With All Your Heart

13~The Fishermen

"Think they'll catch anything?" Tanner asked, grabbing a coconut.

"Don't see how they could." Parker smirked. "They're using paper clips and dental floss."

Caleb shimmied from the tree, his gaze scanning the rows of coconuts. "That should be enough."

Parker harrumphed. "I'm sick of coconut."

"My mouth is watering just thinking of fish."

"You're crazy if you think they'll catch a single fish."

Hearing the conversation as they approached, Ty and Josh smiled. "We caught nine fish Parker, one for each of us." Josh held them up.

"What did you use for bait?" Caleb asked, impressed.

"Coconuts and sand crabs."

"You didn't!" Missy cried, hands to her face in dramatic horror. "Those little sand crabs are so cute!"

Josh couldn't believe this girl. "We haven't eaten anything but coconut in days. My conscious is clear."

"I can't eat cute, baby crabs!" She doubled over.

"More for us." Dani licked her lips. "I'm starved."

Rachel and Annie agreed. "No problem here."

"I love fish."

Ty pulled a knife from his zippered pocket and Missy shrieked. Parker gasped. "What are you doing with that?" Parker demanded, leaping back as if Ty had suddenly caught fire.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he's going to clean the fish," Josh drawled with sarcasm.

Parker stared in shock at Ty. "Why do you have a knife?"

To his credit, Ty didn't seem to take offense. He flashed an easy smile, his tone patient when he spoke. "I work on a fishing boat. It comes in handy."

"No one else has a problem with this?" Parker tossed the question to the group. "The guy admitted he's a criminal, and now he has a weapon."

"Dude, seriously, it's a pocket knife," Caleb fired back. "Get over yourself."

Parker didn't stop complaining even after he ate the entire fish. After their fire-grilled trout breakfast they walked to the spring for water. When they got back to the beach, another argument broke out over who would go search for the cabin and who'd stay behind.

"I'm going with," Tanner insisted. "You might need my help."

Ty glanced at Tanner. "Someone has to stay with Parker and the girls."

"Hey!" Parker whined, apparently not liking being grouped with the girls.

"That's kind of sexist, don't you think?" Missy pouted, her bottom lip sticking out.

"No offense to Parker. I meant he could help watch with you ladies," Ty amended patiently. "Someone needs to stick around in case of a rescue boat."

Missy lifted her chin. "Modern women do not need a man's protection. Don't you think we can take care of ourselves?"

"We're as capable as Parker," Dani assured them.

"True." Josh couldn't argue with that. "Look, we're on an island, and it hasn't been the safest place so far. Wouldn't you feel better if a couple guys stayed with you?"

Caleb groaned. Ty seemed to be fighting a smile. Rachel and Annie both ducked their heads.

"What?" Josh asked, knowing from their looks he'd said the wrong thing again.