Page 71 of Deep Waters
“I’ll think about it.” His tone was dismissive. Nothing I hadn’t heard before. But still, it hurt. I’d run up against the brick wall of his lack of faith in me for years. And I was tired of it.
“I’m raising the shop’s rent, effective ninety days from now.”
“We can’t afford that,” he said brusquely, brows beetled.
“You can if you give me an ownership stake in lieu of rent.”
The corners of his eyes flared. A pang of sadness tightened my ribs, squeezing the air from my lungs. It shouldn’t have taken me backing him into a corner for him to finally see me as an equal.
“How much are you talking about?” he asked, his voice gruff.
I hadn’t won him over. But he was listening. Haggling with him on the details took the better part of an hour, but the more I held my ground, the more he seemed to realize I was dead serious about San Juan Marine Repair.
He shook my hand when I stood up to leave. “You drive a hard bargain, daughter.”
“I learned from one of the greats.”
He harrumphed, crossing his arms as he regained his throne. But there was a new respect in his eyes.
A trickle of triumph grew, like water working its way into a crevice, creating a fjord over time. Pride filled me, making my steps light as I walked to my car to pick up the kids and take them back to Jia’s. Maybe it was a small thing, standing up to my dad. Asking for what I wanted. But after years of fading into the background, of doing what he asked, it felt huge. Like I’d finally found my footing and my place in my family.
Chapter 31 – Rae
Afamiliar car was parked in the driveway when we reached the house. Jia stepped out, grinning broadly as Hana and Tae scrambled out of the car and into their mother’s arms. Relief flooded me, leaving no room for questions about her unexpected homecoming, only gratefulness that she was here.
I grinned, watching the reunion. The kids giggled and chattered away, pelting their mom with snippets from our time together.
“We ate ice cream for dinner!”
“The police were here, like a bunch.”
She smiled indulgently over their heads, catching my gaze. Hers held a world of gratitude. “Thank you for taking care of them.”
“It was my pleasure,” I said. Hana clung to her mom like a limpet. I had a feeling it’d be a while before Jia got her hand back. Tae was excited too, talking a mile a minute about all the other things we’d done while she was gone. It didn’t matter that they’d spoken to her over the last few weeks. They loved and missed her.
We moved inside, the kids still regaling their mother with stories. I watched from the sidelines, vaguely aware of Zach’s car pulling into the drive.
Zach joined me on the couch a few minutes later, slipping his hand around mine, squeezing gently. Emotion punched through me. Tae,Hana, and Jia’s reunion was beautiful. But would it tear Zach and me apart? We hadn’t talked about what would happen when Jia returned. I thought we’d have at least another week to figure it out. But time was up.
As if he could sense the direction of my thoughts, Zach said, “Guess we should pack up, huh? Jia probably wants her house back.”
His tone was carefully neutral. He pushed off the couch, tugging me gently behind him, and led the way up to our bedroom. I shook my head.Jia’sbedroom. Just because the most soul-stirring nights of my life had happened under this roof didn’t make it mine.
The sense of loss caught me by surprise. Staying here had always been temporary.
One second, I was contemplating how I was going to fit everything back in my duffel. The next, I was airborne. I came crashing down on the bed, Zach careful to tackle me so I didn’t land beneath him. He tucked one hand beneath his cheek, turned on his side and grinned.
“Dawkins, I’d play house forever with you if I could. How do you feel about picking a boat and making it our home base?”
He looked so hopeful, his eyes hypnotic as they pleaded his case. I hated to bring reality into the conversation. My palm drifted up to his jaw, tracing the stubble there. His eyes darkened, communicating his next move. I forestalled him, exerting pressure to keep his mouth from mine. He might not want to kiss me after I had my say.
“I thinkSailor SwiftandNauti by Natureare both too small for two people. I love you, but I’ll go quietly mad crammed in such a small space together.”
He lifted one shoulder toward his ear, eyes calm. “Then we can get a bigger boat if you still want to do live aboard, or move into a place close to the harbor that suits us both. The only thing I care about isthat we’re together.” He cuddled me closer. “Raelle Dawkins, I love you, no changes. No takebacks. I’m all in.”
The last bit of reluctance faded. His sincerity was too solid to question, too steady for fear. In its place, something else took root: wonder. So much had changed. My life had twisted and turned in ways I never could have predicted, reshaping my relationship with Zach and with myself.
I barely recognized the hesitant woman who approached her best friend for help as a temporary guardian. I’d been afraid of failing, but Zach didn’t let me carry the burden alone. He stepped up. Did his own share of maturing. The way he showed up for me and the kids day after day, without hesitation or question. He’d never seemed the fatherly type before. But now? It was all I could think about.
