Bait & Hook

10. Of Voyaging

I stared at Xander in awe, my fork halfway to my mouth as I listened to him describe a dream voyage. And so casually, as if it were sailing up Howe Sound or across the Straits to the Gulf Islands. Oh, Dios mío!

The Galapagos, Peru and Chile. And a circumnavigation means Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. And Cape Horn. Oh, Dios mío!

Finally, with the bite in my mouth, I took my time savouring it, so I could plot my next steps. I now have him talking about himself. And with some subtle questioning, I can get him to reveal much more. Need to stay away from asking about Gillian, though. His grieving appears genuine – similar to what I've seen in Mamá and how she had described it for me.

But did I share too much to achieve this? Only that Mamá had been a chef in Peru – many years ago. Nothing about her in Vancouver. What else?

I swirled my glass and breathed the wine's bouquet, allowing it to coddle me as I buried myself in thought. Why can't I simply relax and get into this? Enjoy the evening? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity diffused by duty.

But unpaid duty – except for reimbursement of expenses. Hmmm! I should ask Frank about overtime compensation.

I should offer to share the tab, even though Xander invited me. And he chose this place – very expensive place – but still. And Melissa had told me to appear easy with money, to show wealth, to ...

His words interrupted my thoughts, "After exploring the floating islands of the Uros on Lake Titicaca, we entered Bolivia. Then quickly tiring of the squalor and desolation of La Paz, we continued back to Chile and explored the Atacama Dessert. Its many nitrate ghost towns, abandoned for a half a century and more, are far more interesting than anything in La Paz."

"You seem down on Bolivia, Xander."

"It's one of only two landlocked American countries, having lost its entire Pacific coast and the nitrate-rich Atacama to Chile in the Battle of the Pacific. It has yet to recover after nearly a century and a half, and with Haiti, it's one of the two most backward countries in America."

"Oh! Likely why we hear so little about it."

"Indeed. They could improve their tourism and economy by promoting themselves to the world as a country lost in time. Perhaps as a living example of bygone days."

"In what way are they bygone?"

"In many ways. A fine example is the Strait of Taquina, a narrow neck of Lake Titicaca. Any other country would have long since built a bridge to span it, but the crossing for trucks, buses and cars is on crude wooden rafts propelled by outboard motors and manoeuvered in the currents by men with long poles." He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Acceptable in undeveloped countries until the mid-twentieth century, but today?"

Need to get him out of this negativity. "And in Chile? Did you go through the Patagonian Archipelago, the so-called canals, or did you take the easy route and bypass them?"

"Through them, of course." He peered into my eyes and smiled. "You seem to be familiar with these areas, Roxy."

I felt my face warm. Darn! I was over-eager – showing personal stuff. How do I get out of this? But I had listed sailing as one of my interests. "Dreams, Xander. Dreams while sailing among the islands in Howe Sound, through the Gulf Islands and up the Inside Passage."

Then while he nodded, I asked, "Your boat? What make?"

"I had Tastevin custom-built by Christensen Yachts in Saanich – she's forty-nine feet on deck, a tad shy of fifteen metres."

"Wow! Huge. Do you still have her?"

"I do." He nodded toward the front of the restaurant. "She's moored not far from here, just down the street in Quayside Marina. And what do you sail, Roxy?"

Darn! How did I lead him to this? Too enthralled by him and his – his what? His everything.

I breathed a long sigh. Yeah, everything.