From the moment his mother had come home from the hospital with Amy in her arms, he’d been fascinated by the perfect tiny person. And he’d done his best to take care of her too.
“Time for another round.” Cathy tilted back her head, not letting a single drop of the potent drink go to waste.
“That’s probably not a good idea.” Doug didn’t mind his women a little loosened up, but, on his watch, there would be no taking advantage of a lady too tipsy to remember saying yes. He’d only been to this place once before with Jonathan, but he remembered this bartender’s name. “Gary, the lady will have a ginger ale.”
Gary squinted at him a moment before hefting an indifferent shoulder and reaching behind him for a glass. Apparently he was used to the patrons being more interested in keeping a gal happy than legally consenting.
The alcohol-free drink came down in front of Cathy at the same moment Doug caught sight of the front door opening. But it wasn’t the door that had his full attention. He’d seen it open and close a few dozen times in the last hour. What had him swallowing hard was the tantalizing brunette who slowly stepped inside. From the way one hand hung onto the door, he hoped she was set to turn around and leave. Disappear outside before he had to decide what to do next.
Every day since discovering his dream date’s identity, he’d kept himself plenty busy in an effort to not pick up his cell and give Emily Everrett a call. Getting her number had been too easy. The phone numbers for Billy’s mom, all of his sisters, along with Kara and a few other people, were prominently taped beside the cash register. Only yesterday Doug had given in to temptation and stored Emily’s number in his cell. Twice last night and again today he’d almost deleted it. As many times he’d almost used it. He’d told himself he just wanted to know how the play practice was coming along and how things turned out with the genius juvenile delinquent. The fact that he wanted to run his fingers through her hair and his lips along her every curve was irrelevant. And why he didn’t hit Dial.
Like metal shavings to a magnet, before the door had completely closed behind Emily, the horny men looking for a quick fix had zeroed in on her. Two practically fell over themselves to get to her first. Biting down on his back teeth, Doug forced himself to stay put, willed her to do an about-face and prayed Jonathan would notice his boss’s kid sister had just walked into the place and had started a feeding frenzy. Better Jonathan step in than Doug.
Dragging away his gaze, he saw there was no way his prayers would be answered. Jonathan and his girl, Peggy, were all over each other. A nuclear bomb could explode under the table and neither would notice. Damn. First guy up oozed practiced charm. A broad sneer that passed for a smile hardly moved as he said something to her. Doug could hear the pickup lines in his head—heaven must be missing an angel; what cloud did you fall from; your smile lights the room. Before he could run through the remainder of a very long list, Emily had smiled politely, shook her head and taken two steps when the character on deck stepped into the batter’s box.
With an equally sweet smile she’d shaken off another. Two up and two out. So maybe the lady didn’t need rescuing at all. Which left a new question. What was she doing in a pickup joint like this? Shoulders straight and chin held high, Emily moved across the floor to the bar on the opposite side of the room like a model on a high-couture runway. Lord, she was something else.
“Did you hear me?” Cathy seemed only now to realize his full attention was not on her.
“Sorry. What was that?” He flashed his best grin and did his utmost to pretend he actually gave a damn about whatever she’d said.
“My friend wants to hit a different nightspot.”
Whatever, or whoever, her friend had been looking for obviously hadn’t shown.
Cathy’s fingertip glided from his chin to his collarbone, drew a small circle that should have had his hormones on full throttle but failed to ignite, then pulled back her hand. “Want to join us?”
He cast a quick glance in Emily’s direction. At the corner of the bar, a wine glass in hand, she was chatting with the bartender who seemed to be taking way too long to wipe down a few glasses.
“Well, Dougy?”
Dougy. Only one person ever called him that—sort of. Another reason Cathy was a bad idea. “I’m sorry. I’m waiting for a friend. Maybe next time.”
Surprise flickered in her eyes before the giggles took over again. “Oh, well. Nice meeting you, Dougy.”
Miss Giggles out of the way, Doug grabbed his beer bottle and started to the corner booth Jonathan and his girl had staked out. Halfway there he noticed a sultry couple on the tiny square of a dance floor. For just a moment the intensity of emotions rolling off them in waves stopped him short. Maybe all this loving adoration had something to do with the water. He’d make sure to stick to beer.
To his right a big burly guy came out from the kitchen and, moving at a quick clip, reached the end of the bar where Emily had parked herself. Doug paused by Jonathan, tapped him on the shoulder, dropped a quick “Catch ya later, man” and kept walking.
By the time he’d taken the last strides toward Emily, she was grinning like a besotted schoolgirl, and King Kong was wrapping his arms around her. Doug had no idea who the guy was, but, in about two seconds, Doug was going to kill him.
Chapter Ten
Emily had never been so happy to see two people in her life. She’d barely made it in the door of the Surf’s Up Saloon before deciding this had to have been one of the worst ideas she’d ever had. All set to turn around and head home where she belonged after getting hit on by not one but two idiots. I mean, really? What sign was she? Who the heck says that anymore? Jerk. But she’d noticed Doug with some blonde and decided, on the spot, she was not skulking away. She had as much right to be here as he did. And even though she wasn’t any more interested in meeting a new guy than she was in making friends with a porcupine, she intended to sit down with a glass of wine and then go home where she belonged. But she’d had no idea Ben Kapule was tending bar here.
And even less of an idea that his older brother, Steve, now owned the place. Who knew the surfing king four years running at Kona Central High would grow up to own a bar? Though that might explain why the place was so successful. Steve had always been popular in school.
“You’re the last face I expected to see around here.” Steve grabbed her so hard she almost couldn’t catch her breath. “You look really good for a smart girl.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Just kidding. You were always the prettiest girl in school.”
Now wasn’t that a surprise. She and Steve had become pretty good friends her sophomore year when she’d been assigned as his math tutor. She’d spent a great deal of time at the Kapule house. Mr. and Mrs. Kapule were so thrilled their son was finally making progress and wouldn’t fail his senior year that there were a few days when Emily thought the couple were going to kill her with kindness. Especially when his mom baked. It was a bona fide miracle Emily hadn’t gained a hundred pounds back then.
“I hear Billy’s doing really well now. Took over for your dad.”
Emily nodded.
“I was real sorry to hear about Mr. Everrett. He was always good to us.”
“Why? Because he didn’t turn you in when you’d go skinny-dipping off the pier?”
Steve’s eyes widened. “He told you about that?”
“No. I heard him and Billy talking one night. Dad kept laughing, and Billy kept spouting about rules.”
“Your brother was always the tough one. The day you started high school, he’d made it very clear no boys were allowed near his little sister. I wanted to ask you to prom, but then Billy came home on leave, growled at all the athletes. By the time I got up my nerve again, Jim Miller had beat me to it.”
“My brother told you not to ask me out?” She’d known Billy had warned off the boys. He’d done it with Ava and Kathleen too. But she’d always thought it a big joke. It never occurred to her any of the boys had tak
en her brother seriously. Which would explain her less-than-bustling love life in high school. The only reason she’d gone to the prom that year with nerdy Jim Miller was because no one else had asked her. Apparently her brother hadn’t growled at the smart kids in her class.
“Not in so many words—”
“Excuse me.” Doug cleared his throat and stuck out his hand to Steve. “Doug Hamilton. I work at the dive shop with Emily’s brother.”
“Nice to meet you. Steve Kapule.”
Doug took a step closer to Emily.
“I see Billy is still sending his buddies to take care of sister.” Steve chuckled softly. “Glad someone’s here to watch out for my girl. This place gets a bit crazy as the night goes on. If you know what I mean.”
“Hmm.” Doug grunted.
Did Steve just say “take care” of me? What was she, three years old? She didn’t need anyone to take care of her. And what did he mean by Billy still sending his buddies?
“I heard there was a new guy working at the dive shop,” Steve continued. “You liking it?”
“So far.”
“Must be something working for King Kona.”
Doug didn’t hide his laughter. “Haven’t heard that for a while. We were on the same team in the navy. I’ve been looking forward to working with him and Nick again.”
“Cool.”
A voice from the kitchen shouted for Steve and grumbled for him to haul his ass back in there.
“I’d better go. Sounds like the troops are planning a mutiny.”
The tension easing from his shoulders, Doug bobbed his head, then turned to Emily. “Seems like a nice enough guy. Even if he does mix his military metaphors.”
“He is.” Emily wasn’t sure what to make of Doug’s sudden appearance. The woman he’d been with was no longer sitting at the bar.
“Ex-boyfriend?”
She chuckled. “Not exactly.”
Doug took a last pull from his beer and set it on the bar, signaling for another. “How’s that?”
“He was one of the popular kids in school. A jock. Really knew how to handle a surfboard.”
“And the girls?”
“He probably knew how to handle them too. His senior year I helped him with his math.”
“Not the surfboard?”
“Nah. Not only was I a lowly sophomore, I was never part of the cool group. Few of the smart kids were.” She gave an unladylike snort. “If only I’d known.”
“You doing okay?” The bartender set the drink on the bar. “Need a refill, princess?”
“I’m good, Ben. Thanks.”
“Known what?” Doug reached for the new bottle, his eyes on Ben chilled, and his knuckles almost turning white.
“I could have been the Prom King’s date.”
Eyes wide, Doug snapped his attention back to her. “What am I missing?”
“Let’s just say sometimes it really sucks being the big bad navy man’s baby sister.” Taking a sip of wine, she gathered her liquid courage. “I’ve been wondering something.”
His eyes grew warmer, locked with hers, but he didn’t say a word.
“Why haven’t you called me?”
For a long minute, he just held her gaze. “Sometimes”—he paused—“it really sucks being friends with a big bad older brother.”
She tried to read his eyes. Was he telling her the truth or letting her down easy? There was no sparkle in his eyes. No challenge. No harshness. No softness. Nothing. How did he hide every emotion that way? “I almost called you the other day,” she admitted.
The edge of his mouth tipped upward slightly before falling back into place. “Only once?” With an audible sigh, his stance relaxed. “I’ve come close to calling you more times than I should have.”
As much as she wanted to play it cool, she couldn’t stop the grin of sheer joy that pulled at her cheeks. “You could have called. I’m a big girl. All grown-up.”
“Don’t I know that.” He took another long pull from his beer. “But there are a lot of reasons we are not a good idea. Your brother is only one of them.”
“I can’t think of a single one.” She took a slow sip, watching him over the rim of her glass.
His eyes dimmed for a moment with a darkness she couldn’t put her finger on. “Trust me. You deserve a nice clean-cut guy who works a nine-to-five job—”
“Just what I need—another brother telling me what’s good for me.” Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on either of them. Billy was a great guy, but no one would describe the former navy man in his casual clothes and muscular build as clean cut. Nor did he work nine to five.
“You know what I mean. A good family man—and don’t give me any lip about your brother and that.”
“Excuse me, but I didn’t ask you to father my children. I thought we were talking about being friends.”
“No man in his right mind wants to just be friends with you.”
“I’ll have you know I have a lot of guy friends.” This time she was delighted to see his eyes flare with something more akin to jealousy, and she wouldn’t deny she liked it.
“I don’t doubt it. I also don’t doubt, if given the opportunity, any one of them would gladly get into your pants.” He held up his hand. “Don’t bother arguing the point. Just trust me on—” His eyes narrowed, focusing on the front door. “Isn’t that…?”
She didn’t have to look twice. “Tim and Jennie.”
* * *
What in the name of Admiral Nimitz were those two kids trying to do? While Jennie looked ready to conquer the world in tight jeans, a push-up bra—even if she was only a kid, he’d have noticed boobs like that the other day if they’d been all hers—and enough makeup to start her own cosmetics line. But Tim, try as he might, still looked like a hormonal teen.
“I don’t understand.” Emily kept her eyes on the door and on the man who had come to check their IDs.
“Seems pretty obvious to me. Two deluded kids out to have some fun playing grown-up.”
The bouncer looked at their identification, looked at the kids, then down at the IDs, and then back to the teens again. He stared at each one, and, to the kids’ credit, neither flinched. Tim didn’t even do his nervous push-his-glasses-up-the-bridge-of-his-nose thing. In the end, the bouncer gave them back their IDs and, instead of booting their asses out the door, waved them inside.
“What the…?” Emily waved over the bartender she’d been smiling at earlier.
“No, wait.” Doug took hold of her arm and immediately wished he hadn’t. Touching her in any way sent instant messages to places that had no business being on alert. “Let us handle this. Come on.” He had the good sense to let go of her and direct her forward by jutting out his chin in the direction he wanted her to move. The barest of touches only reminded him of what he couldn’t have again.
The two teens scanned the room for an empty table, and anyone would have recognized the minute Tim spotted Doug and Emily. The kid’s back went straight as a surfboard; his skin turned ghostly white, and his arm flailed beside him until it grabbed hold of Jennie’s. The young girl’s reaction wasn’t any less comical. Frowning down at her arm, she looked up at her escort only to follow his gaze to their teacher with her friend. Eyes wide with surprise and a little fear seemed to take up half Jennie’s face. Doug could see the wheels turning and the cartoon dialogue box pop up over head. The words “Oh, shit” followed by multiple exclamation marks.
“Miss Everrett.” Jennie was the first to speak.
Followed immediately by Tim’s “I can explain.”
“I’m sure you can. And you will. Outside.”
Both stood in place and nodded, but neither made any effort to move.
“Now,” Emily said more forcefully than Doug had expected.
Immediately the two teens turned and bumped and scrambled out of the place. Standing in the parking lot, Emily looked around and pointed to the burger joint across the street. “We’ll talk over there.”
“Yes,
ma’am.” Tim pulled his keys from his pocket.
“No.” Emily stopped him. “We’ll walk.”
Doug almost laughed out loud. If her plan was to make the kids sweat out every possible minute, it was working like a charm. How could he not like Emily Everrett? The girl was sugar and spice on one side, and hell on wheels on the other. For the first time in a very long time, he wished for her sake, and his, he could be anyone else.
Chapter Eleven
A cup of coffee in front of her, Emily used the repetitive motion of swirling in the milk and sugar with a spoon to give her time to calm down. To think. And to figure out what the hell to do.
Doug had insisted on joining them, and, quite frankly, she was thankful for the support. Not that she needed it, but still it was nice.
“You realize”—she let go of the spoon and looked up at the teens sitting across the table—“I am going to have to tell your parents what happened.”
“I’m sorry. It was an experiment.” Tim pulled out his ID and put it on the table. “I’ve been working with some new graphic software, and this was a test.”
Jennie’s head bobbed, but she was too busy nibbling on her lower lip to respond verbally.
Emily was having a hell of a time figuring out this girl. At school she was all confident and brassy and tough. The leader of the cool girls. The one she’d expect to see with the captain of the football team. Not the class genius hiding behind dark rimmed glasses and a computer.
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