During the crossing back to Santa Barbara, Eve pursed her lips and concentrated on taking deep breaths whenever the hull struck a wave or took a dip. She watched Sam at the wheel. At that moment, with the wind blowing through his dark hair, he looked more comfortable in his skin than anyone she had ever met.
Before Sam, she’d had only three bosses: her doting grandfather, her lying swindler of an ex- boyfriend, and her dictator father. With that trio, no wonder she didn’t know how to take criticism.
But Sam? This guy was a different story.
He looked over at her and threw her a sexy, easy smile. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she lied.
The truck from the Ocean King processing plant soon arrived on the dock. After weighing and offloading his haul, Sam brought the boat back to his slip and showed Eve how to stow all the gear and wash off the deck.
By the time they were back on land, it was nearly five o’clock, twelve hours after they’d left the marina. Eve followed him the short walk to The Mermaid’s Purse. Judith sat behind the counter next to the colorful costume jewelry. She was wearing lime-green reading glasses and doing a crossword puzzle.
“Hey, kids,” she said, putting the newspaper down. “Well? How’d she do?”
Sam looked sideways at Eve. “She did fine.” Judith snorted. “Fine? Dish, Lamont.”
“What do you mean?” He frowned. “The girl did all right. You want her report card? Her gold stars?”
“No, I want my report card. Was I right, or was I
right?”
Eve looked once more at Sam. She tried not to feel anxious about his nonchalance. Why did she want to impress him so badly?
Sam smiled at last. “Fine. You were right.” He gave Judith a quick rundown of the catch. “I think Eve will be a good substitute until Kyle is well. We’ll take care of her license tomorrow and be back on the water on Friday.”
Judith smiled and slapped the counter. “Ha! I knew it.” She turned to Eve. “Sweetheart, he acts like I’m a dotty old lady, but there’s a brain up here like you wouldn’t believe.” She tapped her temple with her pencil. “Did you know, back in the eighties, I used to outsmart bouncers to sneak backstage at concerts? And there was the time I woke up on Great White’s tour bus—”
“While you tell Eve about your exploits, I’ll get her backpack,” said Sam.
“What backpack?” asked Judith.
“The backpack she asked me to stash here this morning.”
“My roommates like to snoop and steal stuff,” Eve explained quickly.
“Where are you staying?” Judith asked.
Eve blinked. “Um, the hostel…near campus. It’s temporary. Just until I find an apartment of my own.”
Sam came down holding the big black backpack. Judith took off her glasses, looked at the backpack, and scanned Eve up and down once more. “Hostel, huh,” she said slowly. “You know, you shouldn’t waste your money. I have an idea. Stay here until you find a place.”
“What?” asked Eve.
“Yeah. Just sleep in the shop. I don’t mind. There’s a big couch behind the bookcase. You can stow your stuff in the back room. And you can use Sam’s bathroom upstairs. He doesn’t mind either.” Judith put her glasses back on and nodded to herself.
At first, Eve’s heart leapt. No more parks or libraries, and she could finally take a decent shower. Then she looked up at Sam’s face as he stared at Judith. His expression was downright furious. No point in pissing off the guy who was going to sign her paycheck.
“Um, thanks for the offer,” she said reluctantly, “but I’m fine staying at—”
“How much time do you need? One, two weeks tops?” Judith waved her hand. “No problem.” She took a twenty-dollar bill from the cash register. “In fact, do me a favor, honey. Let’s talk about this arrangement over some food. Ride your bike over to the stand near the wharf and get us some tacos, will you? Sam likes the fish tacos. I like the chicken ones. As for you, get whatever you want. “
After hours of hauling nets and lines, Eve’s stomach was rumbling. She took the money, left the shop, and jumped on her bike for the wharf.
****
Sam tried not to stare at Eve’s perfect ass hovering over her bike seat as she pedaled away. Then he remembered that he was supposed to be mad at Judith.
“What the hell?” he asked, folding his arms. “That girl is lying to you.”
“What?”
Judith took off her glasses. “I know for a fact that the hostel is out of commission for at least a week. I pass it every day on my way here. It’s getting fumigated for cooties. Looks like a big circus tent.”
“So?” said Sam. “She’s a grown woman. She can find her own place to stay. With her boyfriend, even. You don’t have to give her a place to live.”
Judith straightened up, put her hands on the counter, and leaned forward. “Listen, kiddo. I know I don’t have to. I don’t have to do anything. But this girl moves to the U.S. to work with her father. He fires her and throws her out. She finds a job, works all day, and does well, even according to you, you big grump. She’ll find her own place given the time. But she needs somewhere to stay now. And I’m giving it to her, because God knows where she’ll sleep tonight if I don’t.”
Sam searched Judith’s face and his anger dissipated. He’d been in that position once, a long time ago. Charlie and Judith had taken him in, no questions asked.
“Fine,” he said. “But two weeks and she needs to be out.”