Chapter 16
Rowan Rafferty tries to help
I walked the length of the dock next to Kendra’s former charter boat.
The once-proud boat bobbed in the water, listing slightly to one side as if exhausted from last week’s ordeal.
The pungent smell of burnt fiberglass hung heavy in the air, a bitter reminder of the electrical fire that had consumed her beloved Netfish and Chill.
Blackened remnants clung stubbornly to the hull, contrasting starkly against the ashy gray that now marked its surface.
My gut churned as I considered my harebrained plan to help Kendra without her discovering who I was.
As if I conjured her out of thin air, the woman of the hour strode down the weathered planks of the dock toward me. “Hey,” she said. “What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath. “Well, don’t get mad.”
Kendra rolled her eyes. “I thought we went over this, Boss. I can’t promise you something like that.”
“Okay, how about this? Keep an open mind.”
The rumble of the towboat entering the Pleasure Point Marina drowned out anything she would say in response. But her eyes widened as the boat drew closer to where we stood on the docks.
“Hey Raff!” The towboat Captain yelled from the helm. “Got your delivery! Where do you want it?”
“What is this?” Kendra demanded as she caught sight of the Seeger 3000 catamaran floating behind the tugboat.
I raised an eyebrow.
She sighed. “I’m keeping an open mind.”
I nodded. “Okay, then. When the salvage crew returned your burnt charter boat to Pleasure Point, I recognized this as a Seeger 2512 catamaran.”
“That’s right.”
“Only a few of those were made in the 80s,” I said.
“Collector’s items?”
I snorted in derision. “Hardly. There were issues with the electrical. Seeger recalled those boats decades ago.”
“I don’t understand.” Kendra looked between her burnt charter and the towboat. “What is this?”
“I made a call to Seeger,” I began.
“Where do you want me, Raff?” Decker, Kendra’s former first mate, and my current employee, joined us at the burnt boat.
“You’re going to pilot that boat.” I pointed to the 3000, then to the dock beside us. “Into this slip when the towboat removes the wreckage.”
“Wait a minute!” Kendra stepped in front of Decker and held up her hands to both of us. “You can’t take my boat! I’m going to fix it.”
Decker snorted.
I held my peace because I didn’t want to get knocked into the water and have to clean my prosthetic. Brine was a bitch to get out of the cuff.
“Kendra. That boat is not fixable. I’m surprised they were able to salvage it and bring it back here, but to be honest, I’m pissed at the salvage company for charging you when they should have scuttled it.
” I grit my teeth. I didn’t tell her I already had stern words with the arseholes that ran the salvage company, and they were forever on my shit list.
“You don’t know it’s not fixable,” Kendra pleaded, blinking away tears in her eyes.
“Decker, please work with Cappy over there and switch these out.” I turned toward Kendra and tugged her down the dock to her houseboat. “Come with me, love. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”
“No!” She yanked her hand out of mine and turned back toward the wreck. “You aren’t going to use your smooth words and sexy accent to get me to get over this!”
Sexy accent. I almost smiled, but the memory of her unshed tears sobered me. “Kendra. That boat is wrecked. I called Seeger, and they sent a comparable replacement, plus a check for $75,000 to cover the Coast Guard and salvage charges. There’s plenty left over for upgrades to your new boat.”
Kendra hugged her arms to her stomach and hunched in on herself. After a few moments, she blew out a long exhale.
I stepped up behind her and wrapped my arms on top of hers.
“Goldilocks, this is a good thing. If you tried to fix that recalled boat, you’d only throw your good money into a hole in the water.
Seeger was mortified that this boat was still out there.
They didn’t have you listed as the original owner, so you probably didn’t know about the recall.
Although, I’m guessing the traitor who sold it to you knew full well that there was a problem with it.
Seeger found that he took the recall settlement money.
Then, it looks like he sold you damaged goods—double dipping.
You’re lucky that thing didn’t catch fire before. Aren’t you pissed?”
Kendra pulled one of her hands out of my embrace and swiped at her eyes before turning toward me. “Yes. Pissed. You had no right to do this.”
I blinked. “You’re pissed at me? I’m trying to help you!”
“I didn’t ask for your help.”
“You didn’t have to. You needed help, and I was able to help. End of story.”
“I. Didn’t. Ask. For. Your. Help.” Kendra fumed and paced the dock. Her breath hitched as Cappy attached the Netfish to his towboat. “That was the boat I was going to start a business with Jesse.”
I clenched my jaw so tight I swear I heard some of my back teeth crack. “More than two decades ago, right?”
She shrugged.
“Exactly. This was never yours and Jesse’s business.
It was solely yours. You did all of this, love.
You fixed the boat, ran the charters, hired the first mates, and advertised.
All of it. That’s all you. You’re amazing and deserve a second chance,” I said.
“Don’t you think you deserve a second chance? ”
Kendra didn’t answer as we watched Cappy tow the Netfish away from the dock and out of the mouth of the Marina. She stood silent as Decker expertly docked the new catamaran and secured the lines. She also said nothing for a long time after he left us alone on the dock.
It seemed like an eternity passed before she sighed and turned back to me. “Fine.” She patted me on the chest, giving me a broken smile. “Fine. Yes. Second chances. Sounds good. Do I need to do anything with this salvage thing or with the check? Because I have a dress fitting to get to.”
I shook my head and she walked away, headed toward the Marina parking lot.
Fine? She wasn’t fine. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that. I scratched the back of my neck and considered my next move.
I think it meant I was going to a bridal store.