Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
“Well, I’m glad I’m your friend.”
Palmer pressed into Kent. “You’re more than that. It’s hard to explain.”
You’re telling me.
Somewhere in the distance, a horn sounded. Kent thought it was a foghorn or the kind you’d find at a mill, signaling everyone back to work. He imagined the horn would be for fishermen to get up and get out on the water. Kent knew absolutely nothing about deep-sea fishing or what it was like to be out on a boat all day long.
Palmer pointed. Along the horizon, the once-dark sky began turning a vibrant orange, pink, and yellow. Kent likened the color to sherbet. He tightened his arms around Palmer and held her. Her hands gripped his forearms, and she sniffled. This was the first thing on her bucket list, and he’d made it happen for her. He’d never forget this moment—the two of them sitting like this—watching a new day unfold.
They stayed there, on the sandy beach in Chatham, for an hour until the sun was high in the sky and everything around them came to life. It was still early, but they could hear traffic on the road behind them, and they could see boats heading out to sea to work for their daily catch. After a bit, Kent suggested they walk on the beach. They left their blanket there and held hands. They walked toward the surf and took in the beauty around them. Birds squawked at other birds, while some scoured the sand for morsels of food.
Palmer looked over her shoulder and laughed at their footprints in the sand, and the whole time Kent never stopped looking at her. His determination to make this trip happen was worth everything he saw in this moment. He stepped away from her, took his phone out of his pocket, and started snapping photos. It was as if Palmer sensed that Kent would need these photos later and posed. She turned, tilted her head toward the sun, and gave him the time to capture her. He stepped to her and put his arm around her waist. Kent wanted these memories for the rest of his life.
“We need a selfie.”
“But I look—”
“Perfect,” he said as he interrupted her. “You’re stunning, Palmer.”
She looked at the camera and rested her head on his shoulder. Kent snapped the photo. The way Palmer looked in the photo spoke volumes to him. He saw how shy she was, and how thankful she was for him. When she turned to look at him, he snapped another photo, and then he looked at her. If there ever was a perfect moment to kiss Palmer, it was now. He cupped her cheek and then hesitated. The way she made him feel came rushing forward. He had no problems looking past her illness. He would be with her through it all. He wondered what would happen if he inched closer to her. If he licked his lips and turned his head slightly, would she do the same? Would she close the gap and press herself to him?
Palmer looked away, the connection between them broken, at least for the time being. Kent pocketed his phone and took her hand in his as they started walking again. They moved closer to the water, where the cold sand formed around their feet.
“I dare you to go in,” Palmer said to him.
“Easy.” Kent pulled his sweatpants up to his knees and walked into the water. It was freezing, and he wanted to run back out, but he stayed.
“Is it cold?”
“It is,” he told her. “But you might like it.” He turned and looked out over the water as waves washed over him. “It’s not on your list, but something you can definitely add.”
“What’s that?” she asked from shore. “Getting eaten by Jaws?”
“Yes, of course.” Kent laughed. “Being eaten by a fictional mechanical shark should be on everyone’s list.”
Palmer snorted. Kent walked toward her. His feet were numb, but he didn’t care anymore. He only cared about making Palmer laugh and smile. Seeing her happy was all he needed right now. He crouched down and pulled her yoga pants up to her knees to keep them from getting wet. Kent righted himself and reached for Palmer’s hand, and as soon as their fingers touched, he brought her into the water. She gasped on contact but didn’t let go of Kent’s hand.
“It’s cold.”
“It is, but now you can say you’ve been in the Atlantic Ocean. Few can ever say that.”
“Just one more thing on my list, right?”
Kent nodded. “For every one we tick off, we’ll find something to add.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her while the ocean lapped at their feet.
He never wanted to let her go.
NINETEEN
After breakfast and showers, Palmer and Kent packed up, loaded their things into the Jeep, and set off to walk the streets of Chatham. The quaint village was a tourist destination with its one-of-a-kind shops, classic New England ambiance, and old-town feel. They window-shopped, went into a few of the stores, admired the wares of the locals, and listened to a tour guide tell a group of visitors about the local church.