See Me(45)

Maria reached for her camera and clicked to the display before handing it to him. “I think this one’s the best,” she said. “But there are a few more. Just use the arrow button there to go through them.”

He stared at the image of the three porpoises. “It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s almost like they were posing.”

“Sometimes I get lucky. The light was just right.” She leaned toward him, her arm grazing his. “There are others that I’ve taken in the last month that I liked, too.”

He used the back arrow, scanning a long series of photos: pelicans and ospreys, a close-up of a butterfly, a mullet caught in midjump. When she leaned further into him to follow along, he caught the scent of wildflowers in the heat.

At the end of the series, she finally pulled back. “You should frame some of these,” he said, handing her the camera.

“I do,” she said. “But just the better ones.”

“Better than these?”

“You’d be the one to judge,” she said. “Of course, you’d have to come over first, since they’re hanging on my walls.”

“I’d think I’d like that, Maria.”

Maria turned toward the water again, a slight smile playing on her lips, and it seemed odd to think that it was only yesterday that he’d spotted her at the end of the pier. Or how well he’d come to know her in such a short period of time. And how much he wanted to know even more about her.

“We should probably get going,” she said, a note of regret in her voice. “Before it starts getting too dark.”

He nodded, feeling a stab of disappointment as they rose to gather up their things. They paddled back, reaching Wrightsville Beach just as the first stars were emerging. Colin helped Maria strap the boards and paddles to the top of her car before turning to face her. Watching her brush the hair from her eyes, he felt oddly nervous, something he could never remember happening with a woman before.

“I had a great time today.”

“Paddleboarding is a lot of fun,” she agreed.

“I wasn’t talking about the paddleboarding,” he said. He shifted from one foot to the other, and he had the impression that she was waiting for him to finish. “I was talking about spending time with you.”

“Yeah?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Yeah.” Colin was sure she was more beautiful than any woman he’d ever known.

“What are you doing next weekend?”

“Other than brunch on Sunday, I don’t have anything planned.”

“Do you want to go to that warehouse Serena told you about? On Saturday night?”

“Are you asking me to go dancing?”

“I’d like to get to know the less typical Maria, the one who can really be herself.”

“Because the quieter version isn’t your type?”

“No,” he said. “Actually, it’s just the opposite. And I already know how I feel about that Maria.”

Crickets were calling from the dunes, serenading them like nature’s orchestra. They were alone, and as she stared up at him, he stepped toward her, instinct taking over. He wondered if she’d turn away and break the spell, but she didn’t. Instead, she stayed in place as he moved even nearer, one arm slowly going around her back. He pulled her close, their lips coming together, and at that moment, he suddenly knew that this was what he’d wanted all along. He’d wanted her, in his arms, just like this, forever.





Colin took his time getting home, driving through Wilmington’s prettier back streets and basking in the warm afterglow of his day with Maria. His body felt surprisingly well used by the afternoon of paddleboarding, his mind still circling the mystery of Maria. Getting out of his car, he was just ambling across the newly cut lawn toward his apartment when he heard Lily calling from the porch, her cell phone in hand.

“There you are,” she said, her drawl almost a singsong. As always, she was perfectly coiffed. Tonight, though, in something of a rarity, she was wearing jeans – albeit with pumps, a pearl necklace, tastefully sized diamond studs, and a gardenia artfully pinned in her hair.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked, veering toward her.

“I was speaking to my mother while I was waiting for you,” she answered, skipping down the steps toward him. Lily was the only girl he knew who actually skipped when she was happy. She leaned in for a hug. “Evan told me you were going on a date today and I want to hear all about it before we go inside.”

“Where’s Evan?”

“He’s on the computer researching some pharmaceutical company for his clients. You know how serious he is about his work, bless his heart. But don’t try to change the subject. For now, we’re going to sit on the steps while you tell me about this special young woman, and I won’t take no for an answer. And don’t leave anything out. I want to hear everything.”

She took a seat on the steps, patting the spot beside her. Colin knew he had no choice but to do as he’d been told, and he gave her the basics. Lily interrupted frequently, pressing him for details. When he finished, she squinted at him, obviously disappointed.

“You really must work on your storytelling skills, Colin,” she chided. “All you did was recite a list of activities and the topics you talked about.”