Chapter 5

Wade was true to his word. He showed up at lunchtime two days later, to see if I needed anything. I had just finished the last of my unpacking and was making tuna salad sandwiches. “You look like a new rosebud today,” he said.

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I smiled, “Thank you, Wade. I slept through most of yesterday. I feel extremely refreshed today. Have you been fishing?”

He laughed heartily, “Yep, I went this morning bright and early. Ebb and I caught a big mess of spots. I’ll bring you some if you like. They done been cleaned and filleted.”

“That would be nice. Fresh fish sound delicious. You are so sweet. I could use some brain food,” I joked.

I heard a rumble. I noticed Wade eyeing my sandwich. “Was that your stomach, Wade? Please excuse my manners. Would you like a sandwich?” I asked.

Wade reached for bread. “Don’t mind if I do. I didn’t realize I was hungry until my belly scolded me.”

He made a few sandwiches. We took them outside to eat on the deck, while the sun smiled down on us. As we ate, we could hear Perry working on his sailboat. When the banging stopped, Wade called out, “Ahoy there, Perry!”

He appeared from the shelter, wearing a blue tank top and cut off denim shorts with a red bandana tied around his head pirate style. All he needed was an earring and an eye patch. Wiping his dirty hands in a cloth, he came up to the deck where we were sitting. He and Wade made small talk about fishing and other small town gossip. As they chatted, I made a sandwich for Perry. He graciously nodded to me, as he bit into it.

He raised an eyebrow, “Not bad, woman!” Then, he returned to conversation with Wade. I wondered why hid approval pleased me.

I studied Perry as the two men talked. He had the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen, huckleberry blue. As a writer, one tends to invent color of uniqueness for a story’s characters, and I was glad to know that there actually was a living breathing being who possessed huckleberry blue eyes. His dirty blonde hair was straight, wispy and almost shoulders length. He had a blonde goatee, which was trimmed and neatly shaped. His physique was toned; with rippling muscles—yet his movement embraced the grace of a Tae Bo master.

My pale blue eyes moved from his sculptured flesh to his face to find those dark eyes upon me. “I’m having the phones in the cottage turned back on tomorrow. I don’t want you here without the ability to connect to Planet Earth. I’ll let you know what the number will be once I get it,” he said.

“You don’t have to do that." I said. “I have a cellular phone.”

He replied dryly, “We have many dead areas out here, where you might not get service for your cell phone. I’ll feel better if you have a working telephone. Also, I noticed your lap top computer. You might need to access the Internet, if you’re hooked up for it.”

He was right. All homes needed a phone just encase of an emergency. “Thank you,” I simply said.

Wade, looking at his watch declared, “Lords be! I’m going to be late for my appointment.” He kissed my forehead, “Kerrie, I will swing by on the morrow. Perry, Ebb and I are fishing later this afternoon at the pier if you want to join us. Ebb swears that them spots are going to be running.”

Perry declined, “Thanks but I got too much work to do here.” To me, he nodded, “The sandwich was delicious. Thanks for lunch. Have a good day.”

I watched him return to his boat and his banging, thinking how of stone he seemed to be carved. Wade shook his head, “That man needs to get out sometime. Will you be all right?”

I smiled, “Lunch tomorrow?”

“You’re on, doll baby!” Then he was gone.