Chapter 113 113.Fishing
Tabitha’s POV
I turn to the familiar voice. A stubby middle-aged man with sun-darkened skin and a weathered face full of laugh lines grins at me.
“Mario!” I grin.
Why do I always see this man whenever I go here?
Mario strides over with a grin of his own, his face lined from years under the sun.
“Didn’t think I’d see you back here so soon.”
“Couldn’t stay away,” I reply.
He laughs and glances at my stepbrothers. “And who might these fine gentlemen be?” His brows furrow as if he’s convinced the brothers look familiar but he just can’t put a finger on it.
I smile and proceed to introduce Jace, Luca, Even, and Reed to him.
“Aha!” Mario’s eyebrows lift. “So you’re Emery Aldair’s boys, huh? Now that’s something you don’t see every day.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jace says, smiling.
“Pleasure’s mine! Your old man’s a big name around here,” Mario says while flashing a toothy gin.
“Ah, the mighty Emery Aldair. I see his name travels faster than his ships.”
Mario laughs and nods, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
I smile and ask him how the fishing has been. That’s when he launches into a story about the tides and the weather and the stubborn fish that keep slipping away. He gestures toward a sleek navy boat tied nearby and proudly brags about it as well.
“Just got her recently. Isn’t she a beauty?” he boasts.
I stare at the boat. The shiny navy blue paint reminds me of one of my dad’s old boats. Well, this one looks bigger for sure—and newer. But it’s enough to send me into another wave of nostalgia.
I can feel Jace watching me for a moment, his gaze lingering like he’s trying to read my thoughts. Then his eyes flick to the boat I’ve been staring at and back to me again, as if weighing something silently. I hold my breath, curious about what he’s plotting. After a few moments, his eyes suddenly light up as they lock on the boat, a spark of mischief dancing in them. He turns to Mario with a grin and slings an arm around his shoulders, leaning in like he’s about to pitch the most irresistible idea in the world.
“So you own that beast, huh? How about this…” he murmurs as he drags the old fisherman a few steps away.
Where is he taking him?
Crap, I know that smile. Jace usually flashes that when he is up to no good. Now, what kind of trouble is planning this time… and why is he dragging Mario with him?
Luca shakes his head on my side and laughs, as if he already understands what his brother is doing.
He leans in and whispers something I can’t catch. I tilt my head, curious about what kind of scheme Jace is feeding the old man. Mario’s eyes follow Jace’s hands, and I notice him receiving something, though I can’t tell what it is. He glances from Jace to the boat and back again. Then he bursts into laughter like he just hit the jackpot. When they finally turn back, Jace is grinning from ear to ear, and Mario smirks triumphantly while counting a thick wad of cash in his hands.
What the…
“What just happened?” I blurt out.
I hear Reed snickering beside me. He seems to understand what Jace just did.
Jace’s grin widens as he claps his hands together excitedly.
“Good news. Mario here is kind enough to let us borrow his boat for a bit! What do you say we go fishing?”
“What?”
Mario is busy counting his money to even care.
“Come on,” Jace announces. “We’re going fishing!”
“You heard the man, we’re going fishing!” Reed declares and high fives his brother.
“How did yo—Reed!”
It’s too late. Before I can protest, Reed scoops me up and slings me over his shoulder like a sack of rice. The four of them laugh as they haul me to the boat.
Reed hoists me over his shoulder without effort and drops me into the boat. I squirm for show, rolling my eyes at him. Jace, Luca, and Evren slip in one by one like they were born knowing how to handle a vessel.
“What exactly are you doing?” I demand, pretending to sound annoyed. Honestly, it’s more amusing than irritating.
Jace grins, a spark lighting his eyes. “I saw the longing in your eyes when we got here. That particular boat reminded you of your dad’s old boats. I knew you couldn’t resist it.”
I gape at him. “How did you know that?”
He winks and taps his temple. “Mindlink, remember? It doesn’t only work as a direct telepathic path between mates. It can pick up subtle signals too. It helps us understand each other’s emotions even without words.”
I shake my head in amusement. Huh. That makes sense. No wonder I sometimes feel their anger, their amusement, or even when they are just mildly irritated! In some strange moments—like when they had that accident during the Tropical Thunder Circuit—I could even sense exactly which hospital room they were located in. It’s like an invisible thread connecting us, letting me glimpse their feelings and their presence. Wow, the mindlink sure is a convenient tool.
Evren turns a knob and the motor roars to life, vibrating through the boat.
“Do you guys even know how to operate this thing?” I taunt them, smirking.
Luca pops a brow, his lips curling into a cocky smile.
“We are sons of a navy commander, sweetheart. We didn’t exactly crawl out of the womb clueless. We’ve patched up battleships in our sleep. This is child’s play.”
I laugh out loud at his smugness and watch as the brothers maneuver the boat effortlessly. Before I know it, we are gliding past the pier and into open water.
To be fair, Luca has every right to feel smug. They handle Mario’s bad boy like seasoned sailors. The boat itself is spacious, more than enough for the five of us to move around comfortably without bumping into one another.
“This boat is huge,” I comment, surveying the cabin and deck. “My dad’s old boat wouldn’t have fit all of us like this.”
Reed claps a hand on my shoulder. “And it’s complete with everything we need. Nets, rods, buckets, the works.”
“Perfect. We’ll have some delicious roasted fish for dinner.” Jace rubs his hands together.
They move effortlessly like they belong here, in the sea. They make it look like the vast endless saltwater around us is just part of their dominion. They have clearly been doing this for years. I can see it by the way they handle the nets and the traps. It’s all muscle memory.
They toss the nets into the water with rhythmic taps. I watch the floats bob as the mesh sinks, and the brothers shout directions to one another.
“Left a little, Reed!” Luca calls.
“I know what the fuck I’m doing!” Reed snaps back.
“You fucking idiot! You threw it sideways again!” Jace yells.
“Shut the hell up, Jace! Your aim would miss a fish if it was staring you in the face!” Reed fires back, glaring.
Evren steps forward silently, yanks the net from Reed, and sets it perfectly in the water without a word.
“Finally, for fuck’s sake!” Jace exclaims.
“Freaking morons,” Luca mutters, shaking his head. He grabs his own net and hurls it into the water.
Laughing, I shake my head and grab one of the fishing rods from the side and set up for some solo fishing. The line swings lazily over the water, the hook dangling above the rippling surface.
While we wait, I decide to open a light chat. “So… do you guys fish often?”
“Occasionally.” Luca leans back and shrugs. “Mostly when we were younger. Mom would get seasick easily, so we often went with Dad instead. You know how it is.”
Jace snorts sarcastically. “Fun times.”
I frown, wary. “Was it really that bad?”
Reed smirks. Although I don’t see any traces of humor in his eyes.
“Our old man is militaristic in every possible way. He turned fishing into some kind of Olympic event. And it’s not exactly a good experience for ten year old kids who were just trying to learn a new fucking hobby during the summer.”
“As we grew older, it just became exhausting.” Jace shakes his head. “Sure, we still fish once or twice a year, but only if he isn’t around. It’s not fun anymore.”
“I’d rather swim the Pacific alone than be stuck on a fishing trip with that senile man,” Reed adds begrudgingly.
I hum softly, imagining them as kids. Ten-year-old boys learning how to fish, only to have the joy stolen by their father’s rigid rules. They grew up in wealth and influence, but their fun was stolen. Meanwhile, my childhood was modest, yet full of simple joys. I smiled at the thought. Life really does hand people opposite lessons. I could appreciate fishing. They were forced to endure it.
“So you’re not really close with your dad, huh?” I ask, turning toward them.
Reed snickers. “Oh, what gave it away? The way we roll our eyes every time he opens his mouth?”
I shake my head, a small laugh escaping me. “Seriously, is he really a bad father?”
“Bad? No.” Jace leans back and tilts his head, wide-eyed and innocent. “He’s horrible.”
Luca chortles, and Reed lets out a dry laugh. Evren suppresses a grin, the corners of his mouth twitching.