Rescue My Love

by Lynn Story

  “I thought maybe you’d like to go spend the afternoon on the water.”

  It wasn’t what I was expecting but I was up for it. “Okay.”

  “You don’t get seasick, do you?”

  I laughed out loud. “No, I don’t get seasick.”

  “Okay, Jared and Logan, two members of my team are going out on a charter boat fishing today and I thought maybe you’d like to join in.”

  “Uh, I don’t know.”

  “You don’t like fishing. No problem, we can do something else,” he back peddled a bit.

  “No, I like fishing. I’m just not sure how your coworkers are going to like me tagging along on your fishing trip.”

  “Don’t be silly, they’d love to meet you and Jared isn’t happy unless he is surrounded by a crowd.”

  “Well, if you’re sure.” I wasn’t but I was willing to go along.

  “Of course, I’m sure.” I could hear the excitement in his voice.

  “When should I be ready?” I asked, gamely.

  “I’m on my way.”

  “What, Ethan! I’m wearing yoga pants!”

  “Perfect.”

  “No, not perfect! I have to go!” I hung up. I knew it wouldn’t take him more than fifteen minutes to get to my house, I raced up stairs and started searching for something to wear. In a panic I called Sherry.

  “Sherry, I need your help!” I was desperate.

  “Oh, my God, what’s wrong?”

  “Ethan just called, and he wants to do deep sea fishing, I have no idea what to wear!” My voice was shrill as I was in full freak out mode. My panic and dismay was met with shrieks of laughter. “What. Are. You are laughing about?” I demanded. Nothing about this was funny.

  “Something old that you don’t mind throwing out because it’s gonna smell like fish afterwards.” She had a point.

  “Okay, so jeans and a t-shirt.”

  “More like shorts and a t-shirt. It will probably be hot out there on the water with the sun beating down on the boat.”

  Shorts were not an option. “Have you ever done this before, Sherry?”

  “Yeah I’ve been out a couple of times with my brother.”

  I nodded. “Okay, I think I have something.” I heard a car door. “Gotta go, Ethan’s here.”

  “Have fun!” She chimed.

  I clicked off and stripped off my yoga pants and pulled on an old pair of jeans and ran for the door.

  “Hi.” I said, a little breathless.

  “Hi.” Ethan smiled.

  “I was in the middle of changing, do you mind coming in and waiting a minute?” I asked him.

  “I don’t mind. You look fine,” he called.

  “I’ve been cleaning all morning in this shirt. I’m sure it smells like bleach or something.”

  “Okay,” he shrugged.

  “Make yourself at home.” I bolted back upstairs. I had left my phone laying on the bed and it was buzzing. I had a text from Sherry. ‘Try wearing a bathing suit under your clothes in case there is a chance for swimming. If she thought I was going to strip down to a bathing suit in front of Ethan and his co-workers she was certifiable. I closed her message and slipped the phone in my pocket and found a more suitable t-shirt.

  I found Ethan looking over some pictures on the mantel.

  “Is this okay?”

  “Yeah that is fine. You might want to take a spare pair of shoes though, sometimes the deck gets bloody from the bigger fish.”

  “Oh okay.” Good to know. I ran back upstairs and was back in a minute. Thankfully, he was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

  “All set?” He asked.

  “I think so.” I said, doing a quick check.

  “Okay, I told the boys we’d meet them at the marina.”

  “Who else is going?” I asked.

  “You, me, Logan, Jared and Jared’s friend who owns the boat.”

  “Does Jared or Logan have a girlfriend?” I asked, realizing I would be the only female on board.

  Ethan laughed as he held the car door open. “Logan is too much of a loner and Jared is too much of a player.” He got in on his side and started the engine. “There’s a very good chance you’ll be the only girl.”

  “Great.” I forced a smile. Not that I didn’t mind being around guys as the marines had certainly cured me of any inhibitions in that regard. It would have been nice to make a new girlfriend or two.

  It didn’t take long to get to the marina and I’m pretty sure Ethan probably broke a few traffic laws getting us there. We were greeted on the dock by Logan. “Glad you could make it.” He said to Ethan.

  “Logan, I’d like you to meet Kay.” Ethan introduced us.

  “Nice to meet you.” I smiled and held out my hand.

  “Glad you could join us.” He smiled but the words sounded forced. Logan reminded me of Chris. He was definitely a marine, he wore his hair in a military style. He was broad shouldered. Bigger than Ethan. He also looked like he was less than happy I was there.

  “Jared here yet?” Ethan asked.

  “Here I am!” Jared appeared from the fly bridge.

  “Jared Walker, Kay Dandridge.” Ethan introduced us.

  “Hey, great to meet you.” He smiled. Unlike Logan, Jared seemed to genuinely mean it.

  “Hi, Jared.” I liked him right away.

  “Anyone else joining us?” Ethan asked.

  “No, I invited Stephanie, but she had other plans.” Jared looked disappointed.

  “Stephanie is another member of the team.” Ethan explained.

  “Oh, I see.” I nodded.

  “Well, that’s okay, more beer for us, right Kay?” Jared laughed and handed me a can of beer.

  “Right.” I looked at it dubiously.

  “What’s a matter don’t you like beer?” Logan said brushing past me as he climbed onto the boat.

  “Beers fine, if that’s all you got.” I said without thinking.”

  “Would the lady like something stronger?” Jared asked.

  “Beer’s fine.” I reassured him.

  I looked over at Logan. He smirked and turned away. Ethan was watching the exchange and he didn’t say anything but, I could tell he wasn’t happy with Logan.

  Jared leaned over and whispered in my ear.

  “Don’t pay any attention to Logan, he was born that way.”

  “No worries.” I smiled and raised the can in a toast to Jared.

  “Good girl!” He laughed. “Hey Nick, I think we’re ready.”

  “Grab the lines, Jared.”

  “Can I help?” I asked.

  “Sure, can you get the bow line?” Jared pointed to the front of the boat.

  “No problem.” Ethan and Logan both watched with interest. One with pride and the other with doubt. We were soon out of the no wake zone and headed to more open water.

  Once we found our spot, Nick came down from the bridge to get everyone set up with poles and bait. It seemed that the men were well versed in this sport and didn’t require any help. I suppose as the captain Nick had an obligation to ensure everyone was happy and safe.

  I stood to the side and watched. There was a bit of trash talking between Ethan and Logan and I laughed quietly along the rail. I should have felt like the proverbial third wheel, but I was enjoying myself just observing the team in action together. They all seemed to know each other well and worked in concert with one another. When one of them hooked a fish, another would use the net to help bring it up onto the boat. I got a few pictures of them hamming it up with their catch.

  “Hey Kay, check this one out, it’s huge, I can feel it.” Jared called.

  I nodded and held my phone at the ready to take a picture when he pulled it aboard.

  It was a very large bluefish. “Good job!” I called out.

  Ethan passed the net over to Nick. “Come on over and take one of the poles.” Ethan said rubbing my arm.

  “No, you boys, go ahead, I don’t want to get in the way.”

&n
bsp; “Don’t be ridiculous. Come on.” Jared insisted.

  There was no use to argue so I followed him over to a chair and let him hand me a rod.

  “Hey, she’s a tiny thing, better strap her in.” Nick advised. I didn’t think of myself as tiny at five foot seven, but I was glad for the compliment.

  Ethan nodded and strapped me in and started giving me instructions. “Now, for bluefish just troll so all you have to do is watch the line and wait for the hit. It’s going to be hard so it might surprise you at first so be ready.”

  “Try not to drop the rod in the water.” Logan said from behind his beer.

  “I bet I can catch a bigger fish than you.” I said stupidly at Logan.

  He lowered his beer and smiled at me. “Really?”

  “Yeah!” I boasted for some absurd reason.

  Ethan and Jared stood slack jawed staring at me.

  “Move over Jared.” Logan said as he settled himself in to the chair next to me.

  I watched him and then nodded when he had his line in the water.

  “Ready to lose?” I asked, goading him.

  “You tell me.” He laughed.

  I had no idea what I was doing but I was certainly tired of his attitude. My line got a hit first and Ethan wasn’t kidding. The reel screeched as the fish grabbed my bait. I pulled back and started reeling him in. Ethan stood behind me giving me encouragement and directions on how fast or how slow to reel in the fish without losing him off the hook. Jared stood ready to help hoist it onto the deck.

  By the time I landed the fish, everyone was shouting and whooping it up.

  “That is a pretty big fish there, Logan.” Jared chided.

  “Beginners luck.” Logan groused.

  “Don’t be a sore loser.” I smiled.

  “I haven’t lost yet.” He smiled back.

  “More bait!” I called and Ethan was happy to oblige.

  Even Nick was getting into it and went back to the bridge to check the positioning of the boat and see if we needed to move to get a better chance at catching something.

  A few minutes later I got another hit. This one wasn’t as big, and it wasn’t a blue fish, so we took a picture of it and tossed it back.

  “Don’t worry, Logan. I understand fishing requires patience.” I coached him.

  “Fishing with you, maybe.” He grumbled.

  I laughed. Ethan wasn’t finding our competition so amusing. I winked at him that everything was alright. Logan and I spent the next two hours locked in fishing combat. He did manage to catch some impressive fish but, in the end, mine just inched his out.

  Nick said it was time to call it a day and asked Jared to pilot the boat back to the marina while he cleaned one of the fish and prepared it on the grill. It was ready as we docked, and we all sat enjoying our catch and drinking more beer.

  “Good job, little lady.” Nick said as he served me the grilled fish with corn on the cob.

  “Thanks, it was really just beginners’ luck. I’ve never been fishing before.”

  Logan rolled his eyes.

  “Well, you can come fish on my boat anytime.” Nick smiled and winked at me.

  “Thank you.”

  “That was pretty bold challenging Logan like that.” Jared laughed and raised his beer to me.

  “Not really, everyone knows marines can’t fish or swim worth a damn.” I leveled my gaze at Logan.

  Everyone fell silent and you could hear was the water lapping up against the boat. And then Logan started laughing. A genuine hearty laugh that you couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

  “You’ve got more stones than most people I know.” Logan laughed.

  I just smiled and sipped my beer.

  “When you’re not lowering your standards to drink beer what do you like?” He asked.

  “I love a good single malt scotch.” I smiled. “I enjoy a good bourbon, too.”

  Logan laughed again and slapped his thigh.

  “I guess you’re right boss, she’s a keeper.”

  I glanced over at Ethan who was blushing under his five o’clock shadow.

  “Is that right?” I said to him smiling.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say?”

  I smiled and nodded.

  “Hey boss, that is like her sixth beer and she doesn’t even look tipsy.” Jared slurred his words ever so slightly.

  “Yeah, she ain’t no lightweight like you.” Logan pointed.

  “Piss off! You’re just mad she beat you at fishing.”

  “She beat you too or didn’t you notice?” Logan asked.

  “Hey! You’re right she did!” Jared suddenly looked offended.

  We all ate and drank some more. We gave Nick the rest of the fish we caught and in exchange he didn’t charge us for the fuel. I suspect he would get that back and more on the sale of this fish at the market at the other end of the marina.

  The sun was setting, and we all decided to go our separate ways. Logan promised to get Jared home safely.

  “That was a lot of fun.” I said as we drove back to my house.

  “I’m glad you liked it.”

  “Ethan you look worried, did you not have fun today.”

  “No, I had a great time. I’m just sorry Logan acted like a jerk,” he grimaced.

  “Oh, he was fine at the end, don’t you think?” I observed.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what his problem was to start with.”

  “No big deal. As long as you like me that is all I care about.” I smiled. I think the sun and the beer was starting to get to me.

  Ethan looked over at me and took my hand. He raised it to his lips and kissed it.

  “I like you a lot.”

  Monday morning came too soon, and I knew I was going to have to answer a thousand questions from Sherry when I got to the office.

  “Good Morning, Sherry.” I smiled when I got off the elevator.

  Sherry didn’t look like her normal cheerful self.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Michael’s waiting for you in our office. I already made coffee.”

  “Did he say what it is about?”

  “That offer you had on the company last week,” she answered.

  “Alright.” I had a feeling the guy from InDesign wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Morning, Michael. I trust you did not have a good weekend.”

  “No, not really,” he said standing as I entered the room.

  “Alright let’s have it then,” I said dropping my bag on the floor and sitting down behind my desk.

  “They are upping the stakes.” He said gravely.

  “In what way?” I felt my shoulders tensing.

  “Well, I got a call from their attorney and they intend to buy up our stocks,” he said.

  “Okay, well I own most of them so how is that going to help them out?”

  “They are going to try to offer you way more than the stocks are worth, and the shareholders will have to vote,” he went on to explain.

  “Okay, so let them vote but they still can’t buy my shares if I’m not willing to sell,” I countered.

  “Kay, this could get really ugly. I know you don’t want to sell and I’m not suggesting that you do but I do want you to be prepared that this isn’t just going to go away.”

  “What do we do? I can’t let them take over this company and have all my employees lose their jobs.”

  “I realize that.” Michael sighed.

  What then?”

  “I’ve been talking to some colleagues who have either dealt with InDesign before or have knowledge of their tactics. One of my friends used to work for the Security and Exchange Commission.”

  “And what does your friend from the SEC have to say?”

  “He says they are dirty as hell but always stay just above the law. They haven’t been able to touch them. He said it would be less hassle for you and everyone if you just sell to them.”

  “Seriously?”

  “That is what
he said.”

  “Well, no offense Michael, your colleague has the spine of a jellyfish.”

  “Hang on, that is only what he recommended.” Michel defended, “He no longer works for the SEC and has his own firm and would be more than happy to work as a consultant for us to fight these guys.”

  “I don’t know if I can trust a guy who recommends I should sell my company.” I didn’t have a good feeling about Michael’s ‘friend’.

  “If you don’t want to sell, he will do whatever he can to prevent that from happening.”

  “Do you trust him?” I needed to know. I trusted Michel and I was willing to give his friend the benefit of the doubt.

  “Yes,”

  “With your job?” I laid it out.

  Michael went pale for a moment. “Yes.”

  “Then bring him in here. I want to meet him before I agree to anything.”

  “Okay.”

  “And Michael,” I added leaning forward on my elbows. “We can play hardball too. Just because we aren’t crooked doesn’t mean we don’t throw one hell of a punch. Got it?”

  “Got it.” Michael smiled.

  I leaned back in my chair. I had no intention of selling my company or any part of it and I was pissed that I was going to have to go through this battle just to keep it.

  “Oh, and Michael, call an emergency shareholders meeting. Anyone who isn’t willing to fight with us, we will buy out ourselves.”

  “On it.” And he was gone.

  Michael left and I started searching my desk for a bottle of medicine. I had a migraine coming on.

  “What are you looking for?” Sherry asked from the doorway.

  “Migraine meds.” I said rifling through my top drawer.

  “Here, this is some over the counter stuff I have,” she offered retrieving a bottle from her own desk.

  “Thanks.” I gratefully accepted them.

  “What’s going to happen?” Sherry fidgeted.

  “We are going to fight like hell. These bastards might not take no for an answer, but they will be sorry,” I said defiantly.

  Sherry looked relieved and smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t take this laying down.”

  “No, I’m not.” I smiled. “Sherry do me a favor, no rush if you have time today. Can you research the number of companies that have gone from public to private?”

  “Sure, thing,” she replied. “In the last year or ever?”