At Water's Edge
the Smashwords Edition of
a Prefontaine Publication
Copyright © 2012 by Ally Prefontaine
Smashwords License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. It may not be resold or given away. If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy for each person with whom you want to share it. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please return to the same bookseller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
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Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction, a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance or similarity to any actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Credits
Cover photo by Ally Prefontaine. Layout and cover design by Harvey Stanbrough.
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Dedication
This story is dedicated to Richard, Ryan and Kylie, three of life's greatest gifts.
You've taught me to live everyday to the fullest.
Mahalo for encouraging me to never give up.
Remember to always see the positive.
I love you
Glenn, Maui was amazing. Thank you for that memory. Love you.
To my readers, Live Aloha.
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At Water's Edge
Ashlyn Anderson snapped awake, peering into the darkness. The image of his black eyes still haunted her sleep.
A rustling came from the living room. Lifting her head slightly and slowly pulling back the covers, she slid out of bed. The glowing red numbers on the clock did nothing to illuminate the shadows.
The baseball bat rested against the headboard where she'd placed it three months ago. Until now, she hadn't had a reason to use it again. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened as she heard the soft sliding of wood on wood.
The crystal cut door knob was cool to the touch. She gently turned it. The latch slid back easily and the door opened a crack. Ashlyn peeked thru the crevice into the kitchen and living room. The night lights cast a warm glow on the walls. There were no shadows moving.
She pulled the door open a little wider. "Hello?"
Silence.
Holding the bat firmly, she put her back to the door, bracing herself and ready to swing.
"Hello?" she called a little louder.
She sighed as she lowered the bat. Running her hand up the wall, she found the switch; the kitchen light revealed no one hiding in the corners. Relieved, she turned on the lights in the living room as well.
Her home was small. There weren't a lot of places to hide. The guest bedroom door was open, as was the bathroom. There was no one there.
Ashlyn sat down at the kitchen table and laid the bat on it. She rubbed her face with her hands. It'd been a while since she'd wakened terrified. After the first break-in almost a year ago, she'd had a hard time sleeping. Things had improved, but that break-in had left in its wake the occasional night fright with a slight touch of insomnia.
"Might as well stay up now." Flipping the coffee pot to Brew she went in and washed her face. Awake, she sat at her desk and sipped her coffee.
She moved the cursor on her computer screen, then sat back in her chair to peruse what she'd written:
His skull was fractured, his jaw broken. One of his ribs had been completely shattered. There were a few dislocated vertebrae. He was stripped naked, beaten, stomped on, burned with cigarettes and scrubbed raw in places with a wire brush. Some of these had been done previously.
The woman trembled with anger, her arms weary, and her exhausted muscles quivered, causing the flabby fat to wiggle back and forth beneath her arm. It took all of her remaining strength from the near two-hour ordeal to drag his limp body across the floor and roll him into a bathtub filled with cold water, bleach and pine-scented kitchen cleaner. The toxic, acrid air met her nostrils, yet she showed no signs of it affecting her.
Despite his apparent lack of consciousness, he grimaced as she plopped him into the solution. He turned his bleeding head to the side and propped it against the back wall of the tub. Thick blood ran down the trails in the soap scum on the tile, creating a red river leading toward the water. Slowly it dripped off the edge, causing red polka dots to float behind him.
"Clean your sorry ass up!" she shouted. "Damned, lazy, good-for-nothing, son of a bitch!"
He shuddered, his body performing a macabre dance as he went into convulsions. The badly bruised eyelids fluttered open and his soft brown eyes rolled back into his head. Dark blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and one ear.
"Oh shit, don't you die damn you! Delbert!" Her yelling alerted the neighbors, though no one came to his rescue. They had heard it time and time again.
The old trailer park afforded very little space between the tiny tin refuges. Most within earshot knew better than to get involved, and though no one ever really came right out and said anything, they all thought maybe he'd be better off if it ended. At least he would be away from her and his suffering would be over.
"Del?"
His lungs rattled as he drew his final breaths. He stopped moving. The water slowed to a sloshing motion. The only sound was the constant drip of the faucet that hadn't shut completely off in years.
She cocked her head slightly to the side, listening for the smallest sign of life. Bending a little closer, she squinted, watching for the familiar rise and fall of the thin, bruised and bleeding chest. The blood left unique, beautiful swirls and spears of light rose-colored trails in the water as it washed away from his skin. The gentle patterns swirled and took shape, then slowly drifted away with the water.
"Delbert? Delbert!"
One last rush of stale tobacco-damaged breath hissed between his few remaining teeth. The scent of urine briefly mixed with the pine. She watched, almost intrigued, as a small fountain of yellow streamed up, arched and broke free from his flaccid, uncircumcised penis. It pierced the shallow layer of liquid that floated over it in the tub as his body emptied itself.
The likely cause of death was the final blow to the head from the baseball bat that lay in the hallway, ten feet from the tub. She looked over at it, like it was a culprit and had acted on its own accord. Blood and hair was sticking up from the crack it had suffered when she'd wielded it a few moments earlier.
"You son of a bitch... I can't believe this... you ain't never died before." A genuine tear broke free from her eye and she brushed it away with a bloodied knuckle, creating a crimson streak across her cheekbone. "I didn't mean it, Del." She lifted her heavy leg and tapped the bottom of the bloody foot hanging over the edge of the tub with hers. A piece of glass fell free, tinkling as it hit the floor. It had embedded itself as he'd tried to escape through the field of broken jars and plates in the kitchen a few moments earlier. She tapped his foot with hers again, a little harder this time. Nothing.
"You stupid, ignorant ass! Wake up!" Before she knew it she was shouting at the top of her lungs, kicking wildly at the corpse, freeing tiny spatters of blood from the pool around the wounds. Some dotted her face, looking like measles.
Then, as suddenly as she started, she stopped, stepped back and surveyed the scene. He really was dead. She walked into the living room of the tiny trailer; she'd never made a mess this bad before. His sweat pants, which had been cut off and made into shorts, had slipped off as she'd pulled him across the floor by his arms.
Blood was spattered on the walls, counters and floor. Books and second-hand trinkets lay strewn in pieces amid the chaos. She bent and picked up a doll—the top half plastic and the bottom crocheted— it was meant to sit atop a roll of toilet paper. Sadly, lovingly, she flattened the doll's hair with her hand. Del had bought it for her. Holding it to her neck, she tipped her head and gave it a half-hearted hug. She glanced around the room, stopping on the trash, which was what had started it all. It was still contained neatly in its black bag, tied at the top. Ironically, it seemed to be the only thing that had survived untouched.
Ashlyn sighed and shook her head. "That doesn't look right." She typed a bit more. "No." She tried again. Frustrated, she tossed her reading glasses on the desk. "Forget it. Darned spell check doesn't even recognize it." She rubbed her eyes and pushed back slightly in her chair.
Smiling, she skimmed the page on the monitor. It was one of the bloodiest scenes she'd written in a while, and she was proud of it. That was the beauty of writing. She could embrace the darker side of herself and create the gruesome scenes on a page. Most people who harbored these thoughts feared them or hid from them.
The clock chimed mid-morning, and her stomach growled. She'd been up for hours, working. This would be her eighth novel to be published, yet she wasn't so big she could afford to miss deadlines.
Ashlyn stretched and walked into the kitchen, twisting her back, the popping sound releasing the tension. She opened the refrigerator and took silent inventory: a half-full bottle of merlot, a can of ground coffee, butter, ketchup and a package of something from a fast food window; the writing had long ago disappeared. "Holy crap, I need to do some shopping."
She glanced at the empty vegetable drawers and shelving in the door and shook her head.
"Camp Town Races" began to chime from her living room. The doorbell was annoying but it had come with the house. She shut the refrigerator door and glanced out the kitchen window. "Damn it!" she muttered and looked at the calendar: Nick! 8:30 AM. Time had gotten away from her. The clock read nine o'clock; he was rarely on time and today was no exception. They kept in touch mostly through email, phone and the occasional in-town business lunch. It'd been six months since he'd been to her home. She stepped into the living room and opened the door, greeting him coolly. "Nick." His six-foot four-inch frame cut a striking silhouette against the morning sun. It was one that was familiar to her, and could still make her flush with excitement.
"Ash. Still have that wonderful doorbell, I hear." He teasingly nodded. "How's the editing coming?" He smiled that charming smile of his, giving way to the sexiest dimples. She'd never seen the likes of them on anyone else. He stepped past her, inviting himself into her home, his arrogance annoying as usual. His cologne was light and lingering, yet enticing. She presumed he'd worn it intentionally, knowing it was her favorite.
"It's coming along." She stepped back, issuing him an invitation as an afterthought, with a mocking wave of her hand and a slight bow, then closed the door.
He took no notice of her sarcasm. "I know you'll make your date. You always do. My job as your editor is to drop by and measure your progress."
Her smile was weak, forced. "Yes, I know." He loved to remind her that he was still very much a part of her professional life. He took just about every opportunity to do so.
Theirs was the traditional love-hate relationship. The chemistry was tremendous, the desire overwhelmingly undeniable. Sex had never been an issue with them, and each time was exciting and new. She did miss that from time to time. He had a way with her body, but she refused to feed his enormous ego. In that way, she became the one he couldn't have. That frustrated him.
"So?" He turned toward her, flashing that smile again. "Are you going to let me see it?"
"Actually, no. I haven't fine tuned it and—" He began to make his way to her computer.
"Excuse me?" Her voice lifted a bit.
"That's okay; I just want to see it." He turned. "Unless you don't want me in your bedroom. That is still where you keep your computer isn't it?"
"Yes, it is." She walked past him, placing herself between him and the entrance to her room "And I'm hesitant only because it isn't quite done. I still have a bit more on the last chapter, and then you can have it."
"Okay, I'll buy that." His deep brown eyes locked with hers. They could melt her, and he banked on it. "Tell you what, why don't you give me a call when you're done? I'll come back by then, unless you want me to stay now while you wrap things up."
"No, no. You go. I have things I have to do today."
"Oh?"
"Yes, I do, Nick. I'll get the book done, but I have to go into town and do some shopping and get my spare tire fixed for the truck. Then I'll get right back on it. It'll be done by tonight." She took him by the elbow and began moving him toward the front door. A seductive tone crept into her voice. "In fact, I'll make you a deal."
"Oh? What?" His eyebrow crooked up on one side.
"I'm so sure I'll have this done by tonight, that if you haven't heard from me by… let's say, five o'clock? Then you can come back by and I'll…." She lowered her voice nearly to a whisper and her eyes softened. She gently licked her lips.
He smiled. "You'll what?"
She leaned in really close.
He bent down.
She put her lips next to his ear and said breathlessly, "I'll have it done by six. You can sit out here and wait for it." She opened the door. "Bye-bye now. See you at six." She grinned and firmly closed the door.
"Hey, Ash?"
"What?" A sigh of annoyance escaped her as she called back through the door.
"Do you always leave your curtains flapping in the breeze through the window?"
"What?" She opened the door, he pointed to the guest bedroom window where a corner of the curtain was blowing gently in the morning breeze. She frowned.
"Ash? You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." She lowered her gaze to the porch.
"What?"
"It's nothing really."
Nick looked at the flapping fabric. "Ash? Did you have another break-in?"
She shrugged. "It's silly I know. No. I thought I heard something this morning. I've been up since three." Nodding toward the window, she added, "I'm not sure if I did that last night when I closed the house up or not. I'm just being paranoid and imagining things."
Nick stepped toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Ash, you're not being silly. You woke to a man standing over you in the middle of the night, his face just inches from your own." He paused, his face showed genuine concern. "That's not silly, and it's not imagined. To be honest, you've handled it much better than I would've." He lifted her head up so he could see her eyes. "Maybe you should consider getting a dog or an alarm system or something. Might help you sleep a little easier at night."
She thought for a moment. "I could see maybe getting a dog. An alarm, I don't know. I've always thought people who had those were paranoid. Besides, being out of town and all, it'd take a unit time to respond. I'd probably feel safer with a dog I think. Maybe you're right. I'll think about it."
He smiled and brushed her cheek with his thumb. "I could always move in." He winked. "Not like I almost didn't live here before. That way you'd have a real man around to protect you."
She shook her head. "You'll never change, will you?"
"Do you really want me too?"
"Your enormous ego, yes!" She smiled.
"Okay, okay. I have a small character flaw." He winked and chucked her under the chin. "So, manuscript at six, right?"
"Yes."
He stepped off the porch. "See'ya then."
She closed the door and leaned against the frame for a moment. She'd have the manuscript wrapped up by three at the latest, and then he'd be off her back.
Ashlyn watched through the window as he drove down her dirt road. She loved living in the country. She wasn't that far out of town, but it was enough to make her feel separated from society. Though she was aware of the drawbacks, solitude was something she enjoyed.
She knew Nick was a great guy. After they quit seeing each other romantically, the magnetism had gotten stronger. The chemistry was irrefutable. Every conversation they had held a sexual undertone, as if her refusing to give in made the feeling even stronger for both of them. She paused a moment longer, taking in the scent of his cologne lingering on the air. Her eyes closed as she recalled the first time he had worn it…
They were meeting Susie and Leroy, friends of both, for dinner. He'd picked her up promptly for a change, and she'd kissed him deeply at her door. He'd worn the same cologne then, and it had intoxicated her. As they began the drive into town, Ashlyn had run her finger up and down his leg, reaching high on his inner thigh. She followed the crease of his leg and occasionally brushed against his bulging zipper.
He had playfully scolded her. "Stop that, young lady, or I'll pull this truck over right now."
Her mood had increased with every touch. "Aw. have I been a bad girl?"
"I'm serious, Ash." He had laughed and smiled, not sure whether she was teasing or not.
She'd picked up her phone and dialed Susie. "Hey girl, Nick is late as usual. Go ahead and get a table. We'll be there soon; he's on his way." She paused for a moment, listening to her friend as Nick glanced at her, wondering what she was doing. She smiled at him and blew him a kiss. "Okay, Sweetie, see you soon!" She snapped the phone shut and unlatched her seat belt. "There. Now we have time." She grabbed his crotch and massaged it as she raised up and whispered in his ear…
The chime of her cuckoo clock brought her back into her living room. Smiling, she walked to the table, gathered her keys and check book, locked the door and left.
#
Ashlyn shopped with ease, her mind worked better after a well-deserved break.
Conscious of her curvier body, she'd been trying to shed a few pounds. Her cart was filled with yogurt, cottage cheese and rice cakes. Produce was high on her list and the store had plenty. Apples, pineapple, strawberries and oranges were all in the cart. But what were apples without some wonderfully flavored cheese atop the slices? So with a little guilt over the calories, she got three different flavors of her favorites.
She exited the store and stopped on the wooden sidewalk, glancing around at the quiet little town. After her parents died, she'd found this safe haven during one of her road trips and had fallen in love with it. Living here was the closest thing to heaven she could imagine. It was quaint and friendly. Neighbors still knew neighbors, and everyone helped one another.
When it wasn't buzzing with tourists, it was truly a scene right out of the old west. For those who enjoyed the calm, it was Utopia; for those who lived in the big cities at a frantic pace, it was an escape; and for most who came to visit, it was a place to wind down and get back to a simpler lifestyle, if only for a few hours.
Ashlyn placed the groceries into her truck and climbed in. She needed fuel. Moments later she pulled into the little gas station at the corner, and when she crossed over the hoses, the familiar ding-ding alerted the attendant he had customers.
"Hey Ashlyn... fill up today?"
"Thanks, Snuffy. Yes please." She didn't know his real name. "How's the family? Haven‘t seen Charlotte around much. What's she up to?"
He began washing her windshield. "Family's good. The wife went out of town a while back to see the grandkids, you know. She's still gone. They sure grow fast." He wiped off the wipers with a blue cloth, and as the pump shut off, he looked over at it. "That'll be thirty-six fifty. Need the oil or water checked today?"
Ashlyn reached in her purse and gave him forty dollars. "No thanks. Got those last week. Here you go, and keep the change." Everyone tipped the attendants. "You have a great day!"
He slipped the money into his pocket.
Ashlyn said, "Oh, one more thing, can you take the tire in the bed and fix it? It's got a nail in it. I will pick it up on my next trip."
"Sure. No problem. Thanks, Ashlyn. You have a great day too! How's the next book coming?"
"Almost done! It'll be in print in a couple months." Humbled by his interest, she didn't feel as special as she was sometimes treated. In a town this small, even the smallest accomplishment made big headlines. So here, Ashlyn Anderson was revered.
She felt bad for Snuffy. His wife had been gone for well over two months now. Seems like he was the only one who didn't realize she wasn't coming back. The whole town—well, the whole town except Snuffy—was aware she'd been having an affair with the grounds keeper at the courthouse, where she worked in the cafeteria.
He was a good-old-boy type who believed his wife when she said she was working weekends. There was a fine line between trusting blindly and being blind. Her heart went out to him. She waved out the window, smiling at him as she pulled into the street.
The five mile trip to her home was quiet, mostly dirt road and trees. She thought about the lake. She went there often. She kept a twenty-five foot cabin cruiser in a slip, using it frequently, especially when she had writer's block. The tall red cliffs and the deep purple sunsets of the desert lake offered her solitude and inspiration. It was a three-hour drive each way, but that was also an enjoyable part of the trip as it offered a barren beauty all its own.
Often, she took her boat into one of the many canyons in the lake and dropped anchor, floating in the shadows of the rocks, occasionally skinny dipping when the temperatures got too hot. But mostly her day consisted of enjoying a cool glass of sangria, her laptop and the quiet beauty of nature.
Suspended on the water, gently bobbing up and down, Ashlyn was at home. The red cliffs made her feel small and insignificant, while the simplistic beauty of the patterns on the rock inspired her to write. There, troubles seemed to melt away, and a humbled calm replaced them.
She watched butterflies flitting around the wild flowers by the side of the road, and the dusty clouds billowing up behind her as she drove. A rabbit jumped out in front of her and she stepped on the brake hard, causing the truck to slide to a stop. The rabbit hopped away as the dust enfolded the space where it had been.
She watched as it disappeared into the tall grass, then bent down to pick up her cell phone, which had slid to the floor. As she straightened, she noted a car coming up behind her. She gently stepped on the gas and continued on her way.
The sun was high in the sky as she pulled into her drive. The car that was following went past slowly. Ashlyn waved to the driver, gathered her groceries and went inside. She glanced at the clock.
"If I hurry, I can finish the story and leave for the lake. I should arrive by six at the latest".
Quickly she put away her purchases, placing some of the items into a cooler, along with a bag of ice.
For the next two hours Ashlyn buried herself in her work, feverishly reading every word, catching all the tiny errors she'd missed in previous edits. She was a perfectionist, something that drove Nick crazy, but he appreciated it when she handed him a finished piece and there was little else to do but put it into print.
Finishing ahead of schedule, she placed the corrected CD the story was on in an envelope, then grabbed a pen and wrote, Nick, I finished faster than I thought I would. Going to the lake. Be back day after tomorrow. Talk to you then. Ash
She opened her overnight bag and threw in a couple tee shirts, a swim suit and some panties. Then, grabbing her laptop, cord and back up battery, she put them in her truck. Taking the cooler chest and placing the envelope on the outside of the door, she locked up and left.
As she loaded the cooler, a glint in the sun up the road caught her eye. Shielding her eyes from the glare with her hand, she saw that the car that had passed her earlier had pulled over. She squinted against the bright sun, trying to get a closer look. The trunk appeared to be open, and a man was kneeling next to the rear tire as if changing it. She hesitated.
"I'm not going to let this paralyze me." She said as she jumped in and shut the door to her truck.
A moment later, she stuck her head out the window. "Hi. Do you need some help?"
"No thanks," the man said without lifting his head. He was focused on his task.
"You sure? I don't mind. I've changed a few tires in my day."
He lifted his head, wiping the sweat from his nose and mouth with his arm. His hat brim covered his eyes, protecting them from the sun. He reached for the tire iron. "Nope, got her done, just have to tighten the lugs. Thanks though."
"Okay. Well, have a good day."
She pulled slowly away so the dust didn't kick back on him.
He watched her pull away. She was as pretty as he'd remembered. He was happy he'd gotten to see her in the light of day.
#
Her boat, Bateau, French for boat, called to her. She was anxious to answer. It was a part of her, like an old friend.
She kept it stocked with the usual things, bottled water, toiletries, blankets, towels and pillows. She had gotten a flat screen TV with a built in DVD player so she could watch movies, so it was literally a home away from home. She loved being on the water. It was a silent lover, fulfilling all her needs and leaving her satisfied, yet always wanting more.
She wondered whether Nick had stopped by yet.
She shook her head. Nick…. A delicate smile crossed her face. She truly loved him on some level, but she would never let him know.
They'd known each other for many years, meeting when she was seventeen. He was two years her senior. They'd dated for two years, then had gone their separate ways and married others, but they'd always remained in touch.
He had divorced and remarried, while she pushed her way through a relationship that was volatile at best, deciding thereafter, it wasn't worth it. Then she began to focus on her career.
Off and on throughout the years, they'd phoned, always exchanging pleasantries, but it never went further.
Nick divorced a second time and remained single. After a few years they got back in touch. Her heart pounded a little harder the day he let her know he was on the market again.
He'd become very successful over the years as an editor and his ego had taken over. Eventually Ashlyn found her voice in writing and Nick was a vehicle in helping her get published. Their friendship flourished. It turned romantic over time, but eventually they had to go their own ways to save their professional relationship.
She looked at her phone and considered calling him. Suddenly she missed him more than she had in years. Seeing him had brought back a flood of feelings, some of them physical. It had been a while. She glanced at the phone again, then in her rearview mirror. Finally she reached for her phone and speed dialed his number before she lost her nerve.
"You've reached Nick Morrison. Leave a message and your number and I'll get right back with you. If this is pertaining to business, please call my office and I'll get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks and have a great day!"
The phone beeped, and Ashlyn stammered, "Umm hey, Nick… it's Ash…." She flushed with heat. "I just wanted to let you know I left the CD on the porch for you. I'm going to the lake for the next couple nights." She hesitated for a moment. "If you have any questions or anything, you know where to find me." Pausing for a brief moment, she said, "Talk to you later." She snapped shut the phone.
"Damn it! All you had to say was come on out to the boat, and we can talk about the manuscript. But no, you couldn't even do that." She briefly considered calling him back, but quickly dismissed the idea. "Oh well… I really need the down time anyway." A smile adorned her lips as she recalled his kiss, his touch. Then she frowned and yelled "Damn it!" as she slammed her open hand against the top of the steering wheel. Her stubborn side always annoyed her.
"Will I stand in the way of my own happiness my whole life?"
#
Nick pulled up in front of her house and got out as his phone began to beep. He shut the door.
"Damn it, where is she?" He looked at her small, Cape-Cod style home. There was an old weeping willow in the front yard. Lilac bushes, one pink, one purple, stood on either side of the drive. She had bright pink, yellow and orange hibiscus in the front outlining her home, with a group of black hollyhocks in each corner. Mixed in below them all was a solid blanket of purple and white alyssum. It was a spectacular blend. Simple, yet colorful.
She took pride in her garden and tended it every morning as the sun came up. Keeping her yard neatly manicured was a priority. Her grass was always mowed, her flower beds neat and weed free, and even the bird feeders got a weekly bath.
Nick approached the porch with trepidation. Something didn't feel right. Then he noticed the envelope on the door. Reading the note, he smiled.
She always comes through for us both.
His phone began ringing in his car, so he took the envelope and trotted back to get it. "Hello? This is Nick."
Silence, then, "Hey… it's me."
His heart skipped a beat, and a smile he couldn't stop came over him. "Ash! Hi! Did you just call a bit ago?"
"Yeah, I left you a message about the book."
"I heard the phone beep that I had a message as I got out of my car. Must have dropped the signal for a moment as I never heard it ring. Anyway, I just got the envelope off the door." He looked toward the porch and realized what was wrong. "Did you leave the window open to the kitchen?"
Ashlyn thought for a moment. "No, I'm certain I didn't. I don't recall even opening it. Why?"
"Well, it's open just a bit." He could have stuck his hand through the opening but didn't want to frighten her.
"Huh! That's odd. Okay… well, you know where the spare key is. Would you check things out and close it for me. There was a car pulled over down the road a bit from the house when I left. The driver was changing a tire, had the car jacked up and everything. Seemed benign enough, but just in case, would you let me know if everything is okay?"
"Sure, I can do that. I'll go in right now while we're on the phone. Speaking of which, you called me… what's up?"
Ashlyn paused, debating on telling him she was calling to make sure he got her message, or the truth. Mustering her courage, she said, "Well, as you know from the envelope, I'm at the lake… well, not yet, but I'm almost there." She paused again, and took a deep breath. "I thought maybe you could come down here and we could talk business."
He smirked as he reached for the key. "Business huh? You trust me?"
Hearing the smirk in his voice, she rolled her eyes. "Yes, business. But if you don't think you can do that, I understand." She felt a flush at his question of trust. The last time he'd asked whether she trusted him he was in the doorway of her bedroom, naked, holding up a blindfold.
Nick remained silent as he opened the door. Then he said, "Well, my schedule is clear for the rest of the weekend." He stopped speaking and slowly stepped over the threshold, entering the living room, glancing around cautiously. There was no sign of anyone present. "Of course I can keep it all business… the question is, can you?"
Ashlyn thought, There's that arrogance again. "Are you in the house? And don't worry about me, business is business."
Nick walked about. Someone had been in the house. He could feel it. He didn't want to freak her out, so he kept up the banter. "Yeah, I'm in your room… never thought I'd be in here again." He noted the dresser, the drawer with her panties and pajamas was opened slightly. Did she leave it open? It wasn't like her to do that. She was very meticulous. "Tell you what… if you promise you can keep your hands off me, I could stand some downtime at the lake." He took one more look around, satisfying himself that whomever had been there was long gone. "Everything seems to be here, Kiddo." He glanced at her desk. The docking station for her laptop was empty. "I know this is a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway. You have your laptop with you, right?"
She grinned. "Do I ever leave home without it?"
"Nope. Okay, all's good then."
Going back out to the kitchen, he picked up a dish towel so as to not disturb any fingerprints just in case and closed the window, then locked it.
"You at the lake yet?"
"Almost… about twenty minutes away."
"Okay. Let me stop and pick up a few things. I'll be right on your tail."
She smiled. "Great! I'll stay in the slip. If you change your mind, call."
He locked up the house and pocketed the key, not wanting to take a chance on someone seeing where he put it, though obviously not having a key hadn't stopped whomever had wanted in. "Wait for me. I'll be there in a couple hours."
She hung up, tapping the phone against her chin. She was excited, but a little concerned about how the weekend would end. She'd just lit a small torch that could burn out of control if she wasn't careful. It had been a couple years since they'd been together, but felt more like yesterday.
When she arrived at the lake, the water was like glass, and there weren't many boats on it. The parking lot held only a handful of vehicles.
As she walked along the docks she recognized a few people and waved to them.
They waved back, "You here again?"
She smiled. "Yeah… you know me, gotta have my water fix!" They all laughed. "See ya around the lake!"
Stepping onto the transom, she unsnapped the cockpit cover, folded it and stored it beneath the aft bench. She unlocked the bi-fold door to the cabin and stepped inside. The air was a little stale, but nothing a few minutes of open windows wouldn't cure. Quickly she opened the hatch above the v-berth and the tiny oval window in the bathroom, then flipped on the small oscillating fan she had mounted to a wall.
She loved her boat. If it was all she had in life, she'd be happy.
Leaving the cabin to air out, she flipped on the power and unlocked the small storage unit on the dock, then removed a foldable cart. Snapping it into place she pulled it back to her truck and loaded it up, then locked her truck and walked back to the boat. She loaded everything on the back end of it, broke the cart down and put it back in the shed, then began the arduous task of carrying it all down into the cabin and securing it.
After giving the refrigerator a chance to cool, she unloaded the chest and her food. She'd stopped at a small store by the docks and bought some wine. Nick loved red wine as much as she did. She already had candles on board, as she loved the ambiance they provided even when she was alone. She put the wine in the small refrigerator to chill.
Quickly she cleaned the cockpit, bathroom and galley. It was a small boat, but the design was great and there was a lot of space. She looked at the aft cabin, not wanting to appear anxious, she made it up for him.
With a while to wait, she took the boat out. She loved the feeling of the wind through her hair, the light spray of the water on her body. It was so freeing. She went up a few of the fingered canyons that broke off from the main channel. On the water, she was as free and without a care in the world.
After a while, she returned to the slip to wait, skillfully backing the boat into the dock. She took a quick shower, popped in a DVD, threw on her favorite sweats and tank top, and settled down to watch the movie.
As the music and credits began, her mind drifted back to Nick. He was a wonderful man, even if he was a bit loquacious. She couldn't help but be drawn to him it seemed. She got more and more excited at the thought of his arrival. If he didn't hurry though, they would have to spend the evening in the slip, which meant less privacy.