I had been waiting for Jesse to become available for decades. I knew his first marriage wouldn't last, but a month ago, days after his divorce was final, he got engaged to another woman, breaking my heart. The pain of seeing him move on so quickly left me feeling devastated and powerless. That’s the only explanation for the drunken sex frenzy that broke the outdoor shower at Flamingo Cove Marina. I couldn’t even drive past that town anymore without having flashbacks to the strong-jawed hottie and his thick dick, covered in questionable shower water.
“Skipper’s name is Ken. Kendra Jarrett,” Decker explained as he herded Drunk Dad down the steps to the lower deck, avoiding the third step that needed to be nailed back down. Again. “This is her ship. She’s the Captain. What she says goes. And if she tells you to get off a deck, you get off the damn deck, understood?”
“What a joke,” Drunk Older Son snorted. “Girls don’t know shit about fishing.”
I bit my tongue to avoid telling himhedidn’t know shit about fishing either because I didn’t need another bad review on my website.
I took deep breaths and tried to calm down as they attempted to catch something “worthwhile.”
Was it wrong that I hoped these guys caught nothing but crabs? Not the kind you eat.
The pirate ship was so close I could see people dancing and laughing on the top deck, their silhouettes swaying in the moonlit night. There were calls of "arrr" and "ahoy matey," blending with the sound of the waves and the salty breeze while peals of laughter echoed across the dark waters from the inebriated patrons.
This was the third time Pegleg Pete’s Pirate Extravaganza had trespassed into my domain, a shadowy figure in the night. This was my secret spot for night fishing. Yet every time I staked my claim, the pirate ship would emerge as if summoned by some unseen force, encroaching upon my realm and compelling me deeper into the treacherous waters of the Gulf, making my night that much longer.
It was taking a toll on my fuel budget and last good nerve.
“Maybe I could sneak over there and set off the fire alarms?” Decker suggested.
“Fire is nothing to joke about,” I chastised.
If the pirate ship wouldn’t move, we’d have to change course and find another spot. “Decker, pull up the anchor. We’re going to move.”
I flipped the switch to fire up the engine, only to hear an empty clicking sound. My stomach twisted. Not again.
“I thought you fixed that, Skipper,” Decker said as he reached for the weathered rope affixed to the anchor. He yanked hard and then fell on his ass, the frayed end of a broken rope in his hand.
“Shit,” I cursed and flipped the engine switch again.
Nothing.
I reached for my toolbox underneath the console and knelt on the fiberglass deck. I pulled the metal handle on the compartment to expose the ignition wiring. Decker hovered over my shoulder and pointed to the sea of electrical tape.
“Is that up to code?” He whispered.
I smacked his leg. “Shh. It’s just until we get back and can get a good repair.”
“You said that last week.”
“And I meant it then, too. Keep the clients busy by reeling in their lines,” I hissed.
“Stonefish? Was it something I said?” A ridiculous voice crackled from the speaker of the shortwave. “Things were about to get interesting!”
I flipped the bird at the pirate ship and twisted the wires until a shock zapped my fingers. The diesel engine roared to life, belching acrid smoke as it did. I winced. This was no way to be a friend to the environment.
I stood and twirled the helm away from the pirate ship. When we had enough distance between us, I stopped the engine and ordered Decker to lower the backup anchor.
“That was the backup anchor.” He waved the frayed rope in a circle.
I wiped my greasy hands on my pants and sighed. Of course, it was.
My phone dinged in my pocket. We must be close enough to shore to get a signal, so I pulled out the phone and blinked at Jesse's text.
Jesse
You haven’t answered my question.
There was only one question I had wanted to hear from Jesse all these years, and “Will you be my Best Ma’am” wasn’t it. It wasn’t his fault that I pined away for him. He didn’t know. Even though I was pissed off as all hell, it wasn’t fair to my childhood bestie to leave him hanging.
