Page 36 of Bayou Sunset

She rose to her feet, and to her surprise, all the men at the table rose too, creating a peculiar sight given their diverse origins. Daisy Mae acknowledged them with a nod before making a swift departure.

Her emotions were in turmoil, and her hands shook uncontrollably. As she recalled the moment she was shot at, she was struck by the stark realization of how dangerous the situation had been. She'd been madder than a hornet caught in a jar then. However, she craved comfort but couldn’t seek it, as Steve’s friends were present.

In the women’s restroom, Daisy Mae stood at the sink. The high humidity had caused her ponytail to frizz, making it anunbecoming mess under her ballcap. She tried to tame it with water from the sink and then splashed some on her face, feeling refreshed.

Knowing she had their support, she finally had the courage to tell them everything. Steve might be upset, but that was unavoidable.

Daisy Mae emerged from the restroom and noticed the men engaged in deep conversation. When she approached, they fell silent. She couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with her.

Her steps faltered. Would Steve disclose their night together? It was one thing that they might assume the two were together, but to know for sure, and the specifics….

Embarrassed and alarmed, she quickly pivoted and hurried back to the restroom.

Ash swiftly maneuvered in front of her. Concern etched on his face. “What’s wrong? We’re truly sorry if anything we said offended you.”

With his cute, bleached-blond hair, Ash appeared more like a surfer than a special agent. If her memory served her right, his background included experience as a paramedic, Green Beret, Delta Force, and HIS. She didn’t fully comprehend the nature of the military roles, but it was evident that the guys were proud of Ash’s diverse and prestigious positions.

Daisy Mae gazed up at him. “I be fine. I just forgot to wash me hands,” she fibbed.

“Casper,” Steve said beside her, “let her be.”

The blond god nodded and returned to the table.

“You be okay?” Steve asked. He positioned himself directly in front of her, creating a barrier between her and the safety of the ladies’ room. Although she didn’t feel unsafe, she wasn’t emotionally prepared to revisit the past. The weight of everything that had transpired was beginning to bear downheavily on her.

She knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer; she had to gather her courage and confront the situation. Running away was no longer an option. As Steve gently lifted her chin with his fingertips, she felt a rush of emotions surging through her. Looking into his eyes, she found them glistening with raw desire, which sent a jolt through her heart, causing it to skip a beat. She wanted to grab and pull him into the ladies' room, then ravage his body.

“I be fine,” she said instead. “I like the camaraderie ya teammates be havin’.” The inane talk helped tone down the heat that flushed her body at his touch and intense gaze.

“I be worried we'd said something to upset ya. The last thing I want to do is be upsetting ya.”

Then, please don't leave me after this is resolved, she wanted to say but couldn't bring herself to voice it out loud. “Non. I be interrupting ya conversation, so I thought I would give ya more time.”

Her strength began to return as they stood facing each other, his hand gently lifting her chin to meet his gaze. Despite her lingering fear of the past events, she acknowledged they were irreversible. Resolute, she realized that she couldn’t alter the past, but she was determined to move forward and bring those responsible for causing her harm to justice.

Courage restored, she nodded. “I be fine.”

With a cautious look, he lowered his hand and guided her to the table. The plates had been cleared, and drinks had been replenished. Rob was diligently taking notes in a small, weathered notebook, furrowing his brows in concentration, while Ash meticulously studied a detailed waterways map. Their intense focus reflected their deep involvement in whatever task lay before them.

“All right, just to make sure I understand,” Rob affirmed.“You’re saying that you were shot at and that someone also sabotaged your boat. And our current suspects are a rival boat owner and a big-time treasure hunter?”

“I no be narrow it down to just dem,” Steve said. “It could be anyone.”

“I get that, Romeo. I'm going with leads to follow first. You know the drill,” Rob said.

Ash pushed the map over to Daisy Mae. “Is this the island?”

He managed to pinpoint its location with such speed. Despite being just a tiny speck on the map, it was incredibly easy to overlook it amidst all the other markings and details. She nodded. “Oui.”

“Daisy Mae,” Rob asked, “is there anything else you want to add?”

She rubbed her hands together under the table. It was now or never. “Oui, there be more.”

“What the fuck?” Steve yelled, just as she'd expected he would.

Daisy Mae should have told him sooner.

Chapter Twenty-One

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