Fish Perfume (Cozy Harbor Marina Series) Page 13

  “Are sure you don’t mind? I feel bad. I came up to see you.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Hel. I want you to have a great vacation. Go have fun with Tony. I have off tomorrow afternoon. How about we grab lunch from Mo and take a ride up the pond on Mac’s boat? Maybe if Mac is up to it, he’ll join us.”

  “Okay, sounds good. Tony has to work anyway. He did say he would take off Thursday and Friday so we could do some things together.”

  I smiled at her and teased, “He did, did he? I think the boy likes you.”

  She smiled, “They all like me. Speaking of the boy, I told him I’d meet him on his boat, he’s taking me for a boat ride. I’ll see you before I leave for the party. Tony said we would leave around 5:00.”

  “Okay, have fun. Thanks for lunch.”

  She gave me a wave and headed out the door.

  At 3:00, I put a Be Right Back sign on the door of the store and went down to the fuel dock to talk to Matt about some charge slips. I was having trouble with the handwriting on a few of them. Brian was in the fish store, and Matt was on the fuel dock finishing up with a boat. While I waited, I noticed a big dog sitting on the dock. He looked like a Chesapeake Bay retriever. Matt finished and came over. I asked him whose dog it was.

  He told me, “That’s Diesel, Harry Randall’s dog. Harry ran in to town to pick up something and asked me to keep an eye on him.”

  I asked him about the slips and before he had a chance to answer me, another boat pulled up for fuel.

  I said, “You go ahead and take care of that boat; I can wait a few minutes.”

  He went to talk to the customer, grabbed the fuel hose, and climbed aboard the boat. A small boat went by with two golden retrievers in it. They started barking at Diesel and he barked back. After the boat passed the dock, Diesel took an amazing flying dive off the dock into the water and landed with a big splash. He started swimming after the boat carrying the golden retrievers. I quickly looked back at Matt; his back was to me and he was still busy fueling up the boat. I thought, “Shit, shit.” I had visions of Diesel swimming to Block Island or getting hit by another boat or a jet ski.

  I kicked off my sneakers, jumped in the water, and started swimming after him. I was on the swim team for six years during grade school and high school. As fast as I swam, I couldn’t make any headway on Diesel. I’ll never underestimate the doggy paddle again. A boat approached, then slowed down, and I took a quick look. It was Ian on The Stalwart. He reached over the side and grabbed Diesel by his collar and hauled him up onto The Stalwart. I stopped swimming, and Ian looked at me and extended his hand to pull me aboard.

  He had a smirk on his face and asked, “Out for a swim, Meggie?”

  I gave him a dirty look, turned, and swam back to the dock. I hauled myself up the ladder to the fuel dock. I was dripping wet and once again humiliated. Matt stood there with his mouth open.

  Meekly, he asked, “Meggie, what did you do that for?”

  “You said you were watching him for Harry and since you were busy, I went after him. I was afraid he would swim away or get hurt.”

  Matt told me, a little too late, “Diesel always does that. He jumps off the dock at least five times a day when he’s down here. He just swims a little bit and then turns around and swims around to the little beach on the other side of the marina. Five minutes later, he’s lying on the dock again. I’m sorry, Meggie.”

  It wasn’t his fault; I didn’t want to take my frustrations out on him so I let him off easy. “Don’t worry about it, Matt; next time I’ll know better. Stop in and see me when you get a chance, and we’ll go over the slips.”

  Luckily, I had handed him the slips and he put them in his pocket before he started fueling up the boat. Even though I was soaking wet, I bent down and put on my sneakers. The last thing I needed at this point was a fishhook in my foot. Ian had tied up and both Sam and Diesel were walking around on the dock in front of The Stalwart. Unfortunately, I had to walk that way. I could sense that Ian was looking at me. I tried to ignore him, but I had to stop and wait for the dogs to get out of my way before I could continue up the dock. Diesel stepped in front of me and proceeded to puke up saltwater all over my sneakers. I sneaked a peek at Ian. He looked me up and down and shook his head. His shoulders were shaking and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. Ian was lucky I didn’t have a gun because I would have shot him in the head. The dogs finally moved out of my way, and I proceeded up the dock with as much dignity as I could muster. I glanced around the marina to see who might have witnessed my latest mortifying experience. Sure enough, Bob on the Bite Me had his camera phone ready. I stopped and struck a nice pose for him. He snapped my picture, gave me a wave, and I stomped over to the cottage to change clothes.

  Business was steady all afternoon, and at 5:00 Helen popped in the store.

  She said, “Just wanted to tell you I’m leaving. You have a great night.”

  “You too.”

  As she was headed out the door, she turned and said, “Don’t wait up.”

  Some girls have all the luck. I closed up and went over to the cottage. I didn’t have a chance to shower after my delightful swim, so I jumped under the welcoming hot water, dried my hair, put a little makeup on, and dressed in a denim skirt and a red and white striped tank top. Since my spare sneakers were history, my only choices of footwear left were sandals or flip-flops, which seemed like the better bet.

  I looked around as I walked through the streets of Cozy Harbor on my way to Mac’s house. It was so nice to see all the houses decorated in red, white, and blue. Practically every house I passed was in party mode. People were starting to line the curbs with chairs, getting ready for the parade to start. As I approached Mac’s house, I could see that his party was underway. I recognized Mac’s nephew, Mike. Mac was sitting in a chair next to a woman whom I assumed was probably Mike’s wife.

  Mac saw me and said, “Meggie, I’m glad you came. Come meet everyone.”

  I said hello to Mike, and then Mac introduced me to Mike’s wife, Nancy. Mike and Nancy introduced me to their son, Kyle, and their daughter, Taylor. Kyle looked to be in his early twenties and Taylor a little younger. A few of Mac’s poker buddies sat with their wives at a picnic table in the shade. Mac took me over and introduced me as his favorite clamming partner. Mike handed me a beer, and I helped myself to a hot dog off the grill. I sat in a chair next to Nancy.

  I asked her, “How’s Mac doing?”

  She said cheerfully, “He’s bounced back great. Mike and I have been here all weekend. We’re going home tonight and I think he’ll be fine on his own.”

  I told her, “I’ll check up on him.”

  “You wouldn’t believe all the people who have said that to us. Mac’s had a steady stream of visitors.”

  “I believe it. He’s a Cozy Harbor treasure.”

  I finished off my hot dog and disposed of the paper plate in the trash on the side of the house. When I came back around front, Ian was standing in the yard talking to Mac and Mike. After what happened today, he was the last person I wanted to see. I heard the parade approaching and went and sat in a chair by the curb between Nancy and Taylor.

  Leading the parade was an antique fire engine with a big red, white, and blue banner across the front of it that read The Cozy Harbor Fourth of July Parade. Following the fire truck was the bicycle brigade, consisting of about twenty kids of various ages on bikes and tricycles. All had American flags and red, white, and blue streamers dangling from their handlebars.

  Next came four antique cars loaded with people dressed up for the occasion. The kazoo band was up next, with about thirty adults playing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” totally out of sync. Behind them was Kathy from The Dancing Queen in all her glory. Kathy had a banner across her chest that said The Dancing Queen and behind her was a dance troop from her studio.
Kathy and the girls were dressed in sparkling outfits and performed a dance number to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” People strolled by in all sorts of wild costumes. Most of them looked homemade and were probably thrown together today. One adorable little boy pulled a wagon with two little girls dressed as mermaids. Four guys, dressed as lobsters, did a little dance. Pulling up the rear of the parade was a group of adults and kids, leading dogs, whom they’d dressed up for the occasion.

  The parade continued on down the street. We all got up, picked up our chairs, and went back into Mac’s yard. There’s nothing like a small town parade. I loved it. I decided to head back to the marina since the party was winding down. I still hadn’t talked to Ian, which was fine with me. I said my goodbyes and started down the street. I got halfway down the block when Ian caught up with me.

  He said, “Slow down, Meggie. You didn’t even say hi to me.”

  I turned my head to him and said, “Hi, Ian.”

  “Do you mind if I walk back to the marina with you?”

  I shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

  “Where’s your friend?” he asked.

  I ground out, “You’re too late. Tony already has dibs on her. He took her to a party.”

  “Boy, you’re really pissed at me,” he said, probably taken aback by my tone of voice.

  I gave him my phony smile and said, “I’m not pissed at you. I’m nice to all the marina customers.”

  “Meggie, I owe you an apology.”

  “Not necessary.”

  He sighed and said, “Look, I’m sorry I laughed at you today. Even you have to admit it was funny.”

  “I’m glad I’m such a source of amusement for you.”

  He ignored my remark and continued, “When I saw you in the parking lot hugging that guy at 4:00 in the morning, it took me by surprise. It was the last thing I expected to see on my way to work. I admit I jumped to conclusions, and I should’ve given you a chance to explain. Yesterday morning, I went over to the Snack Shack to grab some coffee, and I overheard Mo telling Marion the whole story about your old boyfriend showing up.”

  I barked out, “I told her not to tell anyone about that.”

  “Well, it’s hard to keep anything a secret around here.”

  “So I’ve learned.”

  “Anyway, I’m sorry,” he said in a quiet voice.

  I stopped and turned to look him in the face. “Ian, you were way too quick to judge me and think the worst. You just assumed I picked up some guy for a one-night stand. That showed me exactly what you think of me.”

  “Meggie, I don’t think of you that way at all.”

  I said, “Look, it doesn’t really matter anyway. Like you said, we shared a few kisses, no big deal.”

  “I shouldn’t have said that. It was a big deal to me. Frankly, I wanted to go over and rip his head off. I was surprised at myself for feeling that way, and I lost my temper. I should have let you explain.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  We had just walked into the marina parking lot.

  He gently grabbed my arm and turned me toward him again.

  He looked me in the eye and pleaded, “Meggie, can we please start over?

  I let it rip. “Ian, you hurt me. You think you can kiss me whenever you want and then ignore me for days. You assumed I’m a slut and didn’t give me a chance to explain and then, you laughed at me like I’m some kind of freak show. I recently ended a three-year relationship with a guy who treated me like a piece of furniture. I won’t let that happen again. So unless you’re willing to treat me the way I deserve to be treated, go away.”

  I started walking again. I can’t believe I just unloaded on him like that. It felt great. I am woman, hear me roar.

  He was still walking beside me.

  “I would like another chance to start over with you. Do things right this time. Please. Do you have plans for tonight?”

  “Not really. I thought I should stick around here and keep an eye on things since everyone will be partying.”

  “You don’t need to do that. People will be heading home soon. Why don’t you come over to my house? We can watch the fireworks from my deck.”

  I knew I would cave. It was fun watching him grovel, though, and I’m glad I stood my ground and let him know exactly how I feel. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mo getting out of her car. She waved at us and walked over.

  Ian was in front of me and turned to look at Mo. She looked at me and I shook my head no. I was hoping she wouldn’t say anything about me going on Big H’s boat for the fireworks, since I had just told Ian I was staying around the marina. I could tell she got my nonverbal message.

  “Hey, you two,” she said, “I’m headed down to Big H’s boat. We’re gonna watch the fireworks from the water.”

  Ian smiled at her and said, “Have fun.”

  She smiled back. “See you tomorrow.” She turned and hurried toward the docks.

  Ian turned back to me and asked in a low voice, “How about it, Meggie?”

  I let him sweat a few seconds, then said, “Okay. I’ll follow you in my car. Let me run in and get my keys.”

  He smiled and said, “Great.”

  I ran in and brushed my teeth really quick. Thank God I didn’t put onions on my hot dog. And I had freshly shaven legs. The gods were smiling on me tonight. I followed him to his house on Sand Hill Cove. I was expecting a little one-story cottage and was surprised by the size of his house. It was a large, two-storied shingled house with an attached garage. I parked behind his truck in the driveway. He opened my car door for me and led me into the house.

  I commented, “This is a big house.”

  He explained, “Originally it was just a small beach cottage, but years ago my grandparents expanded it. They probably would never get the permits to expand now. I wasn’t expecting company, or I would have picked up a little bit.”

  He opened the front door, and we stepped into a hallway with stairs on the left. Sam came down the hall to greet us. I gave him a good scratch, and then we continued down the hallway past a powder room on the right. At the end of the small hall, we stepped into a large room. The downstairs had an open floor plan with a spacious living room, dining area, and kitchen. The floors were hardwood, with a beautiful red oriental rug under the dining table and another one in the living room area. The back of the house was a wall of windows to take advantage of the water view. In the center of the windows was a big French door that led out to a deck. The view was breathtaking.

  Impressed, I said, “Your house is beautiful. That’s a million-dollar view.”

  “Thanks. I’m very fortunate that I inherited it. I could never afford to buy this house. I’ve done a lot of work to it in the past few years. I replaced the roof, all the windows, refinished the floors, and put in a whole new kitchen.”

  I took a look at the kitchen, and it was a cook’s dream. Beautiful natural cherry cabinets, state-of-the-art stainless-steel appliances, and beautiful granite counters. There was a large island in the middle of the kitchen with halogen lights hanging from the ceiling, spotlighting it. Three stools sat at the island counter.

  “Are you a cook?” I asked.

  He laughed and said, “I can only do the basics. Let me show you the upstairs.”

  He guided me back through the hallway and up the stairs. At the top was a door that led into a large master bedroom and bathroom, which ran along the back of the house. Here again to take advantage of the views was a wall of windows. A door in the middle opened on to a small balcony where two chairs and a table sat. The bedroom was furnished with a king-sized bed and two dressers. The bed was made, and, other than a couple pair of shoes lying around, it looked pretty neat to me. He showed me the rest of the upstairs, which had two other bedrooms facing the stree
t and another full bath. He had a double bed and a dresser in one, and the other room he used as an office.

  It was a beautiful home, although personally I think the décor needs a woman’s touch. Preferably mine.

  I turned to him and said, “I’m very impressed.”

  “I hoped you would be,” he said and then suggested, “Let’s go downstairs and I’ll open a bottle of wine.”

  We went downstairs and I took a seat on a stool at the island. Ian got a bottle of Pinot Grigio from the fridge and poured us each a glass.

  He held up his glass for a toast and looked thoughtfully into my eyes. He said in a gentle voice, “To new beginnings.”

  We clinked glasses and took a sip.

  He glanced at the clock and asked, “Do you want to go out on the deck? The fireworks should start soon.”

  “Sure.”

  He grabbed the bottle of wine and I followed him out to the deck outfitted with a table and four chairs, plus two Adirondack chairs and two rockers. All the furniture was white. I sat in one of the Adirondack chairs. Ian pulled the other one close to mine and sat down. Sam plopped down at our feet.

  Ian turned to me and said, “So, Mo said that Jimmy asked you to marry him.”

  He took me by surprise. “Yes, and I couldn’t have been more shocked. We went out for three years and never talked about marriage. He never even bought me a piece of jewelry. I do have a nice collection of purses he gave me over the years,” I joked.

  “Did you want to marry him?”

  “I knew I wanted to get married some day, but I never brought up the subject either. I guess I knew deep down that he wasn’t the right guy. That wasn’t my first proposal, you know.”

  Amused, he said, “Oh really. How many proposals have you had?”