They would be ready to seal the hull before the week was out, and he could start Seth on sanding the rubrails. If Cam dived right in on dealing with belowdecks, and if Seth didn’t bitch too much about working with putty and caulk and varnish over the next week or two, they’d do well enough.

He checked his watch, saw that time was getting away from him, and began to put away his tools. He swept up, since Seth wasn’t there to wield the broom.

By quarter after one, he was parked outside of the pub. He didn’t intend to go inside anymore than he intended to let Grace walk the mile and a half home when she clocked out. So he settled back, switched on his dome light, and passed the time reading his dog-eared copy of Cannery Row .

INSIDE, IT WAS LAST CALL. The only thing that would have made Grace happier would have been if Dave had told her that all she needed to get her car up and running was some used chewing gum and a rubber band.

Instead he’d told her it would cost the equivalent of three years’ worth of both, and then she’d be lucky if the old bucket ran another five thousand miles.

It was something she would have to worry about later; at the moment, she had her hands full dealing with an overly insistent customer who was stopping off in St. Chris on his way down to Savannah and was sure Grace would like to be his form of entertainment for the night.

‘‘I got me a hotel room.’’ He winked at her when she stooped to serve his final drink of the night. ‘‘And it’s got a big bed and twenty-four-hour room service. We could have us a hell of a party, honey pie.’’

‘‘I don’t do a lot of partying, but thanks.’’

He grabbed her hand, pulled it just enough to throw off her balance so she had to grip his shoulder or tumble into his lap. ‘‘Then now’s your chance.’’ He had dark eyes, and he aimed them leeringly at her breasts. ‘‘I got a real fondness for long-legged blondes. Always treat them special.’’

He was tiresome, Grace thought as he breathed one more beer into her face. But she had handled worse. ‘‘I appreciate that, but I’m going to finish up my shift and go home.’’

‘‘Your place is fine with me.’’

‘‘Mister—’’

‘‘Bob. You just call me Bob, baby.’’

She had to yank to get free. ‘‘Mister, I’m just not interested.’’

Of course she was, he thought, sending her a smile he knew was dazzling. He’d paid two grand to get his teeth bonded, hadn’t he? ‘‘The hard-to-get routine always turns me on.’’

Grace decided he wasn’t worth even a single disgusted sigh. ‘‘We’re closing in fifteen; you’re going to need to settle your tab.’’