by Brea Essex
Genevra poked her head in. “There’s someone at the door for you,” she informed me with a smile on her face.
The events of the night before came rushing back to me, and I instantly felt sick. Nuada had gone missing. I didn’t know what I would do if something had happened to her, or if she didn’t come back. It dawned on me that it was probably Logan waiting for me at the door. He had promised he would come first thing in the morning to help me look again.
“Just give me a minute to get dressed, okay?”
“All right. Just don’t take too long. I imagine someone will be excited to see you.” She smiled at me and backed out of my room, closing the door behind her.
Well, she certainly seemed cheerful about Logan showing up at the house so early in the morning. I expected her to be surprised. She had already been asleep when I had gotten home the night before, so I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell her Logan would be coming.
I slid out of bed and threw on jeans and a tee shirt. I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and found Tanis already in there.
“Still want my help today?” she asked in lieu of a greeting.
“Sure, if you’re still willing.”
“Of course. Just give me a minute to grab a sweater. I’ll meet you downstairs.” She exited the bathroom.
I brushed my teeth and pounded down the stairs. I could hear low voices coming from the living room, so I headed in there. A strange lady with jet-black hair sat perched on the couch opposite Genevra and Shane. She wore a jeweled purple peasant top and black skinny jeans. An amber-colored stone glinted at her throat. At her feet sat a blue plastic box.
I stood in the doorway and cleared my throat. “Oh, here she is now!” Genevra exclaimed. “Rae, come in and sit down.”
I was confused. I had been expecting Logan, but saw no sign of him. Had he flaked on me? And who was this strange woman? I sat on the other end of the couch from her.
The woman turned to me and said, “Hello, Raena. My name is Ismene.”
“Uh, hi, Ismene,” I responded politely. I looked to Genevra for an explanation. She had a wide grin on her face.
“Ismene has something to say to you, Rae,” Genevra said.
I waited silently. I had no idea what this stranger could have to say to me.
Instead of saying anything, Ismene simply reached down to grasp the handle on the plastic box at her feet. She unlatched a grill on the front. From within the box, she pulled out a ball of black fluff.
“Nuada!” I reached out to take her from Ismene’s arms and cuddled her to me. She immediately began to purr. “How did you find her?” I asked.
“Well, she found me,” Ismene told me. “I was closing up shop last night and suddenly, your cat appeared. I saw your address and phone number on her tag, but it was too late to bring her here, so I took her home and fed her, and now here we are! I’m sorry I didn’t call first, but I figured you would be eager to see her.”
“Absolutely!” I exclaimed.
“We’ll leave you two to talk,” Genevra said as she and Shane stood up and exited the room, leaving Nuada and me alone with Ismene.
“Thank you for bringing Nuada back,” I told Ismene. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”
“Raena, I must speak quickly,” she said, her voice pitched low. She had suddenly become serious. “Nuada came to me for a reason. For her to come to me, you must be in grave danger.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded.
“For a protector to seek me out could only mean she fears for your safety. She is afraid she cannot protect you alone.”
“A protector? Protect me from what?” I demanded.
“I think you already know the answer. You must be extremely careful. I can help you, if you let me.”
“You’re crazy. I’m not in danger from anything. Thank you for bringing back my cat. Now please leave!” I stood, still holding Nuada.
Ismene followed suit. “All right. But remember that if you ever need anything, you can call me.” She pressed a business card into my hand. I glanced at it. She worked at the metaphysical store in the Village. “Remember what I said,” she whispered quickly. “Goodbye, Raena. Goodbye, Nuada.” With that, she walked out the front door.
As the door clicked closed behind Ismene, Genevra appeared in the foyer. “Did you thank that lady for bringing Nuada back?” she asked.
“Yeah, I did. I’m going to take Nuada upstairs, okay?”
“No problem. I’ll bring some food up for her soon,” Genevra offered. “She might be hungry.”
“Thanks!” I called over my shoulder as I ran up the stairs, cat in hand.
I had just gotten back into my room, still clutching Nuada, when my cell phone rang. I thought about ignoring it because I still felt worn out from the fitful sleep and the fright of the night before, but I glanced at my caller ID out of curiosity. Andrei! My heart skipped a beat.
I placed Nuada on the bed and took a few deep breaths before I picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Good morning!” His exultant tone came over the line. “Did you sleep well?”
I hesitated, unsure if I should tell him about my bizarre dream-slash-nightmare or my scare in the middle of the night. Deciding against it, I lied. “Yeah. I slept fine.”
“Good. What do you say to a trip to the beach today?”
Two dates in two days? I was stunned. “Sure,” I told him. “I’d love to.”
“How about if I pick you up in an hour?” he asked.
I mentally calculated how long it would take me to get ready. Then I glanced at Nuada, already asleep on the bed. “Can you give me a couple of hours? My cat disappeared last night. Someone found her and just brought her back. I kind of want to spend some time with her.” I cringed, wondering if he would think me a complete idiot for wanting to hang out with my cat.
“Of course. I understand, and I’m glad someone found your cat. How about if I pick you up later then?”
“How about around noon?” I asked.
“Great.” I could hear a grin in his voice. “I’ll see you then. Can’t wait.”
“Same here.” I hung up the phone and dropped it on the bed next to me.
I lay on the bed and brushed Nuada for a while, then I curled up with her and read a book. I finally got up around eleven. Tanis had locked herself in her bedroom to study after discovering she didn’t have to help me hunt for Nuada. I was glad I didn’t have to deal with her attitude, or try to kick her out of the bathroom so I could get ready like I’d had to last night. I showered hurriedly and decided I would leave my hair wavy today, since I didn’t have time to dry and straighten it.
Once out of the shower, I smeared sunscreen all over my body. Then I slathered tinted moisturizing sunscreen on my face. I’m careful with my skin. Peeling is seriously unattractive and hello? Who wants skin cancer?
I applied the rest of my makeup sparingly. I didn’t wear much during the day. I swept a light, shimmery shadow on my eyelids and up to my brow bone, then quickly lined my eyes and applied some mascara. I stepped back to look at the overall effect, then darted into my room in search of my bathing suit. It was nice today—for once. Maybe we would go swimming.
I ransacked my dresser, hunting for my favorite tankini. I refuse to wear a bikini. I’m not all that tan, and I refuse to blind people with my near-albinism. I’m part Portuguese and part Spanish, but you would never guess it by my pale skin. I suppose my other genes canceled out my Mediterranean genes. I’d never met my dad, so I’m not sure where he’d come from. I had never gotten around to questioning my mom about it, and now it was too late.
I found my swimsuit and pulled it on as I made my way toward my closet. My legs were slightly darker than my stomach thanks to the miracle of self-tanner, so I opted for some khaki-colored shorts. I found my favorite teal cotton blouse and threw it on over my bathing suit top. I layered on some necklaces and bracelets, and grabbed my favorite pair of cork-and-leather wedges. I glanced at the clo
ck, glad to see I still had ten minutes left before Andrei was due to arrive.
I rushed downstairs to the kitchen and snatched a piece of buttered toast off a plate on the counter. I called, “Thanks, Genevra!” over my shoulder as I bolted for the stairs again. Genevra raised one eyebrow at my whirlwind appearance, but said nothing.
I inhaled the toast as I pounded back up the stairs, dashing into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I carefully removed all traces of my hurried breakfast and checked the results in the mirror. I spritzed a light perfume over myself for good measure. As I set the bottle down on the counter, I heard the doorbell ring.
I let Genevra answer the door again. I headed down the stairs, walking slower this time. I returned Andrei’s grin with one of my own, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I hit the bottom of the stairs without falling.
“Be home by dinner please,” Genevra said.
“I will!” I called as we headed out the door.
Andrei put an arm around my waist and pulled me close as we walked to his car. He leaned toward me and whispered in my ear, “You look more fabulous every time I see you.”
I blushed and ducked my head. He made me feel so tongue-tied. I couldn’t think of anything intelligible to say, so I remained silent.
He had the top down on his convertible and I was glad of my decision to leave my natural wave. I enjoyed the feel of the wind in my hair, but not when I had spent an hour styling it.
When we got to the Village, Andrei stopped the car at the same place where Tanis liked to park whenever she came. He took my hand and helped me out of the car and didn’t let go as he closed the door.
Chapter Thirteen
We walked through the Village, our hands swinging between us. We passed all the shops, restaurants, and “our” coffeehouse. I realized Andrei was leading me toward the pier, and I hesitated, remembering my dream.
Andrei frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Not wanting to tell him the truth, I answered, “It’s silly. I’m just a little afraid of the pier. I love to go out there, but it seems a little rickety which scares me sometimes. I always feel a bit of fear whenever I start to walk out on it. I’ll be okay.”
He slung his arm across my shoulders and pulled me in close again. He whispered against my hair. “Don’t worry, sweet Rae. I’m here with you. As long as you’re with me, nothing bad will happen to you.”
I suppressed a shiver, attributing it to the slight chill of the morning. We headed down the length of the pier. I had a hard time walking with Andrei’s arm around my shoulder, but because I liked the warmth of him so close to me, I didn’t say anything.
We navigated our way past the fishermen and reached the end of the pier. Andrei enveloped me in his arms, and mine automatically went around his waist. I felt uneasy for some reason. It had to be the aftermath of my dream, combined with my already existing fear of being on the pier. We stood there for quite some time, wrapped in each other’s arms, staring out at the ocean.
Andrei leaned back. “Want some coffee? I know the manager. I bet I could get us a discount.” He winked at me.
“Sure. Coffee sounds great.”
We walked arm in arm to the coffee shop, where Andrei made us lattés and we sat by one of the windows overlooking the beach.
He told me he had come by the shop earlier and stored some towels for us in the back room. After we finished our coffee, he grabbed them, and we headed down to the beach. It wasn’t too crowded, which amazed me on such a nice day. We found a good spot to lay our towels out without too much difficulty. I sat on one of the towels and took off my shoes. Andrei, however, remained standing. He grinned down at me, his eyes dancing with barely suppressed mirth. He wrapped one of his sun-bronzed hands around my paler wrist and hauled me to my feet. I stumbled, and he caught me against his chest. “Let’s get in the water,” he murmured against my hair.
I pulled back a little. “I don’t think so.”
He laughed at me. “Why not? Why did we come to the beach if we weren’t going in the water?”
“I’m afraid of deep water,” I confessed, a little embarrassed.
“You sure are afraid of a lot of things, my sweet Rae.”
“I guess I am.”
“Well, we’re going to change that.” He swept me up in his arms and carried me toward the surf. I cried out in surprise and locked my arms around his neck so I wouldn’t fall. I kicked my legs and struggled against him, fearing he would dump me in the water while I still had all my clothes on. I didn’t relish the idea of spending the whole day soaked.
Andrei ran into the surf, still holding me in his arms. He faked as though he intended to drop me. I shrieked and tightened my grip around his neck. He spun me around a few times. “Please don’t drop me! I still have all my clothes on, and I don’t swim that well!” I cried.
He let me protest for a while longer, then carried me out of the water and back to our towels. He watched as I removed my jewelry, my blouse, and my shorts. I folded the clothing precisely and placed it on top of my jewelry. I faced him.
“Ready for the water?” he asked.
I took a deep breath and nodded. “I suppose.”
“Although,” he responded with a lopsided grin, “I could just stay here all day and look at the view.” He looked at me appreciatively.
It took me a second to realize his meaning. When it dawned on me, I slapped him on the arm. “Stop it!” I commanded, ignoring his laugh. “Now, since you’re so insistent upon going in the water, let’s go. But I’m not going in too deep, and if any kelp brushes up against me, I’m getting out. Kelp grosses me out.”
He gave me a strange look. “Kelp grosses you out? But you’re vegetarian. Don’t you eat kelp?”
“No, I don’t. I don’t like the taste. Besides, it’s all slimy to begin with.”
He shook his head and smiled at me. “You certainly are one strange girl, Rae.” He held out his hand to me. “Shall we?”
I took his proffered hand, and we walked toward the ocean. Halfway there, he stopped and scooped me up again. He didn’t put me down until he had waded into the sea. The water only came up to my knees.
Later, as we lay out on our towels to dry off, our perfect afternoon was interrupted. I had my eyes closed, lying next to Andrei when I became aware of a presence next to me. A shadow fell across my face, and I cracked one eye open. I sighed at the sight of Bianca, who I liked to refer to as my nemesis. She considered herself the queen of the school and treated the rest of us as though we were her royal subjects. She acted a million times worse than Tanis. If I ever hated anyone, it would be Bianca. Just like Logan lived to annoy me, she lived to torture me and make my life miserable.
I sat up and stared at Bianca, with her perfectly highlighted blonde hair, tanned skin, and Pilates-toned limbs. I wondered if the tan was real or fake, considering the amount of fog in Capitola. And I suspected her highlights might be the product of quite a bit of time in the stylist’s chair.
“What do you want?” I asked with a sigh.
She stared at Andrei, but directed her comment to me. “Nothing,” she said. “I just saw you and came over to say hello.”
“Yeah, right,” I shot back.
Bianca’s eyes snapped over to mine. “Raena, why wouldn’t I say hello to my good friend?” Her voice was saccharine, but her gaze was steely.
“I don’t know what alternate universe you’re living in right now, but we are not good friends.”
She ignored me and sat down on my towel, her hand and her bikini-clad chest thrust in Andrei’s direction. “Hi there. I’m Bianca.”
He glanced over at me before reaching out and shaking Bianca’s hand. “Hi, Bianca,” he said.
“Aren’t you going to tell me your name?” she pouted.
“It’s…Andrei,” he answered.
“Hi, Andrei,” she purred. “Want to go swimming with me?”
His eyes narrowed. “Well, Bianca, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m here with Rae.”
“So? I don’t think Rae would mind if I were to steal you away.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, Andrei cut me off. “Even if Rae didn’t mind, which I think she would, I would mind. She and I are here on a date, and I’m not going to abandon her.”
My heart leapt a little. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t going to choose Bianca over me.
“A date? With her? You’ve got to be kidding!” She laughed scornfully.
“I don’t find you funny or all that attractive. I suggest you leave us alone now.” Andrei sounded almost menacing.
Bianca stared at him in horror—I guessed she wasn’t used to guys telling her they didn’t find her attractive—and she stood up, hands on hips. Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. It was an amazing thing to see her rendered speechless.
After she flounced off, we got up and headed toward the sea again. We laughed and played in the water and chased each other up and down the beach until the sun began to set. We lay in the beams of the descending sun for a few minutes, then toweled off and headed back to Andrei’s car. He held my hand as he drove me home, walking me to the front porch when we arrived back at my house.
This time he didn’t settle for a soft kiss on my hand. Andrei took me in his arms and gazed deeply into my eyes. “I had a fabulous time with you today.”
My breathing quickened, and my heart began to thud in my chest. “So did I,” I told him.
“I’d like to see a lot more of you, Rae,” he murmured.
My breath caught. Was he asking me to be his girlfriend? “I’d like that, too,” I told him.
“Good,” he whispered. He reached a hand up and brushed it against my cheek. He tilted my face up toward his and pressed his lips softly against mine. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he promised as he pulled away.
I watched Andrei walk back to his car and drive away.
“Friend of yours?” Logan’s voice came from behind me.
I jumped even higher than I had the night before. “Why do you keep sneaking up on me like that?” I demanded as I turned to face him.