“What will happen to the dog?” Sunny asked.
Evan frowned. “I guess I’ll have to take her to the pound,” he said. “My apartment doesn’t allow dogs, and it’s hard to place a pit.”
Sunny nudged William. When he looked at her, she nodded at the black dog and gave him a meaningful look.
He could read it, easily, because he’d had a daughter. A daughter who’d had him wrapped around her little finger. A daughter who’d talked him into doing all kinds of things he didn’t want to do, from playing with dolls to going to a father-daughter dance to buying her shoes that cost more than a week’s salary.
Once a sucker, always a sucker. He cleared his throat. “If Sunny will help me manage it,” he said, “I’ll take the dog.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FRIDAY NIGHT WAS always hopping at Goody’s, but tonight, with the unusually warm weather, it seemed like everyone in town was there.
Sunny had scored a table by the window, ignoring the dirty looks people were giving her because it was a big table and she was alone. She was waiting for Kaitlyn and Venus, but they were running late.
No doubt they were lingering over their hair and makeup. Oh, well. That couldn’t ruin Sunny’s good mood.
She was thrilled she’d talked William into taking in that poor injured dog. Not only that, she’d gotten the gig of helping to train him. William had even said he’d pay her for her time.
It was a step in the right direction. She sucked on her milkshake, savoring the rich, creamy chocolate.
“Hey.” Above her, Venus’s voice sounded and then Kaitlyn chimed in with her own unenthusiastic “Hey. We’re getting our shakes.”
She could tell from their voices that they were still mad. Oh, well. She daydreamed about using her skills to train William’s new dog, maybe even make him into a therapy dog, just like she hoped to do with Muffin. Like Mom always said, there was more than one way to skin a muskrat.
William was okay. More than okay, because he’d saved that dog from the pound. She just wished there weren’t such weird vibes between him and Mom.
“Earth to Sunny, we’re sitting here,” Venus said, and Sunny realized her friends had slipped into the chairs across from her while she was spacing out thinking about dogs.
“Hey, I’m glad you could come out. Great night, huh?”
Kaitlyn frowned. “Don’t you care that you upset him?”
Sunny didn’t pretend not to know what Kaitlyn was talking about. Caden. “Of course, I’m sorry, but he won’t talk to me. I think he wants to be left alone.”
“We should go get him and apologize,” Venus said. “Nobody really wants to be left alone. Plus...he’s hot.”
Kaitlyn sucked on her straw, hard, and nodded. “What’s he doing, staying at the Blue House by himself, anyway?”
“He told his parents he was staying with a friend,” Venus reminded them. “But why wouldn’t he just do that?”
“Does he even have friends?” Kait asked. “I mean, the kind you could stay with?”
“Who knows?” Sunny shrugged. She didn’t think going to get Caden would go well. And she hated all that boy-crazy stuff.
Although if she were going to be boy crazy, it might be about Caden.
“If we all go together, maybe he’ll get over being mad at you,” Venus pointed out.
Sunny did kind of want to see what was going on with him. “Okay, we can go,” she said.
“Yes!” Kaitlyn stood up. “Come on,” she said to Venus. “Let’s go before she changes her mind.”
They walked through town, which was almost crowded right near Goody’s. Even as they got to the quieter residential streets, there were people out on their porches or walking their dogs. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, happy for spring.
When they reached the Blue House, Sunny paused, unsure of what to do. “I don’t think he’ll come to the door,” she said. For the first time, she realized how hard it must be for him to be in there all alone, keeping the lights out at night so he wouldn’t be detected, without a TV, maybe even without wireless.
“I’ll message him,” Venus said, and did.
“What did you say?”
“I told him to come out and we’d buy him a milkshake, so I hope y’all have money.”
“He’s not going to...” Sunny trailed off, because the door was opening. Caden came out and approached their group. “Hey,” he said to Venus and Kaitlyn. He ignored Sunny.
“You came out!” Kaitlyn sounded happy.
“I was going nuts,” he said. “Plus, ice cream. Were you serious?”
“Of course! Let’s go.” Venus didn’t mention the fact that they’d just come from Goody’s.
What made Sunny happy was that Venus and Kaitlyn were smiling. They, at least, seemed to have forgiven Sunny.
They walked the long way back through town, swinging down toward the docks, where lights and voices made things lively. The warm night, plus the fact that their local waterman’s festival was tomorrow, meant that things were hopping here.
“Are you and your mom doing the boat-docking contest?” Kaitlyn asked.
Venus leaned around from Caden’s other side. “If you are, we’ll come cheer for you.”
Caden looked blank. “Boat docking? What’s that even mean?”
“Jeez, Caden,” Kaitlyn said. “Don’t you ever leave your fancy neighborhood? This is the local version of the summer outdoor festival. Sunny and her mom have won the boat-docking event before.”
“Beating all the men,” Venus said, dancing around.
“Yeah, I’ve seen your mom,” Caden said. “She’s pretty tough.”
“Sunny’s tough, too,” Venus said. “She can beat all the boys at push-ups, when they test us in gym.”
Sunny sighed. “I stopped doing that last year, because of getting teased.”
“You should be proud,” Kaitlyn said.
Her friends weren’t mad at her anymore, but Caden probably was. Sunny still felt embarrassed, as if Caden was looking at her and how big she was. He was no taller than she, and probably weighed less. It wasn’t like he worked for a living.
“Let’s play on the playground!” Kaitlyn said, gesturing toward the swing set and the slides in the tiny park that marked the border between the town and the docks.
As one, they all ran over there. Sunny and Kaitlyn jumped into the swings and started pumping. Caden climbed the slide and stood on top, while Venus snapped pictures.
As the swings swung higher, the wind blew through Sunny’s hair and she felt like a kid, screaming and laughing. This was better than having weird worries about Caden, thinking about whether he thought she was too big and tall. She jumped off, flying out into the grass and landing on bent knees. Kaitlyn jumped, too, landed off balance and rolled sideways, laughing.
“You guys are nuts.” Caden sounded happy. “I’ve been so mind-numbingly bored inside that place.”
After a little more swinging and sliding, they settled down and continued walking toward Goody’s. There were little clusters of people, mostly family groups, but there was a group of men who sent up Sunny’s inner warning signals. She’d never seen any of them in town before, and in Pleasant Shores during the off-season, that was rare.
While her friends joked and talked, she eased to the side of her group and tried to listen to what they were saying. She heard the words side bets and dogs.
The men saw her and moved away, one of them glaring first, so she turned and pretended full involvement in her friends’ conversation.
Inside, though, she was pondering. What did dogs have to do with betting? She’d heard of greyhound racing, and one of her friends had rescued a former racing greyhound, but there were no tracks around here. So what had the strangers been talking about?
* * *
SATURDAY MORNING, BISKY pulled he
r waterproof jacket tighter around herself as she approached the public docks. It was going to be a warmer-than-usual day, which was a blessing for their annual boat-docking competition, but right now, the morning breeze cut to the bone.
Bisky participated in the timed contest most years. It was fun, navigating from a standstill to a docking slip as fast as possible without wrecking. The last couple of years, Sunny had been the mate, meaning she lassoed all four corners to the pilings, as fast as possible. The sport had been popular on the Chesapeake for years, and some communities got fancy about it. Here in Pleasant Shores, during the off-season, it was informal. No prizes, just bragging rights.
The group of men standing near their boats called out greetings.
“You’re the only lady in the competition this year,” old Henry Higbottom said.
“Better leave it to the men,” another guy said.
“Save it for the water,” she advised, pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail. She joined the group, sizing up the water conditions, talking about the boats. They’d use two docks for this one to keep things moving along. Even though most of the watermen were between seasons, everyone had work to do, with only a little over a week left until crab season started.
“Take to your boats,” Henry called out. He’d finally decided he was too old to compete, so they’d made him the whistle-blower and timekeeper.
Bisky sent another text to Sunny, who’d groaned and begged for ten more minutes of sleep when Bisky had knocked on her bedroom door this morning. The girl needed to get down here, now.
She looked up from her phone and saw William approaching the docks.
He wore jeans and a flannel shirt, all neat and clean and handsome, and here she was in her work clothes, hanging with the men. Typical, and she shouldn’t let it bother her. She waved at him and turned away, and then her phone pinged.
I’m not doing it.
Her eyebrows drew together and she punched her phone. You said you would! It’s about to start!
I’m sorry, I’m sick.
Skeptical, Bisky typed in What’s wrong? Need me to come home?
No! Just cramps.
She sighed and shoved her phone in her pocket. Sunny wasn’t the type of girl to be sidelined by a case of cramps, unless she just didn’t want to do something.
“Where’s your crew?” Henry asked.
“My first mate bailed,” she said. “I’m out.”
Immediately, everyone started talking.
“You gotta compete!”
“We like to beat you!”
She snorted at that. “Get beat, more like.” But she was glad the men wanted her to compete. She’d worked with most of them, or their families, all her life. She’d do anything for them, and they for her.
“I’ll crew for you,” young Johnny Anderson said, his eyebrows waggling suggestively. “Course, there’d be a cost.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but no thanks.” Most of the men didn’t bother to flirt with her. Having known her for so long, they looked at her more like a sister. But a few of the younger or newer guys hadn’t yet forgotten she was a woman.
“I can lend you my crew.” Ralph Everson shoved his son forward.
Bisky looked at the boy’s miserable face. “Divided loyalties. Can’t make him do that.”
“Hey, Bisky.” There was a little stirring at the edge of the small crowd as William made his way through, moving slowly. She’d noticed that about him: he was extra careful to be polite and gentle, maybe because he was so big.
Finally, he reached her. “I’ll crew,” he said.
She felt her jaw drop. Around them, there were murmurs of curiosity, a few whispered conversations.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said. “Do you even know how to lasso a piling?”
He lifted a shoulder. “No guarantees about ability,” he said, “but I’ve seen it done. I’ll try, if you don’t have anyone else.”
“Let’s get started,” Henry brayed through his megaphone. “Draw lots for the order, and we’ll start with Dock A and alternate.”
The wind chose that moment to kick up as everyone drew lots, reported their numbers, and then went to their boats. She looked at William. “You’re sure about this? You might get dunked.”
“I can swim,” he said, grinning. “Let’s do it.”
“Okay!” She jumped onboard and showed him the dock lines and hitches. Then she headed to the helm and started the motor. They’d switched over to crabbing gear, which made the boat lighter, but she hadn’t run it this way in months. She wasn’t expecting to win anything; it was all just fun.
Especially fun now that William was involved.
Her phone pinged. Sunny. Are you mad at me?
Instead of answering the question, she snapped a picture of William in the back of the boat and sent it to Sunny.
Two boats went in front of them, making good time, and she stood with William and strategized. “Watch the order. Sunny does front, then back, but some of these guys lasso clockwise. Your choice.” Henry blew the air horn to signal a successful completion and then called out the time.
And then it was their turn. Her heart pounded as the crowd cheered and clapped and catcalled. There seemed to be a lot of people watching, especially women, probably because she was the only female.
And because of William. Word had gotten out that he was a former dock kid who’d made good. No doubt there was a lot of curiosity about whether he’d turned into a snob or could still get his hands dirty.
She glanced back toward William. Standing in the back of the boat, sleeves rolled up to reveal massive forearms, hair blowing back in the stiff breeze, he looked strong and sexy.
And he was crewing her boat, as a favor to an old family friend. And that was all, she reminded herself as she took another look at him.
“Ready?” she asked.
He gave her a nod and a grin.
The air horn sounded and she started, black smoke rising as she gunned the boat, pulled forward, swung around, and backed into the slip.
“Go!” she yelled, and William was running, aiming the circle of rope at the piling.
He got the first one, and there was a roar from the crowd. He dove across and lassoed the second.
On the way to the rear tie-ups, he looked back at her. “Pull closer,” he called.
She eased the boat back, but the wind caught and pitched it.
Pitched William into the water.
There was another roar from the crowd, laced with sympathetic laughter this time. Someone came onto the dock and reached out a hand to him, and he climbed out, laughing and shivering and shaking off like a dog.
He thanked the man who’d helped him and then looked at her and lifted both hands, palms up. “Sorry,” he called.
“You tried.” She was laughing as she pulled her boat back down to her own slip, leaving William to make his way through the noisy group of spectators.
He was a good sport to have participated. It showed he was willing to make a fool of himself, something a lot of men had trouble doing. He was comfortable in his own skin.
She tied up, grabbed a couple of towels and headed back down toward the competition. William met her halfway. “Sorry I ruined the chance of the only woman competing today,” he said. “I got some flak from the ladies in the crowd.” He was blushing a little, and she could just imagine what kind of flak he’d gotten.
She handed him a towel, and he rubbed it over his hair and bare arms. He’d untucked his flannel shirt and now, he squeezed water out of it. She handed him the other towel and he rubbed his chest underneath, giving her a tantalizing glimpse of taut abs. Not like the skinny male models Sunny liked, but thick, sturdy muscles, a man’s muscles.
She sucked in a breath and looked up at his face, and realized he’d caught her admiring him.
It’s William, she reminded herself. They’d played together as kids, gone swimming and fishing. She’d seen him bare-chested dozens of times.
Never like this, though. “You should take off that wet shirt,” she said before she could stop herself. Her voice sounded a little high and silly.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. “Should I?”
It was like there was no one but the two of them in the world, all of a sudden. The roars of people down by the racing slips, the cawing of gulls, the sun emerging from behind a cloud...all of it was just a blur compared to the man in front of her who was looking into her eyes with a question in his.
She felt a girlish urge to laugh, deny what was going through her mind, but this was William. He’d see right through any effort to brush him off. She bit her lip, her breath coming faster than it should.
He took a step closer to her, reached out a hand and touched her chin. He was looking into her eyes still, but now there was intent behind his gaze.
The darkness of his eyes, the way he studied her, as if he were assessing her...the salty, docky smell of him, his wet shirt clinging to muscles that were way too spectacular for a professor...more than anything else, the confidence and certainty in the way his hand moved to brush back a lock of her hair...yeah. This was a William she didn’t know.
Though she wanted to. She really wanted to.
She drew in a breath and his gaze shifted to her mouth. He was going to kiss her.
Her phone warbled out the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth. Sunny’s ring.
She took a step back. “I...it’s Sunny. She said she was sick.” She kept looking at him, though, and he at her, right up until she pulled the phone out of her pocket and took the call.
“Did you guys really compete? Did he fall into the water?”
She ran a hand through her hair, feeling flustered. “Yeah. You feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m sorry I bailed on you. Come home and I’ll make you pancakes.”
Bisky drew in a breath and let it out and gave William a regretful little smile. “Sure, honey,” she said. “I’ll be right home.”
Home to the Harbor--A Novel Page 11