“No, I guess I’m not,” she admitted. “But I am having fun, even if I do like to let the fish go.”
Ronnie smiled and sat back in her seat. “Just as long as you’re having a good time.”
“Anytime I’m around you I’m having a good time,” Rose replied, drawing a warm smile from her lover. Frank yelped with another bite, but the bass paled in comparison to the whopper that Rose had caught. Ronnie went to the bow to help him. “Gee Frank, catch another dozen or so of these and there might be enough for a sandwich,” she teased, holding up the small fish.
“Hardy har har, Cuz.” He frowned when Ronnie measured the fish and found it too short to keep.
“Maybe Blondie will catch us another one.”
“Her name is Rose.”
“Oh yeah?” Frank turned toward the woman in question. “Hey Blondie, having a good time?”
“Yes,” she called back, happily watching both her and Ronnie’s poles. “This is fun.”
Frank leaned in toward his cousin. “You and I have been coming out here for opening day for over twenty years now and never caught one that big.”
“She’s something else, isn’t she?” Ronnie replied, smiling in her lover’s direction.
“Dunno how you managed it, Cuz,” he said, looking at Rose. “Nice girl. If I believe the rumors floating around I should expect to see her at all the family functions from now on.”
“What rumors?” Ronnie deliberately lowered her voice, not wanting Rose to overhear. “What have you been hearing about her?”
“Come on, Ronnie. We’re Cartwrights. You know there are no secrets in our family. Everyone knows you two are sharing the sheets,” Frank replied. “Gotta admit though, after all the shit that happened when you were in college, I didn’t think you’d go for a woman ever again.” He looked at Rose again. “But she seems very nice.”
“I don’t think who I do or do not sleep with is anyone’s concern,” she said defensively.
“Take it easy, Cuz.” He held his hands up. “It’s not a big deal.” Ronnie relaxed slightly. “Hey, at least you nailed yourself a nice one. Not like you’ll have to go elsewhere looking for it when you have something like that waiting for you at home.”
“Hey Ronnie, I think you’ve got something,” Rose yelled out while watching the tip of the pole jerk.
“Yeah, you got something all right,” Frank teased low enough for only his cousin to hear. “Quite the catch if you ask me.”
Ronnie thought to herself as she worked her way to the stern.A smile formed on her lips as she watched the wind play with Rose’s hair. Frank’s acceptance of the young woman’s role in her life was important to Ronnie. The Saturday morning fishing trips that she enjoyed so much would continue as always…only now with the woman she loved there alongside them. Ronnie closed her eyes and turned her face toward the sky, letting the sun’s rays warm her tanned skin.she mused.
“Ronnie, I mean it,” Rose said more insistently.
“Oh, sorry,” she said, snapping out of her thoughts.
It was around ten o’clock when they finally made their way back to the dock. Rose’s fish had been the biggest of the day, although Ronnie did pull in two impressive looking ones. Frank used every lure in his tackle box and still had nothing worthwhile to show for his efforts. Male pride made him throw back the puny catches that he did make. They went to an out of the way diner for lunch before returning home. While Rose made a beeline for the bathroom, Frank helped Ronnie bring the poles and tackle inside. “Good day of fishing, Frank.”
“For you and Blondie, maybe,” he snorted. “I would have had better luck catching a cold.”
“The season’s just started, Frank. You’ll get a trophy catch next time, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, but no matter how big it is it won’t compare to your catch, Cuz.” He looked at his watch.
“Speaking of catches, if I don’t show up home soon the boss is gonna think I found myself a cutie like yours.”
“There’s no one like Rose,” Ronnie said emphatically.
“I don’t doubt that. Must be something pretty special to stay with you after the accident.”
“Um, Frank…” She led him outside, away from anywhere Rose could hear them. “You have to watch what you say. She doesn’t know about the accident.”
“What do you mean she doesn’t know? Isn’t she the one that’s been on crutches and all? I mean, she is the reason your Porsche got damaged, isn’t it? I get a frantic call from you one night and then right after that she shows up. It doesn’t take a college degree to figure it out.”
“She doesn’t know about the Porsche,” the executive clarified. “Look Frank, that kind of thing can’t get back to Rose.”
“You’ve never told her?” He rubbed the short stubble on his face and looked at the house. “Oh man, Ronnie. You’re walking a thin line with that kind of secret. Damn, the worst thing I’ve kept from Agnes was a few insignificant affairs and a hidden bank account.”
“And I’m sure the mother of your children appreciates that,” Ronnie said dryly.
“Mother of most of my children, you mean.”
“Doesn’t she know about the boy?”
“No. I know enough to cover my tracks.” He opened the door of his truck and pulled himself up onto the bench seat. “She’s a nice girl, Ronnie. Bring her fishing anytime.” He turned the key, the Ford roaring to life. “See ya Monday at work.”
“Bye Frank.” Ronnie waited until he was out of the driveway before turning and heading back into the house, praying that she could trust her cousin to keep her secret.
Rose was typing a memo when the phone rang. “Veronica Cartwright’s office. Miss Grayson speaking.”
“Hi Rose, this is Wendy from Accounting. Is Ronnie around?”
“I’m sorry. She’s in a meeting right now. Is there something I can help you with?” She remembered the accountant from tax time when she had handed over her Money Slasher W-2.
“I’m right in the middle of Ronnie’s quarterly tax estimates and I can’t find the paperwork for her Porsche.”
“Porsche?”
“Wendy, are you sure? I know she has the Cherokee and the Mustang but I don’t know anything about a Porsche.”
“Hmm, she did unless she got rid of it. Anyway I need the paperwork on it or I can’t finish this up. You think you can find it and have it sent down to me?”
“Sure. I’ll look for it right now.”
“Thanks, Rose. I’ll be waiting for it.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye.”
Rose put the receiver back in the cradle and reached for her cane. If there was such a car, Ronnie would have that paperwork in her private files. Reaching into her desk drawer, she retrieved a small key and headed into Ronnie’s office.