Page 3 of Forbidden Kisses
“Yeah? And?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.” Because Grace had shown interest.
“The sooner you replace Aunt Mira, the sooner you can come to your senses and get back on theSummerlywith me. Working with those high school kids you hired on for the summer feels more like babysitting out there than fishing.” Noah walked over to Jack’s desk and leaned against it, arms folded over his chest. “And it’s not the same without you on the boat, Captain.”
Well, it wasn’t the same without Chris.
Jack steeled himself against the rising emotion, a mix of anger and disappointment, all aimed at himself. “Maybe it’s time we hire you a skipper,” Jack suggested. They’d hired temporary help until now because his dad and brothers had insisted that Jack would be ready to step back into his role of captain of theSummerlyin time. It’d been three months since the accident, though, and time had only made Jack more convinced that his fishing days were over. He and his best friend, Chris, had been growing tired of the profession long before then. They’d even talked about quitting and starting their own business together—Sawyer and Watson Coastal Builders. They’d been building things—small boats, piers, bathhouses—since their Boy Scout days. It was something that thrilled them both more than the next catch.
“Or maybe you should get your ass back in the boat,” a voice challenged behind them. Jack’s older brother, Sam, crossed the room.
Was every damn day in the office going to be like the movieGroundhog Day?
“I’m serious,” Jack said. “I think it’s time to talk about hiring a permanent replacement for Chris and me on theSummerly.”
“Good luck trying to get that past Dad. Fishing is our business. What else do you think you’re going to do?”
Not wanting to get into it, Jack turned his attention to interviewee number two’s qualifications on her résumé. He couldn’t help but think of Grace again. Last he’d heard, she’d worked at Dewy’s Bar and Grill on the outskirts of town. It was a far cry from being a teacher, which is what she’d told him she wanted to be when she was fifteen. People changed, though. He didn’t really know Grace anymore. For all he knew, she’d turned out just like her mother, Tammy.
Sam cursed under his breath as he stood at the window that overlooked the ocean.
“What’s going on?” Jack reflexively joined him to see whatever had his older brother’s jaw unhinged.
One of their rental boats zipped dangerously close to the docked fishing boats. It made a huge turn to avoid hitting theSummerly.
“Shit,” Jack said. “Who’s behind the wheel?”
Noah sandwiched between them as they all watched. The runaway boat made a beeline straight toward the recreational area that their cousin Gabe ran. They rented boats and kayaks and offered tours on the water.
“He’s going to the hit the kayak launch!” Jack ran out of the building with Sam at his heels. It was still early morning. Hopefully no one was in the driver’s destructive path, even though these were the most popular hours for water tours.
Jack froze at the sound of impact as the boat plowed full force into the kayak launch. Wood flew out in the wake of the crash. Running again, Jack jumped aboard the boat and went to help the person behind the wheel.
The driver stood shakily.
Jack was shocked he hadn’t been thrown overboard on impact. “Are you all right?” he asked, out of breath from his race to get here.
A teenager with long dark hair and big brown eyes stared back at him.
“Whoa!” the teen said, drawing a hand to his forehead where there was a slight cut. A spot of blood dripped along his cheek.
Jack quickly went to the ignition and cut the buzzing engine.
“Whoa!” the kid said again, laughing this time.
Jack turned him around by the shoulders to look him in the eyes. Other than a minor cut, there was no evidence of harm. There was, however, a distinct smell of alcohol. “You’re Dewy Capps’s kid. Tristan, right?” Jack had seen him on a skateboard in the area a time or two lately. He was maybe eighteen years old, which was the age requirement for renting a boat. Jack suspected Gabe hadn’t rented the boat to Tristan, though. There’d been a couple of break-ins over the last few months. Boats were being “borrowed” and then returned more than a little scuffed up after hours.
“I called an ambulance,” Noah said, reaching them now.
“Great,” Jack said. “Why don’t you call the police, too.”
Chapter 2
If she were a crier, Grace would be having a good long cry right about now. Grace Donner didn’t cry, though. She was tough. She also didn’t beg for jobs. Not that she’d begged Jack for anything earlier, but she’d felt the desperation hammering in her body when she’d pitched herself for the office management position.
Had he felt it, too?
“Oh, God.” Grace leaned forward over her kitchen counter and rubbed the headache forming behind her left temple.
