Page 3 of Colby
However, at the end of the day, it was a great accomplishment to know that seven more businesses were coming to town that would hire two hundred people.Next week, they were going to do the groundbreaking for the parts place for wine barrels being made right here in their little town.
Dever was picking up something for dinner as they both had had a fulfilling day.Emma was in the living room, relaxing, and her mom was on the phone with someone.Once she left the room, Bailee asked her how she was doing.She could tell that she was in a bit of pain, but she said it was nice to be settled someplace other than a hospital bed.
“I would imagine.And something bigger than the bed that you two share.”She said that there was that as well.“I’m hoping that you guys live close enough that we can get together sometimes.I fell in love with your mom, and she’s having a good time house-hunting with the realtor.”
“She’s going to be spending the most time in the place, so it might as well be her who finds us something.I think she’s finished with traveling now and wants to settle in one place.”She nodded and then said that she’d spoken to her a bit.“Not that I’d turn her down if she wanted to go with me at times.Being home at night has been the most appealing thing you’ve offered us.Mom wants to put in a little garden and have a place where she can sit and read.I’m betting that we won’t even own a television set when we get someplace.We’ve enjoyed the peace and quiet for too long for us to go back to wanting all that noise again.
“I can understand that as well.I was going to ask you, do you still feel up to having dinner with us all tomorrow night?I don’t want to make you do anything that you don’t want to do.”She said other than a pounding headache, she felt pretty good.“Good.I was going to cancel if you thought you couldn’t do it.I can’t wait to get this project, along with a few more, started.It’s going to be so good for the area.”
There was more to it than that, but she didn’t mention it just yet.Bailee was thinking that it would be wonderful if it turned out that Emma was one of the others’ mates.However, since she wanted it to happen, it wouldn’t.But time would tell, she supposed.Tomorrow was going to be another long and scary day with all the meetings that she had coming up.
~*~
He couldn’t help but marvel at the sea this time of the year.Colby had finally gotten his first of four ships that he wanted, and he couldn’t be happier with the way things had turned out.The LouCinda, named in honor of his grandma, was booked up until the first of February.The other three ships would come as he could afford them.And from the way things were looking, it wouldn’t be that long of a wait.
The two that were going to really test his abilities were the first one in a week that had five fishermen and the second one that was carrying eight.His brother Jack was going to help him out with the food and join him on the boat for a few days.It would be like old times.
Hanging out with family had always been his favorite thing to do.Especially when there were only a couple of them to do it with.Having nine brothers and sisters had made alone time nearly nonexistent growing up, so he was going to take it when he could get it.He’d have Jack all to himself for a few days, and they’d work on the ship together and then play around at night.He was glad that his new wife, Taylor, was all for it.He loved all his family, including the ones that had come to them through mates.
“Mr.Tucker?There’s a landline call for you in the cabin.”He and the crew that he’d hired were putting the finishing touches on the Lou to be ready in the event that someone wanted to go out today or tomorrow.Going into the living area, he picked up the phone and answered it.
“My name is David Sledge.I want to book your boat for the next three days.”For whatever reason, Colby’s lion wrapped around him as if to warn him of danger.“It’ll only be for the three days, and I’m willing to pay double your rental fee if you could just let me and my crew have the boat for that amount of time.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t rent out my time like that.”He said it would only be for three days.“I heard you, Mr.Sledge, but I’m not in the habit of renting out something without my being on the ship as well.It’s not the way that I do business.”He said that he’d rent the boat, but what about if it was just himself, but with his own crew that went out.“Again, I don’t work like that.I’m sorry.You’ll have to keep looking.To be honest, Mr.Sledge, I don’t know that there is anyone who rents out a boat without her captain and crew.”
“You’re just starting out, Mr.Tucker.How can you have those kinds of rules when you’ve not even taken out your first group?”Again, his lion wrapped tighter around him.The man knew that he was new and that was why he’d thought to get him to do what he wanted.“I mean, can you really turn down something like double your fees at this stage of the game?It’s just for three days.Two and a half if you’d like.Come on, now.I’ll triple your fees, and neither of us will be out much of anything.”
“I said that I’m not going to rent out my boat to you, Mr.Sledge.Now, if there is nothing else, I’ve things to do.”The man growled low, and that was when he realized that he might be in just a little bit of trouble here.Reaching out for Parker Foster, the grand witch of all witches.“I’m in trouble here.Big time, I think.”
“The phone call?”He told her that was it, and she told him not to hang up.He knew that one of the Fosters, he was too nervous to remember their name, could touch a phone and know just who was calling and where they were.Today, he just wanted not to be killed.Even if he couldn’t, he didn’t want to be hurt either.She told him that she had it.
“Listen here, buddy.You’re going to rent me your boat, and you’re not going to have one little bit of—Christ.”When the line went dead, he gripped it harder to his face and sat down.If not for the chair being just behind him, Colby wasn’t sure what he might have done.Landed on the floor for sure.
“I have it taken care of, Colby, my friend.”He thanked her and asked what he needed to do now.“Just hang up the phone.He’s not going to bother you again.This I promise you.”
That sounded scary to him.Very much so.So, doing as she said, still a little weak-kneed to do any walking, Colby sat at the desk and waited for her to come to him.He figured that she would, just to explain a little of what happened, but he wasn’t even sure he wanted any information right now.Just as he was getting up to do the rest of the work on the boat, Parker appeared in the room with him.
“You were smart to call someone to help you.”He asked her if he wanted him to dump a body.“Smart man.Yes, that’s exactly what he wanted from you.Mr.Sledge had two, as a matter of fact, that he needed to get rid of quickly.You’re a smart man.”
“I’m a terrified one, is what I am.”She laughed, and so did he.“As soon as he wanted to rent my boat without my crew, it scared me enough to know that I was in over my head.Will that happen a lot, do you think?That someone will think they can just rent my boat for nefarious things?”
“Yes.You’re new to the area, and they figure that you have no experience with dealing with that sort of pushy person and that you’d cave when he got aggressive with you.Or that you’re so desperate for money that you’ll do just about anything to get a few bucks to keep you going.I’m going to make it so that you won’t have that problem again.When men of his caliber are looking for a way to get out of a sticky situation call, they won’t see your number anywhere.”He thanked her.“You’re so very welcome.Also, if something happens while you’re out on a fishing trip, I’m going to give you a faerie to help.She’ll be able to keep you apprised of anything that is going on from now on.”
After Parker left, he felt a bit better.He’d even remembered to ask her about the trips that he had booked, and she told him he’d be just fine.Deciding that he needed to have some things on the boat to keep him and his crew safe, Colby got online and looked at things that they could use.He never thought of how far out in the water he would be with perfect strangers.
“I have a couple of questions for you.”He smiled when Jack contacted him.“Do you have a menu that they can choose from?Like you know, lunch is sandwiches.Dinner will be three or four courses.Anything like that?”
“No.Though I think that sandwiches for lunch would be perfect.They can still enjoy fishing while eating.And smaller bags of chips to hold onto.”They talked about having things easier to eat than what he’d have in his restaurant, and then things to have for dinner.“If the crew catches some of the fish, will you be able to serve those up as well?”
It was great to be able to bounce ideas off of Jack, too.He was a smart person to go to when he had questions about food and serving things to his guests.The one thing that he’d been sure to go over with him was a drinks menu.
While there weren’t going to be any drinks on his boat that he provided, a person could bring some of their own, so long as they signed a waiver saying that they were responsible for themselves if something were to go wrong when renting the crew and boat out.Also, he would provide the fishing gear for the trip.Again, so long as they signed a waiver if they were to bring their own, they were solely responsible for it.
There were other things that they discussed while talking, and when he realized it was coming up on six, Colby said that he had a date and needed to get ready for it.Of course, that got his brother to teasing him, and when he closed the connection, he was still smiling.
He knew this woman wasn’t his mate.Colby had been out with her before.They were just fuck buddies.Each of them knew that nothing could ever be more than it was at that moment.Still, she was fun to have on his arm when he wanted a nice dinner and perhaps a play to go and see.No attachments were his favorite way to date.
Picking up Olivia at seven, they were headed to the restaurant when she told him about her job.She was a beat cop and enjoyed her job a great deal.There had been a murder-suicide happening today, and she was telling him how they’d found two frozen bodies in the place after the police were called.Colby nearly ran off the road when she mentioned frozen bodies.
