“That was a demonstration.” She stood and offered him a hand up.
He waved it off. “No thanks.” Although impressed, he was angry that she felt the need to demonstrate on him. He stood. “Where’d you learn to do that?”
“My dad’s a cop. He taught me to defend myself. I’ve never actually had to use my knowledge on a threat, but it’s good to know I have the skills should the need arise.”
“Did he also teach you to attack unsuspecting innocent men?” He tried to lighten his tone but heard the undertone of anger in his voice.
“No. Sorry about that. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Concern clouded her eyes. She reached a hand toward him, but this time he was too quick and moved away.
He strode toward the door. “I think we should call it a night. Thanks for your help with the dishes.” Okay, so maybe his male pride was a bit wounded.
“Please don’t be angry, Derrick.”
“It’s fine.” Though he said the words, even to his own ears they didn’t ring true.
She pulled open the door and marched ahead of him. Retrieving her belongings, including her bagged dinner from the fridge, she waved to the kids. “I’m heading out. It was nice meeting you, Gabe.”
Alyssa paused the movie and stood. “Why are you leaving?” She walked over to them.
“It’s time.”
Alyssa narrowed her eyes. “What did you do, Dad?”
Hope chuckled. “He didn’t do anything. I did. Good night, Alyssa.” She pulled open the door and stepped into the darkness, lit only by the porch light.
Alyssa crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “What was that, Dad?”
“Nothing you need to worry about. How’s the movie?”
“Great.” She frowned and lowered her voice. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, but I hope you fix it. I like Hope. She’s good for you, and I can tell you like her too.” She spun around, returned to the family room, and plopped back onto the loveseat.
How did he become the bad guy? And what did she mean by Hope was good for him?
A couple of hours later, he stood barely out of view as Gabe said goodbye to his daughter.
“Your dad is cool, Alyssa. Thanks for having me over.”
“Really? You think he’s cool?”
“Yes, and we don’t have to leave the island to go on a date if it bothers him that much. Maybe we can go kayaking or paddle boarding this weekend instead.”
“I’d like to paddle board.”
Derrick cleared his throat and moved into view of the teens. “Taking off, Gabe?”
“Yes, sir. Would it be okay if Alyssa and I go paddle boarding tomorrow afternoon?”
“Sure. But don’t fall in. The water’s still pretty cold.”
Alyssa shot him a look that clearly stated “duh.”
He thrust out his hand toward Gabe. “It was nice having you here this evening. You’re welcome to come over anytime I’m home.” He liked the kid but wanted to set boundaries.
“Thanks. See you tomorrow, Alyssa.” He turned and left.
Alyssa closed the door, locked it, then turned slowly and did a happy dance. “I get to date Gabe.” She threw her arms around his waist. “Thanks, Daddy.”
His heart melted as he hugged her back. He hadn’t really thought about paddle boarding being a date, but she was right, she’d won. “You’re welcome. We’ll discuss the rules tomorrow.”
Her arms dropped, and she looked up at him with a scowl. “Rules?”
He nodded.
“Fine. Now will you tell me what’s up with you and Hope? She seemed off when she left.”
His gut tightened as the humiliating event played out in his mind again. “Nothing. She demonstrated some self-defense skills on me to prove she can take care of herself. A man was bothering her at work, and I stepped in.”
“Oh. Did you get mad at her or something?”
His face warmed. “I’d rather not discuss it anymore.” He yawned. “Time for bed. See you in the morning.”
“Are you working tomorrow?”
“Only in the afternoon.”
“But I have a date.”
He grinned. “I didn’t realize I was invited.” He pulled out his phone. “In that case, let me call Piper and see if she can fill in for a few hours.”
Alyssa grabbed his arm. “No! You can’t do that.”
He chuckled. “I was teasing. But seriously, why do you need me to be home?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought you would be.”
Hmm. Seemed his daughter might be feeling a little insecure. “How about you come to work with me, and you can paddle board in the lake at the resort.”
Her eyes lit. “That could work. I’ll text Gabe before I go to sleep and suggest meeting him there. Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome.” He moved down the hall.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Yep.”
“It’s okay with me if you want to date Hope.” She stepped into her room and closed the door.
He stood immobilized in the hallway. Date Hope?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Hope sat at the granite-topped island in the B&B, her hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate. After leaving Derrick’s place she’d driven around the island until she ran out of places to drive and finally came back to the B&B.
Jill sat to her right and Zoe to her left. When Jill saw her walk in, she dragged her to the kitchen demanding to know what was wrong, and they’d been there ever since. It was after eleven PM, and they should be getting their beauty sleep. Hope was on her second cup of hot cocoa and still hadn’t spoken. What was she supposed to say to Derrick’s sister, or Zoe for that matter? It’s not like they were close friends she shared personal stuff with.
Zoe shifted in her seat. “There’s something about living on a small island. We all seem to get into one another’s business sooner or later.” She chuckled softly. “You don’t have to tell us what has that storm brewing inside you, but please know we’re here if you ever feel like using one of us as a sounding board.”
Suddenly clarity hit, and Hope knew what to say. She cleared her throat. “Thanks, Zoe. I appreciate that.” She glanced at Jill. “You’re probably going to hear about this sooner or later, so I might as well be the one to tell you. I went to dinner tonight at your brother’s place.”
“I know. He called after you left.”
Figures. “I don’t care to go into details, but to prove a point I used some self-defense moves on him, and I think I wounded his pride. End of story.”
Jill’s eyes widened. “Why would you do that? Did he . . . no. He’d never. He’s a prince among men.”
“I don’t know about the prince part, but no, he didn’t do anything except show concern for a situation I’m dealing with. I don’t know why I felt a demonstration would be better than telling him about my training.”
Zoe chuckled. “Seems to me he got the point.”
Hope couldn’t help smiling. “True, but now I feel bad, and he’s kind of angry with me.”
“He’ll get over it. My brother is not one to hold a grudge.” Jill’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
“What’s going on in that head of yours? You look like you’re up to something.” Hope didn’t think the stuffy B&B manager capable of mischief, but she’d seen that look plenty of times in her life and it always meant trouble. Maybe she’d misjudged Jill.
“I’m not up to anything, but it’s going to be so much fun teasing my brother.”
“No! You can’t say anything until he tells you. I don’t want him to think I’m a gossip.” She looked Jill in the eyes. “Promise me you won’t say anything.”
The mirth on Jill’s face evaporated. “Okay, if it means that much to you.”
“It does. Thank you.”
Zoe yawned and stood. “I’m sorry, ladies, but I need to sleep. My alarm goes off at five. I’m beat.”
Hope’s heart warmed toward Zoe. “Thanks for caring enough to
lose sleep for me.”
“You’ll have to teach me a few of your moves someday. You never know when they’ll come in handy.”
“Me too,” Jill said.
“Deal.” Hope grinned and placed her mug in the sink.
“Will you still be here for Easter at the end of the month, Hope?” Zoe asked.
“Probably. Why?”
“Nick and I are hosting a big meal on Easter after church. You’re invited.”
“Thanks!” At least one good thing came of this night. “I’d love to come. Should I bring something?”
“Rachel and her family will be here, so maybe some earplugs.” She chuckled. “Between her five-year-old son and the baby, and all the other guests, I expect things to get a little wild here on Easter. You can help hide plastic eggs in the yard if you’d like.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun. I’d love to help any way I can. I should head to bed too. Good night.” Hope pushed open the swinging door and walked through the dining room which led to the entryway and the staircase to the second-floor bedrooms.
At first she’d been angry at Derrick’s reaction, then she only felt guilt. She probably owed him an apology, but she was afraid he’d want nothing to do with her. And that hurt more than she expected. She liked him—a lot. Sure, he irritated her at times, and he wasn’t her type, at least on the surface. But as Piper had pointed out in her own special way, Hope’s type hadn’t worked out thus far—especially her last relationship. Was it too late to repair the damage with Derrick?
***
Saturday morning, Hope looked out her bedroom window and made a decision to go exploring just as soon as she stopped in to check on Piper. Other than driving around last night in the dark, she had taken no time to acquaint herself with her temporary home. She hoped to convince Piper to be her tour guide.
Hope showered then dressed and decided to opt for short sleeves since it looked so nice outside. She trotted down the stairs and pulled up short before hitting the landing at the bottom. Her heart rate kicked into double time. “Derrick. What are you doing here?” He wore a leather jacket and jeans. Maybe he was more her type than she’d realized. It should be a crime for a man to look that good.
“I had to drop off Alyssa, and I wanted to talk to you, so I’ve been waiting.”
“Oh.” She walked down the remaining stairs and shot a look to her right toward the dining room. “I need coffee. Be right with you.” She grabbed a disposable cup and filled it almost to the top, added half and half and a smidge of sugar, then popped on a lid, took a muffin from a basket and headed back to him.
“That’s your breakfast?”
“I slept in and missed the meal. This will be fine.” She took a long draw from the cup willing the caffeine to kick in. Somehow being around Derrick turned her brain to a puddle of mush—not good.
“What are your plans for the day?”
“I thought I’d drag Piper from her bed and let her play tour guide.”
He frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, she’s supposed to be on bed rest. My wife had to go on bed rest when she was pregnant with Alyssa, and she wasn’t supposed to be active.”
Hope frowned. “I didn’t realize it was such a strict thing, or that sitting in the car would be considered active. Okay then, I guess I’m on my own.”
“Not necessarily. Alyssa is in my sister’s suite. It’s Jill’s day off, and they’re going shopping this morning. You could join them.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Nothing against your sister or daughter, but shopping isn’t my favorite pastime.”
“Seriously? I thought all women liked shopping.”
“Nope. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly a stereotypical woman.”
He chuckled. “Point taken. I rode, but I have an extra helmet. I could give you a tour. I don’t need to be at work until this afternoon.”
Her stomach fluttered at the idea of riding on the back of his Indian Chief Classic. She’d always loved that bike. Would being so close to him be awkward after last night? She still needed to apologize. Then again she couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this. “So you’re not mad at me anymore?”
“Nope. But no more demonstrations, please.” One corner of his mouth tipped up.
“I promise.”
Derrick’s cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and quickly answered. Not wanting to eavesdrop, Hope wandered into the sitting room, sat at the piano and plucked out the Jeopardy song.
“There’s a problem at the resort. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be able to give you that tour after all. I need to head over there right now.”
She forced a smile. “No problem. I can entertain myself.” In fact, maybe rather than touring the island she’d head home for the day. Her house in Tacoma was only an hour away. It wasn’t like she had to spend her weekends here too. If she hurried she’d make the next ferry. “See you Monday.” She took the stairs two at a time. It would be wonderful to sleep in her own bed tonight. She’d give her parents a quick call, alerting them that she was heading to her place for the weekend since her dad took care of it when she was away.
Thirty minutes later, she waited in line for the ferry. Ominous looking clouds rolled by overhead. Maybe they’d get some much-needed rain. Unease coursed through her. What was up with that? Rain was a good thing. The ferry approached and was within minutes of docking. Her stomach knotted so tight, she almost doubled over. She’d felt fine earlier. What was going on? One thing was certain, she wouldn’t be going home today.
***
Derrick looked up from the computer screen at the front lobby counter and moved his neck side to side. After dealing with the problem this morning, he’d decided to stick around. The morning flew by, and he only had a few more hours until his shift was over.
“Hi, Dad.” Alyssa walked up to the counter wearing cutoff jeans and a black tank top.
“Hey pumpkin. What’s up? Did you need something?” Like a jacket? The last time he’d looked it was overcast and cool. She was going to catch a cold dressed like that. She sure hadn’t been wearing that earlier when he’d dropped her off at the B&B.
“You said you’d hook us up with paddle boards.”
“That’s right.” He opened a drawer, pulled out two passes, and slid them across the counter. “What happened to the sweats you had on earlier?”
She patted her oversized purse draped across her body. “They’re in here. The sun is finally shining, and it’s nice out. I want to work on a tan.”
“Oh. I hope you’re wearing sunblock.” He’d been so busy, he hadn’t noticed it was brighter outside now than when he’d arrived.
She rolled her eyes.
There was no point in making a scene, so he’d drop the matter. “Is Gabe here yet?”
“No. He had to help his mom with something, but he won’t be long.” Her eyes widened. “Did you hear about Hope?”
A jolt shot through him. “What about her?” He tried to sound casual, but something about the tone in his daughter’s voice told him something was up.
“She was going to spend the weekend at her house, but when she went to board the ferry, she felt terrible. Aunt Jill and I saw her as she was heading to her room.”
“She’s sick?”
“I guess so. We only stayed long enough for a quick lunch then Aunt Jill brought me here.”
“No one checked on her?” It wasn’t like his nosey sister not to know everything about everyone in the B&B. “Maybe I should call her and see how she’s doing.”
“You have her number?” Surprise lit his daughter’s voice. She rested her elbows on the countertop. “Have you asked her out yet?”
“What is it with you lately? Because you have a boyfriend, it doesn’t mean the rest of us need to be in a relationship.” Although, the more he thought about Hope, the more the idea appealed. He liked that she could take care of herself if she needed to, that she was an independent thinker, a hard worker, smart, an
d that she was a genuinely nice person.
“Testy. Testy.” She backed away from the counter with a grin on her face.
“Whatever.” His daughter’s vernacular had rubbed off on him.
She giggled. “Thanks for the passes.”
“You’re welcome. Will you need a ride home?”
“Maybe. I’ll text you.”
He nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket. His thumb poised over the keypad. Hope was an independent woman who could take care of herself, but even an independent woman needed concerned friends.
I hear you aren’t feeling well. Do you need anything? He pressed send and waited. A moment later his phone chimed announcing a new text message.
Feeling better. Does the restaurant make chicken soup?
He dialed the kitchen and spoke with Rachel. As it turned out chicken and vegetable soup was on the lunch menu. He ordered some to go, then texted. Yes. Will drop some by soon.
Thanks!
Thirty minutes later, he stood outside Hope’s bedroom door at the B&B and knocked.
She pulled the door open. “Oh. I thought you’d text when you got here.”
“I wasn’t sure if you were up to coming downstairs.” He held out the bag as he checked her over from head to toe. She’d changed since this morning and now wore black sweats and a hoodie. She looked as cuddly as a teddy bear. It took all his willpower to refrain from finding out if she was as cuddly as she looked.
Her hair fell softly around her pale face making him want to reach out and touch it. He shook the thought from his mind and focused on why he was here. To deliver food and make sure the lead electrician for the resort was okay. “You look better than I expected.”
Hope grasped the bag. “Thanks. I’m feeling a lot better. I don’t know what came over me, but I didn’t want to risk a heavy meal in case I have a stomach bug.”
“On that note, I should go.”
She chuckled. “Afraid you’ll get sick?”
“No.” He’d wanted to see with his own eyes that she was okay, and other than looking pale, she seemed fine. “I need to return to work. Alyssa might want a ride home after her date, and I promised I’d be there.”
Island Hope (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 4) Page 6
