Part 9 (1/2)

Seven.

IT WAS SUNSET when they pulled back into the dock, having enjoyed their late afternoon ride. Perched on the bow of the Bertram as Dar navigated in, the first thing Kerry noticed was that the small tender was gone.

Rufus was a cute kid. Kerry found his enthusiasm over anything nautical adorable, and watching Dar explain the working of the large diesels was a precious moment she wished she had on camera. Rufus obviously adored her partner, and even now he was glued to Dar's side as she edged the big boat into dock.

Kerry made a mental note to get Dar to let her bring the craft in sometime, though this tiny dock probably wasn't the best one to start with. Dar had to s.h.i.+ft the diesels into reverse twice and then into idle, before they drifted into place. As they gently hit the b.u.mpers, Kerry stepped off and secured the lines. The setting sun was turning the white beach sand a deep gold and painting the wooden buildings into a tropical watercolor scene. She leaned against a pylon and stuck her hands into her pockets, simply enjoying the view.

”Hey, Ker.” Dar jumped off the boat and onto the dock. ”See that?”

Kerry obligingly peered down Dar's arm. Her eyes widened.

”Whoa...what is that?”

A young woman was racing around the waves on what looked like a surfboard, but this surfboard had a handle and, apparently, an engine. As Kerry watched, the girl zoomed around in a big figure eight, effortlessly racing over the surface of the water. Kerry clutched Dar's shoulder. ”Ooo,” she crooned. ”I want.” She craned her neck to see better. ”That rocks!”

Dar smirked. ”I thought you'd say that.” She turned and watched Rufus jump off the boat. ”Okay, Rufus, tell your friend he's got a customer.”

”Cool!” Rufus grinned at both of them. ”I'm gonna go tell 'im.

Go see papa Bud, too.” He pattered off down the dock, only to turn and race back, throw his arms around Dar and give her a hug.

60*

”Thanks for th' ride!”

”No problem.” Dar seemed a little embarra.s.sed, but she returned the hug before she sent him on his way again. ”Nice kid.”

”Mmhm,” Kerry agreed. ”He's got great taste in heroes to wors.h.i.+p.”

Dar rolled her eyes. ”Don't you start that, Kerrison.”

Kerry snickered. ”But it's so cute,” she teased, reaching up to tweak Dar's cheek. ”C'mon. How about a shower before we go to dinner?”

They had turned to go back onto the boat when heavy footsteps made them look around. Charlie was limping down the dock toward them, giving them a friendly wave. ”Ho, Dar!”

Dar lifted a hand in greeting. ”Evening, Charlie.”

The big ex-serviceman halted as he reached them. ”Evening, you two. Listen, got a favor to ask.”

”Sure,” Dar replied easily.

”d.a.m.n fuel delivery's being held up 'cause of weather down south. We gotta shut down tonight. Mind if I bring over a potluck on your pretty boat here?”

”Not at all,” Dar said. ”We've got a table inside. How about we go out and do it under the stars?”

Charlie beamed. ”Sounds great. Bud'll love that. It'll take 'bout forty five to an hour; see you then?”

”Sure.”

Charlie turned and limped up the dock, waving his hand in farewell.

”Well,” Kerry mused, ”that's interesting. I guess they use a generator for power, right?”

”Yep.” Dar stepped onto the boat and offered Kerry her hand.

”So we get to be hosts for the evening. That work for you?”

”Definitely.” Kerry allowed herself to be pulled on board.

Quite unreasonably, she'd developed a wary dislike for Bud, whom she hadn't even met yet, and she was glad their first encounter would occur in their home territory.

It isn't really fair to the guy, she acknowledged. Kerry reasoned it was mostly her gut level reaction to someone who professed a dislike for someone she dearly loved and admired, and she was willing to give the unknown Bud a chance when she met him, especially since Dar seemed to be at least willing to sit down to dinner with him.

But still... Kerry entered the cabin after Dar and cast her eye around it. ”Go grab a shower first, I'll straighten up in here.”

Dar looked around and then gave her a wry look. ”Oh, right.

It's trashed. Thanks, Ker,” she teased, referring to the customarily neat appearance of their joint living s.p.a.ce. But she ambled towards the head anyway, filching a towel on the way.*61 Kerry drummed her fingers on the galley counter, thinking hard.

DAR BROUGHT THE pot of coffee to the table and resumed her seat. They'd finished dinner, and the conversation had gotten more casual as the night had gone on. Bud was behaving, and he'd discovered Kerry was a camera fan after his own heart. Dar suspected the evening was going well and she relaxed, sneaking a glance outside at the dark, restless sea.

She'd anch.o.r.ed them near their dive from the prior day, and the moon had cooperated, lighting up the area with a ghostly silver glow. The ocean was picking up a bit, rocking the Bertram lightly but not enough to really bother anyone.

”So, Dar.” Charlie's voice caught her attention. ”You got any plans for your vacation?”

”Not really,” Dar replied. ”We've just been picking spots and diving, taking it easy,” she said. ”It's been a busy year.”

”S'what I heard,” Bud said. He had a very deep voice that was typically emotionless. It matched his dark, somewhat hooded eyes, and the watchful gaze he habitually wore. ”Scuttleb.u.t.t said you folks got to take over all the armed service gigs.”

”That's right,” Kerry responded with a smile. ”Starting in January, we'll be taking over a lot of infrastructure. Should be quite a project.”

Bud eyed her. ”Careful they don't mess you up. You know the Navy, Dar. If they can point a finger, it's in your eye.”

”They're not that different from any other company,” Kerry told him. ”Trust me, when you're the outsourcer, if they can blame you for anything, they will. We have to deal with that all the time.”

There was a momentary silence, then Bud cleared his throat and looked at Dar. ”Heard about your dad,” he rumbled. ”That's good stuff, Dar.”

Kerry neatly retracted her mental claws and took a sip of beer.

”It was...” Dar studied her gla.s.s, ”one of the most amazing things in my life.” She shook her head. ”But then, this last year's just been full of things like that for me.” Twinkling eyes s.h.i.+fted to Kerry.

”He living down near the old place?” Charlie asked.

Kerry chuckled. ”Right now, he and Mom are puppy sitting for us,” she replied. ”They usually live on their boat, though.”

Bud snorted. ”Boats? Puppies? That ain't the same people I remember.”

Dar shrugged. ”Things change. People change. They went through a lot.”