“I’d like nothing more than to pretend all this can just go away, but I won’t make promises I can’t keep.” He paused to yawn again. “So, yeah, for now, I need time to sort this out.”
“I’m afraid time might be my worst enemy,” she mumbled.
“Will you promise me something?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.
“No.” It came out without a second’s thought.
He sighed again but ignored her refusal.
“If you won’t go to Keene for help, will you at least work with him? We can set something up. I’ll take anything you’re willing to give on this. I’ll see about bringing him here, once a week, or maybe you can talk to him over the phone, for now. I’ll feel better knowing he’s aware of what’s going on with you—because I have no clue.”
The minutes ticked by in silence.
“Okay,” she whispered. “I promise . . . and I’ll give you time, but only because I love you, and you’re so sure there’s no other way we can get past this.”
She rested her head against his chest and felt the huge, relieved exhale he let out with a grateful, “Thank God.”
A few seconds later, his breathing had slowed and became deep. He’d fallen asleep. She held perfectly still, hoping she wouldn’t wake him, worried that if she did, he’d move away from her.
“Please, get past this,” she whispered, and then looked up at the sky, heavenward. “Please, help him get past this.”
oOo
The next morning, Dobbs and Claire went to the mainland for the day, leaving Rhees alone in the office. She decided to work on Daily’s, but she’d left her little camera on her BC after dives that morning. She went to retrieve it so she could download the day’s diving pictures, but stopped when she overheard Tracy, Regina, and Dorene having a heated discussion with Ronnie and her friends, just outside the outer equipment room door.
“You’re wasting your time. We’ve been here since the day Rhees stepped foot on the island. Paul hasn’t even looked at another girl since,” Dorene said.
“You don’t know Ronnie,” Marcelle said in her French accent. “Veronique gets what she wants.”
“Who she wants,” Sophie said, and Ronnie laughed about it.
Rhees inched closer to see if she could get a look without getting caught, and found she could see the girls standing just outside the door through the crack.
“They’re married now,” Ronnie said. “Married men get bored. They start looking for a little spice.”
“You do not know Paul,” Regina growled.
“Yeah,” Dorene agreed. “You’re not the first girl who’s wanted to help him forget about Rhees.”
Ronnie huffed out a bored laugh.
“A man who looks like Paul is used to playing the field. He’ll get bored. Don’t underestimate my powers of persuasion . . . or seduction.” Ronnie giggled at herself.
“They’re happy together,” Tracy whined. Rhees could tell she was upset. Tracy’s tender heart couldn’t fathom how anyone could be cruel.
“Paul doesn’t look so happy to me.” Ronnie sounded flippant, not concerned. “Rhees either, for that matter.”
“Well, they were hijacked, almost killed, on their wedding night,” Dorene said. “That would be tough on anyone. They’ll work it out.”
“They’re doing that already,” Tracy said, resonating with hope. “I saw them having coffee and donuts together in the gazebo this morning, just like old times.”
“Oh! Coffee? What was I thinking?” Ronnie feigned remorse for ever thinking she could catch Paul’s eye.
“Sounds like marital bliss to me.”
“To me, it sounds more like Veronique’s number is about to be called,” Marcelle said. “I told you. She gets whatever, or whomever, she sets her sights on.”
“Look, we like Rhees . . . now.” Dorene glanced guiltily at Regina. “Leave him alone. I don’t think you’re going to succeed, but if you did manage it—it would really hurt Rhees. She’s really sweet. Please, don’t hurt her.”
“I don’t give a fuck about Rhees,” Ronnie said. “I get what I want, and I don’t let anything stand in my way. At the moment, I want Paul—I may even keep him a while.”
Rhees had heard enough. She backtracked and made it to the office to think. After a few minutes, she went in search of her husband.
oOo
“I want Ronnie out of here.” Rhees sounded overly determined, like she thought she needed courage she didn’t really have, to stand her ground. She stood before him, her unyielding eyes on his, her back straight, and her head held high.
Paul was in the middle of his regular maintenance on the air compressor, but because of her tone and stance, he stopped and grabbed for a towel. He watched her carefully as he wiped the grease off his hands, trying to gauge what had her so worked up. He wondered if he’d ever know what she was really thinking again—if he ever had—he’d once thought he’d known her pretty well.
“I’m not interested in her,” he said, wanting to reassure her, again. He didn’t understand why she kept coming back to this. Keene’s prediction came to mind again, about her insecurities.
“I don’t care. I don’t want her here.”
“This is not like you. You see the good in everyone.” He moved closer to give her his full attention. He felt bad about giving her a reason to feel so insecure. He’d been selfish and self-absorbed the last few days, letting his own feelings get the better of him.
“Give it a few more days. She’ll figure out I’m not interested, and she’ll give it up, just like all the others.”
“No.” Rhees shook her head. “This is different. Ronnie is different.”
“Rhees, she’s a paying student. If she goes, her friends go too. Do you know how much that’ll cost?”
“Sometimes there are more important things to consider. I thought the money didn’t matter to you.”
She looked so hurt. He wanted to take her in his arms and reassure her. He reached for her but she stepped away.
“You keep saying you’re not interested in her, so why are you so adamant about keeping her around?”
“I’m not. It’s just business.”
“You said you knew the shop would never be a very profitable business. You can’t say, one minute, that you don’t care about how much money the shop brings in, then the next, try to tell me it’s all about the money, especially when it comes to her. There has to be another reason. You like her.”
“No. I don’t. It’s just . . .” He hadn’t put what was going on in his head into words yet, and he wondered if he’d be able to make her understand. “You’re right. I didn’t care—before. But the shop’s been doing better than I ever expected. I’ve always been good, no, great, at assessing businesses, knowing their strengths and weaknesses, but I’ve never had my own. I’d tell my dad which ones to buy, and then we’d sell them, or pull them apart and scavenge the assets.” He put his hands on his hips and looked at the floor before finally admitting the truth.
“I need to win, I can’t help it. You know that already. Suddenly I’m—we’re winning. I know you’re the biggest reason for the new success, but—we’re talking about three students, and we’re talking about a stupid girl with a stupid crush. Why is Ronnie suddenly any different than any of the others?”
“Because,” Rhees almost whined. “I want her out of here, but you don’t care about what I want anymore.”
“That’s not true.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “I care, I’ve always cared, and I will forever care.” He pulled away enough to take her face between his hands, and looked earnestly into her eyes. “I care! I really do.”
oOo
“You can’t do that!”
“I just did.” Rhees held her voice as even as possible.
She stood just outside the office, her words directed at Ronnie even though Ronnie’s friends were a part of the conversation, too. “Sophie and Marcelle can stay, the choice is theirs, but you need to move on, today.”
“You can’t do that,” Ronnie repeated in her typical, how do you not know I’m supposed to rule the world, manner. “Where’s Paul? This is his shop, and he wants me here. I refuse to talk to anyone but him.”
Ronnie stood, her arms folded in defiance while Rhees held an envelope out to her. Ronnie refused to take it. Finally, Paul poked his head around the corner, guardedly. Rhees had noticed Tracy take off to get Paul when the confrontation with Ronnie started. Rhees braced herself, sure it would be five against one. She’d have to be strong and hold her ground.
“Actually, we were recently married. It’s half mine now. I have just as much say in what goes on around here as he does.”
“This isn’t the United States,” Ronnie laughed scornfully. “Women have no rights in this country. You have half of nothing!”
The news hit Rhees like a huge rock to her face. She and Paul had talked about it, joked about it on several occasions. He’d never once corrected her assumption. She thought for a moment, wondering if he’d known—he had to know—he was some kind of super business savant, not to mention, a lawyer. Of course he knew. She felt her face heat up, feeling the fool, wishing she could crawl under the rock that had just made her world spiral out of control—all over again.
“I paid in full.” Ronnie must have noticed the flush of Rhees’ skin. She grew haughtier than ever. “I want to talk to Paul. I refuse to discuss this with you. You’re nobody!”
“I’m right here,” Paul chimed in, still uncertain about what was happening.
“Thank goodness you’re here. Your wife is crazy!” Ronnie turned back to Rhees. “It’s his shop, his decision, and he wants me here. I’m not going anywhere.” Ronnie stepped closer to him as if he would protect her.
Paul looked at Rhees, begging with his eyes to know what she was thinking. He thought they’d already settled this, only minutes before.
“I’m refunding her money.” Rhees gave him one of her determined looks and he knew he was in for a fight.
Paul stepped closer to Rhees, hoping for some privacy, as well as put some distance between Ronnie and himself. The girl didn’t seem to have a clue about personal space.
“Rhees?” He leaned down to get close, and to exclude as many overhearing ears as possible. “We talked about this. This is one thing you can trust me on.”
“I trust you.” Rhees’ eyes softened for him, but then she glared at Ronnie.
“I don’t think you do, not if you really feel the need to do this.”
Rhees seemed to waiver, but only for second. “This isn’t about you, or her, or who I trust. This is about the safety of everyone at the shop.”
“Me? A safety risk? That’s ridiculous!” Ronnie laughed as she looked around the gathering group of people for support, apparently so full of herself she thought everyone would naturally take her side. “You’re not worried about anyone but yourself, because you know Paul is attracted to me.”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Paul hissed while gritting his teeth. “Give it a rest, Ronnie. I’ve told you, I’m not interested!”
Ronnie turned to say something to him, Paul turned to say something to his wife, but Rhees blazed onward before either of them had a chance to say a word.
“Ronnie is a safety risk. Everyone complains about how inconsiderate she is, not only around the shop, but underwater as well. Mitch scolded her yesterday for trying to pull a lobster out from under a rock. She could have maimed it, broken his antennae.”
“He was huge. I wanted to catch him, for dinner.”
“How did I miss that?” Paul’s gaze flashed to Ronnie, and then Mitch.
“You didn’t dive,” Mitch said with an innocent shrug. “You were hung over, I handled it.”
Paul’s body language tightened as he turned back to Ronnie.
“If you want lobster, order it in a damned restaurant,” he said through clenched teeth.
He thought it bad enough how the locals continued to pillage their own environment by overfishing the waters to make a buck—the going rate for lobster on the island was only six dollars a plate. The topic was a sore spot for Paul. He’d been fighting with the locals since he showed up on the island, trying to get them to consider their future instead of recklessly squandering their resources for the here and now.
“Diving is almost a spiritual experience. Most people never get to see and appreciate what’s below the surface of the ocean.” He stopped, knowing he was up on his soapbox again. He hated sounding so preachy, but he always did when the subject came up. “We don’t molest the wildlife! Got that? At my shop, we don’t hunt when we’re diving!”
Ronnie rolled her eyes.
“She’s also kicked the regs out of just about everyone’s mouth,” Rhees continued, bringing Paul back to the situation at hand. Several of the other students nodded in agreement. “She pushed Khafid off the ladder. If it weren’t for your fast response, he’d be in Cuba by now.
“Then, I heard the three of them talking,” Rhees waved at Ronnie and her friend, “Sophie and Marcelle were upset. Apparently, Ronnie turned off Marcelle’s air during a dive—as a joke.”
“Is that true?” Paul spun around to face Ronnie, vehemently, before growling out what came next, for everyone to hear, “You do not screw with people’s air, do you hear me? Ever! I’m going to have to start drilling everyone on courtesy and safety—”
“We are not lax on safety, Paul. We do an excellent job. The problem is Ronnie and her lack of concern for anyone but herself—but we’re just as bad, if we keep her around, knowing what we know about her.”
“Are you going to let her talk about me like that?” Again, Ronnie turned to Paul, expecting him to defend her. He gave her a foul look.
“I heard her say that she’d sleep with you,” Rhees said quietly. She looked worried, or scared. “In spite of being told it would hurt me. It would, but that’s what started me thinking. If she’d so willingly hurt me like that, then who wouldn’t she be willing to hurt? I could never trust her to be my dive buddy, and if I can’t trust her with my life during a dive, then how can I trust her with theirs?” She waved her hand at the other people standing around.
“She can’t dive without a buddy, and I couldn’t, in good conscience, expect anyone else to risk their lives with her. We’d be liable if anything happened. I’d never be able to forgive myself.” Rhees pleaded with her eyes, begging him to agree with her, but then she dropped her head and looked down.
Paul thought about what Rhees said. She was right.
“Apparently, I have no real say in this, after all,” Rhees said without looking up. “The shop is yours . . . not ours, but I think you would be unwise to let her stay and endanger the other students, our friends.”
With his hands on his hips, he took a slow, deep breath and let it out, while he looked up at the rafters. He thought he should be annoyed with his wife, but what he felt was awe.
“What a crazy bitch!” Ronnie turned to the crowd, indignantly. “Are you listening to this? Has she always been crazy, or did the hijacking completely unhinge her?”
“Ronnie, enough! That’s my wife you’re talking about.” Paul finally sounded harsh enough to please Rhees.
“You can’t honestly be buying into her insane logic? I paid. I’m not taking the money back. You have to certify me—”
Paul grabbed the envelope from Rhees’ hand and stuffed it between Ronnie’s folded arms, leaving her dumbstruck. He looked so angry, and visions of foreign prisons ran through Rhees’ head again, so she took a step closer to him, setting her hand on his arm. He relaxed a notch, but Rhees still didn’t dare smil
e, although the sudden solidarity between them felt like such a beautiful thing.
“You heard her. Get off my fucking—” He stepped behind Rhees, drew her back to his front, and folded her into his arms to showcase his gesture of unity as they both now faced Ronnie. “—our fucking deck.”
Ronnie tried, but failed, to rally her two friends. They stayed behind, and watched with everyone else, as she finally stormed off in a huff, swearing and yelling to herself about only wanting to become dive master because of Paul and what Paul would miss out on, and how he wasn’t the only good-looking man on the planet.
“I think Rhees is right about her,” Marcelle said when Ronnie finally disappeared over the Plank, and around the corner. “We just met up with her on St. Martin a couple of weeks ago. At first she was fun to be with, but I’d just recently begun to wonder if something was off about her. Her ideas about having fun were starting to scare me.”
“Me too. I just thought she had a lot of confidence, but the longer we were together, the more I worried about how far she’d be willing to take things—things that shouldn’t be pushed so far. I’m sorry.”
Sophie and Marcelle looked nervous, as if wondering if they’d be accepted at the shop after being associated with Ronnie. Tracy took them both by the arm and led them around to the deck, telling them how happy she was that they’d decided to stay.
oOo
When they were finally alone, Rhees let Paul turn her in his arms to face him. He gave her a stern look, but the corners of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile, but was trying not to.
“Don’t be thinking you can run off every female student who makes eyes at me,” he said as his crooked grin finally won over his firm expression. “We’ll go broke.”
“Okay . . . what about the guys who crush on you?” She managed not to giggle, but her own smile slowly unfolded. He dropped his head back, demonstrating that he knew it to be true. The action showcased his long, muscular neck, making his Adam’s apple more pronounced.
Wet Part 3 Page 37