Free Marlin's Faith: The Virtues Book II by A.J. Downey

problem agreeing on, and safety for our customers and patrons was at the top of the list.
    If Kristen’s rod snagged something, it looked like I’d be the one fightin’ whatever she’d caught on her line. As much as I hated to admit it, it was my turn to deal with it. Still, I would have time to do what I wanted to get done if I left Johnny to do the hard labor getting them set up the rest of the way, which is what I did. I’d wipe the dirty look off his face later. It wasn’t my idea, or need, to even fuckin’ be out here anyways; goddammit.
    I left the trio and their rods to my brother to deal with, and ducked below deck to retrieve my laptop. At least it was where I’d left it, unlike my fuckin’ guitar. I came back up and dropped into a deck chair next to the blonde girl who didn’t even look up from her e-reader tablet thingy. Good deal. I didn’t want to chit chat anyways. I opened up the laptop and started it up, clicking out of the business software book keeping crap I’d left undone before taking off on our wild ride to the crescent city. I could do it later; in fact, I’d bring it back with me to Cutter’s place. I could do it while Faith was sleeping or doing her staring out the window thing. Just because I wasn’t out on the water, didn’t mean there wasn’t shit to be done for the business.
    I pulled the little iPod I’d picked up in town out of my pocket and plugged it in to my laptop. I didn’t know if I had everything I wanted to put on it. I mean, I knew I had a song or two… I clicked through my iTunes account and, “Ha!” I must have uttered it aloud because Karen roused herself from whatever she was reading and looked over.
    “Ashes & Embers, didn’t take you for the type to like them. You struck me as more of a classic rock kind of guy.”
    I glanced at her sideways, “I like all sorts of sh-,” I stopped myself, “Stuff.” I muttered belatedly and admittedly a little distractedly, “Besides, it isn’t for me.”
    I actually had one of A&E’s first albums, not the one with Hope Never Dies on it, though. Still, it was my intention to put their entire discography onto this thing for Faith, and I aimed to get the rest downloaded and onto it right now, that is, if I had enough cell signal to get my hotspot working. It was tough out here on the water. They hadn’t invented cell towers for the ocean yet, and I hoped to God they never fucking did. I sighed in frustration when I realized we were just this side of too far out and that I didn’t have enough juice to get it done.
    “What provider do you have?” Karen asked. I told her and she swiped across her phone.
    “Try mine, they have the best signal. Password for my hotspot is…” I gave it a shot, knowing it wasn’t likely, but no dice. I sighed.
    “Thanks, anyhow.” I grated and snapped the laptop closed.
    “Who’s it for?” she asked smiling.
    “Who’s what for?”
    “The iPod.”
    “How do you know it’s not for me?” I asked.
    She laughed lightly, “Just like I didn’t figure you for an Ashes & Embers fan, I really don’t figure a guy like you is much into the color pink. A&E, a pink iPod shuffle… well that screams one thing and one thing only, my friend. Who is she?”
    “What do you do for a living?” I asked, chuckling to myself. The girl was sharp.
    “I’m in school, actually. Finishing up my master’s degree in psychology.”
    “Ah,” I nodded in understanding and set to work folding up the cord to the little music player. “She seems like she would like the color pink,” I mumbled, suddenly embarrassed with the idea of giving her the gift. Shit, I was overstepping. I had to be overstepping. This was a dumbassed idea, for sure.
    “You don’t know what colors she likes?” she asked, and shit, it looked like I’d piqued her curiosity.
    “She’s my President’s, Ol’ Lady’s sister,” I said, then figured I might as well go for broke, “Hope isn’t especially fond of the color