by Anna Lowe
“Chase.” Dell smiled, breaking away for a broad swipe of a buddy handshake. “Good to see you.”
Chase was the youngest and quietest of the group Dell shared the plantation with — one of the three Hoving brothers, if Anjali remembered correctly. He was just as eye-catching as the rest of them, and just as rock-hard, though his eyes had something vulnerable in them, like a dog who’d only recently found a good home.
“Hi, Chase,” Anjali said.
He nodded politely, then earned another hundred bonus points for tickling Quinn’s chin with the kind of indulgent smile that made Anjali’s hopes rise. Obviously, Dell was close to his friends. Really close. And that meant he had the kind of support network that might just help him pull off parenting.
She looked at Quinn. That was good. Really good. And yet sorrow flooded her heart. Soon, neither Dell nor Quinn would need her, and she’d be back to her old life.
She blinked into the distance. Wait. Wasn’t that what she wanted? Desperately?
“We were just about to get some smoothies,” Dell told Chase. “Want one?”
Chase nodded eagerly and led the way to the food truck parked at one edge of the seaside park. Dell took Quinn and hung back to whisper to Anjali.
“Watch this.”
She nearly mouthed, Watch what? when Dell motioned with a wink.
“Hi, Chase,” the girl behind the food truck counter breathed. A cute, bookish brunette with two French braids who turned pink the second her eyes locked on Chase.
“Hi, Sophie,” Chase whispered, blushing too.
Dell whispered into Anjali’s ear. “It took them a month to work their way up to actually using names.”
Anjali hid a smile. For a couple of adults, they were awfully cute. And tongue-tied, though neither seemed to mind. They just stood there, smiling and blushing like a pair of love-struck teens.
“Hi, Sophie. Hi, Coco,” Dell called. “And hi, um…?” He leaned down to pet the dogs tied in the shade of the truck.
“Darcy,” Sophie murmured without looking away from Chase.
“Darcy, huh?” Dell chuckled.
Coco, a mangy little brown mutt, gave a meek wag of its tail, but Darcy, a Jack Russell terrier, bared its teeth, making Dell laugh and mutter, “He’s about to find out who’s top dog.”
Chase didn’t say or do anything but glare at the dog, but from one moment to the next, the little spitfire rolled over and showed its belly in defeat. The dog stayed that way, even when Chase turned back to Sophie.
“What can I get you?” Sophie asked, scarcely noticing Dell. Which was quite a feat, because Anjali caught at least six women in the vicinity ogling her man and Quinn.
She shook her head. Oops. Not her man. Not her baby, either.
Chase seemed stuck on Sophie’s question, and Dell rolled his eyes.
“Tropical swirl or pineapple?” Sophie asked, biting her lip as if she’d just worked up the courage to ask him on a date.
“Yes, please,” Chase whispered.
Sophie beamed then crinkled her brow when she processed his words. “Oh. Which?”
Chase’s face dropped like he’d made a fatal error. “Um…the first one?”
That made Sophie beam again. Chase did too, and they were right back where they started again.
Dell sighed and nudged Chase. “Make it two swirls and one pineapple, please.” He moved Quinn from one shoulder to the other and fished in his pocket for his wallet, already more confident in holding the baby than before. Maybe Connor had been right to insist Dell manage a day on his own.
Dell put twelve dollars on the counter and another in the tip jar. Apparently, he and Chase were regulars. Then he winked at Anjali and motioned to a grassy spot by the low seawall. “We’ll be over there,” he told Chase. To Anjali, he whispered, “This could take a while.”
She smiled, feeling like she had all the time in the world. An illusion, given the to-do list that had accumulated after a few calls, but what the hell. She set her bag and phone down beside her, and the pages of her planner fluttered in the breeze.
“You’ve been slacking off, I see,” Dell joked, nodding to the sticky notes, scribbles, and urgent reminders covering her neat script.
Anjali looked at her own planner with fresh eyes. It looked like any normal week in her life, but what exactly did that say? She faked a smile and straightened the hat on Quinn’s head.
Dell’s smile faded. “Busy day, huh?”
She sighed. “It is in Chicago. And I find myself manning the new satellite office in Maui.”
“I thought you were on vacation.”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “There are different definitions of that word.” She shrugged and looked around. “It’s good to be here, though.”
That was the understatement of the year, because she’d spent most of the morning outdoors, seeking sun or shade — whichever suited her whim. Every rustling tree had a calming undertone, as did the roll of waves over pebbles at the beach.
“It beats looking at a tropical calendar for a change.”
Dell looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language.
Why not live the real thing? his eyes seemed to ask. Or was she projecting her hidden fantasies onto him?
“What do you do, anyway?” he asked.
She plucked at the grass, averting her eyes as she spoke, going from the usual things to the parts she rarely discussed with anyone else. About her chance at a promotion, although it was difficult to work up any excitement about that. About Richard, the smarmy colleague who might wheedle his way into that job if she didn’t watch out. She went on and on, telling Dell far more than he needed to hear, and yet he listened intently to every word. The stress. The rush. The constant deadlines.
Why? his eyes asked. Is it really worth it?
Anjali was starting to wonder herself.
Dell squinted at her planner and finally spoke. “You ever find time to play between all that work?”
His voice was flat and concerned, not teasing, making her think.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She leafed through her planner, trying to hit a lighter note as she pointed to an entry. “Look. I do kathak once a week.”
Dell tilted his head. “What’s that?”
She held her hands up, wrists bent, fingers shaped just so. “Traditional Indian dance.”
Dell’s eyes brightened. “You should show me sometime.”
God, she’d love that. But the thought of him watching her swing around in a sari gave her all kinds of bad ideas, so she pointed back to her planner. “I also do yoga. Every second day.”
Dell leaned over to look then whistled. “Wow. Every second day…at noon. For fifteen minutes.” He raised an eyebrow. “Exactly fifteen?”
Her shoulders drooped. “Well, it is if the 10:45 team meeting doesn’t run over.”
He studied her closely. So closely, she studied herself. It did sound pretty ridiculous.
She looked around. Maybe Dell wasn’t crazy or irresponsible to run away from the world and work as a part-time bartender in Maui.
“Here,” he said gently, taking Quinn. “I got this.” She tilted her head in a question, and he grinned. “Time to make up that yoga.”
“I’m too tired,” she protested.
“That’s when you need it most.” He jutted his chin at the patch of grass in front of them. “So, sun salutation — surya namaskar. Come on.”
She looked around. “What, here?”
He laughed and pointed around. A man lay snoring on the grass not too far away. Three teens huddled by the water, watching the surfers. Two older women were chatting in the shade of a tree, and a couple of sunburned tourists checked their travel guide.
“Right here.” Dell nodded. “Come on. It will do you good.”
It was half dare, half care, and warmth trickled through her veins. Yoga always did help her loosen up. So she stood, straightened her shirt a little self-consciously, and faced the water.
Dell held Quinn up between his legs, helping her mimic the pose. “Arms up…”
Anjali chuckled. Doing yoga in a room of harried corporate types had its own vibe, no matter how calm the music playing in the background. Doing yoga in a grassy seaside park, on the other hand…
“Exhale… Swan dive down…” Dell murmured, guiding Quinn’s arms around.
His voice was hushed, and Anjali closed her eyes, following his prompts through the next few moves. Her plank felt more powerful than ever, the air she breathed during cobra pose fresh and clean. Downward dog had never felt more relaxing, and when she came up to warrior and opened her eyes…
Wow. She blinked a few times. So that was how yoga should feel.
“Nice. One more,” Dell said. “Just try not to drool so much this time.”
Anjali shot him a sharp look, and he grinned. “I meant Quinn.”
“I hope so,” she said, doing her best to sound prim. Then she started the sequence all over again.
“Don’t think so much,” Dell said. “Just let go.”
She swung from one move to another, wondering how much Dell knew about letting go.
“Inhale…exhale…” Dell murmured as if he were doing it at the same time.
Her thoughts slid back from Chicago to Maui, and then to…well, nothing, which felt really good.
“Now we’ll try flying baby pose,” Dell murmured.
Anjali’s eyes snapped open. “Flying what?”
Dell was on his back, grinning as he held Quinn in the air. “Flying baby pose. I think she likes it. Look.”
Quinn made little swimming motions and gurgled, though she didn’t sound alarmed.
“Cutest thing ever,” a passing woman sighed to a friend.
Anjali hid a smile. That could apply to the baby and to Dell.
“Would be a bad time for an epic diaper fail, though,” Dell quipped, slowly letting Quinn down. He laid her on his chest where she flailed her limbs like a baby turtle taking its first steps in the sand.
Anjali sat down next to him. “Flying baby, huh?”
He nodded and handed Quinn over carefully. “Here. You try it.”
She lay back slowly, feeling awkward at first. But then her attention all funneled toward Quinn with a little left over for Dell, who started his own sequence of yoga moves.
And damn. His warrior was the real thing, and his plank was a perfectly straight line. His downward dog looked comfortable, even feline, and when he leaned forward onto his arms…
Anjali held her breath, watching Dell ease into a handstand like it was the simplest thing in the world. He tilted his legs one way and his hips the other, then slowly lifted one hand.
“Show-off,” she teased.
Even upside-down and balanced on one hand, Dell had no problem producing a wide grin. “Maybe a little. But shh. Let me finish.”
He brought his feet together overhead and bent his knees, forming a diamond with his legs. They framed the bluest square of sky Anjali had ever seen, and she inhaled slowly, trying to imprint that image into her mind. With Quinn cooing quietly in her lap and the cool sea breeze, the world seemed pretty perfect just then.
“Did you learn yoga in the army?” she murmured as he came back to downward dog.
“Nope. From an ex-girlfriend.”
His voice was a little curt on that one, leaving no room for questions. Questions Anjali didn’t plan to ask, because she really didn’t want to know how many exes a man like Dell must have.
“And you do it because…?”
He shrugged, coming back to mountain pose. “It helps.”
He didn’t specify what yoga helped with, but for a moment, his jaw went tight. On the surface, Dell was a man without a care in the world. But underneath…
“Inhale,” she whispered a minute later when he still hadn’t moved. “Exhale…”
Dell broke into a smile and seemed to shed ten stressful years. “Thanks for the reminder. And, hey — we ought to make this a regular thing.”
His voice was light and flirty — back to the other, happy-go-lucky Dell. But now that Anjali had had a glimpse of his quieter, more conflicted side, she could see traces of it hiding in the lines around the corners of his eyes. It was in the tight knot of muscles on his forearms too, and in the flicker of a shadow behind the brightness of his eyes.
“Nice,” Dell said, finishing his routine. “More play than work, don’t you think?”
She nodded. “Last year, my company brought in a guest speaker who talked about the value of play, even for adults.”
Dell laughed. “I think I missed my calling. You can actually get paid for that?”
She nodded. “This guy does. Everyone took notes and then went right back to their desks.” Including me, she nearly added. But the speaker had been right. Play was nice. Play was good.
Chase came up, and she turned, suddenly self-conscious again. But Chase was the self-conscious one. He handed over the smoothies, murmured something about work, and waved goodbye.
“Bye,” Anjali called.
“Bye-bye,” Dell said, making Quinn wave.
Chase wiggled his fingers back at Quinn. Then he peeked toward the lunch truck and waved to Sophie, turning pink all over again.
“You think they’ll ever get together?” Anjali whispered.
Dell slurped his smoothie. “Glaciers move faster than those two. But who knows?” He sat up and closed her planner with a satisfied thump. “See? Now you didn’t miss yoga today.”
His smile was pure sunshine, warming her inside.
She smiled back. “And what about you? Did you miss anything today?”
It was a tease, but Dell went serious again. He looked at the snoring man and at the surfers bobbing just off the breakwater. Then he studied Quinn and finally replied in a faraway voice. “I guess the waves will be there tomorrow, and so will my bed.” Then he looked at Quinn and murmured, “So, no. Not as much as I thought.”
Anjali took a deep breath. Not falling in love with Dell was going to be a lot harder than she thought. So really, the sooner she left Maui, the better.
She looked around one more time, taking it all in. The gorgeous view. The tropical colors. The sheer peace. Was she really going to turn around and leave so soon? Maybe it would give her peace of mind to see the baby settled in.
But still, she ached. Even if she stayed a week — or two, or three — where was she going to find the strength to say goodbye to the baby…and to the man?
Chapter Eight
Dell looked at Anjali, wishing he could confess everything. But where would he begin?
Sometimes, I think I can handle taking care of the baby. Other times, I’m petrified, because who am I to raise a kid?
And that was just part of it, because there was more. Oh, and by the way, I’m a lion shifter, and I think you’re my destined mate.
Not exactly the kind of confession to blurt out in a public park, huh?
It had taken every scrap of self-discipline he’d had to drop Anjali off earlier and drive away. Around her, the world was sunny and manageable — even the challenge of raising a child. But without Anjali, it all seemed impossible. He’d practically come running across the park to greet her, as hopelessly in love as Chase was with Sophie.
Dell opened his mouth, trying to say something — anything. But for once, words deserted him, and he pursed his lips instead.
Anjali had gone all serious too, avoiding his eyes while she stuck her planner back into her bag. It didn’t slide in, so she rooted around and pulled out a stuffed animal. A small, tawny one.
“Oh look, Quinn. Here’s your favorite friend,” she cooed, handing it to the baby.
Dell froze, staring.
“Oh, sweetie,” Anjali said. “Don’t eat your poor lion.”
The stuffed animal was a lion. A fist-sized, fluffy lion. Quinn squeaked in recognition and started sucking on one of the feet.
“What do you have there?” Dell asked in a carefully meas
ured tone.
Anjali looked up with one of those smiles that went straight to his gut. A smile that shone from the inside out, breaking past that layer of stress she seemed to carry around a lot of the time.
“Cute, huh?”
He struggled to keep the shock off his face. “Yep. Cute. Where did you get it?
Anjali’s smile turned bittersweet. “She’s always had it. I mean, Lourdes brought it with her.”
Dell’s mind spun. It could just be a coincidence, right?
“Poor Lourdes.” Anjali sighed. “She was convinced the lion was important. She said, ‘It will protect her.’”
Dell nearly spat out the sip of smoothie he’d taken to conceal his surprise.
Anjali just nodded. “Yeah, I know. Lourdes was pretty mixed-up sometimes.”
A long, quiet minute ticked by — the first awkward one of the whole afternoon — as Dell groped for the right words.
“Did she say it had any particular significance?” he asked.
Anjali shrugged. “Lourdes said it reminded her of Quentin.”
Dell went totally still. Lourdes knew she’d been involved with a shifter? How was that possible? Quentin would never have told a human his greatest secret. Then again, Dell would have sworn his brother would never have unknowingly fathered a child either.
“Everything okay?” Anjali asked, studying him closely.
He forced a quick smile. “Yeah. Sure. It’s just that… I guess it reminds me of Quentin, too.” That was neutral enough, right?
He glanced at Anjali, wondering if she knew more than she let on. Had Lourdes confided anything else to her?
Quinn started fussing over the lion, and he watched her closely. Why was the kid so agitated? Did she sense something wrong? He sniffed the air, though he couldn’t find a hint of deceit coming from Anjali. Which made sense. There was no way she could know about shifters.
But another scent did reach him, and he wrinkled his nose.
