Fish Perfume (Cozy Harbor Marina Series)

by Sammie Grace

  He said, “Well, if you’re the owner, you need to teach your flunkies how to run the credit card machine.”

  Calmly, I said, “Give me your credit card, and I’ll try it again.”

  He handed it over, and I went into the fuel shack and ran the card. It was declined again.

  I went out and gave him back the card.

  I said, “I’m sorry but your credit card was declined. You’ll have to pay in cash.”

  He got really red in the face and started waving his arms around, cursing and swearing. I stepped back away from him. He turned toward me with his back to the fuel shack. He came at me and started to point his finger at my chest while he screamed at me. I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

  He said, “Look, lady, you need to get your fucking credit card machine fixed.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Big H walking down the dock with a furious look on his face. I expected to see steam come out of his ears at any moment. The next thing I knew, Big H grabbed the guy’s finger-pointing arm and twisted it behind his back. He hauled the guy up and away from me.

  In a low, threatening voice, Big H said in the guy’s ear, “You touch her one more time with that finger of yours, and I’ll break your fucking arm.”

  The drunk’s buddies started to climb off the boat until they heard the thunder of running feet coming down the dock. I looked up and ten guys from the marina were coming at us full speed. Leading the pack were the Murphy brothers. The other two drunks changed their minds and quickly jumped back on the boat.

  Big H spoke to the one he had in a hold. “You and your friends need to hand over as much cash as you can to pay for the fuel, and then you can take your piece-of-shit boat out of here. I’d better never see you around here again. If I do, trust me, it won’t be pretty.”

  He let go of the guy who scurried over to his boat. The men with him handed him some cash, and he reached in his pocket and pulled out some more. His fuel bill was $420. He handed me the money and said, “I only have $310 in cash.”

  I knew I’d never see a dime of the rest of the money but I said, “You can mail me the rest.”

  He jumped on his boat, and they took off.

  I was shaking. Big H put his arm around me and gave me a squeeze. He asked, “Meggie, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Thanks a lot. I’m sorry you had to do that.”

  He laughed and said, “Are you kidding? I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.”

  I asked him, “That doesn’t happen very often, does it?”

  “At least once a summer we get a boatload of knee-walking drunks in here.”

  I said, “I thought about pushing him in the water.”

  “That would’ve worked.”

  “What does Gram do?”

  “She gets one of us to go take care of it. She knows we love kicking ass for her. If this ever happens again, don’t even come down here. Just come and get me or one of the other guys. If we’re not around, get Greg.”

  I gave him a hug and then thanked all the other guys.

  Matt came over to me and said, “Meggie, I called the marine patrol. Those guys shouldn’t be out on the water.”

  “That was a good idea, Matt.”

  He looked over at Big H and said, “Big H is one bad-assed dude, isn’t he, Meggie?”

  I laughed and said, “He sure is. Lucky for us.”

  He nodded and said, “Yeah.”

  I went back to the store. I can’t get the conversation I overheard in the store out of my mind. Ian never mentioned he was interested in buying the marina. Why wouldn’t he tell me he was? That’s probably why he hasn’t asked me when I’m going back to Philly. He probably doesn’t care. He entertained Betty’s granddaughter all summer. He should gain points for that. His mission’s been accomplished.

  At 6:00, I said goodnight to Journey and was just getting ready to close up the store when Ian walked in. He still had on his work clothes, and he wore a very concerned look on his tanned, handsome face.

  He came right up to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He said, “I just heard what happened. Are you okay?”

  I swallowed hard and said, “I’m fine. It shook me up a little bit, but Big H and the guys came to my rescue.”

  “Big H told me what happened. I told him I owe him one. I went to pick up some parts for the Intrepid. I wish I had been here.” Then he gave me a big hug.

  I lied and said, “That’s the only bad thing that’s happened around here all summer. I guess I’ve been lucky.”

  Ian ran his hands through my hair. He said, “I never want anything bad to happen to you.”

  Then he kissed me with such tenderness, my eyes started to water. It was hard for me to believe this is the same guy who a few hours ago said he was far from marriage and just having fun.

  He said, “I have some repairs to do on the Intrepid. Do you want to just get a pizza when I’m done?”

  “Sure. I’ll be over at the cottage. I want to do some cleaning before Gram comes home.”

  He gave me a quick kiss and said, “I’ll come by for you when I’m ready.”

  I finished locking up and went over to the cottage. I did a little cleaning and straightening up. The cottage wasn’t that dirty because I haven’t spent much time there. I’ve either been at work or at Ian’s house. The more I thought about Ian, the more upset I got. The more upset I got, the more cleaning I did.

  I had just finished scrubbing the bathroom when the phone rang.

  It was my mom.

  She said, “Hi, honey, just wanted you to know that we’re home.”

  “Oh, Mom, I’m glad you called. How were your flights?”

  “Good, but it was a long trip. Your dad and I are so glad to be home. What’s new?”

  “Well, Gram is coming home tomorrow and she’s coming to see you next week.”

  “That’s what your father said. I can’t wait to see her and hear all about her trip out west. I can’t wait to see you, too. When will you be home?”

  “In a couple of weeks.”

  “Are you going to keep seeing Ian?”

  “I don’t know, Mom.”

  “I’m sure you’ll work it out. Well, I’d better let you go. I’ve got a lot to do around here after being away for so long.”

  “Talk to you soon, Mom.”

  “See you later, sweetie.”

  I didn’t mention Gram’s friend Cal to my mom. I figured I’d let Gram have that honor. I wonder what my mom will have to say about it all. I think it will really throw her for a loop. She’ll be happy for her, no doubt, but she’ll be surprised. I remember hearing my mom say many times over the years that she wished Gram would meet someone. When my mom was a young girl, she used to try and fix Gram up with any single guy she came across. When she married my dad and moved away, she felt terrible leaving Gram behind in Rhode Island.

  I can’t wait for Sunday. I’ll get to meet Cal and hopefully, I’ll find out what Gram is going to do with her life and the marina. I’m going to ask her if Ian had approached her about the marina. After I find out all that, maybe I’ll be able to make some decisions about my own life. I know what I want to do. I want to stay and run the marina, and I want to be with Ian. At least, I thought I did.

  When Ian came to pick me up, I put on a happy face even though my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted to ask him about the marina, but I think deep down I wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say. We ate our pizza and talked about our day and went to bed early. When we hit the sheets, I jumped his bones. He jumped on the bandwagon and it was passion with a capital P. I figured it might be my last night with him. I needed to find out what he was up to and how he felt about me but I wanted one more amazing night.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 
; Another busy Saturday morning at the marina was underway. This morning was especially hectic, and I had to be out in the store with Journey. The tuna were around, and everyone was coming in for tackle. The forecast for today wasn’t all that great for offshore fishing. A cold front was coming through this afternoon with scattered thunder showers forecasted. Tomorrow, though, was supposed to be a great day, and all the fishermen planned to take advantage of it. The only boats that went offshore today were the lobster boats. I think this morning will be a record money-making morning for the marina. Things slowed down after lunch, and I was finally able to go into the office and do a little paperwork.

  I was poring over some customer accounts when Mac appeared at my office door. As much as I needed to get some work done, nothing could keep me from spending a few minutes talking to one of my favorite people.

  I said, “Hey, Mac. Did you go clamming today?”

  He smiled and said, “I sure did and I brought you some.” He pulled a bag from around his back and handed it to me.

  Preparing to give him a lecture, I asked, “Did you go out by yourself?”

  He shook his head no and said, “I didn’t lift so much as a pinky.”

  “Who went with you?”

  He said, “Mike’s son, Kyle, came down with his friend, Ryan. They’re going to a clambake tonight, and they have to bring the clams. Kyle called me last night because he knows I know the best spots.”

  I laughed. “They needed the Clam Man.”

  “Well, Kyle’s been clamming with me for years. I think he was killing two birds with one stone. He checked up on me and got his clams.”

  “He seemed like a really nice kid when I met him on the Fourth.”

  “He’s a great kid. Mike and Nancy have done a wonderful job with those kids. Kyle is going to Northeastern next fall to get his MBA in business. He always comes down to see me when he gets a chance. He’s also a hell of a guitar player.”

  “Oh, really. Does he play in a band?”

  Mac said, “As a matter of fact, he does. They’re cutting their first CD in a couple of weeks.”

  “Well, when they do, I want one.”

  He beamed with pride and said, “You got it.”

  “You must’ve had fun going out with two young guys for a change.”

  “Oh, yeah. But you’re still my favorite clamming partner. All I had to do was take them to my favorite spots and watch them do all the work. Kyle’s friend Ryan is six-four and can rake like a champ. He’s the Murphy brothers’ nephew. He was an NCAA champion rower. He went to Harvard and is preparing for the next Olympics. I’m hoping I’ll live long enough to see that gold medal around his neck. It does this old heart good to see young men today who are so driven and have such pride in their country.”

  “I love watching the Olympics.”

  Mac said, “I guarantee you that kid will be representing the good old USA.”

  On a more serious note, I asked, “How are you feeling, Mac?

  “Meggie, I feel great. I’ve had a life revelation. I think that scare I had was good for me; I’m learning to take it easy. I’m going to let the younger people do things for me without putting up a fuss. I’ve finally realized that I’m an old man. There is no shame in admitting you’re old and you can’t do what you used to do.”

  “Mac, you’re not only still handsome, but you’re smarter.”

  He laughed and asked me, “Now it’s my turn. How are things going with Ian?”

  “Okay. We’ve been seeing a lot of each other. Hey, Mac, do you know if anyone has approached Gram lately about buying the marina?”

  “I know a few people have over the years, but I doubt she ever gave it any thought. The marina is her life.”

  I decided to press him a little further. “Has anyone I might know approached her?”

  He shook his head no and said, “I don’t think so. Why are you asking?”

  “Just wondering, that’s all.”

  “Well, I’ve got to go, honey. Enjoy the clams.”

  I stood up and gave him a hug and a kiss. I said, “Mac, you’re the best.”

  He said, “No, you’re the prize, Meggie. Don’t ever forget that.” He gave me a wink and walked out the door.

  I didn’t want to tell Mac that I heard Ian wanted to buy the marina, because I’m still not sure how I feel about it. When I’m with him, I believe that he has genuine feelings for me. When I’m away from him, the doubts start rolling around in my brain. I know I’m in love with him. At least, the person I think he is. I can’t accept that he would use me to get to my grandmother. My gut is telling me he isn’t that kind of guy. Then again, look what happened with Jimmy. I was shocked when he dumped me. I didn’t see it coming at all. Okay, he wasn’t Mr. Wonderful but the rejection hurt. It was a big blow to my self-esteem, which was never high to begin with. Maybe I need to step back? Ian has never said how he feels about me. He’s never asked when I’m going home or talked about doing anything together beyond next week. I need to look at this as just a casual thing until I find out the truth. How am I supposed to do that, though? How do I shut off my feelings?

  Tonight Ian and I were going out to dinner with his friends. Ian said he’d come and pick me up about 7:00. Mid-afternoon, we got a pretty good thunderstorm. I have always loved thunderstorms, but now that I’m dating someone that makes his living out on the water, I’ve changed my mind about them. After I finished closing up the store, I went out on the dock to see if Ian was back. The Intrepid and Miss Kay were tied up at the dock, but the Stalwart wasn’t back yet. Ian usually gets back around 4:00. Occasionally he puts in a longer day but since we had plans tonight, I was surprised he wasn’t back yet. I was getting a little worried. I decided to go over to the cottage and get ready, and then when he came in I would just go home with him, and we could leave from his house.

  I took a shower and put on a beige skirt and a brown blouse and brown sandals. I decided to wear my hair down because Ian likes it that way, and I put on a little makeup. I went down to D dock. The Stalwart still wasn’t back. Okay, now I’m really worried. I walked over to A dock. Sexy Cathy and Kenny were sitting on their boat, but I didn’t see anyone else around. Since it was dinnertime, I assumed a lot of people probably went out to eat. I went down the dock to talk to them.

  Sexy Cathy looked at me and said, “Meggie, you look really pretty.”

  I said, “Thanks. Ian and I are supposed to go to dinner with some friends of his, but he’s not back yet and I’m worried.”

  Kenny said, “I’m sure he’s fine. He knows what he’s doing out there. I heard on the marine radio that there was a squall out on the water today when that front came through. Ian has all the latest electronics and he would have seen it on his radar and avoided it. Maybe he had engine problems.”

  I asked, “What exactly is a squall?”

  Kenny said, “It’s a sudden violent increase in wind speed, which is usually associated with active weather such as the thunder showers we had this afternoon. Most times, they only last a few minutes, but they can cause damage.”

  Worried, I said, “I hope he’s okay.”

  Kenny said, “Let me see if I can scare him up on the radio.” Kenny got on his marine radio and called Ian several times, but Ian wasn’t picking up.

  Sexy Cathy said, “He’ll be coming in soon, Meggie. How about a beer or a margarita?”

  I said, “No, thanks, but I think I’ll hang out here with you, if you don’t mind.”

  Kenny said, “Come on board and have a seat.”

  I stepped onto their boat and sat in one of the deck chairs.

  I asked, “Have you eaten dinner yet? I wouldn’t want to hold you up.”

  Cathy said, “We had an early dinner on the boat. I decided I was tired of eating out, so I made a bunch of food
yesterday to bring down for the weekend. Hey, I’m looking forward to our pole-dancing class.”

  I laughed and said, “It should be fun. I guess Dancing Kathy got a lot of the women down here to sign up.”

  Sexy Cathy said, “Even Just Howard’s new girlfriend, Barbara, signed up.”

  Kenny smiled and said, “I’ve been looking into getting one installed at our house. I can’t wait for my first private recital.”

  We all laughed. Kenny tried again to reach Ian on the radio but got no response. They continued to talk about this and that. I could tell they were trying to keep my mind off Ian. I checked my watch—7:30. I looked over to B dock where the sportfishing boats were and saw some of the guys standing around. They must have come back from dinner.

  I said to Kenny and Cathy, “I think I’ll go over and see if any of the guys have heard anything.”

  Kenny said, “I’ll go with you.”

  I said, “Cathy, thanks for the company.”

  She smiled and tried to reassure me. “I’m sure he’ll be back any minute.”

  Kenny and I went over to talk to the guys. Standing on the dock were Medium Howard, the Murphy brothers, and Randy. We informed them that Ian wasn’t back yet and asked them if they heard anything. They hadn’t, but they had heard about the squall. Randy said it would have been out where Ian usually goes, but he also said Ian would have seen it on the radar and avoided it. They all concluded that he must have had engine problems. Randy went on his boat to call Ian’s other two boat captains, John and Tim, to see if they knew anything. He came back and said he could only reach John, who said he had talked to Ian this morning on the radio but hadn’t talked to him since. The guys talked about squalls and told a few sea stories. By now it was almost dark and I checked my watch again. It was 8:15.

  I asked them, “Do you think we should call the Coast Guard?”

  Medium H said, “Give him a little more time. Ian would be upset if we sent the Coast Guard out looking for him for no reason.”