Part 18 (1/2)

Sean appeared in the doorway. He had gone to see how much longer it would be before they reached the marina.

”We're within five minutes. What's the plan?” Sean asked, referring to Joanna.

”I'll let her sleep and bring her home when she wakes up,” Landon offered. ”She'll probably be out for a while.”

After a long look, Royce agreed to leave Landon with Joanna.

”I'll take care of her. She's safe with me,” Landon promised her brother.

”If I doubted that for a minute, you wouldn't be anywhere near her,” Royce a.s.sured him. ”One word of warning though,” Royce continued with an evil smile, ”she may be a tad irritable when she wakes up.” With that being said, he turned and climbed the stairs. Landon heard the sonof-a-b.i.t.c.h whistling as he helped unload their gear.

”She'll be fine with Landon; he wouldn't let anything happen to her,” Kurt rea.s.sured Royce as they carried the last of the air tanks to the truck.

Royce offered Kurt his hand saying again, ”I know, or I would never leave her with him.”

Shaking Royce's hand Kurt continued, ”Now, I'm not sure he is safe with her.”

”You may be right,” Royce laughed as he agreed. Turning to find Sean, Royce called, ”Let's go. I have a date tonight and I don't want to be late!”

Kurt shook his head as Royce and Sean roared out of the parking lot. He walked back to the boat and glanced at his watch. He had close to an hour and a half to get things done before he needed to pick up the girls for dinner.

Kurt wished he could check in with everyone at home, but his cell phone had just died. Clarissa had lost her cell phone charger, so she was using his. He had accidently run over his car charger after it had fallen out of his truck a couple of days ago. Consequently, there was no way to recharge his phone until he got home. Becki was off work today and would take care of anything that came up, but he would call them when he got to the shop, just to be sure.

”You ok, bud?” Kurt called down to Landon.

”Yea, I've got it covered down here. I'll catch up with you this evening,” Landon said quietly.

”Ok, the girls and I are going to go out to eat tonight. They leave for Indiana in the morning.”

Kurt would miss his girls, but he needed to know they were safely tucked away from whatever craziness was in progress here.

”Ok, catch ya later,” Landon said, his attention being pulled once again to the woman sleeping nearby. Sean had warned that Joanna would wake up with the mother of all headaches. He had aspirin ready for the minute she began to stir.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Becki had been home all day cleaning her house. The floors positively sparkled. She was lounging on the deck drinking a gla.s.s of wine when her cell phone rang.

”Hey, you're home safe and sound!” Becki answered.

”Yep, and already unpacked,” Natie said.

”Wow! You're good!” Becki applauded, taking a sip of her wine. ”I just called to let you know I dumped Jonah on his self-centered a.s.s,” Natie said without any sort of forewarning.

Becki spit her wine out all over the table. ” What? It's about d.a.m.n time!” She said trying not to choke.

”I decided the night we left and told him to get his s.h.i.+t together and get out as soon as we got home,” Natie said proudly.

”That's wonderful news!”

”He whined about being tired from the drive, and I told him I was pretty sure he could find someone willing to let him into their bed tonight. But, that someone wouldn't be me!”

Becki laughed, ”Ha! I bet he didn't have anything to say to that!”

”Oh, he slammed around, and I helped him all I could... by throwing his s.h.i.+t out in the front yard from the second story window!” Natie bragged.

Becki laughed as Natie gave her the details. ”Oh, Nat, I wished I could have been a fly on the wall,” she said, her eyes dancing with mirth. ”Speaking of being a fly on the wall, tell me about your ride home with Sean the other night. He's such a sweet-heart.”

”I know, but I'm not ready to think about anyone other than me right now, Becki. I didn't love Jonah anymore, but he was comfortable. I've never been with anyone else, so I'm just going to go solo for a while,” Natie said.

”There's nothing wrong with that. You need to come back here now that you've cut the ball and chain loose. We can have some real fun,” Becki coaxed.

”Maybe I'll be able to come back in a few months. Don't get too excited, but I'm considering moving there permanently.”

Becki screamed in excitement, ”Really?” Becki asked as she stood up and danced around in circles. ”That would be so awesome!” Flopping back into her seat, she grabbed her wine gla.s.s and pressed her sister for details, ”When?”

”I'm thinking as soon as this semester is over. I still have a few weeks to go. I'm getting sick of school, so I might take next semester off. I figured that would be a good time to relocate,” Natie shared. ”What's that hottie's name, the one who owns your house? Does he have any more rental properties on the Island?”

”I'm sure he does...and he is a hottie,” Becki agreed. ”I'll be glad to make the sacrifice and find out for you,” she graciously offered.

”I'm sure you would,” Natie said, mocking her sister. ”Have you talked to Jenna lately?”

”She Facebooked me just the other day,” Becki said as she poured another gla.s.s of wine. She had spit most of her other gla.s.s out. ”She had some new ink she wanted me to see.”

”Tweedy Bird,” Natie said laughing.

”Yep, that's it. She also got nipple rings, but she didn't send me pics of those. Thank G.o.d,” Becki said grimacing. That was just way too much for her. Those had to hurt like a mother.

”Just wait. I'm sure you'll be able to catch them on Facebook,” Natie teased.

”Probably,” Becki agreed.

Jenna was a free spirit. She was into body piercings and tattoos, liked to smoke a little pot, and ride her Harley. She reminded Becki of a chocolate covered cherry-- hard on the outside and mushy on the inside. Jenna also had a pet snake that Becki and Natie were not so fond of. She insisted that he was a real ”sweet heart.” But even so, they made her leave him at home, when she visited one of them.

”You should so get Jenna to come with you,” Becki said.

”Oh G.o.d, can you imagine the three of us together on an island? That place would never be the same! Me with my b.o.o.bs hanging out, her with tattoos and piercings everywhere, and you trying to get us all drunk. I'm not sure the locals could take it. And then there's the ”midnight ride”. That alone would probably get her thrown in jail!”

Jenna liked to ride her Harley in the buff during the full moon. She had tried to talk Becki and Natie into it several times but hadn't been successful, yet.

It was nice to hear Natie so happy. It had been a long time since Becki had heard that sparkle in her voice.

”You should ask her anyway. She might be ready for a change,” Becki urged.

”I will; next time I talk to her. I have to figure out what I'm going to do before I pull her into the mix,” Natie reasoned.