Minus Tide Read Online Free Page B

out.”
    “We’d still be there too, but dad got hurt last night and we had to take him to the hospital for emergency surgery. He was mad as hell at us for coming into shore. Even took a couple of swings at us until the meds kicked in and he went to sleep.”
    “Is he going to be alright?”
    “Hell yeah. He’ll be ready in the morning, with or without the doctor’s permission. I bet as soon as he’s awake they’ll wish they’d never kept him overnight. But since I’ve got some friends working there, I’m going to go back and try to head off any trouble. Last thing we need to happen now is having the cops haul old dad to the police station.”
    “That’s nice of you to care.”
    “I don’t know about that. I’m just glad dad will be alright. There’s a lot of money to be made this season, and we’re all thinking that we should be out there right now so we can grab our share. So what brings you out to Buoy City on a night like this?”
    “I was coming by to see Tammy. I guess I just missed her.”
    “I hear she’s expecting.”
    “That’s the story.”
    “How’s your aunt’s store? We used to live outside that place in the summer, remember?”
    “I’ll never forget it. I was popular back then, wasn’t I?”
    “Thirteen years old and every boy around here’s dream. Don’t forget that you also had access to the back freezer. God Ann, I wanted to be your boyfriend so bad. We used to watch you take James in there to smooch. Then you’d come back outside all smiling and eating ice cream.”
    “Did he tell you that we made out back there?”
    “Didn’t have to, Ann. James’ face was always bright pink, and we knew the freezer didn’t do it although he said it had. What about James? Have you heard from him since he left?”
    “Only a few letters. He didn’t sound very happy in the last one. I guess he’d hurt his shoulder in an accident, but they weren’t ready to give up on him and send him home right away. There were still more surgeries and painful rehab to look forward to. I didn’t know you guys were close?”
    “We weren’t really. As soon as we turned fifteen we kind of split into different directions. His dad kept him busy too, just like mine still does. I was only wondering if he’d been back in town lately.”
    “Not that I know of. What have you heard?”
    “My brother thought he saw him in a store in Cape Rock the other night. Said if it hadn’t been James then it must have been his twin.”
    “He didn’t talk to him?”
    “No, by the time he remembered his name, James was leaving. My brother isn’t too quick with faces, but he can do numbers in his head without hardly trying.”
    “Sounds like he’s got talent for something then.”
    “That’s true - dad put him in charge of the bookkeeping. Hey, after the season’s over, how about we go catch a concert in Portland?”
    “Are you asking me out?”
    “I guess I might be.”
    Two men walked into the restaurant and stopped to talk to Janet. Both had deep blue eyes and freckled noses, shoulder spans that were nearly as wide as the doorway. Janet turned and disappeared into the back kitchen. Ann didn’t know who the strangers were at all but she’d recognized Janet by her dress.
    “What are they doing here?” Chad moaned.
    “Who?” said Ann.
    “You don’t remember them?” Chad lowered his head and looked away. Why did I just say that? I’m going to make her feel stupid. Too late now ...
    “Sorry Chad. I can’t say I do.”
    “They’re my brothers and they can’t stay still for two seconds. They were supposed to wait with dad until I came back with takeout.”
    Ann looked at Chad’s face. It was handsome, she thought. More lines than should go with the voice, but that was the price you paid for being a crabber. He’d always been nice to her, even though she hadn’t invited him into the freezer. And now he acts like he’s waited all this time.
    “We’ll have to see what’s going on then. But most