by Kaira Rouda
“I’ll drive you back, Dorsey,” Steve said, holding the door for her as she learned to walk with the crutches. “Tomorrow is a busy day. You should stay in and rest tonight. It’s OK for you to skip the bonfire.”
“Um, right,” Dorsey said, swallowing. He couldn’t know about her plans with Jack, she realized. But it was almost like he did. She shook her head. The pain pills were making her loopy.
As soon as she walked awkwardly out the clinic door, sweat formed on her forehead and dripped into her eyes. The cart ride provided a brief respite until Steve stopped and parked near the ocean, just below the swimming pool, where a group of happy day-trip vacationers stood waiting for their “nature walk and history talk.”
“I hope you don’t mind but I’ve got to do a little talk for these good folks before I run you home,” he said. He climbed out of the cart and approached the group.
Really? More time in the sun was the last thing she needed, but she had no choice. She reached for her water bottle and swallowed another pain pill.
“This is what it was like over in Hilton Head forty years ago,” Steve explained. “It’ll take a while for us to get this old island into Top Club shape. But it’ll happen. We’ll embrace the past of the place. There were bloody Indian battles here, grand Southern plantations with fields of cotton, famous oyster-canning companies, and flourishing Indigo fields. We’ll bring it all back around, fix up what we can. That’s Top Club’s commitment.”
Nothing would ever fix the summer weather. It was only May and stepping outside felt like walking into a steam shower, but she supposed with air conditioning and swimming pools, tourists would still come. And she was getting accustomed to her new look, she thought, reaching up and touching her hair, an uncontrollable frizz shooting out all around her head. She’d have to give up. Back home in Grandville, it had taken an unusually fiery and damp August day to cause the kind of havoc each day brought on the island. Here every day would be a big hair day, but nobody would notice. She would simply be one of many blue-shirted employees there to serve wealthy vacationers’ kids.
As she strained to listen to Steve’s history talk, her foot started throbbing. She still couldn’t believe she had been attacked by an inanimate object in thigh-deep water. I’m feeling sorry for myself, she thought.
But if she hadn’t stepped on the arrowhead, Jack wouldn’t have come to her rescue, and they wouldn’t have a date tonight for the bonfire. She knew he’d only asked her because he felt sorry for her, her clumsiness, her lack of friends, her chaotic hair. But she had felt the electricity between them, even if the current had only run one way. She’d enjoy every minute around his perfect muscular body, even if it was a pity date.
Chapter 4
Jack
From his lifeguard chair, Jack saw Dorsey trapped on Steve’s golf cart – her bandaged foot propped up on the dashboard – as Steve performed his show for the day-trippers. She must be hot and uncomfortable. He knew she should be taken to her cottage, she needed air conditioning and rest. What was the jerk doing? Trying to make her suffer or trying to impress her with his king-like knowledge of the island? Either way, Jack was disgusted.
Jack was stuck in the chair, even though there were only two 30-something sunbathers at the entire pool complex and the two women hadn’t gone in the water past their ankles so far. Most of the time, they just smiled at Jack and whispered as they flipped through their gossip magazines.
The two college girls working the snack shack and pool hut looked equally bored. He knew they should all be appreciating this relaxing day as tomorrow was a full house, with every room and cottage booked. But he hated being bored, and he hated that he couldn’t go rescue Dorsey.
What was it about her that immediately attracted him, he wondered? He’d noticed her at orientation, of course. She had looked like a deer in the headlights when Steve had called her out. He’d wanted to protect her from that moment on. She had crazy curly strawberry blonde hair and gorgeous green eyes, and now that he’d been close to her on the beach, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. About the freckles dotting her small nose, about her full lips, about the heat that sparked between them.
He’d spontaneously asked her to the bonfire, a move he hadn’t thought through at all. Steve would be there, and Jack knew how Steve felt about staff relationships. They were strictly prohibited. ETQ left no room for romance, Steve was fond of saying at staff meetings.
They’d have to be careful. For some reason, Jack knew Dorsey was worth it. He gazed at her stuck in the golf cart in the blazing sun and shook his head, anger making him too antsy to sit any longer.
Steve was such a jerk, he thought, as he climbed down from the chair and dove into the cool blue swimming pool. Underwater, he imagined that he didn’t need this job so badly. He saw himself running over to the group lecture, grabbing Steve, punching him in the nose, and hopping in the golf cart and driving Dorsey to her cottage where she belonged.
As he surfaced for air he reminded himself again that this was the only job he had. His mom, long deserted by his father, expected the best from him. And, he’d promised to pay off her mortgage so she wouldn’t lose the house. He was her only child now, her only hope. Before, she had been a strong person who wore the pants in his family, teaching her sons that women were their equals. After the accident, she’d lost her passion for life. All her hopes and dreams rested on Jack’s shoulders, and he felt the weight every day.
No matter how much he hated that liar, Steve, he needed to stay calm and play the game. He’d already mailed his mom the check Steve had advanced him and she’d taken it to the bank just in time to save the home from foreclosure. That meant Jack would bide his time, play the lifeguard until Labor Day. Once he was a member of the management team, nothing and nobody would stand in his way. One of his first missions would be to write up Steve for everything he did wrong. His weird control methods, his overt sexual harassment of the summer staff. Jack had seen enough last summer to fill a book of complaints, even if everyone else just let Steve get away with it all.
Jack wouldn’t. Once he had the position he’d been promised he’d fix everything. He would do almost anything to get what he wanted – to make his mother proud, to help heal her heart. And now he had another reason to succeed on Indigo Island, he thought as he climbed back into the lifeguard chair, and she was sitting in a golf cart just out of his reach.
He pounded his right fist into his left hand, imagining it was Steve’s face. It felt good. Jack smiled, and the two women at the pool smiled back, not realizing the smile was not meant for them.
Chapter 5
Dorsey
Dorsey awoke suddenly, unsure where she was, with damp hair stuck to her forehead. It was just another bad dream. She took a breath, trying to calm her thumping heart. Of course her nightmares would follow her here to Indigo Island. She’d never be able to be free of them.
She was on the couch in the living room of her cottage, where she must have fallen asleep after Steve finally dropped her off. He’d told her to rest, take it easy and to stay home tonight. It was dark outside, and inside her cottage. She wondered what time it was. Sitting up slowly she blinked at the clock in the kitchen. It was nine o’clock.
Jack, we had a date.
Dorsey reached for the telephone on the side table next to the couch.
“Jack Means’s room please,” Dorsey said into the phone. She listened through four rings before voicemail answered. “Hi Jack, it’s me, Dorsey. I fell asleep, and I’m so sorry.” She hung up.
Frustrated, Dorsey slowly stood up, shoved a crutch under each arm, and made her way to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She tossed and turned all night, hoping Jack would call. But he didn’t. Once the sun finally rose, she decided she needed to get to work. Fortunately, Steve had arranged for a golf cart to be dropped off for her use until her foot healed, so Dorsey zipped over to the Kids Club. The first kids wouldn’t arrive until nine a.m. She had an hour to kill and decided t
o drive over to the pool, hoping to find Jack. A group of the college girls were busy setting up the pool hut.
“Hey Dorsey, heard about your foot. Sounds ouchy,” said one.
Dorsey couldn’t remember anybody’s names yet, so she just smiled.
“Great way to get the hunk’s attention,” said another. “He’s all about saving people. Did you know he saved a little kid who was drowning just last summer? I watched the whole thing.”
“No, I didn’t know about that.”
“Did he pick you up and carry you out of the water? Did he ask you out? He doesn’t give anybody here the time of day and then you show up. It’s just not fair,” the third girl said, giggling.
Dorsey didn’t see Jack anywhere around, the pool wasn’t officially open yet so there weren’t any lifeguards in the chairs. Dorsey was about to ask the pool staff if they’d seen him when a blood-piercing scream rang out.
Grabbing her crutches, she headed toward the kids’ pool, where she found a family in panic.
“Oh my God, what is it? What got her?” The distraught mother cradled a screaming girl of about three.
“What happened?” she asked as the mother carried the child to Dorsey.
“A huge bug bit her. Look,” the mother said, pointing at the middle of the child’s forehead, where blood seeped from a bite.
“Horsefly,” Dorsey said. “They’re awful this year, we were told. They hang out by the swimming pools. Let’s go get some ice for you, OK?”
Suddenly, Jack appeared but instead of stopping where they were gathered by the toddler pool he ran past them and dove into the deep end of the main pool.
“My God, there’s a child under there,” somebody screamed, and as quickly, Jack appeared on the surface of the water, cradling a small boy. He hurried to the edge of the pool, handing the limp body to the other lifeguard and then jumping out himself and beginning CPR.
“No, Tommy,” the woman next to Dorsey wailed before shoving the little girl into Dorsey’s arms and running to where Jack was at work.
Dorsey grabbed the little girl’s hand and hopped on her good foot to the pool hut.
“Call 9-1-1,” she said to the two pool hut staffers who were frozen in place. “Put ice on her forehead. Call now.”
As quickly as she could she hopped to the side of the pool where, thankfully, the young boy was coughing and throwing up water. His mother held the child and was crying as Jack glared down at her.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he said to the woman, quietly. His anger was palpable, coursing through the air as if tangible. Dorsey could feel it as she stood next to him.
“Jack, go get the kit, and be sure the squad is coming,” the other lifeguard instructed. “Now.”
“He almost died,” Jack said to the mother, his eyes tearing up, his face contorted into a grimace with what was both anger and grief mixed, before walking away, causing the mother to wail again.
Dorsey hurried after him, forgetting the crutches.
“Jack, what is it? How can I help?” she said, but he was in too much of a hurry, outpacing her every step.
As she reached the pool hut, Jack was escorting the paramedics to the pool, filling them in on everything that happened. The little girl who had been bitten had calmed down and was playing peek-a-boo with the pool hut staffers.
“Dorsey, what happened?” asked Sabrina, one of the pool hut staff. Finally they’d put on name badges.
“That little boy, he, he was drowning,” Dorsey said, realizing tears had sprung to her eyes. “It was awful, he was so white and limp when Jack pulled him out.”
The paramedics wheeled the boy past in a stretcher, his small face covered with an oxygen mask, followed by his distraught mother.
“Mommy!” cried the little girl as she saw her mom pass by.
“Oh baby,” the mom said, grabbing the toddler from Sabrina’s arms and hurrying to the waiting emergency squad.
Dorsey turned to look back at the pool and saw Jack, his head hanging, leaning against the side of the lifeguard chair. The female lifeguard was talking to him and he was shaking his head. She climbed into the chair, but Jack remained where he was.
He saved a life, in front of her eyes.
Dorsey crutched slowly to where Jack was standing, his back to her.
“Jack, you were amazing,” she said. She reached out and touched his shoulder, his tan skin was warm and firm. Her fingers were still trembling from the events while he had been so brave, so in control.
“I was just doing my job,” he said, his back to her. “I just can’t believe parents don’t watch their kids. Drownings happen all the time. It’s such a silent, awful death.”
“But you weren’t even on duty, you weren’t even here when I got here to look for you.” Dorsey blushed, realizing her slip, hoping he hadn’t heard it.
Clearly, he had. Jack turned then and faced her. He smiled his dimpled smile. His eyes were still shiny, hinting at his previous emotion. “I’m glad you were looking for me. You’ll always find me here, all summer. Remember, Steve made it so. I’m in charge so it is my job. I’ve got to go write up my report, so I’ll, um, see you around.”
As Jack grabbed a white pool towel and rubbed it through his still wet dark hair, Dorsey remembered she hadn’t apologized for sleeping through the bonfire. Then again, he hadn’t returned her call, so clearly it had been a pity date after all. She decided not to say anything, and sighed as she watched him walk away. She knew she should stay away from him. There was something guarded and distant about him and that was just fine with her. She knew she had that quality herself. She wasn’t looking for anything but to start a career on Indigo Island. That’s all.
Dorsey made it back to the Kids Club just in time to welcome her first camper, a towheaded ten-year-old boy by the name of Tade, pronounced like Tate with a D he explained. He was dressed like a little preppy in a pink polo shirt and blue golf shorts.
“I’ll be the only one here most days,” he said after his parents had left in a swirl of hellos and goodbyes. “I liked the other girl who was here before you. I sort of miss her. She was really pretty. Did you know Miss Lila?”
“No, I didn’t,” Dorsey said. “But I hope you’ll like me, too.”
“I will, I think. Miss Lila didn’t like Mr. Steve. She thought he was icky,” Tade said. “What happened to your foot?”
“Arrowhead,” she answered, wondering if she should press Tade for more information about Miss Lila and her problems with Steve. Maybe later. He was her boss, so any information could be useful as she worked her way up the Top Club ladder. First things first, she reminded herself. Make the Kids Club a model all the clubs would want to copy.
“Can I see it?”
“What? My stitches. No!”
“No, the arrowhead, silly!” Tade said.
“Sure, I’ll bring it tomorrow. What do you want to do today?” she asked. She had a lot of activities planned, and a bunch of ideas for crafts and hikes and activities, but she also wanted Tade’s input. She needed to stay busy, to focus on her job, not how Jack’s skin felt under her fingertips. Stop it.
“Dunno,” Tade said. “Let’s go steal an apple from the front desk!”
As they walked out of the Kids Cottage, Jack was standing there.
“Tade, my little man, welcome back,” Jack said as Tade jumped into Jack’s arms. “Good to see you squirt, I see you two have met.”
“Ah, yep, he’s my first camper,” Dorsey said, unable to control the blush covering her cheeks.
“Jack’s a kissy boy. He was Miss Lila’s friend, too,” Tade said.
“You are a little troublemaker, you know that? To the water with you,” Jack said, easily tossing the youngster over his shoulder and heading toward the ocean.
“Save me, Miss Dorsey,” Tade yelled, all the while laughing and kicking his legs over Jack’s back.
Dorsey jumped into the golf cart eager to rescue her charge and just as happy to be spending time
with Jack. He was a natural with the boy, who was now sitting on his shoulders as Dorsey pulled alongside them.
“Hop in, you guys, let’s go explore,” she said as Jack flipped Tade over his head and placed him on the sand. “Jack, can you come with us?”
She was flirting and she couldn’t believe it. She was probably batting her eyelashes, too, she realized, mortified. Fortunately she had her sunglasses on. He was just so hot.
“I’d love to,” he said, sliding Tade into the front seat next to her as Dorsey’s heart thudded in her chest. “But unfortunately I have to go back to the pool. Hey Dorsey, I’d really like to see you later, though?”
“Ah, sure, of course, me too,” she said. Sounding just like a sixth grader. What had happened to her?
“I’ll find you,” Jack said with a wink before turning to walk back to the pool.
“Me too, me too, kissy kissy,” Tade teased Dorsey as she drove around to the back of the inn, the ocean side, where the sun danced and sparkled on the calm surface of the sound. The calm stillness of the ocean was a complete contrast to the crazy longing she was feeling inside.
Dorsey reminded herself to focus on her job and let Tade help her to navigate her crutches across the oyster-and-shell-encrusted cement walkway leading to the back door of the inn, stopping to point out embedded fossils along the way. As they moved past the lawn-bowling court, Dorsey tried to imagine what it would have been like to grow up a hundred years earlier in a huge home at the edge of the ocean, daughter of a cotton farmer. Waited on by slaves.
“You know, back when this was a plantation, we wouldn’t be on the island during this time of year,” Dorsey explained, reciting Steve’s speech that she had heard while she waited with her throbbing foot. “We’d be inland, in the mountains in Asheville or near there. It’s malaria season, a dangerous and uncomfortable time to be on the Sea Islands. That was before the invention of air conditioning, and pesticides and malaria pills.”
“Yeah, well, the folks who were here year-round then are still here now, you know?” Tade said. “The Gullah people are just outside the gates. Most people here never even see them. But it’s really their island.”
