Love at First Light (Lost Harbor, Alaska Book 6)

by Jennifer Bernard

  He cleared his throat to get her attention. “How about I buy you a burger, to make up for the slimy fish?”

  She shook her head, keeping her back to him. “No.”

  He resisted the urge to correct her with a “no, thank you.” He wasn’t here to teach her manners. “Maybe some other time, then.”

  “No.” She grabbed one more handful of french fries, then waved goodbye to them all. “I have to go back to work now. We’re harvesting the peonies.”

  “Right. Tell Kate I’ll make dinner for her,” said Darius. “You too, if you want.”

  “We have to work all night, then I have to sleep.”

  “Don’t forget to have fun this summer,” Nate told her. Her fine eyebrows drew together as if she wasn’t sure what he was referring to. But she didn’t ask for an explanation, just ran back to the bicycle she’d left on its side next to the drive-through.

  The two firemen gave Ethan a sympathetic look. “Sorry that didn’t work out.” Was Darius trying not to laugh? It sure seemed that way.

  “First swing, right? When I tell her I’m working with Maya, she’ll relax. This is for her benefit, after all.”

  “You should have told her that right away. She tends to be very black and white about things. Now she’ll think you weren’t straight with her.”

  “Yup, sorry to say it, but you’re screwed,” said Nate cheerfully. “It was the fish, man. That was the nail in the coffin. S.G. can’t stand any kind of fish. When that girl makes up her mind about something, there’s no changing it. Might as well beat your head against this table.”

  Ethan dragged the last bite of his burger through a puddle of ketchup. “I’m not even surprised,” he told the other two. “Didn’t I warn you I was bracing for disaster?”

  “You did, but I thought you were being dramatic,” Nate said. “Can you work this case without talking to her? Maybe do it over the phone? I have her number.”

  Ethan reached for his phone only to remember that it had disappeared after his last call with Charley. He’d searched all his clothes and pockets and his travel bag. He’d even stripped the bedding off his bed. He’d looked under the bed, through the antique desk, in every bureau drawer. No sign of it. He’d even wondered if Jessica had pulled another of her little jokes.

  “On top of everything else, my phone’s missing,” he told the other two. “The good luck continues.”

  “Strange things,” Darius said ominously. “Strange things.”

  Ethan looked glumly at his bag of soggy fish burgers. He shoved it farther down the picnic table, only to watch the raven swoop down on it and fly away with the entire thing in his beak.

  At least he had a couple of guys around to laugh about it with.

  Chapter Eight

  Jessica burst into the waiting room of the Aurora Bay Hospital emergency room. She spotted Maya sitting with her head in her hands, elbows propped on knees. When Jessica reached her side, she saw that her friend had tears dripping onto her hands.

  The sight shocked her.

  She’d seen Maya cry before, of course; when she’d sprained her wrist, when she’d lost her sweet sixteen necklace, when she’d broken up with Lucas Holt in high school. But it didn’t happen often. The sight tore a hole right through her heart. She sat down next to Maya and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

  “Is he—“ She was so afraid that Harris might be gone that she couldn’t finish the question.

  “He’s in there right now.” Maya lifted her face from her hands and wiped away her tears with the cuff of her sleeve. “He’s on IV fluids and they’re doing an ultrasound on his heart—” She broke off, her mouth twisting with the effort not to cry again.

  “Maya, it’s okay to lose it, you know. You don’t always have to be calm and collected. You can be a freaked-out daughter.”

  But her words didn’t have the effect she’d expected. Maya sat up, her spine stiffening. “No, Jess, I can’t lose it. I need to keep it together right now. If you want to help, help me do that.”

  Jessica had never seen her so upset. “Of course I want to help. That’s why I’m here.”

  Maya folded her lips together, as if fighting to hold onto her cool. She drummed her fingers on the seat next to her. “It’s driving me crazy waiting out here. If I’m not on their asses every second, how do I know they’ll do right by Dad?” Her honey-brown eyes flashed with true fear.

  “Because they’re doctors doing their job. Why wouldn’t they?”

  “Remember when my cousin was pregnant and she almost died of a blood clot because the doctor didn’t believe her?”

  Tension sang in every line of Maya’s body. Jessica remembered that incident very clearly. It was the first time she’d realized that her beloved Badgers, being black, faced difficulties she didn’t know about.

  “We won’t let anything like that happen,” Jessica said firmly. “We’ll raise hell, both of us.”

  Maya gave her a teary smile. “What are you going to do, withhold their cinnamon buns?”

  “If that’s what it takes.”

  Her friend’s face relaxed, just a bit. Not that her worry had eased; it still lurked behind the smile.

  Maya shoved up the sleeves of the bright fuchsia sweater she was wearing. “I’m surprised you’re here. Isn’t the bakery still open?”

  “This is more important. I left Nia to close up. I even told her she could knock off early. You know I hardly ever do that.”

  “Did you get my message to Ethan?”

  “Yes. He’s fine.”

  “He is pretty fine, now that you mention it.” Finally, the normal Maya was coming back. Her smile actually widened to include both corners of her mouth.

  “I’m trying not to notice, believe me. Are you thirsty? Do you need some water? A Coke?”

  “You’re actually volunteering to get me a Coke? Never thought I’d see the day.”

  Jessica had been trying to get her to quit drinking sodas for years now. The more she tried, the more Maya drank.

  “Yup, I’m throwing all my principles aside for you.”

  “It’s okay, I’m good. I might throw up if I drink something.” She settled back into the position Jessica had first found her, learning forward, elbows planted on her knee. Her legs jumped restlessly and she gripped her hands together. “Dad told the nurse he hasn’t felt like himself for days. But he kept telling me he was fine.”

  “You know he doesn’t want you to worry.” Jessica rubbed her shoulder in sympathy. “Harris likes to do the worrying.”

  Tears sprang back into Maya’s eyes. “If anything happens—if he—Jess, my dad is my everything. He’s the only one who’s always had my back. Without him—“ She hunched her shoulders away from Jessica’s touch. A wall seemed to have gone up between them, an invisible barrier Jessica could sense but not breach.

  The hospital lighting slid across her cheekbones. Maya was so gorgeous, but Jessica knew that she went to great lengths to de-emphasize her looks in order to command respect from her fellow police officers. She kept her hair straight, slicked against her head, and wore minimal jewelry. It didn’t work, of course. She was still beautiful. They’d been friends for so long that her features were as familiar as a sister’s—but not right now. The dryly funny, loyal-friend side of Maya was nowhere to be seen.

  With her highly tuned intuition, Jessica had a sudden flash of what life might be like for her friend. To always have to be on guard. Always watching her back, and that of her father. All the little slights she had to shrug off in order to do her job. Not to mention the big ones, like being scared to death for her father.

  How exhausting.

  How weary she must be. And scared.

  She toyed with the frayed friendship bracelet on her wrist, the one that somehow had survived since they were twelve. Whatever Maya needed right now, she’d do it, she vowed silently.

  But Maya surprised her by shaking off her tears. “What was the thing you came to the station about? We were
going to talk about it later, remember? After I met with Ethan?”

  “Oh, it’s not important.”

  Certainly not compared to Harris Badger being in the hospital.

  “You always do that, Jess. You put your own shit on the back burner for everyone else’s. Come on. It’ll distract me while we wait.”

  Jessica drew in a breath. She felt silly dumping her problems on Maya when she was dealing with something much more serious. “I’m getting pressure from Mom to sell the bakery.”

  “Someone wants to buy it?”

  “A cruise line.” She made a face. “They probably just want the property. It’s such a good location.”

  “So you’re not interested.”

  “I don’t know. I can’t even think about it. You know me and—“

  “Decisions.” Maya said the word along with her.

  Jessica winced. “I hate them.”

  “But just the big ones. I mean, you keep that bakery running like nobody’s business. You hire people, you sometimes manage to fire people—“

  “Just once. He was stealing. Like literally stealing, not just eating too many muffins.”

  “Yeah, but you did it.” The distraction was working. Maya was all fired up now. “I thought you were too softhearted to fire him, but you did. It’s not like you can’t make any decisions.”

  “I know. I know. But this one’s too big. I need help. You’re so strong, Maya. What would you do?”

  A shadow crossed Maya’s face, as if the weight of the moment was sinking down on her again. “Just because I seem strong doesn’t mean I always am.”

  Again, Jessica sensed that flash of exhaustion. It tore at her heart.

  “I know that. How can I help, Maya?”

  Maya jumped to her feet and twisted her hands together. “Wave a magic wand and make my dad be okay? I’m joking,” she added quickly as she started to pace back and forth. “No magic or crystals or any of that. That’s your world, not mine.”

  “My world?”

  “You know, the Jessica head-in-the-clouds bubble. Like Glinda the Good Witch floating down from the sky.”

  Jessica stared at her, at a loss for words. Did Maya really think she lived in a bubble? She’d never said that before. Maybe she was so rattled by her father’s condition that some truth had broken loose.

  “Hey, it’s not a bad thing,” Maya said as she passed by in her pacing. “We all love you for it. It works for you, just not for me. I can’t afford to live in a bubble.”

  As Jessica watched her friend pace, her stomach slowly dropped to the soles of her feet.

  Did she live in a bubble?

  Maybe so. Maya was out there slaying dragons as a police chief, breaking barriers, protecting the town, while Jessica stayed safe in her comfort zone bakery-castle. Frozen in the face of big decisions.

  “Listen, there’s something you can do for me,” Maya said as she executed another tight turn on the invisible racetrack she was following. “Ethan James.”

  “What about him?”

  “Tell him to go home. I don’t have time to deal with a side case. Between my dad and my regular work, I have enough on my hands. S.G. can wait a little longer. Tell him to send me an invoice for his flight and other costs.”

  Jessica hid her shock. Maya always held herself to such high standards. To drop this investigation—she must be scared to death for Harris.

  “Are you sure? You were so excited about that case. I know that Ethan’s already been reading your notes.”

  “I’m sure, Jess.” Maya’s voice cracked with exhaustion. “I hate to do it, but I have to be real.”

  Jessica’s heart twisted at the expression on her friend’s face. She looked so disappointed in herself. “I’ll tell him. No problem.”

  A young male doctor in blue scrubs emerged from the door that led to the exam rooms. Maya abandoned her pacing and hurried toward him. Jessica got up and followed after her.

  “Your father is stable,” the doctor told Maya. Even though he kept talking, Maya burst into such a storm of tears that Jessica could barely hear him. He was relatively young, bronze-skinned, with a slight accent—perhaps from India. She’d never seen him before, but he radiated competence and enthusiasm. “We must Medevac him to Anchorage for the surgery as we don’t have a cardiac unit here. But he’s in good shape and his prognosis is excellent. It may not be necessary to perform the surgery open-heart. There’s a new technology that enables them to operate through his artery. It’s incredible, really, and far less invasive. Are you okay, Miss?”

  Maya couldn’t manage an answer, so Jessica stepped forward. She listened closely to what the doctor was saying, in case Maya missed it while she sobbed.

  The ultrasound had revealed that he had a badly damaged aortic valve. It would have to be replaced with an artificial valve. The surgery would take place tomorrow. He would probably be in the hospital for up to a week, and then full recovery might take several weeks to months until he felt normal again. Diet and lifestyle changes were highly recommended. He would need to follow up with a cardiologist on a regular basis.

  Jessica kept careful mental notes until finally the doctor finished. “Any questions?”

  Maya wiped away her tears as she steeled her spine. “Can I go with him on the helicopter?”

  “No, I’m very sorry, but there isn’t enough space.”

  “That’s okay, I’ll drive up. Can I see him?”

  “That should be fine, but you’ll need to make it quick. The helicopter is already on the roof, waiting for him. Do you have Medevac insurance?”

  “Yes.”

  Really? Jessica did a double-take. She herself had never given a thought to Medevac insurance. Maybe Maya had been more worried about her father, and for a longer time, than she knew.

  Which explained why she’d asked Ethan to come up in the first place.

  “Matt will take things from here.” A nurse hurried over, while the doctor nodded to them both and prepared to leave.

  Maya surprised everyone by flinging her arms around the doctor. “Thank you, Doctor. Thank you for taking care of him. If you ever need a favor from the police depart—“

  “Ahem, Maya.” Jessica tugged her away before she crossed any ethical lines and promised to cancel the doctor’s parking tickets. “She’s been very worried,” she explained to the doctor.

  “Most understandable.” He gave a little formal bow to them and backed away.

  Matt, the nurse, took over and explained that they would need to take an inventory of the possessions Harris had on him before they loaded him onto the helicopter.

  Maya’s crying fit had passed, and she seemed to finally focus as the nurse walked her through the Medevac process. Once the helicopter landed in Anchorage, Harris would be taken directly to the cardiac unit where the hospital’s top cardiologist was standing by.

  Jessica lingered nearby. Now that Maya had a mission, she was back to her usual self. Strong, practical, decisive. Completely caught up in the task before her—getting her dad on that chopper. Her tears were behind her.

  Jessica should probably go find Ethan and pass along Maya’s message. She took a few steps away, then a few more. Maya was so wrapped up she didn’t seem to notice.

  When she was halfway to the exit, Maya called out to her. “Jess, wait.”

  Maya dashed across the room, and apparently she was still in a hugging mood, because she threw her arms around Jessica.

  “Thanks for being here,” she murmured.

  “Always.”

  “You’re such a good friend. I’m sorry we didn’t get more time to talk about the bakery sale. Maybe when I get back?”

  “Sure.”

  Maya squeezed her hard. “I’ll call you tonight from Anchorage.”

  As she pulled away from the embrace, regret flashed across her face. “I wish I didn’t have to let S.G. down. That’s the worst part. I know she’s counting on me. I was so sure with Ethan around, we could make it happen. I dragged hi
m all the way to Alaska for no reason. I feel bad about that, but I guess you can’t plan for everything.”

  “True that.” Jessica squeezed her hand. “You’re doing your best, Maya. You already have a full-time job, don’t forget that part.”

  “Right. My job. I gotta give the station a call.” She pulled out her phone, her hands trembling. That sight struck Jessica right through the heart. Her cool, unflappable friend, the one who arrested brawling fishermen without a blink, was still really shaken up.

  Phone still in her hand, Maya paused. “One more favor, Jess. I don’t want to break it to S.G. over a phone call. Will you go see her and tell her what’s going on? Make sure she knows I’m not forgetting about her. It’s just gonna have to wait.”

  “I’ll tell her. Don’t worry about S.G., she’ll be fine. I think all that hunting she did in the wilderness trained her to be patient. I’ve seen her wait in line for a walnut-cinnamon bun for an hour without complaining.”

  Finally Maya flashed a genuine smile. “You’re going to have to hold town-wide grief sessions if you sell the bakery, you know.”

  After one last hug, and a request to give one to Harris as well, Jessica left the hospital and headed for her car. She blinked away tears as she went over everything that had taken place in that waiting room.

  Her sense of how exhausted Maya was from fighting all her battles. How worried she was about Harris. What she’d said about Jessica living in a bubble. That thing about Glinda the Good Witch. Why had she never said any of those things before?

  Jessica knew why. Because Maya loved her and didn’t want to hurt her. She was probably tiptoeing around her feelings. Maybe she didn’t believe Jessica could handle it. Maybe Maya thought of her as someone who preferred pleasant fantasy over tough reality.

  It works for you, not for me. I can’t afford to live in a bubble.

  Bubbles burst when they collided with anything hard. Like a big decision.

  Jessica got into her Subaru and stuck the key into the ignition. Ugh, maybe she did live in a bubble. But that didn’t mean she had to stay there.