The Deputy's Perfect Match

Charlie hated the uncertainty in her voice. And one look at those eyes of hers... He had no right to be angry at her.

No business taking out his angst about Sawyer Kole—Honey, too, if the whole truth were told—on Evy.

He let go of her. “Is there a reason I should be mad at you, Evy? You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?”

The bridge between her perfectly arched brows pinched. “No, I guess not.” Biting her lip, her eyes skittered over the silver ribbon of the tidal creek.

She was lying. Or at best, hiding something.

Abruptly he veered toward the creek bank, where a cluster of children surrounded old Mr. Keller and a thirtysomething woman Charlie didn’t recognize. He left Evy to follow. Or not.

“Reinforcements. Hoorah.” Mr. Keller raised a child-sized fishing rod. “I was wondering how Felicia and I were going to drive the boat, bait hooks and make sure no one drowns.”

The lady helped a child thread his arms into a life preserver. “I’m Felicia Kerr. I’m a counselor with the county here to help the children get reacquainted with their siblings.”

“Charlie Pruitt.”

Mr. Keller handed around more life jackets. “Charlie is a deputy sheriff, kids.”

One or two of the children went motionless. Charlie understood. Some of these children’s only experience with a deputy had been the day when they’d been forcibly removed from their families for various reasons. He hoped by getting to know him, the children would gain more positive impressions of law enforcement.

Evy ventured onto the small dock. “I’m Evy Shaw.”

Charlie did his best to ignore the feelings—like dragonfly wings frolicking against his skin—her proximity evoked. He reached for the bait bucket. “We’re here to serve. Put us to work.”

Mr. Keller pointed his chin at Evy. “You’re the new librarian, aren’t you?”

“Guilty as charged. I’m afraid I’m not very water-savvy.” She wrinkled her nose at the fishy smell emanating from the bucket. “Or experienced in fishing. Are we going to have to touch those things?”

The children surged toward Charlie and peered at the contents of the bucket. “Oooh...gross...cool...”

A mocha-skinned little girl with colorful barrettes in the cornrows of her hair hung back. “I can’t get the buckle to click.”

Evy went down on one knee to inspect the orange life vest. “Let me see what I can do.” She untangled the clasp and clicked it closed. “There. What’s your name?”

“Latasha.” Her large brown eyes grew fearful. “I’ve never been on a boat before. S’pose I fall out?”

Evy took the child’s hand. “You hang on to me, and I’ll hang on to you. We’ll make sure neither one of us falls out, okay?”

Latasha hugged Evy’s hand. “Do you know how to swim?”

“Actually, not so well.” Evy gestured at Charlie. “But see this big guy here?”

Latasha gave Charlie a quick up-and-down appraisal.

“He knows how to rescue people.” Evy aimed her mouth in the direction of his ear. “You do know how to rescue people, don’t you?”

Charlie crouched beside Latasha. “I worked as a lifeguard at the pool when I was in high school.”

Evy smirked. “Of course you did.”

“Come on, Latasha,” called a boy, already seated in the boat.

“That’s my brother.” Latasha twined her fingers into Evy’s. “We don’t live together anymore.”

“You must miss him.” Evy stared at the water, glittering like diamonds in the early morning sun. “I sure would.”

Charlie stared at her. Something fretted at the edges of his consciousness.

She dropped her gaze. “I mean, if I had a brother.”

Latasha poked out her lips. “I miss my brother a lot.”

Evy’s eyes welled. “How wonderful it is, though, that you get to spend the weekend together at camp.”

Charlie reached for Evy’s other hand. “I think you’ll like fishing, Latasha, if you give it a chance. It’s pretty out on the water and peaceful waiting for the fish to bite.”

“Okay... I’ll try if you will, Evy.”

She didn’t let go of Evy’s hand as they stepped aboard Keller’s boat. The next few minutes were spent making sure everyone applied sunscreen.

As the boat chugged away from the dock, Keller pointed out the string of barrier islands across the tidal marsh, which emptied into the Atlantic. He increased the throttle as they left the shore behind. “I know a great little fishing hole, kids,” Keller shouted above the roar of the motor.

With the children laughing at the antics of shorebirds swooping in lazy figure eights over their heads in the bright September sky, Charlie propped his elbows against the railing. His favorite type of day. Out on the water.

He glanced over at Latasha perched in Evy’s lap. “Not so bad, see?”

The wind whipped through Evy’s hair and loosened her ponytail. She brushed a strand out of her eyes only to have it fly into her face again as the boat gained speed. She grimaced. He laughed and gave in to the urge to touch her hair.

He caught the silky blond lock between his thumb and forefinger. He tucked the tendril behind her ear, and his hand lingered. The bottom dropped out of his stomach. Looking into her eyes, he felt weightless.

Flushing, Charlie dropped his hand. And found Keller’s gaze on him. Keller winked.

The children squealed with excitement as the boat skimmed over the blue-green waves of the Machipongo Inlet. Evy did not. By the time Keller dropped anchor, she appeared a bit green herself.

Charlie, Keller and Felicia got busy showing the children how to bait their hooks. Latasha hopped off Evy’s lap and entered into the joy of the day. At first, Evy moved from one child to the next. Offering her encouragement, if not her expertise.

But finally she sank onto the seat at the railing. Her mouth thinned. A sheen of sweat broke out on her lip.

Charlie headed over to her. “Are you okay, Evy?”

She gave him a wobbly smile. “I—I don’t feel so good.”

“Try not to stare at the horizon. It’s the motion of the boat on the waves. It distorts your perspective and unsettles your equilibrium.”

She squeezed her eyes closed. She clutched her stomach.

“Mr. Deputy?”

He left Evy for a moment to help one youngster untangle his line.

Planting their feet even with their hips to widen their center of gravity, the children stood shoulder to shoulder around the perimeter of the boat. They called to each other, teasing each other, as the water tugged on their lines.

Latasha elbowed him. “Evy don’t look so good, Mr. Deputy.”

He pivoted. No, she didn’t. Then Evy leaned over the side of the boat and vomited.

He hurried over to her. “Evy?”

She retched again and again. He kept his hand on her shoulder. Silent tears rolling down her face, she emptied her stomach until dry heaves remained.

“I’m so sorry.” Embarrassment flushed her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

He ran his hand over the crown of her head. “It’s okay, Evy.”

“No,” her lips trembled. “It’s not.”

Felicia fished a tissue out of her jeans and gave it to Evy.

He extracted a bottle of water from the cooler. He unscrewed the cap. “Swish out your mouth and spit it over the side.”

Latasha left her fishing pole. “It’s okay, Evy,” She patted Evy’s back. “I’ll take care of you.” She sounded like a little mother.

Evy’s arm went around the child’s waist. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you, Latasha. Not the other way around.”

Latasha smiled. “We’ll take care of each other.”

“Sorry to be such a landlubber,” Evy whispered to him.

“It’s okay. Really. Most of us on the Shore have been out on the water since we could walk. You’ll get used to it.”

Evy’s eyes clouded. The supercompetent librarian didn’t like feeling inadequate.

“Once we get underway back to shore, it won’t be so bad.”

“I don’t want to cut short the children’s fun.”

Mr. Keller shook his head. “These small fry have been baking in the sun long enough. Time to get back for lunch.”

At his words, Evy moaned.

Charlie eased onto the seat beside her. “Did you eat anything this morning before we left?”

She shook her head.

“An empty stomach is the worst on the water.”

Evy looked at him as if she didn’t believe it.

“No, truly. Once you eat something, you’ll feel—”

She groaned. “I may never eat again.”

“Crackers. Baby steps before you decide to starve yourself forever.”

“Fine.” She put a hand to her head. “But can we stop talking about food?”

“Whatever you say.”

Evy’s mouth curved up. “I reserve the right to remind you of that later.”

He laughed. “Good to know you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”

She made a face. “Just my appetite and my pride.”

* * *

Evy held on to Charlie’s arm for support as they stepped onto dry land. Weaving, unsteady on her feet. If only the ground would stop moving.

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