by Jeny Heckman
He looked over at her in consternation, glasses perched on top of her nose, another pair on top of her head, brows furrowed.
“Why the sudden interest in Greek mythology, Dee?”
“Um.” She decided at the last moment not to tell him what happened that night.
Dee didn’t understand it herself and didn’t want to worry him or have him think she was losing her mind. However, she did decide she would need help if she were to understand all the connections and relationships.
“Finn, I want to learn about this, but some of it’s beyond confusing. Can you help me a little?”
“Sure, when I got time. I remember it being kind of cool. The gods were all horny little bastards, a lotta rape and pillaging going on. I think I just liked hot girls in togas. At least I did in college.”
“College?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “The Sig Nu’s had a Greek-themed party once, might’ve gotten a little outta hand.”
“Yes,” she said derisively. “Money well spent I’m sure.”
“So, what group do you want to learn about?”
“I think the Cronus group and then the Zeus group.”
“Okay.” The man stood and pushed his chair into place. “Well, I can already tell you who the biggest badass was, and it sure as hell wasn’t Zeus.”
“No? Who was it?” She looked up and smiled at his grinning face.
“I gotta go with Poseidon. Earthquakes and tsunamis… Total badass.”
“Right.” Dee looked at her grandson incredulously and nodded her head. “Right.”
Chapter 6
In the two weeks since Dee’s revelation, Raven spent her time sunbathing by day and working on arrangements by night. She’d spent little time trying to get to know her island or its inhabitants. It was something Wyatt appeared to become more annoyed with her about and raised the topic ad nauseam.
“You look tan,” he said, as they utilized the video phone on her computer. “I gotta come over there. I think I’m turning clear.”
“It just takes two weeks of being a blob in the sun,” she chortled.
“I think I could live with that. How many people have you met?”
“People?” she asked evasively.
“Yes, Rave, people. You know perfectly well what I’m talking about. Intelligent creatures that have fun, protruding playthings.” She burst out laughing.
“I’ve met some people.”
“You liar. You just said you’ve been at the beach and working on arrangements.”
“Right, and I’m meeting with Jason in”—she looked at the clock on the stove—“about twenty minutes. He’s here for a week, and we’re going to brainstorm the future.”
“Great.”
“You like Jason.”
“No, I’ve never liked Jason.”
“Why? He’s nice and good at what he does.”
“I reserve judgment on whether he knows what he’s doing or not. You should too, quite frankly. He’s been on the job for exactly two seconds, he’s weird, and likes you way too much.”
“A terrible attribute to be sure.”
“I mean he just smiles too much and touches you a lot. Just don’t be alone with him for too long,” he warned. Then backpedaled at her crestfallen face. “I mean, just, I don’t know, go find a cool surfer dude named Kai or Breeze or something and hang out with him.”
“You need to stop talking now.”
“Okay, but promise me, for the next two nights, you go out somewhere and talk to someone different.”
“Two nights straight?”
“Yep.”
“Maybe.” Evading, she switched to him. “Have you seen the girls?”
“No, I got offered that survival training gig and have been pretty preoccupied. Actually, it looks like I’m probably not going to be able to make it out there, either.”
“What?”
“I know, I know. I’ll let you know if it changes, but my first two groups will be coming through, and each are four-week courses.”
“You were able to get off work for it?”
“Yeah. I didn’t give them much choice though. They aren’t exactly in the position to bargain right now. It might be time for a change anyway.” He smiled at her. “Maybe it runs in the family.”
“Well, maybe I should…” There was a knock on her door. “Oh Wy, I think Jason’s here early.”
“Shocker.” She glared at him with irritation, so he responded earnestly, “Fine. Two nights though, okay, and call me later?”
“Okay.” She blew him a kiss and closed the laptop, setting it down on the table. She smoothed down the short sundress covering her swimsuit and opened the door to her new manager.
“Jason,” she said, smiling. “You made it.”
“I made it.” He grinned, and hugged her, then held her arms out from her sides and took her in. “Wow Raven, you look…amazing.” Blushing, she pushed her hair back from her face. “I hope I look this good in a few days.”
“I was just telling Wyatt, it’s easy to get a tan when all you do is lay around. I probably need to start getting productive again. Ah, please,” she advised, noticing he was still holding her hands and standing in an open doorway, “come on in.”
The truth was she cared for Jason, just not the same way he cared for her. The problem was she hadn’t been able to tell him she wasn’t interested in him personally. However, needing a new manager, she resolved to promote him rather than disappoint him. Raven did understand that eventually, the conversation of a relationship beyond professional would have to happen.
“What a fantastic room,” he observed, walking around the space.
The bungalow was large and airy, and with the windows opened, it almost looked like an outside covered patio. The white filmy drapes billowed in the wind, and the décor was all sand, seashells, and in colors of various shades of blues and greens. The ocean beckoned from the windows, and sunlight created thousands of diamonds on its surface.
“Is that plumeria?” he asked, breathing in through his nose.
“Yeah. I think it saturates the dirt around the bungalow here. Very Hawaiian. Here.” Raven poured and handed him a glass of chardonnay before padding out to the deck. He dropped his briefcase on a chair, and followed her, sipping his wine. “So, have you been to the hotel yet?”
“No, that’s the next stop.” He stood and looked out at the lush foliage and beyond that, the crystal-clear blue of the ocean. “Wow. Are you ever going to want to leave here, when it’s time?”
“I have no idea,” she replied, laughing. “It really is paradise, right.” Sipping her wine, she added, “Was your flight good?”
“Yeah, good… Long but uneventful.”
They talked about the weather and news back home, as well as some of the things they wanted to accomplish in his short stay. After about thirty minutes, his stomach growled with complaint.
“Sorry, I waited to have dinner and thought maybe we’d go out. You can introduce me to Kaua’i.” He looked over at her hopefully. Shit, she thought, he was just like Wyatt said.
“Sure.” Improvising, she added, “There’s a restaurant over on Po’ipū Beach.” It was the only restaurant she’d had a meal at. “Po’ipū Lani’s. It’s close.”
“Okay. I’ll get settled in, then how ’bout I come pick you up? Or maybe just come with me.”
“Oh no, I have to get cleaned up. I’ll just walk over and meet you. You’re at the main hotel, right?” When he nodded, she continued, “It’s really close to that. In fact, it’s about halfway between us.”
“Yeah? Okay, so Pie-oop-boo?”
“No,” Raven laughed, “Poy. Like toy but a P and poo. Po’ipū.”
“Okay.” Jason laughed too, “Po’ipū Lani’s in forty-five minutes to an hour?”
“Sure, get settled in, and I’ll see you over there.”
He handed her his empty glass and kissed her cheek before leaving. Ugh, she thought, this is going to be so much work. Why
couldn’t everyone just do their own thing? Why did humans have such an insatiable need to coexist, she thought testily. Turning to her reflection in a mirror, she saw the old washed-out sundress, hair coming out of its braid, and no makeup. Fine, coexist it is.
Chapter 7
“Hey, Nate,” Finn said into his cell phone, watching Jake throw a line to Dawson.
“Hey, I need you to come rescue me,” Nate whispered. There was a noise and then the muffled sound of Nate’s voice.
“Annie, I’m sorry, but I gotta meet Finn. It’s about work; it’s important.” Noise again, then Nate was back. “Look, Finn, I understand you don’t get what’s happening but let’s meet, and I’ll explain it all again.” Nate spoke loudly now. Finn knew he was officially under the bus to Nate’s wife.
“Oh, yeah?” Finn said with a laugh. “So, not only are you asking me to do you a favor but I’m now a clueless idiot too.”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh. Yeah, okay, I’ll meet you at Lani’s in an hour.”
“You don’t deserve that woman, you little cocksucker.”
“Yes, I know, just calm down, and we’ll figure it out.”
The phone disconnected and Finn laughed at his pathetic friend. After finishing the day and a quick shower at home, he made his way into Po’ipū. He’d arrived early to make sure the seal hadn’t returned. A green sea turtle, also endangered, had replaced the seal, but volunteers had efficiently placed stakes around him and were keeping a vigil against unwanted attention. The turtle glanced Finn’s way but was content, so he decided to go to the restaurant and get started on a beer, rather than stay out on the beach to wait.
Inside was packed, mostly with tourists. The heady smell of suntan lotion and grilled food perfumed the air. He navigated his way to the end of the small bar and sat down on a barstool. When his beer arrived, he tilted his head back and took two thirst-quenching gulps, when he saw her and slowly lowered the bottle.
She was wearing a cerulean blue bohemian-style dress. Long, caramel-colored hair tousled over well-toned, tan shoulders. It looked like she’d just raked her hand through her hair, flipping it over her head. The soft blue of her dress vee’d over the crest of each breast, the material held together by a small threaded bow. Full, unpainted lips drained a glass containing some sort of clear liquid, with a lime wedge hooked on the rim. She nodded at the bartender for another, then glanced around like she was extremely uncomfortable to be there. Finally, her eyes locked with his and held, almost daring each other to look away. She did first, then pretended she’d never seen him.
Rather than approaching her, he resolved to just sit for a minute and enjoy the view, a hand running down his beard, sexy smile on his face. The waiter asked if she was waiting for a table, but he couldn’t hear her response. Finn decided she was just trying to look busy when she whipped out her phone and began scanning its contents. He rose, grinning, willing to play the game, and walked to the barstool beside hers to sit down.
A warm wind blew into the open panels for windows, and he had a sense she knew it was him before even looking up. She took a deep breath and lifted crystal baby blue eyes to his. He looked back at her as she appeared startled. Finn was used to the attention his eyes seemed to attract. He used it to his advantage in all kinds of situations, this being one—keeping women off balance.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “How ya doin’?” His voice resonated deeply in his chest, flustering her further.
“I-I don’t know, but yeah, okay, I guess,” she stuttered quietly, and flicked her eyes down, sipping her drink.
He drew his brows together. Not exactly the typical response he got, but he would go with it.
“What’s your name?” he asked, as the bartender set down her drink. “Thanks, man,” he said for her.
“Raven,” she said quietly.
“Raven?” he repeated. “Great name. I’m Finn—Taylor.”
“Finn?” She looked up now, confused. “Like a flipper?” Then seeming to realize how ridiculous that sounded, blushed furiously.
Okay, he thought with a smile, a little disappointed that maybe there wasn’t a lot going on upstairs, but he’d known worse—hopefully.
“Or maybe even like a fin.” He gestured at the bartender for another beer, then rested an elbow on the bar and ran his hand through his beard again, watching her.
“Right.” She gave a nervous laugh. “Finn.”
“So, ah,” looking around the bar, he asked with a half laugh, “you aren’t from Kaua’i, right?”
“Ah, no.” She exhaled with a smile, then gulped her drink. “Seattle.”
“Oh, Seattle. I’ve never been there. I hear it rains and it’s cold.”
“Sometimes, but ya know, not all the time.”
“Right.” She was white as a sheet, and he was beginning to worry that she’d actually dissolve into a puddle before his eyes. “So, you’re on vacation then, with your family?”
“I, ah, no. I’m here for work and then a vacation.”
“Oh, what do you do?”
“I, what?”
“Look, are you okay?” He stopped running his hand down his beard and tilted his head toward her. “You seem really nervous.”
“No, I…shit.” She dropped her bag on the floor and reached down to pick it up. Finn reached down to help, giving him the advantage of seeing deep cleavage and no bra.
Fuck me, he mouthed, then groaned and turned his head away.
“What?”
“Ah.” Eyes wide, he shook his head a little. “Where d’ya work? What do you do?”
“Oh, I ah, I’m a musician.”
“Really, like you got a band or something?” He was a little shocked that this woman could stand on a stage and be willing to have people watch her.
“Something like that, yeah. For the next couple of months, I’ll be in Hawai’i.”
“Oh, wow.” Tilting his head, he tried to ascertain if she had a real job. “Where do you…”
“What do you do?” she asked at the same time.
“Me? Oh, I’m a marine biologist with SeaHunt Researchers. We have a privately funded program. The only one on Kaua’i. It’s for research of the Hawaiian monk seal.”
“Monk seal?”
The woman ran her eyes down his body. Uncharacteristically disconcerted, Finn regarded himself in the bar mirror checking for flaws. Hard, lean, broad chest, thick, shoulder-length hair, and short beard, all kissed generously by the sun. I can’t look that bad, he thought to himself. He lifted the corner of his mouth in what was described to him as a purely sensual smile. Raven looked confused, as if trying to remember something. Her body jerked a little, in the same moment he realized, she was the apparition from the beach. Searching her face wildly, he tried to compare every expression and movement to his memory of that experience.
“Hey, was that…” He began, causing her to re-focus.
“Raven,” Jason called, walking up to the two of them and causing both to jump. He quickly leaned in between them and kissed her cheek, trying to convey territory in what seemed like an intensely intimate conversation. “Sorry, I’m a little late, underestimated the walk.”
She blinked at Finn, then looked up and smiled at Jason.
“Hi, um, don’t worry about it. Jason, this is Finn Taylor.” She gestured between the two men. “Finn, Jason Dell.”
“Hello.” Jason coolly extended a hand.
Finn didn’t take his eyes off Raven as he extended a hand. With a look of supreme irritation, Jason squeezed overly hard, causing Finn to give him a warning look. Jason let go immediately, and Finn's eyes returned to Raven.
“Well, I think our table’s ready darling,” Jason said to the couple that wasn’t listening to him. Reaching out a hand, he clasped her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “Are you ready, sweetheart?”
Raven let the endearment go and nodded her head, but didn’t move. Jason helped her to her feet, prompting Finn to stand too. As the newcomer led her away, Raven felt Finn’s e
yes watch her go but then he called out.
“Raven?” The couple turned, and he lifted his chin. “I’ll see ya around then?”
Her eyes darted around the room as if searching for inspiration, before returning to his. She covered her bottom lip with her top and turned back to Jason.
“Okay,” Jason nervously said after they’d ordered. “So that was weird, right?”
“What?” she asked, distracted.
Her mind raced to the images. It was a jolt to her nervous system when she realized he was the sun-bronzed god that knelt next to the seal. She actually conversed with him. Well, kind of. Finn seemed to realize it too. His eyes widened and searched her face, excited. She felt like the man bewitched her with those eyes. She had never seen anything like them before in real life—she remembered seeing them before she left Seattle, those eyes in her dreams, and it startled her.
“Hilo Hawai’i over there.”
“I just saw him a while ago on the beach and forgot.”
“Well,” he said, abruptly changing the subject, “I know you wanted to be here instead of Oahu, but some things can happen over there next week.” Gently leading her to a possible island hop, especially since Malibu Don Juan had discovered her. “Maybe this weekend we could go over there. Take in some culture,” he suggested.
“Oh, well, I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet, Jason.” She sipped her drink. “I genuinely want to take things slow and do it right. I need to, you know, decide on appearances and what kinds of performances and stuff.”
“So, it sounds like you have some thoughts on that.”
Their food arrived, giving her time to think. Looking wistfully out at the water, she began to fidget.
“I’m not”—she paused—“I’m not sure I want to do things the old way.”
Jason had been looking out toward the water too, a satisfied smile on his face. She turned and watched Finn retreat into the darkness. She turned back to Jason and looked at him, confused. He simply stared back, an innocent expression on his face.
“What do you mean?” he asked, as if nothing had happened.