the scene before her. The viewpoint was perfect, capturing Chesham Cove's wild beauty.
"Let's see if I can do this justice," Charlotte said resolutely, adjusting the settings on her phone. She scanned the area for a suitable spot to prop up her phone, her artist's eye searching for the right angle and composition.
Spying a flat rock nearby, she placed her phone on it, using her phone stand and some small pebbles to angle it just right. The wind picked up slightly, making her shiver in damp coat, but she smiled at the thought of sharing this moment with her sister. She knew that the photograph would make Roxanne smile—especially since she had no idea yet that Charlotte was halfway around the world.
"Okay, let's do this," Charlotte whispered to herself, taking a deep breath to calm her excitement. Despite the chilly air, the anticipation warmed her from within, a flicker of joy kindled by the simple act of recapturing a memory.
As she positioned herself for the shot, she carefully stepped closer to the water, her eyes focused on the spot where the waves met the shoreline. She stretched her arms out to mimic the pose in the old photograph. The cold wind nipped at her cheeks, but she was determined to recreate the essence of that moment - the happiness and innocence that seemed frozen in time.
However, as she shifted her weight onto her left foot, a sudden gust of wind blew her off balance. Her heart raced as she desperately tried to regain her footing, but it was too late. With a shout, Charlotte toppled into the freezing water, the icy chill momentarily stealing her breath away. She surfaced, sputtering and thrashing.
"Oi, would you look at that!" exclaimed one of the nearby fishermen, his laughter booming across the cove like a foghorn. His companions joined in, their hearty chuckles adding to the cacophony of crashing waves and squawking seagulls.
Mortified, Charlotte struggled with the weight of her soaked coat, shedding it in the water and managing to wade back to knee-high water before collapsing. She blinked the saltwater from her eyes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She could feel the curious gazes of the fishermen on her, each laugh and smirk intensifying her mortification.
I can't believe I just did that.
Charlotte knew she had to get up and move on quickly, lest she wanted to become the laughingstock of Chesham Cove. Ignoring the sting of the icy water against her skin, she pushed herself up and waded back to shore, forcing a tight-lipped smile at the fishermen who continued to snicker at her expense.
"Quite the show, love," one of them called out, his words slurred by his accent. "Didn't know we 'ad ourselves a mermaid here!"
"Very funny," she called back through gritted teeth, wringing out her soaked sweater as she trudged back to where her phone lay, miraculously unharmed. Her coat was lost to the ocean. She picked her phone up, grateful for the small victory amid her current predicament, and tried to muster up the courage to face the fishermen again.
"Thank you for your concern," Charlotte said sarcastically, making sure to keep her voice steady despite the shivers that racked her body. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”
“Under the sea?” another fisherman hollered.
Charlotte turned away from the fishermen, attempting to salvage what little dignity she had left. As she walked away, slipping on the rocks at the water’s edge, she noticed one of the fishermen had stopped laughing. He had a concerned expression on his face as he studied her closely, his eyes a warm shade of brown that stood out against the rugged features of his face. He was undeniably handsome, with the air of someone who'd spent a lifetime working outdoors.
"Are you alright?" he called out, genuine concern lacing his voice. Then, he strode toward her, his boots leaving deep imprints in the wet sand.
Charlotte hesitated for a moment, her pride warring with her need for help. "I'm fine," she finally replied, starting back up the shore and attempting a dismissive wave of her hand. But her voice wavered, and her legs trembled beneath her, betraying her true condition.
The man reached her side in an instant, his strong hand wrapping around her arm to steady her. The warmth of his touch seemed to seep into her cold, wet skin, providing a measure of comfort that she hadn't realized she needed.
"Easy now," he murmured, his grip firm yet gentle. "Let me help you up."
"Thank you," Charlotte said, allowing herself to lean on his sturdy frame. She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment, but there was something reassuring about his presence.
"Looks like the water got the best of you," the fisherman said lightly, his tone teasing but not unkind. "Happens to everyone at some point. Even mermaids. No need to be embarrassed."
Charlotte chuckled, despite her discomfort. "Well, I suppose there are worse ways to make a first impression," she admitted, feeling her spirits lift ever so slightly. “I could have half-drowned someone else.”
"Indeed," Simon agreed, his laughter joining hers as they made their way back to the rocky shoreline. "And it's not every day I get to rescue a damsel in distress. Usually, it’s just fish."
"Is that what I am?" Charlotte asked, her tone playful. "A damsel in distress?"
"Only for today," Simon replied with a wink, helping her onto a rock so she could sit and catch her breath. "But I have a feeling you're more than capable of handling yourself most days."
