Page 28 of Heart of Stone
“Heard someone wanted to fix the engine on their boat.” He lifted the wide brim of the hat to see my face. “I don’t have any work, and I can’t sit around all day with Slade and play video games. He’s annoying to play with because he’s way better and he gloats like a fucking spoiled brat about it.”
“In other words, you needed something to take your mind off wanting to throttle your brother?”
“Yeah, something like that.” He glanced around at the yard. “Who knew there was a yard under all those weeds? Guess I need to do the same.”
“Yep. You guys will be the only eyesore left when I getthis place all spiffed up.”
“Spiffed? See, that’s what I missed the most. Your comical vocabulary.”
“Really?” I pressed my boobs so that they jutted against the snug cotton fabric of my shirt. “You missed my comical vocabulary most of all?”
“Well, not themost.” Not giving a damn that we were standing in the front yard, he reached over and pinched my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. I felt the pinch between my legs as if he’d reached down my shorts and stroked me. Time spent not touching each other had been like a long torture session for both of us.
He lowered his hand to his side.
“Why don’t you boys have work?” I looked up at him. “It’s not because of me giving David the boot, is it?”
He shrugged. “Might have something to do with it, but Rincon was having staff problems. He decided to shake up everything, including his crew on the water. He’s laying low for awhile and then he’s looking for new people.”
“Good.”
“Yeah, just wait until the three of us show up at your door needing to be fed.”
“Considering that the three of you can consume more food than six normal human beings, that would be scary. As it is, we don’t have much in the kitchen except poisoned cookies.”
“Did you say poisoned cookies? What the hell, did Santa leave you a bucket of coal or what?”
“Don’t ask. Just be glad that Mom only came after you with a vase.” I glanced away to let him know this wasn’t thetime for advice about my mom. I motioned toward the toolbox. “Are you really going to fix theRanger’sengine?”
“If it’s all right with the owner.”
“Yeah, that’d be great. Are you walking down there?”
“Too hard to carry this on my bike. But I’ll need the keys to the boat.”
I walked over and rested my rake against the porch. “Be right back. I’ll walk down there with you. I could use a break from yard work. Just let me check on my mom.”
Mom was in my dad’s old chair. She’d fallen asleep watching her favorite soap opera. Oddly enough, as groggy and out of it as she’d been on the new meds, she always remembered exactly when to sit down for her show. She still knew exactly what was happening in the series.
I grabbed the boat keys from the drawer where we kept them. I tossed my hat on the kitchen chair, knowing that I’d be struggling to keep it on my head on the breezy walk down to the marina. It was silly, but I was excited, like a schoolgirl with a damn crush, about spending some time with Hunter. He was like that for me. As annoying as it was, I was never able to tamp down those same giddy feelings I got when I was going to see him.
I hopped down the steps, and we headed in the direction of the marina. “What will you guys do now? Hey, maybe we could fix up theRangerand renew our dads’ commercial fishing licenses. We could start a fleet of fishing boats,” I suggested.
“Not sure if two trawlers, including one that might not even be seaworthy anymore, would make a fleet.” Hunter combed his black hair back with his fingers. The fabric onhis shirt was stretched so thin with the movement of his massive arm muscles, I could almost see his tattoos clearly through it. “Slade’s the only one with fishing in his blood. I’m not sure what the hell to do. We’ve all managed to stash some cash away. Working for Rincon had its risks, but it also had its benefits.”
“Like not having to work too hard for money?”
“Shit, Street, when you put it that way, makes me feel like a lazy ass loser.”
“Does it? Then I phrased the question perfectly.” Mrs. Grinwald’s black and white cat, Tux, came out from behind the rose bushes in front of her house. I leaned over, and as usual, the cat snaked itself around my legs in a perfect figure eight, making sure to rub every inch of its head, body and tail against my jeans. I stroked his ears. “Tux, I think you just might have been a pair of socks in a former life.” A bird skittered out from the bushes and pulled away the cat’s attention.
Hunter had grown quiet. He stared straight ahead as we walked, and I took the opportunity to gaze at his profile. His cheek was healing. The cut had scabbed over. It would leave a scar, but at least he was able to move his face without it bleeding again.
“You never did tell me how you got that cut.” I’d hurt his feelings with my earlier comment, so I decided to change subjects.
He shook his head, letting me know he didn’t really want to go into detail. “Bad losers at a poker game,” he finally muttered.
We walked on. Gunmetal gray seagulls coasted overhead on outstretched wings, waiting for something tasty topop up above the water’s surface. Most of the fishing boats and even some of the pleasure boats were out at sea. It was an exceptionally beautiful day, clear blue with white puffs of clouds and water that looked like green glass.
