“That’s fine with me. I don’t mind paying a bit extra for other services.”
She deliberately ignored his remark, and began to fill a bag with bottles and other rubbish. His lip licking began to make her stomach flip, and not in a good way.
“So, how about you and I relax a little? Together.”
Now her skin was crawling. “I’m sorry, I don’t ‘relax’ with clients.”
“If I’m all paid up I’m not a client, am I?”
The smug look on his boozy face was so unappealing, Macy almost laughed. He must have seen her reaction despite her attempt to hide it, because suddenly his eyes narrowed. He took a step closer.
“You have a problem with me, Macy?”
“I have a problem with the amount of mess I have to clean up before I get to go home. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get rid of this bag.”
“Leave the damn bag.” He wrenched it out of her hand and dropped it behind him so that the contents spilled out. Then he grabbed her arm. “Let’s go below and have ourselves a private meeting.”
Her arm hurt where his fingers dug in, but she wasn’t about to let him know. “I am not going anywhere with you, so kindly let my arm go.”
He ignored the chill in her voice. “Don’t pretend you don’t know me. We spent most of our summers together when we were kids, and you treated me a lot nicer than this.”
“Good times. You were a gentleman back then, unlike now.”
He pulled her up against his body and sneered. Little bits of spittle sprayed her face, and she prayed she wouldn’t throw up.
“How come you’re so stuck-up now? Your sister’s not like that at all, is she?”
“I’m not my sister.”
“Isn’t that the truth, but I’ll settle for you.”
Now she was angry. Really angry. To hell with ‘the customer is always right.’ More than anything life could throw at her, she hated being compared to Chantelle.
Macy wasn’t easy, and no matter what she thought about her sister’s lifestyle, Sean Whittle had no right to comment let alone judge either of them.
“Get your stinking hands off me before I scream.”
“The place is practically deserted. Scream away.”
The boat rocked and Sean swung around. Macy could see Evan. She hadn’t noticed him arrive at the jetty, or walk along to the boat, but she was glad he was here. Sean used to be a nice guy. Not anymore.
“I believe Macy asked you to leave.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” Sean asked, belligerence bubbling out of every pore.
“I’m her friend, and I’m about a second away from calling the police.”
“Everyone knows she’s single,” Sean said, in some misguided attempt at an excuse.
“Everyone is wrong, which is irrelevant. Are you leaving or not?”
Something in Evan’s voice, or maybe the way he stood, like a boxer about to jab a lesser opponent, made Sean grab his bag and get off the boat in a rather inelegant way. He still looked mean as a snake as he gave Evan a wide berth. Once he was out of sight, Macy rubbed her arm from where the jerk had grabbed her.
“Are you okay?” Evan asked, as he pushed her short sleeve back a little.
His warm hands were gentle, and he looked genuinely concerned, but she moved away.
“I’m fine. Clearly he’d overindulged, and had the crazy notion that I’d be an easy target.”
“He was way out of line. I should have called the police.”
“No harm done, and he’s gone now.” She crouched down and began to stuff the rubbish back in the bag.
Evan started to help, and she paused. “There’s no need for you to do this. It’s my job.”
“It’s a horrible job.” He continued helping her.
“Sometimes it can be, when people don’t respect the boat and don’t care about the mess they make. I’ll charge him plenty and hopefully that will detract from his need to use the marina again.”
Evan laughed. A deep and very pleasant sound. “You put it so nicely. I don’t think I would be so nice about it.”
“It’s my business, which means I have to put up with a bit of crap from time to time.”
“You own this place?” He seemed surprised.
“My father and I do.”
“That’s cool.”
“I think so. Most of the time.”
“I should think being able to sail whenever the mood took you would be awesome.”
“It would be if that was the way it worked. Unfortunately, with my father unable to work forty hours a week because of his health, I have to work up to eighty. Which doesn’t leave much time for sailing.”
She could have bitten her tongue. How did Evan, an almost stranger, make the words fall out, when she was usually far more reticent?
He frowned. “I guess it wouldn’t. Do you get any time off?”
“Not much. Why?”
“I was thinking, if I helped you clean up the boat, would you have dinner with me?”
“Dinner? With you?”
He laughed at her expression of disbelief. “Would having dinner with me be so horrible? I’m hungry, alone in town, and I find you very interesting. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
She thought about her plans. Cooking for her father, and a hot bath. The same as almost every night. A gust of wind ruffled Evan’s dark hair, so dark it was at odds with his blue eyes. He was the interesting one.
“And no expectations?”
“None at all.”
“Okay. It’s a deal.”
Together they returned Charlie II to its prior clean and tidy state. Without complaint, Evan did as she asked, and Macy was impressed. She’d thought this sort of work would be beneath him, since her first impression had been of a rich man idling his days away. And who was she to judge? If she could, wasn’t that what she’d be doing herself?
“All the bags need to go over to the bins in the corner.” She pointed and he hefted the two bulging bags, carrying them without breaking a sweat, even though they must have been heavy. She considered herself strong, but had to drag them one at a time.
She locked up the cabin and, picking up her cleaning items, headed over to Maggie. She began her check and was astounded.
“Everything okay?” Evan jumped on board.
“You cleaned her.”
“I have my own boat in San Francisco. I know what it takes to keep her in shape.”
“Well, thank you. I’ve never seen her cleaner than this.”
He grinned like a big kid, as if he wasn’t used to praise. A fluttering which had begun earlier seemed to become an all-out storm of feelings. Steady on, she warned herself. He was only here for a few days, and she was not her sister.
“Where are we going for dinner?” she asked.
“Do you have somewhere in mind? I’m new around here.”
She didn’t have to think too much. “Do you like seafood?”
“Love it.”
“Great. We can go to Lenny’s Lobsters.”
He frowned at the name, as most people did, because it sounded cheap. It wasn’t.
“It’s good food, right?”
“The best. I promise.”
“Okay. I’ll be by to pick you up about eight.”
“I could meet you there.”
“It’ll be easier if I come and get you from here, then you can show me the way.”
“From here? I don’t actually live on the marina, you know.”
He flushed a little, which was ridiculously charming. “Will you give me your address then?”
This broke all her rules, of which there were many around men and dating. But he was so darn attractive, and such a gentleman. Was that all she cared about? No, she wanted one night that was about anything other than the marina.
She turned away from him and pointed to a cabin perched on the side of the hill which looked over the marina. “I live there, but could we make it earlier?”
&n
bsp; “Seven early enough?”
“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”
She headed back to the office. Her father was sitting in his rocking chair out front with a couple of the old salts who lived close by and were retired. They were rehashing their time at sea as if they were legends. Nothing new there, although myths night be a better term.
“Any issues, Dad?”
“Nothing to report, captain.” He gave her a cheeky grin and doffed his cap, as did the other men.
She was pleased to see him so happy. “In that case I am off duty, and you are in charge, first mate.”
“Very good, sir. I shall be home for my supper at the usual time.”
She slapped a hand to her forehead. “About that. Could you heat up something from the fridge? I’m going out tonight.”
“Arianne back in town?”
Her best friend was modeling in New York and hadn’t been home in ages, but Macy couldn’t tell a lie. Not a big one anyway.
“No, it’s another friend. All right gentlemen, as you were.” They’d all stood when she arrived, and now she signaled for them to sit, then stowed her paperwork, gathered the diary for tomorrow’s work, and picked up her bag, hurriedly departing in case there were more questions.
Questions she didn’t want asked, because she had very few answers for her out-of-character behavior.
It was often intimated that women liked to gossip, but these old men were on a different level, and if they so much as sniffed that Macy had a date, they would hound her for all the details until she broke.
Details? She should have looked Evan Knight up on the internet before she’d said yes to a date. Seen who he really was. He might be a serial killer for all she knew. He didn’t look like one, but victims probably thought that very thing.
She was halfway up the hill when she stopped mid-stride. What the heck was she going to wear? She hadn’t had a date since. . . When was it? More than a year, close to two. How sad was that for woman in her twenties?
Oh well, he would simply have to accept her jeans as part and parcel of who she was, and it was only lobster at Lenny’s. It might not be cheap, but it was definitely not the Ritz.
Chapter Four
Evan couldn’t find a parking space any closer than the marina. Macy’s cabin didn’t appear to have its own driveway, just a shelled path. The gentle slope made for a nice walk, and when he got to the cabin it turned out to be bigger than he’d first thought.
It needed a coat of paint and the decking looked tired, but the windows glistened and he imagined this was no mean feat with the salt from the water splashing on the rocks below. The view of the bay and the ocean beyond was spectacular. It would be awesome to wake up each morning to that.
Macy opened the door on his first knock. She’d scraped her hair back once more, but swapped a piece of elastic for a shell clip. She’d also added a small amount of makeup, which looked nice but he thought she didn’t need it. For someone who lived on or by the water, her complexion was perfect.
A short-sleeved white shirt and jeans with sandals completed the picture.
“You look lovely.”
“Thanks. So do you.”
He couldn’t help a grin. “That’s the first time I’ve been called lovely. Let’s go, if you’re ready?”
“I have to warn you, if you’re paying, and I’m not assuming you are, I’m starving.”
“Of course I’m paying. I asked you out, remember?”
“I do. But that means nothing these days.”
“It means something to me.”
She smiled, her chocolate brown eyes shimmering. “Okay. As long as you understand, I am not a cheap date.”
“And I am not a cheapskate, so this should work out fine.”
She didn’t answer but the corners of her mouth quivered, and she turned to shut the door, and/or hide her amusement. Then she led the way back down the path.
He followed her, enjoying the view of the bay and marina, and of course the spectacular view of Macy’s retreating figure. Her long, lean legs were still enticing, encased as they were in denim, and she had an incredibly sexy walk that drew the eyes to her backside like a magnet.
Everything about this woman hit a chord, and he was looking forward to the rest of the evening.
Macy gave him directions as they drove around the u-shaped bay to the hill opposite her cabin. There were two main differences. This hill had a road which wound around it, until at the top it opened to a large parking lot. It was also more than twice the height.
“I’m glad you didn’t suggest we walk here.”
She laughed. “I’ve done it before. It’s not that far as the crow flies, but this road adds on more than I care to try in sandals.”
As soon as they walked through the door, she was bombarded with people. Evan took a few steps back to allow them access to her.
Enquiries about her father and her sister flew at her, even as the patrons and staff sent him questioning glances. He was about to say something when a huge man in a white apron came out from the kitchen. He had a smile that matched his girth and expressive hand gestures.
“Hello, beautiful. I heard you’d arrived. Come, I have the perfect table. For two, is it?”
Macy nodded and he led them through the tables until they arrived at a rounded window. Evan was blown away by the view.
“Thanks Bruno. This is so kind of you,” Macy said.
“Nonsense, when you phoned to book, I said to my wife, we will save our best table for our best girl.” He flicked his fingers and pulled out a chair for her.
“Where is Wanda?”
“She’s on the phone to the suppliers over a mix-up. I was glad to escape.” He winked at Macy then turned to Evan. “And you are?”
“Evan Knight.” He held out his hand and they shook. Evan could feel the older man’s strength, but it wasn’t malicious, and he relaxed. “This view is amazing, What a great place for a restaurant.”
Bruno smiled with pleasure. “Yes, when we came here from Chile thirty years ago there wasn’t even a road. From the first sight, I had a vision of what I wanted, and here it is.” He snapped his fingers theatrically, and a waiter, misunderstanding, came racing over with menus and water.
Bruno took the water then waved the man away. “No need to look, aye Macy? I will cook you the best, then you will be happy.”
“I will be happy with anything cooked by you, Bruno. There’s nothing to compare.”
“Then you should come by more often. We have missed you and your father. Where is he?”
“At home by now. He had his fishing buddies visiting this afternoon.”
“Hah! As if that is something extraordinary.”
They laughed and Evan noticed how much Macy sparkled up here, away from the marina.
When Bruno had left, she poured them both water. “I hope you don’t mind not getting to choose, but I can promise you won’t be disappointed.”
“Actually, I was thinking how nice it was to not have to decide. If the chef says this is the best and you agree, then who am I to argue?”
The waiter brought them beers, and Evan marveled at the assumption that even the drink was the chef’s choice. Still, the beer was cold and smooth. Perfect to slake the thirst after a day on the water. Clearly, Bruno knew his stuff.
Chilled out, yet totally aware of the gorgeous woman across from him, they watched as the sun began to set, and Evan thought he had rarely been happier.
Some fresh baked bread appeared with light dips of eggplant and yoghurt as Macy pointed out the area’s landmarks with passion.
Finally, as night stole some of the vista, he turned to her. “So how did you come to be working with your father?”
She picked at the label of her beer. “My parents put every dime into buying the marina, and they made a great team. I began working there after school and at weekends for pocket money, and I loved it. I still do,” she added quickly. “When Mom passed away several years ago, Dad couldn’t cope
with the loss, so I stepped in and he made me and my sister part owners.”
“It must have been a huge responsibility.”
“For a girl?” She gave a small smile to take the sting out of her words. “Mom knew he would struggle on his own. He loved the boats and doing a bit of maintenance, but she was the one that managed the books and the finances. When she started to get sick, she made me promise to take care of him. End of story.”
“Did you want to do something else?”
“Let’s not talk about it.”
“I’m sorry, is it painful?”
“No. Maybe. It’s just that this is the way it is. I can’t change it. Not right now. I keep hoping my sister will step up, but that’s as likely as snow in Heaven Bay.”
He laughed and she smiled. It was a great smile, which lit up her face. He was intrigued as to what she would rather be doing, and why the thought of not doing it was too hard to discuss.
“You know, I’d rather be doing something else too.”
“I don’t know what it is you do.”
“I help companies that are in financial difficulty.”
“How do you mean ‘help’?”
“Knight Industries, my family’s company, might take on part ownership or the whole thing if it’s mutually satisfactory.”
Her mouth became an ‘O’. “Why would people sell out?”
“Sometimes it’s a family business and there’s no one to take over from the owner when he or she is ready to retire. Sometimes poor management necessitates a takeover or the business will fold. Then again, sometimes it’s as simple as the owner hasn’t moved with the times and business is suffering because of it. There are lots of scenarios where we can offer assistance, but in that particular case, we get them up to speed and work alongside them until it’s viable again.”
“Then what? Who gets to keep it?”
He was sorry he’d started the conversation now. Macy had gone from being interested, happy to be out, and hopefully happy to be with him, to looking wary and annoyed.
“It’s all hypothetical because each business is different. I was making the point earlier that I could empathize with you.”
Fortunately, Bruno banged his way through the kitchen flaps and landed plates in front of them with a whole mighty lobster on each.
Restless Billionaire Page 2