Seaside Kisses

by Stacy Claflin

  Brayden and the nurse turned to him.

  Rafael pointed to the mobster. "Stop him!" Ignoring the agony of his body, he squirmed in the bed trying to lower himself. Not that it would protect him from a bullet.

  He heard the nurse say something about the side effects of some kind of drug. Brayden appeared in front of him and stared into Rafael's eyes. "The results came in, and there's a drug in your system that causes mental confusion and hallucinations. Whatever you see, it isn't real."

  Rafael continued to squirm. He hit a tray holding a little plastic pitcher of water, sending it to the floor.

  "Can you hold him down?" cried the nurse.

  Brayden moved in front of Rafael, staring into his eyes. "Focus on me, Raf."

  Rafael glanced around his brother. The gun was still pointed at him.

  "Move! You'll be shot."

  Brayden grabbed Rafael's arms. "Listen to me. It's not real. You're hallucinating."

  Rafael squirmed more, trying to get free of Brayden's hold. The gun appeared every bit as real as his brother in front of him. "Are you sure?"

  "Where is it?" Brayden asked. "I'll walk over there and prove it to you."

  Rafael's eyes widened. "Don't go near him."

  Brayden followed Rafael's gaze. "Is he by the closet?"

  "Don't—"

  To Rafael's horror, Brayden ran over to the mobster and stood right in front of him. "There's nothing here." Brayden moved back and forth, side to side, walking through the gunman.

  "What…?" Rafael asked.

  "He's not real," Brayden said, returning to Rafael's side.

  Rafael's breathing grew fast and shallow. He wanted to believe his brother, but the man in black remained, unflinching. The barrel of the gun also stayed aimed between Rafael's eyes, with Brayden not too far from the line of shot. Rafael grabbed Brayden, not caring about the pain running through his wrist as he did and he ducked out of the bullet's path.

  "We'd better sedate him," the nurse said from across the room.

  Brayden moved out of Rafael's hold. "Might be a good idea for now. It won't interact badly with what's already in his system."

  Rafael wanted to share some choice words with her, but couldn't take his eyes off the gunman. He made eye contact with the madman.

  The nurse came over next to Rafael's bed with a syringe. He watched her from the corner of his eye, while still trying to focus on the mobster. She slid the needle into one of the tubes going down into him. A cold feeling ran through him and then he suddenly felt very fuzzy. And heavy.

  Rafael leaned against his pillow, unable to keep his eyes open.

  Twenty One

  Voices woke Rafael. This time, his body didn't hurt. He also felt rested, but not enough to open his eyes.

  "When he wakes, we'll ask him how he feels," said an unfamiliar nasally voice.

  "And when can he go home?" That was his dad.

  "Assuming all signs of the drug are gone, he should be able to be released soon. Physically, he's ready. Emotionally, that could be another story."

  What did that mean? He wasn't emotionally unstable.

  "Speaking of the drug," Amara said, "have you found any more about how it got in him?"

  "We're still looking into that."

  "In other words, no." That was Cruz. "How can you guys be so careless?"

  "I don't know what happened," said the nasally female again. "I just returned from vacation, but I assure you this hospital has the highest of standards, and we're looking into everything. Either way, it will be figured out and dealt with."

  "Either way, what?" asked Amara.

  "Whether this was done intentionally or accidentally."

  "Intentionally?" his mom exclaimed. "Who would want to hurt Rafael?"

  Rafael had heard enough. He forced open his eyes. Everything was blurry, so he rubbed his eyes. Not a single movement brought any pain. It was wonderful, even if it was due to painkillers.

  "He's waking up," someone said. Several shadowy figures came over to his side.

  As Rafael's eyes focused, they became clearer. Amara took his hand. His parents stood across from her with Cruz.

  A new nurse came over and stood next to Amara. "How are you, Rafael?" she asked too loudly.

  He covered his ears. "Not deaf."

  Cruz laughed.

  "How do you feel?" she asked, enunciating every word as though he were an imbecile.

  Rafael removed his hands from ears. "Better than ever."

  "How would you describe your pain levels on a scale of—?"

  "Zero."

  "That's good," said the doctor. She checked on his fluid bags. "You don't hurt anywhere?"

  Rafael shook his head.

  "But that's because of the medications," said his mom. She rubbed his arm above the bandages.

  "And that's great," said the doctor. "That means they're working." She looked in Rafael's eyes. "Do you see anything in here that shouldn't belong?"

  Rafael looked around for the mobster, but didn't see him or anything else unusual. "No."

  "Can we bring him home now?" asked his mom.

  "We'll need to wait a little while," the doctor said, "but I don't see why he'd need to stay past dinnertime. I do want to keep an eye on him for a bit." She went over to the computer and typed.

  Cruz turned to Rafael, his eyes wide. "Did you hear that, dude? You'll be leaving soon."

  Rafael nodded. He knew he should be excited, but couldn't shake the heaviness of having just woken. "What happened with my medication?"

  The doctor came back over, frowning. "We're not sure how it ended up in your system. I've initiated a full investigation, and we won't stop until we find out who did this." She said the name of the drug and the side effects.

  Rafael's head spun. "Was someone trying to kill me? Between this, the car accident, and my property damage…"

  "What property damage?" asked the doctor.

  Cruz stepped over and told her about everything from the egging to the garage door. She scribbled notes on a pad of paper and then turned back to Rafael. "There wasn't enough medication to kill you, but given that it affects memory, it does make me think someone doesn't want you to remember the accident. Obviously, we'll need more information, but that's where I stand for now."

  "Do you think he's going to be safe at home?" his mom asked.

  "I would suggest not leaving him alone," said the doctor. "At least not initially."

  "We'll bring you home with us," said his mom. "That way we can take care of you."

  "What about my house?" he asked.

  "It's fine," said his dad. "You need to rest for a few days."

  Rafael sat up. "My grand opening."

  "Zachary, Jake, and Tiffany are working on it right now," said Cruz. "I'll help them out, too."

  Amara squeezed his hand. "You might not be able to open this coming Monday like you wanted, but we'll all make sure the big event happens on time."

  He leaned back against the pillows. "You're sure?"

  "Everyone's working hard," she promised.

  Another nurse walked into the room. "We'll need everyone to go into the waiting room while we examine the patient."

  Rafael groaned. Going back to his parents' house didn't sound so bad.

  Amara and his family all spoke at once, making no sense, as they left the room. He smiled and nodded, hoping to show everyone—the nurses in particular—that he was doing great.

  One nurse checked the machines for his vitals while the other one removed the bandage from his wrist. They both spoke, and Rafael tried to keep up, answering all of their questions. After what felt like forever, the first nurse asked him to stand. Finally.

  He was too eager to prove how able-bodied he was and stumbled a little as his feet found the floor. "I'm fine," he assured them as the second nurse reached to steady him. He walked around for them—he would have tap danced if they'd have asked. Anything to get out of here and into a familiar setting.

  Before long, t
he nursing staff switched and everyone else was allowed back in his room. He was conscientious of the open-backed gown he sported, so he got comfortable on the bed before his mom and Amara came back into the room with his dad and Cruz.

  He laughed and joked with them until a new nurse came in and his vitals were again checked. She gave him a stack of papers, instructing him how to take care of himself once home. "Will anyone be helping you out?" she asked, looking around at the others.

  "He'll come home with us until he's ready to go back to his house," said his mom.

  "And you're his parents?" asked the nurse.

  His mom nodded proudly.

  The nurse took the papers from Rafael and handed them to his mom. "Let's give the patient some privacy to change into his clothes."

  Rafael glanced around, not seeing any.

  Cruz gestured toward a bag in the closet. "Zachary packed some stuff for you since he's the only one with your key."

  "What about the clothes I was wearing?" Rafael asked with a sinking feeling.

  Everyone else exchanged glances.

  "They were destroyed, too, weren't they?" Rafael asked.

  "Sorry, hon," said his mom. "But it's a real miracle that you're in as good of shape as you are. They say the seat belt and air bag both did their job, otherwise…." Her voice trembled and her eyes shone with tears.

  Rafael shrugged. "They're just clothes. I'll just design some more. And as for my car, I've always loved car shopping." The truth was he hated car shopping, but he would have said anything to cheer up his mom.

  It seemed to work. She wiped at her eyes, smiling. "Okay. Well, we'd better give him his privacy so we can bring him home."

  Amara stepped over to him, surprised him with a quick kiss on his lips, and then went out into the hallway with his family. The nurses weren't far behind.

  Rafael went over to the closet and opened the bag. He didn't recognize it, which meant it had to be Zachary's. Hopefully, the clothes inside were Rafael's. Unzipping it, he saw that they were. His brother had packed him a couple sets of clothes and some pajamas. His toothbrush and few other necessities were in there, too.

  Knowing that he didn't have much time alone, he quickly put on the first outfit and then went into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He nearly choked on toothpaste when he saw his reflection. He looked worse than he had after his first kick boxing match as a teen. He stared at his bruises, not knowing how he hadn't scared Amara away.

  His heart swelled, realizing just how special she really was. Sure, he'd already figured that out, but now it seemed to solidify that belief in ways he never imagined. She obviously didn't care how he looked—whether messed up from cat allergies or a car accident. Not once, but twice, she'd dropped everything to take care of him.

  You've got to marry that girl.

  His heart pounded at the thought. He'd allowed himself to think that he'd forever be single, not giving anyone the chance to hurt him again.

  But he wanted to open himself up to that kind of vulnerability with Amara. He wanted to. Rafael was ready to hand his heart over fully, trusting her with it. No one had ever shown him such selfless concern and care outside of his family.

  He picked up the cheap plastic hospital comb and ran it through his hair. Once his bruises healed, he would propose to Amara.

  The comb did nothing, so he ran water over his hands and then raked them through the tangles. Just as he finished, the perfect idea struck him—he could propose at his grand opening. They would be dressed up and in front of a crowd. It was risky. Oh, but what a story to tell their grandkids.

  Rafael froze. He didn't want kids, but found himself thinking about grandkids with Amara. She really had an effect on him.

  He could almost see the look of surprise on her face as he proposed in his mind. The corners of Rafael's mouth twitched. He would do it. As soon as he was able, he'd get himself to a jeweler and purchase the perfect ring.

  "Are you ready, Rafael?" came a voice from the other room.

  Rafael jumped, having been lost in his thoughts. "I'm decent." He touched up his hair as best he could and went out with a bounce in his step. The quick engagement seemed crazy—and so unlike him—but it was exactly what he wanted. He would marry Amara and treat her so well it would make up for all the crap she'd gone through in school.

  "What are you smiling about?" his mom asked, looking pleased but curious.

  Rafael couldn't drop his smile. "Just glad to be leaving, I suppose."

  She didn't appear to fully believe him. "Well, that's good."

  Amara and Cruz came in with his dad. Amara had dark circles under her eyes. Rafael wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek. "You should get some sleep. Are you okay to drive?"

  She laughed. "You're worried about me?"

  "Of course." He turned to Cruz. "Would you be able to drive her?"

  He shrugged. "I've got an extra helmet."

  A pang of jealousy ran through him at the thought of Amara wrapped around Cruz on his motorcycle. Rafael turned to his parents. "Can she ride with us?"

  "I'm fine," Amara insisted. "I'll grab a coffee before I leave. I slept for a while when you did."

  Rafael pulled her closer. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

  "It won't," she said.

  "I'll follow her," Cruz said. "Make sure she gets home safely. Will that set your banged up mind at ease?"

  Rafael laughed. "Actually, it would."

  They talked for a while as the nurses made notes on the computer, and finally gave him permission to leave—but not before he signed what felt like a million papers.

  Amara held his hand as they all went down to the parking garage. The hospital staff had insisted Rafael ride a wheelchair. Hospital policy or some such nonsense. When they reached the garage, Amara bent over and brushed her lips across his before going back into the elevator, having parked on a different level.

  Rafael watched her until the doors closed. That was his future wife. She just didn't know it yet.

  Twenty Two

  The candy store looked completely different. Somehow Alex had made everything look better after the taffy machine incident. The new hardwood floors shone underneath the now-sparkling, rearranged displays. The door closed behind her, nearly nicking Amara. She moved out of the way and walked around the shop until she reached the front counter.

  Amara glanced at Alex. "How did you get all this done so fast?"

  "High schoolers." He grinned. "They work hard for next to nothing. The flooring was replaced in a day—I just needed the kids' help to move everything out and then back in again."

  "Outside?"

  Alex nodded. "It's been sunny all week. I guess you didn't notice?"

  She shrugged. "I was distracted."

  "Speaking of, how's Rafael?"

  "He's supposed to move back into his house today," she said. "He's been going stir-crazy, especially since his wrist stopped hurting. His bruises are mostly gone, too."

  "Oh, good. And you've had enough time to rest?"

  "Finally caught up on my sleep." She glanced around the shop again. "I feel bad that I wasn't here to help with all this."

  Alex shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Everything worked out. And now we have help in the afternoons."

  "How long can we afford to keep them on?" Amara asked, doubtful.

  "As long as we need to. One agreed to work for candy if it came down to that." He laughed.

  Amara shook her head. "You've worked so hard lately. Why don't you go home and rest?"

  "Can't."

  She arched a brow.

  "We've got two field trips today."

  "Two?" she asked. "Haven't we already had most of the classes this month?"

  Alex grinned widely, showing off his perfectly white teeth. "These are from out of town."

  "What?"

  "Word of mouth. We've got a couple a day lined up for most of the next month."

  Amara tried to comprehend it. "In November?"


  "Yep."

  "You do realize April Fool's Day in April, right?"

  Alex laughed. "I'm serious."

  "We should definitely be able to afford the high school kids if that's the case."

  "And you can take some time for your online business."

  Amara slapped her forehead. She hadn't even checked her orders since Rafael's accident. "I'm going to get horrible ratings. I haven't—"

  "You know how I keep promising to help with that?" Alex asked.

  Amara stared at him. "You didn't."

  "While you were out, I went to Mom and Dad's—well, your place. Sorry. And filled the ones I could. I also ordered what it looked like you needed. The special orders I couldn't do, but I emailed all of them an explanation and promised a special surprise when their order arrived."

  Amara's eyes filled with tears.

  "Oh, don't," Alex said. "You know I hate it when you cry."

  She knew it was true. Alex had bruised up his hands on Jackson's face a couple times after she'd come home in tears. "But this is happy crying."

  "I know not of your strange ways. Stop now."

  Amara laughed. "Okay. When's the first class due to arrive?"

  He glanced at the clock. "About a half hour."

  "Are we going to use the taffy machine?" she asked.

  "I've tested it a few times and it seems to be as good as new. Honestly, I've never seen it run better."

  "Really?"

  "Want to see?" Alex asked.

  "I'll take your word. Looks like we need to restock some of the shelves."

  "Oh, right. Thanks for noticing. There was a huge rush before closing last night."

  They went to the back room and brought out what they needed and got everything ready just before the first field trip arrived. The entire morning went by in a blur. Amara had tried to keep an eye out to see if Rafael had gone into his shop, but she'd only been able to peek a few times, and she hadn't seen any activity.

  She flung herself into a chair behind the counter as soon as they had no customers.

  "Why don't you take your lunch first?" Alex asked.

  "No. You've been working here all this time and—"

  "I insist, little sister."

  "Little? We're twins."