Page 20 of Forbidden Kisses
She jerked her head back to look at him. “Let’s get this straight, once and for all. I don’t steal and I don’t take handouts.”
He held up a hand. “I know,” he said calmly. “But money is the reason you want to do the tournament.”
She didn’t deny it. “And fear is the reason you don’t want to do it.”
His spine stiffened as if he’d been jabbed with a pointy stick. “I’m not afraid of the water. I just don’t like it very much anymore.” In fact, if he could figure out a way to kick the Atlantic Ocean’s backside, he would.
“It’s one day, Jack. We could win.”
“Ask Sam or Noah.”
Grace shook her head. “Noah hates me. And Sam isn’t a tournament fisherman. You’re the one who’s won half of the East Coast Tournaments you’ve ever entered.”
“Chris and I won. There’s only me now. I’m done with the tournament.”
Grace folded her arms over her chest. “You don’t have to be. This might be good for you. Good for both of us.”
“The answer is no, Grace,” he said as he pulled into the first delivery stop on their list. He got out of the truck and started unloading, rattled from the conversation and slightly guilty all of a sudden for crushing Grace’s hopes. If he could, he’d do this for her. He didn’t know exactly why she was interested in the prize, but he knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t ask for help if she didn’t absolutely think it was necessary. Maybe she was behind on rent or some other debt. Maybe her mother’s health was worse than he thought. Whatever the reason, he wouldn’t agree to the fishing tournament. He couldn’t help her.
Not this time.
—
Three deliveries later, Grace was still holding her tongue.
“I’m starving,” Jack said. “And sick to death of seafood. Care for a sandwich?”
Grace nodded, but kept her mouth shut.
“You’re not talking to me now?” he finally asked.
“I’ll do it on my own.”
“What?” Jack looked over as he drove.
“If you loan me a boat, I’ll enter the tournament on my own.”
His laughter only fueled her anger. “You can’t drive a boat.”
“Yes, I can. Your father also taught me that. And I’m strong-willed just like my mother. I can win this thing.”
“No, you can’t.” He pulled into the parking lot for a small diner, cut the engine, and started to get out.
Grace folded her arms and stayed put. “I’m serious, Jack,” she said before he shut the door behind him.
He appeared on her passenger side and opened her door for her. “Come on. Let’s grab a bite.”
“Please.” The P-word was akin to begging in her mind, but this was important. Winning the cash prize could buy back theBeatrice,and more important, buy back her family’s reputation, which was priceless in her book.
“You can’t operate a forty-foot commercial fishing boat.”
“Why not?”
Jack shook his head. “Well, for one, you don’t have therightexperience. Two, you have no boat. And three, you have no crew.” He ticked his reasons off on his fingers. Then his gaze slid down her body, slow and deliberately. “Also, you’re not built to reel in a fish that could weigh up to five hundred pounds.”
He was popping all of the balloons keeping her hope of making this work afloat. “That’s what a crew is for, right? I can find experienced men to help me reel. I can find someone with a boat willing to help, too.”
“And this crew of yours would also be willing to just hand over the cash prize?” he asked.
