You've Got Male novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Aboard

He had brought a paper sack of fried shrimp, a thermos of sweet tea, and a candle stub in a jar.

We ate on the cabin floor with our backs against the berth, passing the sack back and forth.

"Colleen fried these," Kellen said. "She says if you don't finish them, she'll come over and take it personally."

"Then I'm finishing them."

"Good. She's terrifying."

I licked salt off my thumb, and he watched me do it.

"He had a man follow me," I said. "He has a picture. Of us, at the car."

"I know. Maisie called me."

"Maisie called you?"

"She said, 'If you let her cry alone tonight, I will end you,'" he said. "Then she said she liked me."

He grinned. "That's the nicest thing anyone has said about me in a year."

I laughed.

It came out wet.

"He's going to send it to the commodore."

"Let him."

"Kellen."

"Let him send it. Anyone who loves you will look at that picture and see a woman who looks happy."

He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"And anyone who doesn't can sit in the parking lot with Lyle."

"You make it sound simple."

"It's the simplest thing I know."

The candle flickered.

Outside, the pilings creaked, and a halyard ticked against a mast down the row.

He set the sack aside.

"Cassidy. There's something about the booking that night, and I should..."

I put two fingers over his mouth.

"Not tonight," I said. "I was locked out of my house and threatened by my husband."

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