Dancing Tides by Vickie McKeehan Read Free Book Online Page B

g hims e l f into obliv i on’ thin g ? ”
    She p a tt e d h e r th i g h to g e t the dog ’ s a tt e ntion. W h e n the d o g t r ott e d ov er , she b e nt do w n to s cra t c h his h e a d a nd e ar s. “ W h a t do y ou s a y w e g o b ac k to the bo a t a nd g e t our stu ff , G uinn e ss? L e t ’ s g o, b o y . Y ou did su c h a g ood job, didn ’ t y o u ? T h e n we’ ll g o g e t y ou some supp er . T h a t m a n wa s so lu c k y w e w e r e h e r e to h e lp him.”

Ke e g a n tu r n e d to H a y d e n. “Y ou think h e’ s g oi n g to be a ll r i g ht.” She t a pp e d a f ing e r to h e r o w n t e mpl e . “ U p h e r e .”
    H a y d e n sh r u gg e d. “ I ho p e so. G o g e t y our stu f f a n d I ’ ll t e ll y ou a ll I know a bout Co r d B e nn e tt.”
    Af t e r r e t r i e vi n g h e r sh o e s, ce ll phone a nd the m ac kin aw , the t w o w om e n t o ok o f f do w n Ocea n St r e e t to war d t h e F a nni n g M ar i n e R e s c ue C e nt er .
    I t didn ’ t t a k e H a y d e n long to g o into a d e t a il e d a c c ount of w h a t she k n e w a bout Co r d ’ s p a st, in c luding the sp r e e shooting th a t h a d t a k e n h is f i a n cé e ’ s li fe .
    Ke e g a n l e t h e r f inish a nd t he n s a id, “ C a ssi e . T h a t wa s the f i r st w o r d out of his mouth af t e r h e r e g a in e d c on s c iousn e ss.” She shook h e r h ea d. “T h a t kind of love is som e thing I ’ m just not fa mili a r w ith, it ’ s w h a t m y g r a ndp a r e nts h a d. A nd look a t y ou e v e r y t i me E th a n g e ts w ithin t e n fee t, y ou l i g ht up like a g a u d y n e on s i g n.”
    H a y d e n sni c k ere d. “ I kn o w . Y ou just wa it, Ke e g a n , on c e y ou f ind M r . R i g ht, on c e y ou t a ke th a t fa ll, y ou ’ ll be r i g ht th e r e w ith m e .”
    Ke e g a n sn o r t e d. “ Y ea h. Su re . W h a t e v er . Y ou kn o w y o u ’r e d e lusion a l, r i g h t ? T his is P e li ca n Point e . I f M r . Ri g ht is ar ound h er e h e must be hiding und er n ea th o ne of those l a r ge r o c ks on the b eac h I h a ve y e t to look und er .”
    “H e y , y ou n e v e r kno w . I t ’ s possibl e .” “Y ou know w h a t I h a t e ? ”
    “ W h a t ? ”
    “ W h e n a p e r fec t l y g ood f r i e nd g o e s g a ga a nd st ar t s s ee ing lo v e in the a ir f o r e v e r y o n e ar ound h er . Y ou ’ ve b ee n m arr i e d, w h a t, a lmost a month no w ? A nd y o u ’r e still g lo w in g . G od th a t is so—”
    “ W ond erf ul ? ” H a y d e n f inish e d, bumping h e r fr i e nd ’ s should e r a nd l e tti n g out a huge si g h. “ Sue me b eca u s e I wan t e v e r y o n e e lse to b e a s h a p p y a s I a m.”
    “H mm, not a b a d id ea . I w ond e r if old m a n H ar tl e y w ould l e t me sue y ou f or fa lse a dv er tisin g . M a y be I c o u ld g e t some e x t r a c a sh f o r the ce nt e r out of th a t d e a l.”
    “Y ou ’ ve g ot a lot on y o u r pl a t e , t r y i n g to k ee p a lot of b a lls in the a i r , losing y our g r a ndp a r e nts w ithin a y e a r of e ac h oth e r h a s to h u r t. I told y ou I ’ d f ind y ou a noth e r volunt e e r or t w o. L il l y m a de me a sign I put up in the booksto r e a dv er tisi n g the n e e d f or p e ople to h e lp p r ot ec t the w ildli f e in the are a a nd r e minding th e m th a t w e h a ve a st a t e- o f- t h e-ar t, r e s c u e ce n t er r i g ht h e r e in P e li ca n Poi n te th a t n ee ds th e ir c ontinu e d suppo r t.”
    “Ge t a n y r e pli e s ? ”
    H a y d e n s i g h e d. “ J ust t w o , Ha nn a h B r od e r i c k ’ s so n , J a son, a nd his fr i e nd, Connor Da vis.” Ke e g a n c ouldn ’ t h e lp but l a u g h. “T h a t ’ s w h a t I n e e d, t w o v e r y ea g e r t e n - y e a r - old b o y s. W e ll, g ra ndd a d a l w a y s s a id to st ar t ’e m y ou n g , g e t ’e m involv e d ear l y a nd th e y ’ ll a p p r e c i a te the w