I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Last night. While my ship burned. Good times.”
“Don’t be mad, Kendra,” Decker said, frowning. “It’s a weird story, anyway. The owner heard what I said to the Coast Guard Investigator. When he asked me about it, I thought he would throw me overboard. Instead, he offered me a job. Said it was honorable to tell the truth.” Decker rubbed his facial stubble. “You know, you might be able to get some work?—”
I held up a hand. “Nope. Don’t. I’m not going to work on that joke of a ship. I have to repair theNetfishand get back to doing charters.”
Decker sighed. “You could also take this time to change the ship into what you want it to be, not the version of it you’ve had for three decades.”
“Decker.” I smiled at my traitorous first mate. “I say this with no due respect. Fuck off.”
I stormed away from the dock and headed toward my golf cart. If the insurance wouldn’t help me repair my boat, I’d need help from a more powerful source.
I stood on Venus Avenue and stared at the house I grew up in. It wasn’t always the rambling Victorian-ish structure that stretched an entire city block of Pleasure Point. Over the years, my parents added to it. A rainbow of colors assaulted the eyes if you looked at them individually, but somehow it worked altogether. Each addition seemed to have its own idea of how weird it wanted to be. And that meant a mish-mash of architectural styles and a bed and breakfast that looked crooked on a good day. Lord knew none of the floors inside were level, but it didn’t seem to bother?—
“There she is!” My dad brought The Bolt golf cart to a screeching halt inches from me. I was not new to his ridiculouslylousy driving, and I knew he wouldn’t run me over. But I won’t lie. My heart pounded a little from the near-death experience.
“Hop in!” Dad patted the seat beside him. “I’m about to pick up a group of people at the parking lot!”
I slid into the front and barely sat before he hit the “go” pedal. “Dad, slow down!”
“Can’t, sweetheart.” Dad grinned maniacally while gripping the wheel tighter. “Got a few runs to make this afternoon.”
I glanced at The Bolt, my Dad’s answer to a rideshare on an island that only allowed electric vehicles on the streets. Everything looked shiny. And different. “Did Callie give you an upgrade?”
Dad patted the dash and took a corner on two wheels. “This? Oh, no. This is new!”
I shook my head as the sights of Pleasure Point zipped by in my peripheral. “New?”
“Oh, yeah! We got ourselves a new business in Pleasure Point. You’re getting a new neighbor at the marina! The Pegleg Pete’s Pirate Extravaganza dinner cruise will be joining us - sometime today,” Dad announced.
“Yeah. They’re already here.”
Dad turned to look at me and winked. “Isn’t this great news for Pleasure Point? Think of all the tourist dollars coming in! Your mom is excited about an uptick in business at Demeter House. And I invested in several more Bolts!”
My heart sank. “You invested in more carts?”
“Yeah! We had some money set aside to upgrade the inn this year but decided to go all in on The Bolt business since there would be many more people needing transportation to the docks,” Dad said, pulling The Bolt to a stop at Pleasure Point’s public parking lot. He frowned as he glanced my way. “Why are you so down? Is this about your boat? You’ll get it fixed in no time. I know insurance payouts sometimes need time tomarinate. Do you want some money to keep you afloat until it comes in?”
I glanced at the cars filling the public parking lot, and tourists gathered under a sign I hadn’t noticed before.Pegleg Pete’s Pirate Extravaganza Shuttles Here.Another brand-new Bolt pulled up behind us, driven by someone I hadn’t seen before.
New carts. New employees. And a brand-new sign at the parking lot. Not only has this been in the works for a while, but my parents certainly wouldn’t have extra money to help me repair my boat.
My heart clenched. If I asked him for money, he’d find a way to give it to me, even if he had to cash in his retirement plan. There was no way I could do that. I sighed, then smiled at him and patted him on the knee. “It’s fine. Everything is fine. I’m thinking of upgrading theNetfish.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Dad announced and exited the cart to walk around to my side. “Maybe those pirate cruise people will see your new charter boat and want to go for a different kind of boat ride. Maybe you could start that eco stuff you’re always talking about.”
“Eco-tours,” I said. “Yeah. That’s a distinct possibility.”
“Whatever you set your mind to, you can do, sweetheart.” Dad kissed my cheek and then greeted people lined up for the shuttles.
I followed him. “Hey, Dad?” I waved over the heads of two blue-haired ladies. “I’m going to walk back to my cart. See you later. Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime!”
When I returned to my houseboat, my foot slid on a flyer in the middle of the floor. I picked it up.
ARRRR You Ready To Sail Off Into The Sunset?
The title of the job flyer captured my attention. I snort-laughed. Sure. I’d love to sail off into the sunset. Then, my worries would be fixed, and Jesse would fall madly in love with me. The end.
