Chapter 15: Water

Dinner with fate lasted three grueling hours, and every minute dragged.

The table was on a deck over the harbor, because Austin thought I would find it romantic.

I ate one bite of bread with my eyes on the bread basket.

Austin cried twice, once into his soup and once into the candle.

"Do you feel it?" he asked. "Tell me you feel it."

"I feel the tide," I said.

At 10:12 I put down my napkin and kissed his cheek, because I am not unkind.

"I'm so grateful you're alive," I said. "I can't tell you more than that yet."

He nodded, with his glasses fogged, and let me go.

The last boat was tied at the pier with its engine running.

Knox stood at the gangway with one hand on the chain, in his work jacket, with no other passengers.

"You said you wait," I said.

"I said I wait for you."

"That's against your own policy."

"I made an exception," Knox said. "I'm told you have a rule about those too."

I went up the gangway with my eyes open.

It took the whole plank, and my knees knew it, but my eyes stayed open.

We crossed to the island with nobody aboard, and he turned her around at the dock and brought her back.

Halfway home he left the wheelhouse and came out to the rail where I stood.

"After eleven, nothing runs in this part of the channel," he said. "I can let her drift for a few minutes."

"Drift where?"

"Nowhere. It's slack water."

He cut the engine.

The quiet came in all at once, and the boat lifted gently under my feet, and the lights of the city stood on the black water.

I put both hands on the rail.

"How deep is it?" I said.

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