Butch grunted and turned to her. Something undefinable flickered in his eyes. “Careful who you say that to. They might have you locked up for your own good.”
She laughed.
“Anything else I can do for you?” he asked as he stood, dusting his hands off on his slacks.
“Oh, no, I don’t think so. I can manage from here.”
They stood in silence that was more companionable than awkward until suddenly Jinx entered the room, rubbing a towel over her hair with one hand while the other carried a heap of clothing. “Hey, Leilani, is there somewhere I can burn these old rags?” Her eyes fell on Butch and she scowled. “What’s he doing here?”
“I asked him to help me move some furniture,” Leilani replied. “Let’s all be kind to one another. If you want, you can just throw your old clothes away in the garbage. I don’t think there’s a good place to burn them in the apartment.”
Jinx gave another glare at Butch before shrugging. “All right. I’ll be in my room.”
“She got cozy quick,” Butch muttered as the young woman disappeared.
“I can’t really blame her,” Leilani said. “I don’t think she’s ever known a real home in her life. And before you say that’s no excuse for her behavior, I agree. But everyone deserves a second chance.” She allowed herself a tiny grin. “Even grumpy grizzly bears.”
Butch raised an eyebrow at her. “You sure about that?”
Leilani lifted a shoulder. “I’m always sure. Thanks for the shelving unit. It’ll be the perfect place to store my art supplies.”
His other eyebrow went up as he repeated, “Art supplies?”
“Yes, I’m an artist in my free time.”
“So, you’re an artistic, professional mermaid.”
Leilani grinned. “Yes.”
“Which part of that sentence doesn’t sound weird to you?”
Under normal circumstances, Leilani would have bristled at the dismissal of her talents and occupation. But between Butch and Jinx, she was coming to realize that not everyone had been as lucky as her. “Hey, my father said to me every day, ‘Ipo, whatever you dream of being, make it happen.’”
“Ipo?”
“Sweetheart,” Leilani translated. “I’ve grown up knowing I could do anything I could dream of. I’m now an adult making that dream reality. So yes, I’m an artistically inclined, professional mermaid. Why should that be weird?”
Butch stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. “I guess it shouldn’t be. Well, if you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head back to my apartment. I’ve got a few things to wrap up before going back to work.”
“Thanks again for the shelves, Butch. I appreciate it. Is there anything I can do as repayment?”
He paused for a moment as though there was something he wanted to say, but couldn’t quite bring the words out. Finally, Butch replied, “Nah, just enjoy them.”
“I will. Thanks.”
Butch nodded and left the apartment. Leilani watched him go with mixed feelings. Jinx wasn’t the only person dropped into her life who needed the touch of human love. She hoped she’d be able to lift both of them before the time came to return home.
Chapter 9
Coward, Butch thought as he walked back down to his car to return to work. What should have been a simple lunch break turned into a home improvement project. He still couldn’t believe Leilani had come to him for help in the first place. After the terrible first impression he’d made on her, Butch had been certain she’d never willingly talk to him again. Not that he cared, he reminded himself gruffly. The last thing he needed in his life was a woman. Especially a naïve, yet beautiful woman like Leilani.
A bitter wind whipped past him, stinging his cheeks and causing his body to ache. Why hadn’t he put on his heavy coat before coming out? He suddenly remembered giving the coat to Leilani. She hadn’t returned it to him before he left. Not that he’d really given her a chance with the way he ran out of there. A few choice words escaped his mouth before he pulled the hoodie closer. This would have to be enough for today.
When he arrived at the insurance agency, he walked back to the claims department. The secretary glanced up at him. “Where’s your coat?”
“Neighbor’s place,” he replied. “What’s in line this afternoon?”
She quirked an eyebrow, but turned her attention to the files before her. “Let’s see, we’ve got a claim for an accidental fire, two robberies, and a hit-and-run car accident.”
“Any of those have injuries?” Butch asked.
“None reported. The robberies are looking pretty standard, and Sanderson is working the hit-and-run, but the accidental fire is a little iffy,” she replied. “The stories don’t quite match up.”
Butch held out his hand for the file which she handed to him. “Thanks, Liz.” He walked back to his cubicle and looked over the file. Accidental fire in the kitchen. Damage contained to that room only. Started by a hand-towel being placed too close to the stove top. Uh-huh. Looking at the pictures, he could easily imagine someone starting an accidental-on-purpose fire just to get a free makeover to the room. By appearances, the last time it had been decorated was back in the seventies. He read over the details and wrote down questions as he thought of them before lifting the phone from its receiver. A few phone calls would give him a good starting point.
BY THE TIME BUTCH WENT home that night, his mood had dropped farther than the temperature. He shivered on his way to the car, trying to drown out the throbbing in his ears. When working, he always maintained his composure, at least he tried. But the woman today pushed him awfully close to his snapping point. Too close. He knew she’d started the fire on purpose, and she knew it too. The interview started off bad and just kept running downhill. Every question he asked resulted in a bout of yelling and screaming. He didn’t believe her because she was poor. Then it was because she was a woman. If there was a discrimination card for her to play, she played it. All the while screaming that she was innocent and he had no right to question her.
He sighed. At this point, it was just a matter of making sure there was enough proof to solidify the insurance company’s case for refusing the claim. Then he’d have the satisfaction of handing it over to the police department to handle the rest.
He shivered again and turned the heat up in his car as he drove. Butch hated the cold. Hated the insurance company. Hated everything here. His meager savings was about to take another hit since he’d need to buy new shelves to replace the ones he gave Leilani. Of course, it was his own fault. He was the one who told her he didn’t need them. The truth was, Butch did use them to hold his books and old case files. For now they were piled up next to his couch. But that didn’t matter. Leilani would never know of the deception. Logic told him she wouldn’t be in the area long, so maybe he’d get his shelves back and he could just do without for the time being. A stubborn need for everything to be exactly as he wanted argued that the shelves probably wouldn’t be the same when and if he got them back anyway.
On arriving at the apartment complex, he took a deep cleansing breath like his therapist had taught him. He closed his eyes and imagined a suitcase. One by one, he placed the day’s stresses in the suitcase. It filled up pretty quickly. Catching Jinx with Leilani’s bag. Chasing off the strange man outside the cafe. The interview with his boss that morning. Leilani’s shelving needs. Butch paused there, remembering her gentle touch and soft words. He could take those out of the suitcase. Then he put in the entire afternoon, from the time he arrived at work to the moment he left. After locking the suitcase and imagining it being placed under the front seat, he opened his eyes. Leaving the day’s stress in the car, he walked up the rickety stairs to go to his apartment. Something moved in the shadows below him and he stopped, straining his eyes to see. He stood for a long time, watching and waiting, hardly daring to breathe. Nothing moved. He couldn’t hear anything. Still on alert, he continued on his way to his apartment. He noticed that Leilani had her blinds
open. Glancing inside, he saw her showing Jinx how to pour sand into tiny bottles. Laughter played on her lips and she looked up. For a moment their eyes connected and it seemed time stood still. Her smile shifted and then she was getting up. Crap. He walked faster but soon her door opened.
“Butch!” she called.
“Ms. Hale,” he replied turning around.
“You forgot your coat earlier,” Leilani said. “I went to return it to you, but you were gone before I got there. That’s why I had the blinds open, so I could see you when you got home.”
He walked back to her door. “Thanks.”
“Just so you know, one of your pockets had a tear in it, so I fixed it for you. I’m afraid I didn’t have the same color thread, so you’ll have to forgive the blue stitches.” She handed the coat to him with a smile.
“Oh, thanks,” he said. His stomach rumbled as a delicious aroma wafted towards him through Leilani’s apartment.
She grinned. “Hungry?”
“I don’t want to interrupt your meal,” he mumbled, though he indulged in a second sniff of the air.
“You won’t be interrupting. You’ll be joining,” Leilani said, taking his hand and leading him into her apartment. “Today is a celebration and a party is always better with more people.”
“What are you celebrating?” Butch asked, trying to decide whether it would be ruder to leave without eating or to accept her impromptu invitation when she probably didn’t have enough food prepared. His stomach growled again as a tantalizing aroma washed over him.
“New beginnings,” Leilani replied with a stunning smile which revealed the dimple in her left cheek.
“Look, I appreciate the offer, but...”
“Don’t worry,” Jinx said with a grin. “Leilani made enough food to feed the whole neighborhood. “We won’t go hungry.”
Leilani shrugged, though the color rose in her cheeks. “I can’t help it. Besides, this isn’t that much food. You should see my dad prepare a feast.”
“Your dad?”
“Yes,” Leilani said as she ushered them to a dining table. “Traditionally in Hawaii the men do all the cooking.”
“Nice!” Jinx said.
Butch shook his head. “Well, that ruins that.”
Jinx and Leilani turned to him quizzically. “Ruins what?” Leilani asked.
“I’m not retiring anywhere I have to always cook for myself. I’d starve,” Butch replied.
The group laughed. “That’s the traditional role,” Leilani said. “You’ll find plenty of nice Hawaiian women who are wonderful cooks.”
“Oh no, if men are supposed to do the cooking, I would have to learn. I’m not going to be outdone by anybody.” They continued to laugh together and for the first time since he’d gotten up, Butch relaxed. It struck him as Leilani offered a heartfelt prayer of gratitude that he was eating with the most unlikely companions imaginable, but somehow it felt just right. A little piece of his heart whispered that he’d found something special here.
Chapter 10
Leilani smiled as the meal continued. Who would have thought her entire world would have changed so completely in a single day? The long wished for baby sister had come in the form of a girl desperately looking for a new start. And Butch? Well, that was an interesting development too. She glanced over at him. An easy smile softened his features while he spread his arms wide as he told a story. It was almost like being with her family.
Suddenly aware she was staring, Leilani stood and started to clear the dishes. When Jinx and Butch moved to help, she shook her head. “I’ll take care of this. You keep talking.” She listened quietly as she cleared the used dishes and put leftovers in containers. Perhaps she had gone a little overboard for only two people. Leilani was grateful she’d been able to convince Butch to stay for dinner. Even with his healthy appetite, there would be plenty of leftovers for the next several days. She packaged a little of everything into a divided container for Butch to take home. She included a little extra pork, noticing that he’d eaten three helpings of it.
“You’re a lucky girl, Jinx,” she heard Butch say as she walked back to the table. “Most people wouldn’t have given you the chance Leilani has.”
“Believe me, I know it,” Jinx replied. She ducked her head. “Part of me is terrified to go to bed tonight because I’ll wake up back where I was and this will all have been a dream.”
Butch chuckled. “After the day I’ve had, trust me, you’re not dreaming.”
“So what is it you do?” Leilani asked.
“I’m an investigator for a local insurance company. My job is mostly to ensure that claims being filed are legitimate.”
Leilani nodded. “Sounds like that could make for some rough days.”
“You have no idea.”
There was a quiet pause and then Jinx said, “You should have Leilani teach you how to do sand bottles. It’s stupid how relaxing that is. Just listening to the sand fill the bottle.” She grinned with a sigh. “It’s probably as close to the beach as I’ve ever gotten.”
Leilani giggled. “Someday you’ll get to the real beach. And if Butch wants to learn, I’d be happy to teach him.”
“Maybe another time,” Butch said. “Tonight, I’m pretty beat. Why don’t I help you wash dishes before I go?”
“Oh, you don’t have to. I can handle it,” Leilani replied.
“I know you can handle it,” Butch retorted. “I’m offering to help. I feel like I should do something for enjoying that much of your meal.” When she started to protest again, Butch took her hand gently. “Please, Leilani, let me help you wash the dishes. It’s the least I can do.”
The intensity of his gaze caused Leilani to pause. “Okay,” she said in what was almost a dreamy sigh. She gave herself a mental kick and hoped Butch hadn’t caught the wistful tone. The merest hint of a smile played around his mouth. Wishful thinking strikes again, she thought.
“Do you mind if I turn in early?” Jinx asked. “I want to make sure I can get up in time for that job tomorrow.”
“Yeah, go ahead,” Leilani said. “You can help with chores tomorrow. Good night.”
“Night,” Jinx said.
When she left the room, Leilani and Butch went into the kitchen. “Mind if I wash?” Butch asked. “Then I don’t have to keep asking you where things go.”
“Sure,” Leilani said. “That’s fine.”
They worked in silence for a few minutes. Leilani watched Butch out of the corner of her eye. He seemed far more relaxed than he’d been earlier. “I hope you enjoyed dinner tonight.”
“I did, far too much,” Butch admitted with a grin. “I think you gave me a second reason not to retire to Hawaii. I’d get fat real quick eating like that all the time.”
Leilani laughed. “It’s not quite like this every night. Besides, you strike me as a rather active person. I’m sure you’d find something to keep the pounds off.”
“What would you suggest?”
She looked at him. His broad shoulders tapered to a lean, muscular form. “I think you’d enjoy the hiking. Maybe climbing Diamond Head?”
“Isn’t that a volcano?” Butch asked suspiciously.
Leilani shrugged. “It’s been dormant for thousands of years. So it may have started as a volcano, but at this point it’s more of a mountain. Besides, the view is breathtaking.”
“I think I’ll keep my breath and not melt, thanks,” Butch replied.
She giggled. “Such a shame. It really is beautiful.”
“You’ve been there?”
“Well, of course,” Leilani said. “Family vacation meant visiting the other islands. Almost all of my family live in Hawaii anyway. We only came to the mainland a handful of times growing up.”
“Most people would be thrilled with that.”
Laughing, Leilani said, “Oh, I loved it. Except when my cousins in Kansas would talk about having a snow day. That certainly wasn’t fair. But then, I sometimes got out of school for days at a time
because of typhoons, so I guess it evens out.”
“Even paradise has some darkness, huh?” Butch asked.
“I guess every place does.”
They finished the dishes and when the last one was put away, Butch said, “Well, I really should have been home by now. Thanks for dinner. It was delicious.”
“You’re welcome. And here’s some for you to enjoy tomorrow,” she replied, holding out the container of leftovers for him. “And don’t bother telling me you don’t need it. There’s no way Jinx and I will be able to eat all of this by ourselves before it goes bad. I guess I’m more used to cooking for a crowd than I thought.”
He chuckled. “That’s not a bad thing.” He picked up his heavy coat and slung it over his arm. Then he turned again to Leilani. Something swirled in his green eyes she couldn’t define. “I just want you to know, I think you’re a lot braver than I am.”
“What makes you say that?” she asked with a frown.
“I never would have given Jinx the chance you have,” he admitted. “I would have sent her straight to the station without so much as a blink of an eye. You’re doing a real good thing here. I hope it helps her.”
Leilani smiled. “I do too. Thank you.”
Butch nodded and walked to the door. He paused. Then he turned. “Christmas is coming up in just a couple weeks.”
“Oh, wow, you’re right. I’ve been so busy I hadn’t thought of that,” Leilani replied, though it wasn’t completely honest. In truth she’d been forcing herself not to think of it. She’d never been away from home on Christmas before, and she was trying not to allow feelings of homesickness to detract from the season.
“My family lives too far away for me to join them for Christmas this year,” Butch said, drawing Leilani out of her thoughts. “And I’m guessing with the shows and whatnot you’re doing that you won’t be able to go home either.”
“No, though I did already set up to Skype with them, so I’ll at least be able to see them for a bit.”
A Mermaid Under The Mistletoe Page 4