both. After being in salt water for so long, I don’t think the engine’s salvageable. As for the dinghy, instead of trying to patch three holes, I think it goes down with the engine. We’ll motor out to deep water and cut the lines.”
Sam wanted to ask if they could make the rest of the trip across through the Bahamas, across the Atlantic, past Cuba and into the Caribbean, without a dinghy, but stopped short, realizing she didn’t know what was next for them. After all, she still had the ticket to Miami tucked away in her purse. True, she had missed the flight, but they could swap it for another. Drew read her hesitation and beat her to the punch.
“No way I can make the trip without a dinghy, not and be in open water so much, until I get to the British Virgin Islands.” He took a sip of his coffee. “We have to go back to Andros Town. No use for me to try to continue the journey without the urn. I have to track Bynum down and get that urn back. I could care less about the diamond. But without the urn, there won’t be a payoff in the BVI. Besides, I guess you’ll be anxious to change your ticket and get out of here.”
“Do you think there’s any chance of finding him?” Sam ignored the comment about the ticket. She wasn’t ready to think about leaving yet.
“I don’t know, but I have to try. It’s only been about twelve hours. Maybe the trail is still fresh enough to get to him before he moves on. Can’t see him being in any hurry, given he thinks we’re . . . he thinks we’re gone. Besides, I’m sure I can pick up a dinghy in Andros Town for a couple of grand. Even if I don’t find the urn, I’ll need a new dinghy to get back to Fairhope.”
Sam hadn’t thought the situation through. She hadn’t thought about Drew going back to Fairhope. He had even said he couldn’t go back. And now he was considering it? The idea sank deeply into her heart and for a moment she wanted to cry. That scenario quickly put a damper on the events of the night before.
It was obvious she couldn’t go back to Fairhope, although she had hoped she could stay with Drew. So much for crazy notions. She suddenly felt foolish. How could she think there could be any future with this man? But he was right, what choice did he have but to go home and then back to school if he couldn’t deliver the urn? Time to face reality. Back to earth.
The situation was rapidly putting a limit to her choices, narrowing them to only one option. And that was to go ahead with the original plan of starting a new life somewhere else–without Drew. Try as she may, she couldn’t hide the hurt the situation had dealt her.
“Are you all right?”
“Me? Yeah, of course.” She was suddenly uncomfortable in the T-shirt. “So, do you think I’ll have any problems changing the reservation?”
Drew looked down, and for a moment Sam was confident that perhaps he wasn’t feeling good about them parting ways in Andros Town any more than she was. But he soon looked up and smiled. “Nah, I don’t think you’ll have any problems. And if you do, I can help you get another ticket.”
Sam willed the tears away. After the night they had spent, how could he be so obtuse? Then it occurred to her and she suddenly saw him as before. This was Drew Richey–the one with the reputation. He was following his reputation of loving ‘em and leaving ‘em to the T, and she apparently had fallen into the trap and become his next victim. She wanted to be anywhere other than where she was at the moment.
He stood and moved close to her. “That is what you wanted, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t read his face. He was aloof, distance, defensive. “Yeah, of course that’s what I want. I can’t go back to Fairhope, no way. Definitely time to get on with my life. And I’m sure they’ll let me exchange my ticket, and then you’ll be rid of me and on your way–wherever that ends up being.”
“It’s not like that, Sam . . . Sam?” he whispered, and his
Sam wanted to ask if they could make the rest of the trip across through the Bahamas, across the Atlantic, past Cuba and into the Caribbean, without a dinghy, but stopped short, realizing she didn’t know what was next for them. After all, she still had the ticket to Miami tucked away in her purse. True, she had missed the flight, but they could swap it for another. Drew read her hesitation and beat her to the punch.
“No way I can make the trip without a dinghy, not and be in open water so much, until I get to the British Virgin Islands.” He took a sip of his coffee. “We have to go back to Andros Town. No use for me to try to continue the journey without the urn. I have to track Bynum down and get that urn back. I could care less about the diamond. But without the urn, there won’t be a payoff in the BVI. Besides, I guess you’ll be anxious to change your ticket and get out of here.”
“Do you think there’s any chance of finding him?” Sam ignored the comment about the ticket. She wasn’t ready to think about leaving yet.
“I don’t know, but I have to try. It’s only been about twelve hours. Maybe the trail is still fresh enough to get to him before he moves on. Can’t see him being in any hurry, given he thinks we’re . . . he thinks we’re gone. Besides, I’m sure I can pick up a dinghy in Andros Town for a couple of grand. Even if I don’t find the urn, I’ll need a new dinghy to get back to Fairhope.”
Sam hadn’t thought the situation through. She hadn’t thought about Drew going back to Fairhope. He had even said he couldn’t go back. And now he was considering it? The idea sank deeply into her heart and for a moment she wanted to cry. That scenario quickly put a damper on the events of the night before.
It was obvious she couldn’t go back to Fairhope, although she had hoped she could stay with Drew. So much for crazy notions. She suddenly felt foolish. How could she think there could be any future with this man? But he was right, what choice did he have but to go home and then back to school if he couldn’t deliver the urn? Time to face reality. Back to earth.
The situation was rapidly putting a limit to her choices, narrowing them to only one option. And that was to go ahead with the original plan of starting a new life somewhere else–without Drew. Try as she may, she couldn’t hide the hurt the situation had dealt her.
“Are you all right?”
“Me? Yeah, of course.” She was suddenly uncomfortable in the T-shirt. “So, do you think I’ll have any problems changing the reservation?”
Drew looked down, and for a moment Sam was confident that perhaps he wasn’t feeling good about them parting ways in Andros Town any more than she was. But he soon looked up and smiled. “Nah, I don’t think you’ll have any problems. And if you do, I can help you get another ticket.”
Sam willed the tears away. After the night they had spent, how could he be so obtuse? Then it occurred to her and she suddenly saw him as before. This was Drew Richey–the one with the reputation. He was following his reputation of loving ‘em and leaving ‘em to the T, and she apparently had fallen into the trap and become his next victim. She wanted to be anywhere other than where she was at the moment.
He stood and moved close to her. “That is what you wanted, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t read his face. He was aloof, distance, defensive. “Yeah, of course that’s what I want. I can’t go back to Fairhope, no way. Definitely time to get on with my life. And I’m sure they’ll let me exchange my ticket, and then you’ll be rid of me and on your way–wherever that ends up being.”
“It’s not like that, Sam . . . Sam?” he whispered, and his
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