“Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes, “I’ll go, too. But if I see any sharks, I’m quitting.”
“You mean there might be sharks?” Kevin asked quickly.
“Yeah, we’ll probably see some sharks. But they’re little and they don’t bother people.”
“How little?” Theresa asked, remembering the story he’d told about the hammerhead he’d encountered.
“Little enough that you won’t have anything to worry about.”
“are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Cool,” Kevin repeated to himself, and Theresa glanced at Garrett, wondering if he was telling the truth.
* * *
After picking up their bags and stopping for a bite to eat, Garrett drove Theresa and Kevin to the motel. Once their things were inside, Garrett went back to his truck, returning with a book and some papers under his arms.
“Kevin—these are for you.”
“What are they?”
“It’s the book and the tests you need to read for your certification. Don’t worry—it looks like there’s more to read than there is. But if you want to head out tomorrow, you have to have the first two sections read and complete the first test.”
“Is it hard?”
“No—it’s pretty easy, but you still have to do it. And you can use the book to find the answers you’re not sure about.”
“You mean I can look up the answers while I take the test?”
Garrett nodded. “Yeah. When I give these to my classes, they’re supposed to do them at home and I’m sure almost everyone uses the book. The important thing is that you try to learn what you need to know. Diving is a lot of fun, but it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Garrett handed Kevin the book as he went on.
“If you can finish by tomorrow—it’s about twenty pages to read, plus the test—we’ll head to the pool for the first part of your certification. You’ll learn how to put on your equipment and then we’ll practice for a while.”
“We’re not going in the ocean?”
“not tomorrow—you have to spend some time getting comfortable with the equipment first. After we spend a few hours doing that, then we’ll be ready. We’ll probably hit the ocean on Monday and Tuesday for your first open-water dives. And if you get enough hours in the water, you’ll have a temporary certification by the time you step on the plane to go home. Then, all you have to do is mail an application, and you’ll get the actual certification in the mail in a couple of weeks.”
Kevin began to flip through the pages. “Does Mom have to do it, too?”
“If she wants to be certified, she does.”
Theresa walked over, peeking over Kevin’s shoulder as he glanced through the book. The information didn’t look too daunting.
“Kevin,” she said, “we can do it together tomorrow morning, if you’re too tired to start now.”
“I’m not too tired,” he said quickly.
“Then would you mind if Garrett and I talked on the patio for a while?”
“No, go ahead,” he said absently, already turning to the first page.
Once outside, Garrett and Theresa sat across from each other. Glancing back at her son, Theresa saw that Kevin was already reading.
“You’re not cutting any corners to get him certified, are you?”
Garrett shook his head. “No, not at all. To get a PADI certificate—the certificate for recreational divers—you need to pass the tests and spend a certain amount of time in the water with an instructor—that’s all. Usually we pace it out over three or four weekends, but that’s because most people don’t have time to do it during the week. He’ll get the same number of hours—it’s just more condensed.”
“I appreciate your doing this for him.”
“Hey—you forget this is what I do for a living.” After making sure that Kevin was still reading, he scooted his chair a little closer. “I missed you these last couple of weeks,” he said quietly, taking her hand in his.
“I missed you, too.”
“You look wonderful,” he added. “You were easily the prettiest woman who got off the plane.”
Despite herself, Theresa blushed.
“Thanks. . . . You look good yourself—especially wearing that shirt.”
“I thought you might like it.”
“Are you disappointed that we’re not staying at your place?”
“Not really. I understand your reasons—Kevin doesn’t know me from Adam, and I’d rather let him get comfortable with me on his own terms than push it on him. Like you said, he’s been through enough already.”
“You know that it means we won’t be able to spend much time alone this weekend, don’t you?”
“I’ll take you any way I can get you,” he said.
Theresa glanced inside again, and when she saw that Kevin was immersed in the book, she leaned over and kissed Garrett. Despite the fact that she wouldn’t be with him all night, she found herself surprisingly happy. Sitting beside him and seeing the way he looked at her made her heartbeat surge.
“I wish we didn’t live so far apart,” she said. “You’re kind of addicting.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
* * *
Three hours later, long after Kevin was asleep, Theresa quietly led Garrett to the door. After stepping out into the hall and closing the door behind them, they kissed for a long time, both of them finding it hard to let each other go. In his arms Theresa felt like a teenager again, as if she were sneaking a kiss on her parents’ porch, and it somehow added to the excitement she was feeling.
“I wish you could stay here tonight,” she whispered.
“I do, too.”
“Is it as difficult for you to say good night as it is for me?”
“I’d be willing to bet it’s a lot more difficult for me. I’m going home to an empty house.”
“Don’t say that. You’ll make me feel guilty.”
“Maybe a little guilt is a good thing. Lets me know you care.”
“I wouldn’t be down here if I didn’t.” They kissed again, hungrily.
Pulling back, he mumbled, “I should really be going.” He didn’t sound as if he meant it.
“I know.”
“But I don’t want to,” he said with a boyish smile.
“I know what you mean,” she said. “But you have to. You’ve got to teach us how to dive tomorrow.”
“I’d rather teach you a couple of other things I know.”
“I think you did that the last time I was here,” she said coyly.
“I know. But practice makes perfect.”
“Then we’ll have to find some time to practice while I’m here.”
“You think that might happen?”
“i think,” she said honestly, “that when it comes to us, anything is possible.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I’m right,” she said before kissing him one last time. “I usually am.” She gently pulled away from him and backed toward the door.
“That’s what I like about you, Theresa—your confidence. You always know what’s going on.”
“Go home, Garrett,” she said demurely. “And do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Dream about me, okay?”
* * *
Kevin woke early the next morning and opened the curtains, letting sunlight flood into the room. Theresa squinted and rolled over, trying to get a few more minutes’ rest, but Kevin was persistent. “Mom—you’ve got to take the test before we go,” he said excitedly.
Theresa groaned. Turning over, she checked the clock. A little after six A.M. She’d been in bed less than five hours.
“It’s too early,” she said, closing her eyes again. “Can you give me a few more minutes, honey?”
“We don’t have time,” he said, sitting on her bed and nudging her shoulder gently. “You haven’t even read the first section yet.”
“Did you finish it all last night?”