Robbie's eyes sparkled with heartfelt tears like the ocean in the sun. He leaned forward and kissed my lips softly.
"I love you, Samantha Conners. More than you will ever know. I am a lucky man to have you," he whispered, reaching up to caress my cheek.
I leaned into his hand, feeling the hard sailing calluses against my skin. "You're damn right, you are." I took his hand in mine and kissed it, smiling up at him. "I think I'm pretty lucky, though, too."
Robbie's mouth opened in a wide smile, and he gently curled his hand around the back of my neck and pressed his smile against mine. My heart ached with happiness. I was made of moonlight and joy when I was with Robbie.
"Let's get back to the party," Robbie whispered as we broke apart. "I'd like to dance with you, and since you never let me lead anyway, I think I'll be fine with just one hand."
I laughed and took his hand in mine, the two of us walking away from the dark window and back toward the bright hallway. "You're the one who taught me how to dance in the first place. I only learned the leading part because you taught it to me. You were just too good of a teacher."
The ballroom spilled out light, soft music, and a gentle murmur of laughter. Robbie raised his hand, and I spun in a neat twirl as we stepped through the open doors. Together we waltzed into the ballroom, whirling and dancing as one.
***
The water splashes against the hull of my boat, a soft, comforting sound. The sky is bright blue without a cloud in sight. I am at peace. This part of the dream is always pleasant. I like this part of the dream. Evan is alive and happy with Grace. Mom and Dad are safe at home, and we are going to have meatloaf for dinner.
I frown. Mom and Dad are not at home. They are in Heaven. So is Evan. I have never had this happen in the dream before. I always lose them.
The wind plays with the sails, the soft, flapping sounds of the canvas merging into a gentle lullaby with the waves. This isn't right either; the wind is usually a hurricane gale that I can't control.
"Come sail with me, Sam." Robbie's voice echoes through my dream, deep and masculine.
I turn to see him sitting in my boat. The breeze ruffles his sandy hair, and his green eyes are as deep as the ocean. He's perfect. He smiles at me, and the world grows brighter. The blue sky is somehow more vivid, and the water is somehow richer.
"Come sail with me," he repeats, his smile brighter than the sun. There are no storms when I'm with Robbie.
I smile back at him, and take the helm. Together we sail into the horizon on calm waters.
Chapter 22
The October sun was warm on my skin, complimented by a cool breeze coming in off the lake. It felt good to be on Avery's Hope, even if I was still docked. The gulls cried overhead and the boat bumped occasionally against the dock, creating a strange harmony that I loved. I checked my watch again, wondering when Robbie was going to get here. He was already ten minutes late, but I figured he had just gotten stuck talking business with Jack.
I frowned, going over the sails once again just for something to do. Robbie had hired a local to clean up the boat after the storm since neither one of us had been in any condition to do it. The entire cabin had been strewn with food, clothing, charts, and gear; the local had cleaned the inside and put the sails and sheets back in order on deck. The cabin still smelled slightly damp, but it had mostly dried out after the storm. Robbie and I had wanted to take the Hope out one last time before shipping it back to Winchester, just to make sure that everything was in order.
My watch said he was now fifteen minutes late, and I didn't have a phone message, so I decided to just take the boat out and check it myself. There was no reason I couldn't do it alone, and it would be a nice surprise for Robbie not to have to worry about it.
I untied the boat and turned on the motor, taking the helm and heading into the breeze. Soft white clouds floated on the clear blue sky as Avery's Hope cut through the green water scattered with golden leaves. It was a perfect fall day, and my heart was light when I heard a shout.
I turned to see Robbie waving on the pier. I shook my head. Of course he would show up just as I left. I waved back to him and started to turn the boat around. I was only about a pool length from the shore, but instead of waiting for me to return, Robbie took a running start, dove smoothly into the water, and began swimming to the boat.
I opened my mouth in shock, quickly trying to stop. I worried for a moment about him swimming with his arm in a sling, but he used a lazy side stroke that used his good arm to propel him through the water. As he came around to the back of the boat, I killed the motor and dropped the ladder into the water to let him up. As he hoisted himself onto the deck, I grabbed a couple of towels from below to dry him off.
He shook his head like a dog, sending water droplets flying across the deck, but a leaf still clung to his hair. I laughed and wrapped one of the towels around him, picking the golden leaf from his sandy hair.
"What are you doing?" I asked him, looking him over. "I was coming back to get you!"
He laughed, his eyes full of a boyish light. "I couldn't wait."
Robbie leaned forward, putting his hand under my chin and kissing me soundly. Crystal drops from his hair fell onto my face, his tongue sweet with the freshwater. It reminded me of our first kiss, sweet and warm, and I smiled as he kissed me.
"What is with you? You look like a puppy getting ready to go for a walk!" I giggled as he danced across the deck. His eyes were greener than I had ever seen them, and he moved like he was dancing with joy. He grinned and headed to the wheel.
"I'll show you. Turn on the motor."
His smile was contagious as I revved the engine, making water spurt behind us in a thin stream. An incredibly happy Robbie took the wheel and began navigating to a point further down the beach. He looked almost gallant in the sunshine, the towel hanging off his shoulders like a cape.
I could see a boat, sails still down as it floated gently on the water. It appeared as though there was a party going onboard, with multiple people walking around on the deck. Robbie seemed to be heading toward them.
"Go stand on the bow," he said, grinning like a kid on Christmas.
"Okay..." I answered, not sure what exactly was going on, but trusting him completely. The boat in front of us was now close enough to read the words printed in big, bold letters down the side: R&S SAUNDERS SAILING ACADEMY.
"R and S Saunders? Who is your new partner?" I asked, shading my face with my hand to try and read the words more easily. I heard Robbie turn off the engine, and I turned around to find him down on one knee, a jewelry box open in his hand.