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“And those are blue angel hostas. They get bigger every year. In a couple of years, these two will compete for space.”
I give him a steady look, even though my skin is still tingling from where he touched me. Man, I really need to get laid or something, because I should not be feeling this way from a simple touch.
I clear my throat, hoping to appear normal. “Did you come here to nitpick my gardening skills?”
“Actually, no,” he says. “I was wondering if you knew someone who had a boat.”
“A boat. We’re on an island. Nearly everyone has a boat. Why? You have a giant one docked right over there.”
“Eddie wants to get away from the house, but they aren’t comfortable going into town yet. They thought getting out on the water might be good. However, they don’t want to go out on their boat either. People will recognize it.”
“You came all the way here to ask me that? Monica could have texted me.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment. “Guess I came by to distract you.”
“Well, unfortunately for you, I’m done weeding for the day. And yes, I know someone with a boat. Bert has one. I’m sure he’d be more than willing to lend it to you.”
“Please contact him and see.”
I sigh and shrug. “Sure.”
I mean, I’m not friends with Bert; it’s not like I often call up the head cop and ask him how he is. But I’ll do it for the royals.
Not for Mr. Bossy Pants.
“Thank you,” Harrison says, and then he turns and leaves, walking back down the driveway, as silent as a mouse.
“Weirdo,” I mutter under my breath. But the moment I say the word, I feel my face flush and a strange fluttering feeling in my gut. Oh great. Seems not only do I like to annoy him, but I like it when he annoys me.
* * *
This is a first.
Despite growing up by the ocean, my experience with boats has been limited. I know, I should be banished from the Pacific Northwest forever. But boats are expensive, and we never had a lot of money, even when my father was around.
That said, since I know the area, and I’ve had experience driving thanks to going out on Joey’s parents’ speedboat a few times, I’ve been delegated as captain.
Bert was more than happy to lend us his vessel and was vocally disappointed that he couldn’t take time off work to accompany us on our little adventure. I think he should have, since he was the one who drove his boat all the way to the royals’ dock, getting a ride into town after with the royals’ driver, but I suppose there was some drum circle in the middle of town that he had to go break up.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Harrison asks me.
I turn around and smile at him. “I’m fine,” I say, giving Monica and Eddie a reassuring look. They don’t actually look all that worried, though; they’re both grinning into the wind and pointing at the scenery as we head down Long Harbour.
But Harrison is watching me like a hawk.
Not that that’s unusual. However, today he’s not wearing his sunglasses, which makes me feel like I’m getting a rare glimpse at a secret side of him.
“I’m fine,” I tell him again, but my hands momentarily slip from the wheel, and the boat starts to nose in toward the shore.
I whip around and grip the wheel hard, straightening the boat.
“You’re sure?” he asks.
I nod and keep my eyes on the water ahead, though I can feel him smirking behind me.
Harrison did offer to command the small speedboat—I suppose PPOs have to know how to drive everything, just like James Bond does—but since I’m the only one who knows where we’re going, I figured it was best this way.
That said, I don’t have much of a plan. Long Harbour is aptly named, a narrow inlet that stretches past a ferry terminal and yacht clubs, all the way to a lagoon at the back I nicknamed Creepy Lagoon for obvious reasons.
I decide to take them all the way back there, the water so narrow and shallow in one passage that cedar branches scrape the side of the boat and you can see crabs scuttling along the green-blue bottom.
Monica and Eddie ooh and aah at the sights, waving at people who are sitting on their docks and enjoying the sunshine, probably having no idea just who is passing by. The last thing locals would expect is to actually see the royal couple out and about.
While Monica has always had a smile on her face, both she and Eddie seem to be at peace for the first time since I’ve met them. I guess it helps that they’re exploring like tourists, not royals, and not confined to their house. No matter how nice their house is, it must feel like a prison sometimes.
