“Do you feel like you’ve been kidnapped?” he asked.
“Sort of,” she admitted.
“Arr, matey, I’m hauling you off to me pirate ship,” he said in a good pirate voice. “Where I’ll shackle you to me galley. And there you will cook for me scallywag chums.”
She laughed as she unzipped her backpack, pulling out her hoodie sweatshirt to fend off the damp air. Leo seemed to be steering the rowboat toward the houseboat section of the bay. Tia studied the varied and interesting architecture of the floating homes coming into view. “Don’t tell me you live on a houseboat,” she said as he continued on into this area.
“Something wrong with that?”
“Of course not. But it’s just not fair. You get to be a boat captain and live on a houseboat too? I’m getting seriously jealous.”
He laughed. “Sorry about that.”
“Really, you live on a houseboat?” She stared up at a tall white multistory houseboat with lots of windows and a big brown dog watching them from an upper deck.
“I do.”
“Wow. Being a boat captain must pay better than I imagined.”
He laughed. “No, I’m sure you imagined it about right.”
“These homes are gorgeous,” she said as he continued rowing past well-maintained and interesting structures. No two were alike. Unless she was mistaken, they were not inexpensive either. She even pulled out her phone, snapping a few pics and hoping that none of the homeowners minded. It was so picturesque. She could imagine doing a watercolor of this.
“Here we are.” He slid his boat beside a modest houseboat. It was single story, covered in weathered cedar shingles, with fresh white trim framing the numerous windows. Very attractive. Everything looked spick-and-span and inviting. He tied the rowboat to the small dock and gave her a hand as she stepped out. “Home sweet home,” he declared.
“Very nice.” She nodded with approval as he led her past a couple of white Adirondack chairs and up to a door painted in glossy royal blue paint. “Well-maintained too.”
“You should’ve seen it a few years ago. Back when my grandmother let me start living here.” He slipped his key into the door. “It was in serious need of help.”
“It’s your grandmother’s house?”
“It was then. But she passed on a few years ago.” He opened the door, waving her inside. “She left it to me.”
Tia entered the surprisingly open space. “Wow, this is nice, Leo.” With one quick glance, she took in the hardwood floors, the windows that looked out onto the bay, a small stone fireplace with a woodstove insert, and a kitchen with creamy white cabinets and some sort of stone countertop. “It’s really lovely.”
“Thank you.” Leo pointed to a wall that was painted in a very pale aquatic blue. “Remember I told you about removing wallpaper? All of these walls were covered in big bold stripes.”
She suddenly noticed the round coffee table in front of a tan corduroy couch. “Wow, this looks great. You got the whitewash off.” She went over to touch the rich, dark surface.
“Yeah. All it took was a stripping product and some steel wool, along with a lot of elbow grease. The good news was that the whitewash came off without ruining the original finish. They must’ve used spar varnish back when it was made, because it was pretty tough. I’ll apply one more finish coat and call it good.”
“It looks perfect in here.” She shook her head in wonder. “Aren’t you glad you salvaged it?”
“For sure.” He pointed at her. “You should get some credit. You’re the one who spotted it.”
“Mind if I check out your kitchen?” she asked. “I kinda have a thing for kitchens.”
“Not at all. I’m afraid it’s pretty modest.”
She went over to look more closely. He had a decent-looking propane stove and good-sized fridge. He even had a dishwasher. “I wouldn’t call this modest,” she said. “It’s well laid out and quite functional looking.”
“Thanks. The cabinets were already here. They were painted in what I can only describe as electric blue. I decided to go with white to brighten it up in here.”
“They look great.” She ran her hand over the pale gray countertop. “Is this quartz?”
“Yep.”
“Well, as a cook, I approve of your kitchen. Natalie should be perfectly at home here.”
He nodded with an uncertain look. “You really think so?”
“Of course. The whole place is delightful, Leo. Inside and out. You’ve done a beautiful job and it’s a wonderful place to live.” She pointed out the window. “And that’s a million-dollar view. Well, when the fog’s not so thick. I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t love living here after you guys are married.”
“She’s only been here a couple of times,” he admitted. “It’s been sort of weird . . . She never wants to stay long. It’s almost like she doesn’t like it. Or else it just makes her uncomfortable.”
Suddenly Tia felt uncomfortable too. Not that she planned to show it. That would almost be like admitting she was still into him. “Maybe it’s being in a bachelor’s house.” She made a nervous laugh. “I mean, that probably sounds silly. But I was raised that way. Since you guys were dating and all, maybe it was just awkward, you know?”
He seemed to get this. “Oh, yeah, that makes sense.”
“Anyway, thanks for showing your houseboat to me. And the coffee table too. But we should go.” She peered out into the gray mist, which seemed to be getting thicker by the minute. “Wow, it’s turning into pea soup out there.”
“Yeah. I think I better take you back in the Jeep.”
She looked around the great room one last time, trying to soak it all in, wanting to memorize this sweet space. Mostly because she felt fairly certain she wouldn’t be back here anytime soon. Unless it was to visit Natalie and Leo—after they were married. To help her to accept this difficult image, she tried to envision Natalie standing in the kitchen right now. She pictured her looking lovely as usual, but wearing a chef’s apron and stirring a steaming pot of fisherman’s stew. Leo would be standing nearby, tossing a salad. Yes, the happy newlyweds . . . that helped some.
“It’s a really special house,” she said as they were leaving. “You should feel very thankful.”
“I do.” He locked the door. “I was always close to my grandparents. But it’s not like I’m their only grandchild. I started helping out around here after my grandfather died, when I was a young teenager. I got the use of my grandfather’s rowboat, and I’d help my grandmother with tasks that were too much for her. Stuff like painting or cleaning or easy repairs. To be honest, it was partly because I loved her and partly because I loved being here on the water.”
“I’m sure she appreciated it.” She took in each houseboat they passed as they walked the long dock. Some of them were tiny and funky, and others looked like mansions.
“Definitely. But she got too old to keep it up and moved into a retirement place. She invited me to come live here, just to maintain it in exchange for rent. That was a no-brainer for me. I’d work on it whenever I had spare time—painting, reroofing, repairing, whatever. And I’d bring my grandmother out here every so often, just to enjoy it. She loved seeing what I’d done. I figured she planned to sell it. But when she died, I found out that she’d left it to me.” He led her to where the Jeep was parked.
“Lucky you.”
“Well, yeah. Except there was a little hitch in her will.” He unlocked the Jeep and they both got in. “My grandmother said the houseboat was mine as long as I lived there. But if I moved out, it was to be sold and the proceeds split evenly between her six grandchildren.”
“Interesting.”
“I think that’s fair.”
“How did your sister and cousins feel about it?”
“There was some squabbling at first. Fortunately, she’d left them all a little something. But the houseboat was her biggest asset.”
“Well, she obviously knew you loved it,” Tia said as h
e drove. “It must’ve made her happy to think you’d have it and to know that you’d care for it. I think that’s nice.”
As he drove back to the dock, Tia realized that she’d blown it again. Despite her resolve to distance herself, to establish firm boundaries, she’d fallen for his charms again. She’d allowed him to talk her into a boat ride and a visit to his lovely houseboat home.
She sternly reminded herself that it was the home he would share with Natalie after they got married. She retrieved the image she’d created earlier: Leo and Natalie in the kitchen, living happily ever after.
15
For the next two days both Tia and Leo worked like dogs getting the Pacific Pearl ready for the carpenters who were supposed to arrive on Thursday morning. By Wednesday evening, the boat’s interior cabins were completely stripped of carpet, wallpaper, and furnishings. They’d even removed most of the doors to be salvaged and a lot of the hardware. The galley had been gutted, and only one head (bathroom) was still functional. The only untouched interior space was the stateroom and its bath, which Tia had been slowly turning into her own temporary space, with her aunt’s approval.
“Well, it looks like we’re ready for the carpenters,” Leo said as they lugged the last trash bags down the gangplank. “Nice job.” He opened the Dumpster and tossed his bag into it.
“Yeah.” She hoisted her bag in after his. “Glad that it’s done.” She brushed her hands on her jeans.
“You know, for a small girl, you’re pretty strong.”
She shrugged as she adjusted the red bandana she’d tied over her hair. “You have to be strong to be a chef. It’s very physical. Chopping food, lifting heavy pots, bending and reaching and constantly moving. Not to mention you’re on your feet all day. Wimps just can’t cut it.”
“Well, good work.”
Tia heard her phone chiming with a text and, thankful for the distraction, checked to see who it was. “That’s Julie,” she told Leo as she started texting an answer. “She says Roland’s back in his private room now. Sounds like he’s feeling pretty good too.”
“Great news.”
Tia finished her text, then pocketed her phone, pointing to the galley pieces that were still sitting on the dock. “Wasn’t Jake supposed to be here by now?”
“Yeah.” Leo frowned at his phone. “But it’s after 6:00. And I’m supposed to pick Natalie up at 7:00.”
“Just take off,” Tia told him as they went back on board. “I’ll wait here for Jake.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. Julie said she won’t be home until after 8:00 anyway.”
“Okay. I’ll give Jake a call to make sure he didn’t forget.” Leo was already going down the ladder to his boat.
“Have a nice evening,” she said as he untied his boat. She didn’t know what he and Natalie were doing this evening, and for that she was grateful. The less she knew about Leo’s personal life, the happier she would be. She was also grateful that they hadn’t had a chance to really talk much in the past couple of days. It helped her to maintain the boundaries she was establishing.
“See you tomorrow,” he called as he started to row.
She waved, then turned away with a feeling of dismay. She had assumed that with the demo completed, there would be no reason for Leo to spend so much time here. Just last night, Julie’s first night at home, Tia had asked her about assigning specific roles for this renovation time.
Julie had clearly specified that Tia was to supervise the interior work (with Julie’s off-site approval, of course) and Leo was in charge of the exterior. It seemed simple enough. But as Tia went into the stateroom—which she’d made more homey with some of her personal things, more linens, several scented jar candles she’d gotten at Whole Foods, some books, and even a small vase of flowers that she’d brought with her this morning—she wasn’t so sure. Leo seemed pretty comfortable taking the lead. What if he assumed he was supposed to oversee the carpenters tomorrow?
Tia got out her phone, this time calling Julie. “Sorry to bother you,” she said quickly. “I’m still at the boat. Waiting for Jake to pick up a load of recyclables. Anyway, I know the carpenters are supposed to be here by 7:00 in the morning and I got to thinking, what if I just stay overnight? That way I’ll be here.”
“You really want to?”
Tia explained how she’d outfitted the stateroom. “It’s really pretty swanky.”
Julie laughed. “Well, good for you! Of course you can stay there. I’ve heard the security is really good there, so I’m not worried. Just be sure to lock up.”
“Absolutely.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“For sure.”
“Okay then. Enjoy your first night on the Pearl.”
“Thanks!” It wasn’t until Tia put her phone away that she realized she didn’t have any food there. She’d have no way to prepare anything with the galley gutted either. But if Jake got here soon enough, she’d still have time to make a run to the little fisherman’s market next to the Fish Shack, where she could grab a few things before they closed at 7:00. Their prices were high and their food selection was a bit dodgy, but it would be okay for now. They even had Styrofoam coolers there too, probably for fishermen. She went outside to the foredeck, peering down the dock to see if the green pickup was anywhere in sight.
She considered just making a quick run to the market but didn’t want to risk Jake getting there and having no help to load up. Instead of getting irritated like she was tempted to do, she got out her ukulele, sat down on a deck chair, and started to play. If Jake didn’t get there in time, she would just ride the bike home to Julie’s and spend the night there. No big deal. She put her feet up on the starboard gunwale and, gazing out over the beautiful bay, started to play “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” on her ukulele.
She was just getting into it when she heard someone calling, “Ahoy!”
She jumped up to see Jake boarding the boat. “Hey, Jake.”
“Don’t stop playing,” he said. “That sounded great.”
“Oh?” Still holding her ukulele, she pointed to the junk all over the dock. “Don’t you want me to help you get that stuff loaded on—”
“The thrift store is closed now anyway.”
“But we can’t leave it on the dock overnight. Julie will get fined and—”
“I plan to load it up and take it.” He pulled up the deck chair next to hers. “But I’ll have to let it sit in my truck overnight and drop it off in the morning. No big deal.”
“Yeah . . . okay.” She pulled out her phone to check the time.
“You have someplace you need to be?”
She explained her plan to make a quick run to the market for provisions for the night. “They close in about fifteen minutes.”
“You’d really eat food from there?” He made a face. “And here Leo’s been bragging up what a fabulous cook you are.”
She made a sheepish smile. “Well, it’s not exactly my first choice. But all I have is a bike and my feet, and I—”
“Here’s an idea.” Jake stood up. “You help me load my truck, and I’ll take you out for a real meal. I know a place that—”
“Look at me.” She pointed to her dirty work clothes and the bandana still tied around her head. “I’m filthy. Not fit to be seen in public.”
He grinned. “Well, excuse me for disagreeing, but I think you look great.”
“Thanks.” She rolled her eyes. “But I wouldn’t be comfortable going out like this.”
“You said you’re spending the night. Don’t you have some clean clothes or something?”
“Not really. I mean, just more work clothes.”
“I have another idea.” Jake nodded. “Even better than the first.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll load up my truck and then I’ll run out to get us some takeout food. You stay here and relax or clean up or whatever.”
“That’s nice of you, but I still won’t have anything for break
fast,” she protested. “I should just go ahead and go—”
“I know. How about if I grab you something for your breakfast while I’m waiting for takeout?”
“Really?” She frowned. “You want to go to that much trouble for me?”
“Sure.” His smile looked genuine. “Maybe you’ll return the favor by cooking me a meal someday. Not that I’d hold you to it—although I just happen to have a legally binding contract in my back pocket.”
She laughed. “It’s a deal.”
As they worked together to load his pickup, Tia wondered if Jake had asked her to dinner for a “date” or simply as a gesture of friendship. Because she was getting so used to keeping her relationship with Leo on the level of “just friendship,” she decided it might be best to keep things that way with Jake as well. Because if he was really asking her out on a date . . . well, she’d probably have to say no. Not because he wasn’t a nice guy, but simply because her heart wouldn’t be in it.
“Okay then.” He closed the tailgate. “I should probably ask if you have any food allergies or strong dislikes or anything.”
She waved her hand. “I’m a foodie, Jake. Besides that, I’m ravenous. I doubt I’d find fault with anything you bring.”
“That’s right.” He chuckled. “You were willing to eat something from the fish bait market.”
“Fish bait market?”
“That’s what we called it as kids. A place to get fish bait and soda and chips. Anything else and it got a little scary.”
“Good to know.” She waved as she went back on board. She went to the stateroom, took a quick shower, and put on a pair of gray sweatpants, old flip-flops, and her worn Seahawks shirt. As she did, she wondered what it might’ve been like to have met someone like Jake a few weeks ago—back before Leo Parker had stepped back into her life and shaken things up.
Returning to the deck, she arranged a pair of deck chairs on the starboard side, facing the bay. Then she set a small round table between them. Realizing that it was getting dusky out there, she went back to the stateroom to get a couple of her candles, as well as the small bouquet of flowers. By the time she had it set up, it looked rather nice. Hopefully not romantic, though. She looked down at her frumpy casual clothes and decided she was safe on that account.
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