Part 14
"Anchors away!"
Becca laughed as Nick pushed off from the dock, his captain's hat turned characteristically backwards. "Am I doing this right?" Becca was up on the fly deck manning the wheel as the boat slowly made it's way out into the ocean.
"So far. Just hold the wheel straight and I'll be right up to take over." Nick coiled the ropes on the deck before climbing up beside Becca. "Nice job, Bec. You sure you haven't done this before?"
"Positive. The last time we were out on this boat was last fall, and I was a little … um … preoccupied." She blushed, remembering their day off the coast of Tampa.
"Oh yeah," he grinned. "I'll take a repeat of that any time, you know."
"I'll bet. But not today, we have a bride to distract." She patted him on the butt and went down the ladder to the main deck.
He called after her, "Put some sunscreen on or you'll fry."
"You sound like Sarah," she laughed. "Wanta help?"
"Not fair, Bec, I have a boat to pilot. Damn, see what you've done?" He rudely pointed at his shorts, which were now quite obviously just a tad too tight.
"Nice to know I haven't lost my touch," she giggled.
"I'll show you a touch …" he mumbled.
"What?" she called up to him.
"Nothing. Did you remember the food?"
"Nick, surely you jest. Would I ever forget food when you're around? Please," she huffed.
"Well, you need to go down below pretty soon. We're making good time, and I don't want to chance the other guys spotting you." He turned his attention back to the coastline, doing a mental checklist of the local landmarks.
"How much further, Nick?"
"Only about ten minutes. Baby? Toss me my cell so I can call Howie."
As requested, Becca tossed his phone up before heading below to the galley.
"Yo! D!" Nick held the phone with one hand as he casually lay the other on the wheel. "'Sup?"
"Man! Where the hell ARE you?" Howie growled on the other end of the line.
"Chill! We'll be there in about ten minutes."
"Nick, you're killing me. It'll be a miracle if this day goes off without some major disaster." Howie sounded more stressed than usual.
"Everything ok?" Nick asked.
"Aside from AJ almost blowing it awhile ago? And Sarah's upset because I haven't proposed…"
"She told you that?!"
"No, but I know her. I just hope I can keep this up and not ruin it." He sighed. "Look, here she comes, I gotta go."
"Ok, be there in a few." Nick broke the connection as he spotted the docks behind the beach house. Within minutes they were docked, which took a bit longer than casting off because Becca was safely tucked away below.
He was just finishing off the last knot when Sarah bounded down the docks, Howie close behind.
"Let's go! The other guys are threatening to come see us off," he said breathlessly.
"No way! They can't see Bec." Nick shot a panicked look at Howie.
"Why not?" Sarah asked.
"Umm … just umm … a surprise Bec and I have planned for later," he covered quickly as
Howie rolled his eyes in surrender.
"Go moron," he said as Nick gunned the engines and moved out to sea.
That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the morning. They were acting just plain weird, and Sarah tossed her hands up in defeat and went below decks to join Becca. By this time the boat was well on its way out to the open sea, slicing through the waves and bouncing along with its own distinctive rhythm.
"Bec?" Sarah called out, seeing no sign of her friend. Looking around she muttered,
"God, this thing is massive…"
"Amazing, isn't it?" Becca laughed, coming out of the sleeping quarters. "I'll never forget the first time I saw it. Nick invited me out on his boat…"
"BOAT? This is a freakin' floating hotel!"
"That was my reaction, too!"
"So? You gonna give me the grand tour?"
"Sure! Right this way." Becca made her way room by room, pointing out each of the staterooms, the galley and finally ending up in the master suite.
"Good God!" Sarah exclaimed sitting on the bed. "So," she said slyly, "this is where you…"
"Never mind. Don't make me regret spilling the details of that day trip to you. Besides, I still know some things about you that I bet you haven't told Howie," she smirked.
"Damn, take lessons from Nick much?"
"Only when it's convenient and serves my purpose." She lay down on the bed beside Sarah, rubbing her stomach.
"Bad day today?" Sarah rested on one elbow, looking closely at Becca.
"Not really. Just a little stiff from –" She broke off, blushing, as Sarah howled.
"Too much information, Bec." Sarah laughed, stretching out and getting comfortable.
"Look a little stiff there yourself, my friend," Becca chortled.
"God yes…." Sarah sighed dramatically.
They both cracked up, laughing until tears streamed down their faces.
"Have I thanked you yet?" Becca asked quietly. Effectively changing the mood.
"For what?"
"Coming after me. After seeing Nick again yesterday I realize what my leaving did. To him, to you …." She paused. "Even to me. I love him so much, Sarah."
"You made the right decision you know, coming back. Especially now." Sarah sat up cross-legged on the bed to watch Becca. "Is everything ok?"
"It's more than ok. Nick is an amazing man. To just take me back like that? I still feel I somehow don't deserve it, Sarah."
"That's Andrew working on you. Damn, Bec, even dead he still has this hold on you."
"And Russell has no hold on *you *?" Becca retorted, immediately regretting her words.
"I'm going up top." Sarah got up without another word and climbed up to the main deck.
Becca sighed. "Great. Now I've pissed off my best friend on her wedding day. Way to go."
Making her way to the galley, she began putting lunch together mentally kicking herself. Just as she bent to retrieve the cold cuts from the bottom drawer in the fridge, the baby kicked, sending a sharp pain through her midsection.
"Ouch! Little monster, knock it off, I'll do the kicking today, ok?" Balancing a tray on her arm she headed up, hoping to salvage the rest of the afternoon.