Chapter 3

Blake could feel Donna watching her. They'd been on the dingy because Addie had been right, it was a dingy, for an hour now, and she could feel Donna's stare. Lex and Addie were helping the dingy captain cook, he was making them crab and some other fish Blake had no idea what the name was. She'd pulled her sunhat low over her eyes, the sunglasses added an extra block, and tried to ignore Donna. She either wanted to know if Blake had found inspiration, or she wanted to know about her and Addie's morning ride. Kodi, the most chill dog ever, lay at her feet, her head on Blake's ankle.

"Are you just going to sit there and pretend you don't feel me watching you?" 

"Yes, yes that's exactly what I'm going to do," Blake said laughter in her voice. 

"You're being a bad friend," Donna complained.

"Why? Because I don't want to spill on every second of my morning with Addie?" 

"Yes! Where did you go? What did you do?"

"We went on a bike ride, and we looked at the view." 

"That's it? All damned morning and that's it? You know, sometimes I wonder why I even bother." 

"Bother with what?" 

"Finding you dates, interesting female conversation. You just don't seem to want to find a good woman to love you." 

"Really? Is that why she's here? Why I'm here? To find a woman? I thought she needed a friendly person that wouldn't cling to her after a month?" Blake lifted her glasses and glared at Donna who quickly laid back down. 

"Of course that's why you're here, just a friendly person for Addie." 

"Mm, I'm not sure I believe you," Blake said. She looked over to where Lex, in tight white shorts, and a white tank, stood watching Addie, dressed in blue shorts and a white bikini top, as she stirred a pot. She had to admit, only to herself, Addie knew how to wear a bikini, her body was well sculpted and toned. She looked up and caught Blake staring, Addie grinned and beckoned her over. Blake stood and made her way over to them. "What ya cooking?" 

"On today's menu, crab, hake fish cakes and rice. There is also a salad for the more healthy eaters among us." Addie winked in Donna's direction. 

"That one east everything in her path!" Blake joked. Donna got up and joined them too. 

"I do not! Drink, yes, now I love to drink!" Donna laughed. "Is there a nice wine or cider in our future?" 

"Ya ma'am, I'm gonna bring it out to ya now." His accent was strange, not quite Jamaican. 

"Thank you, that would be amazing!" 

"I don't know if drinking on the dingy is a good idea. Drowning, even in these crystal clear waters would still be a shame." Lex said but smiled at Donna. 

"I'm on vacation, and I plan on drinking a lot! So you just shh, or join me." Donna took the cider their host held out to her and popped the lid. The rest of them followed suit and they clinked glasses in a silent toast. "We should go snorkeling," Donna said. 

"Really?" Blake stared at her in disbelief. "You hate swimming, and you said you hate swimming in shark-infested water more. Snorkeling, means in there, the shark's home." 

"I can do it here, it's safe, they have these all-day trips, I want to go on one." 

"I saw that, yes, it was for couples only though, as a bonding trip, you and your partner, and an instructor of course," Addie said. 

"Well, then I will go with Lex." She eyed Blake. "You two can keep yourselves busy for a day, without us, right?" 

"Yes," Blake said. "We're grown-ups." All of them started as Kodi gave a loud bark, and leaped off the side of the dingy. 

"Kodi!" Addie shouted and ran to the side, leaning over to look at what Kodi was after. She laughed as she leaned down and pulled Kodi back on board. A long yellow fish flopping in her mouth. "I guess she got hungry waiting on us." 

Later back on land, as the sun started setting, Blake walked on the beach, her mind drifting, as she realized that she'd not spent one second that day thinking about her new book. She felt relaxed and refreshed, after just one day in the sun and with friends. She felt better too like her mind needed the time away. Donna was probably right, she'd needed this, the freedom to let her mind rest, even if it was just for a month. And if she found that she could get words on a page, she'd do it, but she wasn't going to try and force it anymore. When the time was right, the words will come to her, she needed to trust that. Blake heard rushing feet before she turned and saw Kodi running full speed toward her. With a grin, she spun around and ran, but Kodi was fast and on her in seconds. Laughing she sank down on the sand and Kodi plopped down next to her, tongue lolling out. 

"You out here on your own, Kodi?" Kodi tilted her head listening. "You know, when I get home, I'm going to think about getting me a puppy." Kodi's ears pricked and with a bark, she jumped up and ran back the way she'd come. Blake watched until she was a tiny speck in the distance. Then she stood and followed, at a more leisurely pace.

She and Addie had declined another night out for dinner and decided to make something at their cabin. Donna, of course, insisted she and Lex go out. When their cabin came into view she saw Addie sitting on the steps, playing on her guitar and singing to Kodi who listened intently. She wasn't close enough to hear the words Addie sang, but the melody sounded sad. Addie looked up then, spotting her, and smiled, but not before Blake had seen the sadness in her eyes too. Someone had hurt this woman, but she was hiding it well. Blake hoped that the time away would help ease the pain that Addie felt too.