Meant For Me Read Free Page A

rude it would be to stand up and move to another bench so I could lie down. But this was the only one in full sun and when I looked at her, I accidentally caught her eye.
    She gave me a tentative smile, her dark hair falling forward to cover her cheek when she tucked her head in a shy gesture that disarmed me. When was the last time a woman had looked at me like that? A long time. Years. Without thought, I smiled back.
    “Hi,” I said, because well, it was polite.
    She smiled again, but didn’t say anything.
    “Do you care if I lie down?” I asked. “I’d like to take a nap.” There was enough room for me to stretch out and still not touch her, but my feet would be fairly close to her. Hopefully she wouldn’t care, because I needed twenty minutes with my eyes closed or I was going to be passing out in my dinner at Aubrey’s.
    Her light blue eyes widened but she didn’t say anything. She just shook her head to indicate she didn’t object.
    “Thanks.” Sticking my sweatshirt behind me on the plastic armrest at the end of the bench, I pulled my legs up and settled back. It actually gave me a direct view of her. She was in her late teens, fair skin, a narrow, exotic face, with plump lips. Dressed in denim shorts and a billowy white shirt. I could see she was long and lean. She played with her hair repeatedly, making sure she was never looking at me. Definitely beautiful, but definitely not my type.
    As in, she wasn’t drunk and flirting outrageously with me on first glance.
    The ferryboat operator came over to her and waved. “Hi, Chloe. How is your dad?”
    She smiled up at him but she didn’t answer. She just nodded.
    “Do you think you’d be free to babysit sometime soon? The wife and I could use a night out without the kid.”
    She nodded again.
    “Friday?”
    That got a thumb’s up from her.
    What the fuck? Didn’t this chick talk?
    The ferryboat operator didn’t look like he thought it was weird at all. He just smiled down at her. “Great. The wife will text you.” He squeezed her shoulder as he moved away. “Tell your dad I’ll ring him up about getting some lobster.”
    Another nod.
    Squinting, I didn’t even pretend to look away when she turned and realized I had been watching the entire exchange. Her cheeks tinted pink, but she didn’t look away.
    “So you live on Vinalhaven?” I asked.
    Nod.
    “Maybe you know my sister then. Aubrey Walsh. Well, Aubrey Riker now.”
    Another nod.
    Quite the conversationalist. Not. I tried again. “Your name is Chloe?”
    Nod.
    “I’m Ethan.”
    She gave me a little wave. For acknowledgement I guessed.
    So she wasn’t going to talk. That was obvious. Weird. Was she a nun in training? A cult member? Deaf? It didn’t seem like she was reading lips, nor did she seem to have any trouble understanding what me or the other guy had said. She just was… silent.
    Okay then. Islanders were a unique bunch. Clearly this girl fit right in. “I’m going to visit Aubrey,” I said, which was stupid and obvious. “Do you know how I get to her house?”
    Her lips pursed and her brow knitted together. She put her palms flat on her knees then she raised them and dropped them again. Then pointed to the right.
    “Uh…” Then suddenly I realized what she was doing. “I go right off the ferry?”
    She nodded, a small shy smile replacing the concentrated look.
    “Thanks.” So she really was speech impaired in some way or she would have just said something. I felt like an ass for pestering her with questions. I gave another smile then tucked my hands behind my head and closed my eyes so she wouldn’t feel self-conscious with me looking right at her. Plus I really did want a nap. The sun was hot, but I felt like I was baking the alcohol out of me and it was a satisfying sensation.
    I fell asleep and only woke up when the boat bumped against the dock in Vinalhaven. My waking was more leisurely than it had been at Lila’s. I wasn’t worried about where I was or what