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“I wasn’t afraid of her. I just respected her and appreciated her attention.” I started eating my chicken salad. “She makes a good point, they’re a tight-knit community. We should make this work.”
We reached the dock just as we finished our lunch. The crew was already on the dock tying the ropes. I could see some construction happening on the next dock over.
I wonder where Jade is. I’m glad she hired someone to fix things.
Asher wandered over to the next dock to see what was happening while I went into the office to schedule the delivery. The door was locked with a note taped to it and a phone number to call.
“Hi, this is Sawyer Hawthorne. I’m here at your office and I need to schedule some deliveries,” I said into my phone.
“Mr. Hawthorne, this is Jade Campbell. I’ll be up there in just a moment,” she answered, then disconnected.
“Be up here in a moment? That means she’s here somewhere.
I turned to see her jogging up the dock to the office. “I’m sorry to interrupt you,” I said when she reached me.
“Not a problem. I was just working on the other dock. How can I help?” she asked, unlocking the office. “Would you like a cold water?”
“No thanks, I just finished lunch. I won’t keep you. I just want to see if you can accept some purchases and then have them delivered to Cloud Nine?” I pulled an invoice from my pocket. “These are the orders, and they should be here in the next twenty-four hours.”
“Let me take a look at what’s coming.” She put her hand out for the invoice. “Ten jet skis, twenty snorkels and diving tanks, 20 kayaks. That sound correct?”
“That’s the first order. I will also need to have a boat delivered, which brings me to asking for directions to the boatyard.” I smiled at her serious expression. “How’s your father today?”
“Thanks for asking. They woke him today for an hour to have him sit up. He did very well.” She opened her cash register and placed my invoice in it. “If you follow the main road, then turn left at the second block over, you’ll see the boatyard.”
“Doesn’t sound too far, at least not for me. We’ll see how much whining Asher does.” I laughed at the ridiculousness of that. “Sorry for laughing. I was picturing Asher walking that far.”
“You can take my truck if the princess can’t make it.” She tossed her keys on the counter. “If you’re not back, I can walk over to the hospital. I’m used to walking.”
“You’d let me take your truck? Why would you do that?” I asked, a little surprised.
“Mr. Hawthorne, you need to get use to island life. We help each other.” She pushed the keys closer. “Just don’t leave it completely empty. You can just hide the keys when you get back.”
“It’ll be dark soon. I don’t want to leave you without a car in the dark.” I looked back to the door to see Asher coming in. “Hey, you ready to go?”
“Sure, but how we getting there?” Asher asked. “I didn’t think about it until we got here.”
“Miss Campbell offered her truck.” I picked up the keys and whispered to her, “That face just sealed the decision.”
I turned to leave, and a tingle went down my back when I heard her soft laughter. I wanted to turn back and keep the conversation going, now that we weren’t fighting, but decided I should just go.
Don’t push your luck. Thank her and get Asher out of here.
“We’re going in that thing?” Asher blurted out.
Chapter 39
Jade
Ifinished as much as I could at the dock, then took the short walk to the hospital, picking up some food from the diner on my way.
“Good afternoon, ladies.” I waved as I passed by the nurse’s station.
“Hey Jade,” came a group response.
“Oh, hey there, you didn’t wake him again, did you?” I asked, surprised to find Tommy and a nurse at Dad’s bedside. “Is something wrong?”
“Everything’s fine, Jade. After seeing him awake earlier, I’ve decided I’m going to start having him be more awake.” Tommy put Dad’s chart on the side table. “I really want him moving that leg more, and I feel pretty good that we’re past the worst of the withdrawal symptoms.”
