“You mean, not yet,” he corrected.
She didn’t answer, which set off some alarm bells. Was she getting so attached to this little town that it would be tough to leave? He could understand if she were. Lost Harbor had a quirky charm about it. It was both humble and endearing, with its eccentric residents and magnificent setting. Perched on the edge of the bay, the only dot of civilization with miles of wilderness on all sides, it would be a hard place to forget.
He’d heard the legend of how it had been named. An expedition of explorers had run across the long arm of land that formed a natural harbor. But when they tried to find it again, they couldn’t. The bay had filled up with mist.
Hence, Lost Harbor. And Misty Bay.
He could only hope that the “lost in the mists” quality would help shield them from Stalker Chad.
When they reached the property, he saw that Maya’s car was already parked in the driveway, along with a red Jeep that belonged to Vicki.
Even though he’d just seen Maya, his heart gave an eager jump at the prospect of seeing her again so soon.
After all…they’d kissed. There was no taking that back. It was no kid kiss. Not a fake kiss. It was the real deal, and Maya might have awesome powers of self-command, but she wasn’t someone who lied to herself.
“Harris wanted me to stop in,” he told Cara as they got out of the car. “Want to come with?”
“Sure. Be right in.”
She was texting someone on her phone, so he let her be and headed for the front door. Harris had already mounted a wreath there—an autumnal version with elderberries and willow branches. Man, they really did celebrate the seasons around here.
He knocked on the door, then pushed it open and went inside. As he stepped into the living room, a fierce glare from Maya almost stopped him in his tracks. Over her shoulder, he spotted Harris in his recliner, with Vicki perched on its broad arm. Vicki was at least part Alaska Native and a good ten years younger than Harris. Her dark hair was swept to one side, revealing hoop earrings. Her hand rested lightly on Harris’ shoulder.
“Rune, can I speak with you in private?” Maya said to him through clenched teeth.
Oh shit. Obviously she’d just gotten the news about Harris and Vicki’s new relationship.
“Hi Harris! Hi Vicki,” he called to them as she marched him into the guest bedroom.
As soon as the door was closed, she whirled on him. “Why didn’t you tell me this was going on?”
“I warned you. I told you I’d noticed sparks.”
“This is a lot more than sparks. They’re…they’re…like a couple.” She could barely say the word, it seemed. The outrage on her face would have made him laugh if that wouldn’t have infuriated her even more. “Did you know that?”
“Harris wanted to tell you himself. That’s his prerogative.”
“They’re going to the Haunted Harbor together!”
“Okaaaay…” He wasn’t sure why that part was especially bad, but apparently it was.
“He was supposed to go with me. It was going to be his first big outing since the surgery.”
“Well, you know how some kids are about going places with their parents.” He tried a tentative joke, but she didn’t seem to think it was funny.
“She’ll probably be going to the Cookie Exchange with him too.”
“I…couldn’t say.” Especially since he had no idea what a cookie exchange was. He tried putting a hand on her arm. “What’s the problem, Maya? Is it something about Vicki? She seems to really care for him.”
“Vicki is…” She wrenched her arm away from him and paced toward the window. “She’s a lot younger than him. What’s in it for her? She might be after his retirement. Dad’s got a pension from the Coast Guard and he owns property. All his mortgages are paid off. He’s a catch.”
Somehow he didn’t think this had anything to do with Harris Badger’s finances. “Vicki owns her own business. She told me that she opened her salon when she was in her twenties. I don’t think she’s hurting for money. That red Jeep of hers is all tricked out, did you see it?”
“Exactly. Red. Jeep. Seriously, can you see my dad with someone who drives a red Jeep?” She threw up her hands. “Also, she’s really into essential oils. Did you notice that it smells funny in there? She set him up with this damn infuser that’s supposed to relax him.”
“That smell is lavender. It’s aromatherapy. A lot of patients respond well to it.”
“I don’t trust it. What if it’s brainwashing him into liking her? Smells can be very powerful. I should send those oils to a lab and get them analyzed.”
He couldn’t help it anymore; he burst out laughing. “Maya, are you hearing yourself? You want to launch an investigation into lavender oil?”
She narrowed blazing eyes at him, as if ready to launch a grenade his way. Then slowly her expression relaxed and she rubbed the heel of her hand into her forehead. “You think I’ve lost it.”
“I think you’re upset, I’m just not sure what about. Don’t you trust Harris to choose his own date for the cookie exchange, whatever that is?”
“You don’t understand. Dad doesn’t ‘date.’ Ever since my mother died, it’s just been him and me. He always said he only had time for the important things, and that was work and me. That’s why I’m such a Daddy’s girl.”
“But you’re all grown up now. Far as I can tell, he has a pretty busy social life. He always has people coming through here with casseroles and brownies.”
“My dad is a popular guy, but that’s—”
“Once I came for an appointment and he was in the middle of a jam session.”
“He plays the fiddle with Darius Boone and a few other people. They’re pretty good.” The pride in her voice made him smile inwardly. She spoke about Harris almost as if he was her child instead of the other way around.
“Are you having trouble letting go, Chief Badger?”
“I’m worried about him!” she cried. “He nearly died.” Her breath caught and she pressed her lips together, as if determined not to let any other sign of weakness appear.
He ached to hold her in his arms and comfort her. But coming so soon after their kiss, he didn’t want to push his luck. “That must have been terrifying,” he said gently.
She allowed herself a nod. Just one. “It was.” A world of terror shone through those two words.
What could he offer her to show his support?
“How about this. I’ll go to the Haunted Harbor with you. We can keep an eye on Harris and Vicki. We’ll be like the parents spying on their teenagers.”
Her eyes flew to meet his. There was something in their rich brown depths that he couldn’t quite identify. Surprise? Amusement? Yes, it must be amusement because she let out a sudden laugh. “You’re inviting me to the Haunted Harbor?”
“Yes,” he said cautiously. “Something wrong with that?”
“How about the cookie exchange? Would you go to that too?”
“Well, sure. Why not? I like cookies. Unless ‘cookies’ is code for ‘fish guts’ or some other weird Lost Harbor thing.”
“No, it’s pretty much just cookies. Maybe some brownies, lemon bars, that sort of thing. We’d have to bring something that we baked. Usually my dad does that.”
“I can bake. I’ve made birthday cakes for Cara.”
“No mixes allowed. They’re very strict about it.”
“You’ll have to get me the rule book. So is that a yes?” he asked cautiously. Something was still off. “Why do you still have that weird look on your face, like I just dropped in from Mars?”
“It’s just…” She shook her head and tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. The motion brought his attention to the curves under her red sweater, which made him remember the feel of her body pressed against him during their kiss. Intoxicated, that was how he’d felt. Almost drunk. “Okay, I was going to ask you this before.”
“Ask what?” He dragged his focus back to
her face.
“I have a situation.”
Disappointment twisted in his gut. This was probably about something else involving her police work. Maya was nothing if not dedicated to her job. Lost Harbor was lucky to have her.
“Whatever you need, Chief,” he said lightly.
“No no, this isn’t anything like that. I—”
He watched, wild with curiosity, as she hauled in a long breath.
“I need a boyfriend.”
Chapter 12
To put the cherry on top of that embarrassing moment, a knock came at the door.
“What’s going on in there?” Harris called. “Vicki has to go home. You going to come out and say goodbye?”
Maya heard the hurt in his voice, and it broke her heart. Why was she acting this way? If her dad wanted some company and possibly a little romance, she should be happy for him.
Strangely, now that Rune had offered to take her to the Haunted Harbor, her resistance had eased. At least a little bit.
“Sorry, Dad. Be right out.” She lowered her voice so her father couldn’t hear. “Want to finish this somewhere else?”
Rune nodded, still looking bemused. “Want to go for a drive? I just have to tell Cara first.”
“Sure.” She schooled her face into a polite and friendly expression. “How does this look? For Vicki, I mean.”
“Much better. Less ‘I’ll arrest you at the first wrong step’ and more ‘make sure my dad’s home by eleven.’”
That made her smile enough to look more natural as she said a friendly goodbye to Vicki. Rune left—the lucky guy—but Vicki apparently interpreted her politeness as an invitation to become new best friends.
“Come by the salon whenever you want and I’ll take good care of you,” she gushed. “No charge. You’re family now.”
“That’s nice of you, but I get my hair done in Anchorage.” None of the salons in Lost Harbor knew anything about African-American hair, so every two months she went to Anchorage to a friend of her cousin.
“But I’ve been studying,” Vicki said eagerly. “I took a course on all types of black hair—4A, B, and C. You look like a 4C to me. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and I’d love the practice. I stocked up on some great conditioning products too. Harris can tell you.”
Her dad patted his own hair, which looked pretty good, she had to say. His hair didn’t take much—a close razor-cut was all he needed. But Vicki had done a decent job getting the edges even and crisp.
“It’s nice of you,” she repeated, still not ready to accept that offer. Sure, it would be convenient not to travel to Anchorage every two months. But she wasn’t about to trust her hair to some ditzy woman with a crush on her father and hardly any experience with black hair.
By the time she escaped out to her car, her jaw was tight from maintaining her polite expression. Why was this so hard?
Outside, she tilted her head up and whooshed out a breath. Night had fallen and the sky had changed into its dazzling star-studded party look. Even though she hated this time of year because of Jerome, she also loved this time of year because it brought back the stars. After a summer of skies in which light lingered until dawn, finally the nights were dark enough for the moon and the stars to shine.
That was the thing about Alaska. No matter what drama or emotional turmoil she was going through, there was always something beautiful to distract her. The sky, the mountains, even the cold wind cutting across the bay—it all reminded her that this too would pass. Harris had taught her that, actually. One more gift from her father, her best friend.
“You survived.” Rune was leaning against his car, waiting for her, his arms folded across his broad chest. “She’s a chatty one.”
“Sure is. I don’t know how Dad stands it. We’re both on the introverted side.”
“Sometimes introverts like people who are more social. It means they don’t have to worry about carrying the conversation.”
Maybe that was part of why she and Rune got along so well. He’d always been more gregarious than her. That was why he made friends wherever he went, whereas she chose her friends more carefully. It took time for her to trust people.
Was twenty years enough time? With a twenty-year break in the middle?
When it came to Rune, maybe.
He beckoned her toward his car. “I’ll drive. It’s already warmed up. I just need a destination and a beautiful woman in the passenger seat.”
Such a sweet-talker. And yet, it worked, lifting her spirits as she moved toward his car. “Haven’t we known each other too long for flattery?”
“Define flattery.”
She got into the passenger seat and settled back with a sigh. What a long-ass day this had been. “There’s a pretty spot down the road a bit,” she told him once he was in the car, door closed. “Just turn left and go until I tell you.”
“You got it.”
They drove in silence until they reached the turnoff to a lot someone had abandoned years ago. They’d put in a driveway but never gotten around to building anything else. It had a sweet view of the mudflats that stretched from the bluffs toward the ocean. They gleamed ghostly silver in the starlight, save for the moments when the beam of the lighthouse swept across them.
Rune turned off the engine and took in the sight. “Wow. I bet you never get tired of the views around here.”
“I don’t,” she said honestly. “Sometimes I take it for granted or don’t pay attention because I’m so busy. But as soon as I get a moment to breathe, I get blown away all over again. I don’t think I could ever leave here for too long. I know Dad never will. My aunt in Jamaica wants him to, but he says he’s an Alaskan now and she can save her breath.”
Why was she talking about this? Now that the moment had come, she was actually nervous. How ridiculous. This was Rune. Back in the day, he’d let her bury him in the sand and make him look like a mermaid with boobs. He would never judge her.
“Come on, let’s walk a little.” She jumped out the car and found the little footpath that meandered along the edge of the mudflats. The door slammed behind her and Rune arrived at her side. The earthy scent of ocean mud drifted from the flats.
“Just to be clear,” she told him, “when I said ‘boyfriend,’ I didn’t mean a real one. I wouldn’t ask that. Your friendship is very important to me.”
“Got it,” he said neutrally. “So what did you have in mind? Imaginary boyfriend?”
“No, just a fake one. For the holidays.”
“A fake holiday boyfriend. They don’t carry those at Eller’s?” His dry tone made her laugh.
“They ought to. I’ll put it in the suggestion box.”
“Okay, well, I’m not saying no, but why do you think you need a fake boyfriend? Chief Badger doesn’t need a sidekick. You stand on your own.”
She sighed. “You don’t understand. I’ve have a bad relationship with the holidays ever since my ex dumped me on Christmas Eve.”
She risked a glance toward Rune to see how he was taking all this so far. Not much showed on his face other than anger at the info she’d just dropped.
“That’s a dick move.”
“Well, he’s a dick. Which I suppose makes me a sucker because I fell for him and overlooked a whole bunch of red flags. I learned my lesson. But that’s not the point now. The point is that the holidays are not fun for me because of him, but everyone else in Lost Harbor goes nuts for them. It’s one party after another.”
“I’ve noticed,” he said. “Three people have asked me what we’re doing for Thanksgiving, and it’s not even Halloween yet.”
“Yup, that’s the way they roll here. Believe me, it’s nonstop from Solstice to New Year’s. People calm down after that. By then it’s all about skiing and sledding and snow shoveling. Everyone starts planning their spring breaks and putting bets on when break-up will start. Until then, I don’t want to have to grit my teeth through another holiday season being single in Lost Harbor.”
She
was rambling again. Revealing her history with Jerome and her vulnerability during the holidays wasn’t easy.
Rune’s arm bumped against hers as the path narrowed. She stopped and gestured for them to turn around and head back. But he brought her to a halt with a warm hand on her arm.
“Maya, you don’t have to explain it all. If you need me to go to a bunch of parties with you, I’m cool with that.”
She looked up into his eyes, which gleamed in the starlight, and let out a breath as the tension left her body.
“You are? Even though it’s not exactly real?”
The lighthouse beam swept across his face, turning shadows to light, then back again. “I can’t be a real anything, not while we have this stalker breathing down our necks.”
“That’s true.” She didn’t like the reminder that he wasn’t going to be here for long. “He’d better not show up before the holidays are through, or I’ll have to kick his ass.”
“You have the green light from me, if that counts.”
She didn’t need anyone’s green light to protect her town, but it was cute that he mentioned it. “We can decide on some ground rules if you want. Mission parameters.”
“Mission parameters,” he repeated with amusement. “I’d like to hear those, sure.”
“As the police chief, I need to make sure I hold onto people’s respect. So here’s the main one. You can’t go flirting with anyone else.”
His eyes darkened, as if she’d offended him. “You think I’m some kind of player?”
“Rune, girls always chase after you. Even when you were a kid. Everyone in Lost Harbor is curious about the hot new male nurse. Don’t act like you don’t know.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “First of all, ‘male nurse’? Seriously? This isn’t the 1980s. Second, have you seen me flirt with anyone since I’ve been here? Or date anyone?”
“No, but—”
“Maya, in case you haven’t gotten it yet, I’m not that carefree, barefoot kid anymore. When that pervert started going after my sister, my life changed. Overnight. I had to put Cara first and everything else last. I grew up fast. Late, but fast.” A smile tugged briefly at the corner of his mouth. “If you’d caught me three years ago, yeah, I would have said I was kind of a player. But I’m nothing like that anymore.”
Head over Heels for the Holidays Page 9