He grinned. “I’ve always told her she couldn’t date until she turned sixteen. He wants to take her to the mainland for dinner and a movie.” He wouldn’t bring up the tattoos, as there was no sense dragging her into the mire of his daughter’s drama.
“That’s sweet.”
“Sweet?” His voice rose slightly. “He probably only has one thing on his mind.”
“Maybe, but don’t you trust your daughter?”
“Of course I do—at least, in regard to most things, but I don’t trust this punk.”
She glanced his way with a raised brow. “So you’ve met him?”
“Well, no.”
“Parents,” she said with mock disgust. “How can you call the guy a punk when you haven’t even met? That’s not very fair. And, you’re not exactly showing your daughter that you trust her when you pre-judge the guy she cares about. What kind of message is that sending her?”
He hadn’t thought of that. “Oh.”
“And while I’m at it. When you do meet him, don’t assume you know him based on his appearance. Take the time to get acquainted with the real person. People misjudge me all the time. They think I’m some tough chick because I’m an electrician and I have a few tattoos. They don’t even see me.”
“You mean you’re not a tough chick?” He quirked a grin.
“Very funny.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m tough, but not the kind of person they imagine.” She stopped at the entrance of the room she was working in.
He liked this side of Hope. Piper’s warning not to judge a book by its cover came to mind. Now he knew without a doubt what she was hinting at.
“Look, I get why you don’t want your daughter dating a senior, and why you told her she couldn’t date until she was sixteen, but you are going to lose her if you don’t come to some kind of compromise.”
“Are you speaking from personal experience? Your parents didn’t like the guys you dated?” Hope intrigued him. The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to get to know her. Even if she was unknowingly causing him trouble at home.
“Let’s just say we did not see eye-to-eye on many things. They were too strict, and I rebelled, which is exactly what Alyssa might do if you don’t come to a compromise you can both be happy with. Why not invite her boyfriend over for a supervised date? They can have dinner at your place and watch a movie there.”
He nodded. “That might work. Thanks.” He gently squeezed her shoulder. “For the record, I think you turned out fine.” Even if she worked in a field traditionally dominated by men. He admired her for her success.
“I’ll send you my bill,” she teased. “Oh, and no hovering. She’ll think you don’t trust her.”
He nodded and sauntered back to his office. Hope could be onto something. Maybe he’d even like the kid once he met him—fat chance.
***
Hope’s shoulder tingled where Derrick’s hand had been. Why did she have such a reaction to this man? He was nothing like the usual men she dated. His standard work attire was a suit, for starters. The guys that attracted her wore jeans and motorcycle boots to work. Then again, he rode a motorcycle. There was more to Derrick than met the eye, but was she willing to risk getting to know him?
She was no stranger to heartbreak and wasn’t sure she was up to more should Derrick not turn out to be the kind of man she suspected he was. Then again, Piper was certain they’d hit it off, and she knew Hope better than anyone. Or at least she had.
They’d been friends for years and had confided a lot to each other when in college, but that was a long time ago. She wasn’t that young girl anymore. She’d grown up and gotten rid of the stars in her eyes. It was still hard to believe she used to be a semi-famous metal sculpture artist. Which reminded her, Piper was still on her case about that sign for the boathouse.
She had no idea what to do about that either since Piper refused to take no for an answer. But for now, she needed to focus on her job.
The day flew by, and before it seemed possible, she was gathering her belongings. “Good work today, Todd. I’m hoping to wrap this wing up by the end of next week.”
“Ha! Not likely, unless you bring in another crew.”
She nodded. He was right, and she’d already planned to pull the crew working on the cabins into the hotel.
“Good evening.” Derrick walked into the room. He’d lost the suit jacket and tie and wore a white shirt rolled up to his elbows.
“What brings you by?” she asked.
“I need to check what you’ve done. Piper won’t be happy with me if I don’t.”
“Right. I forgot about that.”
A few minutes later he came back into the main room. “Looks textbook. The boss will be pleased.”
“Did you expect anything less?” she teased.
“No.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel like I need to tell you something.”
She stood to her full height. “Okay.” He looked as nervous as a man on his wedding day. Unease gripped her. “Don’t keep me in suspense.”
He shook his head. “Not here. Jill invited Alyssa and me to dinner at the B&B tonight. She’s hoping to get alone time with Alyssa and see what’s going on with her. While they’re visiting, maybe you and I could go for a walk on the beach or we could run, if you prefer.”
Curiosity piqued, she nodded. “That would be fine.”
“Great. I’ll text you when I’m ready.”
“I thought you didn’t do that.”
“In this case it makes more sense than a phone call. Don’t you agree?” Without waiting for a reply, he continued. “May I walk you out?”
They left the suite, and she closed the door behind them. “I need to stop by the kitchen before leaving. Piper has arranged to have all my meals provided by the restaurant. Let me tell you, I’ve never eaten so well. Zoe is quite the chef.”
“That’s great.” He stopped where she would head in a different direction. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Yep.” She watched for a moment as he strode out the sliding glass doors into the fading sunlight, then pulled her gaze away and hustled to the kitchen. Zoe stood near the stove, talking with a dark-haired woman with pale skin. She walked over to them. “Hi, Zoe. Is my meal ready?”
Zoe looked her way and grinned. “Hope, you haven’t met Rachel yet. She’s my sous chef, and I predict she will one day be a top chef with a restaurant of her own.”
Pink immediately stained Rachel’s pale cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you, Hope. I hear you are staying in the Poppy room at the B&B. That’s where I first stayed when I came to this island. Met my husband at the B&B too.”
Zoe grinned wider. “They just had their first baby in December. Sophia is a doll.”
Rachel’s face softened. “She is such a good baby, and Chris is an exceptional dad.” She looked at Hope. “He works from home, so he’s pretty much a stay-at-home dad and loving it.”
Someday Hope wanted to have kids, but that day didn’t look to be near.
“I met my husband there too,” Zoe said.
“Wow. The Wildflower Bed-and-Breakfast should advertise as a romantic destination.” Hope raised her arm and moved her hand horizontally as she said, “Stay at Wildflower B&B and meet your mate.”
Zoe and Rachel laughed.
“But seriously,” Zoe said, “it seems like everyone who stays in that room ends up living here permanently.”
Not Hope. She had a home in Tacoma and had no intention of moving here.
Zoe and Rachel looked at each other and shared a secret smile.
“What am I missing?”
“Nothing,” Zoe said. “Though you are closer to the truth about the B&B than you realize. How are things going for you? Are you enjoying your downtime? I assume you aren’t working twenty-four-seven.”
“I work normal hours.” In truth she’d been kind of lonely. She didn’t socialize with her crew, and she didn’t want to tire Piper by stopping in for a visit every evening.
“It’s almost dark by the time I leave so I spend most evenings in my room. Although I did take a run on the beach the other night.”
Zoe nodded. “I heard about that.”
Rachel moved a pot off the stove. “Excuse me, I need to take care of this.”
“No problem. It was nice meeting you.” Though quiet, Rachel seemed nice. Hope turned her attention back to Zoe as she handed her the sack containing her dinner. “I need to get busy too. I prepared beef stroganoff. It’s still a little chilly out so I thought you might enjoy some comfort food. There’s also steamed vegetables and a side salad. For dessert, triple chocolate cake.”
“Oh my. I’m going to gain ten pounds before I leave the island.”
Zoe chuckled. “Not likely, if you keep running.”
Hope wanted to ask why Jill had been so concerned about her, but clearly Zoe was too busy to visit any longer. “Thanks for the meal. See you tomorrow.” She waved to Rachel and left.
On the drive to the B&B her thoughts turned to Derrick. What did he want to talk about? She couldn’t imagine what it was, but it seemed personal. Good thing Zoe had made comfort food. She definitely needed it tonight.
CHAPTER FIVE
Derrick clicked on his flashlight and led the way down the path from the B&B to the pebble-covered beach. He could hear Hope’s soft footfalls behind him and the occasional twig snapping.
“I’m stuffed,” Hope said. “Zoe made me a dinner that could have fed two people, and of course I ate it all.”
He chuckled. “I don’t blame you. I’ve had her food, and it’s fantastic. Walking sounds perfect. I overate too. My sister made us lasagna.”
“Sounds good. So what is it you’d like to talk with me about?” She strolled up beside him as they exited the pathway.
He walked near the shoreline. Water lapped close to his feet. Unease about the topic he’d chosen settled on him. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. He didn’t know Hope that well. What if he offended her and made working with her more strained than it already was? He wasn’t in the habit of taking his problems to others—especially women. But bad idea or not, he’d come this far and really needed advice. He looked toward her, her profile dim thanks to the extra dark night. “I wanted to talk with you about Alyssa.”
“Your daughter?” Surprise lit her voice and sounded too loud in the serene setting.
“Yes. It seems she admires you. I don’t know why since she’s only met you once.”
“Thanks a lot,” she said dryly.
“Sorry. That’s not how I meant it.”
“Mmm-hmm. Actually she’s been at the B&B a few times since I’ve arrived. Your sister brought her over.”
This was news to him, but he’d worked late a couple of nights and also put in several hours over the weekend. His sister had been stepping in to help since his wife’s death. Now that he knew they’d spent time together, Alyssa’s obsession with Hope made more sense.
Hope rested a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, sorry. Just lost in thought.” Here goes nothing. “The thing is my daughter thinks you’re cool and talks about you all the time. She wants to be like you.”
“What’s wrong with that? You said yourself I turned out okay.”
“Yes, but she wants a tattoo.” Even to his own ears he sounded pathetic.
“Don’t worry, Dad. The law is on your side in this case. It’s illegal for her to get a tattoo until she turns eighteen in Washington State, even with parental consent.”
He did a fist pump. “Yes! How’d you know?”
“I wanted to get one at her age too but couldn’t. On my eighteenth birthday I got my first. Shine your light here.” She pulled the collar of the shirt slightly off her shoulder and pointed to a tiny rose.
“It’s small.”
She chuckled. “Well, once I got to the tattoo parlor I was a little afraid. The artist said she could make it small. So I went with it. It’s a nice reminder of the day I became an adult. I celebrated several other birthdays with a new tattoo until I turned thirty, then I stopped. Most of them are inspirational sayings.”
He nodded. “So which one did you get on your twenty-first birthday?”
“That was not a good year. I still regret that night. You’re going to laugh.”
“I promise I won’t.” He’d never seen Hope act so uneasy. Whatever this tattoo was it must be a whopper.
She groaned. “I can’t believe I’m going to tell you.”
He flashed the light so he could see her face better. What kind of tattoo would have her looking so uncomfortable?
“My friends and I had watched Pirates of the Caribbean, I’d had my first drink ever—”
“Hold on. Ever?” He shined the light on her face again. She looked annoyed.
“Yes. I tried my first drink that night and got tipsy. Now stop shining that thing in my face. Do you want to hear this or not?”
“Sorry. Continue.”
“Anyhow. I was a little tipsy. I had a crush on Captain Jack Sparrow and well . . .” Her voice dropped near a whisper. “I got a tattoo of his face.”
“Come again? It sounded like you said Captain Jack Sparrow is forever inked on you.” That was one tattoo he’d enjoy seeing if he’d heard her correctly.
“It is Captain Jack. Okay? Now let’s talk about something else.”
“Oh no. You don’t drop something like that and expect to switch topics. This is big. Where is it?”
“My upper back.”
No wonder he had never seen it. But boy would he like to. “May I have a peek?”
“Seriously?” Her voice hitched. “No!”
“Ah. Come on. One quick look. Please?” He drew out the word. “I happen to be a fan of the movie.”
“No way.” She crossed her arms and picked up the pace.
He lengthened his stride to match her pace. “It’s a shame you went through all of that, and no one even gets to enjoy it.”
“You’re relentless.” She sighed. “Fine. But if you ever breathe a word about this to anyone . . .” She dipped the neck of her shirt down revealing a masterful tattoo that must have been quite expensive, given the details. The colors, at least what he could see with the flashlight, were fantastic too.
“You shouldn’t hide that. It’s perfect. Any regrets?”
She quickly adjusted her shirt. “Let’s just say, I didn’t consider the consequences of my actions that night and now keep that tattoo covered at all times.”
“Not a Captain Jack fan anymore?”
“I still like him, but I didn’t realize people would judge me for having a drunken pirate inked onto my back.”
He chuckled.
“You promised you wouldn’t laugh.” She nudged his shoulder, causing him to sidestep.
“Sorry, but it’s ironic that you had a drunken pirate permanently etched onto your body the night you were slightly inebriated.”
“That was the one and only time I ever drank. After that night, I learned my lesson. Apparently I make poor choices under the influence.”
“At least you learned from your mistake. I think that’s the problem I’m having with Alyssa. She’s not thinking through the consequences of the things she wants.”
“Perhaps, but I wouldn’t worry too much. She’s way more levelheaded than I was at her age. Remember when I told you my parents were strict and I rebelled?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I wasn’t exaggerating. Thankfully getting good grades was important to me, or who knows where I would have ended up.”
“Sounds serious.” He barely made out her shrug in the light of the moon.
“Some of it was, but nothing illegal. I wasn’t out to ruin my life, simply make my parents miserable.”
By the sound of it, he had it pretty good with Alyssa. They only needed to get through this boyfriend thing. “Did any of your trouble with your parents involve boys?” He quickly added, “If I’m getting too personal, forget I asked that.”
He hesitated. What would it be like to have another woman in his house? He liked Hope. She was easy to talk to, and he appreciated her honesty. What was his problem? It wasn’t like they were dating or anything. They were friends. Surely it wasn’t a big deal to have her over. “I think that might work since she looks up to you. When would you like to come over?”
“I’m not sure yet. Let me think on it, and I’ll let you know. I’m not even sure the homework angle will work.”
He stopped. “We should probably head back. I don’t want Jill to worry.” They reversed course.
“What’s up with your sister anyway?”
“Jill’s always been sensitive and uptight, thanks to a couple of incidents, my wife’s fatal car crash being one of them. She panics when people are later than expected.”
“Oh. That’s not a fun way to live.”
“Nope. It’s not easy on anyone in her life either, but she’s doing much better than she used to.”
“Progress is good.”
He had a feeling Hope understood better than she was letting on. The path leading to the B&B was a few feet ahead on their left. “Thanks for helping me with my daughter. I was afraid I was going to offend you again.”
“Again?”
“You know, like when I looked over your work.”
“Oh, that.” She waved a hand as if it was inconsequential.
He chuckled and shined the light onto the path. “Here we go.” His cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Dad, when are you getting back? I have homework.”
“We’re almost there.” He wanted to point out that she’d had all afternoon to do her homework but kept Hope’s advice in mind and let it slide.
“Jill?” Hope asked after he hung up.
“No, Alyssa. She’s in a hurry to go home and do homework.” Something small flew past them so close he could feel the air from its wings. He caught a glimpse of a tiny bat.
Island Hope (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 4) Page 4
