Page 30 of Buck (Diver Downeast #2)

The last few days, despite the fact that Bobbie had been so busy, seemed to pass way too slowly. There was no secret as to why. Her mind simply wasn’t on her job, but on Buck, who she’d finally be seeing after the party she was working, wrapped up later this afternoon.

Melo had teased her, unmercifully, about her preoccupation; about her staring off into space at odd times, but it hadn’t bothered Bobbie.

It had simply given her an excuse to talk about Buck, which had gone a long way toward airing all her doubts, hopes, and fears, receiving succinct, but sometimes snarky answers from the woman she trusted more than any other.

“So, are you getting all hot and bothered now?” Melo hip bumped Bobbie on her way by, carrying a large tray of empty salad plates as Bobbie made sure the main dishes were starting to come out of the back.

Bobbie snorted. “Hot, maybe, because of today’s heat and all the physical labor we’ve been doing.” She pushed back a damp strand of hair that had escaped her bun, getting it unstuck from her cheek. “Remind me to tell clients from now on that outdoor parties in July aren’t the smartest idea.”

“Like they’d listen,” Mel smirked.

“I hear you.” The clients all wanted exactly what they dreamed up, and if the weather didn’t cooperate? Well, sometimes that was the fault of Roberto’s Catering. Go figure. At least today’s clients seemed to be enjoying the near ninety-degree heat.

“Come on, Bobbie,” Mel cajoled, not giving up. “You can’t tell me you aren’t thinking of jumping that delicious man’s bones tonight. He is so freaking steamy, all dark hair and deep, fathomless eyes.” She sighed. “I might have even fantasized about him a little.”

No she hadn’t. Melo’s husband was no slouch, and Mel was madly in love with him.

Melo continued speculating. “Your brothers can lurk outside all they want, but you’ll find a way to lose them; beat them at their own game.”

Right. Her brothers.

The duo had, indeed, been hanging around all day.

They hadn’t interrupted the party, thank God, which was being held on the upper deck of a downtown hotel, overlooking the water.

But they’d certainly been spotted by both Bobbie and Melo.

On the boardwalk below, on the pier, and even near the company work vehicles when the unloading had been done this morning.

They sucked.

Bobbie figured their presence had to be their version of good, old-fashioned intimidation, but screw them.

It wasn’t going to work. As the day wore on and she determined that they weren’t leaving until she did—when the party was over and everything was squared away—Bobbie made up her mind to call for backup.

Considering what she now knew they’d done to her, Bobbie wasn’t going to be a pushover any longer.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was the exact right time to put her as-yet-to-be confirmed plan in motion.

“Will you be okay for a minute, Mel? I’m going to make that phone call we talked about earlier.”

“Go,” Mel assured her. “I’ll keep an eye out around here. And good luck.”

“Thanks.” Although Bobbie felt like she didn’t need luck. Her request seemed like it would be a no brainer.

She stepped out of the main room and wended her way out a rear door until she was standing at the top of a wooden staircase that was clearly for staff only.

She wouldn’t be bothered here.

Bobbie hit the number she’d been given and waited for one ring…two…

“Hey, Bobbie. Is there a problem?”

Her body relaxed. Nice and astute.

“There might be, Mason,” Bobbie told Buck’s police captain brother; the man who’d practically demanded she use him as her official guard dog. “Drew and Jeff have been hanging around all day at my jobsite.” She named the place, and of course he knew exactly where it was. The town wasn’t that big.

“I think it’s because they know I’m meeting with Buck tonight to pick up Reyghan, and they want to follow me and make sure I do a quick in and out.” Bobbie groaned to herself. Bad choice of words. It made her think of what other kinds of ins and outs she wanted to do with her Buck.

Luckily, Mason didn’t pick up on it. He replied without hesitation. “What do you need from me?”

“Will you be available in, say, an hour and a half, to distract them after I get home and before I leave my house?” She needed a shower and a change of clothes after her long, sweaty day, so instead of heading right to Buck’s from the shop, she’d stop in at her place.

“I sure can,” Mason told her. “ With a squad car. I’ll park it so I’m highly visible, then I’ll make sure to follow tight on their ass if they try to trail you to Buck’s.

But don’t worry. I won’t let them get that far.

I’ll pull them over for some manufactured slight; seatbelts not worn, inoperative tail light…

” he trailed off with a gleeful tone in his voice.

Bobbie snickered. Leave it to a Sothard to get a kick out of subverting her brothers.

“That sounds awesome, Mase. I’ll call you about, what, fifteen minutes before I’m ready to leave?”

“That’ll work,” he confirmed. “That way I can call Spence, too. I’ll have him stake out Buck’s house, just in case the pair know where he lives, and decide to head there instead.”

Bobbie gave a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much, Mason. I owe you, big time.”

Mason laughed. “Just keep doing what you’re doing with my brother, and I’ll consider that payment enough. I’ve never seen him happier. When he was home on leave, he was always a grumpy-ass, raining on everyone’s parade. None of us could wait for him to get back to his ship.”

“Really?” Bobbie was shocked.

That didn’t sound like the Buck she knew, at all.

“Nah. Just pulling your chain,” Mason snickered. “ Not about him currently being the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time, though. He really is smiling a bunch more since he started being around you again. Everlee says he has a spring in his step.”

Bobbie grinned. She’d take that.

She snapped her fingers, even though Mason couldn’t see. “Hey. Speaking of Everlee, did she name your little dachshund, yet?”

“Yup. You’re probably going to love it. I’m still on the fence, but…”

“Spit it out, Mase,” Bobbie urged.

“Fine. She’s calling him Mr. Izzy A. Weiner.”

Bobbie cracked up. Oh my. She could see where big, bad, Mason might not like the playful moniker, but it was totally Everlee, and Bobbie loved it.

“Are you kidding me? That’s awesome. You can make so many nicknames out of that.” She wasn’t going to go into the list that sprang into her head, now, but it was tempting. Mason was saved from her stream of consciousness however, because she had to get back to work.

She almost missed his ongoing demurrals.

“Uh, uh. I agreed to go along with the name if we just call him Izzy. Period. And it’s all Reilly says now, all day. It’s actually pretty cute.”

Right. Mason thought everything his daughter did was very cute .

“Okay. Izzy,” Bobbie snickered. “How is he adjusting?”

Mason huffed out a breath, this time almost giddily. “Are you kidding? He’s already got all three of us wrapped around his little paw, and for such a tiny guy, let me tell you, he takes up a shitload of space on our bed.”

Bobbie swallowed her spit the wrong way, and coughed convulsively. When she could finally speak again, it was with raspy astonishment. “You… You let him sleep on the bed with you? No crate?”

Mason hummed, as if he knew he’d been caught out.

“Umm, okay. So now you know we’re not the most disciplined of dog-parents.

We had good intentions, but… Izzy cried for an hour the first time we put him in his crate, and Everlee couldn’t stand it, so we let him come up on the bed with us, and now he’s decided that that’s where he belongs. ”

Sure. As if Bobbie believed that it was Everlee’s tender heart that had caved. She just knew it was Mason who’d surrendered his authority.

Mason continued to defend their decision, even when Bobbie didn’t say another word. “Luckily, we don’t think the crate will be necessary at all. Izzy’s so smart, he hasn’t made a single mistake in the house. He knows to ask when he has to go out. It’s like he came to us already trained.”

“That’s great for you,” Bobbie enthused, then her face screwed up in concern. “Oh, shit. I guess I’m going to have to Google how dogs go potty on a boat. My mind has been so busy with everything else going on, I hadn’t even thought about it.”

Duh. Bobbie felt so dumb. As far as she knew, dogs consisted of four things.

Eating, pooping, playing, and love-cuddling.

Maybe she shouldn’t beat herself up too much.

Three of those, at least, had been fully on her radar.

When she’d sent Buck a list of items she needed, food and toys were numbers one and two.

Maybe, however, Buck had thought of something for Reyghan’s potty needs.

She was going to have to text him.

“Good luck with that,” Mason chuckled. “Your particular problem is outside my area of expertise. But back to your brothers , that request happens to be my jam. Even if dickheads one and two expect to hinder you tonight, it’s not going to be achievable.”

Bobbie was relieved. “Thanks again, Mason. I mean it.”

“I know you do,” he responded gruffly. “I’m just happy you and Buck are working things out. Talk to you later.”

“Later, Mase.” Bobbie hung up and immediately searched “dogs on boats bathroom”.

It gave her several good ideas, but at this point, she didn’t have time to pick up the proper supplies. Should she bother Buck again?

Hesitating only a second, she texted him.

I forgot about Reyghan’s potty needs. I’m thinking maybe a piece of soft, washable astroturf, and a big, flat box that will accommodate it.

Bubbles immediately appeared. That was good, because she really needed to get back to work.

Already taken care of. I got all the other stuff you asked for, but when I noticed there was nothing for Reyghan’s bodily needs, I searched Dog Poop on Boats, then picked up exactly what you described .

Damn, Buck was a fine man. She wondered why she’d ever doubted him.

Oh, yeah. Because of her scumbag brothers.

But there was no sense now in letting those assholes take up space in her head. Their hold over her was on the way to being severed. Forever.

It was much more fun to engage with Buck.

You’re awesome, Bobbie replied. So, it looks like I’ll be at your place around six.

Can’t wait, he responded. Come hungry. I’m making food.

Her jaw dropped.

Seriously? He was going to feed her?

Nobody ever did that; afraid she’d judge since she was the expert. In reality, she didn’t care in the least what she ate. Someone could feed her boiled hotdogs and she’d be grateful for the break in having to fend for herself.

That sounds fantastic, she answered. Don’t knock yourself out, though. I’m good with anything .

So, you’re okay with fried Spam ?

Long forgotten flavors from her childhood instantly flooded Bobbie’s taste buds, and she found herself choked up. Her mother used to make that for her before the woman had lost herself to alcohol. Bobbie actually had fond memories of the cheap and simple dish.

Don’t tease , she sent back. I love fried Spam .

Oops. Maybe next time . He added several laughing emojis and one with green puke.

Maybe he wasn’t a fan. Ah, well. He’d get over it.

Okay. I have to get back to work.

Me too , he returned. Tabitha is cracking the whip. She wants this place to be open by next month.

Bobbie knew that Buck, Spencer, and Tabitha had been working almost non-stop to renovate the empty office space in Hampden that they’d be using as the home base for their scuba venture. She hadn’t been to visit it yet, but she hoped she’d find the time next week after getting home from Canada.

See you tonight , Bobbie ended.

What she received back was a very comical swooning emoji, surrounded by lots of hearts.

She was still laughing when she went back to join Melo.