Page 12 of A Shore Fling
“Well, I didn’t plan to get stranded.” She sips more water.
“No one ever does. They just assume it’s easy and have a complete disregard for the dangers the ocean brings.”
“Are you always this righteous?”
“Are you always this careless?” I retort.
“Touché.” Her mouth twitches. “I bet you’ve got a whole speech for visitors like me.”
I point to the logbook. “Page eight. Right between ‘City Folk Know Surprisingly Little’ and ‘You Have No Business Driving A Boat.’”
She laughs, and the tinkling sound takes me by surprise. “You’re a real ray of sunshine, harbormaster.”
“Travis,” I say. “My disposition will improve once your bags are on this boat and we’re back in the harbor.”
“I’m Nina. And thank you for your help, even though you’re kind of an ass about it.”
“Hey, I don’t get paid to be charming.”
She tips the bottle at me. “Good thing.”
I grunt, already steering us into a slow circle back toward the Sea Ray. She comes up to sit beside me.
“I really did think I could handle it. I just forgot to ask David for directions to the house, and then I lost track of time looking at all the beautiful scenery.”
I glance at her and then at the Sea Ray. “Next time, start smaller. Try a float or something less likely to kill you or anyone else.”
She smiles at me. “Do you offer lessons?”
“Yeah. Lesson One: Don’t believe anything David tells you.”
I bring us up alongside the Sea Ray with a little reverse throttle. She’s listing slightly but not taking on any water. “Boat looks stable enough. I’ll have Perkins Marine tow it in. They can drag her off the shoal without snapping anything.”
She frowns. “We’re just leaving it?”
“No. We’re letting someone with the right gear handle it. It’s not much of a rescue if I end up grounded next to you.”
She nods. “True.”
I radio in to let David know there’s no medical help needed and for him to send Perkins Marine out to retrieve the boat. Iturn to Nina. “I’ll get your bags.” I climb over the gunwale of the Sea Ray in one practiced motion and land with a thud on the deck. There’s a suitcase, a leather duffel bag, and a small tote hanging from the throttle like it’s a coat rack.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
“Be careful with those,” she cautions.
I lift the suitcase with a grunt. “What the hell did you pack in this, gold bars?”
“I wasn’t sure what I’d need.”
“You packed like you’re never going home.” I heave the suitcase over the gunwale and drop it onto the deck of the patrol boat.
She scrambles over to it. “You need to be more careful.”
“Someone needs to take their own advice.” I toss the leather duffel onto the deck just as carelessly.
“That one has my good stuff in it.”
“What, the ballgown you’re gonna wear to the train car diner?”
Her nose wrinkles. “It’s a sundress, not a gown. The rental website suggested packing a variety of clothing items and mentioned how charming this town is.”
