Page 36 of Bad Boy Crush

Too bad. He could use a drink and had hoped Brady could join him. “In that case, I’ll head home. Take the boat out later.”

“Rub it in.” Brady waved when someone called his name. Everyone knew the smiley neighborhood cop. “I’d love to take this uniform off. I’ll let Elli Bean do that instead.”

“I heard that.” Brady’s girlfriend sidled up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. “I’m going to go home and let Lila out. She is probably doing the pee-pee dance right about now.”

“She’ll likely file a complaint about her afternoon treat being late.” Brady leaned down and kissed his girl on the lips, lingering longer than was necessary in public in broad daylight. Ant thought back to kissing Lou and then thought about Hunter kissing Lou and got angry all over again.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” Brady pulled Elliott flush to his side. As they headed off, he called, “Four o’clock at Salty Dog tomorrow! We’ll be there to watch you accept your crown.”

“It’s a medal!” Ant called back, unable to keep from smiling. It seemed everyone had confidence that he’d take first place.

Hell, maybe he would win.

* * *

The next morning, he woke to the sun shining through his hat. He pulled it off his face and blinked at his surroundings. The boat’s deck, his discarded shoes, the five remaining beers in the six-pack under the captain’s chair. Water sloshed the sides of the boat as he sat up and rubbed his sore neck. A rolled-up beach towel made for a shitty pillow.

Last night, he’d taken the boat out later than he’d intended. The moon was dim, which was perfect for stargazing. Head craned toward the heavens, he’d drunk a beer. When fatigue caught up with him, he’d lain back on the bench and shut his eyes. What had started out as resting had turned into a full night’s sleep aboard No Wake. He smiled at the irony of his boat’s name. He hadn’t been awake long at all.

That meant that today was tomorrow—the day the contest winner would be announced. Ant wasn’t positive he’d won, but he could say with confidence that he’d done his best. Hunter was young, so confidence came in abundance for him. Ant wouldn’t mind knocking him off his pedestal. That guy needed to learn that everything in life didn’t always go his way.

While Ant had been tempted to warn Lou off the prick, he figured nothing had ultimately come from Hunter’s advances. Hunter wasn’t a local. What was she going to do, date a guy who lived in Maine? He couldn’t imagine her putting up with long distance with anyone, and he couldn’t imagine Hunter offering. The jackass was after one thing with Lou, and she was too smart to fall for it.

He hoped.

He’d reassured himself with the memory of Lou going off to find May at the wine bar. May, he could count on. No doubt she had successfully cockblocked Hunter if it had come to that.

A blubbering sound came closer as he stood to stretch. Brady pulled up on a Jet Ski, wearing a blue life vest and sunglasses covering his eyes. Once he was close to the boat, he gripped the side. “Morning!”

“What’s up, Hutch? They give you the day off?”

“They did. Thank Christ. They stuck Darrin with patrol for the day. I’ll be taking my girl to Salty Dog to watch you win, remember?”

His mind on the darker idea of Hunter having talked Lou into doing more than kiss him, Ant replied, “I’m not sure I’m going.”

Brady laughed. “Oh yes, you are. Half the town—hell, maybe more than half—will be there, and they want to see one of their own win.”

“If I win.”

“You’ll win.”

Ant lifted the remainder of the six-pack. “Warm beer?”

“You drank one beer last night and passed out?”

“I didn’t pass out. I fell asleep. I was thinking. Deciding a few things.”

“Like what?”

It was too early for this conversation. He needed a cup of coffee. Still, Brady was a friend, so he shared what was on his mind. “Like whether or not I should comment on Lou’s life decisions or let her make up her own mind.”

“This is about Hunter kissing her.”

Brady saying it somehow made it more real. “You know about that?”

“I also know she didn’t want that numb-nuts to kiss her. Elli witnessed the whole thing.”

“So did I.” Ant wished he could unsee it.