“Fiancé,” Buck supplied without hesitation.
Bobbie’s eyes grew wide and she made a choking sound. “Oh, really? Since when?”
“Since you told me you loved me. Don’t think I haven’t been carrying a ring around in my pocket since the first day we reconnected.”
“You have?”
She didn’t give him any indication of how she felt about that as he nodded.
If she rejected him now, he still wasn’t going to give up. He’d ask her every day for the next fifty years, to be his wife.
“I have,” he confirmed.
“Fine.” Bobbie huffed and rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the Coastie. “Buck, this is First Officer Steve Randolph. Steve, this is Buck Sothard, just late of the Coast Guard himself, and…I guess…my fiancé.”
Satisfaction unlike any he’d ever known filled Buck’s chest as he beamed at Bobbie’s confirmation. He reluctantly removed his arm to stand and shake the Coast Guardsman’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, Steve,” Buck said sincerely.
“Pleased to meet you too, Buck. And congratulations?” Steve outright laughed. “I can’t wait to tell my wife that I’m not the most awkward dude on earth when it comes to proposals.”
“Ahh. I sense a story there,” Spencer put in, clapping Buck on the back as he sidled up to the small group.
“You do,” Steve snickered. “And I promise I’ll tell you all about it over chow later, once we’ve determined how to retrieve those boxes that went over the side.”
CHAPTER 32
It didn’t take longfor Tabitha to outline her plan to the authorities, and by the time Drew had puked up a bunch of brine and had been removed to the cutter’s deck, in cuffs while sitting pitifully next to his sobbing brother, she had possession of the five transponder units she’d requested.
“I’ll need my diving equipment,” Buck told her, as she and Spencer transferred to the sub, then stood in the tower, waiting to hear this twist of Buck’s.
“You will?” Several voices asked at once.
Buck turned to address Steve, who he knew would be making the final decisions. “Yes. Please,” he thought to add. “I’m going to be part of the diving team bringing those boxes up,” Buck informed him, rather than asking. Whether it was in a hands-on capacity with the evidence, or if he was the one recording the proceedings, he wasn’t going to miss out on putting a period on this Charlie-Foxtrot of events.
The first officer looked a bit conflicted, but it was Bobbie who spoke first. “You know you don’t need to, Buck,” she told him. “I’m sure these guys are fully capable.”
“I know. But this feels personal,” Buck admitted, not backing down.
“Uh, speaking of capable,” Steve cleared his throat. “Who did you say you served under?” The question indicated he was trying to get a bead on whether or not Buck was up for the job.
“Commander Billingsgate,” Buck told him without hesitation.
Steve instantly brightened. “A fine man. Exacting.”
Buck agreed. “And a good friend,” he added. “I dove for the Coast Guard for over ten years, and before that, I mucked about in the ocean all the time with my brothers. Even now, Tabitha, Spence, and I are getting ready to open our own rescue/dive company in Maine.”
“So, fully competentandcertified,” Steve concurred with a nod. “That’s good to know if we ever need any civilian help in the future.”
That sentiment boded well. Maybe they could pick up a job or two with the Coast Guard.
Steve had clearly made up his mind. “I’ll be happy to add you to our team today,” he supplied. “And you Ma’am?” he called over to Tabitha. “Thank you. Your sub certainly makes our job easier.”
She shot him a smile. “Yup. Give us half an hour, and you should see all the crates’ locations pop up on your computer.”
Steve looked positively gleeful. “Then I’ll send my team, plus Buck, down with a transceiver unit and some floatation devices to bring things to the surface.” He actually rubbed his hands together. “Once we open those crates up and see what’s inside, we should be good to go in implementing the rest of the plans that were laid out.”
Tabitha gave him a sassy salute, then she and Spencer tossed Buck his kit, buttoned things up, and slipped beneath the waves.
