HOOKED ON YOU (Paradise Cove)

by Wilton, Patrice

  “That would be nice. Not necessary. But if you have some, great.” She looked up at the sky. “You’re not going out today, I hope. Weather looks nasty.”

  “I wouldn’t give you day-old fish.”

  “Then forget it today. Next time you go out, drop one off.”

  Ah. Next time. Things were definitely looking up.

  “Will do.” He grinned, and ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair. Maybe it was time to get it cut. Around the ears like that other guy.

  “How’s your mom?” he asked for no reason except to prolong the conversation.

  “Good. Getting excited about the wedding. It’s in three weeks you know.”

  “Really? That soon.”

  “Yup. September 14th. You’re coming, aren’t you?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “Miguel has some special plans for staging the wedding. He wants to go over them with us this weekend.”

  “Now he’s a wedding planner?” Colt joked. “A jack of all trades.”

  “Don’t mention that name to me,” she said with a pretend shudder. “Still haven’t thanked you properly for being around that night.”

  “Sure you did. Unless you have a more special thank you in mind,” he said with a teasing wink.

  She laughed. “You wish.”

  “I do.” And yet he’d been right on the beach the other night. He didn’t have jack shit to offer her.

  Her smile faded. “Yeah. We should talk about that sometime.”

  “Why bother?” he asked, ignoring the sheer misery he’d been suffering without her the past few days. “Just let me know if you change your mind.”

  “Sure.” She tilted her head. “And you let me know if you ever get tired of one-night stands.”

  Touche! Strike one for Taylor. He stuck his hands in his front pockets. She was an amazing woman—a dynamite combination of wit and compassion. What if I am pushing away the chance at something great, just because the timing isn’t right? “How about tonight?” he countered.

  “Didn’t Carole see you in Lorelei’s the other night? Buxom blonde clinging to your arm. Ring any bells?”

  God. She had spies everywhere. Explaining the blonde wouldn’t help, so he shrugged. “That was the other night. In the past.”

  “And today is the future?” She tapped her sneakered toe.

  “Future has to start sometime, doesn’t it? Beginning precisely at 4 o’clock PM. Set your watch by it.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” She gestured toward the back patio. “Got to get back to work. Enjoy the present Colt. It’s all we’ve got.”

  He winked. “Will do.” He strolled away with just one quick backward glance. She was talking to that guy again. But it didn’t matter. The stranger would be leaving soon, and Colt had a new future that looked much brighter.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Colt was particular about the maintenance on his Hatteras. He had a lot of money invested and wanted to get a good many years out of the boat. He’d just had a full vessel assessment at Islamorada Marine. All systems and components were checked and replaced when needed, but to keep the costs down, he preferred to do most of the work himself. Once every few months, he’d wash down the boat exterior, and inspect it for oxidation, cracks and blisters. He used Collinite’s marine wax for a protective finish. The interior required weekly maintenance to keep it spotless for his paying guests. All surfaces had to be washed down and treated. That included the upholstery, the vinyl, aluminum and plastic throughout the entire boat.

  A stormy day was perfect for interior work, and strangely he looked forward to such days. He’d plug in some good music and scrub, polish and wax every surface until it shined. Toilets and showers gleamed too. Best of all, between singing and scrubbing, thoughts of Taylor were at a minimum.

  He didn’t have to pick up Jamie and Raul until three. There had been an end of season picnic scheduled after their game today—because of the inclement weather, the kids would be at the Fish Bowl, which had an arcade to go with nine bowling lanes and pizza.

  The party was just breaking up when he arrived, hot, dirty, smelling like lemon-foaming bathroom cleaner. He had hoped to finish in time to dash home and clean up, but the work had taken him longer than expected.

  One mom spotted him the moment he found his group of little leaguers, and made a beeline for him. He still had one hour of present left in him so he gave her a smile, and a half-hearted hug.

  Meghan Carter sniffed and wrinkled her tiny upturned nose. “Eeuhh! What did you do today? Don’t tell me.” She sniffed his neck. “You smell like body odor and Clorox. Rubbing down ‘Bait me’ again? I keep telling you there’s something better you could rub down.” Meghan gave him a sly smile. “You know how my man’s always out of town.” Batting her thickly lacquered eye lashes, she said, “Three months this time. And you haven’t come around lately.”

  Jerry Carter was a private boat captain. Made a lot of bucks, had a big house and a wife who didn’t sit around waiting. Guy was a cuckold, or just didn’t give a damn, Colt figured. Perhaps he’d taken the job to get away from Meghan—hell if he knew what her husband was thinking.

  Meghan was nice enough and probably deserved better. She was pretty in a too-bleached, overdone way. The kind of woman who tried too hard. Colt had serviced her a few times over the past year, but he didn’t like dicking another captain’s lady. And he liked his ladies with a little more class.

  Or lady, in particular. Taylor. If he had any sense at all he’d take Meghan up on what she was offering, and have his own “happy hour” with her. But he’d told Taylor that he was going to reform. He didn’t want to let her down, anymore than himself.

  “Hey, Dad. Whatcha doing?” Jamie grabbed him by the hand and began to pull him away. He didn’t like his dad talking to anyone other than Taylor. He was kind of sweet on her too.

  He ruffled Jamie’s curly blond hair. “I was looking for you—Meghan was pointing me in the right direction. How was your day?”

  “Good. Great. Had fun. Got a strike too.” Jamie grinned and dropped his head. “Three actually.”

  “That’s my boy.” He winked at him. “You’re a natural born athlete. Proud of you, son. Where’s Raul? Is he here with you?”

  “No. His dad picked him up an hour ago.” He sniffed. “How come you smell so bad?”

  “Worked on the boat.” He swung an arm around Jamie’s shoulder and started walking him to the door. “You got anything you need to pick up before we leave?”

  “Just some end of the year prizes. Coach Thomas has the stuff.”

  Colt looked toward the coach and waved. “Well, you go on over and tell Coach I’m taking you home—and thanks. I’ll bring the car around. It’s raining hard.”

  “Okay, Dad. We going home now?”

  “Yup. Time to get cleaned up. Taylor invited us to happy hour. What do you say? Should we go or wait until tomorrow when the sky should be clear?”

  “Dunno.” Jamie looked up at him. “Did you tell her we’d come?”

  “Pretty sure I did.”

  “Then we better go. Beside, it’ll be at the cafe instead of the pool. I like the sound the tin roof makes when it’s raining. It’s cool.”

  “You’re pretty cool too.” He noticed Meghan had moved on, and was glad he didn’t have to extend his courtesy any further. He didn’t like to lie, or hurt anyone’s feelings. Just some things had to be done. He didn’t want to be her occasional bedmate any longer.

  He was turning over a new leaf. There would be a new man about town. Might get himself one of those city hair cuts too.

  * * *

  Showered, dressed in jeans and a Henley, Colt ruffled his hair the rest of the way dry then tried to keep the natural waves behind his ears. He felt like a kid again, wanting to impress the popular girl at school. He hoped Taylor wasn’t regretting inviting him and Jamie to their happy hour. Not just because of the free drinks and good food either—he missed that hour or
two when he could watch her mingle with her guests, casting him a smile when she’d catch his eyes on her. He missed so many things about being with her—the sound of her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she looked at him, how her skin got hot when he touched her. And now that he knew how good her kisses tasted, he wanted a whole lot more of them.

  Jamie came out of the shower, his short hair gelled up into a Mohawk of spikes. “What do you think? Will Taylor like it this way?”

  Colt hid his smile. “Sure, she will. You’re the best looking guy around.”

  He made a face. “Then why won’t she date me?”

  “Uh…because you’re shorter than her?”

  “No, I don’t think it’s that. It’s an age thing. She thinks she’s too old for me.” He puffed out his thin little chest. “I like older women, and she’s real pretty.”

  “Did she tell you she’s too old?” He didn’t know his son had had the courage to ask her out. He was aware the boy had a crush on her, but didn’t honestly think he’d make it known. Poor Taylor had two Travis boys after her.

  “She said if she was ten years younger, she’d take me up on it. Then suggested I should date Jessie from school. She wears braces!” he said with disgust. “What if I tried to kiss her? My lips might get stuck.”

  He chuckled. “That couldn’t happen. And I think Taylor is right. You should look for a girl a little closer to your age. Taylor’s way old. She’s probably thirty at least.” He grinned. “Maybe she’s got false teeth and puts them in a glass of water when she goes to bed.”

  “I’m going to tell her you said that,” Jamie retorted, and went into his bedroom to dress. He came back wearing jeans and a Miami Heat t-shirt. “This makes me look like I’ve got muscles,” he said, flexing his thin arms.

  “You’re right. It does.” Colt agreed, and opened the door. With a flourish, he waved his son through. “Your chariot awaits.”

  “You talk weird.”

  “That’s ’cuz I am. Got a weird son too.”

  They parked on the side of Taylor’s Cafe, and found the front door unlocked. The lights were dimmed so as not to attract drivers passing by. Colt and Jamie followed the sound of voices to the back. Lanterns and a row of fairy lights turned the outdoor terrace into a romantic setting. With the trees blowing and the rain pelting down outside, they were cocooned in a safe place to enjoy the roll of thunder.

  Taylor looked up and waved them over. “You came! I didn’t expect to see you tonight. Not in this storm.” She hugged them. “You’re both crazy.”

  “Dad is,” Jamie said, eyes twinkling with fun. “He said you have false teeth and put them in a glass at night.”

  “He did?” Her eyes narrowed, and she put her hands on her hips. “My teeth happen to be my own,” she said, baring them. “All the better to eat you with.” She grabbed Jamie’s hand and pretended to take a bite.

  He giggled and pulled away. “I’m going to get a Coke,” he said, hightailing away. He glanced back nervously to see if she was following him.

  Colt snickered. “Think you scared him half to death.”

  “You know he asked me out?”

  “So I heard. That’s why I said you were old. Really old.”

  “Nice. You say the sweetest things.”

  “I don’t mind old broads.” He moved closer and bumped her shoulder, just so he could touch her. “It’s after four.”

  “I noticed.” She smiled and looked at her watch. “And you’re here. Very responsible of you.”

  “I came to see Carole,” he lied, his eyes never leaving her face. God, how he wanted to kiss her.

  She gave him a knowing look. “Of course you did.”

  Joan and Carole sat with Anna, and there were two new couples at another table. He was surprised anyone had shown up on a wet night like this. But they had to eat somewhere, he supposed.

  “Go talk to them,” she said. “The two couples came together. They’re from the Jersey shore.” She lowered her voice. “They’re worried about the storm that’s supposed to hit in a couple of days. It’s being called a category one.”

  He’d heard about the upcoming storm—when you made your living on the ocean, weather patterns mattered. “Yeah, but they usually dissipate out at sea,” he said. And category one’s tended to be wind events. Not a big deal if you prepared for it.

  “I told them the same thing,” she said into his ear, “but the latest news isn’t good.”

  What could have changed in an hour? “What’s up?”

  Taylor nodded in their direction. “Go make friends. They’ll tell you.” She gave a brief smile. “I’ll bring you a drink.”

  “What are you having?” he asked. His body craved being close to hers. They were close friends, but much more than that.

  “A delicious red wine. Care to join me?”

  “Thought you’d never ask.”

  He watched her walk away and then joined the three women eyeing him. “Hello, ladies. How did you manage to get here in this nasty weather without being blown to bits?”

  “Rain gear,” Anna told him.

  He saw the heap of yellow jackets at an empty table. “I see.” He put his windbreaker on the bench, and told Jamie to take off his jacket and have a seat. “I’ll join you in a minute. After I meet the new guests.” He’d become a regular at happy hour almost from the beginning, so it felt natural to greet the tourists.

  He stepped over to the two couples who glanced up at him with worried expressions. He didn’t blame them. The entire east coast had been hit hard the past few years, their seaboard washed away. Then after huge restoration had been made to the boardwalk and seaside neighborhood, they’d suffered another big hit.

  Colt’s living and everyone else in the Keys were dependent on Mother Nature and the sea, so he could readily identify with their fears and concern. For these four people this weather was an added insult, an upsetting start to their vacation.

  “I’m Colt Travis. Charter boat captain. I have the Hatteras, “Bait Me” down at the marina. When the weather settles down, perhaps I can take the four of you out.”

  “John Fuller, and my wife Trish.” They shook hands.

  “Phil Marley, and Susan.” After the exchange of names, Phil added, “We’ve been talking about this storm. We’ve seen plenty lately, and none of us are keen to sit here and be part of another.”

  “I get that.” Colt leaned against the picnic table behind him and crossed his arms. “We see a lot of activity this time of the year, but the storms usually dissipate before they reach land. The outer islands get blasted year after year. Haiti’s had more than their share, but this one isn’t supposed to amount to much last I heard.”

  “We watched the update just before coming over.” John’s brows drew together in a scowl. “It’s still a tropical storm, but there is a risk that it could escalate. This morning they said a cat one, now it’s been changed to category two status.” John shot a worried look to his wife. “Supposed to hit Tuesday.”

  Colt nodded. Two days from now. He mentally ran through the check list of things to do to ensure his Hatteras was safe in the marina.

  Taylor showed up with a bottle of wine and glasses. She heard the last remark. “We took over Paradise Cove eighteen months ago,” she told them, “and we’ve been lucky so far. Not looking forward to a hurricane, believe me—we’ve prepared quite a few times, only to have the storms fizzle.” She poured out the wine, refilling the couple’s glasses first. “I have lasagna in the oven. Fresh warm bread, and a green salad. We can go inside, have some dinner, and ride out this thunderstorm.”

  “If the status doesn’t improve tomorrow, we might drive up to Miami,” Trish said. “We don’t want to get stuck here if a hurricane hits.”

  “I don’t blame you. It won’t be any problem,” Taylor hastened to assure them. “We will refund your money completely, or offer you a fifty percent discount if you rebook again anytime within a year.”

  “That’s very kind of you.”
Phil sipped on his wine. “Excellent bottle by the way.” He glanced at the label, and twirled the balloon glass, sniffing it with appreciation.

  “Glad you like it. Let me check on the lasagna and turn on some lights. Come in when you’re all ready.” She put a hand on Trish’s shoulder. “Let’s try not to worry. In two days the sun could come out, and the storm might never happen.”

  Taylor went inside and Colt was about to ask Phil what kind of fishing he liked to do when they heard the rumble of thunder, and a moment later a lightning strike rattled their glasses. Jamie jumped and knocked over his soda, and Joan let out a loud shriek.

  She clutched her heart, and whispered, “My pills…”

  Carole quickly grabbed her mother’s handbag and found the tablets, putting one under her tongue. “Mom? How’s that?”

  Her hand trembled as she reached for the water to swallow the pill. “I can’t breathe.” Joan blew out short breaths. “It hurts.”

  “Can someone call 911?” Carole asked in a rush of concern. “Mom’s got a heart condition. She might be having an attack.”

  Joan was already on her feet, pacing as Anna made the call. The couples picked up their belongings and wine glasses, hurrying inside. “Go with them, Jamie,” Colt said. “I’ll help the ladies.”

  Jamie held open the door for the others, waiting for him. Colt had a hand under Joan’s elbow to help her stand when they heard a loud crack. One of the pine trees outside toppled and nearly hit the thatched roof.

  Colt and Carole supported Joan as they walked her to an inside table. She sank into a chair and Carole took the seat next to her, a protective set to her shoulders.

  Taylor had lit candles for the tables, and only had the kitchen lights on bright. She rushed out of the kitchen. “I heard a terrible noise. Is everything okay outside?”

  When no one answered, her face blanched. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “Joan is having chest pains. We called 911,” Colt said softly.

  “Oh no!” She sat opposite Joan and reached for her hand. “What can we do for you until the ambulance arrives?”