Chapter 13
“YOU TELL NO ONE ABOUT THIS.”
Cam
Ihave no idea when Chevelle got home because I arrived home later than she did. Instead of driving myself crazy and watching her leave with her date, I worked on my little side project.
By the time I got home, she was already in her room, the light off, but the glare of the television shone through the small opening at the bottom of her door.
I wish I could get her to open up to me about her mother.
Her scars are deep, and therapy helped, but I still hear it in her voice—she blames herself.
Jesus, she was five and didn’t know the ice wasn’t solid.
She was only in search of her brothers. Her story’s haunted this town for years, but as everyone else has moved on, Chevelle still looks at that moment as though it defines her worth.
And of course, she’s already gone this morning, so I head to the marina on foot.
Which isn’t bad because I stop for coffee at The Grind.
I reach the marina entrance and my phone rings, but I let it go to voice mail since I have a lot to do to get my boat ready before my charter arrives.
The guy who booked it said there’s eight of them and they’re avid fishermen who pick a different spot every year.
If all goes well, it should put me in at least second place on the list.
I pass Rowdy on the dock, who’s returning with his break-of-dawn customers.
“Heard you have a lot of guys this mornin’,” he says, helping his customers carry their catch to the store to turn it into filets they can take home.
“Yep, be careful, I’m coming for you.” I wink and climb aboard my boat.
I look over at Chevelle, who’s packing her cooler with drinks. She’s wearing her typical gear except she’s in pants since this morning is a tad chilly. I like her better in shorts for sure.
A guy catches my eye while I’m cleaning the front of my boat, where most people uninterested in fishing sit. It’s actually the most important spot because if the people the fishermen drag along don’t have fun, you might never see them again. Luckily my boat is big enough to accommodate.
“I’m looking for Cameron Baker?” I hear the stranger ask Rowdy.
Rowdy points at me and continues on his way.
“How can I help you?” I ask from the boat.
He stands on the dock and looks toward Chevelle instead of at me. “Um… I’m Kevin Irving. We had an excursion booked this morning for eight.”
“You’re a little early, but it won’t take me long to get the boat going. Earlier’s better anyway.” I look around. “Where’s the rest of you?”
He bites the corner of his lip and throws his hand through his grayish-black hair.
“That’s the thing… we all drank a little too much last night, so we have to cancel.
I tried to call, but you didn’t answer. Since we’re just at the inn, I drew the short stick and had to come and tell you in person.
” He glances behind him again at Chevelle.
“Where’d you tie one on last night?” I walk down from the boat to join him on the dock.
“Someone told us about a bar in Lake Starlight, Lucky’s? And we met…” He turns again in Chevelle’s direction. “Do you know if that woman’s name is Chevelle?”
My body tenses. Was this her date? “It is. Why?”
He smiles. “Well, she was with us, and we were doing shots. At some point she disappeared, but we had to grab Ubers to bring us back to the inn.”
“Oh really?” Date my ass. Anger heats the blood in my veins.
“Yeah. Anyway, I’m sorry to waste your time. I’m sure you’re all booked for the day. Chevelle mentioned she had an opening for later this evening, so maybe we’ll book with her if we can get our shit together.”
He’s right, I am booked, but with my dad’s people. They might throw their rod in the water, but unless some miracle happens, they’ll let it sit there all day while they eat and drink and talk bullshit with each other. None of them are true fishermen.
“When are you in town again? Believe me, you want on this boat. It has more room and I have radar.”
He smiles. “Today is our last chance to get a fishing charter in. The wives decided to meet us so…” He shrugs.
“Okay. Well, as you probably know, I have to keep your deposit.”
“Yeah, definitely. It was our fault and I’m really sorry about it.” He steps back.
“Good luck.” I climb back on my boat and stew in my wheelhouse as I watch the guy go over to her.
She smiles at him and nods a bunch, her eyes never venturing over here. This move definitely deserves payback. The fish from this trip would’ve made my entire week.
Kevin leaves the marina with one last wave. Of course, I’m cordial and friendly because I need him to come back.
Ten minutes later, Chevelle leaves on her charter.
Rowdy calls up to me from the dock. “Can I come aboard?”
“Sure, Rowdy.”
He steps on and looks at all the high-end tech equipment in the wheelhouse. He’s old school and probably thinks it’s all a waste of time.
“Man, how are you in last place when you have all this stuff?” He sits in one of the chairs. “Ah, because your clients are taking naps in these comfy seats.”
I chuckle.
“You see those wooden boats with the purple stripe around yet?”
“Just the other day. A lot of people asking about them,” I say.
“They’re sharp lookin’.”
“They are.”
“I thought there was only one, but I just saw a second one that’s a little different but has the same purple stripe. Sure enough, the same manufacturer name on the side. Five Seas.” Rowdy stares at the bay. “No one knows where they’re comin’ from.”
I shrug. “There are new boat makers all the time.”
“True. Anyway, that’s not why I came on here. You two are playin’ dirty.”
I hold up my hands. “I’m not.”
He raises his eyebrows. “You tell every man who wants to climb on Chevelle’s boat that you’re her boyfriend. I’m not saying anythin’, and I know it ain’t right, but some of those men book charters with Chevelle because, well…”
I nod so he doesn’t have to say it. I don’t really want to hear him say it anyway because it’ll just piss me off.
“But if she got your charter drunk last night, then I’d say you could definitely pay her back.”
I don’t say anything. It’s not that I haven’t considered it.
“This flirtatious thing goin’ on between you two reminds me of me and my dear Anna. She’s the same as Chevelle. All tough and don’t need no one.”
I tip back my coffee. “But I’m not sure that’s the truth.”
Rowdy shakes his head. “It’s not. That girl’s out to prove somethin’. Like she wants everyone in this town to stop feeling sorry for her. And I wish she’d just accept the fact that she lost her mama and whether you’re five or sixty-five, losing your mama is not somethin’ people get over.”
“She blames herself.”
He nods. “Don’t know anyone who wouldn’t.”
“And that’s the problem.”
“You can’t solve this for her.” Rowdy eyes me as if I don’t understand.
“I can’t take away her pain, but I can hold her hand through it.”
Rowdy smiles, his gold tooth in the back gleaming. “Good luck. That shell is thick and strong from years of keepin’ her pain hidden.” He pats me on the back. “I have to get ready for my next one, and don’t worry, the fish costume ain’t that bad.”
He steps off my boat and walks over to his more modest fishing boat. I’m not even sure he offers snacks. But the man knows his clientele well. They’d probably just chuck snacks overboard.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and type out all the supplies I need to give Chevelle the payback she deserves after ruining my best charter of the month.
Later that night, I’m sitting at the kitchen table in the dark, trying unsuccessfully to work on my laptop.
Anything to distract me from my feelings for Chevelle.
It was so much easier when we didn’t live together.
When I didn’t have to witness the small moments in her life.
When I didn’t know what she looks like when she gets up in the morning, or what TV shows she likes to unwind with at the end of a long day, or how she takes her coffee.
“Damn it!” I hear, then bang, bang, bang and a plate crashing and breaking on the floor. “Shit.”
I jump out of the chair and rush out of the room, flicking on the light in the foyer.
“Turn it off!” Chevelle yells, so I quickly turn the light back off. “I’m naked.”
You have to be fucking kidding me.
“Do you have someone over? I thought we said no guests.” My hands fist at my sides.
“No.” She huffs. “I sleep naked.”
“Oh hell, why’d you just tell me that?” I whine. Now I’ll be imagining her in bed every night not wearing a stitch of clothes.
“A lot of people sleep naked.”
“I know that, it’s just…” I huff. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I was just bringing a plate down. I didn’t think you were still awake! I slipped on the stairs, and when I went to catch myself, the plate fell and broke. I don’t want to step on any of the pieces. Can you get me a shirt and shorts to put on?”
“In order to do that, I have to go up the stairs.”
“Shit,” she says.
“I’ll cover my eyes. Let me just turn on the light.”
“No! You’ll see me naked.”
“Well, the only piece of clothing I have on is my track shorts.”
“Perfect, give them to me.”
I roll my eyes. “Then I’ll be naked.”
She’s silent for a moment. “Well, be the gentleman anyway.”
I laugh. “I’ve seen naked women before.”
“And I’ve seen naked guys.”
“In fact, I saw you naked for a split second in Hawaii… remember?” My blood heats from thinking about that flash of bare skin I saw when we had to share a room and ran into each other when she was coming out of the shower wearing just a towel.
“Well then, it’s time for me to see you naked. Give me the shorts.”
Huh. She’s got me there. “But…”
“Let me guess, I’ve never seen one as big as yours?”
I chuckle. “Probably not, not that I wanted to brag.”
Another bout of silence falls over the foyer.
“I could toss you my phone,” I say. “You could use my flashlight to see.”
“Oh, good idea. Do that.”
I go back into the kitchen and turn on the light.
“Cam!”
“I’m not facing you. I have to see where my phone is.”
“Right. Okay, sorry.”
I spot my phone on the table, grab it, and turn off the kitchen light. “Okay, I’ll toss it to you.”
“Okay, I’m right here.” I toss in the direction of her voice and all I hear is the phone bang on the floor wherever it landed. “Didn’t you play football?”
“I was the receiver, not the quarterback. If you’re gonna judge so much, maybe I’ll just leave you there.”
“This is so frustrating.”
“You’re a woman and I’m a man. We can see each other naked. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Speak for yourself.”
I let my chin drop to my chest. “Even if I give you my shorts, it’ll only cover your lower half.”
She doesn’t say anything.
“Okay. Okay. I’ll turn on the light in the foyer and go back to the kitchen. You can see where all the broken pieces are and maybe you can get back upstairs and be fine.”
“Good idea. Why didn’t we already think of that?”
Because all the blood is rushing to my cock.
“Okay, I’m turning it on in three, two, one.” I turn on the light and leave the foyer.
“Shit, I fell right in the middle of the broken plate and I’m bleeding.”
“Game over, Chevelle.” I walk out of the kitchen, seeing her naked on the stairs with little pieces of yellow plate around her.
“Cam!” She whips one arm over her breasts and the other between her legs to cover her mound.
“I’m done with the games. I’m not gonna let you sit there bleeding. You’re hot as fuck and have nothing to be insecure about with me seeing you naked. If it makes you feel better.” I push off my shorts, leaving me standing naked across from her. “Now we’re both naked.”
She laughs and I instinctively want to cover my junk. “This is insane.”
“You don’t laugh in the presence of a man’s dick, Chevelle.”
“It’s not that, it’s just… I can’t believe this. All the times I’ve… and now.”
“All the times what?” I kneel and grab the larger pieces of the plate.
“Nothing.”
I stand to throw away what I have and grab the broom and dustpan from the kitchen. “Chevelle Greene, have you wondered what I look like naked?”
Her cheeks turn red. “Just clean up the mess so I can get dressed.”
I look up at her and our eyes lock. The space between us feels like an elastic band that’s been stretched too wide. The tension is palpable and about to break. My cock hardens past the full chub it was and Chevelle takes notice.
Jesus, I’d do just about anything to take her right where she is. Without the shards of a broken plate surrounding her, obviously. Though if that image isn’t a visual representation of what it would mean for me to be with my best friend’s little sister, I don’t know what is.
“I’ve thought about you naked a lot too, if it matters.”
We lock eyes but she doesn’t say anything, so I get to work.
“I can honestly say this is a first for me.” I sweep up the mess so she can stand. “Get up and go to the couch. I’ll finish cleaning.”
She does as I ask, and I check out her ass over my shoulder. Just as perfect as I knew it would be.
“You tell no one about this,” she warns.
“My lips are sealed.”
After I clean up the broken plate with the broom and a wet paper towel, I pull on my shorts.
“I have one question. If you didn’t trip, would you have walked into the kitchen naked?” I ask.
She’s wrapped herself in a blanket that was across the back of the sofa. “I didn’t know you were down here. What were you doing anyway?”
“Just working on something.” I want to tell her what no one knows, but I’m not ready. “It should be good for you to go back up now.”
She nods and stands, leaving the room. “Cam?”
I turn to find her standing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Thank you.”
“Sweet dreams, Chevelle.” She slowly climbs the stairs, and once I can’t see her anymore, I glance at my dick. “I know, buddy, I wish that went differently too.”