by L L Shelton
“I can’t drive,” Carly announced.
“Why not? I’ll let you know when to turn left or right. I know you can hear what side the ocean is on. There’s nothing on the beach but sand, so nothing to hit unless you dump us in the ocean. Lift your ass and come over me. I’ll go under.” They climbed across each other, and Carly found herself in the driver’s seat. Avery watched as Carly’s fingers fanned out and grasped the steering wheel. Excitement covered her date’s face with a glow more potent than moonlight. “I will tell you when we need to turn. Make it a curve turn, not a sharp one.”
Carly affirmed. Her fingers tightened down on the steering wheel with a nervousness spinning in her stomach. Her hand guided through the gears as the tractor jumped into drive. With a quick jerk, the tractor lunged forward. “I’m driving!” Carly squealed.
Avery gazed at her, hypnotized by the joy in her eyes. The smile that stretched across her gorgeous face and into her eyes was priceless. This woman was amazing. “Go left,” Avery blurted. She didn’t dare tell Carly of the near-miss of the wall. It would be her fault; she couldn’t take her eyes off her.
The tractor moved in circles, each getting smaller with each pass, with Avery’s words and Carly’s hands it came to a rest. “That was amazing. Thank you.” The sudden movement surprised Carly as Avery straddled her lap. Their bodies pressed close together. Carly’s hands traced Avery’s arms until they found the back of her neck. She pulled her in, lips touching, for the softest kiss. Her heart pounded against her ribcage so hard, she thought it would explode. With a slight part of the lips, their tongues circled in a tease. Carly wasn’t sure if she or Avery released the animalistic noise that caused her center to come alive. “You feel so good. It’s been so long,” Carly moaned over her lips.
“For me, too, but we need to stop,” Avery whispered as the kiss ended. She ran her fingers through the blonde spikes. “I have to get to the other job.”
“Grrr,” Carly sounded out. “Okay, okay. You don’t make it easy, Avery Johnson.”
“I never planned on it, Carly Hutch.”
The car pulled into the parking space twenty minutes later, and Carly turned with a smile on her face. “Okay, what’s the smile for?” Avery asked as she dropped her keys and phone into her purse and dug out a hair tie. “Go ahead. Tell me. I’m just pulling my hair back.”
“I love the vision of you pulling your hair back,” Carly admitted. She found it sexy. “I thought it would surprise you when I tell you we are at Baker’s Fishery.”
“How . . . how?” Avery stuttered the two words out.
Carly laughed. “The smell. The mixture of fish, crabs, and shrimp is unique for this part of town. Plus, hear the bell ringing in the distance? That means the wind is blowing at least five knots. That’s a guide for boaters entering the harbor. Now the question is, why are we here?”
“You’re amazing. We are at the second job. This one will take two hours to complete, but the good news is there is a compact kitchen where they feed us free fish, fries, and hushpuppies. We have about an hour before I start, so are you hungry?”
“Um . . .” Carly was shy about eating out in public. Her body language sent a signal out that for the first time tonight, she was uncomfortable.
“Hey, I got you. I promise. Trust me.” Avery’s fingers rubbed the back of Carly’s head. Carly nodded. “Good,” Avery said before she jumped from the car.
“Carly Hutch, is that you?” the raspy voice called out from across the room as soon as they found a seat in the dining area. “Damn, girl. Where the fuck have you been hiding?” It was Phil Ferns. One of the best fishermen in the area. He operated a fleet of three boats.
“Hi Phil,” Carly answered.
Not intimidated by Phil’s rugged appearance, Avery stood to stop his approach, her arm outstretched, bringing him to a halt with her head shaking from side to side, sending a quiet message. They stood there in a stare-down, neither backing off.
A hand touched her. “It’s okay, Avery. Phil’s a little rough around the edges, but he is good people.”
A broad, toothless smile spread across Phil’s face. “Who’s this little filly? Got yourself a looker there.”
Carly held her arm out toward Phil’s voice, and they slapped forearms. A weird handshake, but known amongst the locals. “This is Avery.” Avery gave a nod of her head as she sat down. “How’s business?”
“Not bad. You know my offer still stands. Sell me that boat of yours and come to work for me. It’ll get you back to the water where your heart belongs.” Phil toned soften.
“Not my style, buddy. I don’t work well for others. However, I know the offer is there if ever needed.” She gave a wink.
“No problem. I have to run. Nice to meet you, Avery. You got a fine woman there. Take care of her. Nice seeing you, Carly, and come by more often. The gang would love to see you.” Phil gave Carly’s shoulder a grasp before making his way toward the exit.
“Interesting character,” Avery announced. “Time to get busy. Ready?”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting me into, but yes, I am ready to follow you.” Carly took a sip of her drink before standing. “Lead the way.”
A two-minute walk and they were on the docks. A tear threatened the corner of her eye as Carly traced the outline of the giant fish. She fanned her fingers over the fin, skimmed the body, and ended at the head and mouth. The cold of the ice numbed her fingertips. “It’s a bluefish, close to fifteen pounds. Beautiful. See this nick on the body?” Carly pointed to a chunk of flesh missing. “A larger fish most likely took a bite out of this lady.”
Avery stood watching Carly examine the fish. “You can tell it’s a girl?”
“Sure. See.” Carly pointed to something under the fish’s belly that Avery didn’t understand.
“Well, I have to unload this crate. So, are you ready? I’ll toss the fish to you, and then you make a 180-degree turn and dump the fish in the transfer unit.”
Carly twisted and found the metal container that would transfer the bluefish by ship to other parts of the country. She took some practice turns and dumping attempts. Avery walked over and slipped an apron over her head. “You’re the sexiest creature,” Carly whispered while Avery tied the apron behind her neck.
Carly laughed out loud as the first slippery fish landed in her arms. A wild juggle before she got a grasp of the fish, then a twist, and finally a toss. Carly turned back to face Avery. She motioned with both hands. “Send another.” Her voice filled with glee. A smile pasted to her face, she caught, twisted, and dumped over and over.
After completing the jobs, they headed back to the marina with a sense of accomplishment. Carly unbuckled her seat belt before she spoke. “Tonight was the best date. Thank you.” She twisted to the left with her hand falling into Avery’s lap. Lips touched, their kiss building from raw to passion, then back to soft. “Come home with me,” she whispered.
Avery whispered kisses over Carly’s knuckles. “Not tonight, but soon.” She leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I want your hands on my body, but not tonight. You stink of fish.”
Carly leaned her head against the headrest. “What’re you doing to me?”
“The same thing you’re doing to me,” Avery responded.
15
Little feet halted when Bobby cemented himself to the pavement, hip cocked, with a hand resting on his side. “Why do I have to go? If you’re going to talk to Ms. Roberts about me, at least do it behind my back. That’s what most responsible adults do.”
Lily Ann stopped in her tracks and dropped her head in prayer. Releasing a puff of air, she turned on her heels. “They broke the mold when they created you,” she said to her eccentric little brother.
“What’s a mold?” Bobby asked.
“Never mind. Suzy’s coming after she gets out of school to pick you up. So, until then, you can wait in the library while I talk to your teacher.” Lily Ann grabbed her little brother’s hand and took a step. His li
ttle feet held firm against the movement.
“Am I stupid, Lily Ann? All those tests I took with Mr. Hogge made me feel stupid. I always fall behind in class. Nobody laughs at me because they know I’ll kick their ass.”
Lily Ann raised an eyebrow. “You get a free pass on that cuss word.” She sat down on the brick wall surrounding a flower bed. She pulled Bobby between her legs, wrapping him in a tight hug from behind. “Bobby, you are far from stupid. You are the smartest in the Bailey house.” She released her grip and spun him around. His baby blue eyes looked deep into hers with worry. In those eyes, her mother’s memory lived. She smiled as she brushed his hair away. “You know how David is better at Minecraft than you?”
“He is not,” Bobby responded in defense.
“Exactly, but there was a time when he was, and you had to practice twice as hard to get better. Those tests will tell us if you need to work harder at some things in school. It does’t mean you are stupid. It just means you must try a little harder than others. When you finish, you will be the best, like in Minecraft. I know one thing; you do not have to try hard at being the best-looking Bailey and the hottest.” Lily Ann hugged him. “I love you.” She kissed the top of his head.
“I love you too.” Bobby snuggled into the crook of her neck.
“Thanks. Now let us get this over with so we can go get some pizza.”
“Yay, pizza!” Bobby jumped in the air.
“The arches in the graph, as you can see, shows Bobby takes a little longer to sort information than the average. In this graph, Jewel pushed another piece of paper in front of Lily Ann for inspection. Once he absorbs the knowledge, his learning is on par with others.”
“I’m sorry. This is overwhelming. What does all this mean?” Lily Ann asked.
Jewel gave a soft smile. She laid her hand on top of Lily Ann’s hand. “Are you going to throw up again?”
Lily Ann laughed. “No, your shoes are safe.” Jewel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, followed by the sweetest smile that caught Lily Ann’s attention. All her thoughts went entirely out of her mind as she stared into this woman’s eyes. Heat rose between the two. Lily Ann felt a surge in her core, and she was sure Jewel sensed it, too.
After a minute of silence, Jewel cleared her throat and pulled her hand away. A blush covered her cheeks. “Um, like I was saying. It means there is a small learning disorder, but with a little extra help, Bobby will be fine.” She waved her hands over the arrangements of papers on the desk. “We suggest Bobby have a few extra classes outside of his regular class.”
Lily Ann nodded when a knock on the door interrupted them. Suzy and Bobby stood in the doorway. “Hey, I just wanted to let you know I have Bobby. We’ll wait outside for you. Hi, Ms. Roberts.”
“Okay, almost done here. I’ll be out in a second.” Lily Ann watched them leave before turning back to Jewel. “You know Suzy?”
“I have talked to her a few times when she drops off Bobby. She cares about that little guy, and he adores her.”
“She’s good with him. Thank you.” Lily Ann stood, giving Jewel a soft shake of the hand.
“My pleasure. I will set up the classes. Stop by anytime,” Jewel answered. “I will walk you out.”
The screams got louder and louder with each step taken toward the exit of the school. Lily Ann and Jewel’s steps sped into a run by the time they reached the lobby and pushed through the door, slamming it against the hinges. Bobby was on the back of a girl, pounding his fist into her shoulder with one arm wrapped around her throat. The girl was screaming while she turned in circles like a wild bronco. Suzy tried to catch the leg of her little brother, but the two rotated too fast like a spinning top.
“What the hell!” Lily Ann yelled as she dashed across the pavement. She grabbed Bobby’s body as Jewel grabbed the young girl’s shoulder. “Let go!” Lily Ann screamed. Bobby released and got pulled back. “What is going on here?”
Bobby’s face was red with fury as his little chest rose and fell in search of air. His blue eyes, darker than usual, stared at Lily Ann. “That girl was calling Suzy names, and she pushed her. She called her a bitch.”
Lily Ann looked over his shoulder and noticed Jewel talking to the other girl. Suzy stood off to the side with her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes fixated on the ground. Voices rose in the area near Jewel, and she looked over to see the girl shrug Jewel’s hand off her shoulder before marching down the sidewalk in a fury. “Stay here. Don’t move,” she ordered Bobby.
“You okay?” she asked Suzy.
“I’m fine. Can we just leave?” Suzy asked. Her eyes never raised to meet her sister’s.
“Sure.” Lily Ann rubbed her arm. “Here are the keys to the car. I’ll be there in a minute, take your brother.” Lily Ann waved for Bobby to come over and ushered them both in the vehicle’s direction. She turned to face Jewel. “That was unexpected. Did that girl say anything to you? Do you know her?
“Her name is Veronica. Her younger sister was in my class last year. I didn’t get much out of her other than Bobby was crazy.”
“I need to talk to Suzy. Bobby said Veronica called her a bitch.”
“Sounds like something Veronica would say. I agree, talk to Suzy and Bobby. He seemed upset,” Jewel noted. “Anyhow, I hope it turns out for the best. Let me know if I can help,” Jewel gave a wave. “See you around.”
The ride to pick up David from his boxing practice was a quiet one, but once David got in the car, Bobby would not be silent about what happened. Suzy sat in the front seat with a locked stare out the window, scratching at her palm in a nervous habit. Arriving at Pizza Palace, the four ordered and ate with few words. David broke the silence.
“Lily Ann, can I have some money for the pinball machine? Bobby and I want to go play and have a talk about fighting.” He figured if he took Bobby away, Lily Ann could talk with Suzy. It was apparent Suzy’s innards were in turmoil.
“Here.” She handed over five dollars. As David grabbed it, she mouthed thank you. He was growing up so fast. She watched as Bobby got shuffled off to the corner where the pinball machines lined the wall. Her eyes lowered to Suzy, who sat there, staring at the same piece of pizza. “Okay, time to talk. That girl is bullying you. You’ve been acting weird for weeks. Is that why?” Suzy nodded her head up and down, then lowered it. “Why is she doing it?” Lily Ann asked.
Suzy closed her eyes. “It’s over Zeke, and before you say it, no, he didn’t start it. When I broke up with him, Veronica thought he would pick her as his girlfriend, but he didn’t. She blames me. Rumors spread about our family and me around the school. She painted the word whore on my locker and put condoms all over my desk in science class. I’ve tried to ignore her, but she won’t stop. I guess the head of the cheerleaders doesn’t like rejection.”
Lily Ann knotted her hands into a fist. Her anger festered “What has the school done about it?”
“Nothing. I mean, the principal talked to her, but there’s no proof.” Suzy wiped away the tears. “I just want to graduate and get the hell away from her.”
“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.” Lily Ann reached over and grabbed her hands.
“No. You can’t keep coming to my aid.”
“The hell I can’t. What’s our motto?” Suzy sat there, flipping the same piece of pizza on the plate. “What is Bailey’s motto?” Lily Ann asked again with firmness in her voice.
“Family always first,” Suzy whispered.
“That’s right, and it’s the reason you should have come to me. You did nothing wrong. Even Bobby knew to take up for you against this girl. Fighting wasn’t the answer, but his first response was to defend you. Family always first.” Lily Ann pulled Suzy into a tight embrace. She felt Suzy melt into her emotions and release them. She rubbed her head as silent cries came forward. “Don’t worry. I know how to take care of head cheerleaders.”
“Please don’t shoot her with Daddy’s shotgun,” Suzy whispered.
“Let’s j
ust say it won’t be my first option,” Lily Ann joked. Suzy laughed. “Was that a laugh?” They both laughed. “I got you, sis.” Lily Ann held her closer and wrapped her in the safety of her arms.
16
Friday afternoon arrived, and Lily Ann’s spirits were high. She’d put in her two weeks’ notice at the lawyer’s office, there was a solid plan in motion to help with Bobby’s learning disorder, and she knew the issue with Suzy, but still needed to find out a solution. The shotgun would not work like it did on Zeke. No, she needed to threaten that head cheerleader’s image and take her down at the knees. Suzy asked her not to get involved, but that was one promise she wasn’t going to keep. The cheerleader dilemma needed to get addressed, but later, because Carly was waiting on her.
Upon arrival, Lily Ann was blindfolded and their evening began.“What cabinet did you say the glasses were in?” Lily Ann asked as her head moved from left to right. She felt lost. She knew the kitchen layout, but without her sight, it felt like a black hole.
“They’re plastic, and you’ll find them in a single cabinet by the fridge and on the second shelf.” Carly returned to cutting the strawberries. A few minutes passed and she noticed Lily Ann had not moved yet. “You okay?”
“Did you say they’re plastic?”
“Yes. Glass is too dangerous for me to have on the boat.” Carly placed the knife down and found Lily Ann still standing at the sink and wrapped her arms around from behind. They stood there for moments as breaths slowed to match their heartbeats. Carly whispered, “We can stop.”
