“Our date should be fun,” Jackson told her. “This is not fun. Come on.”
He took her in his arms. He felt so strong and steady that for a moment, she felt just a little bit better. Carefully, with the help of Fred, she made her way off the sailboat and into the speedboat. She wasn’t quite sure how changing one boat for another was going to help, but she was willing to do anything to feel better at this point.
Jackson exchanged some words with Fred before hopping in the driver’s seat. He made sure that Emma was as comfortable as she could be before turning on the engine and pulling away from his sailboat.
The speedboat was a vast improvement over the sailboat. With the extra speed and the wind in her face, she started to feel better. The motion of the waves was far less in this boat. They were going so fast that it felt more like a car. A car drive she could handle.
Slowly, she sat up. They weren’t heading in the direction she thought the marina was. They weren’t even heading in the direction she thought land was.
“Where are we going?” she asked, looking around.
Jackson looked over at her. “To dinner. If you’re ready.”
“As long as it’s not on water.”
He grinned and pushed the
boat to go faster.
Chapter 10
Emma
* * *
The sun hung above the horizon, shimmering with gold and scarlet as an island came into view. She had never been more happy to see solid ground in her life. For the first time, she understood why sailors always sounded so relieved to shout, “land ho!” She certainly felt like shouting it.
Her stomach had calmed down since getting on the speedboat. She still wasn’t ready to eat a large meal, but she no longer felt like the world was trying to throw her off of it either. Emma mentally crossed off a sailing career as a future occupation.
Jackson pulled the boat up onto the beach. The coarse sand grated against the hull of the ship as he made sure the boat was high enough on the beach not to get pulled out into the ocean with the tide.
Jackson took a deep breath and turned to her.
“I wasn’t planning on bringing you here. So, nothing’s ready. I had thought we’d sail to the yacht and eat there, but I don’t think you on a boat is a good idea for the rest of the evening.”
“I would very much agree,” she told him.
He hesitated, and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea,” he said. “The house here is small. It’s not really for guests.”
“You’re worried I won’t be impressed?” she asked.
“Yes.” He shrugged. “The goal was to impress you tonight. So far, I’m not doing very well.”
“Says who?” Emma countered. “I’m excited to see it.”
“Okay. Just know that it isn’t my best property.”
“It’s an island. I’m impressed.” Emma smiled at him and looked up to see a man hurrying toward them. The man wore a plain windbreaker and jeans, and had a bright smile.
“Mr. Weathers, you’re early,” the man said, coming up to the boat. He tipped his head to Emma. “Everything is set up in the house. I’m afraid it’s not perfect, but I did the best I could in the time given.”
“I understand, Jeb. Thank you.”
Jackson hopped out of the speed boat and offered Emma his hand. She took it, carefully getting out of the boat. Dry land felt amazing under her feet. She wondered if she should kiss the ground, she was so glad to no longer be on a boat.
She wasn’t sure how she was going to get home, but for the moment, she wasn’t going to worry about it. She’d figure out what to do in a few hours. Maybe there was a bridge that she could take to get home. Anything but a boat. Or, she would simply live on the island forever if she had to get back on a boat to leave. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
Jackson held out his hand for her. “This way,” he said with a smile. “Jeb will take care of the boat.”