“You know,” Lace told him, “if you join the service, and they see aptitude, they’ll train and license you on their dime.”
“I’ve thought about it,” Ryan responded enthusiastically, then sighed as his face fell. “But my girlfriend is against it. She wants me local.”
That girlfriend again. The one who was still with Ryan because of the money he was making.
Crap.The young manreallyneeded to rethink that relationship.
Lace, though, proceeded with caution, since he might not like her butting in. Still, she couldn’t hold her tongue completely. “There are some things that are better at guaranteeing a more secure future than fishing,” she told him. Lace knew the stingy captain probably wasn’t paying him that well. “Maybe if you appealed to her in that way…”
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t think she’s looking that far ahead,” he admitted.
Geeze.The sex must be phenomenal.
But who was she to talk? She was ready to follow Vince around like a puppy dog, if he’d give her some more of his…magic wand.
Lace cleared her throat.
“I’ll, uh, ask if Obi-Wan has time not only to take you up, but I can see if he’ll talk to you about flying opportunities with the various branches of the military,” Lace offered.
“Obi-Wan?” Zach laughed, cutting off whatever Ryan had been about to say. “I like the guy already. Do you think I can grab a helicopter ride, too?”
Lace shrugged. “He’s here on vacation with his wife, but since he didn’t hesitate to take me up, I think the odds are good. Maybe he likes showing off?”
As for showing off… That wasn’t exactly what Obi-Wan had done. It was more like he’d mine-melded with his machine, then flown however his rotor-ized friend dictated.
Ryan and Zach looked excited, elbowing each other.
She’d share some phone numbers, then let the four of them figure it out.
Lace regarded the grinning pair a little closer, thinking that now wasn’t an ideal time for them to get carried away. If Captain Horrid saw them hashing out plans and slacking off, he’d make their day miserable. The man didn’t like there being a distracted focus byanyoneon his payroll.
Thank god Lace was a different story.
The jerk didn’tsignherpaycheck, so he couldn’t dictate how much time she spent on her computer, which shewouldbe doing during all her down-time today. She wanted to finish the DHHS course before theWater Wrestlerdocked this evening, so she could submit her completed hours, and a house inspection could be scheduled as soon as possible.
But that was personal information she wasn’t about to share with the two young men in front of her. Better to get back to speaking of fishing things.
“So, how was the catch yesterday?” she inquired.
“Like always,” Zach answered easily, and Ryan nodded his agreement with a grin.
Excellent.Their attitudes were normal.
Whatever had them acting a little sketchy a few days ago, must have resolved itself. Maybe the captain had temporarily pulled his head out of his ass and was treating them like humans; or at least something that wasn’t complete disdain.
“Well, I’m looking forward to a really fine day, today,” Lace told them, upbeat. “The weather is perfect, the seas are calm, and if the catch cooperates, maybe even our captain will grace us with some non-grumpiness.”
There was foot-shuffling.
“Don’t count on it,” Ryan muttered under his breath.
Damn. There it was again. Back to shady; a veiled reaction from both that there was some underlying…situation, of which she wasn’t a part.
Well, directness had always been her strength, so she might as well go for it. She’d become, if notactuallyfriends with the pair, at least more than a nameless associate.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Ryan? Zach?”
Ryan grabbed Zach’s arm and began pulling him away.