Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

rock in the middle. The feeling sure as hell beat frozen in a freezer, but she’d had enough. She needed to know if Garrett was okay, and Aidan. The troopers had whisked him away just like she’d feared they would. How was he holding up with their relentless questioning, while he battled the guilt of killing his father? How bad was Garrett’s head wound? Had he lost too much blood? She knew the man could take care of himself, but what if tonight had been more than he could handle?
    What if—
    “What are you doing out of bed?” Thankfully, Grams interrupted her thoughts.
    “I’m much better.” Sonya reached for a brush to pull her hair back into a ponytail. She really needed a shower. The dried salt from her horrific swim made her feel like a piece of dried meat. Skin tight and gritty. The cabin was quiet. Sonya didn’t see any sign of Lana, but Grams had been baking muffins. The tempting smell of cranberries and nuts made Sonya’s stomach rumble. She’d exerted so much energy trying to keep her and Garrett afloat she felt like she could eat nonstop for a week.
    “Sonya,” Grams said, worry wrinkling her brow. “You scared years off my life. I’d feel better if you rested some more.”
    Sonya wrapped her arms around her grandmother. “I know, and I’m sorry.”
    Grams hugged her back. “Don’t do it again. I don’t have that many years left to lose.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Sonya let her go with a smile. “Where are the men?”
    “Still outside pow-wowing around the fire pit.”
    “Any news on Garrett?” She was afraid of the answer.
    “Wes and Peter returned with him about thirty minutes ago.”
    “He’s here?” Wanda had released him? “Have you seen him? Talked to him? How’s he doing?”
    “One question at a time. From what Wes said, he has a concussion, and Wanda hadn’t been too keen on letting him leave. He didn’t give her much choice. It took fifteen stitches to close his head wound.”
    “He should be under observation.”
    Grams nodded in agreement. “I’m sure you’ll tell him that when you see him. You might want to ask yourself why he demanded on returning. His head’s got to be paining him something awful.”
    “You think he came back for me?”
    She nodded, her gaze wise. “Don’t you?”
    Sonya didn’t know what to think. Garrett was passionate about his job, but then last night in her bed he’d been pretty passionate regarding her too. A blush heated her cheeks at the memory. Question was, which of the two did he care about more?
    The door burst open and Peter rushed in. “Good, you’re up,” he said when he noticed Sonya. “You feel like going over the Double Dippin’ ? If not, the fish cops said they could handle it without you.”
    “No one’s getting on my boat without me.”
    His knowing grin lit his face. “Thought you’d see it that way.” His nose sniffed the air. “Muffins?”
    “They still have five more minutes of baking,” Grams said, hands on her hips. “Then they need to sit for a few.”
    “Ah, man.” Peter stomped his way back out like a little kid at the end of his patience.
    Sonya reached for one of the many hoodies hanging on nails around the cabin. She chose the one which had the words, “Shut up and Fish,” blazing across the front.
    All she’d wanted to do was fish this season and to date, she hadn’t caught enough. This summer had presented more challenges and revelations than she’d bargained for.
    She shut the door on those thoughts, not ready to deal with what had been revealed tonight. She didn’t know when she would be. Until then, she had a boat to protect from a bunch of nosy fish cops.
    She found the men where Grams had said they’d be. Peter and Wes were down the beach, each with a shovel digging out the doomed outboard engine. Gramps must have put them on the chore to keep them busy and out of the way.
    Garrett was the first to notice her. “Sonya,” he said, rising to unsteady feet, the action causing him to momentarily shut his eyes in pain.
    “What are you doing here?” she asked. The man needed to be lying down in a hospital bed.
    “My job.” Garrett tightened his lips into a thin line. “How are you feeling?”
    “Better. How’s your head?”
    “Fine,” he bit out.
    “Liar,” she returned softly.
    “Sonya,” Gramps said, his tone chastising her. “It’s been a hard night for everyone. Let’s not add name calling to it.”
    “Right.” She turned to Aidan. He looked as though