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.She nodded and he released his hands from her hips, letting her free float in the water.She didn't have to exert much effort to stay afloat, and soon found that her body warmed to the cool water.They swam leisurely in the wide spaces between anchored boats and Natalie quickly forgot her fear of the water depth.There were more than a few upright paddlers effortlessly making their way around the no-wake zone, one with a dog sitting perched at the very nose of the board.A boat nearby turned up their radio and soon the lake was like one big party.Closer to a neighboring dock was a two-tiered pontoon boat with a slide that deposited kids and adults into the lake one plop at a time.A few boats had tied together to create a floating ferry.Kids and teenagers floated lazily in floating chairs and cushions.When the sun had moved a few inches closer to the horizon and her skin was both parched from the sun and wrinkled from the water, she climbed up the boat ladder and wrapped herself in a towel.Joe followed a moment later and waved down Carly from the dock."Cold?""Very.Let's lay out and bake in the sun for a while," she suggested before spreading her wet towel out over one of the two rear-facing cushioned lounge chairs.She slipped on a pair of sunglasses then stretched out beneath the sun."Can you believe we get to do this for work?""Crazy, isn't it? My favorite days at work are the days I get to leave the office and work somewhere else.""It does get rather stale sometimes, being cooped up in four walls," she concurred."You know, I love my job and I love doing my job at Brighton, but recently I've been wondering what it would be like to venture out on my own.Start my own agency.""Really?" Natalie turned to her side and put a hand up to her forehead to further shield her eyes from the sun."It's just an idea," he stated firmly."I've put some feelers out.Crunched some numbers here and there.I've even looked - very casually - at office space for rent.But it's just an idea."Natalie's brow crinkled above her eyes."It would be a huge risk.""Any business is.Look at our clients," he said, gesticulating with his hands."Every one of them started something from nothing, or from very little.Like Audra and Fitzgerald.They started with one party over spring break and now they have hotels and clubs all over the country."She couldn't argue against his point, not that she thought he would listen to a counter anyway.There was a determination in his voice that made her believe he would pull it off."So I shouldn't be surprised if one day you don't come in to work because you've decided to go off on your own?""Nope," he answered confidently.He turned his head to face her and offer a charming smile."Who knows, Natalie? Maybe I'll be calling you up the night before asking you to take the risk with me.""Me?" she scoffed."I don't know that I'm brave enough to do that.""Says the girl who got into the water even though she was terrified."Natalie smiled proudly at herself."I did do that, didn't I?"Joe popped up from his lounge."Here's what we need to do.Where's your phone?""Uh, over on the table.Why?"He stalked off in the direction she led him in, and then returned with her phone in hand, holding it up as if to take a photo."We're going to document this moment.""Why?"Before answering he tapped the screen and the distinct sound of a photo being taken echoed off into the mountain lake air.He knelt down beside her and tossed the phone onto her legs."Because I want you to look at that picture every time you think you're not brave enough or in some way doubt yourself."Natalie was floored by the utter sincerity she heard in his voice.She didn't quite know how to respond, and luckily Carly climbing up the ladder saved her from having to say anything.Joe stood from Natalie's side and offered the house manager a towel.Natalie unlocked her phone to look at the photo Joe had taken, and was pleasantly surprised to find she looked more serene and relaxed than she had felt in a long time.It was as if jumping off the boat into the lake had shed her of a layer of insecurity.Or, it had for at least a few moments.It was enough for her to not mind that Joe had taken a photo of her in her swimsuit, at least [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]