One Long Embrace

Instantly looking alarmed, Tara frowned. “What else?”

“I think we should head north tomorrow morning after we’ve stocked the boat with supplies. Your parents are probably worried about you. We should go back.”

Tara sighed. “Do we have to?”

He brushed his hand through her hair. “We do. But I won’t leave your side. I promise. We’ll clear things up with your parents, and then we can take a long trip with the boat, if you want to.”

“You promise?”

“I promise, darlin’.”

27

Tara closed the hanging cabinet in the galley and pivoted. “We’re out of coffee.”

“I’ll get us some from the coffee shop in the marina,” Jay offered and pulled a twenty from his wallet before tossing it back into a drawer. “A latte for you?”

She bent over the counter. “Thank you. You’re the best.”

Jay met her halfway and kissed her. “If I bring you a pastry, will I get a bigger thank you?”

“What did you have in mind?”

He winked. “I think you know.”

“Hurry back.”

Jay turned and walked outside, while she watched him disappear. She sighed. Things were perfect. She’d never imagined that being with a man could be like this. She didn’t have any other words for it. Only perfect could describe it—well, perfectly.

She’d already showered and dressed. Now she headed back down to the stateroom she and Jay had shared the previous night and made the bed. Jay had told her that they would leave in a couple of hours, once they’d filled up their water and gas tanks to have sufficient fuel for the engine and enough water to take showers. In the evenings they would overnight in various small harbors along the way and enjoy the local food. They would take a more leisurely trip back and rest during the nights. Well, rest was maybe the wrong word.

She smiled to herself when she heard footsteps from above. Closing the stateroom door behind her she headed up the stairs that led right into the main cabin.

“Jay, you’re back al—” She nearly choked on her last word. Shock coursed through her entire body.

“Well, look at you,” her father growled.

“Dad.”

He stood in the middle of the main cabin, legs broad, shoulders squared, her mother next to him. Both were glaring at her.

“Did you think we wouldn’t find you?”

“How could you do this to us?” her mother complained.

“I’ve done nothing!” Tara defended herself. “How did you even find me?”

“Damn it, Tara! Don’t you even know what you did? You became an accessory to a crime!” her father thundered.

“What?” she managed to press out. What the hell was he talking about?

Her father made a sweeping motion with his arm. “Your so-called boyfriend stole this boat!”

“No! That’s not true! It’s his!” How could her father spout such baseless accusations?

“His?” her mother hissed. “He’s a waiter, Tara! Wake up! If he’s telling you anything else, he’s lying to you.”

“He’s not a waiter!”

Her father interrupted, “This boat belongs to a Jay Bohannon. You said yourself that the man you met is a waiter. Your sister confirmed it.” He lifted his finger in an accusatory manner. “So don’t you lie to me now, young lady! I wasn’t born yesterday. I know exactly what’s going on here!”

“You don’t know anything!” she spat. “The man I’m with is Jay Bohannon of Hannon Boats. He didn’t have to steal this boat, because he owns it! Damn it, he built it!”

“He’s an imposter!” her father barked. “And the police are arresting him as we speak.”

Instinctively, Tara took a step back. “No! No, you can’t do that. Jay is innocent. You can’t have him arrested!”

Her father made a move toward her, grabbing her wrist in a vice grip. “You’re lucky that we’re not filing charges for kidnapping against him. Trust me, the only reason we’re not is to keep you out of the news and avoid a scandal.”

At the last word, her mother huffed. “It’s bad enough that people are talking about you because you pulled that drunk out of the Gilberts’ pool!”

Tara clenched her teeth. “Would you rather I let him drown, Mom? Would you be happy then?”

“There were plenty of other people to get him out. You didn’t have to involve yourself!”