Courting Trouble (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 3) (17 page)

She had enough havoc in her life without taking the blame for absolutely everything that went awry.

Tears sprang from her eyes, nearly blinding her, but she continued filling the pitcher. Over and over and over again. Fill, lift, toss. Fill, lift, toss. Although there was no danger of them drowning, she was determined to save the darn boat.

And it wasn't for Alec's checkbook, either. The boat had come to be a dream for her. A dream of a normal life. One where hopes could be fulfilled. One where people could accept each other, flaws and all.

No. Enchanted Lady would not sink. And her dreams would not die just because one man had feet made of mud.

Chapter 16

It was man versus machine. Alec would conquer this beast and come out the victor. It would just take a little dismantling. The bathroom was only about three feet square. Not a lot of room for tearing out the cabinet with its sink and plumbing, but he'd do it if he had to.

First, though, he'd check whether the flush button was stuck in the on position. No. One more possibility to cross off the list.

The electrical wiring, then. He used a screw driver on the socket cover, pulled it off and yanked the wiring from the wall. He disconnected it.

The head gurgled but continued spitting out H2O. There was something to be said for portable heads. Maybe when, or if, he ever bought a boat, he'd consider one with fewer amenities. A flushing toilet was a luxury he didn't need. Especially when it spewed endlessly.

Kneeling in the confined space, he was calf-deep in water and not quite fitting. One of his feet was stuck out the door while the other was wedged between the counter and the porcelain god. He had to find the hose that brought in the water. If he could get access to the source, he'd find some way to divert the water.

He managed to squeeze his head into the cupboard. It was too dark to see anything. It took him a minute to free himself so he could call out for Diedra. "Have you seen a flashlight anywhere?"

"Yeah. Let me grab it."

She returned in seconds and leaned over his shoulder to hand him the flashlight. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find the hose that feeds the bowl. It's behind this cabinet somewhere."

"Once you find it, what'll you do with it?"

Alec scratched his head. "I'm not sure, but I'm trying to figure out a way to divert the water. Maybe I could take another hose off something and connect the two and pipe the water out the porthole."

"That's great, Alec, but there's one other thing you haven't thought of."

"What now?"

"The water's getting deeper." A note of hysteria entered her voice. "I'm not sure how much time you've got."

Alec looked around and saw the water almost reached Diedra's knees now. In his seated position, it lapped at his waist.

Just then, the boat heaved and listed. Diedra fell over his back, and his head hit the damn toilet. Between stars that blurred his vision, he saw that Diedra had managed to fall head first into the... head.

She came up sputtering and wet. Very wet. He had to get her out of here. He'd set up the inflatable and put her on it while he tried to save Enchanted Lady.

"That does it," said Diedra as she pushed dripping hair from her face. "We're jumping ship."

* * *

Water lapped at the inflatable boat as it tipped from side to side. Diedra tried to distribute her weight evenly. Alec stood up, rocking the boat even more.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"Going back to fix the head."

"Oh, no, you're not." Diedra grabbed his legs. At last, the raft steadied. "There's no way you're going to leave me out here at the mercy of sharks."

"The sharks, if any, won't bother you. I'm not going to lose that deposit on a boat I'll never own. I have to fix it."

"Alec, if you go back on that sinking ship, I'll never forgive you. You'll drown."

"I'll take my chances. It's either drowning in debt or drowning in water, and the latter is preferable."

"Listen, you idiot. Your life is more important than the cost of that boat." Diedra clung tightly to his legs. There was no way she would let him go back on that boat. He tried to pull himself from her grasp, but she wouldn't release her hold, even when the raft tipped wildly.

He leaned down to tickle her ribs.

"Do your best. I'm not—" Diedra giggled. "I'm not letting go."

"My best, eh?" Alec grabbed her foot and slid off her shoe.

Diedra lost her hold on Alec. He fell. Actually, it was more like a topple. Elbows first. Right into the briny. She was momentarily thankful she'd insisted he wear a life vest, but a thought hit her. "Dammit, Alec! Don't lose my shoe!"

He came up for air, shaking his head and spraying water like a wet dog. He grabbed the side of the inflatable. Her shoe wasn't in either of his hands.

Diedra took off her remaining sneaker. Laughing, she hit him over the head with it. "You're just lucky it's canvas, you idiot."

They turned their heads at the same time toward the sound of an approaching boat. Neither of them could see it, however.

"Have you got that flare gun?" asked Alec.

Diedra grabbed the gun. "Got it."

"Fire it."

She glanced down at him. "I'm worried about you. Don't let go of the boat."

"Okay. I won't let go. We're going to be fine," he assured her. "Just shoot it already."

She did as he asked. The force of the gun made the raft bob and pull as far as the line that held it fast to Enchanted Lady would allow. The flare tore into the air, leaving a trail of smoke as a marker of their location.

Checking first to make certain Alec was okay, she gave into a grin. She'd never fired any kind of gun before. It was exhilarating.

He grabbed the line, threw one leg over the side of the raft and started to lever himself back in. She offered a hand.

"Thanks."

She saw her shoe tucked into the waistband of his pants.

Guilt nudged her conscience after he made it back in. She had taken the time to change her wet clothing before they boarded the raft and she was still warm and relatively dry. Alec's teeth were chattering.

"I'm going back on board. I saw blankets in one of the lockers."

"It's not necessary," he answered.

"Yes, it is. You'll catch your death of a cold."

"Diedra." His voice sounded gruff, as though he spoke between clenched teeth. "It's not necessary because you're sitting on a blanket. I brought it in case we needed it later."

"Oh." She leaned forward, dragging the blanket from beneath her. Handing it to him, she asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm just fine. Any sight of that boat?" He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

Diedra leaned back, looking in every direction. From the engine sounds, it had to be nearby. She saw movement to the port side. Focusing, she caught sight of the rescue boat. "They saw our flare, Alec. They're coming."

He didn't turn in the right direction, so she pointed it out. "Why can't you see it?"

"I lost my contacts," he said sheepishly.

Diedra laughed. "Serves you right for planning to desert me."

Enchanted Lady gurgled and listed even more to the starboard.

"As you saw by my swimming demonstration, sharks were never an issue."

"Yeah, well, I just didn't want you to go thinking you were the captain who had to go down with the proverbial ship."

"I assure you I was only motivated by one thing. Avarice. I was already worrying about paying for your damage to the rental car. I had no idea you'd prove to be even more expensive."

Diedra had heard enough. She'd proven she wasn't responsible for the boat sinking. "Careful, Alec, or you'll be taking another unscheduled swim. The rental car you're so worried about is on my credit card. I can pay for it myself."

"I wonder what a convertible top goes for?" he mused.

Convertible top? Then it hit her. The roof and her shoe. Rats. She should have kept her mouth closed. It would take her a month's wages to pay for it. "I'm not paying for the boat. I didn't do it. Besides, Harry said it has insurance."

"Yeah, insurance against normal acts of God. But somehow I doubt it covers sinking by toilet."

Flashing blue lights and roaring engines called for their attention. Their rescuers had arrived. Diedra had a momentary fear the Coast Guard vessel would run right over their small raft.

"Having problems?" called an officer leaning over the bow pulpit.

"No. We're just joy riding," Diedra snapped. "Of course we're having problems."

The Coast Guard officer looked at her in surprise.

Alec yelled, "Ignore her. She's having a bad hair day."

Diedra knocked him overboard.

Chapter 17

"I can't believe they gave me a citation!" ranted Diedra for the seventh time since they'd checked into Uncle Bob's Marina Motel. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure it's legal for the Coast Guard to go around giving out tickets?"

Alec smirked. "That's what you get for recklessly endangering my life."

Diedra sniffed. "I might have known. Men always take each other's side."

"You're just lucky they didn't haul you off to the brig."

"At least I managed to stay dry." She rose from the twin bed she'd been lying on and switched on the TV. It received only two stations, one with a talk show and the other sports. She turned it off.

"Imp." Alec was seated on the opposite twin bed, clad only in briefs, while his sweat suit dried in the bathroom. Glancing around the small room, he wiggled his eyebrows. "Have you noticed something?"

"What?"

"We're alone and the only place to sit in this dump is on the—AAAchooo!" Alec covered his nose and sneezed again, this time more loudly, if that was possible.

Not good.

Crossing the few feet separating them, Diedra placed her palm on his forehead. It was feverish. He felt even warmer behind his neck, where he wasn't perspiring so freely.

It was all her fault. If only she hadn't kept knocking him into the water. She pulled a tissue from her handbag. "Alec, you're burning up! Why didn't you say something?"

"Nonsense. 'Choo!" He grabbed the tissue she offered and blew his nose. "I neber get sick."

Even his eyes looked bad. Of course, that could be because he'd lost his contacts. She shook her head. "Never say neber. Get under those covers while I walk to the marina office to see if they've got aspirin."

"Please check on the boat while you're there. I know they said they'd work on it, but—"

Diedra cut him off with a swift kiss to his cheek. His very scratchy cheek. The man really needed a shave. "Alec, please save your voice. I'll be back as soon as I get something for your fever. Stay in bed."

As she let herself out the door, Diedra tried to convince herself she hadn't been responsible one way or another for their series of misadventures, but deep down inside, she knew that wasn't true. She should just leave. If she didn't, Alec most definitely would be the one to suffer.