Without saying more, she put down her purse and picked up her phone. “Maria Blackburn, please.”
She touched the speaker icon. “Hayley, did you win?”
“I did.” She winked at Paul. “I beat the pants off of Covington in our very last encounter.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Good for you.”
“If you don’t need me for anything, I’m not planning to come back to the office. I know it’s only three, but I have something else I want to do.”
“Sure, you deserve some time to yourself. You worked hard on this case. Have a good night.”
“Thanks.”
“And congratulations, Hayley.” Maria clicked off.
She smiled up at Paul. “So, counselor, what are we going to do?”
“Do you like boats?”
“My brother Finn was a sailor from the time he was in junior high. We spent hours on the water.”
“My boat’s in the water in Brooklyn.” He told her the name of the marina. “I keep clothes on it. For me. And, um, some that might fit you.”
Her eyes held mirth. “Women’s clothes?”
“Not like you mean.”
“Then let’s go.”
Holy shit, he wanted to take her hand and lead her out of the courtroom. But he restrained himself, walking by her side as they left the building and hailed a cab. They both slid inside.
“Will people think it odd that we got in the same cab?”
“Let them.” He sighed. “What about what we’re doing? Is this a good idea for us?”
“Probably not,” she said leaning into him.
So, she felt it, too.
Paul decided to blank his mind of second thoughts. He’d gotten very good at the technique since his father disowned him and he became estranged from those brothers and sisters he used to make promises to.
* * *
A thirty-foot cabin cruiser listed back and forth brushing up against the dock. She smiled at the name of it. Seas the Day. The familiar scent of water and seaweed filled Hayley’s head, making her think of her younger days. As she told Paul, she knew about boats because Finn owned one all his life. He loved the freedom they gave him because they’d take him away from the house.
Paul climbed in first and water lapped against the dock. “Here, take my hand.”
“Wait a sec.” She bent over and kicked off her heels. Stuffing them in her large purse, she let him help her board.
“Shouldn’t we have untied the boat from its moorings?”
“Not yet. If it’s okay, I’ll change first. While I’m down there, I’ll find something for you.”
“Sounds good.”
When Paul went below, she walked to the bow. She had a sudden vision of Ronan, standing behind her when she wasn’t yet a teen and helping her steer. Because it made her ache inside, she looked around. The boat was made of fiberglass, with white leather padded benches forming an L to her left, and two cockpit chairs of the same material to her right. A built-in kitchen up on the deck was a nice touch.
It was still warm at three-thirty, so she shrugged out of her suit jacket. She’d worn a sleeveless pink blouse beneath. She moved under a hard-top sunroof that was open, dropped down on one of the benches and closed her eyes. As a light breeze blew across her, she let memories of days out on boats with Finn surface. Then her thoughts turned to Paul.
She had no idea why she’d come here with him. She knew it probably wasn’t the best decision she made, but accompanied him anyway simply because she wanted to. She vowed to keep things light, spend the day with him, and part friends.
The water lulled her busy mind until he returned. Dressed in yellow shorts and a plain white polo shirt, he’d plopped a navy ballcap on his head. Which was cute.
“I left stuff out on the bed. We had an outing for the associates in the firm here not too long ago, and I bought some stuff people might need. So, no, it wasn’t for dates, as you teased me about.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m sure many of your women have been on board.”
“Not that many, actually.”
She walked past him and he grasped her arm. “Hayley?”
“Yes?”
“I’m glad you came.”
“Me, too.”
Down below was another small seating area, which converted to the bed. Turning to the main lower room, which was midship, she found an array of clothes, along with several flipflops. One of the storage cabinets was ajar, which must be where he stowed them. After checking sizes, she disrobed and sat on his bed in a pink bra and panties. It felt freeing to be released from the confines of her work outfits. Choosing a sage green T-shirt and white shorts with elastic, she slid them on. They fit, maybe a bit tightly, but they were decent. She picked a pair of multi-colored flipflops and inched her feet in them. She spied a navy hoodie and brought that along. She’d get cold out on the water at night. “There,” she said as she stood up. She felt the boat list so he must have released the dock moorings. She always helped Finn with that.
Turning to leave, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror on the port side. Her hair was a mess from the breeze and the wear and tear of the morning. She flicked out the pins, and unwound it. Then she started to wind it up again, and thought, the hell with it. She saw a cute visor on the bed, so she shook out her hair, fluffed it with her fingers and put the hat on her head. Then she climbed the stairs to the deck.
They were still in the marina. He was at the wheel, but turned to her. “I didn’t leave yet, I…oh, dear God in heaven!”
She panicked. “Did I wear something I shouldn’t have?”
He just watched her.
Then, slowly, he crossed to her. He took off the visor and let out a breath. “This is right out of a fairy tale, Rapunzel.”
She didn’t know
