by Julie Momyer
“Hey, Senorita Martin.” Jaida turned. Speak of the devil. Auggie tossed Lance a bottle of Pepsi then waved at her to follow him down the steps.
What did he want? If he thought he was going to harp on her about last night he had another thing coming. She had the weekend off.
Down below Auggie reached for the salon door then hesitated. He drew his hand back. Angling his head, he eyed her from over his shoulder.
“What’s wrong? Is it locked?” In answer he slid the glass door over the tracks and ushered her inside. Guess not.
The chilled air against her warm skin made her shiver. It was like a miniature apartment down here. She had never been on a catamaran this lavish.
“I could live on something like this, travel around from port to port.”
It had an open floor plan. Two love seats, the color of burgundy wine were centered in the room. A narrow oak table stocked with magazines and decks of cards still in their sleeves sat between the two sofas. Beyond the living area was the kitchen. It was small; a galley, but appeared as functional as her own.
Two closed doors. One must be the bathroom, the other… There was movement, and her gaze darted to the right, to a corner where dusky shadows and the narrow space conspired to hide the vague form of a man.
A splash of light from the window revealed a stony face. Kevin? What was he doing here? Is this why Auggie was behaving so strangely?
How dare he do this to her? She spun around and speared him with a glare. He offered a half-hearted shrug, had the decency to look embarrassed, and then muttered some excuse before fleeing the scene. Coward.
Jaida stood facing the door he’d hastened out of, wanting desperately to follow. But they were in the middle of the ocean. Kevin would catch up to her sooner or later.
When she turned around he had emerged from the shadows. He was watching her with that same shyness, that painfully awkward timidity.
“Hey,” he said. His shoulders were slouched, and he had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his khaki shorts. He was a man of few words and most of them borrowed from movie scripts.
She saw her duffle bag on the floor near the breakfast bar and picked it up. “How are you?” Her greeting was flat, almost perfunctory. But she had no real desire to know the answer, just to escape this awkward situation.
He spread his hands. “Sorry about this. Carina said you wanted to give it another shot, but I can see you had no idea I was even here.”
Of course, this poorly planned rendezvous had Carina written all over it. And as Lance said, they were five miles out. There was nothing she could do about it now.
Kevin looked so mournful, like a human Eeyore. She almost felt sorry for him, but no amount of pity would change her mind.
“Friends is good, Kevin,” she said. She never wanted anything more than that.
He nodded again, strands of chestnut-colored hair hanging in his eyes. He was letting his hair grow long, and the ends already grazed his unshaven chin.
“I’m still willing to help you out with your finances. Setting up some investments, building a portfolio. Anything you need.”
“Thanks for offering, but I’ve got that covered.”
A brief flash of disappointment crossed his face, and then he smiled. “Money’s only something you need in case you don’t die tomorrow, right?”
She recognized the quote, but couldn’t recall the movie he’d pulled it from. He was an odd man.
Bag in hand, Jaida walked away and closed herself inside the bathroom.
*
Lance contemplated the empty stairwell to his right and the fact that Auggie had come back up alone. He was now occupying the seat Jaida had vacated and his mood appeared to have soured. Just what transpired down below?
He cracked a grin. “What happened to my view?” he asked.
“She’ll be along.” Auggie was tight-lipped, as usual. The man was easy to read, but hard to crack.
Lance surveyed the surroundings. He glanced at Carina, who was absorbed in a novel, then turned his gaze back to the water where rows of cresting swells the size of speed bumps rumpled the glassy sea.
Auggie said, “The review board approved your 30 day increase yesterday. They’ll send you a formal notice on Monday.”
The news gave him the opening he needed. “And not a moment too soon. I don’t know how I’m supposed to survive on what they pay. How does Jaida manage so well? I barely made rent.”
“I have a good broker.”
Lance jerked around and blew out a sharp breath. Man, she was stealth. Where had she come from? He eyed the melon-colored swimsuit she changed into and held up an appeasing hand. “Didn’t mean to pry.”
He drained the last of his Pepsi then crushed the plastic bottle in his palm. “I was just curious. Maybe you can offer me some tips later on.”
“Maybe,” she said then sank down beside Carina on a towel.
“So, what’s the name of this broker?” Auggie asked. “I know what you get paid, and he must be a magician. You couldn’t possibly have anything left to invest at the end of the month.”
The corners of her mouth curled up, and Lance smiled to himself. She had a secret. And he was just the man to dig it up.
Auggie snorted and adjusted his hat. “Broker my eye.”
“What are you reading, Carina? Is it any good?” Jaida asked. Lance watched her tilt the book clutched in Carina’s hands to get a glimpse of the title.
Carina said, “Nothing you’d like. It would keep you up at night.”
“I don’t know how you can read those gruesome horror stories. They creep me out.”
He noticed the unnatural pitch to Jaida’s voice. Something had her riled. Was it his probing about money, or the cargo they were hauling downstairs?
Allowing Kevin to join them was a regret he would have to live with. At Carina’s request, he’d agreed to include her friend, but that was before he knew her purpose for inviting him. Kevin was just one more obstacle, and right now what he needed was a clear field.
Besides, there was something off about him, but he couldn’t get a clear read on what it was. And he wasn’t too sure he wanted to climb inside that brain and wade around unless he had to.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and in his first appearance since boarding the Black Diamond, Kevin joined them on the upper level. He was less than cordial. Much less.
He stood alone, looking ill at ease in his own skin when Lance called him over. “Want to take the wheel for a while?”
He scratched his head, looked down at his sandaled feet then said, “Sure, why not.”
They switched places, and Lance gave him a brief rundown on the basic operation of the vessel then stepped aside. “Thanks, man.” He could use the break and the opportunity to mingle.
He pulled his tee shirt over his head and tossed it on the seat next to Auggie, fully aware of the attention it elicited from Jaida. He smiled to himself, glad that he didn’t have to work too hard to attract it.
“I didn’t know you had a tattoo,” she said. “Wicked-looking dragon.”
Auggie snickered. “Who is that supposed to be? Puff?”
“If you weren’t such a woman, I’d punch you.”
“Go ahead. You hit like a girl anyway.”
Lance chuckled at Auggie’s gibe. Waving it off, he insinuated himself into the narrow spot left beside Jaida then dropped to his stomach.
She angled her head, their eyes connecting, hers full of questions, the wheels turning. She was analyzing, trying to make sense of his motives. Not something she ought to do.
“The dragon needs a little sun,” he said. He watched the corner of her mouth tip up and then spread into a brilliant smile. He knew then this was going to turn out better than he’d planned.
5
She’d been trained to fake it, to let people see only what she wanted them to see, but today her façade had slipped. Today it was personal.
Jaida slid her bag from her shoulder and left it on t
he floor in the hall. She followed Carina inside her hotel room, gently closing the door behind her. Carina turned when the latch clicked, a look of surprise on her face.
“Did you need something?” she asked.
“How about an explanation, retribution, a little remorse. Maybe all three?” Jaida’s fists clenched. “How dare you do that to me?”
Carina sighed and dropped her head back, “Oh, please, can’t we act like an adult, Jaida? You’re overreacting.”
“Don’t patronize me. And for the record, I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Well pardon me for thinking you might want to be more than a fling to some man, but now that I think about it, it’s the other way around isn’t it? You’re the one who gets what you want then bails out of the relationship.”
Carina sank the venom deep and Jaida drew back. Is that how she saw her? She opened her mouth, a retort on her tongue then changed her mind and reached for the door, but she wasn’t quick enough to dodge Carina’s parting shot.
“You have no appreciation for a good man. Kevin isn’t like those losers I’ve seen you with. He’s an auditor for the county—a fiscal genius—and he’s gone out of his way to help you manage your money. You, the woman who’s too busy to pay her bills.”
Jaida stood there and took the verbal bashing then quietly let herself out. Shaken, she drew in a breath and reached for the strap of her bag. Confusion washed over her anew. What just happened in there?
She was the one who’d been wronged, but Carina turned it around and went at her again taking pot shots. Numb, she walked the carpeted corridor, scanning the doors for room 212.
Original landscapes of the island set in matching frames were displayed on the saffron walls. Her weekend might be ruined, but at least Lance booked a five-star hotel.
He reserved three rooms. How he’d even found one room during tourist season was beyond her. This time of year the island’s hotels were booked solid weeks in advance. One room was a fluke, but three rooms qualified as a supernatural miracle. He must have connections.
“Jaida, hold up.” Auggie called to her from behind, but instead of turning she glanced at the number on the door to her right and kept walking.
“I’m sorry.” His voice carried down the hall followed by the soft thudding sound of rapid footsteps coming closer. They were right behind her, then beside her. He’d made his apology, what did he want from her?
“I shouldn’t have meddled.” His arm brushed against hers and he reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers.
“No, you shouldn’t have,” she said.
“But in my defense I was only thinking of you.”
She stopped then and looked up at him. “Of me? Really? How so?” This she had to hear.
“Cut it out.”
“Cut what out? I’m only asking for some clarification since the answer isn’t obvious to me.”
“You’re a handful to look after. All right? It wouldn’t hurt you to find a nice guy and settle down.”
A lump swelled in her throat and tears pricked her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. “What makes you think you’re responsible for me?” she asked. “And who do you think you are, trying to pawn me off like that? What am I? Some kind of community project?”
“I didn’t mean any…”
She waved her hand, cutting him off. “Just go away.”
“It was Carina’s idea.”
“Did you really just say that? That is so first grade, Auggie. Can’t you take a little responsibility?”
“I just said I was sorry. Isn’t that taking responsibility?”
Any hope she had of redeeming the weekend was shot. A pre-paid room at a five-star hotel no longer seemed like a fair trade.
He gripped a strand of her hair and gave it a playful tug. “Are we good?”
Unbelievable. “No, we’re not.” she said, watching the hope that lit his dark eyes fade. “Not yet.”
Jaida walked away, lugging her bag down the hall, and leaving him to think about what he had done.
*
The hotel’s internet service was down, and her hope of tracking the name of Vickery’s assistant was once again pushed to Monday. Jaida picked up her camera from the desktop and sat on the bed with it. She pressed the “On” button, and the blackened LCD screen lit up.
They did some hiking earlier then spent the afternoon diving at Ship Rock. Even with the temperature at 90 degrees, the chill of the ocean was still buried under her skin. She slipped her feet under the rose-colored bedspread to warm them and settled into the mattress, clicking through the pictures.
She’d snapped a few candid shots of Auggie and Lance, but it was the blue-banded gobies, anemones, sea fans, and purple hydrocoral that took up most of the space on the camera’s memory.
It was just the three of them. After Carina’s blistering censure, the woman made a beeline for the nearest spa, and she hadn’t seen Kevin since they stepped off the shore boat.
She turned off the camera and dropped it on the bed. Maybe Kevin had gone back to the mainland. Not likely, but she could always hope.
Why was Carina suddenly so interested in her personal life? And what was so special about Kevin that she chose him to foist on her?
Jaida slid the screen door open and stepped out onto the terrace. She leaned against the iron rail that wrapped the perimeter and wedged her foot between the bars, turning her face into the breeze. All around the grounds palm leaves rustled, and somewhere down below, meat was grilling. The smoky scent left her mouth watering.
The view from up here was perfect for people watching. Men, women, couples, and families; she observed them all from her lofty perch. It was the way she imagined God, sitting back on His colossal throne in the heavens, scrutinizing their every deed. What did He see when He looked down at her?
She sent a fleeting glance into the blue sky. “What do you think of me, God?” There was a thread of mockery in her inquiry, and on its heels she shivered with fear. Would the answer be sent in a bolt of lightning? She certainly deserved it.
On the other side of the street, a curly haired child in a yellow dress laughed and ran after her older sister. A graying man dressed in golf gear zipped by in a golf cart, his bag of clubs on the seat behind him. All of them were entertaining to watch, but it was the man and woman in the right corner of the quad area below that stole her breath and won her undivided attention.
They stood close, intimately close. The man lifted a gentle hand and stroked the woman’s cheek. The way he looked into her face—into her soul—left Jaida’s heart aching with a familiar longing. His fingers traced her cheekbone to her hairline, tucking the auburn hair behind her ear. Sunlight played on the gold band of his fourth finger, left hand. Married.
He leaned even closer and whispered in her ear. She giggled and gave a playful push against his chest. Their laughter carried up to her easily enough, but the whispered endearments, the lighthearted banter were lost to her.
Jaida pushed away from the rail. She’d seen enough. He was married, but who was to say that the woman was his wife? He could be wed to another and that painted the scene playing out before her in an entirely different light.
He was no better than she was. She went inside and shut the sliding glass door behind her. She would not pine for what wasn’t meant to be.
6
The karaoke bar was indistinct; a small white stucco structure with a blue and white striped awning that shaded the entrance. Lance held the heavy wooden door open letting the live karaoke music out and Jaida in.
Auggie had already abandoned them for a dark-haired beauty in the corner, but the rest of their crew straggled in behind her with all the enthusiasm of death-row inmates being led to their execution.
Carina immediately excused herself and headed for the ladies room. She had been pleasant enough over dinner, but neither one of them broached the subject of her earlier outburst. It couldn’t be done without an argument. Besides, what was there to say?
Lighted strings of colored bulbs decorated the beamed ceiling, but the rest of the décor was a nautical motif. Lance grabbed her hand and wove a path through the crush of customers. Music, laughter, and conversation filled her ears. They slid into the only booth available, and a server took their drink order.
Up front, a shapely brunette stood on the portable stage and clung to the microphone, belting out a rock tune with a country twang.
Kevin slid into the seat across from them. He shook the hair from his eyes and leaned back against the green vinyl seat. “Whatever happened with those charges against you?” he asked.
Why was he bringing that up? It was so off the cuff and it happened over six months ago. “They weren’t charges.” Not legally anyway. “William Gale made an accusation and it was investigated.” That was it. She’d been cleared.
Lance nodded his head. “Yeah, I remember hearing about that. What was it? Eight million dollars he said you took?”
“Eight and a half.”
He whistled through his teeth. “What I could do with eight and a half mil. Some men have all the luck.”
Kevin glowered at Lance then settled a sympathetic gaze on Jaida. “I was afraid you’d get fired. I’m glad nothing came of it.”
Jaida appreciated his kindness and nodded a silent thank-you. It had been a difficult time for her.
“So why is it you were afraid Jaida would get fired?” Back from her detour, Carina slipped in the booth beside Kevin. He took the purse she handed him and tucked it in the corner.
“Gale’s money,” Jaida said abruptly. Could they just move on to another subject? Why did they want to rehash the details?
“Oh, that.” Carina rolled her gray eyes. “You know I never understood why he blamed you. If the bank account number had been sent through Baseel like he said, what made him think you were the one who took it?”
All three of them turned their eyes on her, and she shifted under their hawk-like stares. Was this what it was like to be on the witness stand, cornered like prey by a prosecutor?