Dirty Summer 2

by Violet Paige

  Reid laughed. “You’re right. Why don’t I point out some places?”

  Blair noticed how Reid eyed Maggie. He moved toward her friend assessing the seating at the bow. There definitely wasn’t enough space for all three of them.

  “I’ll move back there. Go on with the tour.” Blair stood and balanced herself before taking a step toward the stern. As soon as she was out of the way, Reid slipped into the open seat next to Maggie.

  “Can I sit here?” She pointed to the seat Reid had vacated next to the captain. Maggie and Reid were in deep conversation about the birds that lived in the marshes, and she wanted to give her friend time alone.

  “Go ahead.” Justyn sipped from his beer and cut the engine to an idle. “We can slow it down in these calm waters. No danger of hitting sandbars tonight.”

  Blair lowered herself onto the narrow bench next to him. He kept his eyes straight ahead, concentrating on the channel markers. As he clutched the steering wheel with one hand, Blair noticed the muscles in his arms flexing with each movement.

  Reid mention something about Shell Point, and Blair saw him pointing toward the horizon as the boat rounded the end of the island.

  “What’s he talking about up there?” Blair asked. If she was going to take one for the team, she might as well pass the time.

  Justyn cracked a smile. “He’s probably trying to impress her with some island ghost story.”

  “Ghost story?” She liked it when he smiled. There was something sexy about it, even if he was being standoffish and distant.

  “These waters are full of them. But I wouldn’t want to scare you.”

  “You can’t scare me,” Blair taunted.

  “You sure about that?” Justyn smiled again. He eased closer to Blair and rested his arm on the ledge above her shoulders. The breeze swirled through her hair, and she wondered if he could smell her shampoo.

  “Try me.” She turned toward him, fully aware that his arm was almost touching her.

  “See that light out there.” He pointed to a faint flashing yellow light in the distance.

  “Of course,” Blair responded. It was as clear as any of the other markers dotting the dark waters.

  Justyn turned toward Blair. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t take us to it.”

  “What do you mean? Is it on land or something?” Blair couldn’t tell if he was teasing her.

  “See,” he paused, “that light always moves, and as soon as we head toward it, it will move.”

  Blair’s eyes grew big. “Are you serious?”

  “Damn straight.”

  “Is it someone playing a prank?” She was skeptical. She didn’t know if she believed in ghost stories or legends.

  “No way, it’s real. The way my pops tells it, a sailor was stranded on the shoals after a shipwreck about a hundred years ago. He was able to get out of the ship with a lantern and tried to swim to shore, but the currents out here are unpredictable and he never made it to land. The next day, they found his lantern, but never the body.”

  Blair shivered and inadvertently scooted closer to Justyn.

  He continued with the tale. “So, the legend goes that the blinking yellow light is him still trying to swim to shore, but no one can ever catch up to it because of the currents.”

  “Holy shit. That is the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard.” Ok, maybe she was a little scared.

  “You want me to show you?” Justyn placed his hand on the gearshift, ready to maneuver the boat toward the lantern’s light.

  “Definitely.”

  Justyn laughed and gave her a killer smile that made Blair glad she boarded this boat. “Hey, Reid.”

  “Yeah?” Reid stopped mid-sentence.

  “We’re going after the Eternal Swimmer. Hold on up there.”

  “Don’t worry, just hold on. We’re getting ready to go fast. Wouldn’t want you to slide away.” Reid wrapped one arm around Maggie’s waist as Justyn whipped the boat into racing speed.

  Blair lightly bit her lower lip. Something about the way Justyn took command of the boat as he stood and steered toward the golden light without reservation made her look at him in a whole new way. It was kind of hot.

  “Almost there,” he shouted to her over the wind.

  Blair peered over the console, trying to keep her eyes on the target. The closer they got, the weaker the color was. Blair squinted harder as Justyn slowed the boat.

  “Where did it go? It should be here.” Blair stood and looked over the side of the boat.

  “Over there.” Justyn pointed three hundred yards east.

  “What are we looking for?” Maggie called from the bow. Evidently, Reid hadn’t had a chance to fill her in on the legend once the chase began.

  Justyn laughed. “I don’t know if you want to know.”

  Justyn reached down and let his hand rest on Blair’s shoulder. “I think that’s enough ghost hunting for one night. What do you say I take you girls home?”

  Surprised by the heat that stemmed from her shoulder, Blair smiled. “Sounds good.”

  “Hold on up there!” Justyn shouted before throwing the boat into full gear and pointing her toward the Buttonses’ pier.

  Four

  Maggie

  Maggie steadied herself as she planted a foot on the dock. She held onto Reid’s outstretched hand.

  “Thanks again for the cruise,” she said, looking up into his eyes. The dock light allowed her to detect their rich brown hue.

  “No problem. It’s always fun to introduce new people to the island.”

  Not only was this guy smoking hot, he seemed nice. Maggie kept flashing back to seeing his naked torso on the beach earlier that today. She couldn’t wait to let Blair know Reid was the mystery guy she’d seen sanding the boat. However, now that she thought about it, maybe by now Blair had figured it out. How many hot boat builders could one tiny island have?

  “So have you always lived on the island?” she asked. “I know you said your family has a boat business here, but did you leave for college or some kind of boat building school?”

  “Nah.” Reid chuckled. “My cousin here is the college boy in the family.” He slapped Justyn on the back.

  “Shut up, Reid. These girls don’t want to hear the complete Strait family history. Boring.” Justyn was bending down tying a knot to the cleat on the dock.

  When the rope was secure, Justyn walked over to stand beside Maggie.

  Blair, who had been heading toward the house, turned around. “Strait, huh? So are you still in school, Justyn Strait?”

  “Don’t let my boyish good looks fool you. I graduated four years ago. Couldn’t wait to get back to the island,” he said. “Reid, it’s time we head home. It’s starting to get choppy out here.”

  Maggie wasn’t ready for them to leave. There was more to these island guys than smoldering looks. “What about you Reid?” She wanted a reason to make him stay. If only she could come up with a way to make him touch her again.

  “Oh, Reid here spent the last several years jumping out of helicopters to save drowning fishermen in Alaska and crazy shit like that. One of the Coast Guard’s best swimmers,” Justyn teased, but Maggie could tell he was proud of his cousin.

  “Wow.” She smiled at the sailor, imagining what he looked like swimming shirtless through the waves. “I bet you saw some beautiful beaches out there.”

  “None as pretty as here,” he said, looking into her eyes. Maggie felt a jolt from the intense stare and wondered if he was really talking about the shoreline.

  “What about you two?” Justyn asked, stepping on the boat’s bow. “I thought I heard Shirley mention something about you going to Carolina. It figures.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Blair sounded pissed. And Maggie thought they had started to get along during the cruise. It didn’t take much to ruffle her high-strung friend.

  “Nothing, just that I’ve met your type before. I met a Carolina girl or two in my day.”

  “I’m sure you
met girls all over the ACC, what with all those baseball games and trophies,” Reid called across the dock. These guys clearly liked to pick on each other.

  “Again, Reid. Enough with the family history. They don’t need to know about my baseball glory days. It’s time to go.” Justyn cranked the engine.

  Reid headed toward the ropes. “Would you girls be interested in another cruise? We’re going to be busy the next few days, but I’m sure we can show you Beaufort one night.”

  “That sounds fun,” Maggie answered for them both before Blair could protest. “What’s your number? I’ll text you my number and the house phone. Cell service seems to be spotty around here sometimes.”

  “Typical for this place,” Blair muttered while Reid called out numbers.

  “What Blair means is that the island is quaint, but everyone’s been so friendly. Thanks again for the offer,” Maggie finished, tapping on her phone.

  Reid smiled and boarded the boat. She waved good-bye, watching the cute boat builder push off from the dock. This hot Fourth of July had definitely lit a spark in her summer.

  Five

  Maggie

  “They are cute, Maggie. Like over-the-top, hot as hell, sexy, and delicious kind of cute. How are there two guys like that on the island?”

  Maggie looked at her friend in the mirror as she held up one of her favorite dresses to her small frame. What did a girl wear to a water-cruising non-date?

  “I know. Have you seen Reid’s eyes? I have to stop. It’s like I start blushing every time he looks at me.”

  “And what about Justyn’s? They are this gray-green color I’ve never seen before. And his chest. Oh my God. I’m totally sleeping with him before the end of the summer—whatever it takes.”

  “Blair! Seriously.”

  “What? There’s nothing wrong with it. I know what I want and I want him.” Blair pulled a shirt over her head that ended just above her navel. “It doesn’t have to lead to anything else. I’m perfectly happy with summer sex.”

  Maggie raised her eyebrows. “I feel bad for Justyn. He’s not going to know what to do with you.”

  “I hope you’re completely wrong, G. I think he’ll know exactly what to do.” Blair giggled.

  “And how are you not going to fall for him? He’s hot, smart, and available. You think you can seduce him and not let your heart get involved?” Maggie knew her friend was confident, but she wasn’t so sure she could pull off the plan.

  “I totally can’t get wrapped up in some island romance. I leave for Dallas at the end of the summer. I don’t need some puppy love guy following me to Texas. It can be a summer thing. Besides, there’s nothing else for me to do on this damn island.”

  Maggie smiled, knowing she had the right ensemble in her hands. Even though Blair’s idea was a little extreme for her, there was some honesty to her words. Spending the rest of the summer hanging out with Reid was a fun prospect. She’d only seen him a couple of times, but Maggie already knew she wanted to make more plans. Her plotting didn’t go nearly as far as Blair’s. Using him for sex wasn’t something she could conspire to do.

  Maggie decided to draw inspiration from her friend’s boldness. She turned to Blair. “How about this? Let’s make a pact for the summer.”

  “Seriously? We aren’t in middle school.”

  “Come on, play along. It will keep us sane.” Maggie knew she would have to protect her heart if she was going to spend the rest of the summer with the hot boat builder, but this plan was worth a try.

  Blair huffed. “Ok. What’s your great idea?”

  “No entanglements,” Maggie uttered the words, but had a nagging feeling as soon as they drifted into the air that she set something in motion that maybe she didn’t really agree with.

  “That’s it? No entanglements? Like no attachments?”

  “Yep. Let’s do it. We can have fun with these guys, whatever that means for each of us, and when the summer is over, it’s over. Agreed?”

  “Oh yeah. I can do that,” Blair agreed.

  “Good. We can reel each other back in if we need to. Like an anchor.” Maggie realized she had already incorporated way too many nautical terms into her vocabulary.

  “I just feel bad for these boys in September when we leave.” Blair strutted back to her room.

  Both girls changed into their cruise outfits and jogged down the stairs to wait for their ride to the creek.

  Six

  Blair

  Promptly at seven thirty, the screen door to the kitchen screeched a little as Justyn knocked and pulled the weathered frame to enter the Buttons house. She marveled at the punctuality of the island folk. It didn’t make sense to them that a place that was so laid back and slow would value timeliness as if it were the Eleventh Commandment. He had left his truck rumbling in the gravel drive.

  “Girls? You ready?” he called into the house.

  “We’re here. Ready.” Blair beamed at him.

  Unlike the last time she’d seen him, Justyn, was dressed in a polo shirt with a pair of khaki shorts. Blair noticed he donned loafers instead of the usual island standard flip-flops. This was different. Very different.

  “Where’s Reid?” Maggie blurted out, and then covered her mouth. Her friend sounded a little too eager to see him.

  “He’s at the boat. He said he’d get everything ready for us. You know, check the ropes, that kind of thing.”

  Blair exchanged a puzzled look with her friend. No, she didn’t know why he needed to check the ropes, but she grabbed her bag and followed Justyn to his truck.

  They piled in and headed to the creek where Justyn kept his boat.

  As promised, Reid was busy coiling ropes and working on knots in the stern of the boat. He already had music blaring and the girls smiled. This was definitely going to be fun.

  “Hey.” Reid waved at both of the passengers, but his eyes were locked on Maggie. He jumped up and reached for Maggie as she stepped from the dock toward the skiff.

  “Hey, you.” Maggie took his hand as the boat wobbled under their entry.

  Blair sighed. These two were going to be trouble. So much for that no entanglements pact they just made. She grabbed Maggie’s hand and walked with her to the bow.

  “Let’s sit up here and the guys can take care of whatever boat stuff they need to.” She eyed her friend.

  Once they pushed off from the rickety pier, they cruised under the bridge and Justyn pointed the vessel toward Beaufort. Patches of marsh, duck blinds, and abandoned crab pots littered the channel to downtown Beaufort.

  Maggie and Blair linked arms as they perched on the bow of Justyn’s boat. Reid and Justyn anchored themselves near the steering wheel. They were taking turns pointing out good fishing spots they had heard called out on the radio earlier in the afternoon.

  The sun was setting on Taylor’s Creek, and Blair was ecstatic to get off the island for the night. Justyn had promised live music and lots of drinks. Maggie had said she wanted to see the shore from another vantage point, but Blair knew it probably didn’t hurt that Reid was the one who had suggested the whole cruise idea.

  Fifteen minutes later, the boat eased toward the small downtown waterfront dotted with shops and restaurants. Before she could even see it, Blair heard music from a live band filtering into the night. She was elated. Real people. Non-island people she could talk to.

  Maggie squealed. “Is that Come Monday?”

  Reid smiled at her. “Yep. That’s the Fin Notes. They are a popular Jimmy Buffet cover band around here.”

  “They’re good!” She sang along to the words.

  Justyn careened the skiff to an open slip two piers down from the infamous Dock House. Reid jumped out to tie the boat to a cleat. The Dock House was crowded. Patrons had spilled out onto the boardwalk to make room for the dancing fans holding their drinks in the air.

  “Can I get you two something?” Reid finished his knot tying and turned his attention to her and Maggie.

  “What do you recomme
nd?” Blair piped up over the music.

  “Well, the Long Island ice teas here are pretty good. How about four of those?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Blair reached for the bag she and Maggie had packed to offer Reid some money for the drinks.

  “No, keep your money. This is on us.”

  Justyn hopped onto the dock with his cousin. “We’ll be right back.”

  “These boys are so confusing.” Blair fumed as the guys disappeared into the dancing crowd. “It’s not a date, but they are going to buy us drinks. What is going on?”

  “Just enjoy it. Doesn’t matter what they want, remember? We have a plan.”

  “Oh right. ‘Hey, Reid.’” Blair batted her eyelashes in an effort to imitate the greeting she witnessed earlier at the creek.

  Maggie shoved her lightly in the shoulder. “I didn’t do that. Did I?”

  “Uh-huh. You were all googly-eyed and everything.” Blair laughed. It was amusing to see her roommate come undone around the tanned mega-hottie.

  Before Maggie had a chance to defend herself, the guys walked down the dock, each carrying two Long Island ice teas. Blair looked up at Justyn and Reid approaching and took a moment to drink in every toned inch of the men towering over her.

  “Can you give me a hand?” Justyn motioned toward Blair. “Don’t want to slosh all the alcohol out of these drinks before we get the chance to enjoy it.”

  Blair grabbed the drinks, handed one to Maggie and settled back into her spot on the bow. Cheeseburger in Paradise was in full swing.

  “These drinks are huge,” Blair remarked.

  She lifted the lemon from the edge of the Styrofoam cup and squeezed it into the drink. She tipped the cup back and gulped down a few swallows, wanting to feel the warm numbness the alcohol would spread through her body

  “Hold on, girl. These are strong.” Justyn swooped in next to Blair, almost bumping Maggie to the floor.

  Maggie cracked a knowing smile her way, stepped over the bags scattered in the boat and walked toward Reid sitting at the stern.