Heat Wave

by Jill Marie Landis

  A mobile Sunny bought at Earl’s dangled just out of reach. Mermaids with glistening silver scales spun in the faint breeze coming through the window.

  Ty reached out, touched Alice’s finely drawn brow with his fingertip, adjusted her blanket. As much as he wished his daughter had been spared this awesome responsibility at her age, there was no way he would wish away Alice. She’d already endeared herself to him.

  He’d been given a chance to have not one, but two children. A chance to protect and guide them along their way. He wanted to be the kind of father he never had.

  Now more than ever, he was determined to give it his all.

  Chapter 21

  BY THE TIME KAT finally drifted off to sleep, it was well past two in the morning. She didn’t wake up until the phone rang.

  She sat bolt upright and stared at the clock on the bedside table, grabbed the phone, and heard her oldest sister, Sonya, say hello.

  It was ten-thirty in the morning. Seven-thirty in Hawaii.

  She was closer to Sonya than any of her other sisters.

  “What’s up? Everybody okay?” Kat sat cross-legged in the middle of the king-sized bed, shoved the pillows between her back and the headboard.

  Every weekend a Vargas family event was held somewhere on the island. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby luaus, weddings. Something was always going on.

  They were connected, close. After her accident, they’d all been there for her. Smothering her with love. The love, she understood. It was their pity that she couldn’t take.

  Until she decided to move to California, no one had ever left the ohana, the extended family, to move away.

  She never forgot that it was her fault she wasn’t there with them. Her fault. Not theirs. Not Justin’s.

  “Everybody’s great,” Sonya assured her.

  “Dad and Mom?”

  “Doin’ good. Real good. How are you? How’s the house-sitting going?”

  “You heard, huh?”

  “Sure. The day you called Mom to let her know where you’d be, she called everybody with the phone number.”

  They laughed and then Kat said, “It’s nice here. Small town kine place. Like Kauai.”

  “Kauai’s not so small anymore,” Sonya reminded her.

  “How are all the keiki?” She was always getting photos in the mail of all her brothers’ and sisters’ kids. She kept them in a basket in her apartment.

  “Everybody’s good. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  She let Sonya relate all the comings and goings, news of potlucks and hula competitions, church gossip. Nani had a quilt on display at the Kauai Museum’s contemporary quilt show in February. Their mom was taking ukulele lessons from Vern Kauanui at the senior center.

  It was a relief and at the same time unsettling to know that life went on without her. As Sonya rambled, Kat’s mind drifted to Ty. Adjusting to life with a normal teen who’d been raised with all the advantages of a strong family unit wasn’t easy. In Sunny’s case, he had no idea what she’d been through.

  It hadn’t been a cakewalk for Sonya to keep her kids out of trouble. Kat knew some of what her sister had gone through when the kids hit junior high. Somehow they’d all survived.

  When Sonya stopped talking long enough for her to get a word in edgewise, Kat asked, “Hey, sis, how’d you get Wayne to come around that summer he gave you so much trouble?”

  “Oh, boy. That nearly drove me crazy. He was running with a bunch of losers.”

  Kat could just imagine Sonya shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “So what did you do?”

  “Same thing I always do. Let them know I’ll be there for them no matter what, but that I won’t put up with any humbug.”

  “That’s it?”

  “You kidding? That’s hard to do. You know how hard it is to love somebody who is driving you crazy? How hard it is not to say something that’s gonna make it worse? I never shut the door between us, but I never let them think they could get away with anything, either. So far, they always pull out of it.”

  “You’re lucky, sis.”

  “I know. Thank God. What’s up, Katrina? Why you asking this kine stuff? Something going on?”

  Kat pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arm around them. “A friend is going through some trouble with his daughter. She’s nineteen.”

  Her sister became unusually quiet. So much so that Kat thought the connection might have been broken.

  “Sonya? You there?”

  “A friend?”

  “Yes.”

  “A he friend?”

  Kat sighed. Her sister knew her better than anyone. She’d hear a lie all the way across the Pacific.

  “Yes, a he friend.”

  “Sounds like you’re starting to live again,” Sonya whispered.

  Kat tightened her grip on the phone. “What?”

  “You’re finally starting to care. To feel. To live. I’m so glad, honey-girl.”

  Kat’s gut wrenched. Caring was risky. Loving was downright terrifying.

  “We’ve all been so worried about you. So worried for so long.”

  “I don’t want anybody’s pity, Sonya.”

  “Not pity. Aloha. We all love you. The way I loved my kids through their troubles. Tell your friend to love his daughter and to be there for her.”

  “He’s doing that.”

  “Then hope for the best. Is there any reason to worry?”

  “I keep telling myself there isn’t, but I guess from all the things I’ve seen over the past few years, I have a hard time believing it could be this easy for him.”

  “You gotta trust, Kat. I know that’s hard for you, but you gotta try.”

  Kat didn’t reply, couldn’t. Her sister knew her so well that sometimes there was no need for words. They’d all been there for her; her whole family had rallied when they brought her home from the hospital all broken. She had healed physically, but the sadness wouldn’t leave. Memories were everywhere she looked. She had to get away, to leave the island to save her own sanity.

  It was the hardest thing in the world for them to let her go—just as hard as it was for her to leave—but they understood.

  LONG AFTER SHE and Sonya said good-bye, Kat stared out at the deep blue waters of the Pacific, thinking about everything her sister had said.

  “You’re starting to care. To feel. To live.”

  The last thing in the world she thought she’d ever want was to feel anything again.

  Last night, holding Alice in her arms had been a sweet torture that brought tears to her eyes, but the experience hadn’t broken her the way it would have a few years ago.

  She was still breathing. Still alive.

  Maybe she had grown a lot stronger.

  Now the question was, how much was she willing to risk to find out how much stronger?

  Chapter 22

  WHEN SUNNY AWOKE that morning, she went down to have breakfast while French Fry was still asleep. Though she had hoped to, there was no avoiding Ty.

  The minute he heard her rustling around in the kitchen, he walked in from the patio with a cup of coffee and the newspaper in hand. He tossed the paper on the table.

  She took one look at him and decided not to try to avoid what was coming.

  “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t know there was going to be a hassle with me taking a little time to myself.”

  “From now on, just call and let me know when you’re going to be late.” He pulled out a chair and sat down while she made herself a bowl of Cocoa Puffs.

  “I didn’t know I had a curfew.”

  “It’s just common courtesy, Sunny.”

  She wondered what he’d say if she told him that she’d grown up without a rule
book.

  Instead, she let it go and shrugged. “Fine. So I’ll call next time.”

  “I went by Mermaids looking for you and talked to Earl last night.”

  She paused halfway to the table, uncertain of how he’d react to her getting fired.

  “Earl the dweeb?”

  “He told me he fired you. And why.”

  She walked to the table and set the cereal bowl down a little too hard. Milk slopped over the edge. She went to the counter, tore off a piece of paper toweling, daubed up the milk.

  He was silent as he waited for her to sit down. She picked up her spoon, but all of a sudden, the chocolate puffs floating in nonfat milk didn’t look very appetizing. Chandler leaned back in his chair, arms folded. She didn’t look at him, concentrating on the Cocoa Puffs instead.

  She expected a guy like him—a guy who probably didn’t even fudge on his taxes—to blow up after what she’d done.

  Maybe it was time to leave. Maybe she should just pack up French Fry and head back to L.A. before things got too bad down there. Maybe this whole idea was just plain dumb.

  Then she thought of Alice, of what Jamie was getting into, and knew that she couldn’t walk away from Twilight yet.

  When Chandler spoke, he didn’t even raise his voice.

  “You made a rotten choice letting that kid go, Sunny.”

  She pushed the cereal away. “I wasn’t going to bust somebody for five bucks.”

  “The money wasn’t the point. The point is, the kid was stealing.”

  “Whatever. It was my decision.” She couldn’t believe how calm he was. Ty Chandler had just passed another test with flying colors. “You don’t seem very upset.”

  “Like I said, you made a bad decision. Hopefully you’ll think before something like this happens again.”

  His understanding tempted her to turn her back on everyone and everything she’d walked out on. For half a second she dared to wonder what he’d do if she told him everything. What if she laid it all out on the table? Would he be willing and able to help, or would he turn her in? What about the others?

  It was too late for her to walk out on the commitments she had to the others anyway. Too late to turn back time for herself, but not for her baby.

  “I’ll have to find another job. Earl’s place nearly drove me nuts anyway.”

  “I’ll help you look.”

  “Thanks.” She pulled the cereal bowl toward her again.

  “Sunny?”

  “What?”

  “Kat told me you confronted her last night about watching Alice. Why?”

  “She doesn’t like French Fry. Or haven’t you noticed?” She took a bite of cereal. It had already gone mushy. “Have you seen the way Kat looks at her? When she’ll look at her, that is. Check it out sometime. You’ll see.”

  She could tell she had him thinking. Still, he defended his little P.I. “Kat has a hard time trusting people.”

  “Trusting a baby?”

  “She’s afraid of her feelings. One thing I’ve learned over the past few days is that a baby can get to your heart faster than anything on earth and open up feelings you never knew you were capable of. Maybe that’s why Kat’s so wary around Alice.”

  “Maybe.”

  “A baby can get to your heart faster than anything on earth.”

  So French Fry had definitely gotten to him already. Her relief was fleeting.

  “Look, Kat’s important to me, Sunny. I want you to try to understand her.”

  “Okay, I’ll try, but you check it out. There’s something definitely weird going on.”

  Upstairs, French Fry started crying. Sunny’s appetite had left her anyway. She started to go to her daughter, but Chandler waved her back down.

  “I’ll get her. Finish your cereal.”

  The minute he walked out she got up and dumped the Cocoa Puffs down the sink. She didn’t have to look at his tide calendar hanging near the back door to know that time was flying.

  She heard the old stairs creak beneath Chandler’s weight, then French Fry’s shriek of delight. She closed her eyes and leaned against the sink.

  God, I’m not ready yet.

  The trouble was, she didn’t know if she’d ever find the courage to leave.

  RON JOHNSON KNEW by the sound of Ty’s voice that something was up. It wasn’t until they were a couple miles out and had dropped anchor that Ty finally opened up.

  “Sunny already lost her job and there isn’t much hope of her finding another one.” Then he quickly explained what happened at Mermaids and added, “Now she’s not exactly employee-of-the-month material.”

  “She made a dumb call, that’s all.”

  “I would have fired her.” Ty baited his hook, spun out the line.

  R.J. watched gulls gather. The birds circled the boat as the bait disappeared below the water.

  “Well, I’d probably have given her a stern talking to and another chance.” He glanced over at Ty. “Would you hire her?”

  “I can’t answer that. She’s my kid.”

  R.J. could tell that Ty was still blown away by the idea of having a daughter. He was pretty blown away himself.

  “You’re absolutely sure she’s yours?”

  Ty’s response was immediate and sure. “Yes. No doubts at all. She looks like a combination of my grandmother and Amy.”

  They fished in silence. Ty stewed and Ron debated with himself before he stuck his neck out and came to a decision.

  “One of my sunset-crew gals is quitting in a week. I could have her train Sunny, see if she can handle the mainsail when we come about, serve appetizers, help people aboard.”

  “If you’d hire her, I’d pay you.”

  “Very funny. Does she get seasick?”

  Ty shrugged. “Not if she takes after me.”

  “She’ll have to ride the three o’clock shuttle to Gull Harbor.”

  “I could get her a car. I guess she can drive. I never asked.”

  “This is California. Everybody can drive. She’ll need one sooner or later anyway.” R.J. reeled in his lure, cast out again. “What did she do in L.A.?”

  “She hasn’t opened up about her life at all. I figure she will when she’s ready.”

  “How’s the little one?”

  Ty didn’t even have to answer. The look on his face said it all.

  R.J. hoped he wasn’t making a mistake that was going to cost him time and money, but he was willing to do anything to help Ty.

  “Why don’t you bring Sunny over to the dock tomorrow afternoon about four? We sail at five thirty and get back just after sunset. I’ll have Robin show her the ropes. Literally.”

  He laughed, of the opinion that life wasn’t worth living if a man couldn’t crack himself up once in a while. Then he ventured into new territory.

  “Still seeing Kat?”

  “You bet.”

  “Damn.”

  “Don’t get any ideas, old buddy. She’s mine.”

  “Sounds like this is getting pretty serious. I’m bummed. I was planning on snaking you and taking her for myself.”

  “Hey, no chance, pal. You remind her of someone who broke her heart anyway.”

  “And you’ve taken it upon yourself to mend it.”

  “It’s on my list of things to do: Salvage teen mother, oversee care and feeding of a toddler, mend broken heart.”

  Chapter 23

  THE DRIVE TO Gull Harbor hadn’t taken Sunny more than twenty minutes, but it gave her a chance to get acquainted with the used car Ty had bought her. It was a Camry, a gutless wonder when it came to passing on the two-lane road. It wouldn’t be a bad ride if she were middle-aged, or a soccer mom . . . or for driving to a job she’d probably despise as much as the last o
ne.

  Realizing she was almost two out of three was depressing as hell.

  The Camry would never have been her first choice, but the gift had almost reduced her to tears. She was glad she kept it together in front of Ty and, more especially, in front of Kat Vargas, who’d gone to San Luis Obispo with him to drive the car back.

  To please Chandler, she offered Kat a hasty apology for what she’d said the night she’d come home late, but she still wasn’t comfortable with the way Kat acted around Alice.

  She reached Gull Harbor, drove into the marina parking lot, and immediately saw the Stargazer, a forty-foot sailboat, moored at the far end of two rows of boat slips. It was right where Ty said it would be.

  R.J. waved from the deck, shouted, “Ahoy! You must be Sunny,” then walked to the ladder to welcome her aboard. She prayed she wasn’t going to be seasick and toss her lunch on the deck.

  She had imagined R.J. would be something like Ty, but he wasn’t. R.J. was blond, heavier—not fat, just thicker—and an inch or so shorter. If the offbeat, sloppy way he was dressed—in an oversized faded T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops—and his unhurried stride were any indication, he was a lot more laid-back than Chandler.

  R.J. explained that for the rest of the week she’d be an apprentice to his current first mate and outlined her duties. Halfway through the tour of the open deck, he paused with his hand wrapped around a line, looked her straight in the eye, and warned, “Of course, if you make a wrong move when we come about, you could get knocked overboard, or worse, one of my paying customers might. I always turn around and pick them up, but you’re on your own.”

  She blinked a couple of times, tried to read him, but couldn’t.

  “That was a joke, kid,” he laughed.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “You think you can handle it?”

  “What? The stuff you just showed me? Piece of cake.”

  His gaze leveled on her eyes, unflinching. “That’s what I thought. You have no idea, do you? But you’re bound and determined to gut it out. You don’t scare easily.”

  Scare easily? She never had time to get scared, never had the luxury. Back in L.A., she had to act and react in a heartbeat or she would wind up dead.