Island Heat: Love Is Forever: The Templetons

by Rebecca Day

The table fell silent, and they sat awhile with only the noise of the water, the other bar patrons, and extraordinarily loud Barry White music crooning from inside.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies room.” Janie turned and walked back into the bar.

  Left alone at the table with Sam, Wyatt decided to get to the bottom of what was going on. “Spill, Sam.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean. What’s going on tonight? The evening out, the photo booth, the leis, this.” He waved his arm, taking in the bar.

  “I just thought it would be fun.”

  “Samantha Jean Templeton!” Wyatt roared, menacingly.

  “I wanted you guys to have a romantic evening. That way Janie would stay with us forever. I know you love each other.”

  Wyatt sighed. His beautiful daughter looked desperate. Wyatt’s heart broke for her, but she had to understand the reality of the situation.

  “Sweetie,” he began. “You’re right. I do like Janie, and I think she likes me, too.”

  Sam smiled. Wyatt suspected that an “I told you so” was poised on her lips.

  “However,” he continued. “Janie is leaving in a couple of days, and she has not given any indication that she wants to stay here or even postpone her return. And besides, even if she wanted to, a relationship between Janie and me is impossible. Do you hear me? Janie and I cannot have a serious relationship!”

  Sam looked shocked and horrified, but he realized with dread that her attention was not directed at him. Instead Sam looked past him, her eyes wide. Wyatt turned slowly and saw Janie standing behind him. By the look on her face, it was obvious that she heard his tirade. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she ran back inside.

  Wyatt’s stomach lurched. What had he done? He watched her run away, and he couldn’t help but think that his happiness went with her.

  “Go after her! Dad, go after Janie!”

  “I can’t do that, Sam.”

  “Go on! Tell her you love her. I know she loves you, too.”

  “Sam, please stop. It’s complicated. You don’t understand.”

  Sam grabbed Wyatt by the waist and hugged him hard. She choked on her tears. “I love her, Dad. She was going to be my mom, and we were going to have a great family. I know that if you just tell her you love her, we can be a happy family together. I know we can. You and Janie are perfect for each other.”

  “Sam, Janie is going to go back to Washington in a couple of days, and she’s going to bring back her report, and they are going to cut off funding for my Project. You know what that means? Janie was sent here to help the government take back the dolphins. They will be put back into military use, and my life’s work will be over.”

  Sam tilted her face up to him. Her cheeks were stained with tears. “Did she tell you that? Did she tell you she was against the Project?”

  “No, not in so many words, but I know how these government agencies work, Sam.”

  “Did she tell you that she didn’t like the dolphins? Did she say she liked them better in the military?”

  Actually, Janie only ever told Wyatt how impressed she was with the Project, and Cindy’s illness proved how devoted and caring she was towards the dolphins. For the first time in two weeks, Wyatt wasn’t sure of Janie’s motives. He didn’t know what was in her report.

  “Let’s go find Janie.”

  It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The masses of people on the streets of Waikiki had multiplied while they were in the bar. Wyatt held onto Sam’s hand as they ducked and dodged through the crowds, searching for Janie. They jumped every time they saw a woman with long hair, but after a couple of hours, they began to think that their mission was impossible.

  It was a surprise, therefore, when they finally spotted her sitting on a bridge over the Ala Wai Canal. She was no longer crying. She had a rather calm expression on her face, and she didn’t seem surprised to see Wyatt and Sam standing there, finding her miraculously in the large, bustling city.

  “Janie, I’m so sorry.”

  “I know.”

  Wyatt exhaled, preparing in his mind what to say next, but when it came time to speak, he could only say three simple words. “I love you.”

  “I know.” Janie smiled, and her eyes twinkled at him. Relief flood through Wyatt’s body.

  “I love you, even if you want to give the dolphins back to the military. We’ll find a way to make our relationship work even if you ax the Project.”

  “What?” Janie stood up straight. Her eyes shot daggers at Wyatt. “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “Your report.”

  “Wyatt Templeton,” she began. “For a gorgeous, brilliant, wonderful man, you are an idiot and a real jerk!”

  “What?” He stood, honestly confused.

  “For your information,” she said, punctuating her words with her finger, poking Wyatt in the chest. “I’ve already submitted my report, and it’s a glowing account of your work and a recommendation for double funding. And I don’t want to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT, I’m a very good scientist and report-writer, and so you’ve already received unofficial backing. You should be getting the official reply in a couple of days. I didn’t tell you anything because I’m not supposed to, and since I’m a consummate professional…” Janie stopped and sighed deeply. She turned to Sam and put her hand out. “Come on, Sam. Let’s go.”

  Sam went to her and took her hand, and they walked away from Wyatt.

  Wyatt stood still, unable to grasp everything that Janie said. All that he had assumed about her was totally wrong. She was not a hatchet man. In fact, she was a supporter of his work, and she requested that he receive double funding, a request that the government had already agreed to.

  Wyatt felt an initial rush of euphoria. The woman he loved was indeed perfect. Not only was she smart, beautiful, funny, and kind, but she was also a partner for him in his work. He recalled the days spent with her at the lagoon. She learned quickly and was a valuable asset to the Project. Having a partner showed him that his working alone during the past years was not adequate. With Janie, the dolphins received much better care.

  If she continued with him, there was no stopping him. Once the dolphins were freed, he and Janie could pass on their knowledge to others and help dolphins around the world. Perhaps the government would be willing to hand over more recovered dolphins for them to rehabilitate. The opportunities were endless with Janie at his side.

  Janie at his side.

  Janie in his bed.

  A life with Janie was almost too good to be true. It was like winning the lottery. Waking up every morning with her in his bed, eating dinner with her, making a family with her, and seeing the joy in Sam’s eyes as she grew up with the mother she always wanted.

  Wyatt kicked himself, mentally. What a fool he had been and how much time he wasted. Now, Wyatt had to figure out how to get Janie back, if she would ever consent to loving and staying with a fool. One thing was certain, Wyatt would do everything in his power to get her to accept him.

  Janie didn’t know where she was going. She pulled Sam along, as she power-walked up and down the little side streets of Waikiki. Conflicting emotions and swirling thoughts left her unable to focus on anything in particular.

  Wyatt told her he loved her, something she had hoped for but didn’t dare wish for outright. Wyatt thought she was the enemy, there to destroy his life’s work. How dare he? After spending so much time with her – so much intimate time – how could he make such a huge mistake about her character?

  Wyatt said he loved her. The thought sent a wonderful shiver through her body.

  Janie allowed herself to think about a life with him, the man who she loved. I love him. It was the first time she admitted it to herself. She pictured living her life with him, waking up every morning with him, working with him during the day, helping him to raise Sam – who she had grown to love, as well – and perhaps raise another child. A child of her own.
r />   Janie stopped in her tracks. She touched her belly gently and wondered at that kind of wonderful future.

  “Let’s go see a movie,” she said to the bewildered Sam.

  They began walking again. After a while longer of Janie tugging Sam in one direction, she stopped abruptly. “Where is a movie theater?” Janie asked.

  Sam escorted Janie to a nearby theater. They stood outside the box office and read through the list of films. They were early or late for each movie. It didn’t matter to Janie. She wanted to be distracted. She wanted to settle her thoughts and emotions and center herself again. She also wanted a large popcorn with extra butter topping.

  “How about that one,” Sam suggested. “It’s a musical and a love story.”

  “Interesting, but I was thinking something with lots of cars blowing up.”

  Janie approached the ticket taker. “Excuse me, is there a movie with lots of action and cars blowing up?” Luckily, there was such a movie playing, and even though they were 15 minutes later for the beginning, Janie bought two tickets.

  After a long visit at the concession stand, Janie and Sam sat high in the back of the theater where they would be free to talk.

  “Gummy worm?” Sam offered.

  Janie declined. “Thanks, but I’m a popcorn person.”

  They sat for a few minutes, chewing on their snacks and watching cars race after each other on the screen.

  “Do you love Dad?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to marry him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to be my mom?”

  “Yes. Very much.” Janie turned to her. “I would be very honored.”

  Sam pulled at a gummy worm. “I’m so happy.”

  “Me, too,” Janie said and realized that it was the truth. Janie was very, very happy.

  “Janie? What are we doing at the movies?”

  “We’re making your dad sweat a little. He thought I was going to denounce the Dolphin Freedom Project?”

  “He thought you were a ‘hatchet man.’”

  Janie harrumphed. “’Hatchet man.’ I wish I had a hatchet right now. I would show him.”

  “Janie? Can I have some of your popcorn?”

  “Of course, sweetie. You can have as much as you want. Hey, Sam, guess what.”

  “What?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Janie.”

  Chapter 12

  Wyatt slowly woke from his stupor. Standing on the Ala Wai bridge, he cursed his inaction. Janie and Sam had gone off, and he wondered if Janie wasn’t at home that very moment, packing her bags.

  The thought of never seeing her again gripped at him, making his chest tighten. Wyatt clenched his fists. He resolved to get her back no matter what the cost.

  If he couldn’t catch her in time, he would grab the first plane out of Hawaii towards Washington DC. If she wouldn’t come back with him right away, he would stay there for as long as it would take to convince her that he was the man for her. Heaven knew that she was definitely the right woman for Wyatt.

  Already with the threat of her leaving, Wyatt felt like he was no longer whole. He felt as if a limb was removed, His heart broken.

  He walked quickly back towards his car. They had wandered at least a mile and a half away from where they parked. Wyatt took advantage of the distance to search for them as he walked. He hoped that they hadn’t made it home, yet, and he could find them quickly. The quicker he spoke to Janie, the quicker he could explain himself and try to make her his for once and for all.

  But the search proved fruitless. Wyatt looked in every restaurant, store, and alley along the way without success. He arrived at his car, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He opened the car door but stopped when he saw something in the corner of his eye. It twinkled.

  Janie splurged for a taxi. “Well, that was probably the worst movie I ever saw,” she commented. “Very satisfying though, don’t you think?”

  Sam cuddled against Janie, holding her hand. “I really liked the part where the bad guy’s car blew up, throwing him up in the air.”

  “Yeah, landing in the garbage truck full of cabbage was a nice touch.”

  They giggled. “Next time we’ll go see that musical you suggested.”

  The taxi drove the long route to Keiko’s Café. Janie felt a wonderful inner peace riding along with Sam - who loved her as a mother - and riding to Keiko’s where everyone was her friend and cared deeply for her. But more than anything, the certainty that she was loved by Wyatt, which stayed with her like a protective charm, made her feel invincible. As long as she had that love, she knew that her happiness could never be challenged.

  Janie put her arm around Sam and gave her a little squeeze. “I hope Keiko gives me something with a lot of carbohydrates tonight.”

  Keiko obliged, serving Janie a huge bowl of pasta. Janie had threatened not to share any of the evening’s happenings if Keiko made her eat tofu stir-fry.

  Janie and Sam had arrived at Keiko’s with a bang. Sam had run in ahead of Janie and announced to the whole café that, “Dad loves Janie! Dad loves Janie! We’re going to be a family!”

  At first, there was little reaction. The Café was populated only by Miles and three other members of his backgammon group and two of Keiko’s cousins that Janie had met briefly on one occasion. Keiko was busy in the kitchen.

  Hoping for a bigger reaction, Sam nearly collided with Miles and practically shouted in his face. “Dad loves Janie!”

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Miles said, unimpressed, rolling dice and moving a backgammon piece.

  “You don’t understand. Dad loves Janie, and Janie loves Dad!”

  “Sweetie, the whole island knows that,” mumbled Miles’s backgammon buddy.

  “But Dad told Janie. He told her he loves her!”

  “What’s this?” Keiko appeared next to the group. She glanced over at Janie for confirmation. Janie nodded.

  Keiko let out an ear-splitting scream and drowned Janie in an enormous hug. “We’re going to have so much fun planning the wedding!” She spun around, studying the café. “I suppose we could have it here.”

  “Now just a second,” Janie interjected.

  Keiko pulled out her cell phone from the inner recesses of her muumuu. She made one call, announcing the news. It was then that Janie insisted on the pasta. A few moments later, Janie, Sam, and Keiko sat at a table ready for a marathon discussion.

  “I hope you are not the kind of woman who needs to wait around to get married. You don’t care about ordering designer dresses or anything like that, do you?” Keiko searched Janie’s face for some signs of a flawed character that she might have missed earlier, which would make Janie a picky bride.

  Janie scooped up some pasta sauce with a piece of bread and tossed it in her mouth. “No, I’m not, but…”

  “Good! I think with some careful planning we could have this wedding up and running by next weekend.”

  “Now, just a second…”

  “Of course, Sam will be the flower girl. She will be so pretty.” Keiko squeezed Sam’s cheek. “Don’t you think she will be pretty?”

  “Yes. No. I mean, I don’t know if she will be the flower girl.” Janie stumbled over her words, trapped by Keiko’s enthusiasm. “I mean, of course she will be flower girl if she wants to be the flower girl, but I don’t know if there will be a flower girl, because I don’t know if there will be a wedding. You see,” Janie gasped, catching her breath. “Wyatt never asked me to marry me.”

  Keiko looked at Janie like she had three heads. “Oh, that,” said Keiko, as if a marriage proposal was completely unnecessary. “He’ll ask you, but we can’t wait around for that. Who knows when it will occur to him that he has to ask you.” Keiko tapped her chin with her finger. “Maybe on the beach. It would be a pretty wedding on the beach. Then, we don’t have to wear shoes. Much better.”

  Janie didn’t have time to respond. Virgil entered loudly in fu
ll uniform. His massive chest pushed against the buttons of his shirt, and his hip carried a large belt replete with a gun, baton, and other lethal products. “Hey, good news little sister,” he shouted and lifted Janie up above his head.

  She couldn’t help but laugh. Virgil spun her around and finally put her down after a couple of rotations.

  “Don’t kill her before the wedding. It wouldn’t reflect well on the family.” James appeared, his usual casual self with his hands deep in the pockets of his shorts and wearing a shirt, which announced that leis were a buck each.

  “I guess Keiko called you,” Janie guessed.

  “Actually, she called her niece Mary, who is very adept at getting the word out. Let’s put some tables together. The crowd is going to get rather large.”

  James and Virgil transformed the tables into a big U-shape, and they sat, enjoying iced tea and each other’s company.

  “I knew he would finally get his butt in gear,” James declared.

  Virgil shook his head. “I didn’t. I thought we were going to have to do what we did to Morgan that one time.”

  “I wasn’t in on that one. That was you and Wyatt, and if I remember correctly, you almost got arrested.”

  Virgil looked sheepish. “Yeah, but it worked. Morgan snapped to his senses.”

  “What about Morgan snapping to his senses?” Morgan materialized and took a seat next to Virgil. “I love when I’m the main topic of conversation.”

  “That time when Virgil and Wyatt did that thing to you.”

  “They took me by surprise, that’s all.” Morgan turned to Janie. “I’m tougher than I look. I could have taken them, if they didn’t sneak up on me.”

  “I don’t even want to know,” Janie commented. “I think it’s better if some things remain strictly between you guys.”

  “Hey!” Virgil stood and looked at the door, where Doc had just walked in. “Last as usual, Doc. Born last and last in all things.”

  “Well, you know, best for last and all that. Hey, sis!” He greeted Janie and took a seat across from her.

  The café filled up with some people congratulating Janie and others arriving because they heard that a big party was brewing at Keiko’s.