Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

We won’t be able to fish Roland’s.”
    “Let me know if there is anything we can do,” Sonya said.
    “Thanks.” Aidan ran a hand through his hair. “Sonya…can I talk to you for a minute?” He glanced at Garrett. “Alone.”
    Garrett’s jaw tightened. “Not a lot of space onboard.”
    Sonya laid a hand on his arm and beseeched him with her eyes to give them some time. She knew she’d won when Garrett expelled a deep breath, his lips twisting with a silent curse she knew he wanted to articulate.
    “Fine.” He turned and stomped his way up to the pilot house like a two-year-old forced to share his favorite toy and hating every moment of it.
    “Sonya.” Aidan brought her attention back to him. “I needed to say how deeply sorry I am for the suffering my family has caused you and your family.” He paused and stared at Garrett, who made no pretense of not watching their exchange from the broken windows of the pilot house. Aidan took Sonya’s arm and led her to the bow. While it didn’t block Garrett’s view, it did limit what he’d hear.
    “Aidan.” Sonya waited until his sad eyes met hers. “I don’t blame you for what Cranky and Crafty have done. You aren’t them.”
    “Their blood runs through my veins.”
    “Yeah, and according to my family tree, Stalin’s blood runs in mine. You choose what kind of man you are to become. It isn’t foreordained because of your bloodline. Don’t let this stop you from becoming the man I know you can be.”
    He indicated Garrett, who’d continued to watch them. She could feel his piercing eyes boring into her back.
    “You love the fish cop, don’t you?”
    “Yeah.” She nodded.
    Aidan met her gaze. “I hope he makes you happy.” He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You deserve to be happy, Sonya.”
    “So do you, Aidan. There’s a woman out there for you.” She gave a soft laugh. “If we’d stayed together, we would have driven each other crazy, you know.”
    “Maybe.” He cleared his throat. “If the cop ever gets out of line, I’d be happy to straighten him out for you.”
    “Thanks, I appreciate that.”
    “Okay, well…I’ll be going then.”
    Sonya reached out a hand to stop him. “Aidan. Listen, you need anything with Roland or the, uh, funeral preparations, you can call on us.”
    “Thanks, Sonya.” His eyes seemed suspiciously wet, and he had to clear his throat again. “That means a lot.”
    She reached out and hugged him. Aidan crushed her against him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She rubbed his back until he’d composed himself enough to let her go.
    He released her. “I’d better check on Lana. She’s taking Roland’s leaving pretty hard.”
    “Let her know we’re here for her too.”
    He choked out a laugh. “Peter’s already made that perfectly clear. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll be related because of those two. You are aware that they hit it off this summer?”
    She smiled. “Yeah, but I wasn’t sure you knew.”
    “I caught them snuggled up together the other day. Guess time will tell if they’re meant to be.” He turned to the rail of the boat and then looked back. “You take care of yourself, Sonya.”
    “I will. You do the same, Aidan.”
    She watched him motor back to camp and sent up a prayer for what he’d be going through in the months to come. With a father like Earl, life had never been easy for Aidan. Hopefully now, he’d find some peace and happiness.
    She rolled her eyes when she caught sight of Gramps, Peter and Wes heading down the beach toward the skiff carrying the resurrected outboard engine. She couldn’t believe they’d actually gotten the thing dug out and cleaned up. Gramps should have let the blasted thing die.
    She was smiling when she turned toward the pilot house. It was time to settle things with Garrett, but when she caught sight of him standing there, his eyes frigid, his jaw set, a feeling of dread came over her.
    What now?

    Garrett figured he’d gotten his answer with the hug Sonya and Aidan had shared. What had he expected? He hadn’t told her he loved her. Hadn’t solidified their relationship. He’d pretty much let her think this was a summer fling. He had no one to blame but himself. He also wasn’t about to give up without a fight either. Damned if he’d lose her to a man whose family had caused her so much pain. Besides, he had one thing going for him that Harte didn’t. Chances were he’d impregnated