Riverboat Point by Tricia Stringer Page A

while but I got it going.”
    Was that pride in her tone? It was hard to see her face in the gloomy last light of the day.
    â€œI was just taking Jasper for a walk.”
    â€œI realise you’re busy but I don’t know when best to catch you,” she said quickly.
    â€œDo you need something?”
    â€œNo … well, yes.”
    She took a step closer to the fence. Jasper stood up and she hesitated.
    â€œSit,” Ethan said. “He won’t hurt you. He’s a big teddy bear.”
    Savannah glanced down at the dog. “I’m not an animal person.”
    Ethan patted the top of Jasper’s head. Surprise, surprise, he thought. Out loud he said, “Drop.”
    Jasper immediately sank to his belly.
    â€œYou need my help?” Ethan asked.
    â€œYes.” Savannah stepped a little closer.
    Ethan could see her gaze flick between him and Jasper. The dog remained still.
    â€œIt seems Jaxon’s gone for a while,” she said, “and he’s left me to take care of his houseboat business.”
    â€œI got that impression.”
    She stepped right up to the fence, her face suddenly lit by the sensor light at the corner of his house. She looked apprehensive. Surely not still about the dog? Jasper hadn’t moved.
    â€œThat’s where I need your help,” she said.
    â€œSomething wrong with one of the engines?”
    â€œNo …” She put her hands to her hips. “I don’t know.”
    Ethan frowned. Now he was confused. “You don’t know?”
    â€œDamn it.” She threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know anything about houseboats. I don’t know anything about any kind of boat, full stop.”
    Ethan’s frown deepened. “Jaxon said you’d take care of the houseboats.”
    â€œI can do the paperwork but as far as actually doing things on the boats.” She let out a sharp rush of breath. “I’ve read through the instructions he left me several times and I may as well be reading another language for all the help they are.” She shook her head. “Jaxon can be so unreliable. I don’t know what he was thinking.”
    â€œNeither do I, I’m afraid,” Ethan replied. That was true enough. Jaxon had said he’d be gone for several weeks but Ethan had never thought of him as unreliable. He’d assumed Jaxon had called on his sister because she could manage in his absence and she had the necessary qualifications. Jaxon had wanted her to take a break from some issues she had in the city. Ethan could understand she wouldn’t want to tinker with motors. That wasn’t for everyone but … He leaned closer. “You’re saying you’ve never driven a houseboat and you know nothing about them?”
    â€œNothing. Zero.” She waved her hands back and forth one over the top of the other. “Zilch.”
    â€œYou don’t have a ticket?”
    Lines wrinkled across her forehead. “A ticket for what?”
    â€œYou have to have one to show people how to do turnarounds.”
    â€œTurnarounds?”
    The puzzlement on her face told him everything. Ethan didn’t like the comings and goings of people and boats so close to his little patch of river, but he hadn’t imagined it would end like this. Jaxon had made a major stuff-up.
    â€œDid your brother leave a customer list? You’ll have to ring and cancel.”
    â€œTrust me, I’d like nothing better than to pack up and go home but … I don’t have a choice.”
    â€œI’m not sure what you want me to do.”
    She took a deep breath. The harsh light highlighted a scar on her forehead just below her hairline he hadn’t noticed before.
    â€œI don’t know where to start. Jaxon’s left instructions about fuel, sewerage tanks, steering, mooring, cleaning – I think that’s the only thing I understand.”
    â€œSo you want me to …?” Ethan