"Ra-Ra, knock it off already will ya? I just went fishing is all."
"Fishing. Alone. At night. Dammit Pug this isn't Bug-Tussle, Mississippi where everyone knows you and you have connections. This isn't even Tampa. This is Miami, Florida where there are over thirty thousand violent crimes a year … and that's just the ones that are reported."
"It wasn't night, it was early morning. I'm sorry I worried you. But honestly, I need to start acting less like a head case and more like I can handle my own crap. However, if it bothers you that much I won't go fishing in the dark by myself again."
"I'm beginning to wonder if I should have gotten that referral to that new counseling group."
"Don't be that way Ryan. Just because I'm getting my head back in the game doesn't mean that I don't still value your opinion and advice. In fact, the counselor is saying the same thing you've been telling me for months. Essentially, I've got to stop wallowing in what happened in the past and I need to figure out where I'm headed in the future, to start taking steps to ensure I have a future. Time to stop waiting on a resolution that may never come … the non-resolution actually is the resolution. And just to prove I've decided to stick to moving forward, I finished and submitted the next manuscript. No more excuses not to after you helped with the editing."
That stopped Ryan and he slowly grinned. "That's fantastic. You know people were begging for the next installment."
"I guess," the young woman said, obviously embarrassed. "Amazon has already sent me notice of over a dozen purchases."
"See?! And did you take it out of the ninety-nine cents pricing?"
"Amazon did … or they suggested I do it. Bigger percentage of sale for them anyway."
"And a growing nest egg for you."
Vee shrugged. "It's a hobby. I still need to get a better job."
"Yes you do. And it better not be as another bouncer. The idea of my cousin …"
"Don't be a snob," she said smiling.
"I'm not being a snob. I'm worried about you. And that damn Wonder Woman costume you have to wear …" Ryan shuddered theatrically.
"Wonder Woman was last week. This week is Super Girl. Gil wanted me to dress up as Cat Woman but I talked him out of it."
"Thank God," Ryan muttered. "So … did you catch anything?"
"Nothing big enough to keep. Have you ever been crabbing?"
Ryan sighed. "Not since college. I take it you want to try."
"Maybe. I'd probably scare all the crabs away before I could net any of them." The young woman stopped and winced waiting for Ryan to call her on her statement.
Instead he surprised her. "Well you haven't done that in a while. Maybe that doc isn't so bad after all. You really need to stop cutting yourself down. You are a tall, beautiful woman. Eventually some guy will have the sense to see it and do what it takes to show you he appreciates it. And at the risk of sounding even sappier, he'll cherish you like you need and deserve." He stopped and after they both dealt with their embarrassment he said, "Look, actually I came by to ask a favor."
"Anything," Vee said automatically.
"You haven't heard what it is yet."
"Doesn't matter. We're family. We take care of each other."
This time it was Ryan's turn to smile. Ryan had a better relationship with Vee than he did with the rest of his immediate family who all considered him a screw up or a failure of some degree due to some of his past transgressions. They weren't quite as harsh as they had been but they weren't exactly supportive either. "Uh … I have to go to a party. Work related so I can't get out of it."
"Oh boy. The cougar still hinting that she would like to get together?"
"Yeah," Ryan admitted. "I swear I never encouraged her or … or …"
"Relax. I believe you. Some people just can't take 'no' gracefully. Makes it worse that she's a secretary for an assistant DA. But why don't you ask Lily? I thought you and she were starting to hit it off?"
"Yeah … until her mom heard about my screw ups through office gossip."
Sympathetic yet realistic Vee said, "That sucks. People can be so judgmental."
"Is that directed at me because I ran Rob off?"
Vee shook her head remembering how Ryan had stopped by her apartment only to find her ex-fiance there looking for sympathy. "No. You never cared for Rob but you didn't force me to stop seeing him and there was a time there that you could have with the full force of the law behind it. As for last week? I called you remember? Rob has dug his hole. He just doesn't want to hear that I'm not the one with the ladder to get him out."
"That's not what he is after."
"Relax Ryan, I didn't fall for any of it no matter what it was about."
"Good. And he went back to Biloxi finally."
Giving Ryan a suspicious look she said, "You didn't."
"Call in a few favors? Yeah I did. He's married. He has a kid. He and his family took legal action against you. Yeah, I'm gonna keep an eye on him if he is in my territory."
"Your territory? Never mind. I swear you are such a guy." But the way Vee said it made it obvious that she didn't have a problem with it. "So … back to the party thing."
"It's a fundraiser. I only signed up to try and get on Lily's good side but I can't get out of it now. Natalia …"
"Boa Vista? The lady you work with?"
"Yeah, her. She's helping with it too. Grief from her I don't need."
"Is she the one that gossiped?"
"No. But I suspect she was asked and she won't lie … for anyone. So … I have two tickets and no date. Wanna help a cousin out?"
"Sure. Why not? I take it my work gear won't cut it for the dress code."
Ryan made another face. "It's … er … formal."
Vee gave him a look and said, "You are definitely going to owe me."
"Big time," he agreed.
