“Nate, stop. It’s not your fault. I’m fine, you did save me, and I will forever be grateful that you came along when you did.”
“I just keep thinking, what-if and all the horrible scenarios that could have taken place. I don’t think my heart could handle losing you.”
“You won’t, Nate. I’m not going anywhere. Now that I’ve found you, I’m not going anywhere and I’m not letting you go.” I snuggle into his side, we sigh in unison, but we are both so exhausted that we don’t have the energy to laugh about it. The events of the last two days have finally caught up with us.
“I love you, Bai,” Nate whispers into my hair before he gently kisses my temple. “Now and forever.”
“I love you too, Nate. Now and forever,” I whisper into his chest. I place a kiss over his heart, drape my arm across his chest, and burrow into his side. The beating of his heart lulls me happily to sleep. I’m tightly wrapped in the arms of the man of my dreams…literally.
…With a jolt, I’m snapped back to reality with my boss, Billy, yelling at me. I’m still holding the beers that I was handing to Nate. “Shit, sorry.”
“It happened, didn’t it?”
I nod my head, shocked that A. Nate is in front of me, and B. I was just accosted with a memory of us meeting. “Woodstock,” I murmur.
Nate smiles. “Titanic. I remember meeting in London and being on the Titanic tog—”
“Get back to work, Bailey. Flirt later,” her boss interrupts.
When he comes into view, I realize who he is. “William Clayton,” I say.
“Billy, but yes that’s my real name. Get back to work, Bailey, and you,” he points at Nate, “leave my staff alone.”
Nate winks at me, before turning to Billy, “Clayton,” he says in a deep baritone voice. Both Billy and I look to him in shock, its like we have heard him say that a thousand times before. Looking back at me, he softly adds, “I’ll catch up with you later, Bai.”
He picks up his beers and walks over to his friend, whom I later find out is Jason, Archie’s cousin. He reminds me so much of Archie from when I met him at Woodstock, they even dress the same. Must be in the family genes.
For the rest of the night, I’m accosted with memories of Nate and me throughout the years. Meeting during the Depression, and overcoming everything to live until we were old and gray, dying within weeks of each other. Being trapped with Nate during the Great Fire of London in 1666, I didn’t see the ending of that one, but I can guess how we died then. Drinking beer together at the first Oktoberfest in 1810.
We have met in many different times and we’ve lived many different lives together, but one thing has always remained the same, our love for one another.
Our love is endless.
Our love is unbreakable.
17
Nate
The rest of the function seems to fly by, but at the same time it goes extremely slowly. Every time my eyes land on Bailey, I feel my cheeks heat and I’m flooded with more memories. I can’t believe she’s here. That she’s real. I was starting to think I was going crazy. The dreams, well memories, were so vivid and now I know why.
I’m watching her behind the bar, when all of a sudden my view is blocked. Looking up I see Billy standing before me. “William Clayton, once again it’s nice to see you,” I sarcastically say, lifting my beer to my lips, I take a sip and continue to stare at him.
“Why?” he asks.
“Why what?” I reply in confusion.
“Why do you always get her? For as long as I can remember, she chooses you every-single-fucking-time. Why?”
“Probably cause you’re a douche. You think of no one but yourself. You don’t care who you trample, who your hurt, and that’s why you always miss out.” I pause. “Billy, when we were kids, you and I were friends, best friends, and just like in every life, over time you change and become this ass that no one likes. Most people tolerate you because of who your family is. Me, I don’t giving a flying fuck about who your family is, and I think that’s what pisses you off the most. Not that Bailey chooses me every time, but the fact that I don’t bow to your feet. Maybe, just maybe, if you adjust your attitude, you too will be happy one of these days.”
“You are full of shit, Winters.”
“And your reply there proves my point.”
“If we were still docked, I’d kick you off this boat. Stay away from my staff, especially Bailey.” He turns away and stalks back to the bar. He stops and says something to Bai, her eyes snap to me before she looks back at Billy and says something in reply. Whatever she says pisses him off because he yells, “That’s bullshit and you know it!” The entire boat goes quiet; all eyes flick to Bailey and Billy. He storms off, leaving Bailey standing by herself. She looks upset, so I walk over to her. “You okay, Bai?”
She nods her heads and swallows, “Yeah, nah, I’m fine. I’ll um, ahh, get you two more beers.”
Reaching out for Bailey, I grab her elbow and I when I touch her, a spark jolts us both. She spins around and looks at me, “Nate, thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being here. I was lost and lonely. Drifting through life and in,” she looks at her watch, “just over an hour, I feel more alive than I ever have. I know without a doubt it’s because of you. I want nothing more than to get off this damn boat and start my life with you...again.”
My face breaks out into the biggest smile. “And I want nothing more than to do that with you. Now, get back to work and as soon as we dock, we will ride off into the moonlight together.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She leans forward, places her lips against my cheek, and when she pulls back, my cheek is tingling. I zone out and I’m snapped back to reality when Bailey hands me two more beers. Before I can say anything, she gets back to work. From behind her I see William, and as usual, he’s glaring at me. Raising one of the beers, I salute him with it before turning around and heading back to Jason.
“Do I even want to know?” he asks.
Shaking my head I say, “Nope. Let’s just enjoy this cruise and then get back on dry land. I have a date.”
Jason shakes his head at me but I don’t care. I have a date with the most amazing girl in the world when we get back, and I could not be happier...I just hope this boat doesn’t sink before I get to spend some time with my girl.
After what feels like an eternity, the boat finally docks. I walk over to Bailey and tell her that I’ll wait for her. Billy, once again, glares at me. Jason teases me as we exit the boat. He hails a taxi and heads home. Resting my arms on the gangway railing, I eagerly await Bailey.
As each minute ticks by, I start to get nervous. My mind flits with question after question. What if she doesn’t like me? What if she isn’t really my Bailey? All different ‘what-if’ scenarios run through my mind, when all of a sudden, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I’ve felt this before and without an ounce of doubt, I know that she is ‘my’ Bailey. No one else on this planet could invoke this feeling, and when I look up, I see her standing in the doorway. With the light from the boat behind her illuminating her beauty, she smiles at me and it radiates deep within me, and any remaining fears float away.