Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks Page A

round windows, but it was too dark to make out much of the interior. “What did you sail on while you were fixing Happenstance?”
    “We didn’t. There wasn’t enough time, not with working in the shop, teaching classes, and trying to get this one ready.”
    “Did you go through sailing withdrawals?” she asked with a smile, and for the first time, Garrett realized he was enjoying the conversation.
    “Absolutely. But they all went away just as soon as we finished and got her out on the water.”
    Again, she heard the word “we.”
    “I’m sure they did.”
    After admiring the boat for another few seconds, she returned to his side. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Garrett wondered if she knew he was watching her from the corners of his eyes.
    “Well,” she finally said as she crossed her arms, “I’ve probably taken enough of your time.”
    “It’s okay,” he said, and again he felt the sweat on his forehead. “I love to talk about sailing.”
    “I would, too. It always looked like fun to me.”
    “You sound like you’ve never gone sailing before.”
    She shrugged. “I haven’t. I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve never actually had the chance.”
    She looked at him when she spoke, and when their eyes met, Garrett found himself reaching for the bandanna for the second time in a few minutes. Damn, it’s hot out here. He wiped his forehead and heard the words coming out of his mouth before he could stop them.
    “Well, if you’d like to go, I usually take her out after work. You’re welcome to come along this evening.”
    Why he’d said that, he wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe, he thought, it was a desire for female companionship after all these years, if only for a short time. Or maybe it had something to do with the way her eyes lit up whenever she talked. But no matter what the reason, he had just asked her to come with him, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
    Theresa, too, was a little surprised, but she quickly decided to accept. It was, after all, the reason she’d come to Wilmington.
    “I’d love to,” she said. “What time?”
    He put the bandanna away, feeling a little unsettled about what he’d just done. “How about seven o’clock? The sun begins to drop then, and it’s the ideal time to go out.”
    “Seven o’clock is great for me. I’ll bring along something to eat.” To Garrett’s surprise, she looked both pleased and excited about going.
    “You don’t have to do that.”
    “I know, but it’s the least I can do. After all, you didn’t have to offer to bring me along. Are sandwiches okay?”
    Garrett took a small step backward, suddenly needing a little breathing space. “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not that picky.”
    “Okay,” she said, then paused for a moment. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, waiting to see if he’d say anything else. When he didn’t, she absently adjusted the purse on her shoulder. “I guess I’ll see you tonight. Here at the boat, right?”
    “Right here,” he said, and realized how tense he sounded. He cleared his throat and smiled a little. “It will be fun. You’ll enjoy it.”
    “I’m sure I will. See you later.”
    She turned and started down the docks, her hair blowing in the breeze. As she was walking away, Garrett realized what he’d forgotten.
    “Hey!” he shouted.
    She stopped and turned to face him, using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “Yes?”
    Even at a distance she was pretty.
    He took a couple of steps in her direction. “I forgot to ask. What’s your name?”
    “I’m Theresa. Theresa Osborne.”
    “My name’s Garrett Blake.”
    “Okay, Garrett, I’ll see you at seven.”
    With that, she turned and walked briskly away. Garrett watched her retreating figure, trying to make sense of his conflicting emotions. Though part of him was excited about what had just happened, another part of him felt that there was something wrong with the whole thing. He knew there wasn’t