Page 35 of Last Wish Wedding

“Noah would love hearing about this.”

“I’ve told him about it, but you’re right. We should bring him out here sometime. Show him the rocks, tell him the stories. He’d go nuts,” Mac paused, seeming to realize what he’d said. “I mean if it’s okay with you.”

Kelsey turned to face him, his arm encircling her waist as she moved, and touched a hand to his chest to keep herself steady. “You’d do that?”

His eyes searched her face. “Yeah, I would. He’s a great kid. I really enjoy talking with him. And he loves the history of this place.”

The moment stretched between them. Mac’s hand was still on her back, and Kelsey could feel his heartbeat where her palm rested against his chest.

“The widow,” she said softly. “Does her ghost still walk up there, watching for her captain?”

“I’ve never seen her.” Mac’s voice was equally quiet. “But people say, on stormy nights, you can see a woman in white up on that platform.”

“Do you believe in ghosts, Mac?”

Chapter 13

“No,” Mac said firmly, his hand tightening slightly on her waist. “When you’re gone, you’re gone. That’s it.”

Kelsey’s laugh was soft, almost sad. “You sound so certain.”

“You’re not?”

“I used to be. Before David.” She glanced away, watching the waves break against the hull. “After he died, there were moments. I’ve never seen anything, exactly. Just… a presence. A certainty that he was there.”

Mac’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t pull away.

“What was her name?” Kelsey asked gently.

“Marlene.” His voice was rough. “Her name was Marlene.”

“Don’t you ever feel like she’s watching over you? Or with you?”

“Kelsey…” Warning threaded through his tone.

“I’m serious, Mac. Wouldn’t it be comforting to think that Marlene’s still around, wanting you to be happy?”

“I doubt either of them would approve of… this.” His fingers flexed against her hip.

“This isn’t betraying them.” Kelsey met his gaze steadily. “They’re gone. We know that better than anyone. Moving on, living our lives, it doesn’t diminish what we had with them. Or make our love for them any less.”

Something shifted in Mac’s expression, his eyes darkening as they dropped to her lips. His other hand came up to trace the curve of her waist, and Kelsey’s breath caught at the heat in his touch.

“You feel very real,” he murmured, voice dropping to a dangerous register that made her skin tingle. “Very alive.”

His hands slid lower, pulling her closer until their bodies aligned. Kelsey’s heart thundered against her ribs as Mac dipped his head, his breath warm against her lips.

A sharp electronic beeping cut through the moment. Mac’s attention immediately snapped to the instrument panel.

“Damn it,” Mac muttered, releasing her to adjust the controls. “Getting too close to those rocks I was just warning you about. Some sailor I am.”

Kelsey stepped back and steadied herself against the rail. “I might have been distracting you.”

“You think?” His smile was rueful. Mac busied himself with the boat for several moments while Kelsey continued to enjoy the view. It felt good to talk to him this way.

“Nobody’s ever talked about Marlene like that before. People usually tiptoe around it, like mentioning her might break me,” Mac said, turning back to her.

“Loss doesn’t seem to work that way. They’re always there, part of us, just under the surface.”