Page 48 of Sail Away
“Well. If I got to captain for say a year, I think maybe teaching. I was offered a position managing the marina and running the sailing school. I could see myself doing something like that in a few years.”
“Looks like you have a plan.”
9
Darcie arched her back and twisted left and right. Her cell showed three thirty in the morning. They’d been at this for a few hours, and she wasn’t sure if she was going down the wrong road, but as she arranged the cryptic conversations and the dates they had been exchanged, a thought formed in her head and it pissed her right the fuck off. “I found something disturbing in these emails with Jim.”
“What’s that?” Reid stood behind her and dug his fingers into her shoulders and neck, massaging gently, but firmly.
She dropped her head and closed her eyes for a long moment, letting the tension ease out of her muscles. Being with Reid again only added to her confusion on what to do with her life. She had no life skills outside of yachting. Perhaps her father might have had a point about college and having a backup plan, but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
Though the more she thought about teaching, the more she liked it.
But she would give being captain a good year.
Maybe two.
Depending on the boats and the crew. But she knew beyond that, her career path needed a shakeup.
“The very first one I found is dated six months ago. Based on the language, it seems obvious they had prior communication, but perhaps not through this email. Anyway, the email reads:She’s agreed.”
“That’s it? And that’s from Jim?”
“Yes. But what I find interesting is that is right around the time Jim called me out of the blue and asked me to come work for him.”
“So, you think him sayingshe’s agreedis him referencing you?”
She pulled up a couple of the emails and pointed to the screen. “All of these coincide with my timelines for the two vessels I’ve been on with Jim since you and I broke up. In this one, Jim tells Preston that she’s right where they want her. And in this one, which is dated two months ago, Jim tells Preston not to worry, that he’s already cleared the surprise charter, and Preston responded back with, and I quote:Good. This will be fun to see how it all plays out and which story will end up being printed.”
“That’s weird.”
She lifted her gaze. “They’ve also been planning this for months. As in, Jim used me right from the get-go. I was always part of whatever this plan is.”
The rosy color in Reid’s cheeks drained as his jaw slackened.
“Us meeting wasn’t a chance encounter,” she said.
“They’ve been playing us from day one, and it’s not just me he’s going to destroy. He’s going to get you, too,” Reid said. “I’m going to fucking kill both of them.” He took two large steps toward the door.
“Don’t you dare leave this room.” She bolted from the chair and charged to the front of the cabin. She flattened her back against the wood.
“Get out of my way.”
“I will not,” she said. “Confronting them now isn’t going to help us, especially out here at sea. If Preston doesn’t know we have any of this information, it will give us some time to form a plan. Besides, if we can find anything illegal in these documents, my brother, Albert, and Justin will be all over that shit.”
“You expect me to just sit out there, drink beer, ride jet skis and pretend like I don’t know any of this? I’m not that good of an actor.”
“You’re going to have to be.”
“Fucking-A.” He smashed his fist into his hand. “Someone needs to tell that fiancée of Jim’s that she’s marrying a dirtbag.”
“Don’t worry. I will. As a matter of fact, when this is all over, I’m going to enjoy having Jim fired.” Darcie arched a brow. “Can I trust you not to leave this room if I step away from the door?”
“I’ll only make that promise if I get a kiss.”
She rose on tiptoe and brushed her lips over his in a long, tender kiss. “I should sneak out before I get caught.”
He rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I’m struggling to understand why you’re important to this picture. Why Preston brought Jim into all of this. I mean, how does he even know Jim? They never met when we were dating. This is an elaborate plan to push me out. Too elaborate. There are easier ways. Nothing makes any sense.”
