“I think it’s going to be the best production the school has ever done.” Holding several microphone headsets, Tim stood grinning at the stage.
“It’s hard to mess up Cole Porter.”
“Who?” Tim asked.
“The songwriter.” At his placid nod, she held back a smile. The kid probably knew the name of every computer and engineering visionary of the past century. Musical genius just didn’t compete.
“Ah.” Tim glanced across the room and took a step back. “If you don’t need me for anything else, I’m going to check in with Mr. H.”
“Sure thing.” Emily nodded and accepted the mics Tim handed her.
Tim walked up to where Doug stood talking with Jennie and William, the lead in the play, smiled at the two teens and turned to Doug. “Any last-minute jobs left to handle?”
Doug could tell the kid was more interested in the girl than the workload, but Doug also understood that having something to do was often the only way to deal with the feminine curves that had gotten under your skin. Heaven knows he hadn’t spent this much time working out since he’d left the navy. And even then, he wasn’t sure he’d spent quite so many hours pushing his body to the limit since EOD training. Every night the last week, leaving Emily at her front door had become harder and harder to do. Literally.
But working out until he dropped was the only way he could get any sleep. Even if one beautiful, smart, sassy brunette continued to invade his dreams, at least he was honoring his promise to Billy. What Doug didn’t know was how the hell much longer he could keep this up. He wasn’t ready to walk away. Deep down he knew damn well that this woman was different. He could travel to Antarctica, and she’d still be right there beside him. Letting the flirtation run its course until boredom consumed him didn’t seem to be working either. With most women that could mean days, a week or two at the most. He and Emily were well past that.
With Emily the need to be near her, see her, touch her, was only growing stronger, and Doug had no damn doubt that playing this game was proving riskier than disarming an unstable explosive.
“Mr. H?” Tim asked. The way the others looked at him with confusion told Doug that Tim had obviously said something in between his first question and calling him out.
“Sorry, Tim. Looks to me like we’ve got it all taken care of for now, but I’ve learned if we wait a minute that will usually change.”
All three kids chuckled. The teens seemed to stand around awkwardly, the guys shuffling their feet from side to side.
Emily called out, “Let’s run through that last scene again.”
William nodded and shouted, “Later,” over his shoulder.
“I’d better get back to the dressing room.” Jennie smiled up at Doug. “We’ve got some costume changes to set up.”
Tim’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight. “How do you get the women to look at you like that, Mr. H?”
“Like what?” He knew of course but wasn’t ready to deal with an inexplicable charisma that earned Doug his magic-with-the-ladies moniker.
“Like you’re an ice cream sundae on a steaming hot day.”
Okay. That was a new one on him. “If it makes you feel any better, I think she likes you too.”
“She does?” Tim turned and, eyes wide with surprise, stared at Doug.
Doug could tell Tim was searching for the truth of Doug’s words. And Tim’s eyes showed how much he wanted to find it. “She’s different with you. Quieter. Almost shy. My guess is that’s because she likes you and hasn’t figured out quite what to do about it.”
“You think?”
Doug tried not to smile. “I do. Have you asked her out on a real date? Not an assignment or project, but a movie or dinner or whatever you kids do for fun in paradise.” The words had barely slipped past his lips when it struck him what all “fun in paradise” could imply for a couple of hormone-driven teens, but he chose to swallow his tongue and hope the brainiac didn’t catch on.
Studying the floor, Tim shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
“Let’s start here.” Doug turned to his tool box and fished for the smallest screwdriver. Facing Tim again, he pulled the glasses off his face and adjusted the screws, then handed them back. “How does that fit?”
Tim slid them on and looked up, moving his head from side to side. Then smiled. “I keep meaning to do that and just never got around to it.”
“Fortunately for you”—Doug held up the screwdriver, pointing the rounded end of the handle at Tim—“I have a round tuit.”
Tim laughed and walked away. Doug hoped to hell things worked out for the kid. Glancing to where Emily sat smiling up at the kids on stage, he wished more than anything he’d had a different life because then working things out with Emily would be damn smart advice.
* * *
“I think this is going to be even better than last year.” Emily wrapped her hands around the mug of hot chocolate and blew at the dollop of whipped cream.
Setting down his dessert fork on the empty plate, Doug leaned back in his seat. “Bye Bye Birdie, right?”
She wasn’t sure how often or when she’d mentioned the past production, but knowing he remembered, or that he cared enough to remember, made Emily’s heart beat a little faster. Same as earlier today when she’d noticed him talking to Tim during rehearsal. Though Doug’s expression was void of emotion, she’d learned to read the small nuances of that handsome face. The way he turned his head, lifted his chin, the slight shift in his gaze. He was worried about something. She only wished she knew what, but knowing he cared enough to be there for Tim was just another reason she loved this guy. Loved?
“Something wrong?” Doug leaned forward, reached for her free hand. The fear in his eyes had to mirror the shock in her own.
How, in only a few short weeks, with barely a moment alone together, had she managed to fall in love with Douglas Hamilton? No. She couldn’t be. Love, real love, took time. Love that would last had to grow. Be nurtured. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and shooing away the crazy notion. “Nothing. Just thinking about Tim.”
Doug eased back and blew out a heavy breath. “Yeah. I told him, if he liked Jennie, to ask her out on a real date.”
“You did?”
“I did.” Doug picked up a clean spoon and spun it between his fingers. “I think she likes him. I hope I didn’t set him up for a big letdown.”
“If it helps any, I think she likes him too.”
Smiling, Doug reached for his coffee. “I made arrangements this morning to do my jumps for my license tomorrow. If you are willing to risk giving your brother a heart attack, once I’m done with my business, we can do a tandem.”
“Really?” Grabbing his hand, she tried hard not to squeak, but excitement got the better of her.
Doug smiled and nodded. “It may be the last thing I ever do if your brother finds out but, yeah. Really.”
Practically leaping out of her seat and flying around the table, Emily threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.” And on the nose. “Thank you.” And on the lips. The temptation to take the kiss to another level was so strong she almost ignored the rules of propriety she’d grown up with. Almost.
Grudgingly pulling away, she returned to her seat. The heat in Doug’s gaze matched the fire burning inside her. Why did Doug have to be so blasted honorable?
Chapter Twenty-One
“Welcome to Kona Skydive.”
The young man with jet-black hair and equally dark eyes smiled way too brightly for six o’clock in the morning.
“I’m Dan.”
“Morning.” In her drowsy state, Emily managed not only to respond but to shake the young man’s hand as well. Not bad for half dead and too dumb to fall over.
“As soon as our other student arrives, we’ll get started with the prep class. Help yourself to some coffee or doughnuts and meet me in the classroom.” Dan pointed briefly to hi
s right, then turned and walked away.
When Doug had begged off Emily’s invitation last night to come over after dinner and watch TV, reminding her that five o’clock in the morning came bright and early, she’d grumbled to herself at another lame excuse. What he hadn’t mentioned was how early four o’clock came around if someone wanted to be showered, dressed and ready by five a.m. to be at the airport for a six o’clock jump.
Even though she wasn’t scheduled for the first jump of the day, due to the strong Kona winds, the last scheduled jump would be at nine in the morning. So no matter how she looked at it, there’d be no real sleeping in. The plan was for Doug to do a jump or two first, and then they would do a tandem jump.
“Give me a minute to check in with the packer, and then we’ll grab some coffee before joining the other student.” Doug walked away carrying two sets of gear and smiling like a kid in a chocolate factory.
Every man in the military must somehow be genetically linked to roosters. None of the sailors she knew saw anything abnormal about rising at O-dark thirty in the morning. At the moment, for her, the entire concept bordered on obscene. Maybe after that third cup of coffee she’d see things differently, but she doubted it. Her first cup this morning had barely aided in ungluing her eyelids. The second cup in the car had done little more. Served her right for insisting on riding to the airstrip with Doug.
He’d told her more than once that she should sleep in. Didn’t need to be at the airport, or drop zone as he called it, until seven o’clock. More than an hour away. Right now she could have been curled up at home in bed for at least another thirty minutes.
“Here you go.” Doug crossed the lobby and handed her a steaming cup of coffee with cream.
Hoping to awaken her still sleeping brain cells, she inhaled deeply. “This is heavenly.”
“That”—Doug pointed out the window and upward—“will be heavenly.”
The coffee must have been doing its job, because, for the first time since she’d gotten the brilliant idea to go skydiving, she was scared. Not eager for the adventure of a lifetime, anxious for the thrill of her life, anticipating an adrenaline high, but knee-knocking scared.
“You okay?”
Emily blew over the rim of the cardboard cup and nodded.
“It’s okay if you’re having second thoughts.”
Sipping the too hot coffee, she burned her tongue and shook her head. There was no way she was forming words in her sleep-deprived, borderline-panicked state of mind.
“I saw the other student talking to Dan. I want to sit through the instructional class with you, and the only chance I’ll have is with this first one.”
Emily nodded.
“These are smaller planes than what we used back in Texas,” he explained as they walked across the large barnlike structure. “Maximum five passengers. The first load will be with another sports diver, one tandem instructor with that student and a videographer. I’ll drop off my rig to be repacked and snag my backup rig so I can turn around and catch the next ride up. With only three hours of fly time and these smaller planes, there’s not much opportunity in a day to make up my hours.”
Nodding again, Emily didn’t dare speak for fear all she could say would be I changed my mind.
Walking past the tiny coffee shop that reminded her of the makeshift snack booth at her old high school, Emily followed Doug into a small room with a handful of chairs, an oversize pink exercise mat on the floor and a flat-screen TV on the wall.
“Good morning,” Dan said again.
For the next twenty minutes they watched an instructional video and, then on the exercise mat, practiced what they’d learned. All those years of hula lessons and yoga classes allowed Emily for one fine arch. Though she was a tad more concerned about remembering to hold her legs straight out when they landed. It all seemed so easy on the video and practicing on the mat. But, in the recesses of Emily’s mind, a different scenario played. One where she forgot to lean her head back on the tandem instructor’s shoulder or, in this case, Doug’s shoulder. And where she didn’t cross her hands on her chest upon exit, curled instead of arched, forgot to open her arms to a box position during free fall, squirmed like a worm on a hook and, generally speaking, screwed up so royally that she’d get herself—and Doug—killed.
Eager to be distracted from her own thoughts, she sat in one of the chairs in the ready area, and watched Doug and the others suit up. The student looked to be about the same age as Emily. Her instructor kept talking to her, asking her questions, and the young woman actually laughed.
Watching Doug, it was obvious he’d done this a hundred times before, probably even in his sleep. He and Dan were chatting about the packing floor, a caravan and an otter. Though she hadn’t a clue what most of the conversation was about, she was pretty sure the otter had nothing to do with the mammal. What she had finally figured out was the discussion centered on the differences in the setup here at the smaller Kona operation and the larger drop zone in Texas. Of all the things that simply went in one ear and out the other, the one tidbit she understood and held on to was that, in Hawaii, they only climbed to 10,000 feet instead of the 13,500 feet in Texas. Not that 10,000 feet wasn’t high, but she found a small amount of comfort in the missing 3,500 feet.
The clock on the wall behind her showed ten minutes to takeoff when the videographer strolled closer to the morning student and her instructor, asking more questions and taking video. The three of them seemed to be getting ready for a party. Laughing, joking, slapping high fives. If the girl was nervous, Emily didn’t see any sign of it. She, on the other hand, could feel the birds in her stomach swooping about frantically.
“Time to go.” The instructor tugged at the top of the student’s harness straps one more time, checking for who-knew-what, and then led the way to the canopied area by the parked plane.
Helmet in one hand, Doug reached out to take hold of her hand. “Walk with me.”
Following him and the other skydivers out the side door, Emily sucked in a deep breath of air. She hadn’t realized how badly she needed fresh air until the warm breeze blew over her and the swooping birds settled down.
Four people, all laughing and joking, inched closer to the small airplane. Not a care in the world. That was the feeling she wanted. The excitement she’d craved. Taking in another breath of fresh sea air, she screwed up her nerve and flashed her first smile of the day. First at Doug, as his fingers slipped away from hers, and then at Dan, as he waved one person after the other on board the small plane. Together she and Dan backed away from the aircraft as it rolled forward.
Hand shielding her face from the bright morning sun, Emily squinted after the decreasing speck of yellow, her neck craned until all trace of the small passenger plane was gone.
“It’ll take a bit more for them to reach the jump height.” Danny pointed up at the sky. “You might as well have a seat on one of the benches until you see the canopies.”
Emily nodded but kept her gaze skyward. She didn’t want to miss a thing.
The sound of car doors slamming carried from the parking lot to the open field. Laughter and happy chatter surrounded her. Another plane had pulled up, more people climbed in, and they too were off on their own adventure. She had no idea if she’d been waiting for signs of life for only a few minutes or forever, but the tiny specks above grew slightly larger until small spots of color sprouted against the scattered puffy clouds. It’s them.
“Never get tired of seeing that.” A tall, slim guy somewhere in his thirties stood behind her. The bright red suit had a flap of fabric from wrist to ankle that reminded Emily of a bat’s wing. Or perhaps the webbed footing of a duck. Either way he looked like he belonged on the cover of a comic book. Or perhaps in the psych ward of a big city hospital.
Turning away from his unusual suit, Emily glanced up again, instantly overwhelmed by the beautiful colors falling from the sky. “Oh, my.”
“Yeah. Nothing like it.” Mr. Red Batsuit walked away
, and suddenly the noisy chatter and bustle of arriving skydivers revived the eagerness she’d felt when she’d first seen the colorful brochure for the best day of her life.
“I can do this,” she reminded herself.
The first skydiver came down in a run, and Emily’s heart rate kicked up a notch. She recognized the blue striped suit of the video guy. Sure enough, not long after him, the instructor and student landed. Exactly like the video. The cameraman ran up asking more questions. From where she stood, she could see the bright smile on the girl’s face. Once again high fives were exchanged between the new team, and something akin to excitement seemed to be simmering in Emily as well. She could do this.
Doug was the last of the five to come down. The rainbow-colored canopy looked stunning against the bright blue sky. Not wanting to get in the way, she waited for him to come to her. All smiles, he leaned in and planted a hard kiss on her lips that could have knocked her over if he hadn’t slid one arm around her back. “Great day. You’re going to love it.”
And she was starting to believe maybe he was right.
* * *
Only a few months since Doug had done a jump and he’d almost forgotten how much he loved it. Nothing beat the adrenaline rush of free falling on a sunny day with a color-wheel-blue ocean as far as the eye could see. And no enemy surprises at the drop zone. The color seemed to have returned to Emily’s cheeks.
“It was beautiful to see the canopies coming down. It was like flowers falling from the sky.”
“Wait till you see how gorgeous the view of Kona is from up there.”
Hesitant, her smile seemed genuine. If anyone had asked him an hour ago if he thought she’d go through with it, he would have taken odds there was no way she’d get on that plane. Now he wasn’t so sure.
Dive Into You Page 15
