only a few moments to change into her bathing suit, slip a beach dress overtop and grab her straw bag.
In her midsection, butterflies do-si-doed as Glory strolled down the path. But soon the pounding energy of the rolling surf washed away her tension. Excitement increased her gait. Somehow or other she was going to ask Jared the questions that lurked at the back of her mind and hope he answered them.
“You’re late.”
She jerked to a stop, startled by the sound of his voice. It came from below her. Glory kept walking until she arrived at the beach. Jared floated on the glassy smoothness of the sea, hands cupped behind his head, hair plastered against his skull.
“Come on in. The water’s great.” He dived beneath the azure sheen, skimming the bottom in strong motions that carried him a good distance out before he surfaced for breath.
“There’s a reef out here if you want to snorkel,” he called.
Glory nodded. She wasn’t comfortable enough to risk going out so far yet, so she contented herself with paddling back and forth across the little cove while Jared cleaved through the water in a perfect front crawl, passing her repeatedly and mocking her caution.
Laughing too hard to properly control her breathing, Glory waited until Jared swam far out then she left the water. She wrapped herself in a big bath sheet and perched on the warm surface of a huge flat-topped rock.
“With your hair hanging around your shoulders like that, you could be mistaken for a mermaid beckoning a gullible sailor.” Jared strode across the sand, breathing normally despite his exertions.
Glory couldn’t help noticing his deep rich tan or the fact that he had the lean, honed shape of an athlete. After toweling off he pulled on a T-shirt, wrapped the towel around his waist and produced a big wicker basket, which he set between them before joining her on the rock.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
“Only starved.” She licked her lips as he lifted out two plates of salad surrounded by a variety of crudités and cheese. “That looks perfect. Shall I say grace?”
He looked discomfited for only an instant before nodding. “Grace. Sure.”
“Thank You, Father, for this delicious food. Bless the hands that prepared it, bless us as we enjoy it and let us be used by You. Amen.”
“Amen.” He waited until she’d tasted the first bite. “Okay?”
“Perfect.” She munched happily away, enjoying the sharp bite of the dressing against the piquant flavor of the cheese. “I adore salads,” she told him.
He snapped off the end of a carrot with teeth a dentist would love. “Why?”
“I guess it’s because lettuce was never all that plentiful when I lived in the Arctic. Everything fresh has to be flown in and it costs the earth. It was a treat to have a salad. My mother would use every bit of produce, nothing went to waste.”
They sat silent, enjoying their food and the glorious day. A pod of whales appeared in the distance.
“I wonder if they’re the same kind we have at home.”
“I’ve never been to the Arctic.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s cold,” he corrected.
Glory laughed. “Yes. But there are advantages.”
“To freezing most of the year?” Jared made a face. “Name one.”
It was the first time he’d been so carefree with her. His wrinkled T-shirt, a smudge of dirt on one shoulder, the mussed hair, the bit of dressing on his chin—all of it made him seem so human, so—touchable.
“No sunburn in the Arctic,” she shot back.
“Not ever?” He chewed for a moment. “What about the famous midnight sun? That must cause some trouble.”
“Well, yes, if you’re silly enough to stay out in it too long. Which I’m not,” she reminded as she let him take her plate. “Thank you. That was delicious.”
“You’re welcome. I have some coffee and pineapple, if you’re interested. And some haupia .”
“What is that?”
“Cold coconut-cream pudding made Hawaiian style.”
“Yum. Yes, I am
In her midsection, butterflies do-si-doed as Glory strolled down the path. But soon the pounding energy of the rolling surf washed away her tension. Excitement increased her gait. Somehow or other she was going to ask Jared the questions that lurked at the back of her mind and hope he answered them.
“You’re late.”
She jerked to a stop, startled by the sound of his voice. It came from below her. Glory kept walking until she arrived at the beach. Jared floated on the glassy smoothness of the sea, hands cupped behind his head, hair plastered against his skull.
“Come on in. The water’s great.” He dived beneath the azure sheen, skimming the bottom in strong motions that carried him a good distance out before he surfaced for breath.
“There’s a reef out here if you want to snorkel,” he called.
Glory nodded. She wasn’t comfortable enough to risk going out so far yet, so she contented herself with paddling back and forth across the little cove while Jared cleaved through the water in a perfect front crawl, passing her repeatedly and mocking her caution.
Laughing too hard to properly control her breathing, Glory waited until Jared swam far out then she left the water. She wrapped herself in a big bath sheet and perched on the warm surface of a huge flat-topped rock.
“With your hair hanging around your shoulders like that, you could be mistaken for a mermaid beckoning a gullible sailor.” Jared strode across the sand, breathing normally despite his exertions.
Glory couldn’t help noticing his deep rich tan or the fact that he had the lean, honed shape of an athlete. After toweling off he pulled on a T-shirt, wrapped the towel around his waist and produced a big wicker basket, which he set between them before joining her on the rock.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
“Only starved.” She licked her lips as he lifted out two plates of salad surrounded by a variety of crudités and cheese. “That looks perfect. Shall I say grace?”
He looked discomfited for only an instant before nodding. “Grace. Sure.”
“Thank You, Father, for this delicious food. Bless the hands that prepared it, bless us as we enjoy it and let us be used by You. Amen.”
“Amen.” He waited until she’d tasted the first bite. “Okay?”
“Perfect.” She munched happily away, enjoying the sharp bite of the dressing against the piquant flavor of the cheese. “I adore salads,” she told him.
He snapped off the end of a carrot with teeth a dentist would love. “Why?”
“I guess it’s because lettuce was never all that plentiful when I lived in the Arctic. Everything fresh has to be flown in and it costs the earth. It was a treat to have a salad. My mother would use every bit of produce, nothing went to waste.”
They sat silent, enjoying their food and the glorious day. A pod of whales appeared in the distance.
“I wonder if they’re the same kind we have at home.”
“I’ve never been to the Arctic.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s cold,” he corrected.
Glory laughed. “Yes. But there are advantages.”
“To freezing most of the year?” Jared made a face. “Name one.”
It was the first time he’d been so carefree with her. His wrinkled T-shirt, a smudge of dirt on one shoulder, the mussed hair, the bit of dressing on his chin—all of it made him seem so human, so—touchable.
“No sunburn in the Arctic,” she shot back.
“Not ever?” He chewed for a moment. “What about the famous midnight sun? That must cause some trouble.”
“Well, yes, if you’re silly enough to stay out in it too long. Which I’m not,” she reminded as she let him take her plate. “Thank you. That was delicious.”
“You’re welcome. I have some coffee and pineapple, if you’re interested. And some haupia .”
“What is that?”
“Cold coconut-cream pudding made Hawaiian style.”
“Yum. Yes, I am
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