Page 43 of A Ferry Merry Christmas
“Of course. There’s no reason for both of us to go out in the cold. Besides, we don’t want the fish to overcook.”
The only roadblock in his plan would be finding Kellie’s brother. He’d need Avery to scout him out before they docked. The solution was simple, if his sister agreed. Reaching for his phone, he called Avery.
She answered almost immediately. “Reed, this waiting is horrible. Everyone is upset and no one knows how much longer this is going to take.”
“How are you doing, kiddo?”
“About as well as can be expected. We got word from the captain a few minutes ago that it doesn’t look like the ferry can be fixed. He’s calling for a tugboat, but no one knows how long that’s going to take.”
Reed felt awful for Avery and all those who’d been trapped for hours on end.
“If that isn’t bad enough, one of the men waiting with us is having a panic attack. Literally. People are helping as best they can. His wife is in labor and at the hospital and he’s missing the birth of his first child.”
Reed closed his eyes in sympathy.
“On a positive note,” Avery added.
His sister always saw the positive side of things.
“His wife isn’t on the ferry.”
“That’s a blessing for sure,” Reed said. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a miserable day. Did I mention earlier that I’d met someone from work, and we spent the afternoon together?” He didn’t add that the time with Kellie was one of the most delightful days he’d had in months, not after everything Avery had been through.
“You did, and I’m glad you didn’t wait long at the terminal.”
“Her brother is on the ferry, and Kellie—that’s her name, by the way—was waiting for him at the terminal at the same time I was.” Now came the hard part. “When Kellie learned you hadn’tbeen able to eat lunch, she suggested that the two of us prepare a meal for you and her brother.”
“What a thoughtful idea.”
He quickly added, knowing what was coming, “The thing is, I need you to connect with her brother.”
“Connect? What do you mean?”
“You need to find him, introduce yourself, and explain that I’ll be waiting for the two of you at the dock. From there, the three of us will walk to my condo. Kellie will be waiting here.”
“Okay, I think.”
Avery sounded less enthusiastic now.
“From what she said, her brother is about your age.”
The hesitation was longer this time. “Reed,” she said, her tone deep and suspicious. “Are you arranging another blind date for me?”
“I knew that was what you’d think,” he said quickly, “but I swear this is legit. All you need to do is locate Kellie’s brother and tell him the plan.”
She huffed a bit. “And how am I supposed to do that?”
Reed hadn’t given that part much thought.
“I think it would be a much better idea if Kellie phoned her brother and told him to look for me. You can explain that I’m in the front of the vessel, sitting next to the expectant father.”
“But . . .”
“I am not about to go in search of a stranger and tell him that he’s joining me for dinner. If Kellie wants me to meet her brother, then she should connect with him and have him find me.”
“You’re being unreasonable,” Reed said, growing irritated.
“I am not going to look for some guy I’ve never met and invite him to dinner. You’re being ridiculous. Let him find me.”
