Page 84 of The Sailor

“Turns out I worked for Lucas’s dad once upon a time in Portland. Reported him for a lot of illegal stuff he was doing. Lucas didn’t like that. It’s why he was harassing me. Well, part of the reason.”

“I know. I figured it out while we were looking for you.”

“How?”

“Listening to the lobstermen talk on the radio.”

“Oh. Zach?” Marit said, turning in his grip and hugging him tight. “I love you.”

The lobster boats were circling the shore now, their crews calling out to Marit, saying how happy they were that she was all right and asking what was happening, wondering where Pearson was.

Zach ignored them for the time being. He stared down at the woman who had stormed into his life and taken his heart simply by being who she was. “I love you too. Thank you for being so strong. For not giving up.”

The next sound they heard was a siren, as both the Coast Guard and the Rockville police arrived at the same time. A boat from the fire department was on their heels, as well. All three had their lights going, and the siren from the police boat echoed loudly on the water as it neared.

“Things are going to get crazy for a while, aren’t they?” Marit asked.

“Yeah. You’ll have to tell the police and Coast Guard what happened, the EMTs from the fire department are going to want to check you over, make sure you’re okay. I need to contact my mom and Britt, and someone probably needs to call Harper and let her know that her dad’s fine. And I have no doubt when we get back to the dock, there will be a ton of locals who’ll want to see for themselves that you’re okay, and some who’re just simply curious as to what the hubbub is all about.”

“Then we can go home, right?” Marit asked.

Home. He loved that she saw his tiny studio apartment as home. They wouldn’t always live there. Someday he’d give her a bigger house. Maybe overlooking the water she spent so much time on.

“After you get checked out by a doctor, yeah, sweetheart. Then we can go home.”

She wrinkled her nose at the thought of having to see a doctor but didn’t protest, which told Zach a lot about how she was feeling. She was putting on a brave front, but she’d had a hell of a day.

“Maybe after we stop by Ruckus Donuts to stock up though? I’m hungry,” Marit said with a small smile.

Zach chuckled. “Anything you want. And I’ll see if I can’t find someone with something you can eat in the meantime.”

“The lunch you made for me might still be on the Wave Rider. That’s where Lucas ambushed me,” she told him.

Thinking of Pearson attacking her made Zach angry all over again, but he tamped the feeling down. His job was to take care of Marit right now. He’d let the authorities and his brother take care of Pearson.

“It was there when I left to look for you. I’ll make sure you get it sooner rather than later.”

Marit hugged him once more, then went up onto her tiptoes. “I love you, Zach Young.”

He bent down and touched his lips to hers. “I love you back.”

Then the shore was suddenly filled with people. All wanting to know if she was all right and where that asshole Pearson had gone.

Chad was there, as well, looking extremely concerned. He put a hand on Zach’s shoulder. “You guys all right?”

“We are now,” Zach told his brother, glad to see him among all the others.

“Marit Phillips?” a deep voice asked from beyond the crowd.

Craning to see over the lobstermen, Zach saw a young man in a Coast Guard uniform approaching from the water. The law enforcement boats had arrived, and everyone was coming ashore.

“Yes, that’s me,” she said, after taking a deep breath.

“We’re going to need to know what happened here.”

“Of course. But first you might want to go and relieve Lincoln Young. He’s at the top of that hill”—she turned and pointed behind them—“guarding Lucas Pearson, to make sure he doesn’t get away after kidnapping and attempting to kill me.”

Her words were enough to cause a frenzy of action on the shore, as men hurried into the trees and started up the steep hill, with Chad in the lead.

It was going to be a long afternoon, but Marit was strong enough to handle all the questions that would be aimed in her direction. And Zach would be right there at her side. From here on out, there was no place he’d rather be.