Bert sighed and set down his coffee. “What do you want me to say, Sisco?”
“The truth would be nice. Come on, man, this is me. It’s obvious to everyone how you feel about her. Everyone except maybe Mary herself, though I’m not even sure about that.”
Before Bert could respond, Landon appeared behind Sisco, followed by Logan. Great. An intervention. Just what he needed early in the morning.
“We’re not trying to gang up on you,” Logan said, reading Bert’s expression accurately. “But Sisco’s right. We can all see what’s going on, and we’re concerned you’re going to let something good slip away because you’re too scared to take a chance.”
“I’m not scared,” Bert said automatically, then caught their expressions and amended, “Okay, maybe I was. But with good reason.”
“That’s the past,” Landon said quietly. It wasn’t a question. They all knew Bert’s history, had heard the stories during late-night conversations when defenses were down, and whiskey was flowing.
“Yeah.” Bert ran a hand through his hair. “But so you know, I made the decision this morning to not let the past dictate the future.” He saw their wide eyes and brows lifted in surprise. Chuckling, he continued, “But Mary isn’t just some woman I’m interested in. She’s my best friend. She’s become essential to my life in a way I didn’t think was possible. So, I want to move slowly. If she doesn’t feel the same way, or it doesn’t work out, I might lose her. I’d lose everything, not to mention how it would fuck up the office.”
“Or,” Sisco said gently, “you tell her, and she feels the same way, and you both stop wasting time dancing around each other.”
“Well, I told her this morning that I want us to go on a real date when she gets back. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of love, but we’ll see what happens.”
Logan grinned. “The way she looks at you when you’re not paying attention? The way she lights up when you walk into a room? Hell, she told Vivian she wishes you’d see her as more than just a friend?”
Bert’s head snapped up. “She said that?”
“Vivian mentioned it to me in confidence, but under the circumstances, I think Mary would want you to know.” Logan’s expression was kind but firm. “You spent months agonizing over whether to buy the house across from her. And when you finally talked to her about it, she was happy. She wanted you close. I’m fucking glad you stopped assuming the worst and are giving her the chance to tell you what she actually wants.”
“And for what it’s worth, Mary doesn’t strike me as the type to string someone along out of politeness,” Landon observed. “She’s direct, honest, and perfectly capable of telling you if she’s not interested. Give her some credit.”
Bert absorbed that, turning it over in his mind. He knew they were right. Mary wasn’t the type to play games or lead someone on. If he asked her out and she wasn’t interested, she’d tell him clearly and kindly, and they’d figure out how to move forward.
“I told her to think about a date, and when she gets back, I’ll ask her out properly, make my intentions clear, and let her decide what she wants,” he said finally, the words feeling both terrifying and freeing.
“Good man,” Logan said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And Bert? For what it’s worth, I think she’s going to say yes.”
“I hope you’re right,” Bert muttered.
The others left him to his work, but Bert couldn’t concentrate. His mind kept drifting to Mary, wondering if she’d made it through security without problems, if her flight would be on time, or if she was excited or nervous about the trip ahead.
He pulled out his phone and typed a message. Hope the airport went smoothly. Safe travels. Miss you.
He stared at it for a long moment, then deleted the last sentence. Too much, too revealing, and he tried again. Hope the airport went smoothly. Safe travels.
Better. More neutral. He hit send before he could overthink it further.
Mary’s response came twenty minutes later. Security was easy. Boarding soon. Thanks again for the ride and the pendant. I’ll send you signal reports. Miss you already.
Miss you already. Three words that he’d hesitated to say. Three words that made his heart race and gave him hope that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t as one-sided as he feared.
Bert tucked his phone away and forced himself to focus on work. Two weeks. He could survive two weeks. And when Mary came back rested and full of stories about Prince Edward Island, he’d finally find the courage to tell her the whole truth… that he wanted more than just a date.
Two weeks to prepare. Two weeks to practice what he’d say. Two weeks to convince himself that the risk was worth everything.
16
Mary rolled her wheelchair down the accessible ramp to the gangway of the River Duchess, her heart beating with a mixture of excitement and nervousness that had nothing to do with the gentle motion of the water beneath the ship. After planning and anticipation, she was finally here. Charlottetown Harbor spread out around her in the late morning light, the water a deep blue-gray that reflected the clouds gathering, and ahead of her waited ten days of adventure in the Anne of Green Gables country she’d dreamed about since childhood.
The boarding process had been surprisingly smooth. The cruise line’s accessibility coordinator, a cheerful woman named Patricia, had met Mary at the dock and explained everything. The ramp was wide and sturdy, with a gentle grade that Mary’s wheelchair easily handled. Patricia stayed close but not hovering, ready to assist if needed but clearly experienced enough to recognize when someone was capable of managing independently.
“I’ll escort you to your stateroom,” Patricia explained as they moved through the gangway. “We’ve positioned you close to the elevator and the dining room. The entire ship is accessible, but we tried to minimize the distances you’d need to travel for the most frequently visited areas.”
“That’s perfect, thank you,” Mary said, already impressed by the level of planning that had gone into the accommodations.