Fish Perfume (Cozy Harbor Marina Series) (3 page)

Mo turned around and when she spotted me, her friendly blue eyes went wide and she said, “Hey, girl, welcome back.” Mo looked great. Her blond hair was cut in a short bob that complimented the shape of her round face. She looked like a chubby Doris Day.

I smiled and said, “I’m glad to be here, Mo. How are you?”

She put her hands on her hips, wiggled, and said, “Fit as a fiddle and ready for love.”

The hunk at the counter piped up and asked, “Mo, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Sorry,” she said. “Tony Maroni, meet Meggie Quinn, Betty’s granddaughter.”

He gave me a slow, sexy smile that showed off his perfect white teeth. “Meggie, it’s nice to meet you.”

I could feel the blood rushing to my face as I said, “Nice to meet you, too.”

Tony put his coffee cup down, gave us a dazzling smile and said, “Well, ladies, I’ve got to get back to work.” He stood and I got a look at six feet of hunk-o-rama. From head to toe, the view just got better and better. As he walked out the door, he turned around, winked at me, and said, “Meggie, I have visions.”

Mo and I laughed together.

Mo warned, “Watch out for that one. The name of his boat is
The Stallion
. What’s that tell yah?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No, I’m not. It would be tough keepin’ that horse in the barn, if you know what I mean. Tony always has a girl on his boat and you never see the same girl twice. He’s a real Casanova. He should put a big sign on his boat, IF THE BOAT IS SWAYIN’, THE CAPTAIN’S PLAYIN.

“Well, he sure is gorgeous. I could see him on a billboard somewhere, possibly modeling Calvin Klein underwear. He’s six feet of solid muscle.”

Mo sighed and said, “Yeah. He could wear one of those things. You know. One of those banana hammocks.”

I laughed and said, “You mean a thong?”

“Yeah, but I like to call them banana hammocks.”

I couldn’t help my curiosity. “Is he a fisherman?”

“No. The only thing he fishes for is bootie. He has an auto body shop in town. The rumor around the marina is that he’s connected. Probably because he grew up on Federal Hill, a.k.a., the Rhode Island residence of the Mafia. I guess that, and the fact that his uncle is Carmine “the Cannoli” Maroni, doesn’t hurt the rumor either. Don’t get me wrong; Tony is a good guy, but nobody you’d want to play hide the salami with.”

“Don’t worry, Mo, Tony really isn’t my type. He’s too beautiful for me. I like guys with a bit more character to their looks. I guess a bit more rugged-looking. I don’t like to date anyone prettier than I am. Besides, I’ve sworn off men right now.”

She reached over and patted my hand sympathetically. “Oh yeah, Betty told me all about that devil dog boyfriend of yours dumpin’ you. He must be some kind of idiot.”

I told her, “I was really upset at first. Now, I think it was all for the best. He probably wasn’t Mr. Right. He was just Mr. Okay for Now.”

I smiled and thought to myself, Wow, I can talk about Jimmy now without that hurt feeling washing over me.

Mo said, “You’ll have a good summer up here, and if you want to get back on the datin’ circuit, I can teach you how to meet guys online. I’ve met a couple of nice men. No big love connections yet, but I’ve had some fun times and I just know my right man is out there lookin’ for some huggin’ and lovin’. I’ve decided I’m gettin’ married this year. I think it’s time I settle down with one guy. I’m an ex-marine on a mission for love.”

“Well, Mo, I wish you all the luck. Keep me posted and I can live vicariously through you.”

“You got it, girl.”

“Hey, Mo, do you know anything about my Gram and her trip?”

Mo leaned closer to the counter. “I wish I did, Meggie. She was pretty close-mouthed about it. She said she was going out west to visit some friends. I never heard her talk about any friends out west. Maybe she’s just havin’ a late midlife crisis.”

Her half-smile told me she was worried, too.

I said, “I hope so. If you hear anything, let me know.”

“I’ll keep my ear to the counter as always. Now how about me makin’ you a nice sandwich or wrap for lunch? Or, I’ve got some great chowder I just made.”

“A bowl of chowder would be great, thanks.”

It was better than great—it was out of this world. My taste buds were singing.

The rest of the afternoon went by with Journey stocking shelves and taking care of customers. I spent some time getting familiar with Gram’s computer, taking extra time studying the inventory and payroll programs.

After Journey went home at 6:00 and I closed up the store, I decided to e-mail Helen and Laura:

Hey, Girls:

I survived my first day on the job and no disasters yet. I met a lot of new marina customers and saw a few old friends. I think I’m going to enjoy being here, but miss you guys. Keep me posted on everything.

Meggie

P.S.: I’ve given it some thought and I think you’re both right—BARBIE DOES HAVE A HUGE ASS!

I made myself a salad for dinner, then took a glass of wine out to Gram’s deck. There’s nothing better than watching a sunset over the water. This was always my favorite time of day at the marina. Seeing all the beautiful colors of the sky would steal my breath away while I waited for the great big ball of orange to descend. I love watching sunrises and sunsets on vacation, and though I’m not on vacation now, I’ll certainly be up at sunrise.

The bugs by the water are ferocious. When I felt a mosquito take a huge bite out of my right arm, I retreated to the cottage. I’m allergic to mosquitoes so, of course, they love me. When I do get bit, I get a big welt. I’ll have to remember to put bug cream on. I bought this great bug cream when I was on vacation in Mexico. They told me it worked a lot better than spray. I’ve used it for a couple of years, and when I put it on, I never get bitten. I was a little afraid of it at first, expecting my arm to fall off or something, but I’ve never had a bad reaction. Whenever anyone I know goes to Mexico, I get them to bring some back for me.

Leaving Philly on short notice, I forgot to bring some books to read, so I decided to see what Gram had. Her three favorite authors were Elizabeth Adler, Maeve Binchy, and Rosamunde Pilcher. I decided to work my way through them all and start with Elizabeth Adler’s
Hotel Riviera
. Since my evenings will probably be spent alone, I’d have plenty of time to make it through the whole collection.

CHAPTER TWO

My brother Charlie finally called last night from New Zealand and I dropped the bomb about Gram. He wasn’t too thrilled about having to break the news to our parents, but he said he’d do the dirty deed and have Mom call me back.

Mom’s usually even-tempered and rarely loses it. The only time she would was when she was worried about one of us.

A half-hour later, my phone rang. I cringed and picked up the phone.

Mom shrieked into the phone, “What do mean your grandmother took off to go out west for the summer? She doesn’t know anyone out west. I think she must be losing it. She was fine when I talked to her before I left. She never leaves the marina in the summer. I should come home and track her down.”

I tried to calm her down and said, “Gram said she needed a vacation. She sounded fine on the phone. I’ve asked people around the marina how she was before she left, and they all said she was her usual self.”

“Well, I don’t believe it.”

“You know how strong she is, Mom. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Try not to worry. I promise I’ll call you the minute I hear from her again.”

“Well, Meggie, I’ll give it a couple of weeks, but if you don’t hear from her, I’m coming home.”

“Okay, Mom, try and enjoy your trip.” I thought I’d better change the subject so I cheerfully asked, “How’s the trip going?”

“It was going great until I heard your grandmother flew the coop. New Zealand is beautiful and we’ve met the nicest people. You would love it here. This country is overflowing with handsome young men. You and your girlfriends should try and plan a trip down here soon.”

I said, “I’ll definitely do that. Well, try not to worry and have fun. I’ll talk to you soon.”

I knew what was going through her mind—
grandchildren, lots of them.

“Okay, honey, love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

I wasn’t entirely convinced myself that Gram was okay, but hey, I didn’t want to upset my mother anymore than she already was. I can’t believe Gram didn’t leave me a number where I could reach her. I was so surprised when she called; I forgot to get one from her. Well, when she does phone in, I’m going to get the full skinny on what’s she’s up to.

It’s Friday morning and I have almost made it through my first week without any disasters. I think I have things under control. There were a few things I had to ask Mo and Greg about, but for the most part, Gram’s notes were pretty good. If I can just make it through the weekend, I’ll breathe easier. I keep waiting for all hell to break loose.

The weather’s been great, sunny days with not much wind. The only boats that go out in the wind and rain are the lobster boats, unless, of course, there’s a major nor’easter. This weekend’s forecast calls for light winds, which means a lot of boats will be going fishing, cruising up the bay, or going over to Block Island. People would be buying supplies, bait, and fuel, so I geared myself up for a busy day.

Today I dressed in a pair of black shorts, my beige Three Legged Fox T-shirt and my old Nikes. Gram always made us wear sneakers around the marina because she was afraid we’d step on a fishhook. I twisted my mass of red hair in a clip, put on my age-defying moisturizer, and headed for the office. I’d been dreading getting up at 4:00 every morning, but since I’ve had nothing to do in the evenings, it hasn’t been too bad.

A couple of the fishermen had charters booked. They were going out fluking and some of their customers came in to buy T-shirts and some fishing items. Gram kept a good supply of Harbor Marina T-shirts and sweatshirts on hand, along with some Guy Harvey T-shirts, which sport colorful pictures of marlin, mahi mahi, and sailfish.

The morning was flying by and I was glad to see Journey walk in at 9:00 in one of her very original outfits. I actually looked forward to seeing her fashion statement for the day. Today she was sporting a green headband, a tight-fitting, black, long-sleeved T-shirt, a pink tutu-like skirt, and under that, she wore black leggings. On her feet she had a pair of black combat boots that laced up the front. I’d be sweating like a pig in that outfit but I’ve never seen so much as a glisten on the girl.

“Hey, Meggie, how’s it going?” she asked.

“It’s been busy this morning.”

“Fridays usually are. Hey, my boyfriend, Dash, and I are going to a party tonight down in Misquamicut. I know you don’t know many people up here. You’re welcome to come with us if you want. It’ll be a crush and a lot of college kids, but it’s a night out.”

“Oh, Journey, that’s really sweet of you, but I think I’ll pass on tonight. Maybe some other time.”

“Sure,” she said.

“I’m going to go over to the Snack Shack for some coffee. Do you want some?”

She shook her head in disgust and said, “Never touch the stuff, but thanks.”

“Okay, be right back.”

Before I even got to the Shack I could smell the aroma of bacon, coffee, and onions. As I walked in the door, Mo was flipping pancakes on the grill. Seated at the counter were Kathy and Mike from the
Dancing Queen
and another couple. Kathy introduced them to me. The woman’s name was Marion and her husband’s was Pierce. They have the cabin cruiser,
The Lady Marion,
which I had seen down on A dock.

I said hello to everyone and took a seat at the counter.

Mo looked over at me and asked, “Coffee?”

“That would be terrific and some blueberry pancakes. They look good “

“Comin’ right up, sweetie,” Mo said.

I sat on the end stool next to Kathy. Mike, Pierce, and Marion were on Kathy’s other side. Pierce and Marion were eating omelets that made my mouth water, and Kathy and Mike were waiting on the pancakes. They all looked to me to be around the same age, mid-forties.

I turned toward them and asked, “How are things going?”

Kathy turned to me, sighed, and said, “Well, I hate to bother you with this, Meggie, but we have a little problem on A dock.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What’s up?”

Kathy turned around and shot a look to the rest of them. Marion and Pierce put their faces lower in their plates, and Mike looked out the window.

Kathy threw up her hands and said, “Well, somebody has to tell her.” She took a deep breath and said, “The thing is, that new couple Cathy and Kenny on
The Grain Man
make a lot of noise. They’ve been keeping everyone up at night.”

I asked, “Do they have loud parties or is it music?”

“It’s more like a party of two. They have really loud sex all night. She’s a screamer. ‘OH, OH, OH KENNY. YES, YES, YES. YOU BAD BOY. DO IT, DO IT, DO IT HARDER, MORE, MORE, MORE BABY,’ and it goes on and on and on. She makes Meg Ryan in
When Harry Met Sally
seem like a mute. The first time we heard them it was funny, but this goes on every night they’re down here and that’s usually on the weekends when the rest of us are here, too.”

“When the three Howards were in here the other day for lunch, they were complainin’ about them, too. They said they could hear them all the way over on B dock, and they weren’t gettin’ any sleep either,” Mo said.

Kathy said, “I know it’s kind of embarrassing for you to deal with, Meggie, but if any of us say anything to them, it’ll cause a lot of tension on our dock.”

Mo suggested, “Hey, Meggie, maybe you could suggest Kenny put some duct tape on her mouth. Maybe they’re into that H&M stuff.”

I laughed and said, “You mean S&M.”

Mo chuckled, “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”

I tried to sound confident. “Well, don’t worry about it. I’ll have a talk with them today.”

The conversation moved onto other things until the four of them left. I was finishing up my pancakes and coffee, which weren’t going down too good because I was freaking out. What was I going to say to our local porn stars?

“So, Meggie, what are your plans for the weekend?” Mo asked.

“Well, other than working here, not much. I guess I’ll do what I‘ve done every other night since I’ve been here: take a shower, make dinner, and read. Just relax.”

“You’re welcome to go the Pinewood Inn with me and my friends. They’re all married, but once in a while we have a girls’ night out. The Pinewood has a live band and a good crowd on Friday nights. Most of the people are old farts like me, but you’d have fun. We kid around and try and guess which guys are takin’ Viagra.”

“Oh, thanks, Mo, maybe next time.”

Mo leaned on the counter and looked me in the eye. “You know, Meggie, you’re too young to be sittin’ around. You’ve gotta get over that son of a bitch Jimmy and start datin’. You’ve gotta climb up on that horse again.” She looked up and then said, “Speakin’ of horses, here comes the Stallion.”

I turned to see Tony Maroni and all six feet of his handsomeness walk through the door. He had on a Hooters baseball cap, a white T-shirt that fit like a glove, and olive-green cargo shorts. I couldn’t help but notice his well-muscled calves.

“Hey, Mo, Hey, Red Hot,” he said as he sat down on the stool next to mine.

I giggled and Mo said, “What can I getcha, Tony?”

“I’ll have an everything bagel with smear and a large coffee to go.”

Tony looked over at me, wiggled his eyebrows, and said, “So, Meggie, are you going out with me tonight? I can show you sights you’ve never seen before.”

I could just imagine the sights he would show me. In fact, I’ll probably fantasize about them all night.

“Sorry, Tony, I’m not dating right now,” I said.

His eyes widened and he asked, “Do you bat for the other team?”

“No, just taking a break from dating.”

He wrapped his arm around me and put his face a few inches from mine. God, he smelled so good. I wondered what aftershave he used.

He said, “In other words, some guy dumped you. In that case, I’m your man, Meggie. I’ll make you forget him and every other guy who ever broke your heart. I’ll erase them all from your memory. Just call me Eraserman.”

I laughed and said, “That’s a really nice offer, Tony, but I think I’ll pass.”

He turned to look at Mo. “How about you, Mo? You wanta go out with the Tone tonight?”

Mo put her hands on her hips and said, “Baby boy, you wouldn’t know what to do with a real woman like me. But I will say, you made my day, handsome.”

We all laughed.

Mo handed Tony his bagel and coffee and he got up to go. As he walked out the door, he said, “Hey, Red Hot, I still have visions. That beautiful hair of yours would look really pretty on my pillow. Let me know if you change your mind.”

When he was gone, I turned to Mo and said “Mo, I don’t think I’ve ever been called Red Hot. I think I kind of like it.”

“Enjoy it while you can, Meggie. Next thing you know you’re my age and invisible. When I was your age and in the Corps, the guys called me Sizzle. When I walked by, they stood in line and saluted, and I’m not talkin’ with their arms. Those were the good old days.”

“Well, Mo, I think you look great.”

“Yeah, well, I got a little more meat on my bones, but how’s that old song go? ‘It ain’t the meat, it’s the motion, that makes that Mama want to rock.’ Well, maybe I’ll meet someone at the Pinewood tonight who wants to do some rockin’.”

“Have fun, Mo. I guess I’d better get my talk with Cathy and Kenny over with.”

“Good luck, honey. I’d volunteer to do it for yah, but I can’t piss anyone off. It’s not good for business. They won’t give you a hard time because there are more boats than boat slips in this area, and they were lucky to get one here. In my case, there are a lot of restaurants they can eat at, and I need to keep my customers.”

“No problem, Mo. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Like a prisoner being sent to the gallows, I slowly walked over to A dock and, with dread, proceeded on down to
The Grain Man,
which was in the middle on the right-hand side. As I approached, I saw Cathy sitting in a chair wearing a hot pink bathing suit top and beige shorts, sunning herself on the deck. She was a beautiful woman, very sexy-looking with just enough curves. I’m going to put curves on my letter to Santa this year. I didn’t see Kenny, and I was hoping he wasn’t below because it would be easier to talk to her alone.

I took a deep breath and said, “ Hey, Cathy, can I come aboard?”

She looked up at me and waved me on. “Sure, come have a seat.”

“Is Kenny here?”

“No, he went to the liquor store. What’s up?”

I breathed a sigh of relief and went down the ladder and sat in the other deck chair.

I cleared my throat and said, “Cathy, I’m really embarrassed about what I have to say to you, but I’ve had some complaints from the other customers about the noise coming from your boat at night.”

She looked surprised and said, “Oh. Is our radio too loud? Kenny loves his music.”

“Well, not really the radio. The thing is, people have been complaining they can’t sleep because they can hear you having sex all night.”

Cathy started laughing. I nervously laughed with her. I’m sure my face was as red as my hair at this point.

She said, “Well, Meggie, there are some frigid people around here, you know. Maybe some of these women should be thanking me instead of complaining about me. I bet I’ve gotten them laid. Their guys have probably gotten hot listening to me and jumped their bones.”

“Well, that may be the case, Cathy, but even some of the fisherman over on B dock have been complaining they aren’t getting any sleep, and they have to get up early to catch the morning bite.”

She shook her head and said, “What’s up with those guys anyway? You would think they were monks. I’ve hardly ever seen a woman on that dock.”

“I don’t know anything about that. All I know is they’ve been having trouble sleeping, too.”

She smiled at me and said, “To be perfectly honest with you, Meggie, I just do it because it gets Kenny excited. He likes things sexy.”

“Well, Cathy, maybe you could think up something else that would work as well. You could do some fantasy stuff.”

“Like what?”

Oh boy, now I really stepped in it. Why did I open my big mouth? Sometimes I’m verbally incontinent.

I said, “I don’t know. I’m not that experienced. Maybe you could pretend Kenny is in prison, you’re having a conjugal visit, and if you make noise, he has to do more time. Or maybe he could be a pirate who kidnaps you and tapes your mouth shut while he has his way with you.”

“I like that idea. It’s just like Claire in
The Pirate and the Tavern Wench
except they didn’t have tape back then. You must read romance novels, too.”

“Every chance I get. I’ll pass along any good ones I come across this summer.”

“Thanks, Meggie. We’ll try and keep it down. Sorry about the complaints.”

“No big deal. Just keep it down and they’ll forget all about it. I’m so glad Kenny wasn’t here and I could talk to you alone. I would’ve been so embarrassed if he were here. Have a great weekend,” I said.