Summer on the Cape by J.M. Bronston Read Free Book Online

you wanted to paint her.”
    “I had no idea. I didn’t realize this was your boat.” It suits him , she thought, letting her artist’s glance run quickly over his lean, hard, competent form. “Should I have gotten permission to paint her? I would have asked if I’d known.”
    “That’s all right,” he said. “She’s been painted and photographed many times. In fact, I know how you artists are. You always want to examine every little detail closely. Why don’t you come on board and I’ll show you around? Maybe I can even rustle up a cup of coffee for you.”
    Well , thought Allie, considerably surprised. This native is getting a lot friendlier than I’d expected. She wondered what had brought about the change from yesterday’s bad temper.
    “I’d love to see Sea Smoke from the inside. I’ve never been on a sailboat before.”
    She cleaned her brushes quickly and wiped her hands on her shirttail. “Will my things be okay here?” At home in New York, Allie wouldn’t have dreamed of leaving her possessions unattended.
    “They’ll be all right,” he said drily, climbing up a little block of portable steps that stood next to the boat’s side. A curious look—almost of contempt—flashed across his face. “You’re not in the big city now.” He stepped onto Sea Smoke ’s deck and held out a hand. “Steady now. Here, hold on to me.” He held out a hand for her as she stepped onto the boat. Her grip on Zach’s hand tightened as she felt the motion of the boat, rocking gently against the mooring lines. She stepped down into the cockpit and he released her hand and, with an air of nautical formality, he announced, “ Sea Smoke and I welcome you aboard.”
    He saw that Allie began immediately to absorb the visual details of everything around her, so he put one hand on the boat’s helm and began his lecture.
    “The wheel, here,” he said, “is mounted on this pedestal. At the top of the pedestal is the binnacle. That holds the compass. All the engine controls are also mounted here on the pedestal.” He pointed into the after cabin, behind him. “I use that mostly for storage space, but if it’s cleaned up, there’s room to sleep two, in addition to the space forward.”
    Allie was struck forcefully by the lean grace of his body as he swayed slightly with the boat’s motion. His hand was resting on the main boom and he leaned against it as it rocked slightly in its rigging, his eyes narrowed against the sunlight that was beginning to burn through the light fog. She found herself calculating the best angle for a painting, probably a low eye level, she thought, to emphasize his height against the tall masts rising up into the morning sky above his head. She had to squint her eyes slightly, looking at him silhouetted against the sun, and she brushed the soft bangs away from her eyes. Zach smiled at the now-familiar gesture.
    “Let me get you that cup of coffee,” he said. He climbed down the ladderlike steps into the cabin. “Come on below and I’ll show you around.”
    Allie was surprised by what she saw when she descended into the cabin. Even to an inexperienced landlubber like herself, the sharp contrast between the interior of Sea Smoke’s cabin and her shipshape appearance above decks was striking. Up on top, not a single mark marred her glistening white paint, her sails were furled tight against their booms, and the canvas covers were tied and snapped snugly around them. Every piece of line was neatly stashed and there wasn’t so much as a cotter pin lying about.
    But the scene below decks was one of congenial clutter. Although the interior of the cabin was as beautiful as the exterior, with teak cabinets and wonderful brass fittings, all well cared for, Allie laughed to herself, thinking that her painting of this beautiful boat gave no hint of the very masculine disarray that was concealed inside its cabin.
    On the galley top there were tools of all kinds, together with a marine radio, a