The Job Offer - By Eleanor Webb Page 0,36

room also had two kayaks, one lime green and the other orange, leaning against one corner and a row of plants that lined up on the long window sill.

A nice breeze blew gently in from the window ruffling Anne's mother's hair. On seeing her daughter enter the room with Ben, Anne's mother stopped what she was working on and hopped out of her chair. She went to stand behind her husband's chair placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Mom, Dad. Ben and I have something to tell you."

* * * * *

Seven hours later after a leisurely ride on kayaks down to Deer Harbor and back, Ben stood on his balcony drinking a bottle of water and thought about the day. Anne's parents took the news well that he and their daughter were masquerading as a newly engaged couple, and they understood the reason why they were doing so. Strangely, they seemed to be almost happy about it. Jim even shook his hand and slapped his back when Anne's parents walked the two of them back to the door leading to the restricted area.

From there he and Anne went back to his room so that he could change into his red swimming shorts and a yellow tee shirt. Then he walked with her to her parents' house and waited while she changed into a light blue bikini that she covered with a well worn white tee shirt with a peeling University of Washington's purple logo and beige shorts. She pulled her hair back in a haphazard pony tail that left tendrils falling out and wore a pair of sunglasses and white canvas shoes. A small bottle of sunscreen was stuffed into her back pocket and it jiggled with her every step. He felt his heart turn over at the sight of her. He knew that he was wearing a silly grin when he followed her down the path, but he just did not care.

They borrowed life vests, kayaks, and paddles again from the inn's checkout cabin located by the dock and took off at a nice leisurely pace down the shore after applying the sunscreen. Taking the trip with Anne reminded him of his first time kayaking. It was here on Orcas that he first learned how to use a kayak, and little Anne Petrovic was his guide down the shoreline. They only went a few miles that first time years ago. She was quite the spitfire adventuress for a nine year old, he remembered, and he liked her immediately even if she was Lily’s age.

That trip was the first time his family had come to the inn, and his first time in the San Juan Islands. His mother had married Troy Carlson a few months before, and the trip was their first as a family. He also had his first kiss from a girl named Allie who was also along for the kayak trip. He had a lot of firsts that summer, he remembered.

Their conversations throughout the day were easy exchanges intermingled with companionable silences that made Ben feel like he was with one of his friends. He and Anne paddled down the northwest side of the island enjoying the smooth waters that hugged the shore. The shoreline on his left was mostly rocky and covered with fir trees and scrub bushes. He knew that further in from the shore, grassy meadows and watershed areas would replace the dense forests. To the right was the channel and Waldron Island. He could smell the salt water and pine trees, two scents that he had come to appreciate living in the Puget Sound area and up here in the San Juan’s. They passed several anchored fishing boats and waved to the fishermen. Anne recognized one of the men and called out to him by name. Gulls circled and dove trying to grab bait from their fishing lines as the men cast into the water. Overhead, bald eagles soared. They did not see any whale pods on the trip down the coast but passed a couple of sightseeing boats on their way out in search of orca and humpback whales.

Once they reached Deer Harbor a few hours later, they stopped for lunch at a little red painted burger shack that was set up by the dock. The four picnic tables were all taken, so they carried their cheeseburger baskets and diet sodas over to the dock and ate while dangling their feet in the water. As they talked, another sightseeing charter filled up