Clear as Day by Babette James

on the water.”
    “Hijinks? And what business is it of yours, Ms. Harper?” Dave’s eyes narrowed.
    “I was only trying to be nice.” Olivia crossed her arms and slowly raised her chin to give him a surprisingly firm don’t-mess-with-me stare with those soft brown eyes.
    Dave glared back at her, his eyes gone hard as topaz. “Well, don’t bother.”
    “I won’t.” She heaved an exasperated sigh and set her book aside. “Mercy and a half, carry a little attitude around, do you?” She launched out of her chair, scooped up her cigarettes and lighter, and walked primly to the farthest edge of the beach.
    “Hell.” Dave shook his head, slapped his towel over the nearby chair, and stomped off to his boat.
    Whoa. What just happened there? Kay glanced at JoAnn.
    JoAnn rolled her eyes. “I have no idea. Full moon?”
    Over on Dave’s boat, Nate must have asked Dave the same thing, because Dave flipped him the finger as he hopped onboard, and shrugged off whatever Nate said next.
    Dave shoved on his sunglasses and snarled over his shoulder, “Okay, who’s next? Shake a leg.”
    After the skiing finished, folks drifted off, each to their own pre-lunch relaxation, mostly napping and reading. Olivia hovered about, smoking in fits and starts, and after JoAnn had a quiet talk with her, she grabbed her beach bag and left for a walk. JoAnn curled up for a nap in the shade. Kay flaked out on a perfect opportunity to talk with Nate alone when he moved the Whisper around to her camp, and instead leapt at his suggestion to kick back and hang with Patti and Margie. She told herself she just didn’t want to rush into saying anything stupid.
    When Olivia hadn’t returned by lunch, Mark voiced his concern. “Shouldn’t we make sure she’s okay?”
    JoAnn tossed him the head of lettuce. “She’s over at High Water resting. Just leave her be for a while. Chop that up for me.” She gave a pointed frown at Dave.
    Dave had the grace to flush, and then scowled sulkily and buried his head in the nearest cooler to pull out condiments for lunch.
    Nate tugged Kay into his arms while they set the table and whispered into her ear, “Any clue what his problem is?”
    “No idea.”
    R.J. arrived back at camp after lunch was finished and the food cleared away.
    “Hey, where’s lunch?”
    “Done and over.”
    “Where’s Olivia?”
    JoAnn set her book on the table and fixed him with a cool stare over the rim of her sunglasses. “Like you care.” She picked up her book and resumed reading.
    Kay waved a hand in the direction of the cooler. “You can go ahead and fix a sandwich yourself. Stuff’s in the cooler.”
    R.J. stared as if shocked she hadn’t leapt right up to serve him. Then, after she settled more comfortably into her seat, he shot her a pissy look and stomped off to the cooler without a word. He built his sandwich, piled chips on the paper plate, and popped a beer. He dropped into the chair opposite JoAnn and Kay and plowed into his sandwich.
    As soon as he finished eating, he took off in his boat again, leaving his dirty plate and half-finished beer on the table.
    By one o’clock, most everyone headed out for fishing or cruising. Mark stayed behind to catch up on reading for a course he was taking. Nate volunteered to tag along with Chuck to fetch Pippa and April, and he promised to hit the store for Kay and grab her ski out of her truck so she could stay behind to get some painting done in peace and quiet.
    Nate kissed her. “Love ya. Be good.”
    They were simple words, ones he said all the time online, but this time a bubbly feeling, strange, strong and potent, welled up in her, and she cupped his cheek and kissed him back.
    Whoops and catcalls broke out. Nate grinned, proud and happy.
    Why couldn’t she feel like that, sure and happy, instead of this confusion? She didn’t recognize herself anymore.
    Love ya . Had his casual, flip phrase been him saying I love you all these years?
    Kay headed back to her own