by Annie Rains
“Yes,” Jack said.
Grace grabbed her empty coffee cup and stood.
“I’m here for the job interview,” the woman told him.
Hot tears burned behind Grace’s eyes as she tried not to listen. Talking to Jack had been a stupid move. She’d known he wouldn’t hire her. And it wasn’t just him; it involved working with his entire family. Bad idea. Worst idea ever.
“Yes. You’re right on time,” Jack replied.
Grace stuffed her laptop into her battered messenger bag and slid it over her shoulder as she stood and headed for the exit. She’d continue her job search somewhere else. Right after she collected her dignity.
Jack hadn’t heard a word interviewee number two had said. He was too distracted by Grace’s abrupt departure.
Should he go after her?
She wanted the office management position, but there was no way he could hire Grace. His dad and brothers would flip if he brought a Donner back into their lives. Even though Grace was never at fault for her mother’s actions.
“So,” the woman in front of him prompted.
Jack blinked and focused on the pretty blonde, maybe in her midthirties. She was definitely a better candidate than Grace regardless of what kind of experience she had simply because she wasn’t a Donner. Jack looked down at the résumé she’d placed in front of him. “I’ll, uh, look this over and give you a call later in the week.”
The woman smiled. It was a nice smile, the kind that would look good behind a desk. He shook the woman’s hand and watched her walk away. Then he quickly discarded of his coffee and napkins and headed to the door to see if Grace was still outside. A good fifteen minutes had passed, so he doubted it. And what would he say he if he caught up with her? Sorry, but you can’t have the job?
The parking lot had three cars, none of which held Grace inside. That was probably for the best. Although he and Grace had been close as kids, they were worlds apart these days. He climbed into his truck and drove to the Sawyer Seafood Company. Since his aunt’s retirement, he’d been stuck working the desk job. Not his preference.
He walked inside the two-story metal building and sat behind his not-so-cozy desk. The wall opposite him looked out on the Atlantic Ocean. Once the love of his life, now the water only made him think of his own failures.
“Heads up,” his younger brother, Noah, called, entering the room and spiraling a small football in his direction.
Jack spun in his chair and his arms went up reflexively. Growing up with two brothers, one younger and one older, ensured that his reflexes were always primed. They’d been a bunch of rowdy boys. Their Aunt Mira had sworn they’d needed a woman’s touch, but after Tammy Donner had married their father and turned things upside down and sideways, Aunt Mira had never complained about their upbringing again. They’d done all right on their own.
“The water’s smooth today,” Noah said, peeling off his torn ball cap and revealing a bad case of hat head.
Jack turned back toward his desk. He didn’t want to hear about the water, or any other tempting words Noah would use in an attempt to change his mind about not working the boats with his dad and brothers. As much as he despised sitting behind a desk, he’d rather do paperwork than fish these days. “I interviewed two people for the office job this morning,” Jack said, ignoring him.
“Yeah? And?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.” Because Grace had shown interest.
“The sooner you replace Aunt Mira, the sooner you can come to your senses and get back on the Summerly with me. Working with those high school kids you hired on for the summer feels more like baby-sitting out there than fishing.” Noah walked over to Jack’s desk and leaned against it, arms folded over his chest. “And it’s not the same without you on the boat, Captain.”
Well, it wasn’t the same without Chris.
Jack steeled himself against the rising emotion, a mix of anger and disappointment, all aimed at himself. “Maybe it’s time we hire you a skipper,” Jack suggested. They’d hired temporary help until now because his dad and brothers had insisted that Jack would be ready to step back into his role of captain of the Summerly in time. It’d been three months since the accident, though, and time had only made Jack more convinced that his fishing days were over. He and his best friend, Chris, had been growing tired of the profession long before the accident. They’d even talked about quitting and starting their own business together—Sawyer and Watson Coastal Builders. They’d been building things—small boats, piers, bathhouses—since their Boy Scout days. It was something that thrilled them both more than the next catch.
“Or maybe you should get your ass back in the boat,” a voice challenged behind them. Jack’s older brother, Sam, crossed the room.
Was every damn day in the office going to be like the movie Groundhog Day?
“I’m serious,” Jack said. “I think it’s time to talk about hiring a permanent replacement for Chris and me on the Summerly.”
“Good luck trying to get that past Dad. Fishing is our business. What else do you think you’re going to do?”
Not wanting to get into it, Jack turned his attention to interviewee number two’s qualifications on her résumé. He couldn’t help but think of Grace again. Last he’d heard, she’d worked at Dewy’s Bar and Grill on the outskirts of town. It was a far cry from being a teacher, which is what she’d told him she wanted to be when she was fifteen. People changed, though. He didn’t really know Grace anymore. For all he knew, she’d turned out just like her mother, Tammy.
Sam cursed under his breath as he stood at the window that overlooked the ocean.
“What’s going on?” Jack reflexively joined him to see whatever had his older brother’s jaw unhinged.
One of their rental boats zipped dangerously close to the docked fishing boats. It made a huge turn to avoid hitting the Summerly.
“Shit,” Jack said. “Who’s behind the wheel?”
Noah sandwiched between them as they all watched. The runaway boat beelined straight toward the recreational area that their cousin Gabe ran. They rented boats and kayaks and offered tours on the water.
“He’s going to the hit the kayak launch!” Jack ran out of the building with Sam at his heels. It was still early morning. Hopefully no one was in the driver’s destructive path, even though these were the most popular hours for water tours.
Jack froze at the sound of impact as the boat plowed full force into the kayak launch. Wood flew out in the wake of the crash. Running again, Jack jumped aboard the boat and went to help the person behind the wheel.
The driver stood shakily.
Jack was shocked he hadn’t been thrown overboard on impact. “Are you all right?” he asked, out of breath from his race to get here.
A teenager with long dark hair and big brown eyes stared back at him.
“Whoa!” the teen said, drawing a hand to his forehead where there was a slight cut. A spot of blood dripped along his cheek.
Jack quickly went to the ignition and cut the buzzing engine.
“Whoa!” the kid said again, laughing this time.
Jack turned him around by the shoulders to look him in the eyes. Other than a minor cut, there was no evidence of harm. There was, however, a distinct smell of alcohol. “You’re Dewy Capp’s kid. Tristan, right?” Jack had seen him on a skateboard in the area a time or two lately. He was maybe eighteen years old, which was the age requirement for renting a boat. Jack suspected Gabe hadn’t rented the boat to Tristan, though. There’d been a couple of break-ins over the last few months. Boats were being “borrowed” and then returned more than a little scuffed up after hours.
“I called an ambulance,” Noah said, reaching them now.
“Great,” Jack said. “Why don’t you call the police, too.”
Want To Keep Reading Forbidden Kisses?
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Books-A-Million
Kobo
Google Play
BOOKS BY ANNIE RAINS
BLUSHING BAY SERIES:
* * *
FORBIDDEN KISSES
STOLEN KISSES
* * *
HERO’S WELCOME SERIES:
* * *
WELCOME TO FOREVER
WELCOME HOME, COWBOY
WELCOMING THE BAD BOY
WELCOME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Dear Reader,
* * *
Thank you so much for reading! If you would like to hear about future titles from me, read sneak peeks, and have access to exclusive reader giveaways, please consider subscribing to my NEWSLETTER.
I am also active on my author FACEBOOK PAGE and have a private FACEBOOK READER GROUP where we can chat about books, romance, and more!
* * *
Thank you again for reading!
* * *
xoxo,
Annie