Emerald Cove

Chapter 22

Charlotte's POV

I rolled over stretching across an empty bed. I groaned remembering that Katherine had to go into the office today.

I decided to get up and eat some breakfast on the veranda. It was a scorching hot day and the humidity was through the roof. Making my breakfast less enjoyable than I desired. I groaned.

It was nice to be alone and at peace, but the silence and stillness was killing me and honestly it was taking a toll on my mood. I admitted to myself that I thoroughly missed Katherine. She could grate on my nerves more than anyone else, but she had managed to wedge her way back into my life and I wouldn't change that for the world.

I quickly cleaned up my breakfast dishes deciding that I needed to get out of this house and distract myself from the golden haired beauty that I was missing so very much.

I showered quickly and then pulled on an old pair of jean shorts with holes in them, a white tank top, and my flip flops. I decided to leave my hair down and opted to pull on a baseball cap. I gave myself a quick once over deciding that I looked presentable. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door with no real destination in mind.

Thirty minutes later I found myself pulling into the marina where Mark and daddy's boats port. Before I even got out of the car I was able to make out two identical mops of brown curly hair and smiled realizing that Mark had the boys on the boat with him today.

I smiled to myself think about how at home at home I felt walking down the dock towards the boats. This is where I spent most of my summers a kid and it was refreshing to be back here and seeing my nephews having that same experience I had growing up.

"Hand my that wrench," I heard Mark call up to his sons from below deck. I saw the two boys look at each other and shrug before handing down a tool to their father. "That's not a wrench. Haven't I taught you two anything? The one with the red grip." I chuckled silently thinking about how much he sounded like our father. I held a finger up to silence the boys and handed Mark a hammer. "What the hell. Now you both know that's not a..." he broke off as he stuck his head above deck seeing I was he one handing him tools. The boys let out a fit of laughter at my joke and their father's annoyance. "Thank God it was you. I was really getting worried that I had taught these knuckleheads nothing."

I handed him the wrench he had requested and sat down on the deck next to the twins. "Oh come on. We both know you are a terrible teacher," I said winking at the twins.

"I taught you a thing or two," Mark responded throwing a dirty grease rag in my direction.

The rest of the morning continued with light banter between Mark and me while he repaired the engine on the boat and the boys laughed heartily at us.

Before long Mark had the boat back running and the twins and I were complaining about being hungry. I helped Mark clean up the tools while the boys raced each other down the dock to Mark's truck arguing about who would get the window seat.

"To be that young again," Mark commented nodding towards the boys as they pretended to sword fight with sticks they found on the ground.

"No kidding! I wear me out just looking at them," I chuckled. "So how's everything?"

"Uh... good," Mark said diverting his eyes. "How's everything with you?"