"See, I told you they are remarkable," Dorothy exclaimed.
"Thanks, Auntie, but Quinn's boat is the one that's been the most profitable," Ben admitted. "He's insisted I come in more for the internet connectivity to work on my on-line college courses. It's only been in the last few months that we've found two men that we trust to captain for us in our absence."
"That's good, because you both need more breaks. Your mama misses you."
"We know, Auntie. And Quinn really deserves some time off. He's been the real reason for the family's success, and the reason there's money in everyone's college funds," Ben said, admiration for his big brother clear in his voice.
"Never underestimate your contribution, Ben. None of us do," Dorothy said emphatically. Again, Kara had to agree, imagining a sixteen-year-old boy yanked out of school to help a family make ends meet and becoming the man she saw before her. Yes, he was remarkable.
"Well, thanks for letting an old woman join you," Dorothy said. "I have to leave for church now." She got up to hug Kara and Ben, and left them.
The couple then enjoyed breakfast and a wonderful day of biking around Sitka, and later, steaming up the windows of his truck. Kara considered inviting him back to her room at the lodge, but it was still too soon. She told Ben she would skip her appointment with Nate the following day to meet him for lunch and spend the rest of the day with him. That way, he could work on taxes while she ran errands in the morning. He agreed.
Chapter 3
It had all been so clear that morning. She'd spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with Ben Shotbrook, and she knew that tonight, she intended to spend the night with him. When he picked her up to take her to breakfast, she was nervous, excited, and sad. She was nervous and excited over the idea of intimacy with the man, and sad to realize that on Wednesday morning he would take a boat out for an extended fishing trip and she would probably never see him again. So, as of Tuesday morning, she felt that she knew what she was getting into, or at least she thought she did. Then everything spun out of control.
Ben picked her up at six thirty for breakfast. She had told Nate that she wouldn't be able to work with him that day either, instead choosing to spend the day with Ben, just as she had the day before. Nate just laughed. Apparently, Sitka was a very small town with a very large gossip mill. He said to give Ben his best, and told her to have fun.
She knew that Ben had finally finished the taxes, working all through the night and probably early into the morning. Yesterday morning she had declined breakfast with Ben, saying she had some errands, and would meet him for lunch instead. She borrowed Lacy's truck so she could go into town to buy a dress and strappy sandals that she could wear on their last day together. This morning, she had taken time to put her hair up into a fashionable updo.
When she went down at six thirty Tuesday morning in her dress and sandals, she surprised him. Ben always made her feel pretty when he saw her, but now he stood even taller. She could tell she was making an impression as she walked down the stairs toward him. He met her halfway across the yard.
"You look stunning, Kara," he said as he cupped her cheeks and bent low for a kiss. Even in heels she had to tilt her head back to kiss this tall man. She found she liked it. It made her feel warm and protected. When he finally released her lips she was having trouble breathing, but she noticed that he was, too. He cleared his throat and said, "The people at Auntie's restaurant aren't going to know what hit them."
"It is just a dress," she said with a laugh. "I have plenty at home, I just didn't pack any. I thought I'd be either tramping around in the woods or on the beach, or working with Nate."
"Kara, a dress on you isn't ‘just a dress,'" Ben explained. "It's a work of art." Kara felt herself blushing at his praise.
"Come on, this work of art needs to be fed." They walked to his truck, and she waited for him to open her door. He stroked his hand down her back, a way of saying thank you. It wasn't necessary. She found herself relishing the courtesy.
Because it was a weekday, there were mainly just fishermen and others who were stopping in before beginning their jobs at the diner. The families she had seen on the weekend were engaged in their weekday routines. They went to the kitchen and gave hugs to Aunt Dorothy, then sat down. Florence immediately brought over their drinks and a basket of biscuits. She said she would be back to take their order.
Both Kara and Ben ate their biscuits in silence, looking at one another, enjoying the buildup of realizing that their relationship would be taking a big step further that day. Neither of them noticed when the door to the restaurant opened and that many of the conversations stopped. It wasn't until a shadow loomed over their table that they both looked up. Kara was stunned to see an almost replica image of Ben standing over her. This man was a little older, with short hair and a harsh expression on his face-an expression she had never seen on Ben's face.
"So, it's true," the older man bit out. "You haven't been getting our fucking taxes done. You've been traipsing around town with this bit of fluff, while we've been out busting our asses." Kara snatched another biscuit and buttered it as she watched Ben, knowing he'd been up all night completing the taxes so he could spend the day with her. Older brothers were such a pain in the ass, she thought as she enjoyed the honey butter. She wondered how Ben was going to play this out. But then she was stunned as Ben's face contorted into an equally hard look.
Ben stood up, and she realized that despite the fact that the man standing over her appeared huge, Ben was actually taller by a small margin. The other man, who must be Quinn, was actually much more muscular and wide. Right now though, they looked well matched in their rage.
"Brother, this is Kara, not to ever be referred to as ‘a bit of fluff' again. Are we clear?" Ben said in a low tone that had the hair on the back of her neck tingling. The biscuit turned to sawdust in her mouth. She grabbed her orange juice to wash it down.
"I don't care what her name is, if we miss the deadline because-" Ben yanked his brother's arm and jerked him away from the table. They both marched out the restaurant door and disappeared around the side of the building.
Kara knew what this meant. She had seen it play out far too fucking often in her house between Dane and Eric, and Eric and Leif, not to know that one or both of them was going to end up bloody, for no good reason. She'd be damned if she was going to be the cause of this. She threw down the rest of her biscuit and pushed back her chair as Florence came to take their orders.
"I wouldn't get in the middle of that, Kara," Florence advised.
"I've got three dumbass brothers of my own. This is nothing new," Kara explained.
"Well, between those two hotheads, this is nothing new either. I already told their aunt they're out back. She'll be out there pretty soon to throw some water on them," Florence said with a wink.
"Ah, but I have plans for one of them, and I don't need him out of commission." Kara winked back and headed out the door. She liked the sound her heels made on the cement as she rounded the corner toward the two big men who currently were taking swings at one another. So far not much damage had been done, but based on this mutual power display, it wouldn't be long before they were both really bloody and hurting.
She put her fingers to her lips and gave a shrill whistle that would have dogs barking for miles. The men immediately parted and looked at her, stunned. She took the opportunity to walk over to Quinn with an outstretched hand.
"Hello, Quinn, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Kara Johansen." Totally taken aback, she watched with amusement as he obviously fell back on his mother's training and shook her hand.
"It's very nice to meet you," he said politely.
"I don't know if Ben got a chance to tell you, what with the fighting and all, but he finished the taxes last night. Or it might have been early this morning." She walked over to Ben, and linked her arm through his. "Isn't that right, Ben?" she asked, smiling up at him.
Ben wasn't taken aback, he was grinning down at her. He bent down and gave her a leisurely kiss in front of his brother, and then pulled back. "It was this morning," he answered. Then he turned to his brother. "See, not a piece of fluff at all." He turned back to Kara and smiled. "That whistle is kind of hot!"
"It has its uses."
Kara watched, fascinated, as Quinn threw his head back and laughed. "You're right, little brother. Not a piece of fluff at all." Then he looked at Kara, really looked at her, from the tips of her toes peeking out of her sandals to the legs displayed by her dress, lingering a long time at the subtle cleavage showing before coming to rest on her blushing face. "No, Kara, you're not a piece of fluff at all, are you?"