Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals

his leg. “What is going on?” he asked her. Now, twice those eyes had invaded his dreams. He didn’t believe in the paranormal. He had always thought all that psychic stuff was just nonsense. Now he wasn’t so sure and he didn’t like that feeling. He threw some cold water on his face, brushed his teeth, and went in search of coffee. As he walked past the bedroom and looked in, he saw that Max had fallen back asleep. “She looks so peaceful when she is asleep,” he thought.
    An hour or so later, Max woke up again. This time it was to the smell of cooking bacon. After a quick visit to the bathroom she padded into the kitchen. Jack was at the stove, his back was to her, and he was turning bacon in the pan. Softly she stepped up behind him.
    “Hungry?” He had sensed her presence and asked just as she wrapped her arms around him.
    She pressed her face against his back, feeling his warmth, inhaling his smell. “Famished.”
    “Good. It’ll be ready in a sec.”
    She released her grip, headed for the coffee pot, and poured herself a cup. He placed the bacon on an old newspaper to drain and cracked several eggs into the pan.
    “Are you all right? That’s twice now that you’ve had some kind of a nightmare and it scares me,” Max said as she sat at the table. She could see him tense slightly when she asked that question. He said nothing. His concentration was directed to the eggs that were softly sizzling in the pan. The spatula scraped the pan as he flipped them gently. Then a series of additional scrapes and tinks signaled their transfer from pan to waiting plates. Jack turned and with the two plates of bacon and eggs in hand, he walked to the table, placing one in front of Max and the other at his place. Max watched him and waited for his answer. It wasn’t until after he had taken his seat that he looked up at her and said quietly, “Yeah. I’m all right.” Then with more enthusiasm, “Let’s eat.”
    The rest of breakfast was spent talking about their plans for the day, Max had to work at noon so she intended to go back to her place before work to take care of some things. Since tomorrow was launching day for the boat, Jack had a list of last-minute things to do.
    “Max, will you be able to help me launch the boat tomorrow?”
    “Maybe. I’m working at noon again. What time?”
    “It’s an early tide so we should be all done by nine or so, assuming that there are no problems.”
    “I’d rather sleep in. But I’ll help.”
    “You don’t have to.”
    “No. I’ll go with you.”
    They agreed to meet at the end of her shift for a bite to eat. With breakfast finished and cleaned up, they went their separate ways.

CHAPTER 13
    EVEN THOUGH THE sun had been up for less than two hours, it had been a busy two hours. Irrepressible had been picked up and trucked to the launch area, the mast stepped, rigging tightened, and now as she was eased down the ramp and into the water, Jack stood at the wheel. He pulled the shift lever back. He listened to the pitch of the idling diesel change as the gears engaged into reverse. Then there was a slight tug as the propeller dug into the water and Irrepressible pulled free of the trailer and backed away. She was free. Jack smiled, feeling the gentle movement under his feet as he turned Irrepressible toward the mouth of the harbor and the ocean beyond. They wouldn’t go far today, only to the mile buoy and back, but it would be enough. “We’re back,” he thought to himself as he watched Max out on the bow coiling the last of the lines that had secured them to the trailer and by extension to the land. He watched as she placed them on the cabin top and made her way back toward him.
    Only minutes before, on land, Irrepressible had been just another object, still, unmoving, and lifeless. Now, back in her element, she was alive again. Always in motion, the gentle pitch and roll―even in the calmest of waters―hinted at life. The only ripples on the water’s surface came from her as she glided past the other boats still tethered to their moorings, waiting for their chance to be free once again.
    As Max stepped into the cockpit she had a silly grin on her own face.
    “What’s with the smile?” he asked.
    “You.”
    “Me?”
    “Yeah, you. You look like the cat that ate the canary.”
    “Oh.” He blushed a little as she joined him by the wheel, the smile still plastered on his face.
    Max slid her arm around his waist and leaned her head against him just