“Why?”
“To turn them in at the rental place.”
“You mean you’re done riding?”
“Well, yeah.”
Gil frowned. “You were doing so great, Lelani. Why don’t you go and ride a few more times? I’m fine now that the doctor has taken care of me.”
“Oh, I couldn’t—”
“Yes, you can. And you’ll add insult to injury if you don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ll be blaming myself for ruining your day.”
“You didn’t ruin—”
“Seriously, Lelani. It’d make me happy to see you enjoy this.” He waved his wrapped arm toward the big window.
This was very tempting. She had been enjoying herself, and she hated for it all to end. “Are you positive?”
“Absolutely.”
“And you’ll be okay?”
He grinned. “Hey, I can still walk. And if I need to, I can always go get this cocoa spiked with something to help relieve the pain.”
She laughed. “Okay. I’ll do a couple more runs and then we might want some lunch anyway.”
“Sounds great.”
Lelani felt a little guilty as she made her first run. But by the second run, she was totally enjoying the adventure. This was the first time since coming to the mainland that she had actually felt like she was having fun. Riding reminded her of surfing, but in some ways it was almost better. You never got to have such long rides on a wave. Although it was colder. Definitely colder. And she didn’t mind returning to the lodge to check on Gil.
“How’s it going?” she asked.
He set down the Popular Mechanics magazine that he’d been reading and smiled. “Not bad, all things considered. I’ve had a couple of chicks stop by and offer me their sympathy.”
“What a surprise. Cute guy, incapacitated. You’re like a real chick magnet.”
“But I told them my girlfriend was a doctor and that seemed to scare them off.”
She laughed. Then they went to have some lunch. And after they were seated, she told him just how wonderful the day was. “Well, other than your injured wrist.” She frowned. “I feel terrible about that.”
“And I feel terrible that I’ve abandoned you.” He popped a fry into his mouth. “But I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
“And we can go whenever you like.”
“I think you need to get in some more rides.”
“It’s so magical up there.” She looked out the window to where the slope met the blue sky with pine trees all around. “It’s like I feel connected to the earth again. I know that probably sounds weird. But it’s a feeling I get when I surf—like I belong. And it makes me think of God, too.”
“Of God?” Gil cocked his head slightly. “How so?”
She wasn’t sure how to explain it. “Kind of like I’m thankful that God created such a spectacular planet.”
“I didn’t know you were into God.”
“Well, Megan was telling me that I needed to trust God. I was sort of having one of those panic attacks. Like I just couldn’t go through another day. The stuff with my parents … with Emma … like I was never going to figure it all out.”
“And God helps with that?”
She nodded. “I don’t even totally understand it myself. But there is something to it. I know there is. Because when I think about God, and when I sort of give my troubles to him, well, I begin to feel better. Like someone—I mean God—has lifted this heavy thing from my shoulders. I know it probably sounds strange. But it’s real. It’s tangible. And when I was riding up the lift and then down the slope, it’s like I felt that reality even more. Do you think that’s weird?”
He shook his head. “No. Not at all. I mean, I’ve never been too into church or God. We were raised Catholic. Well, until we refused to go to Mass and confession. Both Anna and I are a great disappointment in that regard to our mom, although our dad doesn’t participate either. But my mom takes her religion very seriously.” Gil frowned now.
“And that’s not good?”
“No, I’m not saying that. I think it’s very good for her. She needs something like that to hold onto. I’m just not sure about myself.”
“So, you don’t believe in God?”
“I’m not saying that, either.”
“Oh.”
“I guess I’m saying that I haven’t given it much thought. I suppose I do believe in God. But that’s about it.”
“Okay.”
“But I think it’s great if the whole God thing is helping you, Lelani. And I don’t mean that as a putdown. I’m just being honest. I don’t totally get it.”
“But you’re open?”
He nodded. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Lelani smiled. She wasn’t even sure why it mattered, but for some reason it did. And she was relieved to know that Gil didn’t think she was foolish for getting interested in God. She knew that wasn’t the case with some of her old med school friends. The science world that she’d been exposed to seemed fairly antagonistic toward God. Certainly Ben had been so. She cringed to remember how he insisted she have an abortion, or how irritated he’d been when she refused. He’d even accused her of being a religious fanatic who was disguising herself as something else. Of course, that was ridiculous. But it hurt just the same.
As Lelani rode down the slope for the last time of the day, she paused midway down to look up at the sky. She took in a long, deep breath and felt strangely strong. But perhaps most surprising was that she felt truly hopeful. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d felt hopeful. And she suspected it had to do with God.
“Thank you,” she whispered up to the sky. “Thank you!”
Because of Gil’s wrist, Lelani drove them home. And she wasn’t sure if he was just worn down from his injury or if she’d somehow offended him, but Gil was strangely quiet. Perhaps she shouldn’t have continued to ride through the afternoon. Or maybe his arm was actually hurt worse than she’d suggested. Maybe she should’ve checked it before they left.
“How’s your wrist?” she asked as she entered the freeway.
“It’s aching, but not too bad.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Well, it sort of is,” she pointed out. “I was the one who wanted to go up there, and I was the one who wanted to try snowboarding.”
“I was totally on board,” he said. “You didn’t force me into it.”
“Anyway, I can still feel sorry, can’t I?”
“Sorry, but not responsible. You know that you do that, don’t you?”
“What?”
“Blame yourself for a lot of things that aren’t your fault.”
“Oh.”
“It’s because you’ve got a kind heart, Lelani. But sometimes you’re way too hard on yourself.”
“Yes. I’m trying to figure that all out,” she admitted.
Then Gil got quiet again and Lelani decided that maybe he was just tired. She knew enough about medicine to know that an injury could wear a person out. Finally, they pulled back into town. “Hey, should I drop you at your house or what?”
He straightened in his seat. “Oh, I can probably make it okay from your house. Why don’t you just head home?”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. My wrist is actually feeling a little better. I think that last dose of Advil kicked in.”
“Well, remember to keep it iced and elevated,” she said. “And make sure that bandage isn’t too tight. You don’t want to cut off your circulation.”
“Yes, Doctor.” He chuckled.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
She pulled up in front of the hous
e on Bloomberg Place. “You’re sure you can drive?”
“No problem. It’s only a few miles.”
They both got out of the car, and Lelani gathered up her stuff. “Thanks for everything, Gil. It was really a fantastic day. Well, except for your wrist.”
“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said before she headed up the walk. “My mom has invited us for dinner tomorrow night. Anna and Jake are coming too. Can you make it?”
Lelani considered this. A part of her was excited to go, happy to become a bigger part of Gil’s life. But another part was cautious. Or maybe just nervous.
“It’s not like you’re making a life commitment,” he said as if reading her thoughts. “My mom just wanted to have family around and she asked Anna and me to bring a friend.”
“Bring a friend?” She frowned.
He gave her a goofy grin. “You’re more than a friend, Lelani. At least from my point of view. But I don’t want to push you.”
She smiled now. “I’d love to come.”
“I’ll call you with the details later, okay?”
Then he leaned over the stuff she had in her arms and, totally out of character, gave her a quick peck. She blinked but tried not to look too surprised. After all, hadn’t she known this was coming? Still, it caught her off guard. She thanked him again and, eager to get away, she dashed up to the house.
Twenty
Kendall
“Are you lost?” A pretty brunette paused on the corner with her dog by her side. It was one of those little dogs, not a Chihuahua, but a small, fluffy white one. One of those yippy breeds, and it was wearing a blue collar with rhinestones that sparkled in the sun. It was Saturday morning, and Kendall had driven down Matthew’s street several times, hoping to spot him, although that hadn’t been the case. And now, just her luck, Kendall thought she’d been spotted by his wife.
“I noticed you’ve driven down the street a couple of times,” said the woman, who had to be Heidi or her twin. “Are you looking for something?”
Kendall considered stepping on the gas, but knew that would only draw more attention. “I, uh, I was just looking for a house.”
“What house?”
“A house to buy, you know,” lied Kendall. “I thought there was one for sale on this street.”
“Oh?” The woman’s brow creased. “You know, there was a house for sale, that gold stucco down there, but it sold a couple weeks ago.”
Kendall nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like it.”
“I don’t know of any other homes for sale.” The little dog was lunging on his leash now, barking and acting as if he wanted to jump onto the rental car.
“Cute dog,” said Kendall. Another lie.
“His name is Finley. He thinks he’s really a Doberman trapped in the body of a Westie.”
Kendall couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sorry about the house being sold. Do you have a realtor?”
“No.” Kendall shook her head. “A friend had told me about the house. I don’t live down here, but I’m relocating for a job.”
“One of my best friends is a realtor.”
“Oh, that’s okay.” Now Kendall was getting worried. What if Matthew popped out of the house and saw her talking to his wife?
“No, it’s fine. If you have a minute, I can write down her number for you.” She pointed to the house—the same house Kendall had been driving past since yesterday. “I live over there. You can pull into the drive.”
So, not wanting to make more of a scene, Kendall slowly drove around and pulled into the circular driveway, stopping short of the security gate.
“I’ll be right back,” called the woman.
Kendall’s heart was racing now. Should she just make a fast break and get out of there? Or wait and see what happened? Part of her was curious and, she had to admit, starstruck. As much as she had pooh-poohed Heidi Hardwick and her fledgling career, which maybe was or wasn’t rising, she could see this woman had something. Still, maybe that proved that her marriage was in trouble. How could two celebrities survive that kind of pressure?
“Here it is.” Heidi jogged back out and handed a slip of paper to Kendall.
“Are you”—Kendall frowned as if trying to think of something—“Are you an actress on that new Fox series?”
Heidi nodded and pushed a shiny lock of hair out of her eyes. “Yeah. That’s me.”
Kendall feigned surprise, then smiled. “Well, that’s cool.”
“Yeah. Anyway, give Kellie a call, and I’m sure she can help you find something. Maybe even in this neighborhood. Sometimes houses are listed without for-sale signs.”
“Thanks!” Then Kendall waved and pulled out of the driveway. She felt silly, but she also felt hopeful. Maybe this would be the key to connecting with Matthew. She drove a few blocks away and dialed the number.
“Hey, this is Kellie,” said a cheerful voice.
“Your friend Heidi Hardwick gave me your number,” Kendall began. “I’m house hunting and she thought you could help me.”
“I’m sure I can.”
So they arranged to meet at a Starbucks about a mile away. Over coffee, Kendall manufactured a story about coming down for an executive job in the film industry.
“Which studio?” asked Kellie eagerly.
Kendall put a finger over her lips. “It’s kind of top secret right now.”
“Oh.” Kellie nodded. “I get you.”
Kendall let Kellie show her several houses. The whole time they chatted away, and Kendall knew she was making Kellie think she was somebody—somebody she wasn’t, but somebody that she might be someday.
“So, you’re probably coming to the birthday party tonight,” said Kellie as they were walking around a sprawling ranch house.
“Oh, yeah.” Kendall smacked her forehead. “I almost forgot. Now where is it again?”
“You’re obviously not a local,” said Kellie. “No one around here would forget Spago.”
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” Kendall wanted to ask what time, but knew that could be pushing it. Besides, it was tonight. How difficult could that be? Kendall glanced at her shiny Cartier watch. “Oh, wow, I didn’t know it was so late. I have to meet up with some, uh, associates, you know. I’m going to have to take off if I’m going to make it on time.”
“Sure, no problem. Did any of these houses interest you?”
“I totally loved the second one,” said Kendall as Kellie locked the front door. “That pool area was awesome.”
“Great, I’ll e-mail you some more details on it, and you can get back to me at your convenience. Although I’ll warn you, houses in that particular neighborhood don’t remain on the market for long.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Great to meet you, Kendall,” said Kellie. “See you tonight!”
Kendall smiled and waved and got back into the rental car. Her plan was to head to her hotel, get a little sun, take a little nap, and then make sure she had the perfect party outfit. The hotel boutique seemed to have possibilities. After that, she’d spend her remaining time primping for the party.
Okay, she was a little curious about whose birthday she was crashing but felt fairly certain that Matthew and Heidi would be there. Maybe it was Matthew’s birthday. What a surprise she would give him.
Her conscience was bothering her a little. It hadn’t helped matters to meet Heidi, or to find out that she seemed fairly nice, although looks could be deceiving. Just because Heidi was friendly to a perfect stranger didn’t mean she was a good wife to her husband. Plenty of wives were witches behind closed doors. She had a feeling that was Heidi’s little secret—and the reason their marriage was in trouble. At least that’s what she told herself as she changed into her bikini. Then she admired her reflection. That
spray-on tan was still looking good. It was a shame that Matthew wasn’t around to see her looking this good.
Kendall was careful not to get too much sun. No way did she want to show up at the party looking like a lobster. On her way back to her room, she decided to stop at the boutique, just in case they had something really special—something that would jolt Matthew back into her reality.
“I’m going to a party tonight,” Kendall told the saleswoman. “It’s sort of unexpected and I’m not sure I have the right outfit.”
The woman looked Kendall up and down, then nodded. “I have the most delectable little Vera Wang.”
Kendall considered this as well as her credit-card limit. She certainly didn’t want history to repeat itself with her being thrown out of this hotel. “Well, I am on something of a budget.”
“You’re in luck, then. I marked the dress half-off this morning. It’s really more of a summer color, but I think it would be perfect on you. Honestly, the color is almost the same as your gorgeous blue eyes. Do you want to see it?”
Kendall smiled. “Sure.”
The woman went to find it, and Kendall tried not to get her hopes up. In all likelihood the dress would be too expensive. But it wouldn’t hurt to look.
“Here it is,” said the clerk. She held out a scrumptious little beaded dress in sparkling robin’s-egg blue. Kendall wasn’t too sure about it matching her eyes, but the color was amazing.
“Wow, that’s really pretty.”
“Let’s go try it.” The woman led the way to the dressing room, then handed Kendall the dress. “And don’t even look at the price, let the dress speak for itself.”
So Kendall did as she was told, and when she saw the dress hugging her body, the spaghetti straps showing off her golden tan, well, it was a no-brainer. “So, how much is it?” she asked as she stepped out of the cubicle.
“Oh, my!” the clerk clapped her hand over her mouth. “You look fabulous.” She turned her head and called out. “Marilee! Come here and look at this.”
Another woman came and scrutinized Kendall, then smiled and nodded. “That dress was made for you.”
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