AllFreeNovel
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“Here.” The bald guy, who I think is the one who booked me, pulls out a wad of cash. “How much to keep this party going?”
“More than you have. I’m taking you guys back, and you can party at the bars in Sunrise Bay.”
“But what about our friends?” Another guy swings his arm around one of the girls.
“Sorry, no guests.”
“This is bullshit. Who made you chief of the fucking ocean?”
“Sorry, girls,” I say and shake my head. They back up, and I grab the rope to free us from the shoreline.
As I push the boat out a little, the bald guy gets behind the wheel. “I’m the captain now.” He lets a maniacal laugh loose.
“Get away from the wheel.” I jump on my boat and force him aside.
I stare at the radio. Cam’s only one call away, but I really don’t want to hear, “I told you so” or “you shouldn’t be out with all guys.” There are plenty of charters that don’t act like this.
Then one of the guys jumps off the boat to go rejoin the party on the island. I just need to get them all back to the dock safely.
I pick up the radio. “Cam. Cam. You there? This is Chevelle. Over.”
“Cam to Chevelle. Over.” Hearing his voice feels like a blanket of calm wrapping around me.
“I need a little assistance here. Do you mind swinging by Sandcastle Island? Over.”
“ETA three minutes. Over.”
I bring the boat back up to the shore, and the guy who jumped in the water gets back in. So far I have two passed out, one bleeding, one soaking wet. Good times.
Cam shows up, takes one look at the state of the guys, and climbs aboard from his boat. “Think you can get the boat back to the slip in one piece, Gage?”
The guy nods.
“I hate to leave you, ladies and gentlemen, but you’re in great hands with Gage. I promise he can multitask, ladies, and keep those wineglasses filled.” He winks and all the women sigh. Everyone always loves Cam.
Gage drives off and Cam looks at the guys.
“You’re the guy from the other boat,” one says.
“Hey, Einstein. Mind getting in an actual seat?” After the guy sits, Cam crosses his arms and sits down with them.
I take us all back to the dock. Once I get us in position next to the dock, Cam jumps out and ropes up my boat. He escorts the guys out of the marina. I’m not sure what he says, but they look slightly chagrined when they leave.
When Cam returns, he doesn’t say anything about them, just helps me clean up the mess.
After what feels like a lifetime, I finally blurt, “You can say it.”
He looks at me with his forehead wrinkled. “What?”
“I told you so. You’ve warned me a million times I couldn’t handle them on my own.”
He sits on my bench seat and pats the spot next to him. “Chevelle, they didn’t respect you. Who’s to say they would have respected any captain?” He shrugs. “It’s not your fault. And I would never tell you I told you so. All I want is for you to be safe out there.”
“Thank you.”
We look over and see Gage bringing Cam’s boat into the marina. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m just glad you called me. There was a time you wouldn’t have.”
I hate that he’s right, but he is. I’m surprised myself. And that shows how much we’re changing. How I’m trusting him, and man, that scares me.
