Dirty Summer 5

One

Justyn

“How much longer do we have to stand and listen to this?” Justyn cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered to Reid.

Reid shrugged his shoulders as the cousins watched their fathers pace the boathouse. The men had been there ten minutes.

“Damn if I know. I thought they said they were going to butt out.” Reid eyed Wes and Billy Strait, who had just finished their third loop.

Justyn grabbed a fresh piece of sandpaper and continued smoothing a board he had worked on all morning. He didn’t need this right now. He sanded the grooves on a freshly sawed plank he had placed over two sawhorses. There was a new order for a custom forty-foot vessel, and the customer wanted the boat before the close of summer. It was going to be tight getting her finished in time.

The salt-and-pepper haired men huddled near the bow of the latest work in progress. Justyn kept hearing words like “burn out,” “cost effective,” and “stubborn.” He shook his head.

“Dad, we’re trying to work in here. Do you mind?” Justyn called to his father and Uncle Wes. “It’s a little distracting.”

“Son.” The tall man stepped closer. “Something bothering you today?”

“Uncle Billy, I think what Justyn is trying to say is that we’re under a deadline. That’s all.” Reid shot Justyn a look.

“Yeah, I’m saying that, and asking what in the hell y’all are doing bringing up this garbage? That ship has sailed. We’re in this business, so either support us or get out of the way.” Justyn’s words were clipped.

Billy Strait pursed his lips before sliding his hands in his pockets. “This doesn’t seem like a good time for either of you.” He nodded at his brother, Wes. “Why don’t we check on you boys another time?”

“Dad, didn’t you hear what I said?” Justyn slammed the sandpaper on the board.

Justyn wasn’t himself today, and having their fathers show up unannounced was unnerving, but neither he nor Reid needed to stir up more currents since the waves in the family had finally settled.

“Dad, Uncle Billy, why don’t I show you what I’ve been working on out in the yard? She’s getting picked up tomorrow.” Reid motioned for the men to follow him out the side door.

Before following his nephew to the outside boat yard, Billy stopped in front of Justyn. “Son, I didn’t come here to interfere with your work. Uncle Wes and I were headed to Ruddy Ducks for lunch and thought, what the hell, we’ll stop in and see the boys.” He paused and smiled. “We’re actually really impressed with what you have accomplished.” He slapped his son on the back. “I’m proud.” He walked out into the yard.

Justyn pressed his palms into the sawhorses and closed his eyes. Ten minutes later, Reid entered the boathouse.

“Man, really, you’re not going to call her?” Reid grilled him. “Because that’s what this is all about. The sanding, the piss mood—it’s Blair.”

Justyn shook his head. “Nah, it was a mistake. I shouldn’t have taken her out to the cove like that.”

Justyn kept his head down and focused on smoothing out each bump in the plank’s grain. Sanding was good; it kept him from thinking.

“You sure? Your little girl tantrum just cost us lunch. Blair’s pretty awesome and it’s obvious she has the hots for you. Maggie said she’s waiting for you to call.”

Justyn pulled up from his concentrated work. “Stop right there, man. I don’t want to know what Maggie said Blair said. This isn’t The Bachelor. Ok?” He returned to the messy smoothing process.

“Ok, ok. I’m just trying to help you out. Seems like you’re making a mistake from where I stand.”

“Stay out of it, Reid. It’s complicated.” Justyn sighed.

Reid threw his hands in the air and took a step backward. “I’m out. You do what you’re going do.”

“Thanks. I think I can handle Blair.”

“I’m headed to the office. Looks like you’ve got that sanding under control.” He laughed at his cousin. “I’m still trying to set up the meeting and I’m hoping to get the proposal finished today. You good?”

“Go on. I’ve got this.”

Justyn wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist and tossed the sandpaper in the open trash can. He had already gone through two sheets on just a few boards. This was going to be a long day. He worried he was already behind schedule on sanding, but knew Reid had to focus on the meeting. They needed financial backing or there would be no business.

Blair. Dammit. What was he going to do about that girl? He couldn’t stop thinking about her, or what happened in that cove. The other night on his boat was the best night he’d ever had on any boat—he couldn’t argue with that. But, she was infuriating, stubborn, quick-tempered, argumentative, and temporary.

No matter what he told himself, Justyn knew she was leaving in a month and he could do nothing about it. She had already accepted a job in Dallas, and he was all in with the boat business. Besides, they had just met. It wasn’t as if anyone was going to change his or her career paths because of a summer fling. He picked up another prickly sheet of unused paper and laid it rough side down on the next board.

He had plenty of experience with summer flings. At twenty-six, he had spent his share of summers getting to know vacationing girls at the beach and he knew the drill. Someone always got too attached, no matter what the upfront agreement was. And, usually, it wasn’t him. However, something was different this summer. He could feel it every time he saw Blair. He sanded deeper and longer strides into the plank. This is the way it had to be.

He was making the best decision, right? There was no reason to get involved with her further. He gave her what she wanted the other night. She said she wanted to keep it casual, so why was she mad he hadn’t called?

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Flashes of her long legs crept into his mind, those lips, and the way she dug her nails into his back. The way she purred under his touch and leaned into his body every time he got close.

Oh hell, what am I doing? Justyn tossed the paper on the floor and grabbed his keys. There was a hot-tempered blonde he needed to see.

Two

Justyn