Redeeming Her SEAL (ASSIGNMENT Caribbean Nights #9) - Kat Cantrell Page 0,3
Evan threw in with a small smile at the woman that portrayed his feelings for her better than if he’d hired a skywriter to spell it out. “But even she’ll need time to navigate something like that through the court. What are we going to do in the meantime to keep our snorkeling business going?”
“We can work on finding another coral reef to take tourists to. Maybe there’s one within boating distance that we just don’t know about yet.” Charlie locked gazes with Dex. “Riley, you take point on that. Two heads are better than one. Emma, if you’re willing to help, that is.”
Emma nodded as Dex replied, “Sure thing.”
“I’m going to pay Dr. Reed a visit.” Charlie prayed he didn’t sound as grim to everyone else as he did to himself. “If she’s concerned about dolphins, she might be willing to partner with us to create a bang-up program to educate people about their habitat. It’s worth a shot.”
“I’m guessing that isn’t going to be easy,” Evan muttered. He was the only one of the group who knew Charlie had a history with Audra, but he’d left the details sketchy. On purpose.
He’d dragged the cream of his platoon along with him into a business venture that had seen more downs than ups thanks to his former lover’s boyfriend. What was he supposed to say? Sorry, it’s probably my fault, but hell if I know why? Or better yet, he could tell them he’d held paradise in his hands but let Audra go before he could let her down and then still came back to the Caribbean to set up shop with his guys because he’d already promised them he would.
There were some things—a lot of things—that Charlie didn’t share with anyone, nor would he.
“Probably not,” he returned honestly. “I’m convinced she has an angle.”
And he was pretty sure the conversation would gut him like a game fish.
Didn’t matter. This was his team, and he’d bleed for them until the day he died. Together they were building up Aqueous Adventures slowly but surely. He had their backs, and they had his. Always.
It was a testament to their loyalty that not one of them ever brought up the fact that Charlie’s father could buy and sell Jared Anderson twenty times over. Charlie had walked away from the St. Croix telecommunication billions without a backward glance. The price of his inheritance had been too high.
On that note, the meeting broke up. Charlie did some quick mental logistics—owning only two boats among six guys sometimes made travel off the island a trick and a half. Miles and Jace slung drinks most nights at The Crow Bar in Freeport, but they wouldn’t be going to the main island until later, and he didn’t know when he might be back. Charlie and Jack worked part-time at the dive shop in Harbour Town on Abaco Island, and if he recalled, Jack had a shift later today.
“Hyland. Wait up.”
Jack paused on his way out the door and slugged Miles on the arm as he made an off-color comment about a correlation between lockpicking and lady parts. “What’s up, boss?”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “I’m not the boss. Stop calling me that.”
“No can do.” There was nothing but pure respect in the other man’s eyes as he rejected the mandate. “You’ve saved my ass more times than I can count. Not the least of which happened when you asked if I wanted to do something crazy with you like move to the Bahamas and open a company together. You lead, I follow. Every time.”
For some reason, despite having heard similar comments in the past from the others, Charlie’s throat tightened. His guys humbled him so much. “Easy to lead when you’ve got a great team backing you up.”
“Whatever, man. You have a gift, or we wouldn’t be here.”
Enough with the lovefest. He’d made mistake after mistake in pursuit of doing the right thing, as his nightmares liked to remind him. He’d landed so far off the mark so many times it was a wonder anyone still called him the Saint. That title was only worthy of a guy without so many sins to his name. “Stop or you’ll give me a complex. You going to Abaco?”
Jack nodded. “Soon as I grab my wallet from home. You need a lift?”
And that was the value of handpicking the best of the best from his former platoon when deciding who he wanted to go into business with. “You read my mind.”