As she glanced to her right, she noticed a dorsal fin in the water and her stomach lurched. Another fin appeared. She quickly realized that there were at least six fins and they were curved rather than straight. A pod of dolphins. Her body relaxed and she stopped paddling to enjoy the view, wishing for a brief moment that she'd agreed to ride on Tyler's lap. It would have been nice to share this incredible moment with him. Suddenly one of the dolphins leaped out of the water and sailed through the air, splashing back into the water as it swam across the horizon. Alexis's smile widened as the other dolphins followed suit.
Once the impromptu show was over, she faced the beach and began to paddle in earnest. Tyler applauded her when she reached the shore.
"Those dolphins were trying to win you over," he said, pulling the kayak safely onto the sand.
"God, I could do that every day," she exclaimed, her eyes dancing with excitement. She didn't even bother to smooth her wild hair, despite the loose strands sticking to her cheeks.
"You sure could. You're a natural," he declared.
"It's amazing," she said, throwing her arms around him. Instantly she withdrew, her cheeks flushed. "I'm so sorry. I'm not trying to play games with you, Tyler, I swear.
I want to explain everything at some point, but I'm just not ready."
"I'm a patient man, Alexis. I mean it," he said. He hesitated, debating whether to risk his next question. He didn't want to scare her off again. On the other hand, she had confessed to feelings, however vague they were.
"My friends are having a Christmas party tomorrow night. Friends from school actually, not that you'd remember them," he teased.
"Names?" she prompted.
"Craig was our year and his wife, Peyton, was the year after us. Craig Keeler."
She grimaced, ashamed not to remember Tyler's friend either. Peyton, however, she did remember.
"I played soccer with Peyton," she said.
Tyler high-fived her. "I hoped you'd get that one. She remembers you. Craig does, too. They'd love to see you." His blue eyes beckoned her and she felt her resistance fading.
Alexis sighed. "I feel so foolish, blocking out so many people. Like I wasn't paying attention to my life. I had no clue how self-obsessed I was."
"You were looking ahead instead of around you. Not living in the moment," he said. "A common mistake, but usually made by people on the mainland."
"Was I at least nice to you in school?" she asked, tipping up her chin to see him more clearly.
"You were always polite," he said. "You just kept to yourself. I used to try to sneak a peek at your notebook when we were in the library. I wanted to read some of your poems."