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Chapter 5: Return to Dutch
The King Crab fishing season had gone well for the majority of the fleet. In less than a month, most of the boats had filled their quotas and were heading back to Dutch Harbor for offloading and a good one month break before Opilio season began.
The Maverick and the Northwestern were the first two boats to arrive back at the docks. After offloading, the Northwestern crew each received seventy-five thousand dollars each. It was a record –breaking season and Sarah Hansen could not stop smiling with pride.
She had been very worried about doing well her first time out at sea as skipper, but she had proven herself a force to be reckoned with.
"Hey, captain!" shouted Jake with a smile on his face as Sarah climbed down from the wheelhouse, "Nice job!"
Sarah smiled and gave her old friend a hug.
"Thanks, Jake," she said while he finished tying off the last line, "I really appreciate that."
Jake shook his head, "Don't thank me…you're the one that led us to the crab. We're going to go home as rich me after Opilio season!"
Sarah leaned over and knocked on the wooden deck of the Northwestern, "Don't jinx us Jake!"
Jake laughed, "Oh yeah…sorry!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and shook her head as she leapt off the boat and onto the dock.
"I'm going to the bar," she said, "I'll be back later."
As Sarah walked down the dock, she passed the Maverick. Rick Painter was just coming out of the wheelhouse when he spotted her.
"Hey!" he called as he waved to her.
Sarah smiled and waved back. Rick quickly leapt off his boat and ran over to her.
"You going to the bar?" he asked her.
"Yeah, you?"
"Only if you are."
Sarah smiled. As they strode into the bar, Rick ordered a beer for the two of them.
"So, what was your largest string?" asked Sarah with a cunning smile.
Rick narrowed his eyes at her.
"Well rumor has it that the Northwestern pulled a record season," he said, sipping his beer.
Sarah smiled and gave him a scrutinizing look, "We did, but I heard that the Maverick did the same."
Rick nodded, "Yeah…we did."
Sarah grabbed a tablet that was sitting by the register and wrote down a number on it.
"Okay," she said with a smile, "Now write down your number."
Rick gave her a look, but complied.
"Okay, what'd you get?" she asked.
Rick held up the piece of paper. Sarah gave a little leap and cry of victory.
"I got twenty more than you!" she exclaimed.
Rick gave her a shocked look, "You only beat me by twenty?! So I'm losing fifty bucks over twenty stupid crabs?"
Sarah laughed and held out her hand.
"I'll make you a deal," said Rick with a scheming look on his face.
Sarah sighed and frowned at him.
"What?"
"How about I take you out to dinner and we call it even?"
Sarah smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Deal."
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Later that evening, Rick walked Sarah down the dock back to her boat. They had gone out to an expensive seafood restaurant and had talked for a couple of hours. They discussed the rivalry and the past. They agreed to let it go and to try and move on.
"You know what?" asked Rick as they strolled down the dock.
"What?" asked Sarah, hugging her parka closer to her as a chilly breeze blew over them from the water.
"I called my dad before we left tonight and told him what I was doing."
Sarah gave him a shocked look.
"Why?"
Rick shrugged, "I like to be upfront with him. It avoids worse problems later on, you know? Better to be honest than to lie and for him to find out later."
Sarah nodded in understanding.
"So what'd he say?"
Rick sighed, "He was definitely not happy about it. He wants to keep the rivalry. I guess he's still angry about the past."
"I told my mom about the competition we were having," said Sarah, "She didn't like it either."
"It's so stupid!" exclaimed Rick, "It's all the past, right? So why should their problems affect us?"
"That's what I said," replied Sarah, "But they don't seem to listen."
"Spike on the Time Bandit wasn't happy about it either," murmured Rick, "He's my best friend too. Did you tell Josh and Jake Harris yet?"
"About putting the feud aside? No…not yet. I'm waiting for a good time to tell them. They're good friends of mine so I hope they don't get too upset about it."
"Does your crew know?" asked Rick.
"No…I don't know when I'll tell them," she said with a sigh, "I'm afraid they'd pull a mutiny or something."
Rick laughed slightly at that.
"I don't think they will. I talked to Jake Anderson earlier today when you went back to the boat. He was nice enough. He certainly respects you."
Sarah nodded and paused as they reached the Northwestern at the end of the dock.
"So, I'll see you around sometime?" asked Rick.
"Definitely," said Sarah with a smile.
She was suddenly struck by how attractive Rick was. He was blonde and had blue eyes just like his dad. She could tell by the way his clothes fit him that he was well-built too. His smile made her stomach flip over and her heart skip a beat.
Suddenly, Rick leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.
"Goodnight," he murmured as he turned to leave.
Sarah stood on the dock for a moment, smiling to herself. Then she wondered what would happen if she and Rick began to hang out more. Would her crew get upset? What about the other boats and skippers? She sighed and turned to climb back onto the Northwestern. She hoped that her new-found relationship with Rick would not affect her fishing career and her other relationships.
With a final glance out over the water, Sarah realized that she would just have to take one day at a time. Sighing, she turned and disappeared down into the belly of the Northwestern.
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