“Now, what kind of tables and cabinets are you looking for?” Prince asked. He’d stopped by every day to oversee the progress, as well as to chip in where he felt it was the landlord’s duty to pay. He promised to help her with any upgrade she undertook that added value to the property.
“I don’t quite know,” Lola said, tapping her finger and scanning the space. “I was thinking something really natural looking, like roughhewn out of a still-visible tree or something like that.”
“Hand-carved?”
“Sure, if it’s done well. I want rustic, but in theme with island living.”
“You want teak then. It’ll hold up better in the salty air. Here, let me show you my cousin’s work,” Prince said, pulling a sleek iPhone from his ripped trousers. “Here, look.”
“Oh my gosh,” Lola breathed, scrolling the images on the phone. “Yes. Yes. Yes. These are fantastic.”
The images showed tables with hand-carved bases featuring turtles, fish, and several with gorgeous mermaids. He’d left the tops rustic, sanding and polishing them to a sheen, but each had its own quirks and shapes.
“He does amazing work. He’s on the next island over; you’d have to take a flight to see them.”
“Hmm, how long is the flight?”
Prince waved it off. “Ah, only twenty-five minutes. It runs every hour.”
“I think I’d need to see these in person. For measurements and to decide which I like. Can you put me in contact with him? I can arrange a day to pop over and see. Is there anything else I should get from that island?”
“You were talking about lighting, yeah? Which I think you mean gallery lighting for the wall paintings. But there’s one artist there who makes these jellyfish lights.”
“Jellyfish lights?”
“Made to look like jellyfish, but, you know, lights.”
“Can you make a list for me? Then I’ll maybe go over for a day or two and source what I’m looking for and arrange shipping.”
“Of course. There’s only so much you can get on-island. I made sure you got the good contractors. And that studio is gonna be great for the back.”
“I know, right? I keep thinking about the wine and paint nights I’ll host there.”
“You’ll get people too, I promise you that. There’s not a lot of entertainment on the island, unless you go to the bar or catch a movie at the outdoor cinema. A new event like this? You’ll be busy.”
“I hope so.”
“What’s your open date, pretty lady?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. At least two months, if not longer. I need to get my things shipped over, source some art, set up a business account here, move into my new place… it’s a lot all at once.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
“You’ve already been a great help.”
“Islanders help each other. We need to.”
“I understand the need,” Lola said. “I hear there’s a holiday tomorrow, making it a long weekend. Are you doing anything?”
“I’ll go to the beach with my family, like everyone else. You can come if you’d like.”
“I’d love to, but I already chartered a boat trip to Little Siren Island.”
“Looking for more mermaids?”
“Why not? I figured since everyone is on holiday tomorrow, I wouldn’t get much done at the shop anyway.”
“You have yourself a nice time then. I bet you find yourself a pretty mermaid, mark my words,” Prince hummed.
“Maybe. I’m more looking for inspiration. Plus, uninhabited island? How cool is that? I might as well take advantage of the opportunity to go.”
The next day, Lola pulled up to the harbor and parked her scooter, scanning the signs to find her charter boat. Maybe it was petty of her, but she’d chosen another company instead of Gage’s. Her head was still reeling from his kisses the other day, and she’d decided space was the best option. Luckily for her, it seemed Gage had felt the same, as she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since. Did she look for him as she drove past the marina? Maybe. But spending an entire day out on the water with him might just be too much for her libido to handle. Even though Gage said he wanted to take it slow, she was well aware of his response to her – she’d felt just how much he wanted her when she’d straddled him the other day.
Lola sighed and pinched her nose. She’d promised herself no romantic entanglements, and yet here she was, ensnared.
Lola followed the sign for Blue Bay Tours, but when she came to a stop in front of the boat, it was curiously empty. Pulling out her phone, she checked the time and looked around. She was right on time, as they’d asked, and yet nobody was on the boat. Maybe they were down below, Lola thought, studying the hull, and decided to wait it out a moment. It didn’t look like she could board anyway, so she’d just have to see if someone arrived soon.
Her locket hummed at her neck, and Lola knew before turning around that Gage was near.
“And isn’t that a sight for sore eyes on such a lovely morning?” Gage called, and Lola turned, sighing.
“What is?”
“You, my dear. Looking all fresh, your hair wild like you just rolled from the sheets, those kissable lips frowning at me. Mmm, I am a lucky man indeed,” Gage said, coming to stand before her, a wide grin on his face.
“I don’t know that how I look has anything to do with your luck,” Lola grumbled, reaching up to try and smooth her tangle of hair.
“But it does. Because” – Gage reached out and snagged her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm before she could snatch it back – “seeing you is like seeing a mermaid. It makes my heart sing.”
The breath left her for a moment, and for once in her life, Lola was speechless. She just looked at him, helpless to do anything, as he grinned down at her.
“What am I going to do with you?” Lola finally said on an exhale.
“Oh, I have loads of ideas. In time, though. We need time,” Gage said. He ran his hand up and down the strap of his backpack, and Lola couldn’t help but think about his hands running up and down her back.
“Gage, there is no we,” Lola pointed out.
“There will be,” Gage promised.
“I’m sure there are many women who would be more than delighted to date you,” Lola said. “Why don’t you go find one of them?”
“Because they’re not you.”
Did the man have all the answers? Lola tried to keep a smile off her lips, but Gage caught it, reaching out to poke her ribs.
“See, there’s a smile.”
“This has been lovely and all, but I have a charter to catch.” Lola resorted to grumpiness again.
“Really? With what crew?” Gage looked around at the boat, still dead silent, and Lola had a sinking feeling she knew what was coming.
“I booked with Blue Bay.” Lola pointed to the boat.
“Ah, she wounds me.” Gage held a hand to his heart. “Here I thought we were friends and all, and you go with another charter company?”
“You won’t take my money!” Lola protested.
“True, true. There is that,” Gage nodded. “Unfortunately for you and lucky for me, it looks like you’re stuck with me this trip anyway.”
“Why?” Lola demanded.
“Because the owner of Blue Bay asked if I would take the charter, as it’s a local holiday and he wants to spend it with his family. Since it was only one person, it didn’t make sense for him to take the boat out. He wouldn’t make a profit, just considering the cost of fuel alone.”
“You aren’t going to make a profit either then,” Lola pointed out.
“Well, one, no, because I won’t take your money. Two, I also have a sail, so I don’t use fuel the whole time. And, three, I do profit because I get to spend the day with you. I call that a win-win-win.”
“Why do I find your unflappable confidence annoying?” Lola asked, glaring at him. Gage threw his head back and laughed, slinging an arm over her shoulder and directing her down the dock.
“You’ll get used to it,” Gage promised.
“Doubtful,” Lola said.
Chapter 25
“It’s a beautiful boat,” Lola said, coming to stand in front of the sailboat – or was it a yacht? She wasn’t entirely well-versed on all the boating terms.
“Thank you.”
“Fantasea? Why did you name it that?”
“I think because I thought it was a whimsical name for such a drastic life change for me. But I did… fantasize about this, I guess, for the two years it took me to take my courses and grow confident enough to captain a vessel. I’d daydream about cruising to the islands while I was stuck at my desk.”
“Meeting all those famous people, traveling the world,” Lola said.
“There was that, and it certainly wasn’t a bad thing. But my time had come to leave. I didn’t have the edge anymore, nor did I really want it. I craved a simpler life, and now I have it.”
“You don’t get antsy?”
“At times. Then I book a vacation or get on my boat and cruise the islands for a few weeks.”
“By yourself?”
“Sure. I made certain to buy a boat I could take out on my own if I wanted. You’d be surprised what you can learn about yourself when you sail alone for days on end. I never traveled too far, or put myself in too much danger, but solitude can be good for the soul.”
“I never really considered it,” Lola admitted, watching as he hauled boxes onto the boat. “But I suppose it might be nice to disappear from the world on a boat once in a while. I’ve never even done a cruise – the most I’ve been on is a day trip on boats. I guess I always felt like cruise ships were kind of gross and bad for the environment.”
“They’re horrible for the environment. They dump trash in the ocean, destroy our reefs, waste so much fuel and food. Plus, who wants to be stuck on board with five thousand other people? I don’t understand the appeal.”
“I certainly don’t,” Lola agreed as they walked down to where the little plank rested against the boat. “Permission to board, Captain?”
“Shoes off, and then, yes, you have permission to board.”
Lola bent and slipped her sandals off. Today she wore over her bikini a flowy wrap skirt decorated with poppies, a striped tank, and her necklace at her throat. In her bag, she’d brought a change of clothes and some warmer layers, anticipating it would likely get much colder on the water. But for now, the heat pressed close against her skin, the breeze all but nonexistent this morning.
“Welcome to my Fantasea, Lola,” Gage said, shooting her a cheeky grin that had Lola smiling right back at him.
“I can only imagine how often you’ve used that little line,” Lola laughed and stepped onto the deck, the boat rocking gently below her.
“Not all that often,” Gage said. “But I’ve pulled it out of my pocket when needed.”
“I’m sure,” Lola said. “Okay, so I guess this makes me your first mate. What do you need from me?”
“Can you hand me some of the boxes down the ladder? I’d like to store some stuff below.” Gage moved to a little opening in the deck and then disappeared down inside. Lola looked at the mountain of gear by the ladder and wondered why he needed so much stuff for a day trip.
“That’s a lot of supplies,” Lola said, peering down into the darkened opening where Gage waited at the bottom.
“Some of it is supplies for the week. The container ships came in today, so I’m stocking all my water, soda, non-perishables. Plus extra fuel and a few extra things here and there. One thing I learned quickly about sailing alone is I’d rather be over-prepared than caught off-guard.”
‘That’s smart,” Lola said, and handed off the first box. Working in tandem, they quickly got through the pile and then Gage disappeared, presumably to put things away. “Can I come down? I’m curious what it looks like down there.”
“Of course, come on down,” Gage called, and Lola turned, backing down the ladder into the little galley kitchen. Gage efficiently stocked the cupboards and made a motion with his hand. “Go have a look around. Behind the stairs is a hallway that leads to the front of the boat – there you’ll find the loo, and the main cabin. Smaller cabin’s in back.”
“I’ve never been inside a boat like this before,” Lola said, turning to survey the small galley. Every inch of space was used for storage or as a place to sit or eat. “It seems to make use of the space well though.”
“Not much space on the boat means you get creative with how you use it. It’s kind of like having a studio apartment in New York. You hide the table under the bed, the washing machine in the kitchen closet, and so on.”
“I like it,” Lola decided, noting how the teak wood gleamed. “It’s cozy.”
“I don’t mind it. I’ll explain how the toilet works or you can go have a look. It’s a foot pedal push.”
“I’ll go have a look,” Lola said, noting the pile of boxes by Gage. “Unless you need help unpacking.”
“Nope, I’ve got it. Go explore,” Gage said, whistling cheerfully as he stocked his cupboards.
Lola made her way down a narrow hallway and found a small doorway to her right. Sliding it open, she peered in to see the world’s smallest bathroom, along with the promised foot pedal. A sink the size of a soup bowl and a small shaving mirror completed the space.
“Sparse,” Lola murmured, then continued a few steps down the hallway to where a door was open to the master cabin. She had been expecting berths of some sort, but instead there was a double bed – almost a V-shape, tucked into the head of the boat – and shelves and cupboards lining the wall on either side. A few small windows offered ventilation for light and air, and Lola was surprised to even find a small TV mounted to the wall. She could imagine cozying up in here, the boat rocking her to sleep as she snuggled in and watched a movie.
Turning, she squealed as she bumped into Gage, and his hands came out to steady her shoulders.
“Sorry, I thought you heard me come up,” Gage said.
“No, jeez, you move like a panther,” Lola said, her mind immediately going back to the nice bed behind her, mentally adding Gage to the daydream of snuggling in and watching a movie.
“Sorry about that; it’s the bare feet. What do you think?”
“It’s neat how they use the space. I was expecting a single bed under here,” Lola said, turning again to scan the room.
“They build the bed in the shape of the hull, but it gives you more room. Plus, you can lift it and store items underneath. It’s actually quite nice at night. You can pop all the windows open for a cross breeze, or if you don’t have any breeze at all and are really dying in here, there’s a small wall-mounted air conditioner. See?” Gage pointed to a small box on the wall, which Lola eyed dubiously.
“It doesn’t look like it does much.”
“It cuts the heat enough that you can sleep, which is really all that matters.”
“I can see why you like it on the boat. It’s like its own little floating hotel,” Lola said. She followed Gage as he turned and went down the hall, grateful he hadn’t made a pass at her while they were by the bed. A girl only had so much willpower; a few more hours with Gage and she’d likely be tossing him on that bed herself.
“There are far more luxurious boats out there, but I wanted something that was manageable, and not too much work. Bigger isn’t always better.”
Lola arched an eyebrow at him and Gage threw back his head and laughed, a lock of his hair tumbling from the leather cord at his neck.
“In some cases, it’s not,” Gage amended.
“So, Captain, now what?”
“Now, we sail.”
“How far is it again?”
“Should take us a couple hours to get to. It’s good we’re getting an early start, so we’ll have much of the day. We can cruise back and watch the sunset and arrive at the marina late.”
“In the dark?”
“I’ve sailed in the dark before,” Gage sai
d patiently. “They make these things called running lights.”
“Right, right. I’m assuming the boat is outfitted with all the necessary safety equipment and radar and all that?” Lola asked.
“It is, but I’ll show you where the life jackets are, as well as a small life raft if we ever run into danger.”
“Perfect. Shall we get on our way then?” Lola asked, excited despite herself. While she hadn’t planned to spend the day with Gage, she absolutely would be lying to herself if she pretended she didn’t enjoy his company. Or watching him as he leaned over on the boat and untied some lines. The way his shorts hugged his butt had her mouth going dry.
“Are you ogling me?” Gage demanded.
“It’s not my fault your butt looks good in those shorts.” Lola shrugged. “I can look, can’t I?”
Gage turned and deliberately bent over slowly, taking so long to untie a knot that Lola burst out laughing.
“First show’s free. Next one will cost ya.”
Chapter 26
It was a little unnerving, once they’d sailed far enough away that they could no longer see land, and nothing but the deep blue ocean surrounded them. Gage seemed to be a competent captain, from what Lola could determine, and he neatly maneuvered the boat from the harbor and out to sea. They didn’t put the sail up until they were far from land and were able to actually catch some ocean breezes, and the way he handled unfurling the sail and raising it brought a whole new level of respect from Lola. This was a real-deal boat, and he’d clearly taken the time to learn his way around it – unlike some men she’d seen who had a midlife crisis, picked up a new hobby, and bought all the fancy things that went with it but never bothered to learn the fundamentals.
Up to No Good: The Siren Island Series, Book Two Page 13