by S. E. Smith
Had to run an errand. Be home later this evening. Henry.
Makayla glanced down at where Breaker was staring up at her. A small chuckle escaped her when he tilted his head. Laying the note down, she scratched Breaker’s jaw before turning to open the cabinet where the bowls were stored.
“I guess it is just the two of us,” she said with a grin. “He writes his notes the same way he talks. I guess since he is gone, you get to eat breakfast with me this morning. How about some cereal?”
Woof!
“You answer the same way the old man does,” Makayla laughed as she poured a second bowl full of crunchy oats. “Here you go. Crunchy oats, hold the milk.”
She set the bowl down on the floor before picking the other bowl up and walking over to the table. She slid onto one of the tall chairs and scanned her phone for messages. She raised her eyebrow at the number of texts she had received since the night before. She read them out loud between mouthfuls of cereal to Breaker.
“Tisha’s dad has decided he doesn’t need a girlfriend barely older than his daughter, it was like having two kids instead of one,” she mumbled rolling her eyes at Breaker when he looked up at her. “No, duh! I won’t even go into how gross that is. Uh-oh, Debbie has decided European guys are just a bunch of dicks. That’s Debbie’s way of saying that they weren’t impressed when she decided to turn on the charm.” She pointed her spoon at Breaker and shook her head. “Debbie’s idea of charm is ‘look at my parent’s money’. The only reason she has gone to public school is because they want her to have a grounded sense of understanding of today’s society, or some such bull. What it really means is they are in debt up to their eyeballs.”
Makayla giggled when Breaker sneezed in response to her commentary. She raised her eyebrow at the Akita when he laid down and continued to look at her and her bowl of cereal. Returning her attention to her phone, she touched the next message.
“Laura is excited about her date that’s coming up tomorrow night. Oh, and her mom found out last night after we hung up that she got the job that she applied for,” she said with a grin. “You’d like Laura. She’s a sucker for dogs and really sweet.”
Breaker just licked his muzzle and continued to watch her as she spooned another mouthful. Makayla rolled her eyes and picked out a piece of cereal and tossed it to him. He caught it in midair before licking his muzzle again.
“Audrey’s dad tried to sweet talk her mom into taking him back last night. That is for like the fifth time. Her mom told him to take a hike. Good for her! He just wants to get out of paying child support. He should have tied a knot in it about five kids before, if you ask me.” Makayla grunted and clicked her phone off when the sound of knocking interrupted her conversation with Breaker.
“I guess you can have the rest,” she said, setting her bowl on the floor in front of Breaker before she straightened when she heard the rap on the front door again.
Makayla grinned when she rounded the corner of the dining room and saw Brian through the clear glass. She unlocked the door and pulled it open, leaning against it. The same feeling of amusement came over her when she saw his look of appreciation, followed by the easy grin she was used to seeing.
“What’s up?” She asked.
Brian grinned at her and held up a helmet. “Time to go to work. Jason said Henry had to go out of town early this morning and I told him I’d pick you up. He said I could as long as I made sure you wore a helmet and I didn’t drive like an idiot.”
Makayla looked skeptically at Brian for a moment before she replied. “And he believed you?” She asked with a saccharine smile.
“Ouch!” Brian snorted, rubbing his chest with his free hand. “That hurt. You are definitely a Summerlin.”
“Ha-ha,” Makayla said, stepping back. “I need to get a pair of socks and clean up from breakfast. Come on in.”
“Thanks,” he said, stepping inside and looking around. “I haven’t been inside in years. It looks just like it did when I was a kid.”
“Yeah, I guess,” she mumbled, turning toward the staircase. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” he replied, watching her retreating figure with appreciation. “I’ll just stay here and enjoy the view.”
Makayla glanced over her shoulder and gave him a piercing look before hurrying up the stairs to her bedroom. It only took a second to snatch the pair of socks that she hadn’t put away off of the dresser. She hurried across the hall to the bathroom and quickly brushed her teeth before she returned downstairs to the foyer. She paused on the bottom step when she saw that Brian wasn’t waiting where she had left him.
Turning, she followed the sound of water running. She leaned against the door frame and watched as Brian finished washing the two bowls and spoon from her breakfast. Her lips curved into a small smile as she walked into the kitchen and returned to the chair she had been sitting in a short time ago. She pulled one foot up and slipped a sock on before doing the same to her other foot.
“If I had known you were so good in the kitchen, I’d have left the dishes from last night for you,” she casually remarked
“One time only. I was hoping to impress you,” Brian retorted as he wiped his hands on the dish towel next to the sink and chuckled.
Makayla shook her head in regret. “Nope, not impressed,” she said, sitting straight and looking at him with a solemn expression.
Brian tossed the dish towel on the counter and walked nonchalantly toward her. Makayla watched him warily as he came closer. She wasn’t sure what this new game was. Ever since they met, he had been teasing her. It had become a running joke that he would make some sly comment or give her a look that was guaranteed to make her blush at least once a day.
He was two years older than her and had graduated this past year. She had teased him that he was going to be an old man before he knew what hit him if he kept hanging out with Jason and Henry. She looked up at him with a slightly suspicious look. If he tried any of his tricks today, she would sic Breaker on him.
“What would impress you?” He asked in a husky voice, bending forward until his lips were just a breath away from her slightly parted ones.
Makayla swallowed past the lump in her throat. Her eyes were glued to his lips and how close he was to kissing her. Her heart thundered in her chest and it took all of her self-discipline to reply to his question.
“If you had dried and put them away, I might have been a little impressed,” she murmured in a breathless voice.
“I’ll remember that next time,” Brian whispered before he pressed his lips to hers.
Makayla’s eyelids fluttered close as she felt the warmth against her lips. It didn’t last long. Brian pulled away with a muttered curse before he took a step back and turned to grab the helmet off the counter by the stove.
“I’ll meet you out front,” he said in a low voice.
Makayla drew in a deep breath and nodded before she realized that he had his back to her and couldn’t see her response. Releasing the breath she was holding, she licked her lips and stood up. Smoothing back a strand of hair that had come loose, she grabbed her phone off the table.
“I just have to get my shoes on,” she said. “What about Breaker?”
Brian paused in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder at the Akita that was staring at him. A crooked smile curved his lips and he shook his head before he looked back at her. Makayla could feel the heat rise in her cheeks when his eyes locked on her lips.
“I’ll lock the front door on my way out,” he said in a husky voice. “If you lock the back door and the gate, he should be okay while you’re gone today.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you out front,” she said, staring at his retreating back. “Wow!” She muttered, glancing down at Breaker. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Chapter 9
Makayla released her hold on Brian’s waist when he pulled to a stop next to the twenty-six foot sailboat. It looked completely different than it had just over a month ago. She slid her l
eg over the seat and pulled the helmet off, handing it to Brian.
“Henry said that you and Jason are going to install the rigging today,” she said, walking over to run her hand over the glossy back of the boat. “Do you know why he named it the Defiance?”
“Jason said something about when Henry was younger that he was going to sail around the world or something like that,” Brian said with a shrug. “He bought the boat when he was like in his early twenties.”
“Dad planned on eloping with mom and sailing off into the sunset with her,” Jason said, coming out from between the Defiance and the boat next to it.
“Did he?” Makayla asked, looking up at the back of the sailboat. It looked huge from the ground, but she still didn’t think it was big enough to sail around the world in. “Wouldn’t he need a bigger boat?”
Jason laughed and patted the stern. “No, he wouldn’t. Dad forgot to ask mom what she thought of the idea. Turns out, mom used to get really seasick whenever they went out,” he said with a grin. “Of course, it might have been because she was pregnant with me. Anyway, grandpa, dad’s dad, told him that his little act of defiance about not listening to him was going to get him in trouble one day.”
“So, Henry named the boat after the fact that he knocked grandma up?” Makayla asked in confusion.
Jason laughed and shook his head. “No, he named it after his dog,” he said. “He likes to tell the other story, but mom told us the truth. He had a dog that was a pain in the behind, always doing stuff he wasn’t supposed to be doing. He named the mutt Defiance. Mom said after he bought the sailboat, he was just as ornery as the old hound when it came to keeping it when his parents told him he should sell it. When he asked mom to name it, she called it the Defiance. The name stuck.”
“Okay, I think. The old man sure has some funny names for his dogs,” Makayla said, shaking her head. “I was going to do a little more polishing on the stanchions. Did you bring the other supplies Henry ordered with you?”
“Yeah,” Jason said, nodding back toward his truck. “Life vests, foul weather gear, an EPIRB for the Defiance and a PLB for each life vest, ladder, and a few other things. Dad will pick up the rest of the stuff either today or tomorrow.”
“EPIRB – PLB?” Makayla asked in confusion.
Brian nodded, his expression serious. “There have been a few incidents lately where boats have sunk or capsized. Henry wanted to make sure that the Defiance was fitted with the safety equipment first. If he plans on sailing down to the Keys or over to the Bahamas it is always smart to have the right gear on board. The EPIRB stands for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. It is very similar to what they have on planes. A PLB is fairly new for most private boaters.”
Jason nodded and bent to pick up a plastic bag near his feet. He rummaged around in it for a moment before he pulled out a small yellow and black device. He handed it to Makayla.
“So, what does it do?” She asked, turning it over in her hand.
“It saves your life if you are lucky,” Jason said in a quiet voice. “PLB stands for Personal Locator Beacon. You won’t last long if you end up overboard. This emits a signal through a satellite system so that you can be found.”
“The ocean is a big place and it’s easy to get lost in it,” Brian said.
“We’ll attach one to each life vest. You can do that if you don’t mind,” Jason said, reaching for the PLB in Makayla’s hand and returning it to the bag he was holding. “I’ll bring the vests up in a little while and put them in the galley. There are six of them.”
“Okay, is there anything else you want me to do while you guys finish up?” Makayla asked, taking the bag.
“If you don’t mind, you can clean the inside. The new cabinets still have the stickers and stuff on them and maybe some dirty hand prints from where we installed them,” Jason said with a grin. “I hate cleaning.”
“Sure, let me know if there is anything else,” Makayla replied, heading for the steps.
“Makayla,” Brian said, hurrying up to her as she started to climb the stairs up to the top of the sailboat.
Makayla turned. Standing on the second step, she was eye level with Brian. She watched warily as he stepped closer.
“What?” She asked in a tone a little sharper than she meant to.
Brian paused in front of her and gazed into her eyes for several long seconds before he spoke. He glanced over to where Jason had walked over to his truck before turning back to her. A slightly crooked smile curved his lips.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go to the beach this weekend,” he said. “I’m meeting up with some friends and I know you haven’t been out much.”
Makayla bit her lip and thought for a moment. “Henry is supposed to take me for a sailing lesson,” she replied.
Brian grimaced, but nodded his head. “I’ll give you my number, text me if you want to go and I’ll pick you up,” he said before reaching out to touch her hand. “About this morning….”
Makayla shook her head. “I’m cool with it,” she said, pulling away and turning. “Give me your number later and I’ll call you so you can have mine.”
She didn’t look back. She was afraid he would say something stupid, like the kiss had been a mistake or something. A part of her wasn’t ready to deal with it yet, while another part just wanted to hold on to the memory without words screwing it up. She had learned from listening to Tisha that talking about it seemed to take some of the magic of the moment away. Plus, she wasn’t the kind to kiss and tell.
*.*.*
An hour later, she had finished polishing the last of the stanchions that she had been working on. The long, thin poles that held up the lifeline gleamed in the early morning sunlight. She stood back and looked at the work before grinning when she heard the guys cussing again. They had been doing a lot of that this morning.
She picked up the bottle of polish and the rags and carried them down to the galley. She had to admit, the inside was as gorgeous as the outside. She set the polish and rags down on the small table and pulled off her tattered latex gloves. Twisting to the left, she began removing all the clear plastic coverings off of the cushions.
The cabin was small, but built for maximum efficiency. A long, narrow path cut through the center all the way to the front of the hull. At the very front when it came to a point, there was another set of cushions that made up the bed.
She finished pulling the plastic off the long couch before moving to the front. It didn’t take long to strip the plastic from it. She grimaced when she saw a dirty hand print on the upper left hand side. Retrieving a clean cloth and some spray cleaner, she crawled up on the cushion and scrubbed the spot.
She was about to scoot back off the bed when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Pulling it out, she silently groaned when she recognized her mom’s number. She set the cleaning supplies down on a small shelf at the foot of the bed and pressed the connect button.
“Hey, mom,” Makayla said in a forced cheerful voice. “How are you doing today?”
“Makayla?” Teresa’s voice whispered, wavering before she breathed deeply. “Where are you? You were supposed to be home an hour ago? Are you in school?”
“I’m staying with Henry. Don’t you remember?” Makayla asked as a feeling of dread burn in her stomach. “Are you still at the rehab place?”
“Rehab?” Teresa asked in a distracted voice. “Who’s Henry? Is he a boy you met? My dad’s name is Henry.”
The feeling that something was wrong grew the more her mom talked. She sounded preoccupied, incoherent, and her voice had the slight edge of a slur that reminded Makayla of when she had taken one too many of her pain meds. Lying back on the bed, she stared up at the ceiling of the cabin and listened, trying to figure out what she should do. Her mom was all alone over there.
“Mom, where are you?” Makayla tried again, interrupting her mom’s confused ramblings. “Is there a nurse nearby?”
“Nurse? I’m at home, Makayla. I
’m waiting for you. Where are you?” Teresa mumbled. “I need my medicine. Do you know where it is? Rob is supposed to get more for me, but he hasn’t come back yet.”
Makayla sat up, barely remembering to duck her head so she wouldn’t hit the ceiling above the bed. A low hiss escaped her when she heard her mom mention Rob’s name. If her mom had gone back with that jerk, then things had definitely taken a turn for the worse. She should never have come here. If she had remained in Tampa, she could have been there for her mom.
“Mom, what happened? Why are you out of the hospital? Where is Rob?” Makayla asked in a rushed, aggravated tone.
“The door,” Teresa muttered. “Rob forgot his key.”
“Mom,” Makayla said urgently. “Mom! Don’t answer the door. Don’t let him in. Mom, please! Please, don’t let him in. I’ll call Henry. He’ll know what to do. Please,” Makayla begged as tears streamed down her face. “Please, don’t let him in. Please.”
Makayla bit her knuckles when she heard the sound of a man’s voice in the background. She rocked forward, fear choking her, when she heard her mom release a soft sob. Bowing her head and resting her forehead on the palm of her hand, she waited when she heard the man ask her mom for the phone.
“Who is this?” The man demanded.
Makayla’s head jerked up and she stared blindly out the open hatch. Relief choked her at the familiar voice on the other end. Wiping at the tears streaming down her cheeks, she drew in a deep, shuddering breath and answered him.
“Henry?” She whispered. “Mom… Rob… What’s going on?”
Henry’s deep sigh echoed over the phone. “I’ve got this, Makayla. I’ll talk to you when I get home tonight,” he replied in a gruff tone.
“What about mom?” Makayla asked in a husky voice. “She shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“She’s not,” Henry said. “I’ll take care of this,” he added before hanging up the phone.