Beta- StacyO72- Apparently, I can say whatever I want about her on Twitter because she never goes there. She's too busy playing Candy Crush Saga.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N Not one person figured out Rose was the observer. I like that I surprised you all. It makes me excited for those future surprises I have planned. (evil laugh)
Ch. 7 And She Dances on the Sand….
"Irina, baby. What we shared was great but I think it's only fair to tell you, Jasper and I are Canadian. We can't help you and your sister get green cards."
I tried not to burst out laughing. Emmett and Jasper had ended up in my section tonight. Emmett had exchanged that god-awful ass shirt for a classic "Eat Tuna, Wear Grunden's" black and white tee-shirt. I set their drinks down on the table. "Here's your beer, eh. Sorry, we were out of Molson and La Batt's." Emmett shot me a look of warning.
"Canadian?" the other girl asked.
"Sure, that's why we sound different from everyone else here. Y'all must have noticed our accents." Jasper interjected.
I bit my lip to keep in the giggle threatening to explode.
"Da." The two blondes nodded in agreement as I hurried back to the bar to get my next order. A few minutes later, I noticed the girls getting friendly with a couple of surfer types while Jasper and Emmett were flirting with a pair of Irish girls who worked over at the Mallory Arms. That didn't take long at all.
There was a live band playing 80's covers tonight at the Wolf and the place was filled with day-trippers seeking a fun weekend. Like most places on the island, there was no air conditioning. The windows and patio doors were open, allowing the cool ocean breeze to waft through, clearing away the smell of beer and burgers. I could see right through to the patio in the back where Ted and Doc had been seated since they arrived earlier for dinner. Unlike the other night, Doc was able to enjoy anonymity among the tourist crowd and he and Ted remained relatively unnoticed. Of course, even if Doc wasn't recognized as a celebrity, woman still took notice of the fact that both he and his companion were very handsome men. I found myself secretly hoping the two would be mistaken as a gay couple and the women would keep away. I sighed, I was being ridiculous. I couldn't quite figure out what it was about Ted, beyond his looks that had me so turned around. I had seen handsome men before but there was something more, something intriguing and I was determined to find out what it was. I glanced at Emmett and Jasper then back at Ted and Doc and shook my head. Alice always got the best section. I made my way to the kitchen and caught Alice just as she was coming out.
"Hey, would you mind switching sections with me?" I knew I failed miserably at making my request sound casual.
"Why? Are you crushing on Doc Cullen?"
"No!" I quickly reassured her. My infatuation with Doc had faded the moment I realized he had set me up to be Ted's chauffeur.
Alice grabbed my wrist. "Is it the deckhand? You like a deckhand?! You, Bella Swan, a charter member of the Rosalie Hale 'I don't shit where I eat' club?"
I rolled my eyes. Rose had sworn off all fishermen after she had her heart broken by an asshole dragger when she was eighteen. "Of course not, I just need to get some fresh air. It's too hot near the stage."
Alice skeptically arched an eyebrow. "Don't worry, I won't tell Rose you've got the hots for a deckhand. I say go for it, you could use a good lay. As long as you don't take it seriously, what's the harm?" Alice glanced over at my section where Emmett and Jasper were in the center of a group of girls. "That Vampress crew sure is fuckable."
It was my turn to arch an eyebrow at her. "Is that so? Looks like you might need to turn in your membership card too. Do you have a preference?"
Alice smiled. "There's something about a man with a full sleeve that I just can't resist."
"So you want to switch with me?"
Alice responded by tickling my palm with her fingers. I did the same before we both slid our hands back, in silent confirmation of our plans.
We rounded the corner from the kitchen and froze as we saw Rose enter the bar with a group including Jess, Mike, Angela, and Ben. She smiled and waved when she saw us.
"Did you know she was coming here tonight?" I leaned in and asked as we waved back, smiles plastered on both our faces.
"No. She said she was getting together with some of the group but she didn't mention anything else."
I watched them grab a table near the dance floor. "O.k., it looks like they're staying inside so just be subtle if you're going to flirt."
"Don't worry. I've got a feeling I know just what to do. Good luck with the hottie."
"Ted. His name is Ted."
"Whatever…" She called over her shoulder as she headed towards Rose's table."
I walked to the patio outside and checked on a few tables before making my way over to Ted and Doc. I wasn't someone who could flirt easily, if that was even what I was trying to attempt. I didn't really know what I wanted other than to get another opportunity to speak to Ted.
"Bella. Did Alice leave?" Doc asked as I approached their table.
"No, we just switched. I was getting too hot inside." I explained, the excuse sounding even lamer to me than it did the first time. I was just about to ask if they needed anything when I felt a hand on my elbow.
"Hey Bells, can you get me a 'Gansett?" Charlie slid into the seat on my left, next to Carlisle. "Sorry I couldn't get here for dinner. I got held up filling out paperwork for a moped accident. Do you want a refill?" He asked pointing to their drinks. "Bella, can you take care of that?"
"Thanks. Don't worry about me, Charlie. I had Ted to keep me company." Doc responded with a chuckle.
I nodded, stupefied. My dad- who appeared freshly shaved and showered in his good jeans and a clean tee-shirt- clearly had dinner plans with Doc Cullen. Was this some sort of bromance in the making?
"Ted, you don't have to hang around with the old geezers. I'm pretty sure Emmett and Jasper are still inside." Doc added.
Ted's eyes locked with mine. "Actually, I'd prefer to remain here. It's too hot inside for me, too."
I willed myself not to blush but I knew I couldn't control it. I only hoped the lighting on the patio was dim enough to conceal the color of my face. I went back inside and ordered their beers. While I waited, I glanced over and saw Emmett and Jasper had joined Rosalie, and the others. The dance floor was packed, leaving the remaining area mostly empty. Alice had taken advantage of the lack of work and positioned herself so she was standing next to Jasper. Her tray was at her hip, as though she was ready to take their orders. I couldn't help but laugh. She was beaming and I don't just mean her smile. She had somehow managed to take the generic Black Wolf tee the staff wore and tied it so tightly that her nipples could be seen across the room. Luckily for Jasper, he didn't have to look that far. They were right at his eye level and had certainly grabbed his attention. Jake placed the beers on my tray and I returned to the patio.
By the time I returned, Doc, Charlie and Ted had moved a chair away so Billy could fit his wheelchair at the table and join them. I stayed close, eavesdropping as they traded stories of fishing in the eighties heydays, before the groundfish crisis and the cod stock collapse. They eventually segued into the problems facing present day commercial fishing. Charlie called me over once to get my opinion on the Total Allowable Catch vs. Individual Transferable Quota vs. Sector Aggregate debate that was the current hot topic in East Coast fisheries management. Ted sat there, quietly listening, occasionally joining in to ask questions; he seemed to be engrossed in the conversation. I returned to my work but a few times I could feel his eyes following me as I moved around the patio clearing empties and dumping ashtrays. I cleared a table of dirty glasses and plates, I felt the back of my neck tingle. I turned and my eyes locked with his. He looked away quickly and I moved off to empty my tray. He was watching again as I came back out; but again, his eyes moved back to Doc to listen to what he was saying, but now he had a small smile quirking his lips. The third time our eyes met as I passed by their table, his smile had morphed into a smirk that made my knees weak.
Before I knew it, I heard the band launched into Tender Years, the song they played at the end of their set. The song was always popular here since Beaver Brown was a Rhode Island band. It was sentimental and catchy: the perfect ending for a hot sweaty night on the dance floor. I could hear the crowd singing along with the chorus as I filled orders for last call. I didn't have to look to know they would drunkenly sway, arms wrapped around each other as though most hadn't been strangers just a few hours ago. I brought my dad and Doc one more round just as the song ended and the crowd cheered. Ted lightly touched my wrist as I turned away. Again, I felt the same static electricity as I had on the ferry that afternoon. I looked back over my shoulder to see what he wanted just as the band's lead singer suddenly began talking.
"Alright. As our fans know, that's usually our final song of the night but tonight we've got a special encore performance. The Black Wolf is very fortunate to have with us not one but two stars of the very popular former Discovery Channel series Wild Boys! Let's hear it!"
The crowd hooted and hollered.
"That's right. Doc Cullen and Emmett McCarty of the show are here and Emmett has generously agreed to join us on stage for our rendition of Duran Duran's Wild Boys! Come on up Emmett!"
The band launched into the opening synth chords. Ted dropped my hand and stood. We both made our way inside just as Emmett got up on stage and began enthusiastically singing along, sharing the mike with the lead singer. Simon Le Bon had nothing to fear from either of them but the crowd was so far gone they didn't care, cheering and yelling for them both.
I glanced at Ted who stood there laughing. "Emmett wasn't on the Wild Boys, was he?" I asked over the din of noise.
Ted leaned in close, his breath again tickling my ear. "He was. I guess some guy was taken off Carlisle's boat and Emmett replaced him. I think he was in two or three episodes but he really only appeared in the background."
I nodded. I remembered when one of Doc's deckhands had accused Doc of cheating him on his crew share. Doc fired him right there in the middle of the Atlantic. A passing dragger was hailed and the crewmember was transferred off the boat. Doc finished the trip three-handed and still landed more fish than any other longliner that month. For some reason, I couldn't remember anything about the crewmember who had been hired when Doc finished that trip. It seemed strange that Emmett would be so unmemorable considering he was currently on stage, under a spotlight, shaking his hips in an imitation of an eighties lead singer. The song finished to wild cheers. I turned to get back to work when Emmett took the mike.
"Thank you my fans! That was fucking awesome! Alright!"
The crowd cheered again as Emmett covered the mike and whispered in the ear of the lead singer. I saw a large roll of bills slip from Emmett's fingers into the other man's pocket.
"We have to do that again. Who wants to hear some more Duran Duran? I got just the song. I met a very beautiful girl today that I would really like to get to know better." He waggled his eyebrows then his hips, crudely demonstrating just what he meant. "Rosie, this is for you."
The unmistakable four/four beat of Rio began as Emmett jumped off stage and made his way towards Rosalie, who was still seated at the table. I knew my own expression had to mirror hers: mouth open, eyes round, expression horrified as Emmett began the chorus, with a minor alteration.
"Her name is Rosie and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rosie, Rosie dance across the Rio Grande"
Emmett knelt in front of Rose, sweat dripping from his brow. The ends of his hair curled up on his neck and his shirt was soaked through as he belted out the lyrics. I could tell Rose was looking for a means of escape but there was none.
"So, I take it you kept my secret?" I leaned in and asked Ted.
Ted could only nod; he was shaking so hard with laughter. I had never seen him look so happy and it only made him more beautiful. His laughter was infectious and I smiled so widely it hurt my cheeks.
"What?" he asked once he caught his breath.
"You look so much more relaxed than the first night you were here."
"There hasn't been much in my life to laugh about recently." The sadness that was sometimes lurking in his eyes surfaced and I felt bad that I had brought it up. I tried to lighten his mood.
"So Emmett doesn't sing eighties tunes to random women in every port?"
He glanced back just as the sax solo ended and Emmett launched into the final verse.
"No. This is a first."
"Huh." That was an interesting tidbit but I knew Emmett had no chance of getting Rose. Even if she had never been involved with that idiot deckhand Royce, she was far too serious about her job as an observer to risk getting involved with a crewmember on a vessel where she worked.
I glanced around for Alice, wondering how she could miss this but she was nowhere to be found. I suddenly realized Jasper wasn't at the table either.
"Have you seen Jasper?" I asked Ted just as the music ended.
"He's probably outside smoking." Ted answered.
I nodded. It was possible. It was also possible he had his tongue down Alice's throat, too. I could see Emmett was talking to Rose. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I could tell from the body language that Rose was turning him down.
"Show's over." I was about to return to clearing tables when I remembered Ted had grabbed my hand. "Hey, did you want to ask me something?"
Ted looked down. "Oh, yeah. I was just wondering if you were working at Newton's tomorrow. You know, if I needed anything else before we leave."
"No. I have the weekends off. Someone will be there though, in case there are fish landings, but I only work Monday through Friday. I'll be at Mansion Beach with Rose and some other friends tomorrow but not for long because then I have to be back here by four. I'll just be at the beach for a few hours, you know 'girl time'. It's just outside of town off Corn Neck Road so it's not far, not that anything is far considering the island is only like ten miles long."
I was babbling. I knew I was babbling. I suddenly had this stupid desire to see him in nothing but swim trunks, or a speedo. I didn't even like speedos but somehow, I knew he could rock a banana hammock. Shit, I was staring at his crotch. How long had I been doing that? I was still staring. His jeans were snug. I could tell he hung left. Ted slid both his hands into his front pockets. Shit! Look. Up. Bella. I forced my eyes upward. Ted towered over me, his shoulders hunched forward. His hair fell towards one eye. I had an urge to push it away but I stopped myself. He tilted his head a little, effectively fixing it himself. He smirked knowingly as his eyes swept over me. I didn't think there was much to see: black sneakers, black capris, black work tee-shirt but the look he gave me suggested otherwise. I quietly gasped. It was the same penetrating gaze Doc had given me when I had brought him his license. Ted had Rhett Butlered me. My body moved closer to him of its own accord. I felt a hand on my hip when the house lights suddenly came on, effectively ending the spell we had both been under. The hand was gone so quickly I wondered if I had imagined it. We each stepped back while the crowd spilled around us, heading to the front door.
"Uh, so I'll probably come down to see Rose when you steam out."
"Yeah, well, I think we're leaving with the high tide Sunday morning." He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while the other remained in his pocket.
"So around 6:30 am? I'll be there."
"It's a small island. Maybe I'll see you around tomorrow?" He arched one eyebrow. Could he possibly be asking if it was o.k. for him to go to MB or was I imagining things?
"Yep. Small island, big ocean." I hoped I answered in a way that could be construed as an invitation if he was looking for one. We said goodnight and I watched him walk away before I headed in the opposite direction towards the patio where I had tables to clear.
A/N In a strange bit of serendipity, today is the 31st anniversary of the release of Rio, so it is fitting to have this chapter named after part of the title song. I couldn't resist putting a little Duran Duran in this chapter. I promise, songs are the extent of it. I swear on a stack of bibles, there won't be any sort of weird crossover with Simon landing his yacht on Block Island. Of course, such an event is totally plausible considering he still races competitively but I WON'T DO IT! Look for teasers on Fictionators and Ficcentral on Monday and Wednesday. Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed- the last chapter had twenty reviews, the most yet for one chapter!
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