Clear As Day

by Babette James

  “Hi.” Olivia took a tense swallow of coffee. A shy anxiousness filled her brown eyes in contrast to her cool and polished exterior.

  “Hi.” Kay sipped her own coffee and smiled. Why did this totally feel like the first day at a new school?

  After a long, awkward pause, Olivia smiled painfully. “So. How long have you been coming here, to this lake?”

  “All my life, really. Since I was four.”

  “I’m an East-Coast girl. This is like another world out here. How do you stand the heat?”

  “I’ve always wondered how you folks deal with the humidity.”

  Olivia flashed a wry grin. “We lie and say we love it.”

  Kay couldn’t help laughing.

  Olivia joined in, some of the nerves easing from her face. She leaned forward. “That’s a gorgeous ring you’re wearing. Very unique. May I look at it?”

  Kay flushed, feeling all high school. She didn’t want to get married, but didn’t want to take off his ring. The sun finally had baked her brains into mush. That must be the reason. She slid his ring off and held it out to Olivia. Her eyes burned, and she blinked. Damn him for picking something so perfect. For being so irresistible when he was around. He was pure chocolate to her system, and she could never say no to chocolate.

  So say yes.

  Kay waited through the awkward quiet while Olivia looked over the ring. Olivia wore two gorgeous rings herself, diamonds in platinum, impressive flash. Mother would approve.

  “Sweet. This is a beautiful piece of art.” As Olivia peeked inside the band, amusement brightened her face. “Very sweet.”

  She held out the ring to Kay.

  Before Kay could reclaim the ring, JoAnn joined them and plucked it from Olivia’s fingers. “I wanted to ooh and aah over this last night and never had the chance.” JoAnn sat beside Kay and examined the piece. She grinned at the inside of the band. “Hah, I thought so. That’s so Nate.”

  Oh, no. Kay squirmed in her seat. What was so amusing there? He’d had something engraved? She hadn’t taken the ring off since he’d put it on her.

  Patti and Margie plunked into the chairs opposite, and JoAnn handed the ring off to Margie. “Have you ever seen anything so pretty?”

  “Oh, Kay, this is lovely!”

  After Margie, Patti took her turn, and then returned the ring to Kay. “He done good.” She smiled and winked. “It’s perfect.”

  Kay peeked. Just Nathan, a heart with an arrow through it, and Kay. Not so bad. Cute, but not mushy, and on her middle finger the ring could mean anything, right?

  She closed her hand around the ring. It was off. As it should be without her yes.

  The bite of pain in her palm snapped her back into the moment.

  And with the weight of four women’s eyes and smiles nailing her with her own guilt, she had no option but to slide Nate’s ring back onto her finger.

  ****

  Lloyd’s iPod shuffled, and a Simply Red song Nate hadn’t heard in a while poured from the little speakers. “Fairground.” Great song. Lloyd was humming along.

  Nate glanced over to where Kay and the other women were sitting and chatting up a storm. Olivia was a beautiful woman, the camera would love her, and, JoAnn with her incredible glow, hell, yeah, he would definitely photograph her before the end of this vacation.

  But Kay…everything about Kay made his heart and libido stand up and cheer.

  Coming home…

  Nate sat back and wiped his hands on a rag. That was it. Every summer, when he was flying back to the States to see her, he felt like he was flying home. When he was with Kay, he was home.

  Lloyd grinned and closed the engine cover. “She’ll purr like a kitten now.”

  Nate laughed. With those engines, more like a full-grown lioness. He glanced over at his Morning Whisper. Give him the peace of the wind and sails snapping.

  Okay, time to pump Lloyd on Kay’s past. Nate tossed the rag into the toolbox.

  Lloyd, so, what’s the deal with Kay?

  No. Better ease into it. “So how’s it feel being a dad-to-be?”

  Lloyd grinned from ear to ear. “Scared spitless and happier than I’ve been in my entire life. You ready to be a godfather?”

  Lloyd’s question stunned Nate. Was he?

  And the answer was absolutely. “I’d be honored. Completely. I’m real happy for you two.” His brain took a whoa moment remembering Lloyd, the kid he’d known since first grade, and Lloyd now about to be a dad. Whoa indeed.

  “We’d kinda resigned ourselves to it not happening. ’Cause of…you know.” He shrugged. “Then Curly Mackin had good luck adopting. I think I told you about that?”

  “Yeah. Curly sent me pictures. Cute little girl.”

  “Sooo, we started looking into that. On the quiet, not wanting to get hopes up, you know? Then bam, before we hardly finished filling out the first forms, we’re expecting the munchkin, nine years to the day Jo walked into my office looking like a drowned kitten and demanded I hire her. Best damn decision I made in my life.” He laughed, with a dark fire in his pale blue eyes he’d never had pre-JoAnn. “Coulda done without the stalked and nearly getting killed part, but since she never has to worry about that fucker Reeves ever again, it’s all good.”

  Not much Nate could say in reply except a silent, heartfelt, Thank you, God.

  “Lloyd, you’ve known Kay for a while now, right?”

  “Ever since I met JoAnn. So, yeah, nine years, you know that. What’s up?” Lloyd nailed him with a raised brow and dead serious don’t-say-anything-stupid look.

  “I was wondering. She doesn’t talk much about her family.”

  Lloyd studied Nate and shrugged. “Never met them. Her mom is in New York or South Carolina or something. Moves a lot. Her dad’s in Chicago. Her sister lives with her ass-wipe husband in Virginia.”

  “They don’t get along?”

  Lloyd took a long breath and glanced over at JoAnn. He exhaled slowly. “Well, I’ll put it this way: Kay’s happier in Tucson.”

  So not good. At all. “Anything I should know?” His skin prickled with worry. Needing to know didn’t mean he wanted to know.

  Lloyd nailed him with a long weighing look that made Nate feel about six and busted by his dad. “Have you asked Kay?”

  “You know she keeps things close. I thought you might know a thing or two through JoAnn. Give me a heads-up in case I need one.”

  “You’ve known her six years, pal. Why don’t you just ask her?”

  Nate choked back his frustrated laugh. Because he’d known her for six years and had conveniently ignored anything could ever be wrong. “I just don’t want to put my foot in it.”

  “Well, you will, ’cause we’re guys. We automatically put our foot in it. If you’ve already inserted foot, well, you have my sympathies. Apologies and flowers help. Some, anyway. Groveling’s also a useful skill.”

  Nate chuckled and glanced over to Kay, just in time to see her smile at something Olivia said. Oh, Lord, please, he wanted to see that beautiful smile every day for the rest of his life. If it took groveling, well, he was ready to hit the sand with both knees. She made him nuts, but damn, he’d found his home.

  “Hey, lover boy.” Lloyd’s mocking voice broke through his reverie.

  He dragged his attention back to Lloyd.

  Lloyd shook his head, grinning broadly. “Got it bad, huh?”

  He considered tossing Lloyd’s ass over the rail. Might as well be honest. “Oh, yeah.”

  “Then why are you sitting here yacking with me?” Lloyd lobbed his rag at Nate. “Go talk to Kay.”

  “I could use some coffee.” Nate tossed the rag to join the other in the toolbox and hopped over the side into the cool, shallow water. Time to grow a pair. If Lloyd could face down a psycho, he should be able to manage a simple relationship discussion with the woman he loved.

  He felt every eye pinning him as he waded out of the lake toward the women. Kay smiled.

  God, please, yes,
let me work this out. “Hey, how’s things? Still coffee left? Or should I make more?”

  “Half a pot, I think,” Olivia answered.

  JoAnn fixed him with a challenging stare and smile. “So, Kay and Nate, have you set a date?” She spoke loudly enough that several male heads snapped around with shocked eyes. “And by the way, I totally approve of the ring.”

  Oh, crap.

  No one looked more shocked than Kay.

  Oh, crap. Oh, crap. His heart slammed into a double-time march. He didn’t need coffee anymore.

  “Set a date? You’re getting married? Congratulations!” Olivia said.

  “So you did the deed!” Lloyd strode up and clapped Nate on the shoulder hard. “Welcome to the club, man. Congrats. Why the hell didn’t you say so?”

  Dave burst into hearty laughs. “Another one bites the dust. Good job, you two. Finally! This is so great.”

  Nate forced a grin. “We haven’t set anything yet. We’ll keep you posted.” He stood behind Kay and rested both hands on her rigid shoulders, stroking tenderly, trying to put his apology into his touch. Would she believe him if he told her this wasn’t how he wanted everyone to find out? Particularly since she hadn’t said yes?

  Hugs, backslaps and handshakes started flying, and beers were popped and handed around.

  Nate caught Kay back to him and wrapped an arm around her waist. She had a stunned smile on her face. Crap. The beer can crinkled under his grip. Apparently, it was time to start practicing his groveling.

  JoAnn raised her 7-Up. “A toast to our friends. May the love you share only grow stronger. And, Nate, remember these two little words and you’ll never go wrong…”

  “What?” Three words. Two words. Did they think he was completely incompetent? Hell, friends. Can’t understand them. Can’t strangle them.

  JoAnn’s mouth twitched with suppressed laughter before she spoke perfectly deadpan, “Yes, dear.”

  ****

  So, Kay and Nate, have you set a date?

  JoAnn’s question kept echoing through her head. Kay wondered if fainting would help. Probably not. She took a long swallow of her beer. Shouting, No, I didn’t say yes! wouldn’t go over well. She wanted to curl up and disappear, but she kept a smile pinned on her face.

  Nate kissed her cheek and whispered, “This wasn’t how I planned, well…Sorry.”

  Everyone finding out wasn’t his fault. Just made everything more complicated. She sighed and squeezed his hand. “I know. I’m not mad at you.” Dazed and confused, but not mad.

  The hoopla settled and peace reigned for a few minutes, until Dave stirred everyone up to go skiing.

  Turned out Mark had also bet Dave twenty bucks he couldn’t ski barefoot.

  Nate took the helm, and Dave skillfully won that bet.

  He waded onto the shore, peeling off the rubber glove he’d taped on over his bandaged hand, and, with a piratical grin, slapped a gaping Mark on the shoulder. “Never say never, grasshopper. Want to learn to walk on water and wow the girls?”

  “Hell, yeah.” Mark handed over the twenty with open awe. “Where do I sign up?”

  Dave grabbed up his towel and scrubbed his head. He paused, towel slung around his neck, and cocked a weighing look at Olivia. “Hey, Olivia, ready to take a run?”

  “No, thank you.” She shook her head and didn’t meet his eyes. “And you should be more careful with that hand of yours.”

  She spoke softly, her words simple concern, but Dave visibly bristled. “My hand’s fine.”

  “If you want it to be fine, you’ll take better care instead of doing hijinks on the water.”

  “Hijinks? And what business is it of yours, Ms. Harper?” Dave’s eyes narrowed.

  “I was only trying to be nice.” Olivia crossed her arms and slowly raised her chin to give him a surprisingly firm don’t-mess-with-me stare with those soft brown eyes.

  Dave glared back at her, his eyes gone hard as topaz. “Well, don’t bother.”

  “I won’t.” She heaved an exasperated sigh and set her book aside. “Mercy and a half, carry a little attitude around, do you?” She launched out of her chair, scooped up her cigarettes and lighter, and walked primly to the farthest edge of the beach.

  “Hell.” Dave shook his head, slapped his towel over the nearby chair, and stomped off to his boat.

  Whoa. What just happened there? Kay glanced at JoAnn.

  JoAnn rolled her eyes. “I have no idea. Full moon?”

  Over on Dave’s boat, Nate must have asked Dave the same thing, because Dave flipped him the finger as he hopped onboard, and shrugged off whatever Nate said next.

  Dave shoved on his sunglasses and snarled over his shoulder, “Okay, who’s next? Shake a leg.”

  After the skiing finished, folks drifted off, each to their own pre-lunch relaxation, mostly napping and reading. Olivia hovered about, smoking in fits and starts, and after JoAnn had a quiet talk with her, she grabbed her beach bag and left for a walk. JoAnn curled up for a nap in the shade. Kay flaked out on a perfect opportunity to talk with Nate alone when he moved the Whisper around to her camp, and instead leapt at his suggestion to kick back and hang with Patti and Margie. She told herself she just didn’t want to rush into saying anything stupid.

  When Olivia hadn’t returned by lunch, Mark voiced his concern. “Shouldn’t we make sure she’s okay?”

  JoAnn tossed him the head of lettuce. “She’s over at High Water resting. Just leave her be for a while. Chop that up for me.” She gave a pointed frown at Dave.

  Dave had the grace to flush, and then scowled sulkily and buried his head in the nearest cooler to pull out condiments for lunch.

  Nate tugged Kay into his arms while they set the table and whispered into her ear, “Any clue what his problem is?”

  “No idea.”

  R.J. arrived back at camp after lunch was finished and the food cleared away.

  “Hey, where’s lunch?”

  “Done and over.”

  “Where’s Olivia?”

  JoAnn set her book on the table and fixed him with a cool stare over the rim of her sunglasses. “Like you care.” She picked up her book and resumed reading.

  Kay waved a hand in the direction of the cooler. “You can go ahead and fix a sandwich yourself. Stuff’s in the cooler.”

  R.J. stared as if shocked she hadn’t leapt right up to serve him. Then, after she settled more comfortably into her seat, he shot her a pissy look and stomped off to the cooler without a word. He built his sandwich, piled chips on the paper plate, and popped a beer. He dropped into the chair opposite JoAnn and Kay and plowed into his sandwich.

  As soon as he finished eating, he took off in his boat again, leaving his dirty plate and half-finished beer on the table.

  By one o’clock, most everyone headed out for fishing or cruising. Mark stayed behind to catch up on reading for a course he was taking. Nate volunteered to tag along with Chuck to fetch Pippa and April, and he promised to hit the store for Kay and grab her ski out of her truck so she could stay behind to get some painting done in peace and quiet.

  Nate kissed her. “Love ya. Be good.”

  They were simple words, ones he said all the time online, but this time a bubbly feeling, strange, strong and potent, welled up in her, and she cupped his cheek and kissed him back.

  Whoops and catcalls broke out. Nate grinned, proud and happy.

  Why couldn’t she feel like that, sure and happy, instead of this confusion? She didn’t recognize herself anymore.

  Love ya. Had his casual, flip phrase been him saying I love you all these years?

  Kay headed back to her own camp, determined to conquer the Coyote Point painting.

  The Morning Whisper now bobbed beside her little Duckling. Her camp now felt complete, but the tranquil quiet was oddly dull after the chaotic morning.

  Geez. Never happy, are you?

  Before she headed up, she slathered on more sunscreen, slipped on a long-sleeved shirt and long pants over he
r swimsuit, and exchanged sandals for sneakers. She braided her hair back and tied her floppy wide-brimmed sun hat on her head.

  Her battered beach umbrella marked her spot a good distance upslope from camp. The high whirring of cicadas in dried-out brittlebushes stopped as she neared and resumed when she was past. When she was little, she’d called them rattlesnake bugs.

  She had to admit this was the craziest time imaginable to work up on the hilltop. The heat from the ground slammed at you—but she wanted the light, so she came up.

  The Coyote Point version four began well—she could draw the scene now in her sleep, and the layout on the larger block pleased her—but her focus was shot, and the washes fought her, drying fast, and pooling the colors in frustrating ways. She stifled the urge to rip the painting from the block and shred it. The result wasn’t half-bad, but far from what she held in her mind’s eye. She wanted to catch the intense light of this land of stone and water. All she had captured was desolation.

  Clearly time for a well-needed break to step away and to keep from ruining the painting.

  She pulled a water bottle from her little cooler and drank down half in a long, chill swallow. Her eyes needed a rest from the glare, as well. She slipped on her sunglasses, leaned back, and looked up inside the interior of the umbrella. The once-forest green had faded to a mottled olive, the seams giving way, the fringe frayed. She frowned. How had she not noticed something that had been with her so long was falling apart?

  Falling apart. Everything she’d thought so set in her life was unraveling and shifting. She needed to pull and patch everything back together, and that meant giving Nate a straight answer.

  But which one?

  She played with the idea of accepting. Honestly, thinking of the men she had met in her life, she couldn’t imagine marrying or living with any man other than Nate. Nate was the perfect one to see Oregon with. So many things to paint there in the Northwest. The temperate rainforests there were an amazing ecosystem. The mountains were gorgeous.

  She chuckled uneasily. Plenty of rocks to paint.

  If any man might be worth risking her heart on, Nate was the one. But could she? She almost believed in the possibilities of yes and Nate. Well, she believed in Nate, but hadn’t she seen time after time that happily ever after only came true in fairytales?