by M A Comley
Teagan cringed again. “She’ll be fine. It’s trepidation that’s making her tetchy. Isn’t it, hon?”
“I’ll just sit here and be quiet. How’s that?” Helen threw herself onto the leather-clad bench, folded her arms, and mimicked a pouting teenager.
“Ignore her. What do you want me to do, Ryan?” Teagan asked.
“We need to cast off. I’ll help untie the boat from the dock. If you hold on to the final rope, I’ll climb aboard again, start up the engine, and you can hop back on. How’s that?” Ryan replied, his smile returning.
“Great, in this bloody skirt? What if I fall in?”
“You won’t. The boat won’t move off until I put it into drive.”
Reluctantly, Teagan scooted down the steps and towards the stern of the boat, regretting that she hadn’t chosen to wear nautical clothing of jeans, a T-shirt and trainers. “I won’t slip in my bare feet, will I?”
“Nah, you’ll be fine. The deck isn’t slippery in the afternoon, only in the mornings at this time of year.”
“Maybe it would be better to take us out in the springtime instead,” Teagan announced uneasily.
“Are you telling me that you’re scared now, too?” Ryan tilted his head.
“I didn’t say that. Bugger, okay, just ignore me.” Teagan hopped back onto the dock and adjusted her skirt, which had ridden farther up her thighs.
Ryan landed close on the dock beside her and groaned gutturally. “No need to adjust anything on my account.”
Teagan thumped his arm. “Cheeky sod. I have a new dilemma for you.”
“Which is?”
She held out her beautifully manicured hands, red at the pointed tips. “What about my nails?”
“Are they false?”
“Yep, and they cost a packet, too. I’d hate to break any.”
“Bloody hell! You women are impossible at times. All right, leave the untying to me. You just hold the rope when I’m done. How’s that?”
Teagan fluttered her eyelashes several times and smiled a toothy smile. Men are so easy to wrap around your finger when you’re dressed like a tart. Maybe it was wise wearing this getup after all. “You’re an angel,” she told him sweetly.
Once all the ropes were untied, Ryan handed one chunky length of rope to Teagan and jumped back aboard the boat. He shouted over his shoulder, “Wait until I start the engine. I’ll tell you when to jump back on the boat, okay?”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” Teagan could feel the nerves begin to jangle in her tummy at the thought of slipping and falling into the bitterly cold water between the boat and the dock. She pushed the image firmly out of her mind when she heard the diesel engine roar into life.
“Now, Teagan!” Ryan shouted above the engine noise.
Teagan threw the rope onto the wooden deck and quickly climbed aboard the vessel. She huffed out a relieved breath when she completed the manoeuvre without any mishaps. Super pleased with her efforts, she re-joined Helen and Ryan at the helm. “Yay, I’m a fully-fledged ship hand, or whatever the correct title is,” she cried elatedly, to her sister’s obvious disgust.
The boat eased away from the dock. Ryan guided it effortlessly past the nearby boats, up the narrow channel, and out towards the sea. “You did well, Teagan. Want to play hostess with the mostess once we get out in the open?”
“I’d love to. I noticed the spread down in the kitchen.”
He laughed. “You mean the ‘galley,’ old girl.”
Helen, looking greener by the second, clutched her sister’s forearm and squeezed it. “Really, do you have to talk about food right now?”
“It’ll wear off soon enough. Either that, or it will get ten times worse when we hit the open sea,” Ryan teased cruelly.
Teagan uncurled her sister’s fingers a little, easing the excruciating pain in her forearm. “He’s joking. Take no notice.”
“I wish he wouldn’t. I think it would be better if I had a bucket close by.” Helen ran her thumb between her breasts. “I can feel it here.”
“Ryan, is there a bucket around?” Teagan called out.
Without taking his eyes off the course ahead of him, he replied, “There’s one in the cupboard in the galley. It’s got the mop in it.”
“Gross. That’s gonna stink,” Helen complained.
“What’s the alternative? Do it here and mess up Ryan’s beautiful new boat?”
“All right, don’t go on at me. I can’t help it if I feel sick.”
Teagan widened her eyes, letting her sister know in no uncertain terms how annoying she was being. Then she went in search of the bucket. After swilling it out a few times with soapy water, trying to get rid of the stench, she returned.
As the vessel continued along the Thames and out to sea, Helen retched a couple of times, but nothing untoward surfaced. Teagan took the opportunity to sit and enjoy the view, even though she shivered now and then because of the chilly December air. Again, she cursed her choice of garments. She glanced down at her breasts and saw that her nipples were extended, letting everyone know how cold she was.
“Everything all right, ladies? Enjoying the ride, are you?” Ryan shouted.
“We’re bearing up back here. How long before we reach the sea?” Teagan thought she spotted the harbour walls up ahead but wasn’t quite sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
“Another couple of minutes, then we’ll have freedom to see what this baby can do, within reason of course.”
Teagan leaned towards Helen. “How are you holding up?”
“So far I’m managing to keep my breakfast down. Not sure what I’ll be like when I lay eyes on that food, though. Do we have to go through that?”
Teagan nodded. “We need to get him a little tipsy. Just leave it to me. Where’s your bag?”
Helen pointed down at the handbag she’d shoved behind her calves. “It’s safe. I didn’t want to risk it flying overboard if we hit a stray wave or a seagull swept down and plucked it up.”
“You’re impossible. As if either of those things is going to happen? Just be prepared. You’ve got the weapon, right?”
Helen nodded. “Yep, don’t worry. It’s all in hand.”
Still whispering and hopeful that the boat’s engine would prevent Ryan from overhearing their conversation, Teagan said, “Let’s make him nice and comfortable before we start discussing business. Follow my lead on that, okay?”
“Suits me. Just don’t friggin’ offer me any of that greasy food he’s taken the trouble of supplying.” She gagged and moved the bucket under her chin.
Teagan rubbed her hand up and down her sister’s back. “Don’t think about it. Take a few gulps of air, and it’ll pass, I promise.”
“At last!” Ryan shouted. “Here we go, ladies. Brace yourselves. Looks like it’s going to be a tad choppy out at sea.”
“Oh fuck! Why me? Why did I agree to bloody come out here?” Helen complained as the choppy waves bashed the bottom of the boat, making Teagan and Helen’s bodies jolt and bob rhythmically.
Teagan wedged the bucket between her sister’s knees. The motion of the boat was affecting her cast-iron stomach, making her wonder which of them would end up vomiting first. She took her own advice and sucked in a lungful of fresh air.
“Do we have to go far?” Helen pleaded, her face paler than the finest white sand found in the Sahara desert.
“Come on, just enjoy the ride. Let the freedom of the experience wash over you. Allow the exhilaration to blow away the cobwebs as you feel the wind beneath your wings.”
“Shut the fuck up, Ryan. You’re talking crap, as usual,” Teagan shot back at him as her own discomfort multiplied beyond recognition. “How far before we can drop anchor?”
“You’re not winding me up, are you? Do you really feel crap, the pair of you?”
“Yeah, we’re both feeling super crap now.”
“I’ll turn back, then. It makes no odds to me. We can have lunch in dry dock.”
Panic struck and urged Teagan to re
ject the plan. “No! Don’t do that. We’ll be fine for a few more minutes. Won’t we, Helen?” She looked over her shoulder at the marina, which was getting smaller with each bounce of a wave beneath the boat. Yes, a few more minutes will suffice.
“Let’s just go round the coast a little, and then I’ll drop anchor. How does that sound to you?” Ryan pointed at the coastline jutting out ahead of them.
“That’s fine,” Teagan shouted. She glanced at her sister. “Almost there now. Are you ready for this?”
“Yep, even more so now after what he’s just bloody put me through.”
Several minutes later, Ryan tinkered with the controls and the boat slowed to a halt. He leapt out of his chair and sprinted to the stern to drop the anchor overboard. At about the same time, Teagan’s heart rate escalated when she realised the time had come to start playing up to Ryan. The notion didn’t sit well with her. Nevertheless, it was essential to their plan.
CHAPTER TWO
“Do you two want to sit up here and eat your food or join me downstairs in the galley?”
The twinkle in his eye made her want to retch. “I think it would be better up here where there’s more room and fresh air.”
“Right you are. I’ll be back shortly. Be good.” Ryan winked and ran down the steps.
“Damn, I don’t have my shoes,” Helen said.
“I’m not with you. Why do you want them?”
“I was going to whack him in the head with the heel if he causes any trouble.”
Teagan winced. “Okay, then that could be a problem. Maybe we should go downstairs in that case, to the kitchen. I noticed some butcher’s knives hanging up on the wall.”
Helen snorted. “What are you going to do? Just take one down in plain sight?”
“Hardly, Helen. Grant me with some sense. You could distract him long enough for me to grab one,” Teagan pointed out.
“And shove it where?”
Teagan looked down at the skimpy outfit she was wearing then at her tiny clutch bag lying on the floor. She threw her arms out to the side. “Crap! I don’t know. I’m sure open to suggestions!”
Helen shrugged. “You’re supposed to be the one with all the brains. You got us into this mess. It’s up to you to get us out of it.”
“Jeez, thanks for the bloody support. Shh... he’s coming back.”
Ryan appeared, holding a tray of pastry-filled canapés fresh out of their Marks and Spencer packets and placed them alongside Helen on the leather bench. “I’ll just go down and grab the champagne. Be right back, ladies.”
Teagan blocked his path and smiled. “You’ve done enough, sweetie. I’ll get the drinks. You enjoy the chow.”
He winked. “Well, I won’t argue with you. Just bring the bottle and the glasses. I’ll open it for you.”
Teagan swiftly trotted down the steps and into the galley. She eyed the knives. A medium-sized blade situated halfway along the rack drew her attention. She tucked it down the back of the waistband of her miniskirt, settling the knife against her spine. The cold blade against her bare skin made her gasp. Her hand flew up to her mouth. She hoped neither Ryan nor Helen had heard. Neither of them appeared or called out, so she let out a relieved sigh. Before she returned to the cockpit, she searched around for something else she and Helen could use as a weapon. On the small table she saw two condiment pots. “That’ll do.” She grabbed the pot of pepper and added it to the tray, along with the three glasses and the bottle. Then she headed back to join the others.
“We thought you’d got lost. Here, let me take that,” Ryan said, relieving her of the tray and setting it down next to the food. He picked up the bottle and, without much effort, popped the cork. He filled the three glasses, careful that the effervescent liquid didn’t exceed the halfway mark. He handed a glass to Helen and then one to Teagan. Holding his glass in front of him, he proposed a toast. “To us! May the family go from strength to strength under your mother’s remarkable leadership. What a gal she is. One I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of, that’s for sure,” he added with a chuckle.
Helen and Teagan sipped their drinks and stared at each other without saying a word.
“Tuck in, girls. I don’t want to hear any nonsense about you being on a diet, either.” His eyes ran the length of their stunning figures before he continued, “You both look super fit to me. Must be the fantastic genes you’ve inherited from your mother, eh? She’s a pretty fit bird for her age, too.”
Teagan flashed her teeth at him even though she was seething inside about the way he was referring to her mother. “Do you want to discuss business now, Ryan?”
“Can’t we have our eats first?” he asked, shoving a whole salmon-filled vol-au-vent into his mouth.
“I think Helen and I both still feel a little queasy. You carry on, though.”
“Thanks. I’m starving. You girls seem really tense. You need to loosen up a little. Do you want me to put a CD on to really get this party started?”
“Let’s leave that for now. We’re really only here to discuss business. Maybe when we’ve dealt with that, we can have a quick boogie before heading back to shore. How’s that?”
“Sure. Whatever you say. What’s this all about anyway? Over the phone, your mother mentioned something concerning the paperwork I was looking into.” He shuffled his feet.
“That’s right. Specifically the deeds,” Teagan replied, wary about his reaction. He was coming across shifty to her. He knew full well why they were there and what they intended to discuss. The question was: why was he toying with them?
He downed the remains of his glass and refilled it before he spoke again. “Here’s the crunch—the deeds, or more to the point, what your mother was hoping to do regarding the deeds, is a no-go.”
Teagan’s eyes narrowed. “No-go? In what respect? Mum’s paid you damn good money to ensure everything would go through without a hitch. Are you telling us you’ve screwed up or gone back on your promise?”
“In a way, yes. Listen, Teagan, the thing is, my business is on the up. I’m becoming well-known and respected in my field, and I don’t really want to do anything to jeopardise that.”
Teagan placed her glass on the tray and twisted to stand in front of him, inches from his nose. She prodded him in the chest. “You’ve got a bloody short memory, Ryan. If it wasn’t for our mum setting you up in business in the first place, you’d still be skivvying for your old firm on minimum frigging wage.”
Ryan took a step back. “Hardly, love. I was never on minimum wage at Donaldson’s. Hey, and I don’t appreciate hearing you shoving it down my throat how much I owe your mum either. She knows how grateful I am for giving me the chance to set up on my own.”
“Then prove it. Hand over the deeds to those properties, now,” Teagan ordered, a touch of underlying threat in her tone.
“It’s not going to happen, Teagan. I’ve thought long and hard about this. Lucy will tell you how many sleepless nights I’ve had churning this over. However, she has no idea about the untenable position your mother has put me in. My decision is final. I will not let your mother, or you, bully me into doing things that don’t sit comfortably with me any longer. I’ve come to realise that the risks far outweigh the gains, and when that occurs, it’s time for me to take a step back. I know your mum is going to hate me for this. But she’s just going to have to find some other mug to tamper with those deeds.”
Teagan’s eyes widened momentarily but narrowed as her mind raced. Instead, she smiled sweetly at Ryan. “You know what? I really admire you having the balls to stand up to Mum like this, Ryan. I’ve wanted to do it for years. Haven’t you, Helen?” She turned to face Helen and winked at her.
Her sister nodded but kept her mouth shut. She knew when to keep schtum and let Teagan do all the talking.
When her gaze returned to Ryan, Teagan could see his features had slackened with relief.
“Phew! You don’t know how good it is to hear you say that, Teagan. I had a feeling you
were getting fed up with your mother’s tyrannical ways.”
Teagan’s head dipped to her chest. “You’re right, Ryan. A person can only take so much. Mum’s got to understand that none of us are getting any younger and the time has come to settle down and enjoy life without having to look over our shoulders, waiting for the coppers to arrive on our doorstep. I’m with you on that score, one thousand percent, matey.” She slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll just take the deeds back to Mum and tell her to shove it, eh? Tell her this is the final time you’re willing to help out. How’s that?”
He smiled. “Well, perhaps put it slightly more tactfully than that. If you’re sure she’ll accept that, I’ve got them downstairs in my bag. I’ll be right back.”
“She will. Times are changing for all of us. She’ll accept you wanting to move on to bigger and better things, Ryan, providing you don’t go back on your word this time, of course.”
Once Ryan was out of earshot, Teagan rushed to Helen’s side. “Hopefully that bullshit will persuade him to do the right thing, but just in case, we need to be ready to make our move. As soon as he returns, I want you to trip him up. I’ll take it from there, okay?”
Helen sighed. “I’m still feeling a little under the weather, Tea. I’m not sure I can go through with this.”
“Which is why I told you not to get involved any more than tripping him up. Give me a break; I’ll be doing all the dirty work, not you.” Teagan could tell her sister was feeling better and was pulling a fast one, because her cheeks were looking rosier than they had when the boat trip began.
“All right,” Helen replied reluctantly. “I just want to get this over with and back on dry land as soon as we can. Can we do that, Tea?”
Teagan ran a gentle hand down her sister’s pretty cheek. “I’m sure we can have this all wrapped up in a few minutes, sweetie. Keep the faith, eh? Have I ever let you down yet?”
Helen rolled her eyes. “Not on that front, no!”
They heard Ryan below them and quickly separated. Teagan stood back against the side of the boat while Helen took a deep breath and prepared herself for her part in the arrangement.
