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I open the passenger door and then hop inside, closing the truck door next to me and clipping in my seatbelt.
"I wasn't sure what to wear," I say.
Cammy gives me a once-over as she puts the truck back in drive and heads to exit the parking lot.
"No, this is perfect. If this doesn't do the trick, then nothing will.'
"Doesn't do the trick for what?" I ask.
"Getting you entry on my uncle's boat. One look at you and he won't be able to resist our request."
A zip of excitement races through my spine at the thought of Seven not being able to resist me, but then I remember the look on his face when he found out about Daniel.
"I don't know what you think is going on between us, Cammy, but I assure you that it's nothing. Your uncle has no interest in me and I have plans to get back together with someone when I get back home," I tell her.
"Just so you know, neither you or my uncle hide the looks you give each other when you think the other one isn't watching. I might not know you all that well, but I know Seven and I've never seen him show interest in a woman before. I've certainly not seen him follow a woman's every movement around an entire restaurant before yesterday."
I just about laughed out loud at the absurdity of her comment.
"Show interest? You think your uncle is showing interest in me? He couldn't wait to get me out of his house. I promise you, he isn't interested in me. And if he was following my movements it was probably to keep tabs on me to make sure I don't come anywhere near him."
If I told her about how Seven found Daniel's texts on my phone right after we had sex and now thinks the worst of me, she'd have a better understanding.
"My uncle can seem complicated when you don't know him. I can relate to not understanding how put off he always seems. With Seven, you have to see the things he does for you… his acts of service. I know he can seem like he couldn't care less about your existence at first, but once you're in his keeping, he's a different person, ask any of the guys on the Hawkeyes team. Ask Rita, Maria, Silas, or Miguel. They'll all tell you the same thing."
We pull into the marina parking lot. A building for boat rentals and an attached restaurant sit along the water. Beyond that are rows and rows of docks that are mostly empty. Out in the distance, several boats seem to be making their way back. Seven said something about the boats being anchored out at sea during the storm and now they must be bringing them back in now that it's safe.
I search each of the boats currently docked to see if I can spot Seven. It doesn't take long before I see Seven standing on one of the larger sport fishing boats with a large, covered cockpit and a tall flybridge above it. I know Seven has one of the largest paying contracts in the NHL but this is the first time I've seen him show any of that off. His beach house could use a renovation, his Jeep is at least ten years old and he mostly wears Scallywag's merchandise that Rita probably gave him along with canvas work pants or the occasional board shorts.
He stares back at us from a distance, neatly coiling up a long rope, probably to stow it away. He continues to coil up the rope as he stares back at me, his eyes narrowing. He doesn't look happy to see me sitting in the passenger side of Rita's truck. I knew this was a mistake.
His intense stare makes me want to slink down in the passenger leather seats and hide from sight.
I'm tempted to pull up the rideshare app now and get the heck out of here. I don't need to guess that I won't be welcomed if I stroll up to that boat.
Besides, I need to write anyway.
"Wait here a second, Ok?" Cammy says, opening up the driver's door and then hops out of the truck.
I should have known that she was selling our fishing excursion too easily. Seven's already mentioned that he wants time with his niece without distraction, and here I am, showing up on their fishing trip.
"Cammy, I should go—" I try to argue before she closes the door.
"Don't move a muscle. I'll be right back."
Before I can offer a rebuttal, she's gone, practically skipping down the boat launch and headed for Seven's boat slip.
He sees her wave to him, but he has a look on his face like he's already preparing for what Cammy is about to drop on him.
I see Cammy's animated hands as she starts to explain something to him the closer she gets to the boat. He stands there, listening to her, his expression softening to whatever she tells him. Then, quickly out of nowhere, his eyes darken again and they flash over to the truck I'm still sitting in. He stares back at me for a moment and then nods down to her.
They exchange a few words, and then Cammy spins around and heads back toward me, a skip in her step and a bright smile across her lips. I watch as Seven turns his back on us and moves inside the boat's covered interior.
He must have agreed but he doesn't look happy about it.
The last thing I want to do is cause more issues between us. After all, Seven has done a lot for me when he didn't have to. I should probably let him off the hook and say I'm feeling under the weather but giving up this opportunity to check off one more box is hard to pass up.
Cammy trots up to my open passenger window, beaming from ear to ear.
