Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Thankfully, the moment ended when Mia gasped and pointed to something in the water. We all stood and moved over to the railing on the starboard side where a flying fish zinged about a foot above the surface of the water several yards off the side of the ship. As soon as it reentered the water, several more popped up farther off the edge of the ship to take their own flights through the air.
“What are those?” Mia asked.
Cal’s face lit up as he explained about flying fish, describing something about a neural arch and vertebrae allowing them the structure needed to lift themselves out of the water and into the air. He told Mia about the different theories for why they leapt out of the water, and within moments, everyone was paying rapt attention while he described other aspects of the reef ecosystem and how it was impacted by Hurricane Irma a few years ago.
“There’s a coral nursery here in the BVI that was wiped out by the hurricane, but they’ve been helped by the Coral Reef Consortium which has made a big difference in getting them back online as quickly as possible.” He went on to describe the process of growing new coral in protected areas and then installing the branches in the reefs. Jin mentioned a similar reef conservation program in Japan, and the two of them continued talking happily as we motored closer to Virgin Gorda where we’d be mooring for the night.
As soon as we approached the mooring ball Vin had selected, Cal couldn’t help but scramble around to help Freya with the hook. I had to admit, even though Freya was in great shape, I felt better seeing Cal leaning out over the bow than the heavily pregnant chief mate.
Freya stifled a laugh when Cal flicked water from the hook on an unsuspecting Jade. I caught Cal shooting Freya a wink, and my stomach swooped as if he’d winked at me. I needed to get a damned grip.
I took the opportunity to move inside the ship and find a glass of cold water. Julo was still prepping food, softly singing along to the music playing from the ship’s speakers. I assumed he was working on the crew’s dinner since the rest of us had reservations at the restaurant on the island.
“You’re welcome to join us at CocoMaya,” I told him as I reached around him for the pitcher of ice water on the counter. I’d invited him to join me for dinner many times whenever I went to a restaurant on shore, but he never accepted. It didn’t mean I’d ever stop trying. “You could try the parsnip puree I told you about.”
His deep laugh always made me smile. “And give Pat the satisfaction of cooking for me? No way. Besides, my conch fritters gonna make Freya cry tonight.”
“I heard that,” Freya said, hustling in from the deck and heading to the bridge. “It doesn’t take much these days, so that’s nothing to brag about.”
Julo met my eyes. “You go have fun with your family. They missed you. And maybe you give that new man of yours some pampering while you’re at it, yeah? I think it’s been a long time since that one has tasted a twenty-dollar salad.”
I took a seat on a stool in front of where he was chopping green and red peppers on a well-worn board. “He’s not my new man,” I said softly so no one else could hear. “That’s just…”
Suddenly, I thought of something. “Were you around that night? When Prescott brought him on board?”
Julo kept his eyes on the peppers, as if they might run off at any minute. “Mpfh,” he muttered.
I leaned in and lowered my voice even more. “Not fair,” I hissed. “You and I both know what happened with that prick, and after all the time spent on this ship after the Mason situation while I moped around like an asshole, I would have hoped you’d have some kind of loy—”
He held up his hands in surrender and took a look around to make sure we were alone. “Fine. But I think he’s a good one. You might want to give him a chance.”
“Who?” I asked stupidly. Thankfully, Julo didn’t dignify my question with an answer.
“Di topanoris brought your boy ’round late at night.” He took a minute to toss the pepper pieces into a bowl while looking up at me through his dark lashes. “Acted like it was his ship.” He shrugged and set the bowl aside before wiping his hands on a nearby towel and then crossing his arms in front of his chest. “I didn’t know it was Lucas’s man. When you told us his name and he was a guest coming early, that’s all I knew.”
I blew out a breath. Even if he had known, it wasn’t like Julo was going to say anything to a grown man about who he could and couldn’t sleep with. Still, it rankled me. Not only had Prescott cheated on my brother, but he’d also treated Cal like shit, leaving him to find his own way off a stranger’s ship. Not to mention the lying the little weasel had done in the meantime.