Read Fish Perfume (Cozy Harbor Marina Series) for Free Online Page A
Authors: Sammie Grace
were about twelve, I wasn’t sure.”
“Well, that was quite a while ago. I hope I’ve changed a little since then. Are you working for your father now?”
He said, “I guess no one told you. My dad retired, and he and my mom moved to Florida. I bought the business from him.”
“I remember my brother Jack telling me you went to Massachusetts Maritime with him.”
“Yeah, when I graduated I worked up in Maine at a shipyard for several years, until I bought the business from my dad. How is Jack?”
“He’s working on container ships. He loves it, but we don’t get to see him too much.”
“How about Charlie?”
“Charlie’s a travel writer and at the moment is touring New Zealand with my parents for the summer. I was the only one left at home who could fill in for Gram. I’m a teacher and had the summer off.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself. I hope the old salts around here don’t give you too hard a time.”
“Everyone has been really nice and it’s good to be back.”
He looked around the deck of his boat and said, “Guess I’d better finish up here. I’ll count on seeing you around.”
I probably sounded a little too eager when I said, “I’ll look forward to it.”
I turned around and started back up the dock. All of the sudden my world was a happy place. If I could sing, I would’ve burst out in song. I walked a couple of yards and couldn’t resist another peek at him. I turned my head as I was walking and slammed into one of the bait barrels. The lid popped off and half of the contents fell on the dock, the other half in the water. I wound up sprawled on the dock with the barrel next to me. My whole body was covered in fish guts. The stench was unbelievable.
I quickly sat up and wiped the back of my hand across my mouth and spit. “Oh my God. Oh geez. How disgusting. Yuck,” I cried out in horror. I waved my arms hoping to shake some of the slime off my body.
Ian jumped up on the dock. He had a big smile on his face, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
He put his hands on his hips. “You falling for me, Meggie?”
“Ha,” I said.
Since I wasn’t laughing, he took on a more serious tone and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I think so, but I hope this stench doesn’t seep into my skin.”
He held out his hand to help me up. I reached up and took his strong hand in mine. He pulled me up and set the barrel upright.
He looked me over and said, “You’d better get cleaned up, and throw your shoes and clothes away because you’ll never get the smell out of them. I’ll hose down the dock.”
Mortified, I said, “Thanks.”
I hurried up the dock and over to Gram’s cottage as fast I could, hoping nobody would see me looking like Swamp Thing. I’m sure I was a sight to behold with fish guts in my hair, on my face, and all down my body. I hosed myself down, trying to remove as much as I could before I went into the house, since I couldn’t take my clothes off outside. I threw my trainers in the trash can, opened the door, and ran into the kitchen for a trash bag. In the bathroom, I tore off my clothes and dumped them in the bag. Then I got into the shower and scrubbed myself raw until I ran out of hot water.
After the shower, I put on some shorts and a T-shirt, and took the trash bag out. I still smelled like fish, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. I’ll just have to get up early and take another shower in the morning.
Once I was clean, the humiliation of what happened started sinking in. I knew exactly what I did. I was so attracted to Ian that I wasn’t paying attention, and my make-an-ass-out-of-yourself gene took over. Well, I guess he won’t be in a hurry to see me again anytime soon. He probably had a live-in girlfriend, or with my luck, he’s dating a Victoria’s Secret model. It’s probably just as well, since I’m not dating right now, but if I had to pick only one word to describe him, it would be yum .
I decided to e-mail Helen
“Well, that was quite a while ago. I hope I’ve changed a little since then. Are you working for your father now?”
He said, “I guess no one told you. My dad retired, and he and my mom moved to Florida. I bought the business from him.”
“I remember my brother Jack telling me you went to Massachusetts Maritime with him.”
“Yeah, when I graduated I worked up in Maine at a shipyard for several years, until I bought the business from my dad. How is Jack?”
“He’s working on container ships. He loves it, but we don’t get to see him too much.”
“How about Charlie?”
“Charlie’s a travel writer and at the moment is touring New Zealand with my parents for the summer. I was the only one left at home who could fill in for Gram. I’m a teacher and had the summer off.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself. I hope the old salts around here don’t give you too hard a time.”
“Everyone has been really nice and it’s good to be back.”
He looked around the deck of his boat and said, “Guess I’d better finish up here. I’ll count on seeing you around.”
I probably sounded a little too eager when I said, “I’ll look forward to it.”
I turned around and started back up the dock. All of the sudden my world was a happy place. If I could sing, I would’ve burst out in song. I walked a couple of yards and couldn’t resist another peek at him. I turned my head as I was walking and slammed into one of the bait barrels. The lid popped off and half of the contents fell on the dock, the other half in the water. I wound up sprawled on the dock with the barrel next to me. My whole body was covered in fish guts. The stench was unbelievable.
I quickly sat up and wiped the back of my hand across my mouth and spit. “Oh my God. Oh geez. How disgusting. Yuck,” I cried out in horror. I waved my arms hoping to shake some of the slime off my body.
Ian jumped up on the dock. He had a big smile on his face, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
He put his hands on his hips. “You falling for me, Meggie?”
“Ha,” I said.
Since I wasn’t laughing, he took on a more serious tone and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I think so, but I hope this stench doesn’t seep into my skin.”
He held out his hand to help me up. I reached up and took his strong hand in mine. He pulled me up and set the barrel upright.
He looked me over and said, “You’d better get cleaned up, and throw your shoes and clothes away because you’ll never get the smell out of them. I’ll hose down the dock.”
Mortified, I said, “Thanks.”
I hurried up the dock and over to Gram’s cottage as fast I could, hoping nobody would see me looking like Swamp Thing. I’m sure I was a sight to behold with fish guts in my hair, on my face, and all down my body. I hosed myself down, trying to remove as much as I could before I went into the house, since I couldn’t take my clothes off outside. I threw my trainers in the trash can, opened the door, and ran into the kitchen for a trash bag. In the bathroom, I tore off my clothes and dumped them in the bag. Then I got into the shower and scrubbed myself raw until I ran out of hot water.
After the shower, I put on some shorts and a T-shirt, and took the trash bag out. I still smelled like fish, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. I’ll just have to get up early and take another shower in the morning.
Once I was clean, the humiliation of what happened started sinking in. I knew exactly what I did. I was so attracted to Ian that I wasn’t paying attention, and my make-an-ass-out-of-yourself gene took over. Well, I guess he won’t be in a hurry to see me again anytime soon. He probably had a live-in girlfriend, or with my luck, he’s dating a Victoria’s Secret model. It’s probably just as well, since I’m not dating right now, but if I had to pick only one word to describe him, it would be yum .
I decided to e-mail Helen