Page 4 of A Real Good Bad Thing

“Not a chance, matchmaker.” I straightened and took out my phone to book a flight. “Always start in the bar when you’re looking for information.”

I did notsocializeon the job. Work and women didn’t mix. A stunning brunette named Rosalinda had taught me that while I was on the trail of a stolen Medici artifact in Venice. Damn good lesson I never wanted to repeat.

No woman was worth risking my livelihood and my family’s well-being for.

Especially a backstabbing thief of a woman.

My focus was work and only work. That was exactly how it would be in Flamingo Key. I’d be there to do a job, perhaps squeeze in a spot of snorkeling, and head home—and nothing, and no one, would get in my way.

2

FAIR PLAY

Ruby

A school of fish shimmered like bright blue jewels as they swam past me, making dainty ripples in the crystal-clear water. One darted close enough to brush my leg, making me laugh—silently, since I had the regulator in my mouth.

I waved at my brother and pointed to the underwater camera he held, motioning for him to capture all this. Cole gave a thumbs-up. The Miami sun filtered through the water like a faint spotlight on the sunset-pink reef. I swam alongside glittering blue tang fish and plants that danced in the current, tranquil and silent. As I skimmed the sandy bottom of the shallow ledge, a dazzling pair of purple parrotfish shot past, racing into an underground cavern too narrow for humans. I signaled Cole, moving my hand in a circle.It’s a wrap.The parrotfish would be hard to top.

We kicked toward the surface, reemerging into a world of air and sun and sound after the dark, silent serenity of thirty minutes underwater. Cole tugged off his mask. “Great footage, Ruby,” he said. “The parrotfish rocked it.”

“Thanks. I rehearsed with them earlier.”

He laughed. “Always said you were a fish-whisperer, Ariel.”

I grinned at the childhood nickname, and we swam for the dive boat where my friend Lance waited. “You’ll be swamped with bookings after we upload this promo,” Cole said over the lapping of the waves.

“I hope so!”

I needed them.

Lance reached over the side and I grabbed his hand to hoist myself up. He was a longtime friend who ran day fishing tours, and he’d been doing us a favor, manning the boat while we filmed underwater videos to advertise Ariel’s Island Eco-Adventure Tours. Cole was a professional photographer, and I was grateful to have their help.

“Get what you wanted?” Lance asked while we removed our dive gear and stowed it away. “Wait. That was a silly question.” He held up a hand and flashed his catnip-to-women grin. “You always get what you want.”

“Not always.” I’d worked my butt off most of my life, but that wasn’t the same thing. “But from now on, yes. New Ruby”—I tapped my chest and adopted a tough glower—“takes no prisoners. The new me is merciless.”

Lance chuckled as he started the engine. We sped toward the skyline of South Beach, my wet hair whipping behind me. After I’d almost lost my business a year ago, I didn’t take the bliss of working outdoors for granted. Thanks to my mother’s help, and favors from people like Cole and Lance, I’d started anew.

We reached the marina, and Lance slowed the motor, navigating around other vessels returning to the beach.

Cole ran a hand through his hair, golden from years in the sun, like mine. “When do you leave for your next adventure tour?”

I rubbed my hands together. “About a week and a half. I’m so excited for this one. I’m running a rock climbing and diving gig in Flamingo Key.”

“Nice. First job there in a while, right?”

Crossing my fingers, I nodded. “Took memonthsto get this one.” Business in Flamingo Key had been hit hardest by my ex-boyfriend Duke’s slash-and-burn departure from my life. But I’d been steadily rebuilding my tour company’s presence.

I turned to include both guys when I said, “I can’t thank either of you enough for your help. Not just today, but over the last year.”

Cole raised a closed fist and knocked it against mine. “Here’s to success and sayingfuck youto the asshole who tried to tank you.”

“I second that,” Lance said as he steered Sally into her slip.

I jumped to the dock as soon as it was close enough and helped tie the boat to the cleat.

“See you in a few hours, Captain,” I told Lance with a salute before I headed for my car. I had a sunset snorkel tour off Key Biscayne and had hired Lance’s boat for the trip. More work tonight meant no cocktails now, but no complaints.

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