Going Overboard Read Online Free PDF Page A

gazed at him. “So said the captain of the Titanic, I hear.”
    That finally got his back up. He wasn’t used to being questioned. “Trust me, we can handle this. Now, let’s stop standing around in the heat, and get aboard our bargain boat.”
    With Chance pushing one cart and Bowie the other, they started toward the dock. After a brief stop for ice at the general store, where Chance also put in a quick call to Annalise, they continued toward the mooring slip. Andi and Nicole walked ahead of them, showing the way toward slip number ten.
    Chance lowered his voice as he leaned toward Bowie. “I take it Uncle Trevor let you run that boat of his?”
    “Are you kidding?”
    Chance looked at him in alarm. “You didn’t ever drive it?”
    “Hell, no,” Bowie murmured. “Uncle Trev thought I was a complete screwup and wouldn’t let me touch the controls, but I figure you have enough experience for both of us.”
    “And what makes you think I was allowed to operate that boat?”
    “Because you were always considered the responsible one, and I—” Bowie brought his cart to an abrupt stop. “Oh my God. He didn’t let you, either?”
    Chance shook his head.
    “Holy Houseboats, Batman. What do we do now?”
    “We stay cool.” Chance started pushing the cart down the dock and Bowie continued beside him. “We’ve both seen the ads for these vacations, and nobody mentions having to be experts at boating, right?”
    “Right.”
    “We haven’t operated a houseboat, but we’ve both driven motorboats.”
    “Yeah,” Bowie responded with a little less confidence. “A few times, anyway.”
    “And there’s got to be some sort of manual.”
    “And we can both read! Hey, I’m liking this plan.We’re smart. Or at least you’re smart. We’ll figure this out.”
    “I just wish we didn’t have such a big boat,” Chance said.
    “Maybe forty-seven by fourteen isn’t as big as you think. Maybe—”
    Andi spun around to face them and gestured dramatically toward her left. “Here we are! Home sweet home!”
    Bowie turned and gulped. “My God, it’s an aircraft carrier.”
    Speechless, Chance stared at the monster tied up to slip number ten. He’d seen ranch homes in the Chicago suburbs smaller than this.
    Andi and Nicole seemed as thrilled by the size of the boat as he was dismayed. They swung open the railing gate and hurried aboard, chattering happily about the spacious accommodations.
    “It’s spacious, all right,” Bowie said in a subdued voice. “I’ll bet the church group was gonna hold a revival in there.”
    “Hell, you could take this across the friggin’ Atlantic Ocean.”
    Bowie rubbed the back of his neck. “Here’s an idea. We just stay right here. People do that in Seattle, right? Smart people, those Seattlites, living on houseboats that are permanently tied up to the dock. Never worry about sailing anywhere, those folks. We could—”
    “Nope. We’re going to take this tub out of here, Bowie. Our manhood is at stake.”
    “Hey, you guys, get a move on,” Nicole called from the deck. “If you don’t hurry up, Andi’s liable to get sick of waiting around and start up those motors herself.”
    “We’re coming!” Chance and Bowie shouted together as they nearly collided in their effort to get aboard.

3
    A NDI FELL IN LOVE with all the little nooks and crannies of the houseboat. As she and the others stowed their gear, she kept finding interesting cubbies for stashing stuff. She’d also discovered something else. Chance wasn’t as immune to her as she’d imagined. He probably hated the fact that he reacted to her, but react he did. A slight flush and a quicksilver gleam in his blue eyes gave away his X-rated thoughts about her. It could prove useful. She could teach him a lesson about all work and no play— and perhaps teach him to better appreciate his brother.
    At last the four of them gathered in the living-room area of the houseboat. Bowie and Nicole’s sleeping bags Jay in