Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Thank you so much.” I look around the room. “I can come by”—I look at my watch and see it’s ten o’clock—“this afternoon around three.”
“That sounds great. If I’m not at the desk, I’ll leave them in an envelope.”
“Thank you so, so much,” I say and hang up the phone. “It’s happening,” I announce out loud. “It’s finally happening.” I look around the bedroom at the suitcase I started packing this morning. I knew there was a chance I would be getting the keys today or tomorrow, so I was going to prepare everything.
I get up now, and my stomach starts getting little butterflies with anticipation. I literally just toss shit into the luggage. At this point, I have no idea what I’m taking and what I’m not. I just want to get to the boat.
I bring down four pieces of luggage to the front door, and then walk to the kitchen, where I take out my cooler bag. I pack the milk and eggs I bought for the boat, along with the coffee and, of course, the wine. I put the cooler bag at the front door before running upstairs to change out of my pjs. Slipping on a pair of jeans and a loose white camisole, I grab a gray knitted sweater and rush back downstairs to the front door. I put on my Nikes before grabbing my SUV keys. I make five trips to the car by the time everything is loaded. I almost forgot about the five bags of decorations my aunt Zoe had sent over for me.
I get into the car and head over to the marina. The whole time, I’m so happy I feel like singing with glee. I take out the parking pass I was given from the last owners and scan the machine as the gate opens. I park my SUV next to the front, getting out and walking over to the office building.
There are five red tables with umbrellas set up right in front of a barbecue grill on the side, and when I pull open the door, the cool air hits me. I step inside, seeing a woman behind the desk. “Hi, is Samuel here?” I ask her. “I’m here to pick up the keys to my boat. My name is Vivienne.” I smile.
“Yes.” She grabs the white envelope from the stack of papers beside her. “This is your key.”
My hand reaches, taking the white envelope in my hand. “Thank you. Are there any loading bins?” I ask, and she gets up.
“Yes,” she says, “I can show you.” She moves around the counter before walking to the door. I follow her as she walks around the corner of the building where five gray carts are. “Would you need assistance to unload anything?”
“No”—I shake my head—“I’ll be fine.”
“Just bring it back when you’re done.”
“I will,” I assure her, walking over and grabbing one. It looks like a wheelbarrow. I bring it to the back of my SUV, opening it, and starting to pile things in. I don’t take into account all the shit I’ve put in there has made it heavy to push. I grab the handles and then push it toward the gated door. Seeing that I have to go all the way around to the other side, and by the time I get there, I have to take off my sweater because I’m a sweaty mess. I get to the gate and see that it’s locked. I look around, trying not to seem like I’m breaking into the place. People are all over the dock talking to each other and people on their boat cleaning. “Don’t be suspicious,” I mumble to myself as I try to see if there is a button or anything. I grab the envelope that I stuck in my back pocket and open it. Two sets of keys come out and a white credit card key thing. “Please work,” I murmur. Taking the card, I scan it against the door and hear the click of the lock. I throw my hands in the air like I just scored a freaking overtime goal during the Stanley Cup playoffs. I pull open the door and keep it open with my hip, bringing the cart in with me. I try not to huff and puff as I go down the ramp with a too heavy cart. “Maybe next time,” I tell myself as I try not to fly down the ramp. I smile at a couple of people as I walk past them.
I get giddier by the second as I get closer to my boat. Stopping right behind it, I take a second to take it in again. All mine. I leave the cart on the pier before I step aboard my boat. Mine. I giggle again as I walk up to the small door on the side, opening it and stepping into the sitting area in the back. A long bench on the right side faces the two big sliding doors. A small wooden table on the side has two chairs; that table was one of the reasons I bought this boat. I literally pictured myself sitting on one of the chairs. The stairs on the left side go up to where you drive the boat. I walk to the sliding door and stick the key in the lock and turn it. “Welcome home,” I say to myself with a smile so big on my face, my cheeks hurt. I slide open the door, and the cold air hits me right away as I step inside and down the two steps to the cherrywood floors I fell in love with.