I’ll Become the Sea Read Online Free PDF

then. Nice to see you again, Jane.”
    He extended his hand, shifting to the side. For a moment her face was flooded again with lamplight and she couldn’t see him. She had the strange impression of being alone with him on a sea of ice, everything gone but the two of them. He grasped her hand and she felt the heat and light course through her, unsettling her balance. Then he stepped back, blocking the lamp again. She stood there for a moment, dazed.
    “So,” she managed, “how do you think Raymond is doing?”
    “Great. Settling in. I think he’ll do just fine.”
    “I hope so.” She shivered a little and wrapped her arms around herself. “I didn’t dress warmly enough.”
    “Would you like to get a coffee and warm up? We’ll uh…” He looked up at the darkening gray sky, clearing his throat. “We’ll be snowed in soon. I’m not ready to go home.”
    She should say no. No was the obvious answer. She should make an excuse and say goodnight immediately.
    “Yeah, let’s. That sounds nice.”
    The town’s only decent café beckoned from across the parking lot. They walked to it through a thin layer of gathering snow. Inside, Jane took brief refuge at the counter, placing their orders while David found a table.
    “Do you…um…live near here?” she asked as she joined him, setting their coffees down. “I got a scone too. Want some?”
    “Thanks.” He broke off a piece, tossed it in his mouth. “Not far. Down by the water. Ocean Avenue.”
    She smiled for the first time without thinking. “It’s beautiful there. In Avon? I must pass you on my way to work every day. I take my bike along the boardwalk.”
    “You must freeze in weather like this.”
    “It’s not too bad. I bundle up.”
    Across the table, he held his black coffee in one loose hand. A trace of beard underscored the blue of his eyes. His hair was a deep, warm brown, his shoulders broad under a navy wool sweater. His gaze on her was steady, taking her in—her face, the shape of her body, and finally, the small diamond ring on her finger.
    “You and your fiancé. Do you live together in Belmar?”
    “No. Ben’s away for a few months, in L.A. Working on a film, a documentary. He lives in his own apartment, though, in Point Pleasant. We might move into a new place when he gets back, but maybe not. He likes having his own space.”
    “I guess that makes sense. What’s he going to do when you get married though?”
    “When we’re married?”
    A small voice in her head said if . Surprised, she pushed it away. “I suppose he’ll get used to having a roommate.” She reached for her coffee. “How about you? Do you live with anyone?”
    His hand rested on the table, quiet, motionless and unambiguously strong.
    “No. I live alone. Me and Karl Marx, my goldfish.”
    “Quite a name.”
    “He’s very disgruntled.”
    Her laugh was genuine, surprising her.
    “What are you going to do tonight in all this snow?” he asked.
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. Read, maybe. I bought some music today. Maybe I’ll just turn off the lights and listen.”
    “What did you buy?”
    She confessed her love of punk and metal, bracing for the inevitable dismissive chuckle. Instead, he brightened.
    “I play guitar.” He reached for another hunk of her scone. “You might know a few of the songs my band covers if you like that kind of music.”
    “You have a band?”
    “You could call it that. It’s really just a couple of guys who play together for fun, but we do some shows around the area sometimes. You should come hear us play.”
    “That would be nice.” She looked out the window and saw the growing speed of the snow. “We’d better get going, though.”
    He glanced outside while she took a last sip of her coffee. “Guess you’re right.”
    She felt him watching her. She knew she should rise and start putting on her coat, but she couldn’t seem to talk herself into it. “Too bad we don’t have more time.”
    “Yeah. It is too bad.”