“You’re the captain,” she said as a passing wedge of pelicans winging across our front caught our eyes. “How long will it take us to get back?” she asked.

I checked our position relative to the island. “About an hour and a half,” I replied. “Just long enough for you to catch a nap if you like.”

Patricia gave me a glance. “Now that, Tanner, is another great idea you’ve had today. Wake me when we get close to home.”

“I’ll ring the phone in the cabin,” I said. “Have a good snooze. There’s nothing like a nap on the boat.”

Patricia gave me a smile and, leaving the pilothouse, disappeared into the cabin.

The sun was just at the top of the live oaks on the bluff behind the docks when I eased Miss Rosalie to rest. The tide was dead low and the wind was slack, so I had no problem tying her down by myself. I had let Patricia sleep while I got us docked, but now it was time to call her back to the land of the living. I had just snugged down the spring line and turned to go to the cabin when Patricia emerged from below with a wine bottle in one hand and a large tray balanced in the other.

She smiled when she saw me and called, “How ’bout a little help here; I’ve got my hands full.”

I hopped over and took the tray from her hand. It carried a large platter of deviled crabs, oven-roasted potatoes, along with plates and silverware. The aroma of the food made my mouth water with anticipation.

“Follow me,” I said.

I led the way to the aft deck where I set the platter on the small table that was just in front of the curve of the stern seats. Patricia set down the bottle and then pulled two wineglasses from the breast pockets of her shirt, followed by a corkscrew she fished out of a back pocket of her jeans. I opened and poured the wine while Patricia arranged the table.

I handed Patricia a glass, presented mine, and made a small toast.

“To an excellent day,” I said as we clinked our glasses together.

“Yes, it was,” Patricia replied over the top of her glass.

We sat down to enjoy the meal.

“You are a surprising girl, aren’t you,” I said as I dug into one of the crabs. “And I thought I was going to surprise you by fixing dinner.”

“Darcey coached me through making the crabs you bought, and then told me just how to cook them. When you told me how long the trip back was going to take, I knew I had just enough time,” she replied.

Patricia dug her fork into the open shell and lifted it to her mouth.