His, Unexpectedly

by Susan Fox

  Well, maybe best of all was the way their fingers interwove atop the table, and the affection in my sister’s eyes as she listened to him and Merilee. Kat, in contrast to Merilee, was bursting with vitality, from her mass of reddish-brown curls to the animation on her face. I crossed my fingers that this time she’d be lucky.

  Matt, as usual, had his arm around M’s shoulders. He had squeaky-clean, wholesome good looks, and every time I saw him, he looked older—in a good way. A real man now, not the boy who’d grown up as almost one of the family.

  Next, I focused on Tree, the older sister who’d alternated between looking after me, bossing me around, and ignoring me. She sure looked different. Her brown hair was still short and simple, her face free of make-up as always, but she had a light tan and wore a pretty green sleeveless blouse that was more feminine than her usual style. Even more than the superficial stuff, though, there was an indefinable something, a confidence and … sexiness. I grinned. Oh yeah, the thriller writer was good for my big sis.

  Finally, my gaze rested on Dad, who was talking intently to Tree. For a prof, he looked pretty darned good, more due to great genes than to any effort to look after himself. His shoulders weren’t stooped, he was still slim, and though his hair was silvering, he still had lots of it. His eyes, behind the glasses he’d always worn, were sharp.

  In fact, when I stepped out from my hiding place and walked toward them, he was the first to see me. “Jenna! You’re home.” He rose quickly and came toward me.

  “Jenna!” Merilee squealed, leaping up and running past him to hug me first. “You’re here, you’re really here!” She grabbed me tight and squeezed, and I hugged her back, for the moment purely happy to be home.

  She passed me to Dad for a quick, sincere hug. Kat was next, her embrace warm as always. “Hey, Kitty-Kat,” I whispered in her ear, “very, very hot guy.”

  Tree was next and her hug was tighter than usual. “You look fabulous, Sis,” I told her.

  “You look the same as always. You never age a day.” Tonight it actually came across as a compliment, not a subtle dig that it was time I grew up.

  Next came Matt. I stretched up to kiss his cheek. “Cool, I finally get a brother.”

  He chuckled and squeezed my hands. “Good to see you, Jenna. I know how much it means to M, having all of you here.”

  Kat grabbed her guy’s hand and brought him to stand in front of me. “And this is Nav.”

  He held out his hand. “Naveen Bharani. Pleased to meet you, Jenna.”

  I put my hand in his and we shook firmly. “I must say, you do live up to all the hype.”

  Humor sparkled in those dark-lashed, chocolate eyes. “My reputation precedes me?”

  “I bet you’ve heard a thing or two about me,” I said wryly.

  The twinkle grew. “Only good things.”

  “Okay, Kat, toss him out. This one’s a liar.”

  We all laughed, then Tree said, “Have you eaten? There’s leftovers—barbecued honey garlic chicken and potato salad—in the fridge. We haven’t had dessert yet, but Kat made chocolate mousse.”

  “Sounds great. You guys go ahead with dessert and I’ll catch up.”

  As Kat and Nav began to clear the table, I hurried to the front of the house and brought in my luggage, dumping it at the foot of the stairs, then I made quick use of the powder room and went out to the kitchen.

  Quickly, I served myself, then headed out to the patio where the others were digging into bowls of mousse garnished with whipped cream and raspberries. Fresh raspberries, like the ones Mark and I had shared.

  Dad was seated at the head of the table with Tree and M&M on his left. On his right, where Kat had been seated, there was now an empty chair shoved between her and Dad, and someone had poured me a glass of white wine.

  As I sat down, Dad smiled at me. “How was the drive? It’s a long trip.”

  “Yeah, but it was fine. And it’s good to be home.” Despite my mixed feelings about my family, those words were the truth. Sometimes, when we were picking at each other, I lost track of how much we really loved each other.

  “I was almost expecting you to show up with a man in tow,” Dad said.

  My fork clanked against my plate. “What? What do you mean?” Had something in my voice or my e-mails given me away?

  “Theresa did, with Damien, who’d been on the same flight. Then Kat did, with Nav, who’d come out on the train with her. I was starting to see a pattern.”

  Chaos theory. Trying to act casual, I rolled my eyes. “For the last time, I did not pick up a hitchhiker.”

  “We never know what to expect from you,” Tree said dryly. “You’re always saying you live to shock. You can’t have it both ways.”

  “Seems like you’ve been doing a little shocking of your own,” I challenged her. “That is, if rumors about Waikiki Beach are true.”

  Color rose to her cheeks. Oh my gosh, was it true she’d had sex on the beach?

  I thought of being with Mark on that beach after sunset and, for a moment, let my mind drift to pictures of sex on various beaches all over the world.

  Dad was frowning. “What rumors?”

  Much as we sisters might tease and criticize each other, we kept each other’s deepest secrets. So, tongue in cheek, I said, “I hear your workaholic, intellectual daughter actually took time out to stroll the beach. Right, Tree?”

  Her lips twitched. “I confess to strolling. Blame Damien. He even got me into a bikini.”

  And out of it too, I was sure. “Can’t wait to meet him.” I leveled her with a gaze that said, And hear all the deets from you, then turned to Kat. “Has Nav got you doing anything uncharacteristic?”

  Her eyes gleamed above a spoonful of whipped-cream topped mousse. “He’s taught me a thing or two. Indian men are extremely well educated.”

  Nav choked back a laugh as Kat leaned over and whispered, “Kama Sutra” in my ear.

  “Oh, yeah?” I stared at the pair, curiosity peaked. And here I thought I was the adventuresome one.

  Seeing Merilee and Tree hide giggles, I felt a rush of jealousy. My sisters had been together sharing secrets, and I felt left out. If I told them about Mark, would they tell me I didn’t deserve him or include me in that girlish, gossipy warmth?

  I refilled my wine glass. “Okay, now to the important stuff. Catch me up on what’s happening with the wedding, and what I can do to help. I’m all yours.” And I resolved not to worry about Mark and the future until I was alone in my room.

  Predictably, Tree began, laying everything out logically as Merilee and Kat chipped in. I let them talk, and settled in to enjoy the chicken and potato salad.

  As it started to get dark, Kat turned on the patio lights then came out with chocolate mousse for me.

  “Thanks.” I savored the rich, creamy dessert: dark chocolate with a hint of coffee, perfectly accented by vanilla-flavored whipped cream and ripe raspberries. My lips tingled at the memory of Mark gently pressing berries to my lips.

  Dad stood up. “I’ll leave you to it. I have some work to do.”

  “I’m surprised he lasted this long,” Kat whispered. “Wedding talk isn’t exactly his thing.”

  “Night, Dad,” I said as he headed toward the kitchen, and the others chorused their good nights, too.

  In the doorway, he turned and smiled. “It’s good to have all my girls back home.” Then he went inside.

  I shook my head. “Good to have us home, but he’d rather work.”

  “Yes, but I think he and Mom really do like having us here,” Tree mused. “That’s why they keep our rooms.”

  “They miss you when you’re gone,” Merilee put in, almost grudgingly. “They’re always saying how empty the house feels.” She wrinkled her nose. “Like I don’t count.”

  “You count with me,” Matt promptly said.

  Surprisingly, the look she shot him was almost annoyed. “I know that, but it’s not the same.”

  “Let’s face it,” Theresa sai
d briskly, “if any of us needs whole-hearted parental approval, we were born into the wrong family.”

  But … I was the one our parents always dumped on. Tree, Kat, and M were the good girls. I was about to question her when Dad came back to the patio.

  A puzzled expression on his face, he said, “I know I’m notorious for losing cars, but Jenna, I can’t find your MGB.”

  I winced. “Why are you looking for it?”

  “I wanted to make sure you’d put the top up. They’re forecasting showers tonight.”

  “My car’s fine.” I glanced around the table. I could possibly snow Dad—he could walk past his own car in a parking lot and not recognize it—but the truth would come out eventually. Resignedly, I said, “It’s back in California getting a new alternator.”

  Tree’s brows went up. “I talked to you. You said you were driving.”

  “I was. My plans changed.”

  “You ended up taking the bus?” Kat asked. “You hate the bus as much as I hate flying.”

  “I do.”

  “You should have called,” Dad said. “We’d have bought you a plane ticket.”

  “I know. Everyone offered, but I’m not helpless. Just because I choose not to do the nine to five grind like you folks, that doesn’t mean I can’t get myself home for M&M’s wedding.”

  “I don’t like to think of you on the bus,” my father said.

  “Dad, I’m a big girl, and I can look after myself.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t meet some guy on the bus,” M teased.

  “No way.”

  I could have sworn not a muscle in my face twitched, but Kat’s gaze sharpened. “You did! You did meet someone.”

  “Okay, okay, I didn’t take the bus. I got a ride with a friend who was driving from Santa Cruz to Vancouver.”

  “A male friend,” Kat said. “So where is he?”

  “With his grandparents. They live here.”

  “Is he a special friend?” Merilee teased.

  “With Jenna, aren’t they always?” Tree joined in.

  “They aren’t,” I snapped. I had male friends as well as lovers. It wasn’t like I leaped into bed with every man who came within ten feet. Just the really hot, sweet ones like Mark.

  Tension hung in the air, and we all kept quiet until Dad said, “The important thing is that you made it home safely. You all made it home safely. Now, I’m going to work.”

  We held the silence until he was gone. I took the last bite of mousse and tried to enjoy it, wondering if I could follow Dad and escape to my room. What Mark and I shared was special, but so fragile and uncertain. Much as I’d have loved to join in the sex on the beach and Kama Sutra girl talk, I was afraid to subject our relationship to sisterly scrutiny.

  When Dad was out of earshot, Tree said, “Matt, Nav, go find something to do. We need some sister time.”

  Oh-oh. Why did I think this wasn’t about more wedding plans?

  Nav glanced at Kat for confirmation, and she said, “Yes, please.”

  He rose. “I really should work on my photo exhibit. Is that okay with you, Matt?”

  “Sure. I have some things to do at home, so I’ll head back. If you don’t mind, M?” He squeezed her hand.

  “Sure, M,” she said. “We’ll talk tomorrow.” They shared a quick kiss, then Matt stood up.

  “Night, all,” Nav said. He leaned down and he and Kat exchanged a slow, sultry kiss. He murmured something in her ear and she smiled up at him, brown eyes dancing.

  Nav walked toward the kitchen, and Matt headed across the lawn toward the front of the house. When they were out of sight, Tree, sitting across from me, leaned forward and stared at me. “Your story doesn’t ring true, Jenna.”

  I groaned. It seemed sisterly scrutiny was on the menu, whether I liked it or not.

  “You’re the one who’s always trying to shock us,” she went on.

  “That’s true,” Kat said. “But this time, you’re downplaying it. Normally, you’d be telling us about this super-hot surfer or whatever, and what a great road trip you had. Like, camping on the beach and skinny-dipping, stuff like that.”

  Thankfully, I’d picked up my coffee cup and could bury my quick grin against its rim.

  “So,” Tree said, “that means you’re hiding something.”

  I glanced at Merilee, sitting beside Tree. “Well?”

  She put up her hands. “They’re the smart ones. I’m just listening.”

  And they’d never let up. I could tell them some of the fun stuff and maintain my wild and crazy image without letting them in on the really significant stuff. The temptation to talk about Mark was irresistible. I put my elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Okay, yeah, there was skinny dipping.”

  “Wait, wait, wait!” Kat leaped to her feet, holding up both hands in a stop gesture. “We need more wine.” She hurried toward the kitchen.

  “It’s cooling off out here,” M said. “Maybe we should go inside.”

  “Let’s stay out,” I said. Given my choice I almost always choose outdoors over in. “Do Mom and Dad still keep spare blankets?”

  “Yeah, I’ll get them,” she said, following Kat.

  I gazed across at Tree. “Guess we’d better keep our lips zipped until they get back.”

  Our sisters returned in a scramble, Merilee with four lightweight blankets and Kat with a bottle of pinot grigio and a corkscrew. A few minutes later we’d all settled ourselves comfortably, blankets around shoulders or across laps, fresh glasses of wine in front of us. This time Merilee sat beside me, and Kat beside Tree.

  “Go on,” Kat urged me. “You left off at the skinny dipping.”

  “That came just before the sex on the beach.”

  “I knew it!” Kat said. “Hah, Theresa, you and Damien weren’t the only ones.”

  Theresa’s brows pulled together. “What beach?” she said, sounding miffed.

  I chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, your beach is better than mine. Mine was just a little one at a campground.” Then her words sank in and I stared at her, wide-eyed. “Seriously? You had sex on Waikiki Beach?”

  “And went skinny dipping,” she said smugly.

  An imp made me say, “In the middle of the day, like we did?”

  “You didn’t!” She gaped. “Good God, Jenna.”

  I laughed again, and tucked my bare feet up under me. It was so easy to wind my sisters up. “No, we didn’t. It was after sunset and everyone had left the beach. How about you?”

  “Late night, and I think we were the only ones on the beach.”

  “You didn’t get arrested?”

  “God, no.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Don’t tell me you did?”

  I chuckled. “Just teasing.”

  “Bitch.” Her face softened and I wondered how I’d ever thought of her as the plain sister. “It’s so … primal,” she marveled, “making love outside with just the moon and stars watching.”

  I didn’t say that Mark and I had been in a makeshift shelter and hadn’t seen the sky. In fact, I hadn’t seen much of anything, I’d been so caught up in the act. “Yeah, the sex is pretty incredible.”

  “Oh, yes.”

  Kat cleared her throat. “Hey, M, I don’t know about you but I’m feeling a distinct need to grab my guy and go find a beach. Hmm,” she said mischievously, “I wonder what Kama Sutra position Nav would recommend for beach sex?”

  “Damien doesn’t need the Kama Sutra,” Tree said. “Believe me, he knows all the right moves. Speaking of which …” She reached over to tap my hand, which was resting on the table. “Mile high club. I’m officially a member.”

  “We set off the emergency alarm in the shower on the train,” Kat said competitively, tossing her thick auburn curls.

  Okay, I was pretty impressed with both my sisters. Still, I fought back with, “I went down on him at a picnic table in our campsite.” What I didn’t say was that when Mark and I kissed and made love, my world rocked on its foundations.

&
nbsp; Realizing that Merilee was awfully quiet, I turned to her. “Don’t be shy, M. What’s the wildest thing you and Matt have done?”

  “Wild?” she echoed, toying with her wine glass. “We’re not exactly the wild types.”

  “Oh, come on,” I said. “I know you and M have been in love forever, but good God, girl, you two need to loosen up and go a little crazy.”

  “If I can do it, you can,” Tree put in.

  “Get in touch with your secret bad girl,” Kat urged with a grin.

  Merilee flicked her head in denial. An edge in her voice, she said, “Stop giving me advice about my love life. Remember, I’m the one who’s getting married. The one who found the love of her life at age seven.”

  “That’s the problem,” I teased. “Tree and Kitty-Kat and I are in the first throes of lust, and you’re, like, in a middle-aged marriage.”

  “Throes of love,” Tree corrected, and Kat nodded vigorously.

  I gulped, wondering what, exactly, I was really in the throes of, but managed to wave a casual hand. “Whatever.”

  “Speaking of what people ought to do,” M said, scowling at me and pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders, “maybe you ought to give love a chance. You loosen up, Jenna, and let yourself fall, for once in your life.”

  Kat whistled approval. “You tell her, Sis.”

  We hadn’t turned on the outside lights and the patio was illuminated only by the moon and light from the kitchen windows. The wine and the reunion had mellowed us, my sisters’ features were indistinct, and the darkness and blankets lent intimacy.

  It relaxed me enough to say, “Kitty-Kat, Tree, I’m surprised by the two of you. Kat, you keep falling for guys and they turn out to be losers, yet you get back up and try again.” Admittedly, her mistakes had never cost her as badly as mine had, but still … “How do you have the … I don’t know if it’s naïveté or guts to do that?”

  “Because I believe in love,” she said promptly. “I made mistakes and had to learn the hard way, but I’ve finally got it right. With Nav.”

  Was she even stupider than me, or braver? Whichever, I really wanted things to work out for her. I leaned over to squeeze her forearm. “I hope so.”