Free Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts

“Sloppy form, but gutsy. Shoot for five tomorrow.”
    â€œShoot for five, my butt. I might shoot you tomorrow.”
    â€œThat’s the spirit.” Reaching down, he hauled her to her feet and out of the way. “You’re up, Gwin.”
    Riley set, did a smooth dozen in the time it had taken Sasha to strain out four.
    â€œI might shoot you, too,” Sasha said darkly. “I might just be in the mood for a double homicide.”
    â€œYou did four,” Annika reminded her. “The first time, you couldn’t do even one, but today, you did four.”
    â€œYeah, yeah.” Then Sasha blew out a long breath. “Yeah,” she said in a stronger tone. “And tomorrow I’ll shoot for five.”
    They had breakfast, and did the morning chores Sasha had listed on the new chart. Then it was time to hike to the marina.
    Annika wanted to run. She could barely wait to dive into the sea. But she liked watching how Bran and Sasha held hands, or how Doyle and Riley argued over who would drive the boat.
    The air smelled beautiful, with the breeze bringing scents of sea and flowers, of the lemons, of the grass. The walk provided gardens to admire, the flight of birds. And time with Sawyer.
    â€œWill you take pictures in the water?”
    â€œYeah, I’m set for it.”
    â€œIf you taught me how to use the camera, I could take pictures of you. When you take them, you aren’t in the picture.”
    â€œI got a couple selfies.” He demonstrated by holding his arm out, pretended to click a camera.
    â€œOh! That’s clever.”
    â€œBut I can teach you. Never hurts to have a backup for documenting.”
    â€œThen I can help you take pictures in the water, and out of the water. I hope we can walk in the hills.” She gestured toward the mountains. “I know we might find her there, have to fight her there, and the quest is the most important. But the walk would be exciting and new. All the things to see we haven’t seen before.”
    He gave her a shoulder bump she knew was a sign of affection. “Gotta have the bright side.”
    â€œThe bright side helps us face the dark.”
    â€œCan’t argue.”
    â€œIn the last battle, I was afraid. I believe we’ll win, we’ll do what we’re meant to do, but I was afraid.”
    In a gesture she knew was affection and comfort, he brushed her arm with his hand. It made her want to sigh.
    â€œWe’re all afraid, Anni.”
    Surprised, she looked up at him. “No one seemed afraid but me.”
    â€œEvery last one of us,” he corrected. “If we weren’t afraid, we’d be crazy. You know what courage is.” He said it, didn’t ask it, but she nodded.
    â€œIt’s bravery. It’s facing the dark.”
    â€œThat’s right. It’s facing the dark, even when you’re afraid. That’s every one of us, too.”
    She tipped her head toward his shoulder, knowing since he thought her brave, she could be braver still.
    â€œWhy don’t you have a mate?”
    â€œA . . . Well, um, I’ve had to move around a lot. Getting to this point, it’s taken some doing.”
    â€œBut there was sex?”
    He took off his hat, swiped his fingers through the thick, streaky blond hair she wanted to swipe hers through. After he settled the hat again, he pushed his hands into his pockets.
    â€œYou know, if you want to know about that kind of thing, you should talk to Riley or Sasha.”
    â€œOh, I know about sex. It’s not so different in my world. We can have sex as we like. It’s a bright side.”
    He had to laugh. “Definitely qualifies.”
    â€œBut when we find our mate, when we pledge, there’s no other after. Like Bran and Sasha, there is only one.”
    â€œThat’s nice. It’s what most people hope for.”
    â€œSo there has been sex for you, but no mate.”
    â€œThere you