Kara Lennox - Reluctant Partners

“Cooper.” He gave a stiff wave.

“Oh, God,” Cooper said under his breath. “Here we go.” He looked briefly at Allie, silently begging her not to spill the beans.

She’d already made the decision that she wouldn’t tell Derek the real story of how she and Cooper had come to be working together on the boat. In fact, she would let him be captain-for-a-day. She would handle food-and-beverage duty, and let his brother see for himself that Cooper had made a wise decision, that he was living the good life.

Cooper met his brother on the dock while Allie hung back, doing her own assessment. “Derek.” The two men shook hands. Not very warm and cuddly. But then, not all families were raised to be huggers. She cautioned herself not to make any snap decisions about Derek Remington, as she’d done with Cooper.

“Where’s Sylvia?” Cooper asked his brother.

“Unpacking at the B and B. She’ll join us later.” Derek’s gaze roved over the Dragonfly . “So, this is what dragged you away from your home, your family and a six-figure income. The way you described it, I thought it would be bigger.” He glanced up and down the dock, taking in the other boats, probably comparing the Dragonfly to her neighbors. His gaze settled briefly on the Princess II . Probably the pleasure craft was more to his taste.

Allie silently vowed that by the time Derek returned to New York, he would be ready to turn in his resignation at Remington Industries and sign on as a deckhand working for Cooper.

“This is the Dragonfly ,” Cooper said proudly. “Isn’t she the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever seen?”

Obviously not, as he made no reply.

“Come on board,” Cooper said with a tad less enthusiasm. “I’ll show you around.”

As Derek stepped aboard, his critical gaze fell on Allie, who waited politely to be introduced. He eyed her with interest, probably trying to guess who the hell she was.

“Derek, this is Allie Bateman, my…” He stopped, clearly not wanting to lie outright.

Allie decided to do it for him. “I work for Cooper.”

“In what capacity?” Derek asked, shaking her hand, his smile distant.

“I’m his fish-finder,” she said, and Cooper slapped his hand over his mouth to stifle what she hoped was laughter. “Best in the business. I’m also a gourmet chef, and I prepare all the meals for our passengers.”

“Ah. You can get me a cold beer, then.”

“Yes, sir. Right away.” Gawd, he did everything but snap his fingers at her and say, “Chop chop.” And she’d thought Cooper was arrogant.

Fortunately, Otis had moved what little food and drink had been in the old fridge to the new one, so she was able to lay her hands on a cold beer.

“So, who is she really?” Derek asked, his body language reeking with disapproval.

Allie stopped when she realized they were discussing her. She stood there, frozen, not sure whether she should retreat, interrupt them, or eavesdrop.

She decided to eavesdrop.

“She is, in fact, the best fish-finder on the Texas coast,” Cooper said. “And she works miracles in the galley.”

“So she’s not your little playmate?” Derek asked. “Mom wondered if there wasn’t a woman involved, given your history of turning stupid around a pretty girl. Heather wasn’t the first woman to take advantage of you.”

Oh? This was interesting. What awful thing had Heather done? Was that what made Cooper so suspicious?

“No, we’re not involved,” Cooper said.

Not anymore, Allie added silently.

“But I’ll agree she’s pretty.”

“If you like that earthy, tomboy look. You didn’t, last time I checked.”

Allie gasped. How rude. Then she remembered she wasn’t supposed to be listening. She stepped through the hatch and rejoined the men, handing Derek his beer.

“There you go, sir.”

“Thank you,” he said without looking at her.

“Captain Remington,” she said to Cooper, “I was just on my way to buy provisions for tomorrow’s outings, so I’ll leave you and your brother to visit.”

Cooper bit his lip. “See you later, then.”

As she disembarked, he mouthed a silent thank you .

COOPER HAD BEEN HOPING FOR more time to prepare for his brother’s visit, but at least Allie was playing along. He wasn’t sure why it even mattered. So what if Derek thought he was insane for wanting to fish for a living? But all his life he’d been competing with his brother-partly thanks to the fact their father always pitted them against each other-and he couldn’t bear the thought of Derek returning to Manhattan with tales of how deluded Cooper was and what a mess he was making of his life.

“So this is for real?” Derek asked. “I figured you’d play around on the boat for a week, then put it up for sale and come home.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Cooper assured him. As he did, something tight uncoiled inside him. He didn’t have to worry anymore whether Derek approved. Derek had no power over him-none. The resentment he’d felt for his brother vanished like the morning mist and with it had gone any need for subterfuge.

Cooper took a deep breath. “Allie isn’t really my fish-finder, although she’s damn good at finding fish. She’s my partner.” Man, it felt good to say that. “Johnny wrote a new will, awarding her the Dragonfly . She has a legitimate claim, and she’s sunk her life savings into this tub. It’s all being sorted out in court Friday, but until then we’re working together to keep the charter business going.”

Derek looked at him as if he’d just announced he ate small children for breakfast. “I knew you’d come down here and gotten yourself into trouble. What time is the hearing? I’ll have to rearrange my schedule-”

“No, Derek. I don’t want you there.”

“Do you want to keep the boat or not?” Derek asked, utterly baffled.

“I do. But I want to keep the girl, too.”

ALLIE WAS QUITE PLEASED with their morning charter the following day. She’d spent the previous evening preparing ingredients for a slightly more upscale breakfast for the two men and one fourteen-year-old boy who were their passengers. Everyone, including Cooper, devoured the sausage-and-egg wraps, which bore no resemblance to the fast-food version of the same dish. Allie’s exploded with the taste of fresh herbs and real aged cheddar cheese.

They were fishing for barracuda, and the fish were being elusive, but the men didn’t seem to care. And when the boy caught the one and only fish of the day, he came unglued he was so excited, and the two men coached him on how to bring in the big fish. So all in all it was a good trip.

As soon as the passengers were gone, she and Cooper got to work cleaning and straightening and preparing for Derek and Sylvia’s visit. But Cooper seemed relaxed about the whole thing.

“Oh, by the way,” he said, “I told Derek everything. He knows about the two wills, and the fact we’re partners.”

“Really. What was his reaction?”

“He thinks I’ve gone ’round the bend. Which maybe I have. Allie, tell me honestly. When I first got here, was I like him?”

“I’m afraid so.” When she saw the disappointment on his face, she gave him a break. “Okay, you were only somewhat like him.”

“By moving down here, I might have saved myself just in time.”

After all the build-up, the cruise with Derek and Sylvia was anticlimactic. Sylvia was about what you’d expect a corporate lawyer’s wife to be-beautiful and polished and well-spoken, polite to the extreme but reserved.

The couple wasn’t terribly interested in fish, but Cooper baited their hooks and put their lines in the water, anyway. And when Sylvia’s line went taught, the haughty look disappeared from her face and she squealed with excitement.