She was touched when he’d simply expected that Aubrey would come with them. There would be other times, she thought. A lifetime for the three of them. But this warm and breezy evening would be for the two of them only.

Giddy laughter continued to rise up in her as she imagined his reaction when she asked him to marry her. She could see it so clearly, the way he would stop, stare at her with surprise in those wonderful blue eyes. She would smile, hold out her hand to him as they glided along with soft wind and dark water. And she would tell himeverything that was in her heart.

I love you so much, Ethan. I always have and always will. Will you marry me? I want us to be a family. I want to live my life with you. To give you children. To make you happy. Haven’t we waited long enough?

Then, she knew, that would be the moment his smile would begin. That slow, beautiful smile that moved degree by degree over the planes and shadows of his face, into his eyes. He would probably say something about how he’d intended to ask her. That he’d been getting to it.

They would both laugh, and they would hold each other as the sun dropped red beyond the shore. And their lives together would really begin.

‘‘Where are you sailing off to, Grace?’’

She blinked, saw Ethan smiling back at her from the wheel. ‘‘Daydreaming,’’ she told him, chuckling at herself. ‘‘Sunset’s the best time for daydreams. It’s so peaceful.’’

She rose, nestled herself under his arm. ‘‘I’m so glad you can take a few hours off so we can do this.’’

‘‘We’re going to have the boat trimmed out within the month.’’ He nuzzled his face in her hair. ‘‘Couple weeks ahead of schedule.’’

‘‘You’ve all worked so hard.’’

‘‘It’s going to be worth it. The owner was here today.’’

‘‘Oh?’’ This was part of it, too, she mused. The easy talk about their days. ‘‘What did he say?’’

‘‘Hardly shut up, so it’s hard to know what he said half the time. Spouted off the latest this and that he’d read in his boating magazines, asked enough questions to make your head ring.’’

‘‘But did he like it?’’

‘‘I figure he was pleased with her, since he grinned like a kid on Christmas morning the whole afternoon. After he left, Cam wanted to bet me that he would run her aground first time out on the Bay.’’

‘‘Did you take the bet?’’

‘‘Hell, no. He likely will. But you haven’t really sailed the Bay until you’ve run aground.’’

Ethan wouldn’t, she mused, watching his big, competent hands on the wheel. He sailed clean.