You answered before he finished the word checks. He was moving slowly. Clare smiled and let him suffer. After lunch, they wandered through the marina. Clare stopped at a small shop filled with nautical souvenirs and picked up a brass keychain shaped like a tiny kettle.
She laughed. Evan looked at it. That's ridiculous. It's perfect. It doesn't even whistle.
That's probably why it costs $6. She put it back and walked toward the postcards. 10 minutes later, Evan paid for it while she was outside taking a photograph of a gull standing on a piling. He handed it to her on the dock. Clare looked at the keychain, then at him.
You bought me the kettle. It was $6. So, your defense is that your romantic gesture was inexpensive. It is not a romantic gesture. What is it?
Equipment identification. Clare attached it to her camera bag. Thank you. Evan nodded as if the matter had been professionally resolved. They sailed back near sunset.
The wind dropped until blue heron moved almost silently across the water. Clare sat beside Evan in the cockpit, closer than she had been that morning. Neither mentioned it. She pointed toward the main sail. We should replace that lower batten before fall.
Evan looked up. We can do it next Saturday. Clare turned. We He paused. She waited.
Mechanical Wii. That's new. It's a technical term. I'm putting it in the notebook. You burned the notebook.
I photographed every page first. Evan looked genuinely betrayed. Clare laughed. The light softened over the water. For a few seconds, neither said anything.
Clare's shoulder rested against his. Evan looked at her. She looked back. The joke disappeared first. He leaned slightly closer.
So did she. From below deck came a sharp whistle. They both froze. The kettle. Clare closed her eyes.
Evan looked toward the cabin. You left water on. I was making tea. 20 minutes ago. I got distracted.
The kettle whistled again louder this time. Clare started laughing. Evan tried not to. He failed. She stood and headed below.
Very romantic, she said. That word is still not authorized. Clare looked back at him from the companion way. Mechanical romance. Evan shook his head, but he was smiling when she disappeared into the cabin.
3 days later, Daniel called Evan at work. Evan was standing in the middle of a half-finished kitchen while a contractor argued with a cabinet hinge. "No." Daniel hadn't asked anything yet. "That's encouraging," Daniel said. You're becoming efficient.
What do you want? Dinner Friday 7 with you? No. Evan closed his eyes. Daniel continued. Her name is Megan.
She teaches history. She likes sailing. I'm busy. You are always busy on Saturdays now. Friday is still available.
Evan looked at the blueprints in his hand. Daniel lowered his voice. You told me you weren't dating the boat woman. I'm not. Then prove it.
That is an absurd sentence. 7:00. Evan should have refused. Instead, he heard himself say, "One dinner." By Friday afternoon, he had convinced himself the dinner was a good idea.