Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

dinner and find your bunks.”
    “You’re not my mother, Sonya. I don’t need to be told when to go to bed,” Peter was quick to point out. For the last year, he’d been bucking anything she’d asked of him that resembled parenting. It was past annoying.
    “Right now, I’m your boss.”
    “Come on, let’s listen to the Captain.” Wes moved in front of Peter. “Garrett, it was nice meeting you…that was, before we knew you were a fish cop.”
    “Trooper,” Garrett corrected with a clenched jaw.
    Ah, sore spot, Sonya realized, filing the information away. She grabbed Garrett’s arm and he willingly went with her. Good thing, because if it came to manhandling someone, Sonya knew without a doubt that Garrett would be better at it than her.
    Manhandle. Dang. She shook her head to get the image that one word brought into her mind. Yep, needed some space and fast.
    Garrett mounted the 4-wheeler. He took the key out of his pocket and put it in the ignition, but didn’t bother to start the engine. He captured her hand instead. “Sonya. About that kiss—”
    “It’s a conflict of interest for us to see each other.” Damn, why did he have to be a fish cop? She pulled her hand out of his and backed up a step. “I don’t play games.”
    “Neither do I…usually. But, when I do, I play for keeps.” He started the ATV and engaged the gears. “I’ll be seeing you, Sonya.”
    Not if she could help it.

C HAPTER F IVE
    Sonya studied the skies from the pilot house of the Double Dippin’ . An uneasy foreboding sank into her bones.
    A red morning for the first day of drifting. The maritime warning echoed through Sonya’s head. Red morning, sailors take warning.
    Weather was predicted to blow in that afternoon. When didn’t they get weather in Bristol Bay? She’d even seen it when the wind blew both directions just for the fun of it.
    Right now the sea was gray, choppy, and dressed in whitecaps. The wind blew steady from the east at twenty knots. That would change. She stretched, trying to get the kinks out of her back. The bunk on the boat wasn’t the most comfortable. Not to mention she was edgy over what today would bring. She had a lot to live up to. Her big mouth for one. She’d talked everyone into drifting. Her family had been happy set netting for over fifty years, and here she’d pushed for them to drift.
    “Yo, Captain,” Wes hollered from the starboard side. “Permission to come aboard.”
    Sonya opened the window and leaned out of the pilot house to see Wes bouncing like a rubber ball in the skiff. “Permission granted, matey.” She rubbed her hands together as she noticed the individual cooler he had with him. Looked like she wouldn’t have to settle for a protein bar for breakfast, after all. When he was safely aboard, and in the warm pilot house, she took the cooler from him. Her mouth salivated at the thought of what her grandmother had cooked for breakfast. Cinnamon rolls, blueberry muffins. “What did you bring?”
    “Don’t get too excited.” Wes grimaced, unsnapping his rain jacket. “Margaret made salmon omelets. In my opinion, fish is never a good breakfast food.”
    They supplemented their food stores with salmon, living off the ocean as much as they could. Food was expensive to ship in and even more expensive to buy at the cannery. Then there was the problem of refrigeration. Salmon was caught fresh every day, healthy, and a great source of protein. Unfortunately, Sonya had to agree with Wes. It wasn’t the most ideal breakfast food. Maybe she’d have her protein bar after all.
    “I did grab you some nuts and the last of the apples, in case the omelet wasn’t to your liking.”
    She grabbed the apple and took a bite. It was a bit mealy, but it was fruit. Probably the last she’d see until the season was over and she headed home. So she savored it. “Thanks, Wes. I appreciate it.”
    Wes settled himself on the small bunk while Sonya took the captain’s chair and the bag of nuts Wes had stuffed into the cooler. She’d toss the omelet overboard later and let the seagulls fight over it.
    “How are you doing today?” Wes asked.
    She’d known Wes would show up before the rest of the crew this morning. He had a way of seeing things that no one else did. The talent would serve him well in his chosen career.
    “Nervous. Excited.” Sonya bit her lip and decided to speak her doubts and fears, knowing Wes would see them even if she didn’t share. “Worried.