“Ha, ha.” Siena put her camera down and completed the twist on Kerry’s hair, pinning it in place. “Were you scared? I saw the video, like a million other people did. That dorsal fin was huge. Let’s powder your nose and brush on some blush. You should wear sunscreen out of the water, too.”
The things she had to endure having a beautiful model for a friend, but Siena was really the best. Humble and caring with not an arrogant bone in her body. Kerry considered herself lucky to be included in her circle of friends. She closed her eyes and let her friend powder her face.
“Before I reapply your lipstick,” Siena said. “We’re going to put on your dress.”
“Dress?” Kerry’s eyes popped open. “I didn’t bring one.”
“I did.” Siena wagged her hips as she brought a garment bag out of the closet. “One of Dex’s friends is a designer and voila! You’ve inspired her to sketch a line of beachwear and sundresses for an athletic woman who can ride the waves all day and dance away the night. Woot! Look at the sexy heels to go with it.”
“But why? Did you and Finn set me up for something? You know I hate karaoke, and I was so nervous making that speech on surfing safety. Oh, no. I’m not giving any more interviews.”
“Don’t worry. No interviews, but, I spoke to Jack’s fiancée who’s an entertainment lawyer, and Jared’s contract is enforceable, so you, my dear, need to make some money.” She pressed the dress over her body to show Kerry. “It’s darling, isn’t it?”
Of course it was. The bluish gray bodice was strapless, and the top part was form fitting while the skirt flared gently over the belly and ended mid thigh. The abstract brushstroke print had a surf-like appearance, straighter lines curving with her boobs but breaking up into swirls that could be fish, water, seaweed, or whatever you imagined lurked deep under the sea.
“I can’t believe she made this for me.” Kerry draped the dress over her body.
“She’d been thinking about you after the shark attack. We all were worried. Anyway, you’ll look awesome. Here’s the matching shark’s tooth choker surrounded by translucent blue gems.”
“You guys are overdoing this shark thing.” Kerry couldn’t help the pout that made her lips more uneven, given her thin upper lip.
“Hey, when you’re hot, you’re hot. Think of it this way, you’ll raise more money for the charity surfing competitions.”
“I’m not sure I want to wear a dress that shows so much leg, especially with my scars.” Last try to wiggle out of this fashion show.
“Wear them with pride. Raise your arms.” Siena pulled Kerry’s T-shirt off. “Okay, shimmy into this, and we’ll be ready.”
“Ready for what?” Kerry had the strange sensation that she was being set up with a modeling agency. If what Siena said was right, she had to pay back the advance to Jared, and she wanted to. She wasn’t someone who would stiff his company just because she chose not to return to the tour.
“You’ll love it. Big surprise.” Siena rubbed sunscreen over Kerry’s exposed shoulders and chest. “I noticed you shaved your legs. You must be in love.”
Kerry couldn’t hide the blush and glow of happiness. She checked herself out in the mirror. Siena had done a miracle. The woman looking back at her was glamorous, even with the big nose and sharp chin, and the way she’d lined her eyes had accentuated her best asset. Her stormy blue eyes were the ones her mother often described as mirrors of the surf.
“Ohh, you’re so gorgeous.” Siena raised her camera. “Tell me about Finn.”
“Finn is unreal,” Kerry said. “There’s so much wrapped up in him, I can’t figure him out. He acts so romantic sometimes, and then he closes up. When I first met him, he never smiled, he was grouchy and gruff, but now, he’s pulling practical jokes and hamming it up with the reporters and locals. It’s like he’s two different people.”
While Kerry spoke, Siena snapped pictures in rapid fire mode. Kerry tried to look away from the camera and pretend it wasn’t there. She walked to the window overlooking the ocean and couldn’t help peeking at the outdoor shower enclosure. It was hard to believe she met her destiny there.
“Tell me more, keep talking,” Siena said.
“I don’t know much more. Tell me what he was like growing up.”
Siena stepped to the window and sighed. “He wasn’t as well off as the rest of us. His father was a disabled vet, and you know how mean kids are. They teased him about his secondhand clothing and the fact he got lunch vouchers, so he became the class clown, always pulling pranks.”
“He doesn’t want my pity, though. He’s very proud.” Kerry felt her heart squeezing tight, wishing she could ease the pain Finn had experienced. If pretending at romance made him happy, so be it. She’d do her part and play along.
“True. We used to call him Shark,” Siena continued. “I think he liked to be tough, too. I’m glad you’re not mad at him for scaring you to death. He doesn’t know the boundaries, and he means well. Senior year he stole a police officer’s ticket pad and wrote fake parking tickets to the entire faculty.”
“Uh, oh, I bet he got in big trouble.” Kerry picked up a magazine on a nearby dresser and flipped through it to hide the tears blurring her eyes. Finn was so much like her, wanting to be accepted. Only in her case, she was the girl who was almost pretty, the blonde who could have been hot had she been a couple inches shorter or gotten a nose job. It was no wonder they called her Big Bird growing up.
“Actually, he didn’t.” Siena pursed her lips and swallowed hard. “His father died of a heart attack when the police came to his door to tell him about Finn. You can imagine what that did to Finn.”
Kerry’s eyes watered, and she didn’t bother hiding it. “Is that why he enlisted?”
“Yes. That last prank wiped the smile off his face.” Siena squeezed Kerry’s shoulder, her camera thankfully forgotten. “Until you came along. Last night, I was totally shocked seeing him joke around with you. Lickers and spreaders, ha.”
“What about that woman who works for Dex? Did she make him laugh, too?” Kerry couldn’t bite back the jealousy as she perused the magazine featuring Dex and his company.
“She’s very high strung, but no, not that I noticed.”
“Who is she?” Kerry zeroed in on a group picture of Dex’s employees. “Is she in this picture?”
“That one.” Siena pointed to a petite Asian woman with a pixie haircut. “But you should talk to him about it.”
“You told me he broke her heart.”
Siena swiped the magazine. “I’m not saying anything more, since you leaped before looking, head over heels.”
“Did not.” Kerry crossed her arms and tried not to pout. For Heaven’s sake, she wasn’t a four year old. “Why are you dolling me up for a trip to the Montauk Lighthouse? I feel stupid going to a tourist trap with this dress and high turquoise-colored heels. I’m already six feet tall.”
“Perfect height for modeling.” Siena handed her a pair of cat eye sunglasses. “Now, chin up and show Finn what he’ll be missing if he screws up.”
Chapter Nineteen
Finn pumped his arms and tore down the beach, running hard until his muscles complained. Even though Kerry was as hot as ever in bed, she’d started putting up walls as the day of his departure drew near. He couldn’t weasel out of helping Dex, especially since his friend had always gone out of his way to make him feel welcome on his R&R breaks.
He dodged beachcombing tourists and skipped over the rocks to cross behind the surf fishermen. Some of them waved to Finn as he ran by. One of the men pulled a large fish from the surf.
“It’s a shark. A sand shark,” a spectator yelled.
“Hey, shark man, come over here,” the fisherman said. “Take a picture with me.”
Finn ambled over and helped the man hold up the four-foot sand shark. After they took their pictures, he checked his watch and headed back toward the beach cottage.
“There he is,” a man shouted, pointing a camera crew at hi
m.
Finn had had enough of the publicity, so he hopped a fence and ducked behind a hedge, but he hit a dead end and had to turn around.
Jared Dunbar stood in front of him holding a large poster board. On it were pictures of Kerry taken with many different men.
“There he is,” Jared announced, holding a mic. “Finn what was your name again? One in a long line of men entertained by Shark Goddess Kerry Mills. Like a female great white, Miss Mills travels many miles across deep oceans to mate with males from all over the planet.”
Finn’s fist flew toward Jared, but a burly hand blocked him before he connected.
Mike, the chief of police, held onto him from behind with a bear hug. “Let it go, Army man. I’ll take care of it. You have a lady waiting for you.”
He pointed up the street where Kerry and Siena were idling in the rental car. What time was it? Finn shook his watch and noticed it hadn’t moved.
Around them, the fishermen and townspeople descended on Jared. They encircled him, crowding him in, but not touching him.
“Get out of our town,” a grizzled old fisherman said.
“You’re not welcome here,” another voice chimed in.
“Go, we’ve got this covered,” the police chief said.
Finn ran toward the women, his heart beating twice as fast as it should. “What time is it?”
“We’re late,” Siena said. “Get in the car. You got the goods?”
“Yeah, I do. But I need to change.”
“No time. Our appointed time is almost over.” She put the car in gear and peeled toward the lighthouse at the end of the island.
Kerry sat strangely still. She looked him over and squeezed his hand, but warmth was missing from her eyes, and her mouth was pressed tight.
“You look so beautiful,” he managed to choke the words from his dry throat. “Wow.”
Yet, as ravishing as she looked, there was something plastic about her. She was as gorgeous as a supermodel, plucked, powdered, and lined to perfection. Somewhere, the Kerry he knew and loved was buried behind the eye shadow and lipstick.
Finn wiped sweat from his forehead. He had no choice but to proceed with the mission as planned. A Ranger had to make do with what was, and not what should be.
Here he was, wearing sport shoes, board shorts, and no shirt against a woman dolled up in high fashion beachwear.
He could do it. He had to.
# # #
“Were you going to punch Jared?” Kerry turned toward the back seat as Siena navigated the way to the lighthouse. “Why?”
“You don’t want to know.” He sounded like a stubborn little boy, sulking in the back seat.
“Just so you know, I don’t want any trouble with him,” Kerry explained. “Siena knows an entertainment lawyer, and she says it’s likely I have to pay back the advance.”
“So you want me to make nice to that ass bite?”
Kerry wrinkled her eyebrows. We’re back to grouchy and grumpy. This guy has mood swings faster than a lumberjack’s ax on a log.
“Look, he’s nothing, okay? Let’s try and have a good day.” Especially since it’s the last one before you leave. She softened her voice. “I want to remember us in a good way, happy and hopeful.”
“Same here. Look, I’m sorry about the time. My watch stopped.”
“You’ve got sleeves on. Don’t worry, you look great.”
“Sweaty and hairy.”
“Sexy.” She licked her lips before remembering she could have smeared her lipstick.
The trick to keeping makeup fresh was to hold her face still and expressionless, at least that was how Siena had explained it. Kerry turned back to the front of the car as Siena pulled into a parking spot.
“Perfect weather,” Siena said. “Look at that sky.”
“It’s gorgeous.” Kerry popped out of the car. “But why is there a police line?”
“You’re a celebrity. They promised us to be the only ones in the tower for half an hour.” Siena extracted her camera from a bag in the trunk.
“I’m going to buy a shirt at the souvenir shop,” Finn said. “Siena, can you lend me a twenty?”
“I can,” Kerry said. Why would he ask Siena? Unless he was already beginning the distancing act. She pulled out a twenty, but Finn waved it off, taking the bill from Siena instead.
Finn hurried from the parking lot without looking back, while Siena pointedly kept her gaze away from Kerry’s.
“You’re in on this, aren’t you?” Kerry stopped in front of Siena.
“In on what?” Siena’s eyes rolled right before she put on her sunglasses. “We asked for a private tour, and they granted it to us. What’s wrong with that?”
“Why a private tour?”
“Do you want to be mobbed by autograph seekers? Miss Jaws?” Siena raised the camera and snapped more pictures of her. “Come on, let’s go. Time’s ticking.”
“What’s with all the pictures? Am I meeting an agent or something?” Kerry scanned the parking lot, glad that the police were keeping people behind a line.
“Not today. Today is personal, a day for memories.” Siena smirked. “Think of it as a documentary.”
Whatever. Siena always had her little projects going on. More than once, her mother had said if she hadn’t been so beautiful in front of the camera, she would have become a photographer behind one.
Kerry couldn’t help the nerves from jangling in her gut. Something was up between Finn and Siena, and it could only be one thing. If Finn brought her here to break up with her, she’d accept it. For a while back there, she’d thought she’d meant more to him.
“Don’t look so glum,” Siena said. “And stop chewing on your lip. You’ll get lipstick on your teeth.”
Right. And we must look lovely while our hearts are being trampled. Appearances are everything, or so Jared would say.
Kerry and Siena walked up to the docent who welcomed them and gave them pamphlets. “Feel free to visit any of these buildings. This lighthouse was authorized by George Washington and is the oldest one in New York. There are a hundred and thirty-seven steps to the top. Since you have it all to yourselves, it’ll be a wonderful adventure and bird’s eye view. Enjoy.”
“Squee, let’s go.” Siena led the way, camera around her neck. “We should go to the top first.”
They passed the gift shop where Finn met them. He put his arm around Kerry and kissed the side of her head. “You look so beautiful, I didn’t want to mess up your lips.”
“It’s okay.” She couldn’t help her voice being so flat. It was all she could do not to ask him why he had to take such drastic measures to say goodbye.
His hand shook as he took hers and brought it to his lips. “You know how much you mean to me, don’t you?”
“Yes, and I appreciate it.” She couldn’t meet his eyes, fearful lest they were already turning distant. “Let’s check out the views.”
“After you two,” Siena said. “Wow, this lighthouse is cool. I love the lime covered bricks inside. Keeps the temperature down in the summer.”
Finn led the way up the narrow winding spiral steps. The docent was right. It would have been difficult squeezing by people coming down, and the rope rail at the side looked pretty flimsy. They reached the balcony below the light first, and Siena insisted on taking pictures. She even went so far as to arrange Kerry and Finn into romantic poses.
Finn steadied Kerry and leaned in to kiss her, but Siena stopped him because it wasn’t the right moment. Bossy, wasn’t she?
Kerry felt like tearing her hair out and stomping her feet. It appeared as if Siena would stick to them like glue and record the entire blow off, but fortunately, her cell phone rang, and she begged off to take the call.
Finn took Kerry’s hand and solemnly led her up to the room with the actual light. The view was breathtaking, and Kerry stared down, trying to spot the lefty wave she and Finn had caught under the moonlight.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, and f
or a moment there, her fears melted away. She clasped his forearm and leaned back against his chest, inhaling his musky woodsy scent, and loving him as much as possible given what was going to happen. She couldn’t kiss him, though, since Siena insisted her makeup stay perfect in case she got some shots good enough to show an agent.
“I wish we could stay up here forever.” Kerry hooked her face back and up to look at him.
Finn’s jaw tightened, and he swallowed hard. His gaze stayed on the horizon and his grip tightened around her, as if fighting the inevitable.
“Look, I know why you brought me up here,” she said to alleviate the tension. “I wish it weren’t so, but now that Siena’s stuck on the phone, why don’t you go ahead and get it over with?”
“You know?” Finn’s voice was strangled, and he coughed. “She wasn’t supposed to say.”
“She didn’t. I guessed.” Kerry pushed out of his arms and turned to face him.
Finn looked toward the doorway, as if expecting Siena to rescue him, but they could still hear her talking, her voice echoing in the tower.
He bit his lip and blinked, then swallowed again and held her hands. “Why do you wish it weren’t so?”
“Why? You’re asking me?” Kerry felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. She clutched the tube dress in front of her chest and closed her eyes, unable to bear the sorrow on his face. “I now know why you have barbed wire around the rose.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” He dropped to his knees. “I would never hurt you, Kerry.”
“You already have.” She stroked his temple and peered into his chocolate brown eyes. “It’s sweet of you to do this, and so romantic, but my heart’s breaking.”
“Oh, no. You have it all wrong.” A droplet of sweat trailed from his forehead. “I don’t want to break your heart. I want to marry you.”
He fumbled into his pocket and brought out a box. Opening it, he extracted a diamond ring. “I prepared a speech, but I’ve forgotten it. All I know is I love you more than everything in the universe. I want to spend the rest of my life cherishing you and lavishing you with all the good things in life. I know you’re out of my league, and that I’m not in a good position right now because I’m still on active duty, but I can’t wait with the fear that some other man will snatch you from me, so I’m asking you, Kerry Merry, I mean, Kerry Mills, to be my wife.”
The Remingtons_Leap, Laugh, Love Page 11
