“Good. I’m glad you and Bryce decided to take an extra day.”

“What makes you think...?” He trailed off his words and glanced at Bryce. She was looking at him with keen interest.

“I know your question and the answer is because Bryce called Vashti earlier tonight to let her know of her change in plans, too. Although she didn’t mention your name, just like you didn’t mention hers when we talked earlier. Imagine that.”

“Yes, imagine that.” Wanting to get Sawyer off the phone, he said, “Call me back if anything else develops.”

“I will.”

The minute he clicked off the phone, a wide-eyed Bryce began asking questions. “There was a fire? Where? Is anyone hurt? Do you need to leave?”

He reached out to run his fingers through her hair before pulling her into his arms. “Yes, there was a fire on one of my ships. No one was hurt. And, no, I won’t be leaving to return back to Catalina Cove any sooner than planned.”

“How did the fire start?”

“Not sure. There will be an investigation. Sawyer thinks it was possibly electrical or equipment malfunction, but I don’t see how. All four ships docked at the marina were just inspected last month.”

“Why aren’t you leaving to go back?”

“There’s nothing I can do before Monday and Sawyer says the damage is minor.” He buried his face in the side of her neck and inhaled deeply. He loved her scent. He began pressing kisses to the side of her face. He used the tip of his tongue to lick her skin, loving her taste. “Besides, I refuse to give up my extra day in Boston with you.”

She pulled back to stare at him but said nothing. He had an idea just what she was thinking. She, of all people, knew he’d never wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a man of the sea. But he had. Now he honestly appreciated Reid for convincing him to stay and take over the shipping company. It didn’t take him long to discover being a shipper was in his blood, whether he wanted it or not. The plus side was that there had been good older men, like Elton and others, who’d worked for his father for years, that were willing to stay on and help Kaegan along the way. He’d been determined to make the Chambray Seafood Shipping Company bigger and better than before.

“Who will handle things pertaining to the fire in your absence?” she asked him.

“Elton. According to Sawyer, he was on board the ship asleep when the fire started and is the one who spotted it.”

It wasn’t strange that Elton was sleeping on one of his ships. The old man’s wife had passed over twenty years ago. They never had any children. Kaegan had always considered him part of his family. When he’d built his house he’d even included a guest room just for him. But Elton was a man of the sea and it wasn’t uncommon for him to leave his small house on the bayou and drive to the docks and get aboard one of Kaegan’s ships and sleep under the stars.