Chapter 37

I wasn't sure how I had expected the day to go. I'd worried about whether Alex and Jonas would hit it off, but of course I shouldn't have - Alex was easy-going and Jonas just didn't care enough to make trouble - apart from anything else he loved sailing as much as I did and was as invested in having a good day as anyone else.

I could tell Alex was a bit taken aback when we finally reached the marina and I had strode confidently on board the Queen Malachite, keys in hand. It wasn't a huge boat, but it was certainly bigger than the wayfarers we had been taking out and would take a crew who knew what they were doing to keep her on course. That was part of the reason I had brought Jonas along - she would sail with two but not when one wasn't sure how to proceed.

We had about two hours to get ready before the tide would be at the right height to leave the marina, and so we set to work immediately, uncovering, unwrapping, running safety checks and so on.

Jonas scampered about as if he had been born on the rigging - and he practically had. though it had been at least a year since I had last been on the yacht it was much like riding a bike - some things you just don't forget. Together the three of us had her ready to go not too long after the tide was in our favor, and after loading her up with the contents of the car we set off.

Alex seemed delighted, although almost shy, on tenterhooks for instructions and a little nervous of taking the initiative, even though she was an instinctively good sailor and generally had a solid idea of what needed done. Once we were out in open water Jonas immediately wanted the wheel, and I was happy to oblige, tasking him with what was to my mind the rather boring job of keeping us on course (a trip around the coast that we'd taken many times before in the past) while Alex and I manned the sails and generally just enjoyed being out on the waves.

Eventually things settled enough that we could talk, albeit loudly in order to be heard over the wind and the waves. "So what do you think?" I called to Alex after having waved a hand to get her attention.

Alex favoured me with a broad grin, and I staunchly attempted to ignore the way my stomach flipped. "She's amazing," she said. "Thank you so much for this," she added. "I know you didn't really need me to be here."

"Like I said before, it's all about the company. There isn't anyone else I'd rather have out here with us." This was, a bit surprisingly, entirely true. It got a shy look in return, and I wondered whether, beneath her windbeaten red cheeks, Alex was blushing as I'd caught her doing a couple of times before.

I was about to say something else when my concentration was broken by a cry of "Mum! I think I saw some dolphins! Definitely bottlenose!" and I dutifully made my way over to take the wheel while Jonas capered around, pointing and taking photographs, tugging Alex around the vessel in his eagerness to share his 'find' with her. Alex seemed enchanted by both the cetaceans in question and by my suddenly excitable, overenthusiastic son, and my cheeks soon ached from grinning.

The day was going well - almost too well, actually. I had expected some kind of friction or awkwardness, but everything - the weather, Jonas's behavior, Alex catching on to her duties - was perfect. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so happy.

 

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