Chapter 105

“Nice kick,” I muttered to Heather.

“Thanks,” she said, still standing next to me with her fists on her hips as she looked slightly away from me.

JC was on my other side, his arms crossed over his chest as he sneered across the dock at the four other guys. The one who’d gotten his nose broken was holding a big wad of bloody napkins to his face still and they all looked about as mollified as I could imagine.

Madison, it turned out, wasn’t just a Gas Bar girl. I wasn’t sure who she was related to, but seeing her pissed off had been enough to shut the guys up. She was now talking with Becca up on the deck of the restaurant area.

“Heather-” I started.

“Just fuck off,” she sighed.

I could take a hint.

Becca, accompanied by Madison, came back down the dock stairs and headed our way. “We’re all paid up and out of here,” Becca said. “Let’s get moving. We’ll talk when we find a place to anchor.”

The three of us nodded, and Heather and JC headed towards our boat, but I hesitated.

“Sorry that got out of hand,” I said to both Becca and Madison. “I should have had it.”

“Not your fault,” Becca sighed, shaking her head softly. “You tried.” She patted my arm and smiled. “Thanks, by the way. For trying.”

“Trying isn’t doing,” I said. “Next emergency, I’ll be on it faster.”

Becca rolled her eyes and smirked a little. “Always trying to be the hero. I’ll talk to you later, Spider-Man.” She headed back around to the other pier of the dock and the Singles Boat.

“Spider-Man?” Madison asked.

“It’s just a- It’s a joke,” I explained. “Her and my fiancee dressed up as Mary Jane Watson to do a photo shoot and I was the stand-in Spider-Man.”

“How’d you look in the onesie suit?” Madison asked with a chuckle.

“Not too shabby,” I said. “I’m sorry if this is any trouble for you.”

She scoffed and shook her head. “Nah. Jim and his boys are drunk idiots. They’re banned from half the places on the lake for being assholes, including anywhere else they can get gas. Only reason they aren’t banned from here is cause my Daddy owns it and they work for him in town sometimes. They know if they cause shit, they lose out on gas and their jobs. Which, by the way, is why y’all’re going to take my number.” She handed me a slip of paper with a phone number on it. “If they track you down on the lake or whatever to try and cause some problems, just call me. They know you have it, too, which should be enough to keep them away.”

“Thanks,” I said, tapping the paper against my thumb. “And, ah, thanks for earlier, too. You were pretty fantastic. It’s a weird situation, but you definitely deserve someone who can match your energy.”

“That might be the most roundabout, but nicest, compliment I’ve ever gotten,” she grinned. “And Robbie? You were a pretty damn good fuck, too.” She gave me a little punch on the arm by way of a farewell and then went over to the rednecks. “Come on, you dummies. Why can’t you take a fuckin’ hint and keep yer traps shut sometime?”

I headed back to the house boat and quickly undid the mooring ropes at the front and back. Most of the girls had been watching what was happening from the top decks of the boats, and I waved up to Cassidy who went to tell JC he could get us moving. The engines thrummed to life and we began to pull away from the dock as I climbed the stairs up to the top deck.