Derailed (Clayton Falls #1)(24)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“All right. If you’re sure.” He didn’t bother to hide his disappointment.

“I’m sure.”

“Okay, so I guess I’ll see you Saturday morning then, for that photo shoot.”

“Oh yeah, great! Did you double check with your dad?”

“Yes. He had no problem with it, but my mom gave one condition.” It sounded like he was smiling.

“What condition?”

“You have to come over to their house for dinner Saturday night.”

“Seriously?”

“Completely. I think she’s disappointed you haven’t come by to see her yet.”

“Oh.” I honestly didn’t think she’d want to see me. She’d come over herself when I broke up with Ben to ask me to reconsider and give him another chance. Seeing Mr. Mathews was one thing, seeing his wife was another.

“Maybe we’ll find another place to do the pictures.”

Ben snorted. “Molly! You can’t be that scared of Mom. You two always got along, and she loves you. You know that.”

“She might have loved me before, but not anymore.”

“Kind of how you thought I hated you, right?”

“Well… I just—” I started to explain.

“I’ll see you Saturday. That is, unless you want to see me before then.”

“I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Wrong answer; you’re supposed to say you can’t wait that long.”

I laughed. “Goodnight, Ben.” Part of me had been tempted to tell Ben about my dinner with Gavin, but I didn’t want to stir up trouble if I didn’t have to.

“Goodnight.”

Chapter Eleven

Saturday morning started out hazy, but I was confident the sun would break through in time for the pictures. I headed down to the marina around nine, a good half-hour before I needed to be there. I decided to walk, carrying only my camera bag and a bottle of water, shoving my wallet, cell phone, and keys in my back pocket. Even with the early hour, it was hot, and my light blue jean skirt with the intentional rip felt sticky against my legs by the time I arrived. Ben was already there, chatting with his dad. I prepared myself for potential awkwardness.

“Hi, Ben, Mr. Mathews.”

“Hey.” Ben hopped down off the boat to greet me. “Still wearing your usual wardrobe, I see.”

“Just realizing that?”

“Well, the first few times could have just been flukes.”

“Very likely.” I smiled. “So you think the sun is going to cooperate today?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well, I guess we have some time before Kelly and Tom get here.”

“A little bit. Why don’t you get yourself set up?”

Mr. Mathews greeted me with a grin as I boarded the boat. Ben looked so much like his father that it was sometimes eerie when I saw him, like I was taking a peek into Ben’s future or something. In the darkness the other night, I hadn’t really looked at it, but the Mathews’s 60 foot Chris-Craft still looked as beautiful as ever. Ben had always worked long hours with his father keeping up the wooden boat. I don’t think either father or son minded much. It was like their baby. It was also one of their biggest money makers because they could rent it out for weddings and other events. “Hi there, Molly. By the way, you’re not a kid anymore. You can call me Mark now.”

“Hmm, I guess I could try.”

He laughed. “Your parents always made such a big deal about formalities. It’s no wonder you have trouble breaking out of it.”

I knew he was really referring to my dad. Although our mothers were always friendly, my dad and Ben’s never got along. They were in very different social circles, but everyone knew how strict my dad was and how tight a ship he ran at home.

Dad never liked me dating Ben. He thought Ben was a bad influence on me and accused him of using his family’s money to stay out of trouble. Dad probably would have forbidden me from dating him if my mom hadn’t intervened. I think the only reason he was okay with me moving across the country for school was to keep us apart. He thought we were getting too serious and that I needed more options. I wonder what he’d think if he knew his death is what finally broke us up.

“Earth to Molly. You doing okay, space cadet?” Ben touched my arm, bringing me back to the present.

“Sorry, I guess I’m out of it this morning.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“Nope, but thanks.”

“All right. Here comes the happy couple.”

Kelly and Tom headed over, dressed up in clearly coordinated outfits. Kelly wore a light blue sun dress, and Tom wore a shirt in the exact same shade of blue.

“Hey, guys.” Tom came to join us on the front deck.

“Hey.” I gave a small wave.

Kelly made a beeline for Mr. Mathews. “Thanks so much for letting us use the boat today.”

“It’s fine. I’d never deny Molly a favor, and it’s a nice day to head out on the water anyway.”

Deny me a favor? Of course that’s how it would be construed.

Mr. Mathews went inside to take the wheel, and we headed out. I leaned against the railing, watching the marina disappear behind us. I loved being out on the ocean. I promised myself that if I ever made a lot of money, the first thing I’d buy would be a boat.

“I don’t think you’d survive living away from the coast.” Ben joined me, his arm rubbing against mine.

“You couldn’t either.”

“Nope, I couldn’t. Sometimes I wonder how people do it. How do they survive in those landlocked states?” He looked longingly out at the water. Two things really made Ben come alive—his music and the water.

“You can’t miss what you’ve never had.”

“Yeah, I guess not. I feel bad for those people who grew up on the water and had to move, though.”

“They can always take beach vacations, right?”

“What if a vacation isn’t enough?”

“I think you learn to take what you can get.” I moved away from him, not liking where the conversation was headed.

We were getting close to the perfect spot to anchor, so I went to talk to Kelly about what kind of shots she was looking for.

“I don’t know. We just want some cute pictures, maybe some artistic ones.”

“Artistic ones? What does that mean exactly?”

“I think that’s your department.”