Sail With Me: A With Me in Seattle Universe Novel

by Jen Talty

  Much less ready for any human to try it without proper safety protocols. And Reid knew that there was no way in hell that Preston or anyone on the team would want to put up a safety net. Preston hadn’t learned anything from Erin’s death. If anything, it’d made him feel more invincible.

  A totally fucked-up concept if you asked Reid.

  “We should be in research and development and talking with the fire department heads this week. Not hiring a private charter for a few days and acting like a bunch of frat boys.”

  “We worked hard for the movie contract. We deserve a little relaxation.”

  They had gotten the movie gig based on their personal experiences with extreme sports, both having competed in different events, as well as their desire for detailed safety.

  Well, Reid’s need for it. Which, according to Preston, had become an obsession that bordered on an addiction just as dangerous as not understanding that the seas could swallow you whole, leaving behind no evidence—and not a soul would ever find you again.

  Maybe Preston was right. But Erin’s death had changed Reid. And now, ten years later, he had to re-evaluate what was truly important, and he’d discovered some disturbing news.

  He’d screwed up the last year something big.

  Darcie Bowie, the one that got away.

  He glanced toward the Living the Dream sailboat. The tall mast swayed in the gentle breeze. The lines clanked the metal, birds squawked as they flew overhead, and the water lapped at the sides of the boat, making a special kind of seaworthy music.

  She’d accused him of using Erin as a personal emotional shield to keep people at arm’s length, and Darcie had been tired of living in a dead person’s shadow. Reid turned right around and informed Darcie that she had a chip on her shoulder the size of the great state of Texas and that she needed to stop trying to prove her worth to everyone, including her family—but especially the idiots in the yachting industry that thought women couldn’t cut it.

  That right there was half of Darcie’s problem. She believed she had to fight for everything in her life. If there wasn’t a battle, she didn’t think she deserved it.

  But the real breakdown in the relationship came when he told her that he couldn’t live with her schedule anymore and if she wanted to continue to be with him, she needed to consider a different profession, knowing full well that she’d tell him to walk the fucking plank.

  Her words.

  Exactly.

  For some godforsaken reason, since then, he’d always wanted to learn to sail.

  The waiter returned with their fresh pitcher of brew and a tray of fried appetizers—Preston’s favorites, because it was always about Preston.

  “People are putting their lives in our hands,” Reid said while the waiter set the food on the table. “We jumped the gun on this movie deal, and you know it. Hell, we shouldn’t have even gone on that show.” Thank God no one had invested.

  “No. We didn’t. And that is the wrong way to look at what we do.” Preston took a good swig before wiping his face with a napkin. “People want to experience what thrill seekers do, only they can’t do it the same way. We provide a minimal safety net.”

  “It’s the minimal that concerns me.” Reid wanted to bring up Erin, but he knew if he did, it could cause a scene, and he didn’t want to fight with Preston. Not tonight. Reid had to remember that Preston had lost someone he loved, as well. He just handled Erin’s death differently. Preston lived by the philosophy that people who took the kinds of risks they did, people who pushed limits and boundaries, often died young. And they died doing what they loved: experiencing life.

  That’s how he let the world believe he saw Erin, and while Reid had to accept there was a lot of truth to that statement, he also knew that Preston had many issues with his sister.

  One of them was how she died.

  Another was her growing vocal resentment for the industry and how unsafe it could be for both the guides and the guests. In any of the excursions she’d ever led during her traipses around the globe, she always ended up sacrificing her own well-being for those who simply wanted to step out of their comfort zone for five minutes.

  Reid used to tell her all the time that she needed to make sure her safety equipment was top of the line. If it wasn’t, she’d never be able to help anyone. And that was how she’d managed to make her death appear to be an accident.

  At first.

  But that lasted five minutes before everyone knew what she’d done.

  Erin’s need to put the safety of everyone else ahead of her own was her way to deflect attention. It made her appear to be something she wasn’t. However, it wouldn’t have mattered if Erin’s equimpment had been faulty or not.

  She wanted to die. No ifs ands or buts.

  And Reid let Preston capalize on her death when they created their company. Reid did it to honor Erin and was damn proud of it.

  But Preston? Well, Reid recently found out Preston only cared about making a name for himself and money.

  And not necessarily in that order.

  His sister’s memory meant nothing.

  “Look. I know you’re concerned about the fire suits, and we need to run more tests before we can even bid them out to the fire departments. But they are good to go for stuntmen use. Can we at least agree on that?” Preston asked.

  “I want your word you’re not going to back out of taking this to the next level with the fire departments, and that you’re not going to try to manufacture it in some sort of flame-retardant clothing line.” Reid swallowed the nasty bile that had bubbled up to the back of his throat.

  Preston’s word wasn’t worth shit.

  Now all Reid had to do was gather more evidence to prove it.

  “Scout’s honor. Schedule the tests the fire marshals required.” Preston knocked his knuckles on the table three times. “Now, can we have a little fun? You have to admit, signing that contract was almost as exciting as hitting weightlessness. I don’t know about you, man, but I got a fucking hard-on.”

  At thirty-eight, Reid had lost his desire to conquer the world. His father used to ask when enough would be enough between finding the perfect adrenaline rush and the deal that made him the right amount of money.

  His answer had always been that he’d know it when he hit it.

  But he’d found out that enough would never come. There could never be total satisfaction unless you set an end goal, and most true extremists couldn’t define what that final act would feel or look like.

  And Preston had no idea what he craved other than a racing heart. The rush wasn’t tied to finding his inner energy or living his best life. He had no clue what he really wanted, and he teetered on the edge, waiting for fate to push him over it.

  Preston would never be able to find that perfect blend of danger, life, and death that set the heart to jumping after it came to a complete halt. Even if he did, he’d demand more.

  Only what Preston failed to understand was that desire was actually death knocking at his door. That free-fall feeling he searched for was a mere illusion. It was like trying to take in that first five seconds of hitting Mach five and recreating it over and over again in a simulatious thrust of motion.

  It was impossible.

  However, Prestion would never quit, and Reid would burn up upon reentry if he wasn’t careful. Perhaps it was time to redirect Preston. Get him turned on to something a little more exciting. Something that would really get his blood pumping.

  “Speaking of having a little fun… Maybe we can let the company run itself for a while. Ever since I came back to work, you’ve mentioned that you wanted to take some time off and do some hiking in Laos or Cambodia. You should absolutely do that,” Reid said. “I’m doing well and can handle things here. I mean, you’ve been running everything while I was away, you might as well take a turn.”

  “Oh, trust me, man, I plan on it. But not for a few months. I do want to move on this partnership with the fire department. That’s going to be hu
ge because we can take it to so many other consumer products. So, between running the tests and tweaking the technology, a trip like that is going to have to wait.” Preston raised a mozzarella stick and dunked it in some red sauce. “And I made a promise to my partner that I wouldn’t rush.”

  Reid let out a slight chuckle, trying to fake finding this entire conversation amusing when in reality, his stomach churned. He wished he could trust Preston, but he’d lost all faith in him two weeks ago when he found out that Preston had taken a meeting with a manufacturer for the fire suits behind Reid’s back.

  Which meant, his partner was already planning on cutting corners.

  And lying about it.

  Reid should have known. This wasn’t the first time Preston had pulled a stunt like this. Preston lived by the rule of asking for forgivness rather than permission.

  Reid hadn’t figured out how Preston thought he’d be able to push the deal through clothing companies before they’d even gotten the fire departments to vet the product, much less the federal government to appove the product, and not have Reid find out. It was something Reid couldn’t even wrap his brain around.

  Preston had done all sorts of things that made no sense since his sister died. For the first year after Erin’s death, Reid had let a lot of things go when it came to Preston and his crazy stunts. He had to for his sanity. But as time went on, and he and Preston worked on their company, the divide between Preston and Reid regarding Erin’s death grew larger. And three years ago, when Darcie came into Reid’s life, Reid was all but ready to say goodbye to Preston. Reid had even begun working on an exit strategy, dividing up the company.

  Fairly.

  “I’m glad you’ve come around to seeing things my way,” Reid said, but the words tasted bitter, and Reid didn’t believe for one second that Preston would even consider doing things by the book.

  “There are a lot of flame retardant and resistant materials on the market. What we’re claiming—no, what I know our product can do—is save lives. We just have to make it wearable first and get the costs down for the fire departments. And then…” Preston waved his hand in the air. “We are not talking shop right now. And for the record, it’s not that I’ve come around, it’s that I’m not a fool, and I know you’re right. That said, once we get to a certain part in the testing, it’s full-court press and you know I’m not going to back down. You also know I’m right when it comes developing these products. We’ll have to come out guns blazin’, and you’ll have to be ready for that.” Preston made the clucking noise he always did when he was halfway to drunk and feeling a little cocky.

  The arrogant part was a natural start for Preston.

  He raised his hand and pointed his finger as if it were a gun and then dropped his thumb like he just pulled the trigger. “So, you can’t be such an old lady, okay?”

  Reid raised his drink. “To old bitches.” And to taking business partners down a notch, something Reid planned on doing.

  “Holy shit. I don’t believe it.” Preston set his glass down on the table. The beer sloshed up over the sides. “You don’t want to look now. But guess who just—?”

  “Darcie,” Reid whispered. He wiped his eyes as she stepped from the Living the Dream, her blond hair bouncing just at the tops of her shoulders. She wore a sleeveless white button-down blouse and a black skirt that stopped a few inches above her knees. Of course she didn’t wear heels, she almost never did.

  Hell, she barely wore shoes.

  Darcie wasn’t a thrill seeker, but she did like adventure that was for damn sure.

  “I shouldn’t be surprised to see her here. Seattle is her hometown.” Reid stuffed a boneless chicken wing into his mouth. He coughed and pounded on his chest. He should have doused it in bleu cheese. A little too spicy for his tastes. He snagged his glass of water and chugged.

  Why did he have to pick the table in the corner of the patio right next to the walkway that led to the docks? There was nowhere for him to hide. Even if he did manage to get up, she’d still see him as he’d have to navigate in her direction to get back inside the restaurant.

  “Reid?” She paused, clutching her purse. “Preston?”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” Preston was on his feet in seconds, leaning over the railing and taking her hands in his, bringing them to his grimy lips.

  Reid had half a mind to clock the bastard.

  “Damned is one way to put it.” Darcie smiled, though it had a bit of a sarcastic flare to it by the way the corners curled. She’d never cared for Preston, and the feeling had been mutual. “How are you?”

  “Doing great,” Preston said. “You look magnificent. As a matter of fact, I’d say you’re glowing. Isn’t she glowing?”

  Reid stood and held out both arms, ignoring Preston and his obnoxious compliment that was meant to be a dig more than anything else.

  Thankfully, she didn’t deny Reid a brief hug. It ended long before he was ready to let go. Her skin heated his body like a fleece blanket in the cool Seattle night air. When he’d first met her, she’d stolen his breath and stopped his heart. She’d filled the emptiness in his soul, and at the same time, reminded him that most people either disappointed him or left him with a broken heart.

  She’d done both. But the difference had been that he’d forced her hand.

  “You do look good,” he whispered.

  “So do you.” She tucked her hair behind her ears, something she always did when she was nervous—which honestly wasn’t very often. “I heard you were in town.”

  “Where did you hear that?” Reid held her hand, running his thumb in a small circle over her soft skin. Every night before he closed his eyes, he brought up a memory of Darcie. He held onto it until he drifted off to sleep, and when he woke in the morning, it was as if she’d been right there with him all night.

  He once tried talking to a therapist about why he held onto Darcie harder than he’d held onto Erin, as if he hadn’t loved Erin enough.

  The shrink had told him that his heart and mind knew that Erin was gone, and Darcie was only a phone call away.

  Reid stopped seeing that psychologist and never called another one.

  “I’m the boson on The Weatherby, the vessel you’ve chartered for the next three days.”

  “No way. I didn’t know that, or I might have had second thoughts. No offense,” Preston said. “And not because I have any problem with you. However, the last time the two of you were in the same space, it ended with my boy here looking like someone used him as a punching bag.”

  Darcie flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Someone kind of did.” She let out a slight laugh. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

  “No worries,” Reid said. God, he missed that sweet noise that cut through the rest of the evening chatter like a motorboat gliding across the calm Sound on a quiet night.

  “That was a while ago, and I think we’re both past it,” she said.

  “I agree.” Though he wasn’t past being in love with Darcie, and the way his pulse raced out of control was proof of that fact. “Where are you headed? Maybe you could have a drink with me.”

  “You mean us,” Preston interjected.

  “No. I mean me,” Reid said.

  “Thanks for the invite, but it’s my parents’ wedding anniversary, so I’m off to their house for a big party. My brother Troy was able to make it in, so I best make an appearance or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

  “How are all your siblings?” Reid asked. After Erin died, he’d vowed that he’d never get tangled up in anyone’s family again.

  Until Darcie sailed into his life and turned everything upside down.

  “Jagar got married, and his wife is pregnant.”

  “Holy shit. Well good for him,” Reid said. “He’s a good man.”

  “He’s the best,” Darcie said. “Since I’ve got the two of you together, I want to talk to you about Deception Pass.”

  “We can talk about that tomorrow,” Preston said.

&n
bsp; “My captain said it was an important part and that the charter hinged on the activity. And, well, it’s not going to be easy. So, I need to know where we stand.”

  “You always were a straight shooter,” Preston said. “I can respect that. I am, too. And, just understand we’re going to do it no matter what. So, it really doesn’t concern you.”

  “But it does, Preston. And you know it. I can’t turn my back and pretend I don’t know.”

  “Actually, you can.” Preston was always one to skirt the rules. He was the complete opposite of his sister, and sometimes Reid wondered if Preston pushed the limits to see if that great big hole that’d swallowed his sister would swallow him, too. “You know we won’t take unnecessary risks.”

  “We understand the conditions have to be right,” Reid said, knowing he needed to defuse the situation. He would have to continue playing the equalizer between these two because Preston wouldn’t back down.

  And Darcie would push his buttons.

  But really, the jump wasn’t a big deal.

  Reid understood it had more to do with the number of suicides the bridge had each year and the fact that a thrill-seeking company ran bungee jumps regularly at a bridge nearby, one at a safer location. “If the wind is too strong or anything is out of place, we’ll call off the jump.”

  “So, no matter what, you’re with Preston on this?” she asked with an arched brow.

  “I’d rather we have the proper permits, but yes. I’m all in.” Reid didn’t want to take Preston’s side. As a matter of fact, he wanted to tell the man to fuck off, but Reid was walking a fine line, and he couldn’t show his hand.

  Not yet anyway.

  Preston puffed out his chest. “I’m sure you can figure this out for us.”

  “You’re putting me and my vessel between a rock and a hard place if we can’t get the paperwork,” she said.

  “Then let’s get what we need in order to make all of us happy,” Preston said. “I’m sure you and your captain can work some kind of magic for us.”