WindSwept Narrows: #21 Charlotte Bell & Natalie Templeton

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “You are doctor now. Study will never end,” she commented proudly. “Grill is ready and meats are marinating. It will be good party. Cai went to shop and filled outside fridge with drinks. Black raspberry tea in sun now.”

  “Good. Not sure about the drinks,” Tre took a mouthful of eggs and went to peer into the fridge, leaving the screens open. Imported beers, soda and water. “Okay, that works.”

  “See…not used to party time,” she told him, moving to peel eggs and potatoes.

  “If I’d had more time, I’d know what they liked and stocked up accordingly,” he returned, taking a bite of potatoes and eggs and toast. “This was kind of last minute. I promise not to do it to you again.”

  “I like party time. Need to cook for people who like to eat,” she looked over at him pointedly.

  “I eat,” he returned, one of the few ongoing disagreements they had through the years. He surfed and went diving in his off time, his upper body larger and stronger than the rest of him. “I’m just naturally fit.”

  “Skinny.” She reached for some spices and glanced over at him eating. “Mother called. Left message to phone her.”

  “Any other clues?” Tre asked casually, pulling his phone from a pocket and setting it on the marble surface.

  “Wants to throw party for you and invite all of relatives,” she shook her head at his groan. “You knew she would.”

  “I hoped she’d be busy with stuff and I could get out of it.”

  “Take new girl, won’t be so painful then.”

  “I got to get her to talk to me before I move onto taking her to family stuff, Mrs. Yang.”

  “Girl not talking to you? What did you do?”

  Tre exhaled deeply. “It’s not that simple. She’s…skittish.”

  Dark brown eyes blinked at him. “What is skittish?”

  He searched his brain, trying to think of a word similar and settled for, “Wary?”

  Cia Yang came up from outside, his words followed in a string of Cantonese.

  “She has been hurt,” Mrs. Yang concluded from words her husband said.

  “Yes. She has,” Tre glanced over his shoulder. “Morning, Cai. Thanks for loading the fridge.”

  “Good to have party. Celebrating graduation?” He asked, reaching for one of the egg rolls and getting his hand slapped.

  “No. Just friends. More excited about starting at the hospital full time,” Tre carried his empty plate to the sink and rinsed it. “Leave the gates open, please. I’ll be in the study if you need me for anything.”

  “Call mother,” Gia Yang called after him, glaring at the phone he left lying on the counter.

  Their voices drifted to him.

  “You know he will not call.”

  “And she will show up at front door,” Gia shook her head. “They have never agreed on what is important and what is not.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Natalie stepped from inside her quiet two door import, lips lifting in a grin. She recognized the hot red Ferrari, which meant Emily and Jack were part of the cook-out. She also recognized two of the other cars, one a dusty well used Range Rover and the other a low riding older sports car. Cassidy and Mac; Frannie and Donovan, two fun couples. And the invite had come from Faith, so that placed the last SUV as Dominic’s. But her attention went to the Harley Sportster in a delicious shade of wine. Fingertips ran over the shining casing and soft leather seats.

  She sighed and went to the double screen doors, the bag she carried dangling from her fingers, brushing against her knee. One hand rose to tap when a petite, slender woman came forward, smiling and bobbing her head.

  “Come in, come in. Party through house to the right,” she took the bag the woman held and smiled. “I am Mrs. Yang.”

  “Natalie Templeton,” she responded, surrendering the bag and following orders.

  “Very pretty,” Mrs. Yang nodded in approval and went to her kitchen behind the tall young woman. She wore a bandage on her arm, a tank top and cargo shorts. She had a tote bag slung over one shoulder that held her swim suit, tanning oils and extra clothes.

  Natalie didn’t know who owned either the bike or the house. Her gaze swept through the very large living area, huge tall book shelves, a set into the stone unit held a large flat TV and a nice stereo system sat behind open doors, someone bent inside and half hidden by the door. Music began filtering through not only the house but the outside before he stood up.

  Natalie groaned.

  Tre turned at the sound, the grin on his face bright and welcoming.

  “Nice to see you again, Detective,” he closed the doors and stepped forward, taking her hand in his and carrying it to his lips. It took everything in him not the laugh when her eyes widened. “Welcome to the cook-out.”

  “Who did you bribe?” She managed even as her brain was working on his lips against the back of her hand. A hand that she quickly pulled from his grasp and shoved into a pocket. She wasn’t aware of rubbing the back of her hand against the fabric of her pocket where it suddenly felt like it was one fire.

  “Bribe is such a harsh word. Come outside. What would you like to drink? We seem to have a great selection,” his hand went to her waist, guiding her toward the right and the large set of four sliding doors that he’d left screened, but open to the ocean breezes.

  “You really think I can’t smell a set up when I’m tossed into the middle of one?” She asked, glancing sharply at the palm resting on her hip. A palm that didn’t move even under her glare.

  “I confess,” he shrugged casually. “I’m devious and relentless.”

  “In my line of work, that’s called stalking.”

  “Again with the harsh words,” he winked and opened the stainless steel door. “So what’re you in the mood for?”

  Natalie reached inside and pulled out a tall bottle of water. “Thanks.”

  “I’m guessing you know everyone,” he walked with her toward the reclining people, a few at the volley ball net while others just relaxed and talked.

  “I’m guessing you’re responsible for this?” She zeroed in on Faith with a point of the water bottle.

  “I thought I washed that guilty word off my forehead,” Faith murmured with a grin up at her friend, she raised her hand and scrubbed the back of it over her forehead. “What? Friends can’t get together for a great Saturday cook-out? We got a pool, a hot-tub, a pool table and volleyball net. Not to mention really cool pink and white sand between your toes,” she ended, her bare feet digging into the sand that created the walled in back yard. “How sweet is that?”

  “Who’s house is this?” Natalie turned slowly to look at the stone and tiled patio and then the house. A round stone tower rose on the right side of the house, most of it on one level. It had a deep red tiled roof, wide windows and an old world charm that she begrudgingly liked. “You’re not housesitting again, are you? I swear, Faith, if you…”

  “I’m no longer in that occasional occupation,” she interrupted hurriedly, aware of Dominic watching her. “Dominic doesn’t like the idea of posting bail,” she added in a theatrical whisper that brought several chuckles from those nearby.

  Tre absently sent one hand in the air, batting the wayward volleyball back toward the people playing.

  “It’s my house,” Tre said before she could ask the question again.

  “Your parents on vacation?” Natalie asked without thinking, frowning at the hoots of laughter from their friends. “What?”

  “As far as I know, they’re still in town,” Tre answered patiently. “They don’t live here.”

  “They don’t…” she spun around, sneakers moving from one end of the fancy tiles to the other, a very long, wide patio. She stood staring down at the pool. A really nice, big pool with diving board and a set of tall rails that said it had a closable cover for winter swimming. “This is your house?” She asked very slowly, looking from the pool to the man she had pegged as barely being past twenty-five.

  “Did I give you the
impression I was homeless?” Tre shook his head and gestured to the tables. “Food’s ready. You look hungry, Natalie. Hey, guys! Food’s up!”

  Before she could move, she found his palm wrapped around hers and leading her casually toward the large round table set up beneath the canopy. Her gaze went from the large filled table to the people sitting around it to the chair he held out for her.

  “It’s safe,” he whispered close to her ear, inhaling an interesting scent along her throat and into her hair. “It’s just a chair.”

  “Mrs. Yang, you’re brilliant! This food is amazing,” Faith told her warmly, excitedly reaching for a plate of rice and vegetables.

  “Thank you. Good to cook for people with appetite,” she winked at Faith and glared at Tre.

  Perfectly grilled chicken breasts complimented the dishes that had come along for the make-shift cook-out. Mostly finger food, but all good.

  “You’re not going to tell me who you got to, are you?” Natalie asked in-between bites, the groan of delight at the flavors shared. “This is amazingly delicious.”

  “Need to eat more. Too skinny,” Mrs. Yang commented, shaking her head and refreshing some of the plates with a vegetable and noodle dish, egg rolls and nicely fried dumplings.

  “She says that about everyone,” Tre remarked, heaping his plate with the noodles and vegetables. “Just because we happen to be sharing a meal on a great weekend, why do you think I got to anyone?”

  “Because I’m not naïve,” she snorted with a laugh. “I don’t do blind dates.”

  “But we already knew each other,” Tre said easily, grinning at her. “So it’s not a blind date.”

  “You do realize you’re wasting energy, Natalie?” Frannie took two egg rolls and drizzled soy sauce over them both, frowning at the hand that reached over and took one of them. She sighed and got another off the plate. “We’ve had this discussion about what is worthy of the energy you have inside you.”

  “I’ll find out.”

  “And then what?” Tre laughed at the expression on her face. “I’m too charming to resist.”

  “He really is,” Cassidy said with a wink. “It’s that innocent boy next door thing he has going.”

  A couple of the guys worked to hide the choking from the comment, Tre’s laughter good-natured.

  “It seems some people might disagree,” Natalie commented, glancing around at her friends as she sliced into the chicken.

  “Hey, I’m an open book,” his hands held out before reaching for one of the salads on the table.

  “When are you starting at the resort?” Mac asked casually, having been friends with him longest. “We’ll have to have lunch. You’ll have access to the employee arcade, too now, and the gym.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. Another two weeks on street duty,” Tre answered, his head shaking. “It’s been a real learning experience. More intense and interesting than I thought it would be.”

  “I’ve been helping compile the information you’ve sent through,” Frannie said quietly. “It’s going to make a lot of changes to the EMT training program we’re starting.”

  Natalie spent most of the meal listening and watching. The interaction between people was warm and welcoming, all of them friends of hers, even if she kept them at a distance.

  Some understood. Some fought it.

  Her parents and brothers weren’t accepting of either the friends she made or the career she’d chosen to take. Then there was the man who had stitched her up the day before. A mystery? Probably not, she thought vaguely, reaching for a creamy salad bowl and spooning some to her plate.

  Grudgingly, she would admit that if he came with references like her friends, then he probably wasn’t a jerk. She knew for a fact that bad behavior was not tolerated. Bad mistakes or a misspent youth was another thing all together.

  Cassidy came over to her when she was sitting on the wide stone wall a short time later, staring out at the blue waters.

  “How about a swim?”

  “Now that sounds perfect,” she lifted the tote she’d left by the house, glancing around.

  “Cabanas down by the pool,” Cassidy said, stopping when the arms came around her from behind. “Hmmm…I think I know you…”

  “I’ll refresh your memory later,” Mac chuckled, kissing her. “I’m going to play some pool. Just in case you miss me.”

  She smiled and watched him walk off with Donovan and Jack.

  “You’ve let your hair grow back,” Natalie commented as they moved down the wide stone walkway.

  “Yeah…I liked the short cut we got during the promo, but I like my tail,” she said with a laugh, shaking her head and the long silver ponytail.

  “Going into the water?” Tre had watched them, not going to her until it looked like she was headed to the pool.

  “Is that alright?” Cassidy looked from one to the other.

  “I’ll send her down in a minute, Cass,” he wrapped his palm around Natalie’s. “After I put a barrier on her stitches. Gotta meet a challenge in the pool room. Some people refuse to accept that it really is all about the physics of the game.”

  “Are you seriously this pushy with all your patients?” She pulled her palm free, glaring at him.

  “Hmm…don’t think so. There’s something about you that inspires me,” Tre gestured to one of the kitchen stools, continuing to the front door and lifting a shiny new black bag.

  “To mayhem,” she muttered darkly. “That’s all nice and new looking.”

  “Yea…gift from my father,” Tre carefully peeled off the tape and gauze he’d applied the day before as he talked. “Said he golfs with some guys who are doctors and they carry one with them. In case they run into a situation. I suppose I thought about it, just wasn’t all that sure it would fit in the locking case on my bike. Then I have to remember to take it if I switch to the jeep.”

  “The bike outside is yours?” She asked with an interest she really didn’t want to let loose.

  “Yes. Two years now,” he looked up from carefully applying the plastic moisture covering. “You ride?”

  “I don’t have a bike anymore, but I used to.”

  It didn’t take a genius to hear the wistful sound in her voice. Even though he got the impression she tried to contain it.

  “Why’d you stop?” Ouch. That time he saw the shield slam shut, her head turned away and tilted slightly.

  “Just did. Are you finished?”

  “All done. Enjoy the water,” he cleaned up the gauze and paper strips, watching her walk away. His curiosity was more than a little piqued but he also knew it would take time. And he was nothing if not a patient men.

  “We need a music player down here,” Cassidy pulled herself from the water and glanced around. “Ah-huh…we got one,” she opened the water sealed cabinet and adjusted the speakers of the CD player.

  “I’ll be right back!” Natalie jumped from the side where she was reclining. She snatched one of the thick towels, wrapping it loosely around her hips and carefully moving over the tiles and stone and going through the house to her car.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tre watched her move. He knew from standing next to her that she was an inch or two shy of six foot. And he was sure most of that was muscle. She wore a modest two piece in shimmering shades of deep red with the longest legs he’d ever seen.

  “If we were on the court right now, you could knock him out with the ball,” Mac remarked, leaning on his pool cue.

  “Shut up. You’re losing,” Tre returned without taking his eyes off the woman who had run back through the house and out into the sunlight.

  “If you’re going to take advantage of him, I’d do it now,” Donovan said with a laugh, leaning on a bar stool and sipping from the beer in his hand.

  “I know what they’ve been practicing,” Jack remarked, sighing and shaking his head. “He needs a shot of pure grain before he sees this.”

  “Sees what?” Tre looked momentarily from the three w
oman standing on the flat stones around the end of the pool.

  “They’re practicing for international week at the resort,” Mac began cautiously, leaning to the side and hearing the music cue up. “Just watch.”

  “What’s the music?” Tre asked, his jaw dropping when Frannie, Emily and Natalie stood in a wide triangle when the music began. “Jesus H. Christ.”

  “Shakira,” Mac said reverently. “The woman can move. They’ve been studying her videos for weeks.”

  “Damn,” Jack sighed and took a long drink of his cold beer. “Now and then I forget how Emily can move...and she does throw herself into her hobby.”

  “They mix belly dancing moves with salsa and god knows what else,” Donovan tipped his glass of juice over and drained it.

  “The costumes make it even more evil looking,” Jack crossed his arms over his chest as the second song began, Tre’s body leaning heavily on the pool table. Mac pushed the bottle of imported beer into his hand and he drank it without looking.

  “Costumes?” Tre knew his voice was deeper than it came out.

  “Another male to the slaughter,” Mac chuckled. “It’s your break, Tre.”

  “They do that in public?”

  “You want a woman you can order around? Trust me, this ain’t the group to be hanging with and you know that,” Jack slapped him on the back. “Enjoy the rewards and the view. And break. You’re holding up the game,” he laughed at the low growl he got in response, wincing when Tre stepped up to the front of the table, positioned his cue and sent the balls screaming around the table.

  “When does International Week begin?” Natalie had dived straight into the pool, surfacing on the edge and leaning her arms along the tiles.

  “A week from now,” Emily stretched out, breathing heavily.

  “That is the best cardio workout imaginable,” Frannie flopped into a recliner, feet up on the wrong end. “I love her music.”

  “Just make sure I’m scheduled in the evening display,” Natalie dipped her head back, letting the cool water flow through her braid.