My heart thumps painfully, and my pulse thrums, a haze of lightheadedness flowing through me like a wave. I say quietly, “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I don’t have to. I know what you did, and I know what you’re going to do.” Rising out of his casual recline, Dryden tries to step past me. I grip his arm right above the elbow, fingers tight enough to ache. He looks at me, eyes dark and contemptuous.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him. Our faces are close enough together that I have a clear view of one sculpted brow arching up his forehead.
“No? We’ll see.” He moves his arm in a clearlet me gogesture. I unclench my fingers. “Either way, Shiloh and I are done, so you can stop worrying. I don’t want to be a part of whatever long-term edging the two of you are doing.”
I take a moment to very deliberately remind myself why I’m here, why I’m talking to him. He’s got a right to be annoyed or pissed off, and he’s definitely got the right to dislike me. Doesn’t make it any easier not to divest him of his teeth, but I imagine he has that effect on everyone.
“I’m not leaving,” I repeat. I haven’t even told Shiloh my plans to stay, but I suppose this motherfucker might as well know, too.
“You will,” he counters. “People like you always do.”
With that, he steps fully around me and crouches down to dig through the crate I brought on board. I shake out my hands, still fighting the urge to throttle him. I wonder if anyone wouldcare if I drowned him in the bay. Hell, I might get a public service award.
Before I can mount a defense, the purr of an engine distracts me. Dryden looks up as well, glancing over toward Shiloh’s side of the dock and then looking back at me, smirking.
“Run along,” he tells me.
Annoyed and feeling like I came away worse off from that interaction, I leave theMaiden. I look back over my shoulder as I walk toward Shiloh’s slip, but Dryden Roy’s back is to me as he remains knelt down by his supplies. Even though I imagine he can feel my eyes on him, he doesn’t turn around. Dismissed, even as I’m already walking away.
I wait as Shiloh brings the boat in, toes kissing the edge of the pier. I didn’t plan this very well. His day doesn’t end right when he comes in. He still has to deal with the catch and shut down the boat, get everything prepped for tomorrow so his morning goes smoothly. I could help, I suppose, but the day I went out with them, I felt like they’d have been better off without me toward the end. The three of them work pretty much in tandem—throw me into the mix, and suddenly, everyone is rubbing shoulders, bumping elbows, and all trying to do the same job at the same time. Maybe I could fill in for one of them if the need ever arose, but theDrifteris just too small for the four of us to work comfortably.
“Hey, Ewan,” Oliver greets me, hopping out and catching the dock line Nils tosses him. He grins at me before crouching down to secure the boat to the cleats.
“Good day?” I ask. He shrugs, eyes on his hands.
“Not great. It’ll be nice when the season rolls around.” Finished tying off, Oliver stands and rubs an arm over his forehead. “We aren’t going out for the rest of the week, actually.”
“Really?” I ask, stepping back as Nils passes another line up to Oliver, who moves to tie it off. I nod to Nils, who returns the greeting as silently as I gave it. Raising my voice, I call over to Shiloh, who looks surprised and a little worried to see me. “Take your time. I just needed to get out of the house.”
He nods, and I turn back to Oliver, surprised that Shiloh would give anyone a day off. Surprised that he would give himself a day off, honestly.
“Yeah,” Oliver confirms. “Another little break before the busy season starts.”
I whistle, long and low. Judging by the content of the emails Shiloh sent me, he hates the extended period of time away in the offseason and sets his traps early because of it. Because I still can’t quite believe it, I wait until Oliver is back on the boat before confirming.
“The rest of the week, as in you guys aren’t hauling again until Monday?”
“You got it.”
“Damn. Were you holding a gun to Shiloh’s head when he said that?”
Nils snorts. Behind him, Shiloh raises a hand to flip me off. I shrug, pretty secure in knowing that it’s more likely for lobsters to grow wings and fly than it is for Shiloh Lepage to voluntarily stop working. Maybe he’s sick.
“Everything okay?” Shiloh asks, coming close enough topitch his voice low and keep the words between us. He’s staring up at me, swaying easily with the rocking of the boat beneath his feet. If Nils and Oliver weren’t right here, I’d reach out and slide my fingers into that thick hair.
“Yeah, just needed to get out for a bit. I’ll meet you back at home, okay?”
“All right,” he agrees, frowning and still sounding suspicious.Fuck it, I think, and brush my fingers through the hair falling over his brow. Nils and Oliver both know we’re together, so what the hell do I care if they catch me being sappy.
“See you soon. Don’t rush,” I remind him, not wanting Shiloh to sprint his way through his daily tasks just to figure out why I showed up unannounced.
Honestly, I don’t have a good reason beyond feeling restless and wanting to see him. There’s something strangely eerie about being in his house all day without him—the wind louder, the creaking of the wood more pronounced. As insane as it is, the emptiness of the space makes me anxious. I find myself constantly checking the window, looking for Shiloh’s truck and scared that today he won’t come home. Funny, the one who leaves terrified of being left behind.
“I’ll see you at home,” he agrees carefully, a hopeful light in his eye. Both of us just referred to his house as home, I realize, stomach clenching and squirming in discomfort, Dryden Roy’s words whispered once more in my ear.
I don’t look over at theMaiden Seaswhen I leave, having had quite enough of Dryden’s presence for the day. The month, honestly. One day, I might be brave enough to ask Shiloh abouthim—about them—but for now, I’m insecure enough to just not want to know.
