She laid a finger across his lips. “No. You need that for your new business. Between you, Spencer, and Tabitha, I’m sure you’ve got things covered, but you never know when you might need more; when something’s going to come up to set you back. And besides,” she grew serious, regarding him with gravity, “I need to make my own money so I can be the one in charge of my life and decisions.”
Buck regarded her with equal solemnity. “I would never take that away from you, Bobbie. Never.”
She laid a hand on his knee before getting up from the couch.
“I know you wouldn’t, Buck, but my brothers would. So we need to keep things status quo, doing what I’m doing with my set schedule so they remain in the dark that they’re under investigation.
“I promise we’ll talk about my future, and all the possible ways you’re going to rock my world, once we get them out of my life forever. How does that sound?”
“Like a plan,” Buck responded thoughtfully, following her to the door for a reluctant goodbye. “A very good plan.”
CHAPTER 21
The whole triphad just sucked, but at least it was over.
Bobbie stared up at the inky blackness above as she sailed south, toward home, wondering what she was going to do in the future. Things couldn’t continue as they were, that was for sure. Monsieur Provard had gone from being an arrogant blowhard, to a narcissistic tyrant, and that wasn’t going to fly.
Checking her position to make sure her auto-pilot was keeping her on the right track, Bobbie settled back on her cockpit bench with a regretful shake of her head. If she had to end things with her Canada gig, it had been a nice run.
Reyghan, secure in her safety harness which allowed her access to the cockpit and her own little area down below, jumped up to settle on Bobbie’s lap, lending a modicum of comfort that had been severely lacking at her job earlier.
“Hey, girl,” Bobbie softened, stroking the puppy’s ultra-soft ears. “We’ve got a problem, don’t we.”
She made it a statement because, yeah, her new companion couldn’t exactly answer.
Bobbie snorted. “This is the first time I’m actually glad that weather is moving in tomorrow, urr, later today, and that we had an excuse to leave early.” Night sailing was normally soothing,but after everything that had happened at the mansion in New Brunswick, Bobbie was still on edge.
She leaned forward to her computer and once again checked her position. She wouldn’t be surprised if a new cluster-fuck popped up, but her boat was behaving perfectly.
She’d left Provard’s pier three hours ago, and it would be at least seven more before she arrived home.Sixbefore she had cell phone coverage and could talk to the man whose voice she desperately wanted to hear.
Funny. She’d endured fifteen years of not having Buck in her life, but now he was the first person she thought of when shit that needed airing, roiled around in her brain. Maybe it was because he was always so calm. Or maybe, for the first time in forever, she was finally learning how to trust again. Either way, she really needed to have him talk her down, right the hell now.
Bobbie eyed the sat phone that hung just inside her open, cabin door, and chewed her lip. She kept the set onboard for emergencies only.
She sighed. This wasn’t aphysicalemergency, but…what about her mental state? Shouldn’t she be worried for her emotional well-being? Wasn’t that enough to bend her rules a little?
Her fingers itched to pick it up and call Buck.
Even though it was just after one AM, she knew he wouldn’t mind being pulled from sleep. If she waited a couple more hours, though, that would just be cruel; to drag him from slumber at stupid-o-clock in the morning.
“I’m going to do it,” she told Reyghan.
The little dog gave one sharp bark, and Bobbie laughed. “I’m so glad you agree.”
She placed Reyghan on the deck, then walked down the single step into the entryway of her cabin. Opening up the littledoor of the glass-fronted cabinet that secured the device in a semi-watertight environment, she pulled it out.
Once Bobbie had it in hand, she went back out under the stars to regain her seat. Reyghan jumped up next to her this time, snuggling in.
“Oh. You think this might be a long call, huh?”
Bobbie didn’t feel crazy talking out loud to her four-legged companion. Hell, no. Sometime while sailing, she conversed with the seagulls or with the white-sided dolphins that occasionally swam alongside her. Beggers couldn’t be choosers for company when you were a solitary sailor.
Opening up her cell phone, she perused her contact list and found Buck’s number.
One would think since she’d fixated on him, that she’d have it memorized by now, but she’d never been one of those numbers’ nerds. Dates and figures flew out of her head faster than Reyghan could devour one of her new treats.
Keeping her screen on, she keyed the digits into her sat phone, then pocketed her cell as the larger device rang.
