Show You the Ropes

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

“If it will help my chances of not getting picked on, I guess I better.” Melanie thought it was cute how shy Kevin was. They both were, and she could understand his hesitation, but she knew the guys weren’t that bad. They were all big, burly teddy bears to her, and for the most part they were friendly to the new guys that came on board. “But honestly, I think I’d rather stay here with you. At least you won’t shove me around and pick on me for being the new guy.” Though there was a light flush in her cheeks, she giggled as he nudged her. “Would yah?” Melanie grinned at him playfully, nudging him back. “You can’t tell? I’m the most vicious person on this boat. I’m worse than Brandon picking on the new guys,” she teased, giving a laugh afterward. “I don’t pick on the cute ones so much, though. So maybe I’ll be nice to you.” She giggled, holding his gaze. His shaggy hair kept blowing in his face, but it was cute. Her own hair was whipping in the ponytail on her head, tickling on her back occasionally.

“They’re nice guys for the most part, though. They’re probably in there playing poker right now, actually,” she commented, glancing to the door to the cabin. “They don’t let me play anymore because I always win.” She gave a laugh, a little proud of the fact that she was such a good card player. No one expected it from the mousy young lady, but it was that air of innocence about her that gave her the advantage. “I have a mean poker face, I must say. They have chips but they don’t bet any actual money for the game, not after Brandon forbade it. Too many fights were getting started over it. It’s really just to pass the time now.” She gave a shrug and clasped her hands in front of her, and looked back at him. Maybe she should warn him about the joke that was inevitably going to star him.

“Brandon told you what we fish mostly, right? Do you know what any of those fish looks like? I ask because I know which joke my brother is going to play on you first,” she told him with a smile. “As the assembly line is tossing the fish from the deck to the pits where the ice is, the guys yell out the name of the fish so it can get packed in the right storage unit. It’s the most organization Brandon implements.” She gave a little shrug and a smile. “Anyway, if the new guys haven’t worked on a boat before, Brandon likes to yell out the wrong name and the other guys will play along so the new guy screws up the flow for the packer. They think it’s hilarious, but the packer doesn’t and depending on who it is packing, they’ll get mad. I just know Brandon is going to do that today. You want me to give you some tips on which fish is what so you’ll have an idea?” Brandon was going to be upset that she ruined his joke, but Melanie rarely did that. Plus, if Kevin had some idea of what he was looking for, he might be able to impress Brandon! She would definitely help him do that.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

“You can’t tell? I’m the most vicious person on this boat. I’m worse than Brandon picking on the new guys,” He tried to look astonished but he only ended up smiling and laughing at her. There wasn't a mean bone in her body, he was certain of that much. Maybe a judgmental one, but certainly not mean. “I don’t pick on the cute ones so much, though. So maybe I’ll be nice to you.” His smile broadened. Him? Cute? "I'm glad you think I'm cute, then." He offered in a slightly flirty voice, starting to warm up to her a bit.

Kevin paid close attention to her as she explained about the guys playing poker. he knew how to play but he was terrible at it, but thought it was funny that she was such a good player. She didn't look like the kind of girl who would be able to play well, but then again Kevin had a feeling there was more to Melanie than what met the eye. She seemed knowledgeable and smart. she was quick and he had a feeling she picked things up easily. She was probably good at pool, too. Especially if she had a brother she got along with well, and Brandon definitely came off as the type to be good at pool and poker and all that other guy stuff that Kevin was no good at.

“Brandon told you what we fish mostly, right? Do you know what any of those fish looks like?" He shook his head, having no idea what any of the fish looked like. "I ask because I know which joke my brother is going to play on you first,” First? As in he would be playing jokes? Multiple? He gulped as she explained how this little game of theirs worked. Great, he would screw up and they would tease him. It was all part of working with "the guys" though, so he wasn't that surprised.

“Anyway, if the new guys haven’t worked on a boat before, Brandon likes to yell out the wrong name and the other guys will play along so the new guy screws up the flow for the packer." This sounded like a terrible game... "I just know Brandon is going to do that today. You want me to give you some tips on which fish is what so you’ll have an idea?”

Brandon raised his brow. She was going to help him beat the "game"? In a way he almost wanted them to play it on him so he could get it out of the way, but he also knew he would gain some amount of respect if he looked like he knew what he was doing. "Yes!" He said gratefully, peaking up at the cabin. "You think they would know you helped?" He asked curiously, chewing on the inside of his lip a little. "I don't want them heckling you, too.."

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

“Yes!” Melanie smiled wide at Kevin’s enthusiastic response. If he wanted help, she would give him some help! His eyes traveled back to the cabin, and she glanced up too. Her brother was still bobbing his head, looking out to the water the other way. “You think they would know you helped?” She looked back at him, seeing the uneasy look on his face. “I don’t want them heckling you too…” Melanie gave a soft laugh. “I’m the only girl on a boat full of guys; I’m used to getting heckled,” she said with a big smile. “But, no, I don’t think they’ll know. The good thing about tuna and salmon is they’re such popular fish, you could have found out what they looked like from anywhere. Halibut’s the uncommon one, but it’s easy to identify. Halibut is a really wide fish, like this big…” She spread her hands apart to show him how big halibut usually were. “At least, that’s generally how big they are, but they can get much bigger. And they’re funny looking because they have big, googly eyes right on top of their head, not like most fish that have their eyes on the sides.” She giggled a little at the way halibut looked. “They hang out on the bay floor, though, and wait in the sand for food to pass by, so the nets have to go really deep to catch them.” Melanie liked to explain fish. She knew fish, all different kinds, and she could recognize most of the common and uncommon fish you could find, whether in the tropics or right off the Oregon coast.

“As for tuna and salmon, they’re a little harder to tell apart, but not much. They’re both big and silver, but tuna has a bluish stripe on its back and a whiter underbelly. Salmon has a pink tinge too it, mostly on the underbelly, but it also has some spots on its back and a little bit of a hooked mouth. Those two are the ones he’s going to mix up, so remember tuna is dark blue on the back, salmon is spotted and pink on the bottom.” She gave a cute little shrug and wrapped her hands around the metal bars at her back. “And that’s basically it. We don’t really come across much else aside from those. If we do, we put it in the far unit pretty much marked as the miscellaneous fish unit. That or we let it go if it’s a type that people won’t buy or if it’s too small. We like to wait until they’re all grown before we eat them.” She laughed, knowing she sounded like the witch in Hansel and Gretel, fattening the kids up before she cooked them.

“That’s the only joke that Brandon plays on all the newbies, though. All the others just kind of happen with opportunity. None of it is ever really dangerous, just annoying,” she assured him with a sweet smile. “They don’t just do it to the new guys, either. They play pranks on each other too. And me. You’ll see a lot of pranks pulled on me. And they’re usually orchestrated by Brandon. One of his favorite things to do is play a buzzing sound quietly in the cabin and ask me to get something for him. Freaks me out every time.” She had told Kevin about her awful fear of bees on their date the previous night. She always ended up laughing at Brandon’s antics, though, and she was smiling now. Melanie didn’t harp on pranks for very long.

She looked up to the cabin and actually found her brother turned back to them now. Her hand reached up and waved to let him know she could see him watching her and Kevin, that she wasn’t blind. He waved back briefly before turning around again, his hands on the steering wheel. Normally he would point two fingers at his eyes and then turn them to her, letting her know he was watching, but now he just waved and looked away. It made her smile wide. “I think he likes you,” she said looking back to Kevin. “He hasn’t been his usual threatening self today. He’s been friendly! You must have done something to impress him.” She grinned brightly, noticing that his eyes were really blue in the sunlight. For once she felt very optimistic about the guy she was involved with getting to know Brandon. It couldn’t last forever, she knew that, but for right now, she felt really good about this.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

“I’m the only girl on a boat full of guys; I’m used to getting heckled,” Kevin didn't necessarily like that but she seemed like she didn't mind. He knew a woman in these sorts of jobs always got teased. It was nice she wasn't angry by it. She seemed like a good sport. “But, no, I don’t think they’ll know." He grinned as she began her lesson on the three types of fish they would be fishing for. Flat halibut, blue tuna and pink salmon. Seemed easy enough to remember. Salmon would be easy to remember because the color of the fish inside was orangey pink. He was confident that he could tell the difference.

Melanie was adorable as she explained the differences. She was so animated and he felt his heart skip a little with her movements. Did she do it on purpose? Did she know how cute she was? He thought she must. She must be intentionally being adorable to make him fall for her, and he had to admit it was working. Really well. He wanted to kiss her again, and hold her hand. He wanted to do things to her that he knew he would get his ass kicked for even thinking about while on Brandon's boat. He wasn't the pervy type, but he couldn't deny wanting her. She was cute and he was still a guy who had sexual needs. It was hard not to think about, especially with her giggling and smiling the way she was, which only made Kevin do the same in return.

“That’s the only joke that Brandon plays on all the newbies, though. All the others just kind of happen with opportunity. None of it is ever really dangerous, just annoying,” That was it? Kevin had a hard time believing that would be the only joke, but he figured it was a rough one so maybe it was. Then it made sense when she explained they just pranked each other from then on out. Would he be allowed to get in on some of those pranks? Would they love or hate him for it? Usually there was a hierarchy to follow. The new guy wasn't allowed to do pranks, but maybe it was different on this boat. "Well, I'm relieved that will be it as far as singling me out. I can take a good prank now and then. I can dish em too I need to." He teased with a small, playful laugh.

His eyes followed Melanie's to see Brandon staring down at them and he gulped nervously. Had he been watching them the whole time? Did he see the kiss? The hand holding? The smiles he gave her? Would he care?! The two waved at each other and Kevin held a hand up to sort of half wave too, gulping at the same time.

“I think he likes you,” He turned and gave Melanie a curious look, raising a brow. "You do?" He asked. “He hasn’t been his usual threatening self today. He’s been friendly! You must have done something to impress him.” Kevin beamed a little, grinning like a moron. "Cool.." He said looking back towards his new bosses back. "Hopefully it stays that way." He grinned back at Melanie and then slid his hands in his pockets. "Alright, what do we do now? Wait? Go hang out below deck? I'm new at this stuff so... you gotta hold my hand a little. I mean, not like literally... Well.. maybe later just, yah know, not on the boat.."

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie giggled at the smile spread across Kevin’s face when she said her brother liked him. “Cool…Hopefully it stays that way.” Her eyes followed his back to her brother. “I hope so,” she said softly, a gentle smile on her face. She turned back to him, grinning wider at his smile. The more time she spent with him, the more comfortable she felt around him. And when he smiled at her like that, she was tempted to hold his hand and kiss him again. She couldn’t wait until they were off the boat and free to roam where they pleased. “Alright, what do we do now? Wait? Go hang below deck? I’m new at this stuff, so…you gotta hold my hand a little. I mean, not like literally…Well…maybe later just, yah know, not on the boat…” Melanie laughed, getting off the railing. “Don’t worry, I won’t get your ass kicked,” she teased. “Let’s go inside and play cards with the guys!” She made her way to the cabin, looking over her shoulder with a smile to encourage him to follow.

Inside, the guys were playing poker, as she predicted. As usual, Melanie just watched, talking with them and encouraging Kevin to join the conversation. The guys were nice to him, though Dave seemed skeptical. He was skeptical of all the new guys, and he never really smiled much. He was older and had come to care about Melanie like a niece, even though she was probably around the same age as him. This made him tougher on Kevin because he seemed so friendly with Melanie. She tried to ease him up with jokes, which worked some, and by the time they reached the fishing grounds, he was much more relaxed. Jake, Bobby, and Garrett had taken to Kevin and the mood was generally good. The motor grew quieter as they stopped and Brandon came down the stairs with a smile. “Alright, let’s get those nets ready!” The men got to their feet and Melanie did the same, motioning for Kevin to follow.

Outside, there was a little land far in the distance, but for the most part it was open ocean all around. Brandon took Kevin over to the nets to show how to drop them into the water without tangling the lines. Melanie moved to the other side of the boat and helped Bobby and Jake dip the nets in carefully, preparing them to snatch up some tasty fish. The nets, when in the water were a string of several in a row, a buoy on the end to keep them wide and afloat. The pulley was mechanical to haul up the nets and trap the fish inside. Long poles extended overhead, holding the other ropes that would aid in hauling the fish upward and up onto the deck. It looked much more complicated than it was and Kevin would have no problem, she was sure.

[BRANDON GARCIA]

Brandon spent the hour listening to the classic rock playlist on his iPod, forcing himself to ignore what he knew was going on behind him. Melanie and Kevin were chatting, hanging out at the back of the ship where Melanie knew Brandon couldn’t see her. It was just as well. She deserved some privacy. But it drove him crazy to know they could be kissing, holding hands, all of that, all without him knowing. After about twenty minutes, he finally turned and looked back at them, watching as Melanie talked animatedly with her hands, making Kevin smile. She looked so damn happy. How could he wreck that for her? And Kevin…he was just smiling at her. They were standing close, but not too close, and he was just talking to his sister. Brandon couldn’t be mad at that. He wasn’t being disrespectful, touching on his sister on his boat, and Brandon tried not to let that eat at him.

Melanie caught him staring and waved. He considered putting his fingers up to his eyes and turning them around to let her know he was watching, but when he did that, it was mostly to threaten the guy away. She was so happy…how could he threaten Kevin away? Instead, he raised a reluctant hand, watching as Kevin did the same, looking a little nervous. God, he even feared Brandon like he should! There was nothing Brandon could say against the guy. It was so frustrating that Brandon couldn’t dislike the guy. He mulled on that as he turned back to the ocean and bobbed his head to the music on his iPod. Why did he always want to dislike Melanie’s boyfriends? Because they didn’t know her, not like he did. They would hurt her and break her gentle heart. She was too delicate for that, and he was too afraid he would lose her the same way they had lost their father if a man broke her heart. He couldn’t lose her. But he wanted it to be different this time. Maybe it was because he was trying to find something now, too, but he wanted her to be happy and find love. It would be so hard for him to back off and let her fly, though. It was hard when she had jumped off that cliff to use her wings for the first time, and it was hard now, but he knew he underestimated her. He always had.

The next time he turned to look, they were gone and he heard the door to the cabin open and close. Finally they came inside. He couldn’t be nervous when they were hanging out with the other guys. He loosened up then and actually started to sing along to his music. They reached the area they would be fishing in within the hour and he brought the boat to a slow halt so he could help the guys set up the nets and teach Kevin how to do it. Thumping down the stairs, he smiled at the guys, calling, “Alright, let’s get those nets ready!” He was the first out the door, but he waited beside it for Kevin, motioning for him to follow. “This is where a lot of salmon come to feed, but there’s a few trout in these waters too. We’ll drop the nets and then I’ll start driving again to catch up the fish in the nets. Simple enough, right?” he said. Melanie went to the other side of the boat, which he was grateful for. Less to worry about for Brandon. Garrett and Dave helped lower the nets on their side, Brandon taking good care to teach Kevin how to do it without tangling the lines. He explained how the nets were drawn up and how to work the gears to bring them up. “Dave will be operating the nets today on the starboard, or right, side, and Jake will operate the port, or left, side. You can watch either of them when they do it. We drop the fish right on the deck and then pack it. Then we fish some more. Any questions?” Brandon wanted to make sure Kevin got everything he was telling him. He didn’t want to leave the kid behind, though deep down he would relish any excuse not to like him. Kevin wasn’t going to make that easy, he was certain of it.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

“Don’t worry, I won’t get your ass kicked. Let’s go inside and play cards with the guys!” Kevin grinned and rolled his eyes playfully. Get his ass kicked? Probably.. He didn't want to think that, though. Brandon wouldn't kick his ass. Not completely, but he wouldn't give the guy a reason to want to anyway.

The guy were surprisingly cool. He thought they seemed nice enough when he had met them earlier, but they continued to be easy going as he hung out with them, answering their questions when they threw them at him. He knew they were just trying to get to know him, size him up, figure out what they were dealing with here. So far none of them seemed to really hate him too much. Except maybe the Dave guy. He was quieter than the others and Kevin felt the most scrutinized by him. He tried acting cool, being his normal laid back self. Soon enough the boat was slowing and Kevin knew this was it; time to work.

“Alright, let’s get those nets ready!” Brandon said as he came down from the cabin. Kevin gave Melanie a small, excited but nervous smile and then followed her brother out to the deck. “This is where a lot of salmon come to feed, but there’s a few trout in these waters too. We’ll drop the nets and then I’ll start driving again to catch up the fish in the nets. Simple enough, right?” He nodded, thinking it certainly sounded simple enough.

Kevin listened closely as Brandon explained what they were doing. When he mentioned packing fish he got a funny squirming feeling inside. That was when Brandon was going to mess with him, and somehow he felt like he had a leg up then. Brandon wouldn't be able to fool him! He silently cheered in his mind, nodding when it was appropriate, soaking it all up like a sponge.

"Any questions?” Kevin thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. "Not yet." He said honestly. At some point he probably would and he would ask then, but for now he was just going to go along with the flow of the day.

The process was an interesting one. Kevin hung out close to Dave and watched as he worked the nets, trying to figure it all out as he went along. They didn't look that hard to operate and he wondered if at some point he would be doing that. You got to get the job first, dummy he reminded himself knowing this was a trial first, but he wasn't going to give Brandon a good enough excuse to tell him not to come back on Saturday. He was going to work his butt off to show he could do this, because it was extra money, something to do, and an excuse to hang around Melanie. Plus sea air was supposed to be good for you, or so he heard.

It was exhilarating watching the fish getting pulled in. It looked like something out of a movie and Kevin couldn't help but feel excited and freaked out. He'd never been around so many fish before! They were floppy and funny and a part of him felt guilty knowing he was aiding in their untimely death. He didn't touch anything, wondering if they needed gloves and unsure if any of the fish bit. Last thing he needed was to give Melanie an excuse to give him a shot in the ass, or worse, her brother! He watched Brandon for further instruction.

[BRANDON GARCIA]

Brandon thumped down the stairs, excited for the amount of salmon and tuna they had collected. It was time to get started! There were fish all over the decks and he was ready to get packing them before running out for another round. Brandon loved seeing the success of his endeavors all over the decks of his ship. It was money in the bank, and he had long since gotten over his guilt of assisting in the untimely demise of the fish flopping on the deck. They were contributing to a greater cause, in his opinion; filling bellies and his bank account. When he walked out of the cabin, the smell of fish was everywhere, pungent, salty and glorious. Brandon took a deep breath before clapping his suede leather gloves together. “Garrett, in the pits!” he announced. Garrett moved past him and he motioned for Kevin to come over. When he was standing next to him, he handed over a pair of suede gloves from his back pocket. “These are yours to keep. The suede keeps the fish from slipping out of your hands. You’re going to see how things work up here before going below and helping Garrett pack. I’m going to put you right in front of the pits. You’re going to toss the fish down to him and shout out the name so he knows where to pack it. Don’t worry; we’ll call out the names down the line so you’ll know what to call out.” Brandon smiled and clapped the boy on the air before ushering him to where he would stand.

He moved to the starboard side of the deck, and set himself up right in front of the pile of decreasingly flopping fish and then men fell in line behind him. Melanie set herself up in front of him to toss the fish first, as she always did. She bent down for a sizeable salmon and tossed it to Brandon, who caught it with a soft thump and he swung his arms around to toss the fish to Dave. “Salmon!” he called, tossing it along. Dave tossed to Jake, who tossed to Bobby, who tossed to Kevin, all yelling, “Salmon!” Kevin tossed it correctly into the pits to Garrett’s waiting arms and Brandon turned back to Melanie. The process continued with another salmon and it went on for some time before a tuna was tossed in his waiting arms. “Tuna!” he called, sending the new call down the line. The process was running smooth, even with the rookie, and Brandon was satisfied with the work.

It was a good ten minutes before another tuna ended up in his arms and Brandon smirked at his sister. “Salmon!” he called out incorrectly. Melanie rolled her eyes a little and shook her head before reaching down for another fish. The incorrect call went down the line until he heard Bobby yell it out. He was waiting for Kevin to call it out too and hear Garrett yell from the pits, “Knock it the fuck off!” Brandon held back his laugh in anticipation.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie started towards her usual place at the head of the line. She always took on the duty of bending over to pick up the fish and toss them to her brother, who would then toss them along. It wasn’t easy and nobody liked it, but she took on the duty every time. The guys needed a break every now and then, and she had a strong back to do it. She stretched as she watched Brandon hand Kevin some gloves and direct him to the mouth of the pits. It made her smile to see him clap Kevin on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, made hopeful by the thought that maybe they could get along. And hey! At this angle, she might be able to get a decent view of Kevin’s backside. That thought made her bite her lip to keep from grinning like a fool.

Brandon took his place in front of her and when the men took their places behind him, she nodded. She bent down and got her hands on a nice big salmon, tossing it to Brandon and hearing him call out the name. The assembly line had begun and she was excited to get it going, even if it would hurt her back. It was a smooth process and she listened to each of the men call out the names of the fish in their individual voices, her heart warming to hear Kevin’s voice join in. He was on the boat! He was becoming one of the guys! She was so excited for what that could mean for them. There were no hitches and so far Kevin was doing great. She’d not only found a cute boy to date, she legitimately found a good candidate for the boat! A tuna left her hands and flew into her brother’s waiting arms, but she saw the smirk appear on his face. “Salmon!” The fish was tossed to Dave who smirked a little too before continuing the joke. Melanie gave a small roll of her eyes and tiny shake of her head, disappointed that she had been right about Brandon playing this joke, but excited that Kevin had the tools to call the joke. She silently rooted for him, her hands reaching down for another fish as she looked up, following the fishes route down the line.

“Tuna!” Melanie couldn’t help the wide smile that broke out on her face. Her eyes went to Brandon and his black eyes widened, his jaw a little slack. All of the guys looked surprised, but Jake laughed loud. “Looks like you can’t get this one, captain!” The other guys laughed and even Dave smiled a little, Brandon smirking. “Damn! You’re slick, rookie!” Melanie was elated. Her brother was impressed! She could see it in his face, the way he was smiling. Her smile was uncontrollable as she looked to Kevin. “Good job, rookie!” she called, not calling attention to the fact that she was the one who taught him. It was a friendly compliment, and even her brother didn’t look suspicious when she passed it along. Kevin had passed at least that small test! She felt great and she didn’t even feel the pain in her back as she tossed on the next fish.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

When it was time for the fish to come on board Kevin could feel his stomach churn. This was it, the big moment! Halibut: doofy looking. Salmon: pink belly. Tuna: Blue belly. Easy enough... Everything was going accordingly. Kevin made sure to check all the fish as they came to him, but as far as he saw they all seemed to be how Melanie had explained for them to be. He was starting to build some confidence that maybe the guys would just let him off easy because he seemed like a good guy.

Then again all good things must come to an end sooner or later.

“Salmon!” he heard called down the line, and when the fish got to him he started to call out what the others had when he realized that was definitely not a salmon. The blue on it made him realize immediately that it was probably a tuna. They had only had one so far but he wasn't sure it was the same fish. He started to second guess himself, but he knew one thing was certain; that wasn't a salmon.

“Tuna!” He called out, passing the fish along the line and not looking at his boss right away. He knew it was partially a test to see if he could tell the difference or if he would lazily join in because the first guy had made the call.

“Looks like you can’t get this one, captain!” One of the guys shouted and Kevin felt at ease, grinning as his new boss even verbally patted him on the back. “Damn! You’re slick, rookie!” He gave a bashful little shoulder roll and grinned like an idiot.

“Goodjob,rookie!” Kevin caught Melanie's eye, and his lingered on her for a moment, his smile turning almost sweeter as a light blush crept over his cheeks. He knew it was because of her that he'd gotten it right. He wanted to kiss her again but held back the urge. He knew this was something he could do, and he had to admit he was actually enjoying himself. It certainly helped that she was so close by. He would have to thank her later somehow.

"Thanks." He said to no one in particular as they started the process all over again. Probably the easiest money he'd ever earn.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

After Kevin’s triumph, the rest of the day went smoothly. It was the usual back-breaking work, but for Melanie, it was fun. She had been doing it for as long as she could remember and it gave her a sense of peace doing it. There was nothing more rewarding than a long day’s worth of hard labor. The best part of it was that she got to spend the majority of the day with Kevin. Even if she couldn’t talk to him much, seeing him there on the ship and working beside him made the day go by faster and more pleasantly. She had something nice to look at, after all! He seemed to gain his feet on the boat, too, and by the end of the day, she was certain he had earned a good spot on the boat. Brandon even seemed to like him and was including him in jokes with the other crew members. Melanie couldn’t have asked for a better first day for Kevin. The worst was over.

When they docked once more around four o’ clock, she helped to unload the catch, which took about another hour. It was a good catch and Brandon was in a great mood with the profit. These days, wild salmon came at a premium, so it paid off well to have such a large catch of it. He gave out wages, but Melanie spent that time getting cleaning items ready for Bobby on deck duty. Once all of that was taken care of, she made her way onto the dock to catch Kevin before he left. Brandon was in the cabin and Melanie had already told him she would see him at home later. He was nowhere in sight, and she wanted to get some more time alone with her crush.

She walked up to Kevin with her hands in her back pockets and a big smile on her face. “Well, congratulations on a great first day! I think you’re welcome back now whenever you’d like,” she enthused. She was sure Brandon had told him something similar, but she liked congratulating Kevin. He’d done such a good job, after all. She bit her bottom lip coyly, looking down at her feet for a moment. “Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?” she asked after a pause, bringing her eyes back up to his. She hoped he would agree. It would be nice to hold his hand and walk along the beach for a while, get some time to themselves without the worry of her brother spying on them.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

Working on a boat was not easy work. Yes, it could be fun, but it was also grueling and the summer heat only made it worse. Fortunately the wind from the sea created a nice breeze, cooling him off as he tossed fish and swabbed the deck. There was something always so satisfying about a hard days work, though. Kevin felt his muscles ache in ways they often didn't, knowing he had worked them in ways he normally didn't. With jobs in physical labor he didn't need to work out to keep fit; it was part of his job.

Best part was Brandon seemed more than impressed with his ability to pick up on the trade and also hold his own against the guys. He didn't think they were friends or anything but there was definitely some amount of respect between them. Brandon told him to come back first thing Saturday morning and he felt really good about it. Some extra money meant maybe he could get a better place, and better still, take Melanie on a real date. Maybe not to the expensive restaurants he'd seen, but surely there were some nice little dives the could get a bite at.

The thought of Melanie pleased him and he grinned, thinking of taking her out. She had done a hard days work too, and he was feeling more confident than ever that she could be a good match. She knew the value of physically working hard, and that was uncommon in women. He was willing to do anything to get her to be his at this point, and he had a feeling she liked him, too. But did she like him as much? She certainly kissed him enough to make him think so.

“Well, congratulations on a great first day! I think you’re welcome back now whenever you’d like,” Kevin stopped and watched the brunette coming towards him, a big grin on his face. She wore those jeans so well.. "Thanks." He said back slightly bashfully, running a hand through his messy brown hair. He stunk like the ocean. Kevin watched her turn bashful, her teeth chewing at her lip, which only made him want to kiss her more. “Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?” she asked after a pause, and Kevin realized why she had been looking so bashful. "Yeah.. I'd like that."

It wasn't a far walk to the beach and as soon as they were out of view of the boat, Kevin reached for her hand, wanting to do it before she had the chance to. "Your brother did invite me back on Saturday, so looks like we're coworkers now." He teased, looking down at her. "I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all this.. I mean, you didn't even know me and you were helping me out. I don't think anyone's ever done that for me. It was a really cool thing for you to do. Now I got a second job, and if I'm lucky another date with my bosses hot sister." He blushed a little, looking down at her hopefully, wanting to kiss her again, badly, but holding back.

"What d'ya think? Will you go out with me? A real date this time.. now that I have a little extra cash.." He offered, his blue green eyes piercing gazing down at her. Even after a long day of manual labor, she still looked so, so good..

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

“Yeah…I’d like that.” Melanie grinned happily, excited Kevin accepted her offer. More time with Kevin was just what she had been waiting for all day. She gladly followed his lead and walked with him down to the beach in silence, content to just be close to him. It wasn’t far to the beach and once they got underway, Kevin’s hand took hers, which made her cheeks turn a light pink and the corners of her mouth pull more. She looked up at him as they continued, the seagulls squawking loudly nearby. “Your brother did invite me back on Saturday, so looks like we’re coworkers now.” Melanie giggled, liking the thought that they would see each other so regularly. “I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all this…I mean, you didn’t even know me and you were helping me out. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that for me. It was a really cool thing for you to do. Now I got a second job, and if I’m lucky another date with my boss’s hot sister.” She blushed more at him calling her hot, laughing as she nudged him gently. “It was no trouble, really,” she said softly. Melanie found it a little sad that people were always surprised by unmotivated kindness in the world. Not that her kindness had been completely unmotivated, though; she liked Kevin, even when she didn’t know him, and she wanted an excuse to see him again.

“What d’ya think? Will you go out with me? A real date this time…now that I have a little extra cash.” She grinned from ear to ear. His eyes were so bright in the setting sun, blue and green and beautiful. “You have to ask?” she replied playfully with a giggle. “Of course! I’d love to.” Her fingers laced with his, getting a better grip on his hand as they meandered down the sand. “But I still think our first date was lovely, even if we had to go on the cheap,” she assured with a sweet smile. “It was creative and simple. I like that. And I’m not just saying that. I don’t say anything unless I mean it.” She gave a cute nod as if to finalize what she said. The more time she spent with him, the more comfortable she felt being flirty and playful. She’d felt surprisingly comfortable with Kevin from the moment she met him, but that comfort just grew and she was starting to feel less awkward. It led her to think that she had to be the luckiest clumsy person on the planet for scoring such a good match because of her klutziness.

Her eyes watched the sand beneath their feet for a moment, wanting to kiss him again. She’d been waiting to all day and now here they were just the two of them at last. “You know, you are off the clock now…and there was something I started on the boat earlier that maybe I shouldn’t have…” she said with playful exaggeration. “But you’re not going to get your ass kicked out here.” She bit her bottom lip with a coy smile as she looked up at him, giggling a little.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

“You have to ask? Of course! I’d love to.” He knew she would probably say yes but it was certainly nice to hear it. She went on to explain she thought their first date had been nice, and he had to agree but he wanted to be a real boyfriend. Hell, he wanted to be a boyfriend to her period! He knew his lies were sort of deceiving her to be with someone she didn't know, but he was still who he was and that hadn't changed. Sure, he may have twisted the truth a bit, but for the most part he was still the same person he claimed to be.

"I liked our first date, too." He assured gently, recalling all those kisses on the blanket. He liked the way her hand felt in his now, even though he was filthy and so was she. He found he actually didn't mind too much, and he couldn't even smell himself or her. Probably because his nose was already accustomed to the stench.

Their walk was nice and he was just enjoying the lazy stroll in the sun. Sand was such a new thing for him, and he found he liked the way it felt under his toes, soft and squishy but dry! “You know, you are off the clock now…and there was something I started on the boat earlier that maybe I shouldn’t have…” she said with mock exaggeration, her tone teetering on playful. Kevin smirked at her, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. “But you’re not going to get your ass kicked out here.” The bite to her bottom lip was a deal breaker. He felt that familiar squirm in his belly and stopped walking, turning to face her.

Kevin reached for Mels free hand so he was holding both of them, peering down at her with his feet spread slightly apart, making him a little shorter as he gazed into her eyes. "I wouldn't have gotten my ass kicked on the boat either." He shot back playfully. The boy leaned down, pulling on Melanie's arms to bring her closer, holding them down in front of them as his mouth found hers.

Kevin wasted no time letting their kiss go from a friendly one to one that was a little more heated. He was in a good mood and confident, and she had pretty much asked for a kiss so he knew he could go all out and she would be more than happy with it. He let go of her hands and brought his own to her neck, cupping them just under her jaw as he deepened his kiss. His lips parted and his tongue darted out, flicking over her lips before he pulled away a little, brushing her lips with a few small pecks before resting his forehead against hers, his hands gliding down to her shoulders. "That, uh... I'd been wanting to sort of do that.." He admitted with a shy sort of laugh brushing her lips with another light kiss. "I think I'm in love with your lips.."

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie stopped with Kevin, turning to face him too with a blush on her cheeks. He took her other hand, setting his feet apart in front of them and she smiled wide. She looked back at him with playfully arched eyebrows as he looked down at her. “I wouldn’t have gotten my ass kicked on the boat either.” Melanie laughed, her heart beginning to pound as he leaned into her. Their hands were in front of them as he kissed her almost playfully. It was sweet and she smiled against his lips. But Kevin didn’t keep his kiss sweet and she went weak in the knees as he cupped her jaw. Her own hands rested on his shoulders, grabbing fistfuls of his t-shirt as she felt his tongue just barely sneak forward. Her brow reached upward towards her hairline as a shock of adrenaline rushed through her at the sensation. It didn’t last long, but it was still sending shocks through her as he pecked her lightly. She was stunned…and excited. It had been far too long since she had been kissed like that.

His forehead rested against hers and she sighed, opening her eyes to his mouth as he spoke. “That, uh…I’d been wanting to sort of do that…” Melanie laughed shyly with him, closing her eyes once more as he kissed her lightly again. She couldn’t stop her heart from pounding, but she wanted him to kiss her like that again. “I think I’m in love with your lips…” A rush went through her and she gave another bashful laugh. “Ditto,” she replied, leaning in and kissing him softly. She didn’t pull away, though. Instead, she decided to be bold too, and she linked her arms around his shoulders, leaning more into their kiss. She parted her lips again, this time letting her tongue come out to meet his. The way their tongues danced lightly against each other was breathtaking. She gave a soft, barely audible whimper as her knees buckled and she was grateful he was there to lean on. If only she could stop time and just kiss him like this forever, the sun warming her skin the way her blush warmed her face.

Even when she pulled away, it wasn’t by much, and she planted more light, sweet kisses on his mouth, smiling against his lips. She pulled back just enough to get a good look at his eyes, smiling through her blush. “Yeah, it’s probably a good thing we didn’t do that on the boat,” she said softly with a teasing tone. With a giggle, she kissed him again briefly before opening her eyes to his once more. “Though I do know of a place we can sneak into to kiss on the boat. If you were ever interested,” she said with a playful shrug. “It’s in the broom closet.” She giggled, let one hand play at the tips of his hair.