CHAPTER2
kai
Icouldn’t explain the satisfaction that came from watching color bloom on the curvy brunette’s cheeks. The way her eyes went wide and her hand shook as she refilled my coffee mug made me feel like a dick for teasing her. But she was fucking adorable. She had her hair tucked up into some sort of messy ponytail and the sweetest heart-shaped lips. Made me wonder if she’d taste as good as she looked.
She straightened after topping off my coffee. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Thanks, I should be good.” I slid the bite of omelet into my mouth. A mix of savory flavors exploded on my tongue. I had low expectations of the food based on the appearance of the rundown campground. Obviously, someone spent more time and effort in the kitchen than keeping up with the place.
Nodding, she turned to go. “If you need anything during your stay, there’s a ton of info in the office about local dive sites.”
I swallowed and wiped my napkin over my chin. “Do you know much about the mermaid? There’s supposed to be a statue submerged off the coast.”
“Yeah, the Emerald Princess. It’s an easy dive. She’s only about sixty feet down. You can get to her from a path in the park.”
“I’ve heard the diving around here is first rate. Do you ever go out?”
She glanced toward the kitchen with a longing in her eyes, like it physically hurt her to stand there and make conversation. “No. I’m not much of a diver.”
“That’s too bad. I hired a local guide to take me around, but he canceled on me last night. I thought maybe you could give me some tips on the best places to visit around here.”
“Like I said, there’s plenty of info in the office. You could also stop by the Backwater Dive Shop. They run charters and can set you up.” She turned again, the carafe of coffee clutched in her hand. “Make sure you ask about their trips to the Skookumchuck Rapids. That’s one of the best dives around.”
“Thanks for the tip.” She said she didn’t dive, but how could someone live around here and not be curious about the whole other world that existed right off the coast? I’d only scheduled a couple of days in Saltery Bay, so it’s not like I had a ton of extra time to dive on my own, but I’d been looking forward to exploring the area. I didn’t know when I’d have the chance to head this far north again. If I wanted to check things out, it would make sense to do it now.
While I polished off the omelet and chugged down my coffee, I searched for info on local dives. I’d been eager to visit the Sunshine Coast, so I’d jumped at the chance to take the assignment photographing the Emerald Princess. It was a freelance gig, but I’d talked to the magazine about doing a whole feature on underwater statues, and they seemed interested.
By the time I finished my breakfast, I’d compiled a list of local spots I wanted to go. Though it was difficult to tell how far apart some places were, since I’d have to take a ferry to get around.
When Mariella stopped by to pick up my plate, I wondered if she might know someone willing to play tour guide. If I wanted to be efficient with my time, I could use the help. “You seem to know the local area pretty well.”
She shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Any chance you know someone with a boat who might be willing to show me the best way to get to the dive sites on my list? I looked into a private charter, but they’re all booked.” I wouldn’t have any trouble selling whatever shots I could get beyond the photos of the mermaid statue. It would be worth it to take in a few other sites while I was in the area.
“The owner here has a couple of boats and runs private tours every once in a while. You could see if someone from the campground would be willing to take you. What do you have in mind?” She studied me through narrowed eyes.
My gut told me I should take things nice and easy with her. Sadness lingered in the depths of her big brown eyes. Made me wonder about her story, about who had hurt her or let her down.
“Just someone to cart me around while I hit a few of the sites. To make sure I don’t drown. Shouldn’t be too difficult, and I’d pay well.” In a show of good faith, I pulled out a stack of bills and held out a twenty-dollar bill. “This should cover breakfast. Keep the change.”
She eyed the twenty. “You’re assuming we take American dollars.”
“Don’t you?” I didn’t want to come across as an entitled ass, but most places around the world actually preferred dollars. Made it easier for me since I didn’t have to convert my cash.
“Yes.” She tucked it into her apron. “I’ve got the next two days off and have experience running diving charters. Assuming I can borrow a boat and you make it worth my while, I could probably show you around. Do you have somewhere specific in mind?”
I wrote a dollar amount down and slid the list of sites I’d jotted down across the table. “Here’s what I was going to pay the other guy. I’d like to check out a few of these sites. Plus the Emerald Princess.”
She glanced over at my barely legible chicken scratch. “These are pretty spread out. I can get you to a few, but you’d need to stay longer if you want to fit in the others.”
The idea of staying longer if I’d get to spend more time around Mariella definitely appealed to me. “How about we meet tomorrow morning and see how far we can go?”
She tilted her head and chewed on her bottom lip. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk to the guys at the dive shop?”
“As long as you’re good with our arrangement, it’s fine with me. Like I said, I’d rather keep to my own schedule.”
Something in her shifted. Nodding, she lifted her head to meet my gaze. The sadness still lingered, but there was a determination there as well. “I’ll meet you in front of the restaurant at seven.”
I flipped my laptop closed and slipped it back into my bag. “By the way, I’m Kai. I’ll see you in the morning, Mariella.”