Page 5 of Sail Away
Darcie hated to admit that he was right, and she was going to have to find a way to be less of a bitch around Jim. “I’ll work on it. I promise.”
“Good.”
“Now, you mentioned you have some business stuff?”
“I’m not done with the personal shit.” He shifted in his chair, adjusting his slacks. “I’m in uncharted waters when it comes to Kim and I’m a little flustered.”
“I’m not even sure what any of that means. Or why I should care.” She cleared her throat, doing her best to squelch the desire to voice the comments she really wanted to make.
He covered his face with his long fingers, bringing them together to a point at his chin. “I’ve always liked you.”
“Jim, you’re not making this don’t-be-sarcasticconcept easy for me. Can we get to the point, please?”
“When you told me that you scheduled your captain’s license, I realized I wanted more out of my life. Only, it wasn’t with you that I wanted it.”
“Wow. Do you hear yourself? Why are you having this conversation with the woman you dumped for someone else?”
He had the audacity to smile. “I’m actually trying to thank you.”
“For what?” This should be good.
“I’m in love with Kim, and I’ve never felt that way before. Because of you, I was able to open myself up.”
Oh, for the love of all things fucking holy. She had to have her ex-boyfriend tell her that he was in love with the woman he was fucking when he was still dating her? And that it was all thanks to her? “Do you think I really fucking care, Jim?”
“Well, I’m going to ask her to marry me, and I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else. I wanted you to know that I was scared about everything and that I have no good excuse for the way I treated you—”
She covered his mouth with the palm of her hand. She’d heard all she needed to know, and she knew him well enough to know that he couldn’t help himself. He was a shallow man who thought only of himself. “You’re right. Nothing you can say or do will make up for what you did. Just don’t go being an asshole to Kim. She deserves better.”
“So did you.”
Well, wasn’t that a surprise wrapped in a pretzel? “I know,” Darcie said, nearly choking.
“You and I need to be able to work this out through the rest of this season. I don’t want us to be at each other’s throats or have you acting like this.”
Oh, but he made it so damn easy. “I can put a pin in it.” She nodded. “Are we done with the personal shit?”
“Yes.” Jim scratched the back of his head. “But if you didn’t like that, you’re really not going to like this.” Jim leaned over, pulled open a drawer, and handed her a piece of paper. He arched his brow. “When was the last time you spoke to Reid?”
“Reid Carson? My other ex-boyfriend? Our next charter guest?”
“That would be the one.” Jim gave her a sideways glance.
Yeah. She really needed to let the sarcasm sail away. “About eight months ago,” she admitted. “I ran into him in New Orleans when I was there visiting a friend with my brother and a buddy of his, Albert Morning, who also happens to be a detective.”
“And would your friend in New Orleans happen to be a cop, as well?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. Justin Thomas. He used to work pretty closely with my brother. Why?”
“Actually, it doesn’t matter, unless he can get a night permit for bungee jumping off Deception Pass here in Washington State and help me keep it quiet as hell.” Jim leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.
That would be a tall order. “What other excursions do Reid and Preston want to do?”
“I suggested a kayak trip through the rapids. That’s no biggie and easily arranged, but this night bungee thing I can’t get approved. At least not the way they want it.”
She held all the rejections he’d gotten from the town and those responsible for such thrill-seeking adventures. “If you’re thinking my brother can do something about this, I’d think again.”
“I know. And if you ask him, and he can’t make it happen, and our guests do it anyway…”
