Joanne Rock - Making a Splash

“Whoa.” He left the captain’s chair and slid into the seat across from her at the built-in table. The steering controls were still within reach if he stretched. “You’re really serious about this? About opening a business on your own in Maine, of all places?”

“Of course I’m serious.” She tugged down the brim of the camouflage canvas fishing hat she’d worn to protect her from the sun. She didn’t think she had much space left for more freckles. “I’ve researched this property every way possible without actually seeing it. And what have you got against Maine?”

“It’s far away and I’ve never heard you say anything about wanting to live in Maine.”

And since when had they discussed her future? Even when they’d been dating, that had been a topic Jack avoided like the plague.

“Sometimes it’s good to put space between yourself and where you grew up, right?” She didn’t think he could argue that, considering the choice he’d made.

“Sure. But you love it on the Cape.”

As opposed to Jack, who’d spent half the time they were dating on another continent.

“In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a lot of competition for tourist dollars there. And your family runs a tight ship. I don’t think I’m ready to battle with the Murphy clan in the business world.” She’d considered that kind of venture. But it would mean living in Jack’s backyard. Circulating in his family’s world. “Bad enough I could kick your butt at sports. I couldn’t demean you in business as well.”

“Ally, I’m serious.” He wasn’t letting her off the hook about this. “It’s going to be tough enough starting a business alone. Why travel so far from your roots to make it happen? Why not give yourself the support system of your friends and family?”

She felt herself stiffen, her pride bristling at the thought of her father or brother coming near her project. But she had asked Jack for his input. Damn it, she’d wanted advice about how to handle the inn in Bar Harbor, not all the reasons she shouldn’t buy it. She tipped her face into the ocean breeze and took a deep breath to try to soften her tone.

“My family is a far cry from yours, Jack.” Her father was a workaholic who’d driven her mom away long ago with his tunnel-vision dedication to his job and his habit of manipulating his kids like chess pieces. Her older brother, and only sibling, had stuck around. But he seemed content to follow in their father’s footsteps, commuting daily into Boston or New York to a job that required most of his time.

When her brother wasn’t working overtime to add to his bottom line, he indulged in his favorite hobby—telling Alicia how to live her life.

“But they interfere because they love you. You know that. I think you’ll miss being able to see them.” Jack’s green eyes appeared sincere, his expression heartfelt.

A less wise woman might believe his worry on her behalf was sincere. But she understood that it wasn’t concern for her needs so much as an unrelenting belief that he knew what was best for everyone around him. Just as her father and her brother did.

“While I appreciate you looking out for me, I’m not asking for help with the personal aspect of this.” As long as she liked the property as much in person as she did online, and could get the bank on board, she was closing this deal.

“Have you even thought seriously about opening a place on the Cape, where you have connections?”

Behind him, the ship radio squawked with a weather warning that made Jack check the sky and his watch. The storm clouds might be a few hours away, but as far as Alicia was concerned, Jack was already trying to rain on her parade.

“What connections?” She shook her head. “I couldn’t afford a place on the Cape even if I wanted to stay there.”

“I’ll back you,” he announced, rising from the built-in table to make adjustments on the boat’s automatic steering system.

She wished her life had an auto steering function right about now because she was feeling more adrift by the moment, and Jack seemed determined to step in and take charge.

“You’ll back me?” She parroted back the offer to be sure she’d heard correctly. “As in vouch for me to some corporate banker so I can borrow the bazillion dollars it would cost for a nice B and B property on the Cape? Even if you could convince someone to say yes, I wouldn’t be able to make a profit fast enough to pay that off. I don’t want that kind of pressure.”

Most of all, she didn’t want to be in debt to Jack.

“No pressure.” He turned the boat hard toward the west as he settled into the captain’s chair. “The loan would be from me.”

For a second, she couldn’t catch her breath. Her throat felt as if she’d inhaled a bug off the breeze.

“You can’t be serious.” How could he even consider such a thing? As tempting as it was to have the budget for a property that could be three times as profitable as the place she was looking at in Maine, she could never do business with her ex.

Out of the question.

He was jumping into her life and trying to take over. And they’d been back in each other’s presence for how long? Less than twenty-four hours.

“I’ve already invested in a handful of places around the Cape and you’re a safer risk than some of them.” He gestured toward a control on the helm. “Can you flip that switch up?”

Rising to her feet, she joined him by the helm and noticed from the chart plotter that he was headed toward Marina Bay, just south of Boston.

“Where are we going?” Frowning, she remembered how tough it was to keep up with a man who didn’t share his plans or intentions, a man who plowed through life on his own terms.

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