“Yes, I could see that,” he said dryly. “I just came down to make some more mimosas.”

“I’m going back up,” Lina said, avoiding Nick’s eyes as she stepped around him.

Lina joined the rest of the group in the helm area of the boat, sinking down onto a cushioned bench seat as she breathed in the sea air and tried to get a handle on her emotions. Her heart felt like it was beating a hundred miles a minute.

“How long have you and Nick been together?” Dana asked.

“We’re not together,” Lina said quickly. “We’re just friends.”

Another woman laughed. “I’ve known Nick over fifteen years, and he definitely thinks of you as more than a friend.”

“He’s just coming out of his relationship with Emily, so…” She trailed off when Nick and a fresh pitcher of mimosas arrived.

Lina lost herself in the day, not thinking of her children or Phil as she drank, ate and laughed with Nick and his friends while they enjoyed a beautiful day on the water. Where Phil’s conversations with his friends, brothers or colleagues would invariably turn to sports, Nick’s exchanges that day jostled from the plight of women in the Middle East, to ideas on battling the increasing addiction to drugs in America, to the upcoming theatre season. The only time the conversation even remotely touched sports was a brief discussion on the rising number of concussions in youth soccer, and while she knew she was a bit outmatched by the breadth of some of their knowledge, Lina still found their discussions a refreshing change.

“Do you see the house with the two chimneys to the right?” Nick asked, pointing towards the shore. “Just steer towards it.” He was standing behind her at the wheel of the boat. “That’s it. Just keep on that course.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be responsible for turning the boat over.”

“I don’t want you to be responsible for that either,” he teased. One of his hands rested on her hip, a place it had been more often than not over the course of the day.

“I’m serious,” she laughed. “I’ve never steered a boat before.”

“You’re fine.” He began dropping feather-light kisses on the side of her neck. “More than fine.”

“Nick,” she breathed.

“Yes, Lina?”

“You said we could only be friends for now.”

“I changed my mind.”

Chapter 39

39

It was almost dark when Lina and Nick walked across the marina parking lot towards her car, the sound of gravel kicking up under their feet piercing the evening air. “This is me,” she said, stopping beside Phil’s BMW.

“New?”

“No.” She tossed her things in the back seat before turning from the car, her heart rate accelerating as she met his eyes.

He took her hand, tugging her towards him. “Thanks for coming.”