Chapter Ten
Chrissy worried leaving Emma and Mom behind would result in a stressful trip. It’d taken everything in her to not embarrass herself by crying as she got into the Jeep and gave her family one last wave. Now that Clearwater was disappearing in the rearview mirror, the tension began to dissipate from her shoulders.
When Chrissy had second-guessed herself over and over again about agreeing to go with Wyatt, her family kept telling her she was doing the right thing. Mom asked when the last time was that Chrissy had done something for herself. She’d been ready to volley instance after instance right back at her. Several moments of silence later, Chrissy had finally admitted she didn’t know.
When Chrissy realized she had no excuses or reason to get out of the reunion, she relaxed into the leather seat of Wyatt’s Jeep and watched through her window as the trees zipped by. This was good for her. In fact, after all the stress of the last few years, maybe this was exactly what she needed. Having the most handsome man she’d ever known sitting in the next seat over certainly didn’t hurt things, either.
Wyatt glanced at her. He’d picked her up at the house wearing a pair of tan cargo shorts, a Star Wars t-shirt, and a welcoming smile. Despite his mixed feelings about the reunion and some of the cautionary tales he’d told her, he seemed ready to get away for a couple of days.
Chrissy, on the other hand, kept ping-ponging between being excited about spending time with Wyatt and nervous about what it all meant. That evening while she waited for Wyatt to pick her up, Emma insisted it was clear he was falling for Chrissy. The very idea had her heart banging painfully against her ribs.
She seriously doubted Emma was right. But what if she were falling for him?
Wyatt reached for a bottle of water in the cup holder between them, took a drink, and put it back. For half a second, Chrissy thought he might reach over and hold her hand. The disappointment that hit when he didn’t reminded her that she needed to get a grip.
Whether or not there was something here between them remained to be seen. Either way, a reunion where she’d be surrounded by his extended family was not likely the place she’d find out.
She may as well focus on the good food and her first experience at the beach.
“So the resort is close to the coast?”
“You can see the ocean from many of the rooms.” Wyatt flashed her a smile. “And you can go out and walk right down the beach. It’s an amazing location. My family has a standing reservation for this week every year. I have an aunt who comes from Canada, and an uncle in Hawaii who makes the trip.”
“Wow, so you have family that wasn’t at your grandmother’s birthday party?”
Wyatt laughed loudly at that. “Oh, you have no idea. But you’re right, with Gran’s party, we’ve got back-to-back family reunions of sorts. But there will be a lot more people this weekend, trust me.”
“That’s wonderful everyone takes the time out of their busy lives to gather together like that.” Her voice carried a wistfulness that surprised even her. “You really are lucky to have such a large extended family.”
“For better or worse, I know you’re right.” He passed a slower vehicle on the highway before getting back in the right lane again. He smiled at her. “I still can’t believe you’ve never seen the ocean.”
“Mom always wanted to take us. But as kids, Emma got sick easily. Most of our vacations—few and far between that they were—revolved around staying at home or maybe a hotel in Austin or Dallas. I guess time just got away from us…” A pang of guilt hit her, and she tried to push it away. Neither Mom or Emma would want her to feel bad. Instead, they would want her to have fun and come back with a full report on her experience.
They made a stop halfway through to stretch their legs and grab something to eat in the Jeep. Chrissy enjoyed watching the scenery change as they traveled across East Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Corpus Christi was interesting to look at as they went through. Chrissy kept her eyes peeled for her first sign of the ocean.
“You see that gray there along the horizon?” Wyatt pointed out the driver’s side, and she nodded. “That’s the Corpus Christi Bay. We’ll follow it down, go across a long causeway, and then the resort is on Mustang Island.”
Chrissy listened to him point out different highlights as they continued on their drive. Her favorite, however, was definitely the causeway. They were halfway across when Chrissy remembered her mom and sister. She took several pictures and recorded a short video to show them.
Wyatt lowered the windows so they could breathe in the ocean air as they continued on their trek. They hadn’t gone far when he took an exit.
“Oh, are we close to the resort?” Chrissy scanned the buildings ahead.
“Not quite.” He continued to drive until they approached a clearing. From there, she could easily see the ocean in front of her. “I didn’t think your first visit to the beach should be within the chaos of my family’s reunion.” He parked the car near a trail that led down to the beach below. “What do you say? We have some time before we have to be at the resort.”
“Are you serious?” Chrissy’s gaze followed the trail to the pale sand beyond. There were only a few people strolling along the beach or walking near the waves. She wasn’t about to turn his offer down. “Let’s go!”
Wyatt chuckled as he got out of the Jeep and led the way.
It took more energy than Chrissy thought it would to walk across the sand. The sound of the waves hitting the beach filled the air. She took in a deep breath, certain she would never forget the way it smelled here. While she didn’t think it was much cooler here than it was back in Clearwater, there was a breeze coming off the water that felt amazing.
She paused only inches from where the sand became wet. Mesmerized, she watched as the waves crept closer only to finally cover the sand nearby in a frothy mix of foam and water. Then it seemed to race itself back out again.
“You should take your sandals off.”
Wyatt’s words broke into Chrissy’s thoughts. She turned to see him doing just that a few feet away. “We have time?”
“Absolutely.”
