Fresh and New

It was after 10:00 on Sunday morning when Travis opened his bedroom door and allowed Jean to go to her room and dress. It had been quite a night, they made love several times and talked away the hours. He’d told her about his marriage and the break-up, he told her about his nephew Tee and how he came to him and what his responsibilities were there, he also told her about Toni. He wanted her to know what she was getting into with him.

For her part, there wasn’t that much to tell, they found they had grown up in similar neighborhoods not that far apart. She told him about her parents break up when she was fifteen. She’d stayed with her mother who worked at Barrett’s in Sydney, her half brother had gone with her father. She finished college and not finding anything else at the time had gone to work at Barrett’s in the office as an office manager. She’d had a few relationships but nothing that serious. She’d been glad to leave Sydney, hoping for a new start, a chance at finding something meaningful, something lasting in her life.

Kyle noticed the difference when they came into the dining area for breakfast. They were definitely a couple this morning. He caught Travis’s eye and winked at him, Travis smiled back but didn’t enlarge on that smile and satisfied look he was wearing on Sunday morning. The looks they were giving each other over the breakfast table finally caused Kyle to declare he was finished and he took his coffee elsewhere not wanting to intrude.

It was new, it was fresh and they were very much into each other for the rest of the day, holding hands, kissing, touching Travis wished the day would never end, they were in the lounge when the boat came within sight of the harbor. He walked over to the wide windows where Jean was standing.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“How fast this has happened between us, it’s almost too good to be true. I’m afraid when I touch land again it will all disappear, like maybe it was all a dream.

He put his arm around her waist, “It’s no dream Jean, I know it’s gone down fast but it seems so right, didn’t it seem that way to you? I’m going to do what I can to protect you from the media but you should know like I told you last night, you may be in the tabs tomorrow. I can’t be seen with you not until the divorce is final.”

“I won’t see you again?” her eyes wide she looked up at him.

“I didn’t say that, we’ll just have to be very careful.” He turned her in his arms, “I’ll tell you something else, you don’t have to put up with that bastard Barrett. You can quit tomorrow Jean, I’ll take care of you, I want to.”

“I…I can’t do that Travis I would feel like a kept woman.”

Travis smiled, “You would be, but you’d be mine and there’s nothing wrong with that. I told you your life is going to change, it is, don’t be surprised at anything just go with it, can you do that?”

“I…yes I think so.”

“You think?”

“I know it’s going to change I guess I don’t know just how.”

He moistened his lips, “you’re about to find out,” He kissed her. “I’m going to take care of you whether you want me to or not. I’m not going to take any chances, I’m not going to lose you.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that, you might want to think about how to get rid of me, that could happen Travis.”

“Yeah, in about a hundred years. I wasn’t looking for you so I think you’re a gift, I’m going to treasure you Jean. Let me.”

She put her arms around his neck, “I’m going to love you Travis McGee.” He held her with that intense look in his eyes until they were wet and then held her in his arms slowly rocking back and forth with the motion of the boat as it found its berth in the harbor.