Chapter 14

I was washing up the teacups when Perry returned. A fear rose in the back of my mind. Had Wade told him about Dave? I felt a defensive invisible shield surround me.

“Kerrie, thanks for having my sister over for tea. When she found out there was a woman was renting the Pirate, she could barely contain herself all morning. I think that today’s tea was the first she’s ever had in the summer time.” His hearty laugh made me smile.

“Nova is fun and very likable.” I smiled, remembering her laugh.

“Yes, that she is. I don’t have many complaints in the sister department.” I felt an air of indecisiveness in his manner. “Are you going for your walk down the beach today? Or is your knee to sore?” He asked.

I paused at my task of wiping the crumbs off the table, “I don’t know yet. Probably will later. Why do you ask? And how did you know about my knee?”

"Wade mentioned that you had an accident with the coffee table.”

“My knee’s fine, bruised but fine.”

“I thought that instead of a walk, I could take you for a drive down to the south end of the Island when the temperature cools down some. Have you been there yet?"

I shook my head, "No, I haven't been too many places. I'm not an explorer. Wade promised to take me on some excursions but so far, he’s been to busy.”

His huckleberry eyes smiled. For the first time, I noticed sparks of silver around his pupil. I had to focus as he continued, "Sea birds nest on the south end of the island. The young have hatched and are amusing to watch. Not many people venture out that way because you need a four-wheel drive vehicle to get through the shifting sand. I usually go a few times during the breeding season."

Caught off guard by his invitation, I blushed, "I have grown fond of bird watching. I would love to go see an actual breeding ground." I added with a toss of my hair, "I don’t want to get into a rut."

Taking advantage of my accidental pun, Perry grinned, "We can't have you stuck rutting, now can we, woman? Let's tidy up and get out of here." I imagined my face matched the red in the swimsuit that Nova had worn.

The drive took twenty minutes. I didn't realize how huge the island was. Exploration was not my biggest virtue at the moment. Perry was right about the birds. There was a multitude of species I had never seen; oyster catchers, terns, and herons to name a few. I watched them through binoculars, as he expertly described them to me. They were in a protected area roped off by the local wildlife resources, so that tourism would not cause damage to the nests or the young.

Taking the binoculars away, Perry said, "Let's go for your walk."

I teased, "Are you suggesting that I am a walk-aholic?"

Perry laughed, "I must confess, you don't have to be told twice about watching the tides." His eyes were teasing me. I felt the warmth of his smile and it made the sun’s glow pale. "Come on, woman, I want to show you something special."

We walked in a comfortable silence. The calm ocean was a warm hue of sea green with white diamonds sparkling across its surface. Seagulls laughed at each other, as we walked. I was glad that Perry didn't seem to expect me to babble like many men did. He accepted the quaintness of our silence, much like I did.

The clouds were powder puff pinked tinted pieces of fluff. I drifted into thought of how to work them in the novel that I was tentatively forming in my mind. Perry broke our quaint silence.

"I know this question is out of line. Wad can't seem to give me a straight answer." He hesitated. I continued to quietly walk beside him, looking at the ocean. Instinctively, I knew eye contact would have him running.

Finally he sputtered, "Kerrie, is there a Mr. Rosewood?"

Caught off guard for the second time, I sputtered back, "No, there isn't. I am single, proud and free." My mind began playing 60's protest songs.

I forgot what I was going to say, as we came around a slight bend on the seashore, to find a cove where the inlet met the ocean. The sight before me stopped any explanation that I felt drawn to make. Three dolphins were chasing a school of fish into the shallows and feasting on them. They frolicked, jumping and calling to each other.

I sat in the sand, tired and overwhelmed by nature. Caught in a golden haiku moment, I wanted to absorb the poetry of the moment, as the dolphin schooled their dinner. Fish were jumping, as if the water was made of fire. The dolphin would catch them in their smiling mouths. Sea gulls and terns fluttered overhead, trying to snatch fish, too.

Giggling like a child, I basked in the joy of the dolphin antics, until they swam away sated with fish. We walked back to the truck in silence, neither of us wanting to break the serene mood. The drive home went faster than the drive there. I should have been tired but I felt refreshed and alive.

Perry dropped me off in front of the Pirate. "I need to drop by the gym. See you later," he said in a neutral tone.

"Thanks for the wonderful afternoon," I smiled. He nodded as he drove off.
"Strange man, “I thought, "One moment my buddy and the next a complete stranger."