Chapter Seven

The next day, Dina stared at the vista before her and wondered for the hundredth time why she’d agree to this trip on the high seas. An endless panorama of rolling gray-green water saturated her field of vision. The taste of salt on her wind-kissed lips reminded her she’d left the security of land behind for turbulent waters.

The ever-changing shapes of the waves and white caps assumed a heavier texture than everyday, ordinary water. Gelatinous almost. Powerful. Mesmerizing. She should be frightened by the expanse of sea, but instead, she found this new experience exciting and exhilarating.

Several miles from the coastline, this was her first experience deep sea fishing. “I still don’t understand why Rick begged off this trip,” she said to the huddled figure seated next to her.

“Said he’d awakened with a miserable headache. Knew it would only get worse out here on open water. Didn’t want me to skip the trip on his account, so you got elected.”

“I’m not much of a fishing buddy. This is all new to me.”

She scoped out their other four fishing companions, who weren’t speaking English. But they seemed to have a better idea of what they were doing than she. Everyone’s lines had been laid out and locked in place. All they had to do was sit back, relax, stay vigilant, and notify one of the crew when a line grew taut.

At least, those were the instructions she’d received. She tried to comply, but there was too much going on around her, not the least of which was the proximity of Ben Cutler. Ever since she’d learned earlier that morning she would be accompanying him instead of Rick, she’d been battling the intoxication she felt at the prospect.

“How long does it take to catch something?” Dina asked.

“Depends,” Ben said in a muffled voice. “If...our captain...locates the bottom feeders…it shouldn’t be long.” He spoke as if every word was an effort to get out.

Ben pulled his windbreaker tighter around him, like a frightened turtle.

“You okay?” She’d been too involved throwing out her line when they first anchored to note he wasn’t moving even as fast as she was, and she was the novice. But now, as she waited for a prize-winning fish to tug on her line, she noticed how he was bent into his chair, holding his stomach.

“Never better.”

“Why is your face so pale, then? Yawning like that? Didn’t you sleep well last night?”

He didn’t reply. He seemed to have imploded, receded within himself, as if he didn’t hear her.

“Ben! Look at me.”

He turned his head her direction very slowly.

“Your face is whiter than it was a minute ago. We need to get you inside to lie down.”

“No! Worst thing.”

“What do you mean? What’s going on, Ben? How can I help you?”

He brought his hands up to shield his ears. “Lower your voice.”

“Is this better?” She practically whispered.

“Yeah. Think I’m seasick. I usually...take something night before. But this outing...was a surprise. Didn’t bring anything.”

“Should I get one of the crew? Surely they carry something on board for seasickness?”

Ben leaned forward, placing one hand on the deck rail to steady himself while pressing the other hand to his forehead. “Too late. Need to...focus...on horizon.”

Dina let her gaze drift in the same direction. Her line went taut. “Oh! Oh!” What was it they’d told her to do? Summon the crew? Right. “Mr. Lund! Mr. Lund!” She called for the first mate, who’d been assigned to assist her.

The man was at her side instantly, checking her line while he eyed the water. Tall, deeply-tanned, about fifty, Mr. Lund remained calm and in control, unlike Dina, whose heart pounded in her ears. “You’ve got one, Miss. Haven’t spotted him yet, but the line’s really tight. You might have hooked a big one.”

He guided her back into her chair and told her to brace her feet on the deck. Meanwhile, he reached around her from the back and grabbed the fishing rod along with her.

The rod pulled at her wrists and arms as her catch struggled to free itself from the hook. Every few seconds the line would tighten then relax slightly before going taut again. Breathless, she asked, “How long does this go on?”

“Could be some time before he tires. Don’t wear yourself out. If you need a break, rest your hands a bit. Just let me know before you do.”

She worked the line for several more minutes. Though her shoulders and neck throbbed, the mere challenge of the duel with whatever sea creature was out there had her heart banging against her chest. This was actually fun. Why hadn’t she tried it before?

As the tension on the line eased, the first mate explained the final steps they would follow to haul in her catch.

Dina could see something out there now, though it never stayed out of the water long enough for the first mate to identify it. The fish was the same color as the sea and shiny. As it got closer, Mr. Lund stood beside her to work the line. She couldn’t remember when she’d been so excited in recent years. “Isn’t it great, Ben? I’m going to land him!”

Ben! In the thrill of hauling in her quarry, she’d forgotten all about him. Was he okay? Mr. Lund blocked her view. Before she could find out, the first mate shifted position and pushed her out of her seat. “You stand over there,” he directed as he moved away from Ben.

Her view of Ben no longer obstructed, she had just enough time to register that he had moved from the nauseous to the expectorant stage.

As Mr. Lund raised her catch from the water, Ben’s head shot over the deck rail to hurl. The action threw off the first mate, causing him to lose his purchase on the line momentarily, long enough for the fish, in one last valiant effort to stave off capture, to flip off the hook and dive immediately into the depths.

“Oh, no! My fish! He’s gone!” She scanned the water, desperately hoping her eyes had betrayed her and the fish was still secured.

“Sorry, miss.” Mr. Lund pulled a handkerchief from somewhere on his person and dabbed at something on his pants leg.

“I’m sorry too, buddy,” Ben said wearily. He was folded over, one arm still holding his stomach, but his color seemed a little better. “Can I help? Or pay your cleaning bill?”

Then Dina realized what they were attempting to wipe off the man’s pants. Eeuw! But one weak stomach was enough. She placed her hand on Ben’s shoulder and felt the clamminess through his jacket. “Better? Or is there more to come?”

He quirked an eyebrow. “’Fraid you’re next in line?”

“Of course not,” she denied too fast. “I’m sorry I got so involved with the fish. I should’ve been looking out for you.”

“Good grief, Dina. I caused you to lose your first catch. I violated the operative rule of the sea: if you’re gonna be sick, get out of the way.”

He must be feeling better. That was actually an attempt at humor. Even Mr. Lund seemed to relax a bit. “I’ll find you something to relieve the nausea, sir,” the first mate told Ben. Before he left, he stuck his head over the deck rail. Straightening, he commented, “Who knows? Maybe your gift to the sea will serve as bait, and we’ll have a whole school of them trailing after us.”

“He seemed to take it in stride,” Dina observed once Mr. Lund was out of sight. “I wonder if that’s ever happened to him before.”

“He’s making light of it because he was supposed to be on the lookout for symptoms like mine and he missed them. Until it was too late. A certain neophyte distracted him.”

“Jealous?” she teased.

Ben sat back in his chair and mopped his brow with one hand. “Actually, I’m embarrassed. I should’ve been showing you the ropes. Okay, lines—” he chuckled lightly at his pun, “and instead I get sick on you.”

“Not me. Mr. Lund.” Her turn to joke.

He shook his head and smiled, marveling at her understanding, even after he made her lose her fish.

Dina’s eyes glowed a turquoise fire. “It was a real rush bringing him in. I kinda liked the challenge. Do you think I’ll get another chance?”

Her question prompted him to remember his own line. He popped out of his seat, adrenaline overtaking his affliction. He tested the line, and sure enough, it had gone taut. “I think I’ve hooked one too!”

“Take it easy, Ben. You’re in no condition to bring it in alone. I’ll get Mr. Lund.”

“Don’t. No time. He’s ready to come in.” Grabbing her arm, he pulled her in front of him. “Give me a hand. Just hold it steady and I’ll work the line.”

Leaning into her to better grip the line, he felt her body go tense at his nearness. But she held her ground.

“Like this?” she asked, her voice muffled.

“Relax a little so your muscles won’t be sore later.” God, her hair smelled fantastic. Like lemons. Why was he smelling her hair? He was still sick to his stomach and had a fish to land.

He’d been an ass to allow himself to get sick. Vomiting like that, so she lost her fish. He knew better, but he had too many other things on his mind.

He attempted to blank out all else in his mind except landing the fish. It was hers, if they were successful. She deserved the honor after he’d let her down.

The two of them worked in tandem for several minutes, Dina holding tight when he told her to and easing up as he brought in the line.

She twisted her head back to ask, “Am I doing this right?” Her lips nearly brushed his. Her sweet breath washed across his cheek, causing him to tighten his grip.

“Sure are. See how much closer he is when he noses out of the water? And he’s not pulling on the line with as much vigor as before.”

“Good. I don’t know how much longer I can hang on.”

Mr. Lund returned, and on hearing Dina’s comment, moved in to take over for her, but Ben gave him a freezing look that signaled “back off.” He wasn’t about to take this experience away from her again.

Eventually, their combined efforts overtook the fish and they reeled him in, now with the aid of the first mate. “Looks like red snapper,” Ben called, his excitement growing.

“At least fourteen pounds,” Mr. Lund added.

“Is that good?” Dina wanted to know.

Congratulating her, Ben said, “Good! You’ve got yourself a real heavyweight!”

As soon as they were able to let up on the line, Dina turned, and in her exuberance, hugged Ben, catching him off guard and knocking him into his chair.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “This is so exciting. I got caught up in the moment.”

“No problem,” he lied, quickly pulling his windbreaker down over his pants. “Why don’t you go with Mr. Lund to get it weighed and registered. I’ll just stay here and...redo the line.” He desperately hoped she hadn’t caught the raspiness in his voice.

****

“I need your help, Dina,” Ben said as they drove back to the summer house.

“You want me to take the wheel?”

“No. It’s not much farther. I’m okay for a little while yet. Losing my breakfast overboard helped revive me for a while. Good thing, so I could help you land that fish. But I feel something coming on. Don’t know how long I’ll be down.”

Though her stomach had survived the brisk sea, now it took a dive. She had a good idea where this discussion was headed.

“I learned last night I only have a week to get my books in order. My competitors must’ve greased some hands to get the date moved up. You’re an accountant. Even though you pooh-poohed the idea of helping me last night, I wish you’d reconsider. I could really use your help.”

Dear God, he wanted her accounting skills. Needed them. Desperately. How could she subject him to her possible incompetence? “It’s not that I don’t want to help.”

“I’ll pay. Whatever you think is fair.”

“That’s not it. It’s just that—”

“You’ve got to get back to your job. I’ll call your boss. Tell him you’ve got a new client. Explain the urgency. Surely he wouldn’t mind the business?”

“I’m a bad risk, Ben. I don’t want to give you advice that might blow up in your face.”

“Whatever your abilities, Dina, you’re all I’ve got right now.”

She’d heard that refrain more than once from her mother, but coming from Ben it sounded different. Besides the threat of the audit, he was a sick man at the moment. She hadn’t realized the extent of his condition until he started talking. His eyelids fluttered a little too often for her comfort and peace of mind. Thank goodness they were within a block of her mother’s house. The Girl Scout instinct built inside her. She couldn’t stop herself, even though she feared her help might do more harm than good. “Okay. We’ll figure out something. Let’s just get you home and to bed first.”

He brought the car to an abrupt stop in the driveway, then struggled to disentangle himself from the vehicle and stand straight.

“Macho pride or not, lean on me, Ben, so I can get you into the house.”

“Vertigo’s back, worse than before.”

“You should have let me drive.”

“Yeah, right.”

Though apparently he still didn’t trust her driving skills, it didn’t take much to convince him to lean on her now. With her assistance, he stumbled toward the house, his feet dragging. Her mother and Rick must have been watching for them, because they were at the door immediately, Rick taking over, helping Ben to his room.

She trailed in their wake, scared he’d overreacted to the medication he’d taken on board the fishing boat even after he’d told her it was too late for it to take effect. Helping her land her fish despite his nausea raised his standing in her eyes.

Once Rick got him in bed, he motioned for her to come closer. “You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”

She just hoped he’d still appreciate her help after they’d tackled his books. “While you sleep, I’ll start going through your papers.”

“Most of my files are on my tablet. There’s a list in my briefcase. Along with the passwords.”

He was trusting her with his passwords? God, she hoped this was the right decision. “Where’s the key to your briefcase?” She waited for a reply, hoping he wouldn’t go under until he disclosed its location.

“Poc...ket.” His voice, now that of a compliant child, trailed off.

“Which pocket?”

“Ukkk...it.” His voice was barely a whisper.

“Pocket. Yes I heard that. Which one?”

He was out, and she was out of luck until she found the key.

Rick hovered over the other side of the bed, his face wrinkled in concern. “Is he okay? What happened?”

“He got seasick. He took something for it on board, which must have finally kicked in. I can’t believe he tried to drive in that condition.”

“Seasick? Dad knows better. Are you sure that’s what it was?”

“He said that with everything else going on around here he’d forgotten to take the pill that wards off seasickness before we left this morning.”

“What’s this about a key?”

“Apparently the government audit has been moved up. He only has a week to prepare for it. He asked for my accounting help. Since he’s going to be out a while, and time’s ticking away, I thought I’d go over some of the numbers for him. But I need access to the papers in his briefcase.”

Rick hesitated.

“It’s okay, Rick. You heard him tell me where it is.”

“Check his jacket pockets. He’s a real creature of habit. Usually keeps his keys there. Made it real easy for me to borrow the car when I was living at home.”

She gave Rick a grateful smile. “You trust me?”

Rick returned a lop-sided grin. “A guy has to trust his stepdaughter, doesn’t he?”

She headed for the closet. Then, thinking better of rummaging through a near-stranger’s personal items, she turned back to the son. “Perhaps you should go through his clothes? I’ll look for the briefcase.”

A minute later, both located, Dina began perusing the various files on his tablet. Holy moly! One brief glimpse of his documents and one of his problems became immediately apparent—he was completely disorganized. Shooting a look at Ben, it was difficult to associate the shambles she’d just uncovered with the uptight, buckled-down figure huddled under the covers.

“I’ll need to print out some of this to make sense of it,” she told Rick. “Are you okay with me taking it to my room?”

“Sure. Do you need any supplies? Calculator?”

“The printer that’s in the den downstairs. And lots of paper.”

Before she set up shop in her room, she took a moment to look at her emails and texts. Hadn’t been able to do that all day. As anticipated, there was yet another email from Phil. “Your dad there yet?” Translated, “I’ll buy that excuse for now, but he’d better show up soon.”

Her response wouldn’t ease his mind, but the best she could do was stay in contact. Once he started calling her rather than emailing, it would be much harder to put him off. “Dad still not here, but found us a new client. Helping him prep for government audit.” She shut off her phone, telling herself the action would help her concentrate more.

A few minutes later, Rick showed up with the printer and a hefty supply of paper. “Need anything else?”

She smiled her thanks but kept busy sorting the hodgepodge of documents she’d found in Ben’s briefcase.

“Okay. I get it. You need privacy.” He backed out the door. “I’ll stay with Dad a while to make sure he’s just sleeping and not passed out. And Dina?”

She glanced up.

“You’re a lifesaver. Thanks.”

His unexpected appreciation touched and scared her. A lot was depending on her right now. She didn’t dare blow this.

****

“It’s about time you joined the living.”

A very drowsy Ben rolled his head toward the voice. Dina sat in the armchair next to the only light illuminating the darkened room. “What, what time is it?”

“About nine. You’ve been out for several hours. How do you feel?”

“Sorrier than the red snapper we landed. All the life’s gone out of me.” He ran a hand over his head and grimaced. “Even my hair aches.”

“They said to expect this reaction. Mother called her physician to ask about your condition. We wanted to be sure letting you sleep was the right thing to do.”

“Did they mention when I’d start to feel human again?”

“Maybe tomorrow. Day after at the latest.”

He shot up. “Geez! I’ve got to get busy on that audit.”

With her index finger, she pushed him back to a prone position. “Not so fast there, buddy. You took a pretty big risk, driving when you were only half-conscious.”

He attempted a smile. “Better than letting you drive.” When she started to protest, he threw in, “I knew how much time I had before I’d pass out, and figured I’d just make it.”

“With my aid, I might add.”

“I vaguely recall someone helping me into the house and up the stairs. Was that you?”

“The first part. Rick took over at the stairs.”

“Thanks. You’ve been there for me all day.”

He gazed at her in a way she could have sworn was something other than that of a future stepgrandfather. She had to avert her eyes. Her palms itched. From embarrassment? Or elation?

He massaged his temples.

“What’s wrong?”

“Headache. Fair exchange for losing the nausea, I guess. Where is everyone?”

“Mother and Rick are on the dock enjoying the sunset. They should be back soon.”

“How about you? You’re my nursemaid?”

She debated whether to tell him about the discovery she’d made while he slept or leave it for the next day. Knowing his workaholic nature, he’d probably try to catch up on lost time during the night. But he’d freak if he rose during the night and couldn’t find his papers.

She drew in a deep breath. “Actually, Rick stayed with you until a little while ago. I’ve been doing accounting duty.”

He didn’t catch on at first. Still groggy. She knew the exact second her words sank in, because his eyes widened more than they had all day. He once again tried to sit up, only to collapse in a heap. Flat on his back, he said, “You have?” his tone challenging.

“You may not remember, but on the drive back from the marina, you asked—begged—me to help you with your books. With only a week to get ready and you dead to the world for several hours, I thought I could get a head start.” As an afterthought, she widened her own eyes and said, “It’s the least I could do in return for my fish.”

He stared at her in astonishment, not speaking.

“Don’t you want to know what I found?”

He struggled to keep his eyes open. “Unless I missed a petty cash fund with a million dollars in it, no, not right now. I still need to sleep.”

“Oh, sure. Of course. But go back to sleep knowing that I think I figured out what’s been eluding you.”

His eyes flickered. With apparent effort, he propped himself up on his elbows and stared her down. “Really. What’s that?”

Anxious to share her news, she settled onto the bed, not realizing how close she’d moved to him. “You’ve been deducting a couple of items from expenses that should actually be going into your assets.”

He shook his head. “You must be mistaken. I’ve been meticulous about my accounts.”

Did she miss something? No, she was fairly sure about her conclusion, but then, she seemed to have become quite adept at overlooking critical information. She’d been so excited about her finding, maybe she got ahead of herself. Her glow of discovery fast fading, she attempted to explain. “Why don’t you rest tonight, and tomorrow I’ll—”

“Sorry to burst your bubble. I’ll check it out when I wake up.” The minute his head hit the pillow, he was out again.

“When I finish, I’ll bring the documents I printed and your tablet back in here.” She slipped out of the room determined to either substantiate her finding or find something else to help Ben. Or start packing.

Dina pulled up at the second floor landing. Had she done it again—become so preoccupied something important had slipped her notice? Her heart pumped faster, her mouth went dry. She balled her fists, her nails tight against the fleshy part of her palms. She’d doubled-checked, triple-checked everything. Hadn’t she found that four-thousand-dollar mistake the other day? She was good at what she did. On the other hand, the last time she’d failed to spot something huge, her mind had also been focused on her mother’s problems.

The house suddenly seemed too confining. She gulped air, but that didn’t help. She had to get out of there. Ben was asleep again. He didn’t need her.

She ran down the stairs and through the kitchen, letting the back door bang shut behind her, and headed for the beach. What began as a fast clip soon became a trot, and then an out and out run until, in the shadowy cavern beneath the magnolias, her skirt caught on an errant root of a massive tree, causing her to trip.

As she plunged into matted sea grass, everything wrong in her world came crashing in as well. Her mother’s crazy engagement, playing nursemaid to Ben, and the increasing need to help extricate him from all those financial woes. Combined, too much to bear. The physical pain of a skinned knee just topped it off.

She sank to the ground, soundless tears streaming down her face. Why had she ever come here? Her mother was a grown woman who could take care of herself. Why was she so driven to protect the woman?

It’s not Mother and her crazy scheme eating you. You’re afraid to disappoint Ben.

“Dina? Is that you?” Her mother’s silhouette appeared at the top of the small hill Dina had fallen down. At this time of year, it wasn’t completely dark, but the canopy of trees overhead shielded her face from view. Her mother must have heard the crash.

Dina inhaled the redolent aroma of pine needles and magnolia, then patted away the moisture still on her face. “Yes, it’s me. I missed my footing and slipped.”

“Are you all right? Richard, go help her.”

“Stay where you are, Rick. I’m fine.” She didn’t want either of them to see her in this state. However, taking the art of gallantry more seriously than she’d ever expected, Rick was down the hill and at her side in a flash.

“Whoa! I’ll say you fell. Let me carry you, Dina.”

“No way, Sir Galahad. I’m fine.”

“At least let me help you up.”

“Thanks. I guess I could use an assist.”

Back in the house, she excused herself and went directly to her room to attend to her wounds. A few minutes later, her mother knocked on her door. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Just a boo-boo, like you used to call a skinned knee when I was a little girl. It was stupid to run in that skirt. I’ll probably have a bruise or two in the morning. But that’s all.” No need to tell her mother about her bruised self-confidence.

Her mother smiled. “I used to kiss away your boo-boos.” She pulled a package from behind her back that she’d kept hidden until now. “Although I’m still happy to administer a little kissy face, I thought this might be more effective first aid now that you’re a grown woman.”

Dina opened the package to discover a pair of ivory silk pajamas. “Mother! These are beautiful, but I don’t need gifts just because I fell down a hill.”

“Consider it an early birthday gift. I thought you might appreciate it more now.”

“Thanks.”

“Put them on. Wear them tonight. They’ll cheer you up.”

After her mother left, she stared at the faded cotton nightgown laying on the bed, then back at the new pjs. What the hell? She needed something to liven her spirits.

Once changed, she planted herself on her bed in the dark room and stared out the window, listening to the waves crashing into the beach several hundred feet away. Her heartbeat had returned to a more normal rhythm, although her leg still hurt. Nonetheless, she succumbed to fatigue within minutes.

Just before dawn, a creaking noise in the hallway pricked her consciousness. A trickle of sunshine seeped through her open window, and a light but insistent rapping came from her door. Dina pulled herself from bed to investigate and found Ben on the other side, stripped down to a T-shirt and shorts, shifting restlessly like he was about to run a marathon. He grinned like he’d just gulped down the proverbial canary.

“Ben? What’s up?” she whispered.

“I found it!” He grabbed her in his arms, picked her up and swung her around in the narrow hallway. Her head was still spinning when he finally set her down, continuing to hold her arms. “It was there all along,” he said in a mock whisper.

She put her index finger to her mouth to shush him.

He continued in a lower voice. “Don’t know why I didn’t catch it before. But once I did, it all came together.” His smile expectant, he acted like there was something she was supposed to say in return.

“That’s, that’s great,” she said in a hushed tone. “B-but—”

“Why am I here, keeping you from your beauty sleep, which you don’t need to worry about, I might add? Because, dear fishing buddy, you cracked the code. I’ve been up all night thinking about your earlier comments and trying new combinations, and about an hour ago, it clicked.”

“You got it to balance?”

“Exactly! The first six months anyway. I’ve got three more years to go through, but...” he gave her a hopeful smile, “with your help, I might just get it done in time.”

“With my help?” Her voice rose on that one. “You were so sure you hadn’t made any mistakes.”

He returned a sheepish grin. “Sorry about that. I was an ass. An ass with an ego that couldn’t admit he might actually be wrong.”

“Your words, not mine.”

“Hope I didn’t scare you off? I still need your help.”

Though he was trying to whisper, she heard a plaintive note in the undertones. Then she noticed something else. Standing so close to her, his body had become readily aware of hers. The minute she noticed his tented shorts, she remembered what she was wearing and knew if she didn’t end this scene soon, her pajama top would give away her own state of arousal.

Backing away from his embrace, she folded her arms over her chest and assumed a convince-me air. “If I find something else, you’ll at least check it out before saying it can’t be?”

He nodded.

“I need more sleep first. So do you.”

“Uh, yeah. Sleep.” He turned and crept off into the night. Before entering his own room, he whispered through the dark hallway, “Nice pjs.”

In her room, her back nestled against the now closed door, for the second time in hours, she attempted to resume normal breathing. In the space of a few minutes, everything had turned around again. She’d been right. He believed in her. Heck, he was even giving her credit.

He’d also gone hard against her. Surely nothing more than an involuntary response, but the thought scared and tickled her at the same time. It had been a while since she’d turned a man on. The discovery never failed to overwhelm her. Ben wasn’t so bad himself. She recalled taking in the muskiness of his aftershave and the heat and firmness of his body.

Then reality kicked in. She was here to break up a marriage. And now she had a second task, helping Ben with the audit. Even in this abnormal household, this wasn’t the time to start an affair with her stepgrandfather-to-be.