Slow Dancing on Price's Pier by Lisa Dale Page A

hadn’t been with her family tonight, she had nothing but good wishes for them.
    When at last she heard the familiar sound of her daughter’s laughter, faintly echoing across the water, her skin began to prickle. The sailboat came to the dock with excruciating slowness—inch by leisurely inch. Irina was bouncing on her tiptoes and waving toward the shore, a green glow stick making wild arcs in the darkness, and Thea waved back. Garret and Jonathan were busy getting ready to secure the boat, and Sue was packing things into a big canvas tote while Ken stood at the wheel.
    â€œMom! Mom!” Irina leapt onto the dock, barely waiting for the boat to stop. Her flip-flops pounded the wooden boards as she ran and hugged Thea tight round the waist. “Did you watch them? Did you see that one that looked like an American flag?”
    Thea pushed her daughter’s wind-ruffled hair back from her face. “I saw it! It was awesome!”
    â€œDad says the blue ones are the most expensive.” She glanced over her shoulder, to where her father and Garret were securing the boat. “You know, Dad’s right there. You can go say hi. . .”
    Thea hesitated. She wanted to be a good example to her daughter. To show that she was not so petty that she refused to talk to him. But she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable either. “He’s tying up the boat right now, hon. Let’s just give it a minute, okay?”
    Sue and Ken came up the dock, their arms full of bags. Sue wore a white visor and capris; Ken’s seersucker shirt was half-open across his burly chest, and his face was mottled where his sunglasses had left the faintest tan lines.
    They both kissed her on the cheek, and Thea smiled, glad for their kindness. She hadn’t been able to go with them, but they weren’t acting strange now that she was there.
    Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. She found herself wondering if her khaki shorts were too short for a woman over thirty. When she glanced toward the boat, she saw that Garret had stopped working and was staring at them—but especially at her. There was something disconcertingly feral about him—the way he stood half-bent over a coil of rope, his head lifted, his eyes focused—like some wild animal catching the scent of danger in the air.
    â€œDid Irina tell you what we did today?” Sue asked.
    Thea reined in her focus. “No. What?”
    â€œTell her, Rina!”
    Irina took Thea’s hand. “I caught a huge fish.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYes. Grampa Ken helped me.”
    â€œThat’s wonderful!”
    â€œDad took my picture with it, and then we let it go!”
    â€œThat’s great,” Thea said, her voice slightly tight. She could envision the scene perfectly. It was so very normal—for the family to be rallied around Irina, cheering her accomplishments. The only thing that wasn’t normal was that Thea hadn’t been there.
    â€œWell, we’re about to head off to the Merrys’ house. Thanks for coming here to get her,” Ken said.
    â€œYou’re welcome,” Thea said cheerfully.
    Sue shuffled the bags in her arms to reach out and squeeze Thea’s hand. “See you soon,” she said so softly it was almost a whisper.
    Thea’s heart cracked. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d needed to be reassured. “Hope so,” she said.
    A moment later they were gone, and Irina was tugging on her arm so hard it pulled all the way to her shoulder joint. Then she let go and ran ahead. “Come on, Mom! Let’s go tell Dad bye!”
    Thea resisted only a moment. She wanted to see Jonathan. She missed him. There was something open and unresolved between them. She took a deep breath and began to walk slowly forward, to the white boat that was rocking gently in the coal-dark water. With each step, her courage built. Something deep within her cried