Page 27 of These Rough Waters

“Hi Torin.”

“Hey momma, can Torin come over for dinner?”

Maya sputters, “Uh, I’m sure Torin is very busy.”

“Are you?” Harper asks bluntly.

“Yeah, kid,” I agree, wrapping a length of rope around my hand and arm in preparation to put it away as I turn back to them. Harper is watching expectedly while Maya stares at the rope.

“But when do you eat?” The kid gasps.

“Harper,” Maya lightly scolds, “People are allowed to be too busy.”

“But he’s gotta eat, momma.”

“I’ll eat,” I agree, tying off a loose knot before I toss the rope into a box.

“Maybe momma can bring you food like before.”

“Harper,” Maya starts.

“How about this?” I say, “I’ll come for dinner if you listen to your mom when she tells you when to not do something.”

“Deal!” Harper squeals.

“Hold on,” Maya inserts, “Do I get a say?”

I cock a brow, hiding my smirk at the pinkening of her cheeks when I meet her eyes, “Of course, little doe, may I come for dinner?”

Her lips drop open and a swarm of thoughts I have no right to think about swoop in. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“Well – I – you – I guess so?” She stammers.

Chuckling, I turn back to my tasks, and say, “I’ll be round at six.”

“Well okay,” Maya breathes, “Come on Harper, leave Torin to his work.”

“See you soon!” Harper squeals. I can hear their voices as they walk away.

“Torin said he’d take me on the boat!” Harper says and I laugh at the fabrication of truth.

“Did he now?” Maya asks.

“Yep,” Harper replies, “He said you could come too!”

Oh Jesus…

But really what was I doing? Why did I say yes?

I’d already determined the woman was trouble and yet here I am getting changed, swapping out my tee and jeans for a shirt and suit pants. And then I’m heading to Ruthie’s to rob her cellar of one of those expensive bottles of wine I brought back for her from the mainland.

“Where are you going?” Ruthie asks with a whistle.

“Nowhere,” I grunt, “I’m taking a bottle.”

“A bottle of what!?”

“The red I got for you last year, I’ll replace it next time I go to the mainland.”

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