Text 2:I can’t watch him attack that thing alone, Matt. And Ben’s not answering.
Matt shook his head and threw his phone down. He was starting to regret telling his parents his summer schedule.
“Something wrong?” Liz finally joined him on the balcony. She wore an ivory sundress with a navy belt.
“I think my dad is trying to save Sydney, even though we all think he should donate her.”
Liz frowned.
Matt sighed. “Sorry. Sydney is my dad’s boat. It doesn’t really work well anymore. And if it does, you can’t take it too far.” He handed Liz her tea. “Short of getting a new engine, Sydney’s pretty much dead.”
“That’s so sad,” Liz said, sitting in her usual chair. Only this time, an orange throw pillow was placed on it. Matt liked that she was finding little ways to make herself comfortable.
Matt shook his head. “He’s always spent way too much time on that thing, anyway.” He looked at her. “I’m sorry, I’m going to have to go over there to help him.”
She nodded and stared into her tea.
“Liz, I really wanted to spend the day with you.” He meant it. He wanted nothing more than to keep holding her the rest of the day and reassure her that she was safe with him.
She set down her tea and stood, smiling politely. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
He took a few short steps toward her and grinned. He lifted her face to kiss her forehead. This time she stood on her tip toes, tilted her head back and caught his lips with hers.
After the initial shock, he eased into her familiar kiss, the warmth of her lips spreading through his body. With his fingers around her neck and his thumbs resting under her ears, he finally dropped whatever guard he was holding against her and kissed her back. A blend of passion and relief washing through him, because he needed this. He didn’t realize how much he had needed to kiss her. Even now her lips could easily relieve the pressure and burden building inside him for the past week. He wanted to melt into her. But that was her job. Much like their first kiss, which he’d never forget. He deepened the kiss, taking a step closer to her as she moved back. He could feel her heart racing. Matt urged himself to pull away before the only place he would end up going was upstairs. He opened his eyes and gave a slow smile with his lips still on hers. She pulled away slowly, her cheeks beaming a bright red and her eyes blinking. Perhaps she hadn’t realized what she was in for when she offered him an innocent kiss.
He smiled to himself. “I won’t be long,” he reassured before grabbing his keys and bolting, his heart still racing. His brain insisting he get out of there as fast as he could.
An hour later, Matt pushed past his parent’s back door. “What the hell, Dad. Don’t you know I have a w—”
His mother came rushing out of the kitchen.
“Shh…he doesn’t know I called you.”
“What?” She had to be kidding.
“I think Sydney’s finally called it a day yesterday and your dad’s refusing to pull the plug. You’ve got to talk to him, sweetheart.”
Matt ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated with his new impossible assignment.
“How’s Liz?” she asked after giving him a moment.
Matt glanced out the window at his dad on the boat. He shook his head. “I don’t know, mom, I haven’t seen her,” he answered, agitated. Letting her know Liz is still not herself.
“Matthew,” she hissed.
“What do you want me to say? I feel like I’m living with a woman I kidnapped from the hospital who looks exactly like my wife. Only she keeps looking at me like…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words. The look that haunted him. As if she were asking him, how long are you going to keep me a prisoner here, and when can I go home.
That was up until this morning. When she seemed to have happily woken up in his arms.
Matt shuddered. “I’m going to go help dad.”
“Matt,” his mother’s warning voice called as he held his hand on the doorknob. “I didn’t ask you to come here today,” she raised an eyebrow at him.
Matt grinned widely. “No, mom,” he paused and opened the door. “It was more like threatened,” he muttered loudly.
He spotted his old man on the top deck, pulling on the latch to unhook the ropes.
“Dad,” Matt called, hastily.
