“I can’t tell you. It’s girl talk. That’s sacred. But don’t worry, we talked about Wolfe, too. And toys. It was a long conversation.”
“I see.” I clear my throat, not sure how I feel about the idea of Sarah telling her friends about our sex life. “I lost a hundred bucks to Wolfe last night while playing pool. I think he cheats.”
“How do you cheat at pool?” she wants to know.
“I don’t know, but he has to be cheating. I told him I want a rematch so I can win my money back.”
“Or, you could lose more.”
“Your faith in me is astounding, my love.”
She giggles, and then something on the sand catches her eye, so she bends over to pick it up.
“A baby sand dollar,” she says in excitement. “It’s dead, but it’s so small. And intact. I think I’ll take it home.”
She slips it into her pocket.
“Did you know that dead sand dollars, like that one, are said to be coins lost by mermaids?”
“I didn’t know that.” I smile down at her, enjoying the hell out of this. “Where did you hear that?”
“I read it somewhere when I was a kid. I’ve always loved the beach, and liked to learn everything I could about it. Anyway, I thought that was a fun little piece of folklore.”
“Do you believe in mermaids?”
She frowns up at me. “Doesn’t everyone? Mermaids, sirens, giant sea monsters. I think there’s some truth to all of it.”
“Hmm.”
We’re probably a mile down the beach from my house, so we turn to go back.
“We have that meeting with Belle tomorrow,” I remind Sarah. “In the morning.”
“I’m ready,” she says. “Although, it’s been pretty quiet lately. I’m starting to feel safe again.”
“I don’t want to drop our guard until we have confirmation that there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I know you’re right. I just think it was all a series of unfortunate events that weren’t even related to each other. Sometimes, life just sucks for a little while, and then it all evens out again.” She shrugs a shoulder. “I think we’re on the other side now.”
I hope she’s right. Iwanther to be right. But I won’t relax until I know for sure that any risk has passed.
“I have something for you,” she says with a bright smile as we get closer to the house. “I was going to save it for your birthday, but I don’t think I can wait for July. That’s forever away.”
“It’s May now,” I remind her. “My birthday is in about six weeks.”
“Forever away,” she repeats. “I don’t want to wait. I’ll get you something else later.”
“You don’t have to get me anything at all, ever.” I lean in and kiss her temple. “I haveyou,and that’s plenty.”
“You always say the nicest things.”
“It’s true.”
“Well, whether it’s true or not, I still have something for you.”
We climb the steps up to the house, and once inside, Sarah turns to me, her eyes bright.
“I have to run out to the guesthouse. I’ll be right back.”