Page 12 of Bear's Midlife Bridesmaid
The ship was quiet as he sat down at the wheel to check over the controls and double-check the route for the day. Long gold rays of sunlight were now slipping out across the bay, picking out the texture of the water and highlighting the lines of the yacht. Mornings like these made him remember exactly why he loved being out there so much. There was a sense of being completely alone, yet one with the world, a private knowledge and wonder he just couldn’t find on land. The excitement that built in him as the sun rose was a very similar feeling to the one he got when he was with Erin, like he had the secret to life all to himself.
“Ah, there you are,” a gruff voice said behind him.
Jace turned to find Hugo Bradford. His white linen button-down was paired with very loud shorts, the bright colors resolving into numerous sharks. He hadn’t shaved that morning, which might’ve beeninterpreted as a purposeful look except for the dark circles under his eyes. At least he’d combed his hair. “Good morning.”
“It’s not, actually,” Hugo replied brusquely. “I’m sure you know that.”
Looking past him, Jace could still see the ribbons that decorated the railings. He hadn’t forgotten yesterday’s events, not by a long shot, but there was one even he was keener to dwell on than the wedding. “I can imagine.”
Hugo sighed and folded his arms. “There’s a change of plans, Captain. You’re going to bring this boat right back to Provincetown.”
Jace raised a brow. “We’re scheduled to be out for the rest of the week.”
“I know that,” the other man snapped. “There’s no point in carrying on this charade and fucking around out here on the water. The wedding is off.”
“Couldn’t smooth it over with her, huh?” It was no skin off his teeth, and he couldn’t blame Gretchen for refusing to give it another go after what she’d been told. But Hugo was the one footing the bill, and Jace knew he had to play the customer service game. He occupied himself by cleaning a tiny spot off the window.
Bradford snorted. “There’s no way I’m gettingmarried in front of my friends after that girl made me suffer such humiliation on my own vacation!”
Jace slowly lifted his head. “That girl?” he echoed, his jaw beginning to clench.
“Women aren’t worth the trouble sometimes,” Hugo went on. “You think you’ve found one that’s at least tolerable, but then another hen comes along to cluck at her and it fucks the whole thing up.”
“They’re not hens or girls,” Jace replied, fighting hard to keep his voice calm. “They’re women. They’re people. They’re your fiancée and her best friend.”
“I don’t give a shit who they are! They’re a fucking embarrassment!” Hugo stormed.
A storm of a different kind was brewing in Jace right then. His bear raged at what an asshole this man was. “If you ask me, it wasyouractions that were embarrassing. As I recall,youwere the one who cheated on your fiancée. All Erin did was call you out on it, and rightfully so.” He lifted his chin and waited. He’d spoken the truth and knew that didn’t always sit well with guys like Hugo. Jace could be professional on many levels, but there was a limit.
Hugo flapped a dismissive hand in the air. “You couldn’t possibly understand.”
Jace didn’t miss the underlying disgust in thatstatement, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t change the mind of a man like that, nor would he want to waste his time trying. Instead, he focused on getting the hell away from him. He may have switched away from these longer tours for Ian’s sake, but it was saving his own sanity as well. “I can reroute and head back to Provincetown as you requested, but I should remind you that the fee for the trip is nonrefundable regardless of when we return to the harbor.”
Hugo’s face scrunched up as though the thought of talking about money as a limitation was revolting. “I don’t care about trivialities like that. I’m just ready to get off this damn boat.”
“Whatever you say, sir.” Jace pointedly turned away from him and back to the helm. He waited until he heard the turd stomp away, then let his shoulders relax a little. He shouldn’t let a jackass like that get under his skin. Hugo could be as big of a jerk as he wanted, but he’d never get away with speaking about his mate like that. It wasn’t her fault he couldn’t keep it in his pants. Jace continued to fume for a while as he fired up the engines and set the course for the dock.
He didn’t see anyone for a couple of hours. The layout ofTheEndless Summermeant the passengerscould easily come and sit in the lounge while he drove the boat, but instead, they steered clear. Jace could only imagine the tension that must be playing out all over the ship. The bride and groom that were no longer engaged. A woman who’d been betrayed by the man she loved as well as one of her best friends. Another woman who might very well have been used by a powerful man. And then there was Erin, who had only wanted to make things right. Several times, he’d considered slipping down to his quarters to see if she was still there or if she’d returned to her own room. He wished he’d done things a little differently, that he’d woken her up with a kiss and maybe even another round before he’d gone to work instead of letting her sleep.
These thoughts and others had plenty of time to roll through his mind until Ian appeared a couple of hours later. “Hey. I hadn’t seen you at all yet this morning. I brought you some coffee and a cinnamon roll.”
“I won’t turn that down.” A deep rumble from his stomach agreed. He hadn’t bothered getting breakfast that morning. He’d been too preoccupied with his thoughts about Erin, the uncomfortable silence of the boat, and then his conversation with Hugo. None of that had left him feeling particularlyinterested in food, but now that first sip of coffee felt like a lifeline. “Ah, thank you. Why don’t you take the wheel for me?
Ian had already been eyeing the controls but jumped a little as he straightened. “Really? Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. You’ll need plenty of practice if you’re serious about being a captain someday.” Jace took his breakfast and moved over.
Looking a bit nervous, Ian took the helm. “Yeah, but that’s going to be on older touring boats. You know, the kind of thing I might actually have a chance at buying someday. Not some motor yacht like this.”
Jace shook his head as he pressed the side of his fork into the cinnamon roll. It was soft, warm, and delicious, much like…Well, he didn’t need to be thinking of Erin right now. “You need to get your hands on as many boats as you can in the meantime. It all adds up to experience, and you never know what you might be in charge of at some point.”
“You really think this could work out? The whole shark tours thing I was telling you about?”
He looked up at his son. Ian watched the water around them, his shoulders straight and his eyes alert. This might be a fancier boat than the boy hadimagined himself getting a hold of, but he still looked comfortable. This was his world. A wave of pride rushed over him. He hadn’t been a perfect father, but he’d obviously done a few things right. “Yeah. I really do.”
“Thanks.” Ian smiled. After a moment, he took a closer look at the course plotted out for the day. “So it’s true, huh?”
“Hm?” Jace had his mouth full of cinnamon roll. As with the coffee, he realized how much he needed it.
