Page 19 of The Sailor

“Oh, hey, Zach. How was business today? You ready for the people tomorrow?”

“Good, and yes. As much as I can be. Were the lobsters cooperating today?”

“Hell yeah. We got an awesome haul,” Eliot told him.

Zach thought it was odd the way Jonah didn’t look up or say hello. “Hey, Jonah,” he said.

The other man glanced up quickly, nodded, then got back to work.

“Hi,” Marit said, with a soft smile.

Not thinking twice about his actions, Zach stepped toward where Marit was standing next to a crate of lobsters and leaned over, kissing her briefly before straightening. “Hi,” he returned. “You have a good day?”

Instead of responding affirmatively, she shrugged.

Zach frowned. “You didn’t?”

“Lucas Pearson,” Eliot spat.

Turning toward the older man, Zach asked, “Who?”

“No one. It’s not a big deal,” Marit said quickly.

But Eliot ignored her attempt at dropping the subject.

“He owns the Men At Work, another lobster boat. He ran his mouth this morning about Marit working on the Wave Rider. Saying all kinds of sexist shit. Then he followed us most of the morning, commenting on Marit’s technique and insisting having her on board was bad luck, that she was gonna bring that same luck down on the fleet. He ended his childish and stupid rant by saying she should’ve stayed in Portland, that Rockville didn’t want no ‘sissy girls’ lobstering in its waters.”

Zach’s anger rose hot and fast. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“It’s okay, Zach,” Marit said. She’d moved around the crate she’d been filling to put her hand on his arm.

“It’s not okay,” he countered.

“You’re right, it’s not. But I’m used to it.”

“Which is also bullshit!” Zach exclaimed. “You shouldn’t be used to that. You’re damn good at what you do. I haven’t been on a boat with you, but I’ve known Eliot a long time and he doesn’t tolerate incompetence. If you couldn’t hack it as a lobsterwoman, you wouldn’t be on his boat. I’ve heard him say more than once how happy he is that he hired you before anyone else could.”

Marit’s face softened. “Thanks.”

“Who is this Pearson guy, anyway? He worked around here long?” Zach asked Eliot. He wasn’t ready to let this drop yet. The thought that someone was harassing Marit didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.

“No. As far as I know, he arrived at the beginning of summer from the Portland area.”

“Did you know him while you were there?” Zach asked Marit.

She sighed. “Kind’ve. He was buddies with a lobsterman there who definitely didn’t like me much, and who made it his goal in life to make sure that I—and I quote—‘leave the lobstering to the men.’”

Zach studied Marit. He could see the exhaustion and frustration in her face. He supposed he wasn’t all that surprised there were some people who didn’t think women could do a difficult job like lobstering, but in this day and age, to come right out and harass her because of it was a little surprising. He’d seen women in the Navy in traditionally masculine roles endure some of the same harassment, and it made his blood boil then, just as it did now. He had no problem with anyone’s gender when it came to jobs. If they could do the tasks required, great.

Then another thought occurred to him. “Was that why you left Portland? Because of this other guy?”

Her silence told him all he needed to know.

Zach turned to Eliot. “What did you and Jonah say when this Pearson guy was harassing her?”

To his surprise, Eliot’s gaze dropped. And Jonah continued to count lobsters as if he hadn’t even heard Zach’s question.

“Please tell me you told him to fuck off,” Zach growled.