Bay of Sighs Read Online Free PDF Page B

It’s beautiful. It must feel weird for you to swim without it.”
    â€œI like the legs.”
    â€œYeah, they’re pretty great. Once we score a boat, we should be able to go out far enough, or you deep enough to tail it out when you want. But in the pool, broad daylight, it’s better if you don’t.”
    â€œFor a few moments it was just morning, with the little pool of water in the sun, and the smell of the trees.”
    â€œOne day it will be just morning.”
    She looked at him then, into his eyes. “You believe?”
    â€œYeah. I believe.”
    â€œThen I can’t be sad. I’ll help you fix the breakfast, and I can set the table. What will you make?”
    â€œThe way we’re supplied right now? Pretty much anything. What do you want?”
    â€œI can pick?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œCan you make—it’s not the pancakes because you . . .” She made a rolling motion with her fingers. “And put something delicious inside.”
    â€œCrepes.”
    â€œYes! Can you make those?”
    â€œYou got it.”
    She liked working in the kitchen. So many smells and colors and tastes. Sawyer said they’d make eggs and bacon, too, and the crepes would have peaches in them and honey over them so they’d be sweet.
    She helped him mix, and he showed her how to make the crepe, let her try one all by herself. As she did, Sasha came in.
    â€œGood timing. Everyone’s stirring around. God, it smells good in here.”
    â€œI’m making a crepe.”
    â€œFancy.” Sasha walked over, put an arm around Annika’s waist, watched a moment. “And you’re doing a good job of it.”
    Sasha reached for a coffee cup. “Should I set the table?”
    â€œThe table! I forgot to get the flowers. We need the plates and the glasses and the napkins, and—”
    â€œWhy don’t I take out the plates,” Sasha said.
    With her bottom lip caught between her teeth, Annika nodded as she carefully slid the crepe onto a plate. “Did I do it the right way?”
    â€œLooks perfect,” Sawyer told her.
    â€œI need to get the flowers now.”
    As she dashed out, Sasha leaned back against the counter. “Never a boring tablescape with Annika.”
    â€œMaybe you can sort of explain to her about swimming naked, at least in the daylight.”
    â€œWas she?”
    â€œUnless you count the tail.”
    â€œUh-oh.”
    â€œNo harm I could see, and she just got caught up. I think she got what I was telling her about it, but maybe, you know, another woman. I think, on Corfu, she went down to the beach early every morning, swam out, and under, way under, to give herself that . . . ritual, I guess it is. But here . . .”
    â€œI’ll make sure she understands. Do you need any help here?”
    â€œNo, I’ve got it.”
    â€œCoffee, coffee, coffee,” Riley mumbled as she staggered in. She poured a mug, inhaled the scent, took a gulp. “Bang!” she said. “That’s coffee.”
    â€œIt’ll put hair on your chest,” Sawyer said. “Oh, right, you just need the moon for that.”
    â€œYou’re a riot.” She grabbed Annika’s crepe, folded it into her mouth, said, “Good,” around it.
    â€œGive me fifteen minutes, you’ll get better than good.”
    Sasha took plates outside, came back in for glassware, got caught up in a kiss as Bran came in. By the time she went back out, Annika was at work.
    She had the plates in a semicircle around a little tower of empty flower pots. From the top one spilled napkins in bright colors with folds and ripples. At the base of the flower blossoms and leaves, a few pretty stones formed a pool.
    â€œIt’s a rainbow waterfall,” Sasha guessed.
    â€œYes! And its water feeds the little garden. It’s water that blooms, so you can swim in the