Chapter 73


    A+A++


    I tell Ana about our work on sr and wind-up technology for the home market and the developing


    world, and our innovative research to develop battery storage. All critical initiatives, given the


    depletion of fossil fuels.


    “You still with me?” I ask when our chowder arrives. I love that she’s interested in what I do. Even


    my parents struggle not to ze over when I tell them about my work.


    “I’m fascinated,” she says. “Everything about you fascinates me, Christian.”


    Her words are encouraging, so I continue my story, of how I bought and sold morepanies,


    keeping those that shared my ethos, breaking up and selling the others.


    “Mergers and acquisitions,” she muses.


    “The very same. I moved into shipping two years ago, and from there into improving food


    production. Our test sites in Africa are pioneering new agricultural techniques for higher crop


    yields.”


    “Feed the world,” Ana teases me.


    “Yeah, something like that.”


    “You’re very phnthropic.”


    “I can afford to be.”


    “This is delicious,” Ana says, as she takes another spoonful of chowder.


    “One of my favorites,” I respond.


    “You told me you like sailing.” Ana motions to the boats outside.


    “Yes. I’ve beening here since I was a kid. Elliot and I learned to sail at the sail school here. Do


    you sail?”


    “No.”


    “So what does a young woman from Montesano do to keep herself amused?” I take a sip of my


    beer.


    “Read.”


    “It alwayses back to books with you, doesn’t it?”


    “Yes.”


    “What happened between Ray and your mom?”


    “I think they drifted apart. My mom is such a romantic, and Ray, well, he’s more practical. She’d


    been in Washington all her life. She wanted adventure.”


    “Did she find any?”


    “She found Steve.” Her expression darkens, as if the mention of his name leaves a nasty taste in


    her mouth. “But she never talks about him.”


    “Oh.”


    “Yes. I don’t think that was a happy time for her. I wondered if she regretted leaving Ray after that.”


    “And you stayed with him.”


    “Yes. He needed me more than my mom did.”


    We talk freely and easily. Ana is a good listener and much more forting about herself this time.


    Perhaps it’s because she now knows that I love her.


    I love Ana.


    There. That’s not so painful, is it, Grey?


    She’s exining how much she disliked living in Texas and Vegas because of the heat. She prefers


    the cooler climate in Washington.


    I hope she stays in Washington.


    Yes. With me.


    Like moving in?


    Grey, you’re getting way ahead of yourself here.


    Take her sailing.


    I nce at my watch and drain my beer. “Shall we go?”


    We settle up for lunch and we head outside into the mild summer sunshine. “I wanted to show you


    something.”


    Holding hands, we amble past the smaller boats anchored in the marina. I spot The Grace’s mast


    towering above the smaller boats as we near her mooring. My anticipation esctes. I haven’t been


    sailing for a while, and now I get to take my girl. Leaving the main promenade, we step onto the


    dock, then down onto a narrower pontoon. At The Grace, I stop. “I thought we’d go sailing this


    afternoon. This is my boat.”


    My catamaran. My pride and joy.


    Ana’s impressed.


    “Built by mypany. She’s been designed from the ground up by the very best naval architects in


    the world and constructed here in Seattle at my yard. She has hybrid electric drives, asymmetric


    dagger boards, a square-topped mainsail—”


    “Okay!” Ana says, holding up her hands. “You’ve lost me, Christian.”


    Don’t get carried away, Grey.


    “She’s a great boat.” I can’t conceal my admiration.


    “She looks mighty fine, Mr. Grey.”


    “That she does, Miss Steele.”


    “What’s her name?”


    I take her hand and show her “The Grace” written in an borate scroll on the side. “You named her


    after your mom?” Ana sounds surprised.


    “Yes. Why do you find that strange?”


    She shrugs, at a loss for words.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “I adore my mom, Anastasia. Why wouldn’t I name a boat after her?”


    “No, it’s not that. It’s just—”


    “Anastasia, Grace Trevelyan-Grey saved my life. I owe her everything.”


    Her smile is uncertain, and I wonder what’s going through her head, and what I might have done to


    make her think I don’t love my mother.


    Okay, so I once told Ana I didn’t have a heart—but there’s always been room for my family in what’s


    left of it. Even Elliot.


    I didn’t know there was space for anyone else.


    But there’s an Ana-shaped space.


    And she’s filled it to overflowing.


    I swallow as I try to contain the depth of feeling I have for her. She’s bringing my heart back to life,


    bringing me back to life.


    “Do you want toe aboard?” I ask, before I say something sappy.


    “Yes, please.”


    Taking my hand, she follows me as I stride up the gangnk onto the aft deck. Mac appears,


    startling Ana when he opens the sliding doors to the main saloon.


    “Mr. Grey! Wee back.” We shake hands.


    “Anastasia, this is Liam McConnell. Liam, my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele.”


    “How do you do?” she says to Liam.


    “Call me Mac. Wee aboard, Miss Steele.”


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