by Zoe Dawson
I restrained my grin and feigned outrage. “Hey, I was going to make you a big breakfast, eggs, pancakes, bacon, but maybe I’ll just give you cold spaghetti.”
He gave me a slow, sensual smile that turned my insides to honey, an unmistakable twinkle in his silver blue eyes. “Okay, she’s a bit cranky in the morning.” He smoothed his hand up my back, resting his jaw against my temple. “I can work with that.” He dropped his mouth to mine, and it was a while before I got started on that breakfast.
Taking the last bite of my pancake, I said, “You have a beautiful place here, Chase. I love the simple, rustic quality of it.”
“Thanks. It’s comfortable. Speaking of places, did you have a lot of success in Lafayette?” He was focusing on the weather forecast playing on the small TV in his kitchen. “Find a bed?”
“I did, and all the trappings.” I got up and set my plate in the sink and started to run the water. “The bed is this beautiful dark wood, with an iron filigreed canopy.” I started to rinse the dishes and set them in his dishwasher. “I bought mosquito netting to drape over it. Gives me a bit of that New Orleans vibe.”
“Yeah, ’cause mosquitoes are so romantic. Oh, baby, that gets me hot.”
His wry tone made me nudge him. “It’s for effect,” I said.
“It’s lost on me, babe. I just need a soft place to sleep and preferably a particular beautiful woman on me, under me, over me…you get the picture.” He winked and turned off the set.
“You’re incorrigible.”
He shrugged and grinned.
“I stumbled into River’s gallery. She’s very talented. I bought an amazing painting of hers of the bayou to put over my headboard.”
“Yeah, my sister has loved painting forever. I’m proud she was able to finally stand up for herself and go for what she wanted.” He eyed me as if waiting for the second shoe to drop.
“Oh, all right,” I said. “She brought up you and me.”
“Shocker. Did she wear you down, use Chinese water torture? Did you crack?”
I winced.
His features softened into understanding and he patted my shoulder. “Don’t feel bad. She’s a master interrogator.”
I shook my head and poked him in his breastbone, while also knee-weakeningly aware of his large, male form leaning against the counter. I rubbed my hands against my thighs, then looked at him.
“I kinda told her off,” I admitted.
His eyes widened.
“I’m sorry, but she made me so mad, going on and on about how you used to be and what she wanted. I just blurted it out that she should just damn well listen to you. Understand you. Give you the time you needed.”
His jaw dropped and he just stared at me.
“Say something,” I groused. “You’re freaking me out.”
To my surprise, he chuckled and folded his arms. “You turned the tables on my sister?”
Regrouping, I turned on the dishwasher. “You’re not mad?”
“Ha! I think this is one for the books.” He held up his hand and I slapped it. “Way to go, Sam.”
I wiped down the counters, then disappeared into his room. I gathered up my things and stuffed them all in my bag. He came to the door and leaned against the frame, looking way too tempting. “You’re leaving?”
“Yes, I’m way behind on my pies. I’ve got to get to Imogene’s.”
He wouldn’t move, forcing me to slide by him, our bodies making hard contact. He made a grab for me, but I ducked and made a beeline for the door. He caught my arm. “Damn, I wanted some more of that rollercoaster.”
“Me, too. Hold that thought.” The rain had finally stopped, and we stepped onto the wet porch, the bayou a misty giant around us, the channel swollen, but still below the flood line. His boats and plane had weathered the storm just fine.
Taking my face between his hands, he bent down and kissed me softly on the mouth, my breath catching as he pulled my hips closer and took control of the kiss. It was long and lingering and oh so sweet, and by the time he let me go, I wanted to go back in the house. But I really couldn’t.
“If you need me, call,” I said.
He unlocked my door for me, handing me the keys. “I might be able to swing by for lunch.”
“That would be great, but you don’t have to check up on me.”
He drew his hand across the curve of my hip, pressing me closer. “I’m not. I want to see you,” he said, his voice low and husky.
I stared at him with what I intended to be a skeptical expression.
“Okay, you got me. I want some pie.”
“Incorrigible,” I said with a smile.
“Besides, there’s no threat to worry about, since we know Mayhew is still in prison.” His expression evened out. He lifted my chin and gave me one final kiss. Then he settled me in the passenger seat. I started the car as he turned away and walked back to his home and business.
He scooped up his mail and a minute later the screen door slammed shut behind him.
I released a long, shaky sigh. No, now I only had to contend with a dire warning, a voodoo talisman, and a ghost. And—God help me, the scariest of all—
Chase.
Chapter 10
CHASE
Damn, I was reluctant to let Samantha go, but now that there was no threat, I couldn’t beat my chest and insist she stay with me. But her decision to move forward with me was enough to keep me happy for the time being.
Besides, I still had some of my own shit to deal with. Thinking again about my daddy’s visit, I started opening the mail, mostly bills and junk, until I got to a cream-colored vellum envelope.
Feeling as if this was a time bomb waiting to go off, I slipped my index finger underneath the edge and ripped open the flap...
…and pulled out an engraved invitation to my parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary party. My stomach knotted, and I stood nailed to the floor as anguish washed through me. Once again my dad’s words lashed at me, but the pain and anger were too ingrained, and I threw the invitation away with the junk mail.
After showering and dressing, I went into town to pick up supplies. I was outside the hardware store when I spied my sister coming out of our family store with a stroller. Old lady Jessup stopped in front of the carriage and bent over.
“Oh, my God, these boys are so handsome. They’re going to be heartbreakers when they grow up.”
With a momma’s pride in her voice, River said, “They’re growing so fast and getting so big. I worry I’m going to miss something.” She looked frazzled, but it did my heart good to see how happy she was. Brax was good for her, even if he had told me off. Rightly so.
“Yep, these are the years you need to savor. They’re angels,” she said, then moved on. River went to her car and loaded them up. I just stood there watching her with her children, thinking about how much of their life I’d missed, how much of her life I’d missed. How much I missed my brother Jake and my parents, my Uncle Win.
It had felt so good to reconnect with Ethan, start fresh and new. And there was Samantha. If I wanted a future with her, how could I fully be with her without being whole?
If I didn’t come to terms with my family and my past, I was never going to be able to move on and—something I had dreamed and wished and longed for—to reconnect. Reconciliation. My dad offered me an opening, and I’d thrown it back in his face because of old hurts and angry words. If my dad was changing…maybe he wasn’t the unwilling one. Maybe it was…me.
Shaken by that revelation, I went home. When I pulled up, there was an SUV parked in front of my place. When I parked my truck and got out, I was shocked to see my daddy get out of the driver’s seat along with three other men.
“Chase,” he said. “These are friends of mine from college, Matt, Tom, and Mike, but we call him rudder because he likes to steer.” All three of them laughed and reached out to shake my hand.
“It’s a pleasure,” Rudder said, a big, burly blonde guy with glasses and piercing
blue eyes. “That your plane?”
“Yeah.” I said.
“Well,” he slapped my daddy on the back, “Jimmy here tells us you know the best places to catch mahimahi.”
I looked at my daddy and he smiled and nodded. “Right, son?”
“Yeah, I know the perfect spot.” Mahimahi is the common name for dolphinfish, not to be confused with the unrelated marine mammals bearing the same name. They could weigh anywhere from 15 pounds to 70, but averaged around 30. They were swift, acrobatic, known for the beautiful bright colors they displayed, and were tough fighters. They were an excellent sportfish due to their sheer abundance and strength, and the fact that they reproduced very quickly. On top of all that, their flesh was delicious.
“You free now? Jimmy didn’t know we were coming into town, and we just hijacked him because he was boasting about you and your skills. Can you take us over for a trip to the Gulf?”
Boasted? He’d talked about me to his friends? I could take offense and decide my daddy didn’t think my time was valuable. Or I could see this for what it was worth, another offer to put our past behind us. It wasn’t going to happen overnight. I still had unresolved anger, but I could accept this olive branch he was offering.
I was sure my momma was part of the driving force behind these attempts, but when I looked into my daddy’s eyes, so like mine, my chest got tight. He looked so wary, as if waiting for me to throw this back in his face, in front of his friends, and walk away. It was then I realized that my momma might be prodding, but my daddy wanted this as much as she did. I was the one who was holding back.
“It’s short notice, but for my daddy, I sure can.”
My daddy straightened and sent me a private thank-you. “I just need to make a couple of calls.”
Samantha answered on the first ring. “Hey, babe. I’m not going to make it for lunch, and will probably be gone until tomorrow. I have a charter I can’t say no to,” my voice was gruff, and she picked up on the vibe.
“Is everything all right, Chase?” Her soft concern made my heart flip over.
“Not just yet, but I’m working on it. It’s for my daddy and his friends.”
“Oh,” she said. She understood without me having to elaborate, and that filled me up. This woman was so in tune with me. “Okay, I’ll save you some pie, and if you’re a good boy, maybe even put some whipped cream on it while we talk about that rollercoaster.”
I closed my eyes. There was definitely a downside to spending two days with a bunch of guys. Samantha and I were still feeling our way through this thing that had us both by the throat. I lowered my voice and said, “Don’t be getting me all worked up when I’m with a bunch of guys. I need to be my tough, macho self. That kind of talk makes my knees buckle, babe. You’re giving me a boner.”
“Oh, don’t tell me that.”
“It’s your fault. You mentioned rollercoaster.”
“Do mathematical equations in your head.”
“What?”
“I read it in Cosmo. ‘How to get rid of that annoying hard-on.’”
“Annoying hard-on. Is this a joke?”
“It works. Well, unless you’re a theoretical physicist who get boners from seeing calculus equations.”
“A woman’s magazine is giving out advice on de-tenting?”
“De-tenting…okay. Yeah, doing mental math requires a great deal of focus and concentration. It takes your brain away from whatever is causing your erection.”
“Right. You saying the word ‘erection’ isn’t helping.”
“Visualize a gutted fish.”
“And we have a winner.”
“Now the waiting is going to be even tougher. Good luck and be safe.”
“Thanks. I’ll be over on Saturday to help you. I didn’t forget.”
Her voice softened even more. “I’ll see you then.”
“’Bye, darlin’.”
My second call was to Ethan. “Hey, I need a favor. Can you work today and tomorrow? I have a charter over to the Gulf. I know it’s short—”
“I’m on my way. And, I expect to get some fishing perks with this job, man. I’d say you owe me a beer when you get back.”
“That’s a deal.”
We loaded up the plane, and it was a tight squeeze with five, but we managed.
We landed in Venice, Louisiana, a small beach town located in Plaquemines Parish, which is the last community down the Mississippi that was reachable by car. Because of this the town had the nickname, “The end of the world.”
We left the plane and walked to the slip where I kept my charter boat. Normally I hired a guy to take out groups during the busiest part of the season…one more reason to start hiring more staff. I felt the need to stay closer to home now.
“Whoa. Son? This is yours?”
“Yes, I had it custom built.”
Rudder slapped my daddy on the back. “Looks like your kid has it made, Jimmy. What a life. What is this, a sixty-footer?”
“Sixty-eight,” I replied. “This one sleeps five and is fully stocked.”
“Beer?”
“Yup, a variety. Enough for two days. Welcome aboard the Amy.”
“That’s classy, kid, naming the boat after your beautiful, gracious mom. So, this one? There’s more?”
I nodded. “I have a couple more. The River Pearl and…” I had to clear my voice. “Sutton’s Pride.” His three friends stepped onto the boat, but based on the shocked look on my daddy’s face, I’d say he was floored. “Amy,” he whispered when he saw the name on the back. I stepped on and said, “Come on aboard, Daddy.”
He clasped my hand and jumped onto the deck.
I piloted the boat out of the slip, and soon we were out to open sea. I knew exactly where the best place was to get these fish. My dad’s friends were putting together the rods and breaking out the beer on the deck below the flying bridge, where I piloted the boat.
“Chase?” My dad came up the ladder. “Permission to come up?”
“Sure. Just wipe your feet.” I indicated the wheel. “You want to take over?”
“Are you kidding? Slide over, son.”
My dad settled in the captain’s chair. “What’ll she do?”
“Normally I do thirty, but full-out, forty-five.”
“I’ve been in the cabin. Damned impressive. First class style.”
“I do a good business with this boat. I have a reliable guy.”
“I had no idea. None.”
“About what?”
“Your success. You’ve taken this business off the charts. Your humbleness shames me, Chase.”
“Daddy…”
“No, it’s true. You could have thrown this in my face many times, but you didn’t use it as a weapon. All this time, I thought just because you didn’t follow in my footsteps, it wasn’t acceptable. I was wrong.”
“It’s hard to let go. I’m working on it.”
“Good. That’s what matters.” We sat in silence for a moment, the Atlantic stretched out before us, the crystal clear waters breaking over the bow in white waves. “Son? Where did you get the capital to get this venture off the ground?”
That information was a closely held secret. “I struggled for a few years, then…the Outlaws came to me offered to help me with a loan. I often talked to Brax about what I wanted to do and…he talked to his brothers. I paid them back every last cent five years after I got the loan.”
“Braxton again. That boy does get around. You have a trust fund, you know. A substantial one.”
“I don’t want it, Daddy. Give it to charity, or to Jake or reinvest in the business. I would rather not touch that money.”
“But it’s your legacy.” He shook his head when my mouth tightened. “Never mind. We’ll figure it out.”
“Okay, slow it down to about ten knots. I like to troll at higher speeds, 8-12 knots, depending on baits and conditions. Dolphin are voracious eaters, and when hungry, will bite anything resembling food that is swimming or float
ing nearby. Higher speed trolling allowd me to cover more area, create a more exciting trolling presentation, plus, and this is the best bit, it elicits a more aggressive strike from the fish. The higher speed will also set your hook for you in the event of a strike. Do you want me to drive or help your friends?”
“They’ve never done this before, so get down there. I’ll drive. I can fish either later on or tomorrow.”
This was a beginning, and I was optimistic. Didn’t mean everything would be resolved overnight. There was still my brother to contend with, and I had a feeling Jake wasn’t going to be as open-minded about me coming back into the family as my parents and River Pearl were. But I would take it one day at a time, and one relationship at a time.
It wasn’t long before I was preoccupied with hooked fish, and Matt whooped loudly when he hooked a fighter, his pole bending like he had a whale attached. When he landed that beauty, it turned out to be a forty-pounder.
When I got home and said goodbye to my daddy and his friends, I stored my dolphin fish for cooking later, then went into the kitchen and washed up. It was much too late to see Sam. Maybe. She might be sleeping. Should I wake her?
As I passed the trash, the invitation caught my attention. I reached down and picked it up. For a moment I stood there. Making a difference started with that first step.
I pivoted and reached for a pen writing the number two in the space for number of guests. Then filled in my name and Samantha’s. I put the response card in the small envelope and put a stamp on it. The invitation I tacked up with a fish magnet.
Chapter 11
SAMANTHA
I had gone two whole years, content to see Chase once a week, when he made his deliveries, and occasionally more often if I had special orders for him to fill. But damn if I didn’t miss him immensely by the second day he was gone. And I wondered what this short-notice charter was about.
I had baked like a crazy woman, so it was a good thing Chase had been absent. He would have been a very big distraction.
Through the kitchen door, I heard raised voices. It was just after the lunch hour, and should be settling down, so I went out to see what the fuss was about.