Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“They filmed Jaws in Martha’s Vineyard,” another said.
Dune wanted to roll his eyes. Jaws terrified the shit out of people for a long time, but it also taught people to be careful in the water. Thankfully, his parents wouldn’t let him and his brothers watch it until they were much older. If Dune had seen it when he was a kid, he’d probably work in an office somewhere, pushing papers.
“They did,” Dune acknowledged. “It was also mechanical.” He looked around at his guests. “If at any time you want to return to the boat and need help, we’ll come get you.” His words seemed to put people at ease. Dune introduced Speed and Wilson and the three of them got to work fitting everyone with their equipment.
“Put on your diving mask and position it on your face, ensuring a snug but comfortable fit,” Dune said as Speed and Wilson walked around helping people. “Bite down on the mouthpiece of the snorkel tube and breathe in and out to ensure it’s working correctly.” Dune showed them. “You’ll put your fins on when you get on the boat. You’ll want to adjust the straps for comfort. Your toes shouldn’t feel cramped.”
Once everyone had their equipment, they boarded the boat and were shown where the life jackets where in the event of an emergency, or for those who wanted to use one today. Dune looked toward the cabana, hoping to see Caroline. He looked at his watch and then pulled his phone out and called her.
“Hey, it’s me. Just wondering where you are.” He hung up and tried to stall, but if they didn’t leave soon, he’d have to cut the tour short and that wasn’t fair to the clients. When Speed and Wilson stepped off the boat, they came toward him.
“Caroline’s not here,” Dune said as he adjusted his hat. “I called her, but it’s late. I don’t think I can wait much longer.”
“I’ll go with you,” Speed said. “There’s enough crew around to cover each tour. We’ll be fine.”
Dune had full confidence in his crew, but he was worried about Caroline. It wasn’t like her to disappear or not tell him if she wasn’t coming. He called her again and when she didn’t answer, he hung up and called the diner.
“It’s Dune, is Penny there?” He didn’t know who answered the phone, but they’d know him by name.
“No, Penny’s gone.”
“Thanks.” He hung up. The only thing he could do would be to go to Caroline’s, but he didn’t have time. Dune exhaled roughly and groaned. “All right let’s go. Call us if there are any issues, Wilson.”
“Will do. Have fun.”
Speed and Dune climbed aboard and checked in with the guests before they left the dock. Martha’s Vineyard was thirty-seven miles away and would take them an hour and a half to get there. Thankfully, the sun was out, and the day was beautiful, despite Dune being in a mood now.
Dune stood at the helm and directed the boat toward MV. This was one of his favorite trips and he wished Caroline was with him. He wanted to be with her, even if they couldn’t go ashore and shop or sightsee. Dune liked the story she told him earlier about her and Jackie renting scooters and riding all over the island. That’s something he wanted to do with Caroline. He enjoyed having her with him during the workday and it was a definite highlight for him.
As they left, Speed began pointing to the coastline, which was filled with scenic views and unique landmarks such as the famous Seaport Mansions, a collection of extravagant homes built by wealthy families in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
When Dune motored by Caroline’s cottage, he looked at her place to see if she was home. Had she gotten sick? If so, why hadn’t she called him? All the lights were off, and the blinds closed, making it impossible for him to see if she was inside. If he didn’t have a boat full of people, he’d pull up to the rickety dock and pound on her door.
They passed historic lighthouses and rocky beaches, and Dune told everyone to look out for seals or dolphins swimming in the surrounding waters. Everyone had their head on a swivel and their cameras ready, pointing at the water. As soon as they left the bay and were out in the open ocean, the water turned choppy, but the views of the Atlantic made the trip well worth it.
Speed talked to everyone and made sure no one was about to be sick. When he brought up Redbeard, the famed Seaport Pirate, Dune cackled. Speed loved telling the tales about the pirate. He stood there, chatting animatedly with the group.
“Everyone feared Redbeard,” Speed said in a deep voice, which Dune suspected he did to scare people. “All who knew of him also respected him. He was known for being cunning. No one could trust him, but everyone loved being near him. Redbeard had an infectious attitude and people flocked to him. He only cared about treasure, and had amassed a small fortune by raiding ships that sailed through the waters near Seaport. But he was always hungry for more, and he was constantly on the lookout for his next big score.”