Moonstone (24 page)

“Vanessa couldn’t make it after all. She had to head back to the city early. Looks like the party’s already started on some of the boats.” Joy pointed to the line of yachts and then a cluster of sailboats all decorated with twinkling lights. “All this for Memorial Day? What’s the place like on Fourth of July?”

“Holidays are the worst around here. I avoid the marina if I can,” Kelsey said. She glanced back at Joy, realizing that she was several steps ahead, shortened her stride. “But there’s not much of a party where we’re going. Number ninety-two.”

“Perfect.”

Kelsey smiled. “Perfect? Not up for a party?”

Joy shook her head. “I’m in the mood for a quiet evening.”

Kelsey wanted to ask about Vanessa. She wanted to know if Joy was really involved with her or only passing time, but she couldn’t ask. There were more questions that she wanted to ask, but she still had an apology to make—more than one. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to return the phone call Joy had left on Wednesday and then she hadn’t been able to face her for the Thursday appointment. She didn’t want to start with a list of excuses for why she was a total mess and yet Joy deserved a disclaimer. They were quickly approaching Denise’s berth and Kelsey knew she didn’t have time for apologies or questions.

Denise handed Joy a beer, popping the lid off as she did, and then said, “Welcome aboard. Where’s your date?”

Kelsey glanced at Joy and waited for her answer.

“No date.”

“Well, then you’re in good company.” Denise grinned and made a light jab at Kelsey’s arm. “But around here, we make even being single complicated.”

Joy shot a quick look at Kelsey over this remark. “That’s a new one to me.”

“Being single isn’t complicated,” Barb defended. She’d popped her head out from the boat’s cabin to wave to Joy and then walked over to Denise’s side. “The key is, don’t get involved with anyone. Friends only. Simple.”

“To friends,” Denise said, clinking her bottle against Barb’s.

Barb continued, “We’re happy you could make it, Joy.” She held up a pair of barbeque tongs and said, “Kelsey, I think the grill’s ready for your shish kebabs. And I could use a hand bringing up the rest of the food.”

Kelsey wanted to stay on deck with Joy, but the grill was already smoking. As ambivalent about dinner as she’d been before, she suddenly wanted to make a good impression. She headed below and heard Denise ask, “How do you like my view?”

Kelsey couldn’t hear Joy’s answer. Below deck, the hum of the refrigerator blanketed out the noises above. Barb was smiling when she handed over the first tray of shish kebabs.

“What? Why are you grinning?”

“She ditched her date,” Barb said. “Apparently she wanted to come alone. I wonder why.”

Kelsey closed her eyes. The last thing she needed was her mom reading into everything tonight. “Apparently Vanessa had to leave early.”

Barb nodded. “Convenient.”

“Don’t start, Mom.”

“What?” She shrugged. “It’s convenient, that’s all.” Barb handed her a salad bowl and then went to find Denise and the bottle opener.

Kelsey sighed. She wanted an evening alone with Joy. Unfortunately, her mom and Denise were there watching every interaction. And she knew they’d discuss it later. She balanced the salad bowl between the two trays of shish kebabs and headed up the half-flight of steps.

Joy was asking Denise something about the houseboat. She paused when she noticed Kelsey. Their eyes met briefly. Kelsey went over to the barbeque and opened the lid.

“Most of the time, I don’t even untie Trin,” Denise said. “I come here just to sit on the water and enjoy my view. After Marty and I broke up, I tried living here for a few months. It’s rough living on a boat in the winter though and I didn’t mind moving back to the condo once we worked out all the details. But this view is better than any bar.” She clinked her beer bottle against Joy’s and took a sip. “So how long have you and Vanessa been dating?”

“We broke up before I moved. But it was an open relationship…”

“And now she wants to start things up again?” Denise asked.

“We’re testing the waters.”

Kelsey wasn’t surprised at Denise’s forwardness. Joy had to know that Kelsey was listening in on the conversation, but she seemed completely relaxed. Of course, why wouldn’t she be? Barb handed her the special sauce Denise had made earlier and Kelsey slathered it over the kebabs. She closed the lid of the grill and went to wash her hands.

The other couple who’d been invited had had to cancel last minute. It was cozy enough with only four people on deck and Kelsey was glad they wouldn’t have to fit in two more. But more people would have offered some distraction.

Denise traded off with Kelsey on the grill. She waved off Joy’s offer to help with, “You’re a guest tonight. The next time you come we’ll take Trin out on the water and I’ll give you a job then.”

“She’ll have you wipe down the decks,” Barb said.

Denise chuckled. “That’s everyone’s initiation to boating.”

“Initiation? You’ve put me on that task every time we’ve taken Trin out on the water.”

“Turns out I hate mopping the deck.”

“Sign me up for the mop crew,” Joy said. “I’d love to go out on the water sometime.”

“And I’ll be happy to show you the mop bucket,” Denise said. She positioned two ice chests end to end between the benches on the boat’s bow. She threw a tablecloth over both and then Barb appeared with a salad and plates. They arranged everything quickly, clearly used to working together. No matter what either of them claimed, Kelsey was convinced Denise and Barb were meant for each other. Once they had the makeshift table arranged, Barb settled in on one of the benches and Denise went off to get more drinks. Kelsey focused on the shish kebabs, diligently turning them and then coating them with sauce.

“We should plan a trip up the coast, Denise.” Barb leaned back against the boat rails and gazed out at the horizon. “Maybe up to Trinidad and back?”

Denise murmured an agreement. Joy sat down opposite Barb. From her position by the grill, Kelsey could keep her eye on Joy without anyone’s notice. Denise caught her staring, however, when she returned with another round of beers and a cocktail on ice for Barb. She handed one of the bottles to Kelsey and then sat down next to Barb, maybe deliberately leaving an open seat next to Joy.

By the time they’d finished with dinner, clouds hid the setting sun. Kelsey had already planned on staying to clean up, but when Joy volunteered to help, Denise took no time in deciding to leave with Barb.

“Tonight was nice. I’m starting to understand why people get so obsessed with being out here on the bay.” Joy paused. She was wrapping the bowl of leftover potato salad and when she finished, she turned to Kelsey and said, “Denise mentioned you lived on a houseboat for a while. How was it?”

“Fine,” Kelsey said. The answer was automatic and completely untrue.

“Fine?” Joy tilted her head.

Kelsey decided to admit the truth—or at least part of it. “I liked being on the water but…” Suddenly she couldn’t finish the sentence. She’d planned to say that some things had happened on the boat that made her dislike the close quarters. No details. But even this was somehow impossible to say out loud.

Joy was watching her closely. Finally she said, “Forget I asked. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You weren’t prying.” Kelsey sighed.

Joy held up the bowl of potato salad. Denise had made way too much. “Where should I put this?”

Kelsey went to make room for the salad in the small refrigerator. She stepped out of the way so Joy could maneuver past her and then felt a familiar tension creep into her. The kitchen was too small. “I’m going to go clear out the ice chest and put everything away up on deck.”

“I’ll finish packing up the leftovers and clean up down here,” Joy said.

It was better in the fresh air. Out of the tightness of the cabin, she could concentrate on the sound of the water and the lights flickering up and down the shoreline. She finished cleaning the small barbeque and stowed it along with the ice chest in Denise’s storage locker. By the time Joy appeared on deck, she had the area swept and was ready to leave. But Joy didn’t seem anxious to leave. She sat down on one of the benches with a view of the open water and kicked up her feet.

Kelsey put the broom away and then locked up the cabin. She glanced around, hoping for something else to do. Somehow she was still nervous. Finally she walked over to where Joy sat and followed her gaze out to the horizon. “You’re quiet. Everything okay?”

“One of my exes used to tell me that I was too quiet. ‘Scheming,’ she said.” Joy smiled. “I’m not scheming. I’m thinking.”

“About exes?”

“Not about exes.” Joy met Kelsey’s gaze. “Well, I wasn’t before. Now I am.”

“Sorry.”

“Vanessa is sleeping with her other girlfriend tonight.” She paused and looked out over the water. A long minute passed before she continued, “To be honest, I didn’t want her to come tonight. But I don’t like the woman she’s with now. I don’t know why I even try to be in relationships.” She paused. “Do they ever work?”

“Sometimes. Maybe. But I’m probably not the one to ask.”

Joy laughed.

At least she wasn’t still hung up on Vanessa. “So is this how it goes in open relationships—she’s with you one night and her other girlfriend the next and everyone’s okay with it? I mean, even if you liked the other woman she’s with tonight, would you really be okay knowing she’s sleeping with somebody else?”

Joy shrugged. “I think I’m terrible at open relationships. Vanessa keeps sleeping with other people and I haven’t. And now that she’s so far away, I can’t ask her to wait around for me…But part of me doesn’t care what she does because I’m interested in where things might go with someone here.”

“So, you’re keeping up the open relationship thing because you want a fallback plan?” Kelsey had trouble looking right at Joy now. She’d tried to joke, but it was impossible to miss Joy’s suggestion.

“Don’t tell her that.” Joy shook her head. “I sound like an awful person to date when you put it that way.”

“You two looked happy together at the cookhouse. Maybe she’s worth the hassle of long distance and the headache of an open relationship.”

“Maybe.”

It wasn’t a perfect answer. Kelsey sighed. “Sometimes I think I’m better off single.”

“Most of the time, I think I would be too,” Joy admitted.

“So you’re not worried about what she’s doing tonight?”

“No, I’m enjoying the view. And the company.”

Kelsey smiled.

“And I wasn’t thinking about Vanessa or open relationships when you asked before. I was thinking about last weekend and being out on the water with you. Kayaking was nice.”

“The walk at Moonstone Beach was nice too. Although I don’t think I’m going to get over my fear of heights any time soon.”

“I should have started you out on a smaller rock. Build up to the boulders.” Joy leaned back on the bench. “Next time.”

Kelsey had to bring up Wednesday. “I know we hadn’t set up anything formally but…I’m sorry I didn’t call you about Wednesday. It was—” Kelsey hesitated. How could she explain? “It was a mistake. I should have called.”

She had planned on calling Joy on Tuesday night to set up their Wednesday lunch date. But then Hannah showed up at her door. Drunk. She wanted to go out to dinner and as soon as Kelsey turned her down, she started screaming. Kelsey had shut the door when Hannah started to cry. The familiar fears welled up. She’d slumped against the door, feeling Hannah’s fist pound it from the other side.

By the time Hannah finally left, Kelsey was a mess. She couldn’t sleep. The next day was a blur. It wasn’t until dinnertime that she’d remembered about lunch. And then she didn’t pick up the phone to call Joy.

“I feel terrible that I flaked on you.”

“I was swamped at work anyway. I ended up working through lunch and still didn’t get home till late.”

“But I didn’t call and I should have.” Kelsey stopped. There was more she wanted to say. Kelsey wanted to explain she wasn’t the type of person who promised and then didn’t show. Except this time she had. And if she gave the full explanation, she’d have to talk about Hannah and she couldn’t yet find the words for that. “Anyway, I’m sorry. You don’t know how much I wish I could go back and do this last week over again. And you probably shouldn’t agree to this, but I’d love another chance.”

“You’re right. I probably shouldn’t agree,” Joy said. The wind picked up and Joy crossed her arms. She shivered and then looked up at Kelsey. “I should have brought a hoodie. Unprepared. Again.”

Kelsey waited for Joy to say more. Finally Kelsey said, “It’s late. We’re all done cleaning here if you’re ready to go.”

“The truth is, I was let down.” Joy paused. “Unfortunately, there’s something about you…I keep thinking about kissing you and at the same time knowing that I should tell you good night right now and drive home alone.” Joy shook her head. After a minute she added, “So, good night.”

“I wish that wasn’t your answer, but I guess I don’t blame you,” Kelsey said.

Joy stood up and reached for Kelsey’s hand. In the next moment, Joy’s lips pressed against hers. Kelsey moved into the kiss. She’d longed to feel Joy’s lips again. She closed her eyes hoping this was Joy’s answer and not a goodbye kiss.

Joy pulled away first. She stepped off the boat onto the dock before Kelsey had time to compose herself. Kelsey stepped off the boat nearly ready to ask if she’d imagined the last thirty seconds, but Joy glanced up at her and the desire in her eyes made Kelsey’s body light with an unexpected rush. Joy reached for her hand again. They stood inches apart while the planks swayed beneath them. Kelsey closed her eyes and felt Joy’s lips on hers again. Their kiss deepened and everything was spinning. Joy’s hands were on her hips, holding her close.

Kelsey shuddered when Joy pulled away. She reached for Joy’s warm hands. Her body was unsteady and she closed her eyes again, praying she could hold back the threatening tears. The kiss on the rock had thrown her off. She could hardly believe she’d even done it and had been filled with doubt afterward. But this was different. It wasn’t only the kiss but the rush of emotions. She wanted Joy’s hands on her body. She felt weak when the kiss had ended and then regretted that it had happened at all if it could stop so suddenly. Kissing never used to be so complicated.