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She pauses like this is tough for her, and I give her time

“He was big into water sports, so he insisted I go But I had no clue what to do, and when I asked, he toldcan go wrong,’ he said”

“Plenty of things can go wrong,” I say caler on her behalf “What happened?”

“I got nervous and put my feet down on some coral” I hiss in sympathy, and she winces “Slashed my foot and wound up in the hospital”

“Ouch Coral is vicious I’m sorry to hear that”

“I had no idea Which, I suppose, makes me foolish”

“Nah, you’re not foolish” I lighten my tone “Coral appears pretty, like a lovely ocean friend, but it can hurt like the dickens”

“Right? I had no idea it would sting so badly And then I suppose you add in my instinctive fear of sharks”

I nod solemnly “Understandable”

“And those currents that pull you under or sweep you out to sea”

“Not too many of those out here”

She scoffs “I bet you say that to all the nervous tourists Anyway, that’s how I became an anti-snorkeler”

“I accepted your challenge, didn’t I? My job now is toas much as you love coffee”

“Good luck with that,” she says dryly “Because I really love my coffee”

“Have a little faith I knohat I’ is aweso And I understand the ocean can be terrifying if you don’t spend a lot of tio underwater?”

She glances atby her would be a hardship “You’d do that?”

“Of course”

“What about the others?” She glances toward the bohere a athered around Jihts on the horizon

“I’ve got assistants here I’ll keep an eye on you I want you to have fun, Skyler, and to enjoy the ocean in a whole neay And I’o into the water without any instructions”

Her shoulders drop from where they were hunched around her ears “Thanks I mean, I didn’t think you would, but”

“Hey, you’re in the hands of a professional snorkel-lover now” I flash a grin, which she returns “Let’s start with soeneral tips”

I give her the dos and don’ts of snorkeling, and she’s focused in like I’ her the answers to Final Jeopardy

She’s a quick study, though, and by the tio in the water, and she strips down to her swimsuit—holy shit, that bikini—her nerves seem as much from excitement as fear