Chapter Four #2
“Who is this Pearson guy, anyway? He worked around here long?” Zach asked Eliot. He wasn’t ready to let this drop yet. The thought that someone was harassing Marit didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.
“No. As far as I know, he arrived at the beginning of summer from the Portland area.”
“Did you know him while you were there?” Zach asked Marit.
She sighed. “Kind’ve. He was buddies with a lobsterman there who definitely didn’t like me much, and who made it his goal in life to make sure that I—and I quote—‘leave the lobstering to the men.’”
Zach studied Marit. He could see the exhaustion and frustration in her face.
He supposed he wasn’t all that surprised there were some people who didn’t think women could do a difficult job like lobstering, but in this day and age, to come right out and harass her because of it was a little surprising.
He’d seen women in the Navy in traditionally masculine roles endure some of the same harassment, and it made his blood boil then, just as it did now.
He had no problem with anyone’s gender when it came to jobs.
If they could do the tasks required, great.
Then another thought occurred to him. “Was that why you left Portland? Because of this other guy?”
Her silence told him all he needed to know.
Zach turned to Eliot. “What did you and Jonah say when this Pearson guy was harassing her?”
To his surprise, Eliot’s gaze dropped. And Jonah continued to count lobsters as if he hadn’t even heard Zach’s question.
“Please tell me you told him to fuck off,” Zach growled.
Eliot shrugged. “I did say that Marit’s been doing an awesome job,” he said a little defensively.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Zach said under his breath.
He took a deep breath, trying to control his temper.
“You can’t let this guy get away with this.
A bully will always sense weakness, and if you don’t stand up for your employees, he’ll just continue to berate her and try to get her to quit.
Is that what you want? To lose Marit as an employee? ”
“No!” Eliot sighed. “You’re right. I fucked up. I’m sorry, Marit. I was just hoping he’d go away and shut up.”
“He won’t,” Marit said, the defeat easy to hear in her tone.
Eliot stood up straighter. “Well, if he says anything again, I’ll be sure to put him in his place.”
“Me too,” Jonah agreed, speaking up for the first time.
But Zach was hardly impressed. The two men had blown the perfect opportunity to nip the harassment in the bud.
He wasn’t so sure it would be easy to get Pearson to back down now.
He probably got some sort of high out of knowing how uncomfortable he’d made everyone on the Wave Rider.
He’d feed on it. Come back for more. Like a predator sensing weakness in his prey.
Fuck.
“I meant to tell you earlier, but my wife has an appointment tomorrow morning, and I need to drive her to Damariscotta,” Eliot told Marit.
“Which means we won’t be able to go out first thing.
How about we all just take tomorrow off, since we won’t be able to get a full day in?
We got enough lobsters today to keep our regulars happy, even with the festival going on. ”
“Oh, is she okay? Marilyn, I mean?” Marit asked.
It said a lot about her that she’d ask about Eliot’s wife, when he and his son had done nothing to defend her against Lucas, and before voicing her pleasure at getting an unexpected day off.
“Yeah. She’s been having some pains in her back, and we want to see what can be done about it before it gets any worse.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I hope the doctors can find out what’s going on and help her.”
“Me too. But no telling how long the appointment will take, so . . . day after tomorrow, here at the dock? We’ll head out at our usual time. We might need a bit more time to check the traps, though. Hopefully they’ll all be full.”
“Of course.”
“Go to Lobster Fest. Check it out. It’ll be your first time going, right?”
“Yeah. I’ve heard a lot about it. Even when I was working in Portland.”
“It’s a good time.”
“Thanks, Eliot. I appreciate it.”
He waved off her thanks. “You work hard. Damn hard. You deserve a day off now and then.”
“I don’t work any harder than you and Jonah do,” she protested.
“Not sure about that. And Marit?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry for not saying something more to Lucas. I won’t let you down again.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not. The man doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. And for the record, I don’t give a damn that you’re a woman. All I care about is that the job gets done. And you more than accomplish that.”
“Thanks,” Marit said.
“I’m sorry too,” Jonah added quietly. “I should’ve told him to go to hell.”
Marit’s soft heart was on display when she let the younger Sullivan off the hook as well. “It’s okay. I’m used to people commenting on my size and gender in this job. You guys have things under control here? You need me to deliver any crates anywhere?”
“No, we’ve got it. Go, Marit. Have some fun. Sleep in. Relax. We’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”
Zach was ready to go. He was overjoyed that Marit had tomorrow off, but he still wasn’t happy with Eliot and Zach . . . or about the situation with this Lucas Pearson guy. If the guy dared to say one damn word to Marit in his presence, he’d get an earful about being a major fucking asshole.
“Will you drop off my order at The Lobster Buoy?” he asked Eliot.
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks.” Then Zach took hold of Marit’s hand and pulled her down the dock toward the parking lot.
“What’s the hurry?” she asked with a small laugh.
“The hurry is, if I don’t get away from your coworkers, I might say something you aren’t going to like.”
She tugged on his hand, and Zach stopped, looking down at her.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal. I’ve heard worse.”
“You don’t get it. The fact that anyone felt it was all right to talk to you that way, and that Eliot and Jonah apparently didn’t do a damn thing to shut him up, is wrong on every level.
I’m frustrated with them. I’m pissed at Pearson.
I feel sick that you had to listen to that garbage.
I’m tired, worried about how Lobster Fest is going to go in regards to the shack, and upset that I haven’t been able to see you much this past week. ”
Marit stepped into his personal space and wrapped her arms around him as she laid her head on his chest. Something inside Zach eased as he returned the hug. She felt amazing in his arms. Right. And just holding her seemed to make all the shit rolling around in his head calm.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet,” he said into her hair, as he continued to hold her. “I’m taking the morning off tomorrow.”
Her head whipped up so fast, she almost clocked him in the chin. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“That’s awesome!”
“Yeah. You want to come over for dinner?” Zach asked.
“I haven’t planned anything, but I figured I could scrounge up something for us to eat.
That is . . . if you’re comfortable with that.
I know we haven’t done much outside of that first date at Lobster Cove.
We can try to find someplace to eat, but with all the tourists in town, I’m not sure—”
“Your place is great,” Marit said, interrupting him.
“I promise you’re safe with me.”
“I know I am. Thank you for saying so, though.”
“You want to stop by your apartment and change first?”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all. I could use a shower myself.”
She chuckled. “I don’t know. You smell like fried food. And seafood.”
Her belly chose that moment to growl. They both laughed.
“See? You smell delicious,” she told him.
Zach smiled. “Eau de lobster. It’s a good thing you don’t mind it, since I own a restaurant called The Lobster Buoy.”
“I don’t mind. As long as you don’t mind that I smell like raw fish.”
“I think we’re perfect for each other.” It was a simple statement that Zach realized had never been so true with anyone else.
Just like his dad had always told him and his brothers about meeting their mom .
. . when you know, you know. Zach had never really believed that, had always thought love was a slow process .
. . that you met someone, liked them, went out, got to know them more, had sex to discover if you were physically compatible, and then when you were comfortable enough with each other, you got married.
But this thing with Marit, it was anything but what Zach had expected.
“Come on. I’ll drop you off at your place, go home, change and shower, then come to your apartment to walk you back to mine.”
“I can walk by myself,” she reminded him.
“We’ve had this discussion,” he told her with a small shrug.
“Fine. But give me twenty minutes or so.”
“That’s all you need?”
She tilted her head back even more to meet his gaze. “Do you think I need more?”
“I think you’re a woman. And I haven’t known many women to be that fast with a shower and a change.”
“Well, you know one now.”
“Cool. The faster we can change, the more time we get to spend with each other. I’ve missed you this week. Texting is great, and I’ve loved the quick calls we’ve had, but I like being able to see you in person, to hold you, way more.”
“Me too,” she agreed a little shyly.
“Come on. The faster we get going, the faster I can feed you.”
They got into his SUV, and he remembered the stop he’d made before going to the dock. After she sat, he reached into the back, holding up a bag with a grin. “I stopped and got some Ruckus Donuts for dessert.”
Marit’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I love those things!”
“Doesn’t everyone? I’m a good cook, but baking isn’t my forte. I’m happy to support a local business and satisfy my sweet tooth at the same time,” he said.
“Thank you, Zach.”
“You’re welcome.” Happy that the impromptu stop had brought a smile to her face, Zach turned the key in the ignition and backed out of his parking space.