Do You Take This Daddy?

He recognized the challenge in her suggestion, and took the leash. It wasn’t like he was afraid of dogs. He’d just never met one that looked like it could eat him whole and still have room for dessert. Following Mollie around to the front of the house, he kept a tight hold on the leash and a close eye on the dog.

He had to admit, it was pretty impressive how well the dog managed on three legs. Unlike most people, he didn’t seem to care that he wasn’t quite perfect. He just was happy to be alive. When Noah stopped in the driveway beside Mollie’s little hatchback, Baby moved closer, bumping Noah’s hip with his massive head. Getting the hint, Noah gave the dog a cautious scratch and was rewarded with a tail wag forceful enough to knock over a small child.

Mollie secured the poles to a roof rack, and then took the leash and loaded the dog into the cargo area. Noah watched with fascination as Baby wedged himself into a comfortable position, then proceeded to shut his eyes as if the whole process had exhausted him. By the time Noah was buckled into the passenger seat, there were loud snores coming from the backseat.

Mollie started the car. “I still can’t believe you’re a famous artist.”

“And I can’t believe you’re still thinking about that. I’m just me, and this is like any other fishing trip, okay? Just you, me and Baby. Which, by the way, is a ridiculous name for a hundred-pound dog.”

“He’s almost two hundred pounds, actually.” She grinned. “I thought the name might help him seem less intimidating.”

“It didn’t work.”

“Hey, I saw you petting him. Admit it, you like him.”

“Fine, yes, I like him. What concerns me is how he feels about me.”

She laughed. “I see your point. But you don’t have to worry, you’re pretty easy to like.”

* * *

The drive to the marina was quiet, other than Baby’s snoring. Inside her head, though, chaos reigned. Was she crazy to be spending more time with Noah? Safety wasn’t her concern; between Baby and her years of martial arts training, she wasn’t worried about him trying anything. But how could she keep things fun and casual when every minute around him had her liking him more? And not in a platonic, let’s-be-friends way. Not even close. But even if she was willing to break her no-dating rule, in a few days he’d be headed back to his real life, and she wasn’t interested in being someone’s vacation fling. Not to mention he was on the rebound. No matter how she looked at it, anything other than friendship would just be asking to get hurt.

He broke the silence first. “Do you go fishing a lot?”

“Not as much as I’d like. Between work and school, it’s hard to find the time. But I try to go out at least every few weeks, usually with my dad.” Which reminded her—she really ought to make an effort to go see him and her mom while she was off this week. She made a mental note to call them as she turned into the parking lot of the marina. Boats of all sizes and shapes dotted the water, from beat-up fishing vessels to sleek yachts. There were quite a few houseboats, too, some that were bigger than her own home.

“What are those garage-like buildings?” Noah pointed to a row of open fronted warehouses where boats were stacked four high in individual slots.

“Those are dry racks. People pay to have their boats stored there to protect them from the elements. The marina uses a big forklift to move them in and out.”

“Valet service for your boat?”

She smiled. “I’ve never heard it put quite that way, but yeah, basically.” Getting out of the car, she checked that she had everything and let Baby out of the back. “Let’s head up to the marina store. I want to get some bottled water and we’re going to need bait.”

“So what’s the deal? Are we renting a boat here?”

“Nope, my Dad has one stored here. Well, I guess it’s the family boat, but he and I are the only ones that take it out. My sister is a workaholic and doesn’t make it down here much. And Mom likes to tag along, but she won’t take it out by herself.”

With Noah carrying the gear this time, she walked with Baby, waving at a few of the people down on the docks. They passed the restrooms and a covered picnic area, and then the pool.

Noah turned to take it all in. “I always thought a marina was like a parking lot for boats, but it almost seems like a campground or something.”

“Well, it’s kind of both. Most people just store their boats here, but some live off them. For them, this is a neighborhood of sorts. And even the day trippers sometimes like to get a drink or something to eat at the restaurant.”

“I wonder what that’s like, living on a boat.”

“I’ve thought about trying it, but haven’t had the guts or the money to actually do it.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe someday, though.”

They reached the small bait-and-tackle store along the waterfront, and she reminded Baby to behave.

“You can bring the dog inside?”

“Everyone here knows Baby. They’d give me hell if I didn’t bring him in.” Once inside, she walked past the rows of shiny lures and the displays of custom-made rods to the coolers in the back. “You grab us some water and ice. I’ll get the bait.” She picked out a package of frozen shrimp and some squid. Usually she went with live bait, but given Noah’s lackluster reaction to the idea of a fishing trip, the frozen stuff might be a better way to ease him into the experience.

Taking everything up to the register, she paid while Baby was fawned over by Frank, the owner. “How’s my favorite pup?”

“She’s doing great, thanks. How are you and Marie?”

“Oh, we’re good.” His smile crinkled the lines on his face. “The grandkids were down last week and about wore us out.”

“And I’m sure you can’t wait for them to come back again.” The elderly couple doted on their grandchildren, and the feeling was mutual. The kids were often underfoot around the marina, enjoying the fresh air whenever they had a school break.

“You got that right.” He tipped his head toward Noah, who was inspecting some handmade boat models. “Who’s the fella?”

“Oh, he’s one of Jillian and Nic’s guests, someone Nic knows from work. I’m just showing him around a bit.” In a small town like Paradise, it was better to stop any rumors before they started.

“Mmm-hmm. Well, you just make sure he treats you right. You never know with those tourist types. At least you’ve got Baby here to keep an eye on things.”

She had no doubt the loyal dog would defend her from an attack, but what she really needed was protection from herself and the growing attraction she felt every time Noah was around. She wasn’t about to explain that to Frank, though, so she just nodded and headed for the door.

“Hey, don’t forget me,” Noah called, putting down the replica sailboat he’d wandered over to.

Forget him? She hadn’t stopped thinking about him since she saw him on the steps of the Sandpiper. No, the only thing she was in danger of forgetting was her common sense.

* * *

Noah followed Mollie out of the dimness of the bait shop, squinting against the harsh glare of the sun. Taking one of the plastic bags from her, he matched her pace down one of the long docks extending over the blue-green water. “Which boat is yours?”

She pointed to a midsize vessel about halfway down, a picture of an orange and the words Main Squeeze emblazoned on the hull.

“Cute name.”

She rolled her eyes. “That was Dad’s attempt to suck up to my mom. He was trying to get her to like the boat more.”

“Did it work?”

“Nope. I mean, I’m sure she appreciated the gesture, but she’d rather stay on dry land and fuss with her plants. The garden is her happy place.”

“And the water is yours?”

“One of them. I’m not real picky. Anywhere outside works for me.”

“And anywhere you can snap off some good shots?” He nodded to the camera bag she’d pulled from the car, now hanging from her shoulder.

A quick smile of acknowledgment was replaced with a grimace as she stepped onto the deck, absorbing the movement of the sea like a seasoned sailor. “Someone must have left some bait on board.” Her nose crinkled, her freckles bunching up as she made room for him to join her. “Sorry, I’ll rinse out the bait wells if you’ll keep an eye on Baby.”

At the sound of his name, the dog stood up from where he’d been sprawled on the warm wood planks of the dock, leaping across the gap between the dock and boat with much more grace than Noah expected from the oversize amputee. “Show-off.”