Subject to the Tide by Laura Mahaffey

Author:Laura Mahaffey [Mahaffey, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Doogle Writes Publishing
Published: 2023-08-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter seventeen

The sun spun a beautiful web of colors across the sky—orange, pink, and golden hues with hints of blues and greens like a big box of Crayola crayons—every kid’s dream in elementary school. It promised to be one of those perfect days, the kind that live forever in the tapestry of memory. A slight breeze made the tree limbs sway in a slow, lazy fashion—their leaves rustling a cheery tune, keeping the humidity at bay. This was a gift. Sitting in a kayak baking in the sun was no one’s idea of a good time. But a perfect combination of lower temperatures and the breeze ensured optimal tour conditions.

Amanda smiled and headed to Hal’s place; from there, they would travel to the boat landing. The marsh surrounded her as she drove, its wheat-colored grass swaying in rhythm with the wind, shore birds searching the banks for breakfast. It felt like one of those perfect postcard moments, the kind you send home to make your friends jealous.

She made it in record time, despite pulling a trailer full of boats as colorful as the sky. Hal sat on the front steps, ready and waiting with his paddle, life jacket, and a cooler beside him. His face arranged into a scowl of sorts. Amanda shifted in her seat. He put his gear in the back of the truck, secured it, and opened the passenger-side door to slide onto the seat next to her.

“Where we headed?”

“Good morning.” Amanda’s voice sounded flat even to her own ears, and her brows crinkled into a frown. “It’s customary to say hello. You know, some form of greeting.”

Hal sighed, “I’m sorry. Didn’t sleep well last night.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Good morning.”

She processed this information and a smidge of concern fell over her—a dark cloud over her perfect day. Amanda took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, like she did in yoga class. It kept her unease at a manageable level until she tucked it away and ignored it.

“We’ve got a group of four today—a tour of the ACE Basin—the Combahee River. I’d hoped to see some spider lily blooms, but it’s too late in the season. This is probably a better spring/summer tour.” Amanda let her eyes dart over to Hal.

“There’ll be plenty to see, and there are the rice fields to explore and talk about. Not to mention the ACE itself.” Hal grinned.

Amanda handed him some coffee, and they headed toward Highway 17. Tour participants would meet them at the boat ramp at ten, but she wanted to get the kayaks staged prior to their arrival.

“So, when did you get the website up and running?” Hal picked at a loose thread on his shorts, his lips set in a firm line.

“I don’t remember exactly when. It was Robin’s idea. And, I have to say, it’s a genius move—takes the whole need for a physical location out of the equation.” Amanda peeked at Hal. “It went live almost two weeks ago, and the response has been great.

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