Chapter Ten #3
And Zach was right. The man did his best, but he fell into the harbor after only eight crates.
Linc picked up Kash and hugged him tightly. “You did it! You won!”
Kash was grinning when Linc put him down.
The award ceremony would take place in half an hour.
The minutes until then were spent with locals and tourists alike all crowding around, wanting to congratulate Kash on his extraordinary performance.
The local TV station even did a short interview with the boy.
Throughout it all, Zach and Marit stood off to the side, taking in the excitement of the moment.
“I’m so happy for him,” Marit said at one point. “Look how proud he is. Overwhelmed, but I don’t think he’s ever been the center of attention like this before. Please tell me some of these kids are in his school. That they’re seeing he’s more than the nerd they probably believed him to be.”
“I’m sure they are. He’s gonna be the stud of his class now,” Zach teased.
Marit chuckled. “I’m not so sure about that. He’s still the same skinny, height-challenged, and nerdy kid he always was. But maybe, just maybe, this will gain him enough cool points to not be picked on as much.”
“How do you know he’s been picked on?” Zach asked. He wasn’t doubting her. He wasn’t an idiot, and he’d been Kash’s age once. He was well aware that the neighbor boy didn’t have the superficial attributes that were important to kids in middle school.
“Britt told me. She’s spent the most time with him, and he’s confided in her a lot.”
That made sense, and Zach couldn’t help but love that his family was embracing Marit as quickly as they had. They probably sensed the same thing he did . . . that she was different. Special.
“It’s time,” Linc said, turning to Kash. “You ready to get your medal?”
The boy nodded. Everyone headed over to the main stage, which was in the park where the heart of Lobster Fest was held.
Kash ended up winning with one thousand, eight hundred, and sixty-eight crates.
He had an ear-to-ear grin, and the black eye from that last face-plant into the crate was only getting darker by the minute.
But he was apparently feeling no pain as everyone applauded wildly when he stepped onto the stage.
Zach took the time after Kash rejoined them—once again fielding congratulations from locals and tourists alike—to check on The Lobster Buoy.
Everything was good, and it looked as if they’d have just enough food to last until the close of festival that day.
There was one more day to the fest, and Zach would need to get to work early in the morning to start cooking, but he was pleased with the revenue his little shack had brought in for its first few months of operation.
He wished he could stay at home with Marit all day tomorrow, since she had the day off, but the reality of owning a restaurant was that he almost never had a day off. He was always on call. There was always something to do, something to make.
“You ready to go?” he asked Marit, when he rejoined his family. Kash was finally looking as if he was feeling the effects of the adrenaline rush he’d been riding for the last couple of hours. Evelyn had already left with Chad and Britt, and Linc was going to bring Kash back to Victor’s.
“Yeah,” she said with a nod.
Zach held up his hand to Kash for a high five.
“Good job again, Bud. You did all of us Youngs proud. And yourself too. I think now you’re an honorary Lobsterite.
That’s what we call those of us who live and work at Lobster Cove.
I think you qualify, since you’ve taken over Fort Bad Assery, and you’ve won the crate race just like some of us have done. ”
“Cool!” Kash breathed, as he smacked his palm against Zach’s.
“I’m sure Britt has probably already sent the videos she took today to your mom. How about we head home so you can watch them with her?” Linc asked.
“Sweet! Thanks for coming to watch me today,” Kash told Marit and Zach.
“Wouldn’t have missed it,” she said.
Linc and Kash had started walking toward wherever Linc had parked, when Kash turned around. “Marit?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think maybe, one day, I could go out on your lobster boat with you? I don’t think I want to be a lobsterman, but a lot of the kids at school have dads who own boats.
And I thought it would be good if I knew a little about it.
You know . . . so I wouldn’t seem so dumb when they talk about it. ”
Zach’s heart swelled that the kid wanted to learn more about the industry that was so popular around here, and it simultaneously broke because he thought he was the slightest bit dumb. He was so smart it was almost scary.
“It would be my honor. I’ll talk to my boss, Eliot. I’m sure he’d be delighted to take us out sometime and show you the ropes.”
“Awesome! Thanks again for coming today.” With that, he waved once more, then turned back around and jogged a little to catch up to Linc, who’d stopped to wait for him.
Kash still had his medal around his neck, and Zach wondered if he would sleep with it tonight. He certainly had when he’d won.
“He’s such a good kid,” Marit said.
“He is,” Zach agreed. He was more than ready to have Marit to himself, and he could see she was exhausted. “Come on, let’s get you off your feet.”
“Yes, please,” she said quietly, as she looked up at him.
Thankful that his apartment was so close to town, Zach held her hand as they walked. Neither spoke as they made their way through all the people still milling around, and each time he glanced at Marit, he could see she was deep in thought.
The moment the door to his apartment closed behind them, she began to pace the small space. Zach frowned, praying he hadn’t done anything to agitate her. He leaned against the kitchen counter and waited for her to tell him what was on her mind.
It didn’t take long. She stopped about eight feet from him—and he was alarmed to see tears in her eyes. He straightened, intent on going to her, but she held up a hand to stop him.
“I didn’t get it at first. How could I? I mean, it wasn’t as if I’ve had any experience.”
“Get what, honey?” Zach asked gently, hating the amount of space she’d put between them.
“What it meant to have a true family. You already know the fact that you have brothers was tough for me, because of my own history. You’d think I would’ve at least felt a camaraderie with the men I’ve worked with on boats.
But I didn’t. They only tolerated me, much as Mav and Max did.
And I like Eliot and Jonah, they’re great . . . but they’re still just coworkers.
“Today? Cheering on Kash, and seeing your family come together to be there for an awkward little boy who’s struggling to figure out who he is and how he fits into the world . . . I felt as if I was part of a family for the first time since my parents died. Don’t take that for granted, Zach. Ever.”
He was done keeping his distance. Zach quickly stepped toward Marit, pulling her into a heartfelt and tight hug. She didn’t resist, snuggling into him as if she was born to be there. “I won’t,” he whispered into her hair.
Then he pulled back, because he wanted to look into her eyes as he said this next bit.
He waited until she met his gaze. “You are a part of our family. Even if things between us don’t work out, you’re still a part of us.
If you think my mother is gonna let you go, you’re wrong.
And Kash thinks you walk on water. He’s officially a Lobsterite, just like you’ve been dubbed.
Everyone you meet loves you, honey. Hell, you haven’t even known Britt that long, and you two text as if you’ve been friends forever.
“Family isn’t just about blood. It’s about choosing to be with those you love, who love you back. My family is your family, Marit. It might’ve taken you a while to find us, but now that you have, you’re stuck with us.”
She chuckled, and the tears she’d been holding back dripped down her cheeks.
Zach gently wiped them away. “I’ll warn you, though. They can be annoying. All up in your business. Nagging. Irritating. You might not want to be a part of our family at times.”
“Will they hurt me?”
“No!” Zach told her with a fierce shake of his head. “Never.”
“Then I’ll never not want to be a part of your family.”
Zach closed his eyes, wishing that they’d known each other longer. That their relationship had started months ago, rather than the couple of weeks that had passed.
Because like a bolt of lightning, it hit him that he wanted to officially make her a Young.
It was way too soon for that, but the seed was planted. She fit in perfectly. She was made for them. For him.
“You’re tired,” he said gently. “Why don’t you nap in one of the chairs until dinner’s ready?”
“I can help,” she protested.
“I know you can, but you can also nap. Besides, I’m gonna keep you up past your bedtime tonight,” he said suggestively.
She smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed with a nod. “So you need to get a nap in now, so you don’t fall asleep when I’ve got my face between your legs.”
She snort-laughed. “Don’t think that would ever happen.”
“You never know. You’ve been up for a long time today. And you’ve worked hard.”
“Zach?” she asked, as she used her shoulders to dry the rest of the tears on her cheeks.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. For everything.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re welcome. Now, come on. I’ll get you a blanket and you can snuggle up until everything’s done.”
She nodded and let Zach lead her to his favorite of the two recliners. He got her settled and turned on some music.
By the time he’d prepped the chicken and was ready to grill it on the stovetop, he saw that she was fast asleep. He stared at her for a beat, more thankful than he knew how to put into words that she’d come into his life. That he’d been smart enough to recognize something special when he’d seen it.
Then he got to work cooking. He had big plans for both of them tonight.
Plans that involved lots of naked time and quite a few orgasms, and ended with his cock buried as deep inside her as he could go as she fell asleep on top of him.
That was his favorite way to sleep now, and if the last couple of restless nights without her were any indication, he wasn’t sure he could sleep any other way.
Not a deep, soul-healing sleep, that was.
He grinned as he concentrated on the chicken and thanked his lucky stars for all he had in his life. His health, his mom, his brothers, his business, a hometown that had embraced his and his brothers’ return . . . and his woman.
Life wouldn’t always be easy, but he hoped with Marit by his side, they’d be able to weather whatever storm might arise.