Bait Shop Blues

by Nancy Pirri

  “What?”

  “I just remembered I’ve a guiding trip lined up for the entire day tomorrow.”

  “Cancel it,” she ordered.

  He gawked at her, noticing for the first time the white terry cloth robe she’d donned, the belt she’d left untied. His eyes caressed a creamy expanse of skin between the two edges of her robe. Finally, he tore his eyes away and met her accusing look.

  “I can’t cancel the trip. I’m taking five guys out. That’s a substantial chunk of change for Gateway, and we’re leaving around six.”

  “I-don’t-care. What if I was allergic to bees?”

  “You’re not, right?” he asked, his eyes widening in alarm.

  “No, thank heaven!” She stepped back and slammed the door in his face.

  He’d heard Cassandra pacing her room before she finally settled down for the night. While she slept Leif spent the next few hours removing old screening from windows in the bathroom and other damaged ones around the store, replacing them with new ones, keeping as quiet as he could while completing his task. As he stretched the last bit of screening across a window and stapled it in place he cursed himself for not fixing them before her arrival. He’d purchased the screening fabric months ago, but one interruption after another, one more fishing trip, then the next, had prevented him from doing the job, which was no excuse, he knew. She had every right to be angry. But then he thought this episode in the life of a city woman living in the wilds only shored his belief that she didn’t belong here.

  He got three hours of shuteye when his alarm went off at 5 a.m. Cassandra had already made a pot of coffee. He smelled the aromatic brew, made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of the strong brew, then sipped it. Smiling, he thought, she sure does know how to make a damned good cup of coffee.

  Meandering out to the storefront, he stopped behind the counter and watched Cassandra talking with a couple of the fishermen who’d stopped by for bait. She laughed with them a moment, then told them good luck before they left. She had good people skills, Leif decided, and she wasn’t too shabby handling the books, either. Which was fine with him since he couldn’t sit long enough to get anything accomplished on them.

  She moved around the counter and perched on a stool, sipping her coffee, ignoring him. It was time to have the little talk about her leaving once more. Maybe she’d chicken out on the trip they’d planned for fall. A little voice inside him said, maybe she’ll tell him she planned on staying forever. He frowned. Just the thought of that made him feel good all over. What in the hell was wrong with him? Was he falling for this pretty woman?

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  She gave a jerky nod, meeting his eyes briefly before turning away.

  “I fixed all the screens and got rid of the hive.”

  Even though she wore a pinched expression, she muttered, “Good.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I think those bees left their stingers behind—in me. When Maxie gets here I’ll have to go into town and see a doctor.”

  Maxie arrived a few minutes later and, after hearing Cassie’s retelling of her mishap the previous night, she said, “Honey, you’d better go into town and see Doc Paulson. I’ll mind the store.” She turned to Leif. “Let me guess. Bet you finally fixed the rest of the screens, didn’t you?”

  He nodded in chagrin as he watched Cassandra carefully ease off her stool and move through the curtain. He followed her to the bathroom and just as she started to close the door he stopped her. “I think I can get the stingers out,” he offered. “I’ve eyes like an eagle.” He wasn’t boasting. With his hand positioned against the door above her head he smiled down at her, silently urging her to take him up on his offer.

  Her face reddened. He moved forward, backing her into the bathroom.

  “Is that a yes?” he asked.

  “Of course it isn’t!” she shrieked. “You can help me by driving me into town.”

  He sighed and glanced down at his watch. “But I have to leave in half an hour.”

  “Maxie can have your fishing clients wait right here until we return,” she replied.

  “All right. Guess we can leave a bit later, but just so you know, it’s likely I’ll be paid less.”

  “That’s too bad, but it can’t be helped. She grinned. “You know, you just made my day.”

  He returned her smile. “How’s that?”

  “You’ve reminded me that you’ll be gone the whole day.”

  Scowling, he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway, muttering, “I’ll be in the truck.”

  ~ * ~

  That evening, Cassandra glanced up over the rims of her reading glasses and found Leif scowling at her from the doorway leading into the den. She’d made good use of her day with him away. She glanced at her watch and was astonished to see it was seven o’clock. Pouring over Gateway’s ledgers and typing everything into a money program on the computer had left her tired and grouchy, not to mention worried. And her rear end still hurt.

  Unfortunately, Leif appeared to be in the same mood. “What are you doing in here?” he growled.

  Cassandra sank back in the desk chair and gave him a level look. He looked annoyed, but not angry in the way that a man can get when his territory has been invaded. Hopefully this meant he was getting used to her presence.

  “Is there some reason why you haven’t kept up the books since I fixed them a few weeks ago?”

  He shrugged. “Been too busy. They’ll keep.”

  “So, if you don’t have time, tell me. I’ll do them.”

  His chin jutted out. “No. I said I’d work on them and I will.”

  “Come over here. I’ve something to show you,” she said.

  Prickles of awareness slid up her spine when he took up a position behind her. She opened up the account ledger to the information she’d just finished typing into the computer, and pointed at the monitor.

  “I thought it would be easier to see things on the screen rather than in a ledger. I’ve found some problems and we need to talk about them.”

  Most men hated being nagged, but she couldn’t stop herself from adding, “These are last year’s checkbook records. Did you use a calculator and run a tape on these as you entered deposits and made withdrawals?” She looked at him over her shoulder.

  He leaned over her, surrounding her, one hand planted on the desk at her side. “I used a calculator but I didn’t run a tape.”

  “Hum, you must have had the decimal point in the wrong place because I’ve found several errors.”

  He moved around to the front of the desk. “I’ll check over all of it in the fall, once things slow down. I’m turning in.”

  Cassandra watched him move to the door, positively amazed at how he brushed off an important thing like money without a care. “Leif?” He turned to her, an irritable look on his face. “This can’t wait. It’s very important that we talk this over and resolve the problem. We have far less money in Gateway’s accounts than what you believe.”

  “We?” he stated, his voice hard.

  “Yes, we. We are in this together.”

  “No, there is no we. As soon as you return to Chicago, it’ll be just me.”

  So, he was back to that attitude again. She sighed, but didn’t reply and watched him rake a hand through his hair.

  “Look,” he said, “Gateway’s doing just fine.”

  “Is it?”

  “The bottom line is that if you look at the latest bank statement we’re doing more than fine. I run a darned good business,” he said, bristling.

  She sighed, knowing she’d bruised his ego, but forged on. “You sell bait and tackle. Period. You have three, maybe four heavy half-hour periods during any given day when the fishermen come in to purchase bait. But you’ll never survive in the long run, unless you begin carrying merchandise tourists would purchase, other than fishermen.”

  “Such as?”

  “Grocery items, for one thing. Have you any
idea how many folks come in here looking for milk and bread and soda pop? And more of a selection of gift items, too. There are so many possibilities for this place, Leif, I can’t believe you haven’t thought of them yourself.”

  “What?” he barked. “You expect me to survey the tourists on their wants and needs? Like hell I will. I’m running this place same as your grandpa did and it’s still afloat.” He strode into the hallway.

  At his departing frame, she shouted, “Yes, well, we’ll need to reevaluate merchandise, and diversify our selling methods in order to make more of a profit on this place. You see, sooner or later the IRS will catch up with us!”

  She watched the empty doorway until he reappeared, a stunned expression on his face. “What did you say?”

  “Income taxes haven’t been filed on Gateway in two years. We owe money, Leif…lots of it.”

  “Roy always filed the taxes, but in the last years of his life he’d been sick more often than well. He never told me.”

  “But you file your own taxes, don’t you? Wouldn’t that have triggered your memory to do Gateway’s?”

  “Like I said, your grandpa always did them. By the way, Indians don’t have to pay taxes on wages.”

  “They most certainly do.”

  He scowled. “The law of the land states a Native American doesn’t have to pay them, Cassie. I know this—I’ve never paid them in my life.”

  She gaped at him and finally managed to say, after a long pause, “Then you’ve been in violation of the law since the day you started working.” Her face paled and she added, “How did my grandfather pay you?”

  “He’d write me a company check once a month.”

  “Did you notice if taxes were deducted from those checks?”

  Leif narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “I-I’m not sure.”

  “How is that possible?”

  Leif’s face reddened. “I’d usually cash the check right here so I didn’t see it for long.”

  “Are the checks still around?” At his nod she said, “I’ll look a bit more tomorrow for the filed tax returns. Maybe your canceled paychecks are stored with them. You know, at one time I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. I swear I recall reading in one of those ponderous textbooks about Native Americans paying and not paying taxes. Seems to me I read natives aren’t required to pay them while living and working on a reservation, I believe. Gateway isn’t located on a reservation, is it?”

  “No. I’ve signed lots of things Roy’s asked me to. They had to be tax forms. I trusted him and just signed whatever he gave me. Roy would have told me if any of it was important.”

  She sighed, wanting to lecture him on how important it was to read anything put in front of him to sign, but not wanting to embarrass him further. The high color in his cheeks wasn’t due to the heat. “I hope so, but I won’t rest easy until I know for sure.” She smiled. “He must have loved you very much.” Her heart went out to him as she saw his jaw tighten.

  “Yeah,” he said, in his best ‘Mister Tough Guy’ voice. “The feeling was mutual.”

  He left the den and she sank back in her chair once more, wincing in discomfort, a reminder of how she’d begun her day.

  Enough. There were more important things to ponder other than her backside.

  Lord, she hoped her grandfather had taken money out of Leif’s checks and had filed his taxes. He wouldn’t have done Leif any favors by not doing so. And if he didn’t, why would he jeopardize Leif like that? Her imagination started working and ideas formed in her mind about Gateway, especially now that she knew they had to make more money and file taxes on the property. She brought up a new document page on the computer and started typing and planning her strategy.

  An hour later she was delighted with her ideas and couldn’t wait to implement them, but first she’d need to convince Leif. What could he possibly find wrong with a breakfast-coffee shop in one corner of the store? It would be a compromise; after all, she’d wanted to start up a full-scale restaurant on the premises. And scavenging for artwork from local artisans would be much more appealing than the t-shirts they currently carried.

  She knew Leif would have a problem with her contributing her own money toward the venture, even if it were to just to tide them over until they started making money, but there were no other options. She rose and shut down the computer.

  As she meandered out of the den and down the hallway, she tried to figure out the easiest way to tell Leif her plans. The fleeting idea of telling little white lies and half-truths was appealing, but something she’d never do.

  After a restless night’s sleep she took a quick shower the next morning. Slipping between the strands of the beaded curtain she found Leif already there, drinking a steaming hot cup of coffee as he stared out the window, elbows leaning on the counter.

  Well, I certainly hope you slept better than I did,” she said, moving to the coffee dispenser.

  He didn’t reply but stood up from his stool and dragged it closer to the bar so that she could pass. She returned to his side and leaned her elbows on the counter beside him. From the tired look in his eyes she knew he hadn’t slept well, either.

  “Sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to open up that income tax problem so directly. I had every intention of easing into it.”

  “You did right.” He smiled, reached out and stroked her nose from the bridge to the tip with one finger, surprising her. “You did right telling me the truth, something your grandpa should have done long ago. I guess you could say he babied me some, but then, he thought I was all he had--until he found you.”

  “Truth-telling can be daunting, especially when the truth isn’t pleasant, but I’d never lie to you, Leif. Count on it.”

  He nudged her shoulder with his own. “I believe you. I’ve thought about things overnight and have a solution. I’ve got some mutual funds and an IRA I could cash in to repay taxes, mine and Gateway’s.”

  She looked at him, stunned.

  “Let me get this straight. You’re telling me you’ve got a retirement plan?”

  He shrugged, gave her a faint smile. “Just a little something your grandpa set up for me.”

  Cassandra shook her head. “You’ll be penalized for taking out your retirement money early. I’ve another plan. We’ve enough money in Gateway’s account to pay them back. Then, in order to recoup our losses, I’ve an idea. I’ve done some window-shopping in Crane, Arneson, and Jamesville. Are you aware there are a number of very talented artists in the area? There’s a man in Arneson who blows glass and his work is wonderful!” she enthused.

  “And, for the fishermen who come in for bait in the early morning hours I can’t think of a better way to start the day than to offer them a cup of coffee and a fresh-baked pastry. Can you?”

  Cassandra nearly laughed outright at the smile spreading across his face at her suggestion.

  He nodded. “Sounds good. Bacon and eggs sounds even better.” He frowned. “But that would mean we’d lose a lot of our privacy, wouldn’t it? And once folks sit down with a cup of coffee and start socializing there’s no telling how long they’ll stay.”

  “I don’t think that will happen, but if it does more power to us. Hopefully they’ll do lots of eating and shopping. The fishing folks will want to get out on the lake as soon as they can. As a matter of fact, I can envision them showing up with their covered, thermal mugs in hand asking for fill-ups before motoring out.”

  Leif wound an arm around her shoulders. “I suppose it can’t hurt to give it a try.”

  “Great! I’ll get right on it once Maxie arrives. Can I use your truck?”

  “Sure. Do you need me to come along?” he asked.

  Cassandra shook her head with a smile when she heard the hesitant tone in his voice. “I know precisely what I’ll be shopping for and where to look. And don’t worry, I can talk a deal so don’t worry about the money I’ll be spending.”

  “Maxie can handle things here, and since I don’t have a fishing trip lined
up, I thought I might spend some time fishing for myself.”

  “Let me get this straight,” Cassandra, said, raising her brow. “You spend days and evenings guiding folks fishing and when you have time off that’s what you prefer to do?”

  “Didn’t you enjoy it when I took you out fishing?”

  “Sure did. But I’ve other interests in life, too. Don’t you?”

  He scowled as he folded his arms across his chest. “‘Course I have. And what about you calling the kettle black? It sounds like all you like to do is shop.”

  She hopped off her stool and retorted, “I beg your pardon!” Before he knew it she was moving swiftly down the hallway.

  “I didn’t mean that in a negative way!” he shouted after her, cocking his head as he watched her tight shorts-clad bottom swing fetchingly. “As a matter of fact, you better find yourself some new bedding for your grandpa’s bed since you’ll be staying a while. That old set of sheets is falling apart, and it’s the only set he owned.”

  Cassandra whirled to face him, eyes wide. “Are you saying you don’t mind my staying?”

  He nodded and twisted his lips. “I’ve sort of grown used to having you around the place.”

  “You won’t regret this!” she said, excitement in her voice. “And you know something? I’ve gotten over my aversion to touching the bait. I think going fishing with you helped. Now, are you sure it’s okay if I go shopping? Will Maxie be okay on her own?”

  “She managed the place alone before you arrived, she can do it again. She won’t mind.”

  “Tell her I appreciate it and I’ll return as soon as I can. I’ll see you later.”

  “You’ve got to learn how to relax.”

  She paused at the beaded curtain and gave him a saucy smile. “Oh, you do enough of that for both of us.”

  Cassandra went to her room and changed into a long, ice blue gauzy skirt with a scalloped hem and a matching sleeveless top. She snatched up her straw bag and sunglasses and headed out the back door. She met Leif at the truck and he handed over his keys.

  “Drive careful.” He leaned down and surprised her with a soft too brief kiss on her cheek.