Valley Girl Wars: Southwest of Homer, #2

By Cherime MacFarlane

Ally volunteered to captain Tore Olson's fishing boat, Valley Girl, when he broke his leg. She didn't expect to deal with a poacher who comes out of nowhere and steals both the cod pots and the fish. The looming balloon payment on the boat will be difficult to make when the thief is stealing their profit. She hasn't been able to convince Tore to take the problem with the poacher to the Alaska State Troopers. Why he won't, is another part of the puzzle that is the big Swede.

Coping with her worries about reclaiming her place on the family fishing boat is another item to add to the pile on her shoulders. Then there is Tore and his continuing campaign to get her in his bed regardless of his damaged leg.

Rurik is doing a fantastic job as captain of the Arina. What will her brother say when she wants to resume her job as captain? Nothing in Ally's world is safe or secure. The pressure is all on her shoulders and she is feeling the weight. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cherime MacFarlane
• Release date: Jul 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201249106

Cherime MacFarlane

Meet Award-Winning, Best-Selling Author Cherime MacFarlane. A prolific multi-genre author, she has a broad range of interests that reflect her been there-done that life. Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, all sorts of characters and plots evolve from a vivid imagination. As a reporter for the Copper Valley Views, Cherime MacFarlane received a letter of commendation from the Copper River Native Association for fair and balanced reporting. She was part of the Amazon Best Selling in Anthologies and Holidays, and Fantasy Anthologies and Short Stories. The Other Side of Dusk was a finalist in the McGrath house award of 2017.

Book preview

Chapter One

You damn idiot! Why the fuckin’ hell didn't you get the fuckin’ bait out of the fuckin’ damn cooler before. How the hell do you figure you're going to get anything fuckin’ done if the bait is fuckin’ frozen solid?

Ally cringed at the helm. If she didn't need to hear the radio, she'd put earplugs in. All the man did was yell, scream and curse. The F-bomb was the worst of it. For all her brother Rurik cursed, he didn’t drop the friggin’ F-bomb like Tore Olson did. Almost every other word out of his mouth fucked something or other.

The man shouldn't be out on deck or stomping around on the cast. If he didn't let the damn leg heal... Ally sighed. He was corrupting her with the constant cursing. If she got in the habit, Mom and Auntie would give her what for.

And what was she going to do when this whole temporary captain gig finished? She turned the Arina over to Rurik. She couldn't just waltz right back in and snag the captaincy away from him. That would be unfair.

Rurik would probably take it with good grace, but their mother and aunt would see it as a mean-spirited power grab. It was different when she first took over the captain's chair of the Arina when her father died. Rurik was nothing but a randy kid out for a good time back then.

Because of the age difference, she had more time with the old man than Rurik had. Yes, they both lived on the boat and worked alongside her father, but somehow she picked up more. It might have been because she was a girl and quickly realized most girls didn't get to take the helm at fourteen. Ally settled in and ate, slept, and breathed fishing.

With their father died, Rurik calmed a little. He confined his drunken binges to times in port and worked hard while out fishing. Except for the time he grabbed the cash for the repairs and went on a whirlwind tour of a bunch of beaches in the Lower 48, he buckled down.

Rurik seemed a changed man after marrying Lynn. So far, the Arina hauled in fish, made money, and no one had a complaint about Rurik. But where did that leave her? Ally didn't have enough money to buy the permits and a boat of her own.

A crash sounded behind her. When she turned her head, the young woman groaned. She put the Valley Girl on auto and ran down the companionway. Tore stood rooted to the spot as he clung to the doorframe.

Teeth clenched, his face had lost all color.

What the hell happened? Ally tucked her shoulder under his and the man sagged on her.

Wait! he hissed out. Need to lie down.

Olson had to weigh over 200 pounds and all of them settled on her shoulders. Ally wondered if she could get him into the captain's cabin without breaking one of her bones.

I told you not to go out there with that damn cast on still. The doctor said if you broke the thing again, you might have permanent damage.

No curt response met that statement. Ally realized Tore's injury had to be bad and prayed he hadn't knocked the original break out of alignment. When we get you back in bed, I need to get one of the guys in to take over the helm. Let's not make the day worse by hitting something or running over someone's net.

Call the Willow Billy in. Dorset is a garden variety idiot.

I thought you didn't like Dent? They navigated the turn into the small cubby that served as the captain's cabin and Tore used both hands to ease his body down on the bed.

I don't like greenhorns, any of them.

Ally decided he looked well enough to wait a few minutes while she got Jackson inside and manning the Valley Girl. Southwest of Homer, they were in close quarters and she didn't need any problems. The Valley Girl and Olson already had enough.

Until her brother took Devlin on the Arina to make up for Ally's loss, the Valley Girl's crew were known as the three Ds—Dark, Dumb and Dented. Devlin's dark stemmed from his Mexican-Indian heritage. She never learned the reason for Dorset's nickname of Dumb, but Dent's last name made sense.

The kid from Willow hurried inside and listened to her instructions before he jumped in and flipped off the autopilot. Ally hurried back down to see to Tore.

With both legs off the edge of the mattress, Olson lay on his back with his eyes closed. How are you feeling? The pain ease off any?

Inside the close confines of the cabin, it would be a chore to get the foul weather gear off the man. She considered leaving the pants on and discarded it. It was necessary to get his outdoor gear off so she could take a look at the cast. Ally didn't want to see big dings or dents. That would mean a trip back to Homer and they had no time.

The season ended in a couple of days for cod pots. If they left them for any reason, the damn things might be gone when they got back. Not to mention there would be a hefty fine if they didn't get the pots up and out of the water before the Fish and Gamies found out.

But their biggest fear centered on the ring of poachers. They had stolen enough of the Valley Girl's gear this season. Already riding a thin line between profit and disaster, Tore couldn't afford to lose fish or pots.

It was the primary reason she agreed to take the captain's chair of the fishing vessel. Olson had a couple of bad breaks, the broken leg rated right up there on the top of lousy deals. If he didn't at least make expenses this season, he might lose the boat.

What she hadn't counted on was Rurik growing up. Somehow, she thought he would continue to fool around like the old tale her mother used to tell them about—The Ant and the Grasshopper. But he fell in love, and Ally got left out in the cold.

They got Olson out of his rain gear and she finally got a look at the cast. The doctor insisted on putting on a hard cast and she understood why. The man refused to slow down. He'd be at the helm if his leg would fit under the dash.

I don't see any major damage. How's the pain? Any better?

Yes. Would you get me one of those damn pain pills? Half will do.

He took the pill she offered and swilled it down with a drink from the bottle of water on the nightstand.

What happened? We didn't hit any big waves, just a couple of middle-sized ones. Did your foot slide out from under you?

I'm not sure.

You should have stayed inside. Dent and Dorset can handle things. I planned to inspect the bait before we reset. Do you still want to try for a last haul?

I heard you before. It's done now, anyway. Dorset didn't have the bait out. You're too nice to the SOBs. Too used to dealing with family. And get those damn pots out there. The sooner we get them filled with fish, the better. I don't want to be the last one in.

Chapter Two

One of those two jerks wanted me to land on my ass. Tore crumpled a pillow up under his head. The crap he slid on wasn't there when he went outside. For a short while with his attention centered on the bait, he lost track of both men. The amount of time he spent taking stock of the bait cooler gave one or both of them the opportunity to set him up.

He wasn't quite sure it was an accident when he first broke the leg. Now he felt positive it was staged. Both times someone meant for him to be out of commission. They didn't count on his manipulating Ally into taking over the helm.

She put his gear away after making sure the Velcro side seam was still intact. Eyes closed slightly, he watched her move around the cabin. Every move she made was done with a grace which enticed him.

The first time he saw Alyona Ksana Petrov in the Old Salt Bar, he had to fight to keep his mouth shut so the saliva didn't mess up the front of his shirt. When the introductions got made, he almost shit a brick. How in the world could any woman who looked like a runway model be a fishing vessel captain?

By the time his first season out of Homer ended, he had to admit the woman knew her stuff. The Petrov family owned the Arina for a long time and Ally had handled the boat with ease.

She quietly closed the door on her way out. Tore's eyes popped open, and he stared at the ceiling. Ally got nervous when he looked at her too long, but he liked watching her. All that fine blonde hair and those gray eyes that changed with her moods like the waters they sailed did things to his gut.

He wanted her. Then again, outside of her brother and cousin, he didn't know a man in the fleet who hadn't wondered what it would be like with Ally. Maybe Fawke never thought about Ally; Ornery Maddox had the Cajun tied in knots.

Tore conned her into sharing the bed for all of two nights. But he got too impatient. She didn't go for the accidentally-pulling-her-close-in-his-sleep action. Ally now slept on the back of the settee in sweats. A very immature tactic on his part cost him the pleasure of having the woman next to him. He wondered if she said anything to Rurik?

In the beginning, he didn't respect the kid. Anyone with a nickname like the Russian Raider had to be full of shit. But when the kid cornered him that night in Seldovia in the basement of the Petrov family home and warned him to be good to his sister, Tore changed his mind.

And to top that, he must stop cursing their cousin, Isshy. The Old Believer hadn't screwed with his gear. Tore put his concerns about Isshy away. If Isshy's worthless brother-in-law were at the helm, Tore wouldn't have doubted the drunk pirated fish or gear or both.

The half pill slowly kicked in. Olson closed his eyes and thought about the woman at the helm that looked like an ice sculpture carved for Fur Rondy. He told his sister and dad that he hadn't found the right woman yet. He lied; the problem came when he tried to figure out how to hook her and pull her in. Not quite sure about the mechanics before breaking his leg, Tore decided it was a lucky break in one way.

Thanks to the damn poachers and the bastard who wanted to put him out of business, he had her on the Valley Girl. Short of tying her to the captain's chair, he had to figure out how to worm his way into her good graces.

Alyona would be the catch of the century as far as he was concerned. She wasn't easy, not by any means. Didn't matter. This was one fishing expedition he couldn't screw up.

Chapter Three

Hey, Dent. Let's get this show on the road. You're in charge of the bait. Make sure the pots get what they need. You get to be acting deck boss for this gig. As soon as I change headings, the first pot goes over the side. Don't mess this up.

The kid grinned as he bobbed his head. Tall and thin, Jackson Dent reminded Ally of one of the cranes that came through each year. Good natured and easy-going, Dent was the exact opposite of Dorset. That guy never smiled.

Got it, Captain. Holler when ready and we'll get those pots in. This is the last run, right?

Yep. So let's make the most of it. Remember, a portion of the haul goes in your pocket. The more the boat makes, the fatter your wallet is gonna be.

Roger that! A big grin still plastered on his face, the dishwater blond shrugged back into his waterproof jacket and headed out the door. With Dorset being the older of the two hands she probably should have called him in and let him take over outside.

Since Tore favored Jackson for temporary helmsman and he was already inside, it made sense to put him in charge for this last run. The sun slid behind the volcano that was Augustine Island. A swirl of gray fog and clouds kept the summit from view. Ally couldn't be sure if it was smoking or not.

As she brought the Valley Girl around to the new heading, the captain snorted. Even if the thing decided to explode, she doubted Tore would head for port right away. They would probably get fried by the pyroclastic flow. Not that it wouldn't happen, anyway.

The volcano sat less than one hundred miles from their present position. She hoped if it ever decided to belch, they had some kind of warning. Deciding she needed a little support, Ally picked up the mic and pushed the button to talk.

Arina, Arina, Valley Girl here. You copy?

The response came back and her brother's voice blared from the speaker. Copy, Valley Girl. Going to seven-one.

She switched to the other channel and depressed the switch. Hey, Arina. You here?

Sure am. What's up, Sis?

Couple of things. You have time for a chat? The Arina wasn't using cod pots. Rurik and the crew used a jig line. Ally didn't want to cut into his fishing time.

Sure. Fawke and Devlin are out bringing up the line. Lexie is catching a nap. What's up?

Tore went out on deck and crashed when he tried to get back inside. The man weighs a ton. I wasn't sure I could get him into bed.

He's no bigger than me and you managed that a few times. You not eating or something?

Nope. Just worried.

'Bout what? You're putting the pots out one last time, right? At the least you should break even. From what I heard, you're bringing in good numbers and decent fish. If you're worried about what Olson is going to say when everything gets added up, you pulled his ass out of a hole. The man has no bitch coming.

He hasn't said a thing. Since he gripes about everything else, I think I'm good there.

The Feds are shutting you guys down there, but the State waters are going to open in a few days. You planning to fish then?"

I don't know. It depends on how much money we take in. Those poachers did a real number on our gear. We need at least a half dozen new pots and all the line and floats to go with. I'm not sure we'll make it.

Yeah, you will. What's bothering you, hun? I haven't heard that tone in your voice since the last time I tossed your doll overboard.

The laugh that bounced up out of her stuttered off into a near groan.

Within a few seconds her cell rang. Okay, out with it, Alyona Ksana. No more pussy-footing around. Is that Swede screwing with you?

No! Nothing like that. He did try a little, but I shut that down and he's been okay ever since. It's... Oh, Rurik! What am I going to do when this is done? You're the captain of the Arina now. I don't know what's going to happen.

Rurik sighed into her ear. Is that all? No big deal. You take over the helm of the Arina and I go back to being a deck ape. End of story.

But you're doing a great job. How can I take that away from you? It wouldn't be fair.

I've got a wife to take care of. I don't care if I earn the money as deck boss which is a joke on a vessel this small, or as captain. It's a job, we're our own bosses and I'm happy with it. Get over that crap. We're family, and we take care of each other.

Ally took a deep breath. Thanks, Rurik. You don't know how much I worried about that.

His laugh lifted her out of the last of the funk she'd been in. You helped a bunch, little brother. Have I told you that I love you recently?

Nope. Not since I took off with the money for the refit. Glad to hear it. I love you too, Sis. Now go get those pots full and let's all make a few bucks here. Later, Ally.

With the phone back in her pocket, Ally put the radio back on the main channel and brought the boat back to the heading she and Tore thought might yield a good catch.

Their father would be proud of the way Rurik stepped up. She was proud of the man he had become. Somehow when he chose to watch out for Lexie, that protective streak activated a delayed growth spurt in her brother.

Falling in love with Lynn served as the impetus which overrode his womanizing ways. And his relaxed attitude toward her rejoining the crew of the Arina helped her more than he realized. When she got back on board, they might share the responsibilities. They could trade off. She would act as Deck Boss one week and Rurik the other.

While humming something, she checked the weather conditions and nodded. This would be an easy launch. Once the pots went out, Ally intended to patrol the sets randomly. No more grid or switching heading to come around opposite of the first course. This time she would sail where ever the spirit moved her. That might keep the poachers on their toes.

The two deckhands came in once all the pots slid off into the inlet. Dent made coffee while Dorset cracked open cans of soup. Within a few minutes, they each held a steaming mug. Dent took the helm while she made a quick check on Olson. The man still slept.

When she made her way back to the main cabin area, Ally happened to overhear the crewmen. I don't care what the hell Olson says, it ain't right. I could have taken over for him.

Dent laughed. What planet you living on, dude? When you brought the ship in after he broke that leg, you damn near put us on a fuckin’ rock. You're nowhere close to the captain Ally is, I don't care how old you are.

She had suspected Dorset didn't want her here. Now that it was confirmed, she would keep better tabs on the man. Jackson Dent seemed to be on her side. Ally made a mental note to reward that attitude whenever possible.

Chapter Four

Rurik shoved the phone in his pocket and turned the radio selector. Now they were on the proper channel. He stared out at the waters of Lower Cook Inlet as he thought about the call. Ally's worry over how he would take giving her back the captaincy of the Arina took him by surprise.

At first he suspected Olson had made a mess of the situation. His jaw clenched as he thought about Tore Olson. The man sure had a yen for his sister. Wearing a cast in the close confines of the boat had to make that a difficult situation.

Most guys would freak if they thought about their sister getting it on with some dude. He wasn't the average man and Ally wasn't your typical female. He couldn't name one woman who took over the helm of a fishing boat at the age Ally did.

Fawke and Devlin pulled in the last jig line and came inside. As the Cajun tossed his gloves on the table, he turned toward the coffee pot. Friggin’ cold. But that's the last of it for now and the hold is full. We should wake Lexie.

Sure. Rurik slid out of the chair and motioned to Fawke. Grab the helm for a minute while I go rattle her cage. She can nuke something for us and I'll run for Homer. He stopped level with the table. You remember the heading for port?

Yep. Fawke replied when he settled into the chair with the mug of coffee in one hand.

Okay, set a course for home while I get our chef out of the sack.

At the door to what used to be the captain's cabin before he told Lexie to take it over, he rapped on the door and it rattled beneath his knuckles. Rise and shine, kiddo. The old girl is full to the gills and we're headed in.

A groan and several mumbled epithets sounded on the other side of the door. All right. I'm hungry. What's for dinner?

Whatever you’re cooking, Sweetheart.

That's not fair!

Rurik laughed. Sure is. You got a nap. The rest of us have been working our tails off.

Ass!

That's no way to talk to your captain. Hustle it, kiddo. See you in a few.

Lexie sounded better. She needed the rest after taking the helm all night. The scratchy throat she had before her nap didn't sound as harsh.

He worried about her going down to the Lower 48; Atlanta might shock her system. The trip from one weather extreme to another, along with getting locked in an airplane with a bunch of people, might find her coming home with a bad cold.

Rurik sighed. At least he hoped she would come back, but that was up to Lexie. She was a free agent and once she got her share of the payout, she could do what she liked. There was no use worrying over it all. She had grown and matured a lot since the first time he saw her. He had to rely on her good sense to pick the right path. And if she stayed and things didn't work out, he wanted her to know she would always have a place in Homer.

It would be best to make it clear. After what happened with Ally—and his sister should know better—Rurik intended to make sure Lexie knew he would always welcome her.

As long as Fawke had the helm, Rurik stopped in the crew quarters and pulled out his cell. He wanted to talk to Lynn. Seated on his bunk, he leaned forward and punched in the number. The rest of the crew didn't need to hear about Ally's little meltdown.

Hi, love. How's the fishing?

Hey, Babe. Good enough that we filled the hold and we're on our way in. Should be home with you by nine at the latest.

Good. I'll be there to pick you up. No problems?

With a grin she couldn't see and a slight shake of his head, Rurik replied, You know me too damn well. It's not a big thing, but I had a talk with Ally today. At first I thought that Olson dude needed a little facial rearrangement. But it turned out she was worried about taking the captain's seat again. As if I give a shit. As long as we're fishing and paying the bills, I couldn't care less.

Poor Ally! I hope you got through to her.

I did, but that got me to thinking about Lexie leaving to go home for that visit. She needs to know I'm serious about her being my little sister. She always has a home wherever we are.

"She does. Lexie is a sweet kid. She reminds me of how insecure I was when I first came