Page 35 of Prayers for the Prickly

I felt less than a half inch tall as I swung my leg over the railing, crew members grabbing my T-shirt and leg to hold me steady as they hauled me back on deck.

“How the hell did you let that happen?” Uncle Curtis demanded in lieu of asking if I was okay.

He had every right to ask, too, after the disruption I’d just caused his crew, but I couldn’t give him the unabridged version of the events, or I’d never live them down.

“Messed up that timing on the last throw,” I claimed.

“No shit,” he grumbled. “Let me get a look at that arm. That’s it for you on hook today. You can help empty and stack the last two pots then we are all getting the hell below deck before something else goes wrong.”

I turned my arm to show him that there weren’t even any bruises forming, then headed to don replacement gear the moment he deemed me fit for work. My heart was still hammering in my ears, and I could feel August’s presence in the back of my mind, waiting for me to keep my promise and talk to him. As much as it might bother him for me to take so long to reach out, I was determined to wait until I was below deck where I could think about him without risking my safety.

I’m safe,I conveyed.

It was the very least I could do, so I added in a little more, just to try to give him a timetable.We’ve got to pull two more pots before we can get out of this weather. Once I’m below deck, I’ll explain everything.

I’m going to hold you to it.

I know.

He fell silent then, though his presence never left me. We retrieved the final two pots without incident, secured them on deck, then shut down everything, locking the hatches tight before we disappeared below deck.

Each and every one of us was drenched to the bone as we headed to the shower room. Storm had her own stall in the corner farthest from the door, where she’d have some privacy, while the rest of us shared the open shower room, quickly washing the salt and grime from our bodies so we could dress in warm, comfortable clothes.

Alls good and we’re below deck for the evening,I conveyed to August.I can’t go to my bunk until later, or they’ll worry that I’m not okay, which I am, I swear. I’m fine. I promise to tell you all about my little mishap once I’m in my bunk for the night.

Fine but that’s the last time you get to put it off.

I know, I’m sorry, just havin’ a hard time concentrating on cleaning up and talking to you without falling over.

If I wasn’t so worried about you, I’d laugh at the thought of that.

Then at least stop worrying, please, I’m all good now.

Harrumph Stop worrying. Like that’s gonna happen.

That was probably the wrong thing to say, huh.

No shit.

Talk soon. Love you August.

I love you too, which means you’d better get your ass back here safe and in one piece.

I was chuckling to myself over his sassiness as I dried myself off. Something about slipping into dry cotton after a day spent soaking wet was a type of luxury most wouldn’t understand. In winter, guys broke out the turtleneck sweaters and knit hats as we unwound for the evenings. Tonight, most of us were in cutoff jeans or sleep pants, T-shirts, tank tops and crop tops as we gathered around the table.

Sure enough, Storm waved thePhase 10cards at me, and she and I broke off from the others a bit as we slid down to the far end of the galley.

“Must be nice having a mate you’ll nearly get yourself killed being distracted over,” she said as she shuffled the cards.

Instead of telling her just how good it was, I read between the lines to the way she said it, with a hint of bitterness and envy in her tone.

“I take it things between you and Yoshi aren’t going the way you hoped?” I asked, wondering when the hell I’d become the type of wolverine to sit and listen to the troubles of others.

Today, I guess, because my cousin quirked her lip at me, sighed heavily and rubbed the back off her neck.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yup.”

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