Seventeen Days by D.B. James Read Free Book Online Page A

can’t be trusted to not to get any ideas, and Gentry may be my best friend but he’s a dog. The way he treats women makes me question what kind of upbringing he had. If I didn’t know Steve—his dad—was such a stand-up guy, I’d never have trusted Gentry with the limited female customers we have pass through. They need to leave Morgan the fuck alone. If they even look at her wrong, I’ll go all caveman on their assess. Possessive, much?
    Growing up, my dad only had the one boat to run charters on, and two employees to help him. He opened Montgomery & Son the year after I was born. Hoping to one day share the business with me, and leave it to me when I was ready. He didn’t plan on a drunk driver taking him away before he was able to show me all the ropes. He had taken me out on tours on the weekends since I turned thirteen but never genuinely let me run anything on my own. Except for cleaning the day's catch. That he would let me do alone. 
    While I went off to college to get my business degree, the building sat closed up, the boat in storage. At the time I left for school, I didn’t plan on opening the business back up to run one day. I had planned on selling it. Even went as far as to put it on the market only to change my mind once the first offer came in. I couldn’t sell my namesake, but I could try to turn it back into a thriving business.
    So I did. And now, I plan on expanding for the second time in less than two years. 
    Pulling into the parking lot at twenty minutes after six, I see I’ve beaten everyone here. Good, I can catch up on minor paperwork and make sure the coffeepot is set to brew for when Morgan gets in. So she’ll have fresh coffee and not make herself a pot of sludge. After quickly setting it to brew for her, I check the email to see if any inquires came in overnight. 
    When Thad walks in fifteen minutes later, I glance up to see Steve pulling into the lot. Two are better than none. I’ll let them both know about the new temporary rules and then take Thad and be on our way. I’m sure our customers will be here in a few minutes. Good thing they’re repeat customers or I’d have to go over every rule with them … and have had them here a good thirty minutes earlier. But it’s the Henderson’s, and they go out at least once a month. 
    “Hey, boss man, how’s it going?” Steve asks while walking in the door. Thad gives me a slight head nod while walking straight for the empty coffeepot. Must’ve been a rough morning. Join the club, bud. 
    “Starting this morning, we have a new employee. She’ll be here for the next two weeks while Dave is off tending to his mother. If he’s not back in two weeks, I’ll find another temp to fill his shoes. Until then, no cussing in front of her, even if she cusses at you, and she probably will cuss at you. Treat her like the lady she is. Her name is Morgan, she’s Savannah’s niece from up north. I don’t want you getting ideas in your head—” I point directly at Thad “—so hands off .” 
    Not leaving any place for argument, I stand up, grab my hat, and motion for Thad to follow me out the door.
    “Have a good day, Steve. Please let Gentry know about Morgan; she’ll be here at eight. Introduce yourselves and be nice. She’s a feisty one, but she should be on her best behavior. Good luck on your tour.”
    “Will do. Want me to pass along the ‘hands off’ message as well?” Hell yes, I do. “Knowing my son, he’ll overlook it anyway. You know how he is. Although, the one we need to worry about is the dickweed right over there.” He points to Thad to get the point across. There’s no love lost among those two, which is why Thad is always out with me or Gentry. I swear most days these guys are worse than a couple of two-year-olds fighting over the shiniest toy. If Thad wasn’t such a hard worker, I never would’ve hired him. Steve was here since Pops opened the place. Hiring Gentry was easy—he practically grew up here