by Jean Oram
“What if we lose? Do you lose, too?”
Maya’s chin jerked upward in a move that he’d come to equate with defiance and determination.
“Yes. Then I lose, too.”
“Even the investment money?”
“Well, no.”
“But you still think it’s worth the risk?”
“I’d like to meet with them.”
Connor sighed. He was going to have to let her run with this or he’d never hear the end of it.
“Have you ever met Arlene Dickinson?” she asked.
He shook his head. He knew who the woman was, though. She’d taken over a communications and marketing firm out in Calgary, and had gone on to expand it into a major business with an office he’d recently worked with in Toronto. Plus, she’d written a few books and was the star of several business-type reality shows such as Dragons’ Den. She did all that and wasn’t an exhausted washout like he was. What was his problem, anyway?
“Well, what she says is capitalism isn’t wrong. Capitalism without a heart and social conscience is. And this project has both. It’s perfect.”
“Why are you pursuing this?”
“Because I think it will make you more money than the lumberyard, which I still don’t understand your involvement in.”
“You don’t have to understand it, you realize?” The familiar squeezing sensation returned to Connor’s chest.
“As your advisor, I think you should take a look at the proposal and give it serious consideration.”
“First of all, you are not my advisor. You are an assistant. A temporary one at that.” Maya’s face fell and he tried to soften the blow. He had to live with this woman, and she could go bad news on him if he wasn’t careful how he treated her.
“Second, I really need a vacation, Maya. I love your passion. I understand it. Admire it. You’ll go far.” He held up a hand to stop her from butting in. “Here’s the deal. You need to stop hounding me on this.”
She inhaled to speak, then bit her lips and nodded. “But…” He waited for her hope to return. “If you do your research, go meet with these people and still decide that you want to back them, then I will fund it. You and I will be equal partners, but I will be a silent backer. It’ll be no secret that I’m involved, but I don’t want to get tied up in things or advise anyone. I can’t right now. Understood? It’s all you.”
He waited as Maya sat silently, her face lit up like a little girl at Christmas.
Before he realized it, he was flat out on the rocks, being peppered with kisses. Then Maya leaped off him, her mouth moving a mile a minute about all the things she was going to do, and how he was going to be so proud of her, and that he’d never regret his decision, as well as something about how she loved him and everything in the world.
Connor exhaled, feeling strangely remorseful. What untamable beast had he just unleashed? And why did her offhand remark about love leave him feeling empty inside?
9
Maya glanced at Connor, who was as still as could be in the veranda’s hammock. He’d lain down after their hike, hours ago, and hadn’t moved since. He had muttered something about crunches, and promptly passed out.
She wanted to wake him with the news that the entrepreneurs had agreed to meet with her. First by phone and then, if that went well, in person. She didn’t really need to talk to Connor, of course, but she wanted to. She wanted to hear his thoughts, get advice, but most of all, get him pumped up about the idea—and preferably decide to come along with her as team lead, because she knew she was going to want to meet the entrepreneurs after tonight’s phone call.
In the distance, a garbage barge motored between the islands, and Maya squinted to see where it was heading. She leaned over the railing for a better look when she recognized Daphne and Tigger on the barge, coming her way.
Great. She did not need company distracting her right now.
Maya hurried down to the water, grabbing her niece, who by then was bouncing around on the end of the dock, trying to get the attention of anyone aboard the passing replica steamship Wenonah II.
“They can’t see you, hon. Too far away.”
“They might if I bounce higher.”
Maya shuffled her niece out of the way and helped Daphne tie up the barge.
“Is this a good time?” her sister asked.
“For what, exactly?” Maya eyed Shawn, one of Daphne’s protest buddies, the man running the boat. “We don’t have any garbage. Well, not enough to warrant the barge, anyway.”
“Oh, I’m not collecting trash today.” Shawn grinned, standing tall beside Maya’s kid sister.
“Shawn is taking his arborist’s training and said he’d check some of our trees.” Daphne smiled up at him, her soft sundress flowing around her in the breeze.
“Oh.” Maya ran a hand down her thigh and calculated how much this was going to cost. The island’s treetops were swaying even in this light wind. If one of the massive white pines fell on the cottage she’d be wishing she’d found a way to cough up the money to have it and any other dangerous trees taken down. Especially since Hailey had had to cut off the insurance a few years back, leaving the place unprotected.
“For free,” Daphne said behind her hand so only Maya would hear. She flashed Shawn another beaming smile and skipped to help him unload some tools from the barge.
“Will it be noisy?” Maya asked.
“Depends on what I need to do,” he replied.
“Any chance you could take down some of the trees leaning out over the water?”
The man shook his head. “Doubtful. I think there are a few government agencies that would get sticky about the shoreline—fish need places to lay eggs, and those trees, as well as fallen ones, create protection for them. Unless you have a permit to do work along the shore?”
“We don’t.” Her attention drifted to where their land was eroding in places, with waves undercutting tree roots and eating away the land near the boathouse. A few years ago they’d asked for an estimate on having it built up, but both the red tape and the cost were so overwhelming that the sisters had decided to allow nature to take its course. For now, anyway.
“I’ll take Tigger up to the cottage.” Maya turned to collect her niece, and found her already halfway up the path. “Tigger!”
“Oh. You still have your guy here,” Daphne said, her hand flying to her mouth.
“He’s asleep. Or was. Just do your tree thing, and I’ll keep the kiddo out of everyone’s hair. Oh, and Shawn?”
“Yup?”
“There’s a big tree above the cottage that leans pretty badly that we’re worried about. Can you check it out?”
“Sure thing.”
Maya heard the screen door slam as she hurried up the hill. She hoped Connor wouldn’t be bothered by having his space invaded.
Puffing slightly, she landed on the veranda moments after the screen door slammed a second time. Her niece was standing in front of Connor’s hammock, twisting her hips back and forth to make her fluffy dress move.
“What happened to your eye?” Tigger asked. Her hands were cupped together, sunflower seeds for her chipmunks dropping onto the veranda.
Connor, slightly bleary-eyed, his face shadowed by stubble, blinked at her. “I ran into a door frame,” he answered, his voice husky.
Maya let out a huff of amusement. Really? He couldn’t have gotten a little more creative?
Connor smiled comfortably, not edgy as he had been when he first arrived. He seemed to decompress after every nap, and a little more of the old Connor MacKenzie came out to play. “I know. I sound like an abused woman. At least it wasn’t a doorknob.”
“Tigger.” Maya reached for her niece. “Come on. Let Mr. MacKenzie sleep. I need to put on lunch—”
“I already ate lunch,” she replied.
“It’s for me and Mr. MacKenzie.”
“I thought you said he was going to sleep?”
“And I think you have some chipmunks to tame.”
; Tigger held her fingers a fraction apart, dropping seeds as she turned to Connor. “I came this close to petting one.”
“Tigger has the classic Summer sister issue of impatience.”
“I screamed,” the five-year-old said wisely. “Not because I was scared, but because I was excited. I wanted my mom to see. I scared the chipmunk away.”
Connor’s gaze drifted up to Maya.
“I’m her aunt,” she said quickly. “Daphne, my youngest sister, is her mother.” Maya gave Tigger a little push. “Go find your chippies. I think they’re hungry.”
“I saw one up on the veranda earlier,” Connor said, his voice having lost its huskiness. “I thought it was going to steal my sock.”
The girl turned back to him, her mouth dropping open. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Tigger, go play and let our guest rest.”
The girl reluctantly went down the steps to find chipmunks.
“Sorry,” Maya said to Connor.
“Why? She’s cute. And she’s got that persistent, quick-as-a-whip Maya thing going on. I’ve never seen someone wrap around you like that and beat you at your own game.”
Maya wasn’t sure if he was complimenting her or poking at her. “My sister and an arborist are looking at a few trees. I hope they don’t disturb you.”
“Why so formal?”
“Formal?”
“You’re acting as if I’m a guest.”
“You are.”
“Suddenly you’re not calling me names, and you’re acting as if you’re a butler or something.” He tapped her hand with the back of his. “Treat me like a friend taking a vacation.”
“Um. Yeah.” A friend with some serious benefits. “All right. Want a drink?”
Connor stretched, slipping his hands behind his head, lost in the view of the boathouse and calm water below. “I shouldn’t.”
“I meant water or juice or something.”
“Sure.”
“I’m going to start a late lunch. Let me know if you need anything.”
“What time is it?”
“Two.”
“Seriously?”
“You napped for three hours.”
“Nice.”
“Yeah. Oh! And I talked to the entrepreneurs.”
“Great. Take it away, Maya.”
“I’m going to chat on the phone tonight.”
“Great. When’s lunch?” He stood, his focus elsewhere.
“Twenty minutes.”
“Great. I’ll be in my room. Let me know when it’s ready.”
Maya watched him leave, her heart going with him.
Maya set Connor’s lunch on the shortened dining table and sliced a fresh peach for herself. She’d eaten earlier, but still wanted to sit with him. Pick his mind, flirt a little. And whatever else happened to come up. Preferably in his lap.
Connor pulled out her chair, and waited for her to sit before pushing it in. Then he took his spot across from her, frowning at her plate of sliced peaches.
“I ate earlier,” she said.
“I could have made my own sandwich.”
“Nah, it’s part of the deal. I’ll eat a snack with you, though—if you don’t mind.”
Connor shrugged and dug into his sandwich. Halfway through, he cocked his head, listening to a tapping sound coming from behind the cottage. “Is that a woodpecker?”
“I think it’s Shawn checking trees.” Maya listened, not hearing the normal sounds of her niece playing.
“For what?”
“Rot, I think. There are some big pines uphill of us and one big one that needs to be taken down.”
Connor lowered his sandwich. “Should I be worried?”
“I don’t think so…” Maya wiped peach juice off her elbows with a paper napkin, thoughts of picking Connor’s brain or flirting with him forgotten. “Have you seen Tigger lately?”
He shook his head.
“I’m going to go and investigate.” Maya stepped off the veranda onto the flat area where the ice shed used to be, her senses on high alert. Big trees freaked her out. It wasn’t windy, so they weren’t swaying and creaking as they did in a storm, but nevertheless, she couldn’t seem to chill out.
Stepping through wildflowers and ferns, Maya climbed up to where Daphne and Shawn were standing on a moss-covered rock, checking on a hemlock growing out of a crack.
“Did you see this?” Shawn called. “This tree is growing in barely anything.”
“Yeah, cool. Have you seen Tigger?”
Daphne pointed to a spot a hundred yards to their right, just above the boathouse path. “She’s collecting stuff for a new fairy house. Totally involved.”
Maya sagged in relief as the girl flounced through the underbrush, a long blue cord trailing behind her as she squatted to pick up another treasure to add to her bunched up skirt, which was acting as a basket.
“How are the trees looking?” Maya asked Shawn.
“Overall, pretty good,” he replied, stepping a few paces uphill to tap at another trunk.
“Any that need to be taken down?”
“I’ve got that leaning one you mentioned set up for taking down. The guide ropes are ready so it falls in the right place. There’s another massive white pine up near the crest of the hill which gets the full brunt of the wind and could use a topping so it doesn’t come down in a big storm. I don’t think it would reach the cottage, but if it did…” He waved dismissively and continued uphill, checking more trees, pushing against a few and performing other tree mumbo jumbo.
“He’s cute,” Daphne whispered.
“Don’t fall under the spell of Nymph Island,” Maya teased.
“He’s literally a tree-hugger. What could be more perfect?”
Maya assessed Shawn, noting his lean build, Greenpeace T-shirt and scruffy, handsome looks. He probably would make a good fit with her hippie sister. “Hey, Shawn?”
“Yup!” he called.
“You seeing anyone?”
“In the trees?”
She rolled her eyes. “Romantically?”
“Why? You interested?”
“No, but my sister needs a date for a…” She waved a hand at Daphne, gesturing for her to hurry up and find an excuse.
“I don’t know!” Daphne whispered, her cheeks pink.
“For a movie. She wants to see Finian’s new movie.” Maya shrugged and Daphne nodded. “You heard Hailey’s dating him?”
“I did.”
“Yeah, well, he has a new movie coming out and we’ll be going to the opening night in Bracebridge. Daphne needs a date. It’s an action flick. Want to come? We can’t promise anything special, because Finian and Hailey will be in Hollywood, but it would be cool if you came.”
“Who are you taking?”
Maya stole a glance at her sister. “Um, me?”
“Yeah, if it’s like a couple thing. I have a friend who might want to go, too.”
Maya froze, glancing again at Daphne, whose attention was fixed on something behind her. This wasn’t the time to be a good mother and watch her daughter; Maya needed help or she’d be sitting beside a tree-hugging guy with dreadlocks for two hours. Not that there was anything wrong with that—it was just so far off track compared to what she usually sought out that it would be like a penguin searching for a mate at the north pole.
“She’s going with me,” a male voice called out.
She turned, relieved to see Connor coming up the hill, ducking under Shawn’s colorful tree guide ropes. The way Connor was moving, she could tell his quads ached, but he didn’t let on. His face was a mask—the same business look she’d come to admire.
Daphne held out her hand as Connor met up with them, and he took it in a gentle shake. “Daphne Summer,” she said. “You must be Connor MacKenzie?”
“I have one of your paintings,” he replied, head tipped to the side.
“You do?” Her voice squeaked slightly.
“Yeah, my assistant picked it u
p on a whim. A big sunflower.”
Daphne turned to Maya, a question in her eyes, and she held up her hands in surrender. “I didn’t buy it, Daph. Totally unrelated.”
Her sister whispered, “Destiny...”
“So? Can I come to the movie with you?” Connor asked. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen a flick in a theater.”
“It’s this weekend,” Daphne said. “Simone and our mother are going to join us, too.” She turned to call up the hill to Shawn, “So? You coming to the movie with me or what?”
“Just tell me where and when,” he yelled back. “And heads up! I’m taking down the leaning pine. It’ll fall east of you so don’t move that way. You should be fine where you are.”
“Got it,” Daphne called.
Maya swept her gaze over the group, making sure everyone was out of Shawn’s way as he started his chainsaw. Everyone accounted for, including Tigger who was now picking flowers near the cottage.
Daphne glanced at Maya and Connor with a grin. “So? You two going together?”
Connor raised his eyebrows and Maya pretended to be put out, but inside she was doing a happy jig that would rival Riverdance. “Yeah, sure. Why not?” She ran a finger up Connor’s chest and flicked his stubble-covered chin affectionately. “I hear this guy cleans up pretty good.”
He grinned in a way that made her feel as though he was seconds away from pouncing on her and kissing her until she begged for mercy. Which, for the record, would take a really long time.
Beyond them Shawn was yelling curses. “Oh! Look out! Fore! Timber! Treeeeee!”
Maya’s attention turned upward as movement caught her attention. A giant tree was tipping toward them, gravity pulling it downward faster and faster. One of the blue rope guide was missing and the tree was angling toward them in a blur.
Her eyes flicked to where Tigger was playing, singing a song to herself. Directly in line.
Something blasted her shoulder, and she spun to catch her balance. Connor. He tore past her, heading for Tigger, while Maya grabbed her sister, who was rooted in place, her face a mask of horror. With strength born of desperation, Maya dragged her back, away from the falling tree. Jerking a glance over her shoulder, trying to see if Connor had reached her niece in time, she tripped on an exposed root and sprawled to the ground, hitting hard enough to wind her. Daphne landed beside her, her knee ramming into Maya’s side.
