by Edie Claire
Thane’s feet pressed against the passenger floorboard of Dave’s truck. He’d been disappointed, but now he just wanted to get home. Thoughts of Mei Lin had consumed him all day, and as the sun slowly descended in the sky his eagerness to be with her increased proportionally. He was giddy as a freakin’ teenager, and although some part of his brain told him he was being foolishly optimistic, he had no trouble ignoring it. He trusted Mei Lin at a gut level, instinctively, with a degree of confidence that was in no way objectively warranted. Something significant had started between them the first night they met; their interlude on the beach had merely confirmed it.
The drive back from the park seemed interminable as plans for the perfect evening unfolded in his mind. Their living situation could be considered awkward, since she had asked him to stay at her house before they were technically involved. But he didn’t think social correctness would matter to her. Their relationship would progress as slow or as fast as they mutually decided, regardless of where they were sleeping. No, if he understood Mei Lin — and he flattered himself to think that he did — what mattered to her most was that they were honest with one another. Being a straightforward kind of guy, that would be easy for him. He would start things off nice and traditional, by buying her dinner. The restaurant at the crossroads would do fine: it looked warm and homey and was rumored to have excellent pizza. Maybe afterwards they’d pick up some ice cream at the little tourist shop next door. Then they’d go back to the house and enjoy a steaming cup of coffee. They could cuddle up on the porch with their mugs and a blanket and watch the bats come out. And then…
“You going to try again by yourself tomorrow?” Dave inconveniently interrupted. “I won’t have time. Not until late afternoon.”
“Uh… yeah,” Thane answered absently. “I’m sure I’ll get out there somehow.”
“You want a ride with me first thing? Probably be good to get there early.”
Thane flinched. No way in hell was he committing to getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow. His night with Mei Lin could fall far short of his fantasy and still be highly enjoyable. But under no scenario he could imagine was he likely to get much sleep. Was Dave trying to make a point? Probably. “No thanks,” Thane replied.
“Mei Lin got other visitors?” Dave asked as the truck at last pulled into Elsie Dunn’s driveway.
“I don’t think so,” Thane answered, grabbing up his pack and opening the door before the vehicle had stopped moving. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks.” He exited the truck in record time and waved Dave away again with a grin on his face. Then he turned to the house.
He waited until the truck was pointed the other way, then reached for the doorknob. He was debating whether he should knock first when the door opened. Mei Lin looked him over with her dark eyes sparkling, and her perfect lips curved into a smile.
The next moment she was off the ground and in his arms. To what degree she’d jumped there, as opposed to being lifted, he wasn’t sure. It seemed a mutual effort. But unlike the hug she’d delivered upon his surprise arrival last evening, this greeting came with a kiss. He was well into reimagining the ideal end to this nearly perfect day when the sound finally penetrated his consciousness. He wasn’t sure how long it had been going on, but after half a dozen repetitions he was unable to ignore it anymore. Someone was walking down the staircase from the second floor. He and Mei Lin were not alone.
With an audible growl, he pulled himself together and set her carefully back down on her feet again. Then he looked over her shoulder at the source of his annoyance.
He had to blink three times before convincing himself he was seeing clearly. “Jason!” he shouted gruffly. “What the hell are you doing here?”
His grinning brother had the nerve to laugh out loud. “Nice to see you too, bro.”
“Timing sucks,” Thane accused, none too kindly.
Jason’s grin didn’t waver. “Hey, don’t stop on my account. You know I’m all for it. Just say the word and I’ll mosey right along.”
“You’re not moseying anywhere,” Mei Lin said pleasantly, threading her small arm through Thane’s own with a possessive gesture that melted him. “You’re fine right here with us.”
Thane shook his head and tried to get a grip. How had Jason gotten here? He could remember now, vaguely, that the Spider van he’d rented on his last trip had been sitting in the driveway as they’d arrived. Doubtless, that’s why Dave had asked about visitors. Still, how had Jason known to come to Mei Lin’s house? When Thane had left Tofino, he didn’t know himself where he’d be staying. Never mind that he hadn’t said one word about Mei Lin!
His fantasy woman began to explain. “It turns out that your equally obsessed little brother couldn’t stand the thought of your seeing that glacier cub without him,” she explained with a chuckle. “So up he flew. Any luck since your last text?”
Thane shook his head, then shot another look at Jason. It was true that his brother had seemed anxious to tag along, but at the time he’d said he had too much work. Liar. “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here,” Thane continued crossly.
Jason’s gray eyes twinkled at him with amusement. No doubt he was wondering why Thane had failed to mention that there was a woman in Alaska with whom he was on scalding-hot greeting terms. Well, he could keep on wondering.
“He was actually on his way to Dave’s house to look for you,” Mei Lin continued, her voice unaccountably cheerful. “But I told him you’d be coming here.”
“But how did you run into him in the first place?” Thane protested.
“That would be my fault,” explained a female voice he’d never heard before. “Jason was dropping me off.”
Thane stared with surprise a second time as a small woman came the rest of the way down the staircase and slipped around Jason. She was a pretty thing with light brown skin, a mass of glossy black curls on her head, and amazing large dark eyes. She resembled Mei Lin in size, but the two women were built differently. Whereas Mei Lin was curvy and cuddly, this woman was lean and muscular. More striking still was the difference in their affect. While Mei Lin radiated warmth and good humor, this woman gave off a distinct vibe of wariness.
“Thane,” Mei Lin said merrily, “This is my sister, Sriha. Otherwise known as Ri.”
“I knew that,” he conceded, stepping forward to shake the woman’s hand.
Ri had a firm grip, and she made a point of looking him in the eye. He was quite sure that if she ever suspected him of hurting her sister, she wouldn’t hesitate to punch him in the jaw, no matter how much bigger he was. As a big brother himself, he respected her protective instincts. Not that he felt bad about harassing Jason, of course — the point was to protect one’s younger sibling from other people.
“Ri and I met on the plane,” Jason explained. “She was flying up for a surprise visit with a sibling, and ironically enough, so was I. But when the plane landed, we couldn’t reach either one of you. So I rented some wheels and drove her out here. The house was empty so we waited outside.”
“Then I came home and got a double shock,” Mei Lin laughed. “Isn’t it hysterical?”
“Hysterical,” Thane repeated, unimpressed. He threw Jason a warning look. “She’s married, you know,” he advised, tilting his head toward Ri. His brother wasn’t a bad guy, but Jason was only slightly less obsessed with the pursuit of attractive women than he was with surfing, and the last thing Thane needed — besides this unfortunate meeting occurring at all — was to have his little brother tick off Mei Lin’s big sister.
But Jason was all charm. “Oh, believe me,” he laughed out loud. “I found that out ten seconds after we buckled our seat belts. It only took another ten minutes to realize I’ve met the guy.”
Thane raised an eyebrow. “Say what?”
“You’ve met him, too,” Jason explained. “Ri is married to Dave Markov’s older nephew. You remember when we were teenagers, Dave asked us if we wanted to go camping with them? They were named
Wolf and Bear, which we thought was pretty funny, but instead of being hulking bullies they were these skinny little city kids. They’d never even been camping before!”
“Don’t let anybody who grew up in Anchorage hear you call them a city kid,” Ri teased. “Both brothers are expert campers, now. But their dad wasn’t. He left their outdoor education to their Grandpa and their Uncle Dave.”
Thane scratched at his beard. “I do remember that, now that you mention it,” he mumbled, still annoyed. The fact that Jason and Ri were both very likeable people had no effect on his wish for them to disappear. “Wolf couldn’t have been more than twelve at the time; he was only about yay high,” he gestured with a hand. “Quiet type, as I recall. Bear was another story. Dave couldn’t shut that kid up for anything — he kept singing those dirty little jingles you learn in primary school.”
Ri laughed. “Sounds about right.”
Mei Lin caressed Thane’s wrist with her thumb. She was trying to tell him that she understood his frustration, which was nice. But of course she was making it worse. He opened his mouth to ask where Jason was staying, but quickly changed his mind. Jason couldn’t stay at Dave’s place any more than Thane could, and he would undoubtedly have no money and no reservations. Thane could loan him his camping gear and point him towards the bay, but there was still the problem of Ri, and if Thane knew—
“Since we’re all practically related, I suggested a sleepover,” Mei Lin announced, leaning her curvaceous hip apologetically into Thane as she said so. “You and Jason can have the first floor, and Ri can stay in the master bedroom upstairs. Plenty of space for all — and God knows we have enough food!”
Thane seriously wanted to cry. But he managed to plaster a smile on his face. Despite Mei Lin’s show as a hostess, he was pretty sure that she was equally disappointed.
“Speaking of which,” Ri offered cheerfully as she started back up the stairs. “I should get back to the kitchen. It’s a good thing at least one Sullivan sister knows how to deal with frozen salmon!”
Thane threw a hard stare at his brother. “I’ll help,” Jason said transparently, grinning like an idiot. He headed up the staircase after Ri.
Mei Lin immediately melted into Thane’s arms. “I’m sorry,” she said with good humor, her voice muffled by his jacket. “I know this was unexpected. But I am really happy to see my sister. And your brother seems like a lot of fun.”
Thane growled low in his throat, and Mei Lin chuckled back at him. But when she raised her head and looked at him, her expression was hardly what he expected. Her glimmering brown eyes were troubled, and by something more weighty than inconvenient houseguests.
“There’s a lot I want to tell you,” she said quietly. “But I’m afraid it’ll have to wait.”
“Because of Jason?” he asked immediately, concerned. Whatever was bothering her, he didn’t like it. And if shoving his brother’s interfering butt out the door would help in any way—
She shook her head. “It’s not him. Or my sister, either. It’s my patient up in the cabin. We have some unfinished business I need to tend to. I have to go back up there first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Well, that’s no problem,” he said quickly. He would do anything to ease the lines of tension around her beautiful eyes, up to and including babysitting both their relatives. He could see that whatever was bothering her went deep, more so than she was trying to let on. “If there’s something you need me to do… Anything…”
She kissed him again. It was a sweet and tender kiss, coming from a soul unafraid to freely share her affection. At least, it started out that way. He intended to return the gesture in kind, but somehow or other — and he swore it was not entirely his fault — they wound up in a potentially embarrassing situation right there in the middle of Elsie’s foyer.
He was jarred back to his senses only after something clattered onto the tile floor of the kitchen above their heads. With an audible groan, he summoned a giant surge of willpower and set Mei Lin away from him. “You are…” he accused, breathing heavily, “so impossible to…”
“Likewise,” she said maddeningly, smiling at him. She was breathing hard, too, which had a disturbing effect on her chest. “Seriously. I can’t be held responsible.”
“You can’t?” he protested. “Are you kidding me?”
She laughed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the one who keeps breaking things off!”
Thane swore beneath what little breath he had and forced his eyes to look away from her. He no longer wondered if he was in love. He only wondered how he could survive it.
Chapter 25
Mei Lin parked the Subaru in its accustomed spot by the Torpins’ house, grabbed her pack, and hopped out. She had hoped to get here much earlier, but after her impromptu house party had extended into the wee hours of the morning, it was inevitable that they would all oversleep. The dynamic of having two brothers and two sisters hanging out for food and laughs was rare fun, and they had all gotten along famously. If she hadn’t been so distracted and disturbed by the burden of her knowledge about Stanley, she would have had an awesome time. Instead, every time she looked at the brothers, she felt uncomfortable. Sleep had not come easily after she had departed to her own room, and dragging her heavy skull off her pillow this morning had been equally difficult. The last thing she wanted to do this morning was to leave her happy company asleep in their beds and go argue — again — with Stanley. But she could not let things go on as they were. She could not get any closer to Thane while knowing that she was deceiving him. And she very much wanted to get closer to Thane.
“Kibbe boy!” She reached down and delivered a belly rub to the wiggly brown mutt at her feet. It was only when the panting black lab mix next to him demanded equal attention that Mei Lin realized something was off. What was Kibbe doing here? She looked around the drive. Jesse’s truck was gone, but Amanda’s SUV was parked in its usual spot.
Troubled, Mei Lin finished greeting the dogs and headed for the Torpins’ front door. Kibbe wouldn’t leave Stanley alone at the cabin. Someone must have brought the dog here. But who would have gone up to the cabin after she had left it last night? She’d done Jesse’s dinner run for him. Something was wrong!
The door opened just as she reached it. “Hi, Mei Lin,” Amanda greeted tiredly. The poor young mother always looked tired. Right now, she also looked guilty. “I’m so sorry. I meant to call you. You don’t need to take care of Stanley this morning. He showed up here early, asking if Jesse could give him a lift to the clinic.”
Mei Lin blinked with surprise. “He walked all the way here? How could he?”
Amanda shrugged. Somewhere inside the house, a baby began to crank. The voices of the two older boys could also be heard, gradually increasing in volume as they competed with the droning din of the television. “I wouldn’t have thought he was up to it, either. But there he was, and Kibbe with him. I made him sit down long enough to have some breakfast, and then they were off.”
Mei Lin still could not believe it. “But… did he look okay? Why did he want to go to the clinic?”
“He didn’t say,” Amanda answered. “He wasn’t very talkative. I got the idea his leg was hurting him. But he was walking on it, for sure.”
Mei Lin didn’t like what she was hearing. Within the house, the boys’ voices rose to arguing level. The baby screamed.
“I’m sorry,” Amanda apologized. “I have to go. Why don’t you give Jesse a call? He should be down at the dock, still. Maybe Stanley told him more.”
Mei Lin thanked the young mother and said goodbye. The dull ache of worry in her stomach had graduated to a burn. Why would Stanley want to go to the clinic? Was he so upset with Mei Lin that he didn’t want to see her at all? Even if that were true, his actions made no sense. He could have posted a note on the trail telling her to go away; he could have asked for Sandra Gruber to come up and see him instead. But no, he’d walked down to Jesse’s himself. Even though he knew perfectly
well that walking so far not only put undue stress on his healing wound, but also risked a dangerous degree of exhaustion. No matter what remedy he sought at the clinic, in balance he would be doing himself harm. Not to mention the idiocy of his coming alone, when if he’d waited just a few hours more, someone could have brought him down in the wheelbarrow!
Mei Lin jumped back in the Subaru and made her way out of the drive as quickly as possible while dodging the scampering dogs. She could feel her pulse pounding in her temples. She was afraid.
That’s not a promise I can make. Her last words to Stanley pummeled her conscience. She had promised him, days earlier, that she would never break his confidence. Then last night she had essentially reneged. She was trying her best to be fair to Stanley, but keeping the truth from Thane felt horrid. Before she’d realized the connection between the men, she’d been so happy. Her feelings for Thane had come on quickly, but that didn’t mean they weren’t real. She felt an innate connection with the animal-loving giant, a bond of understanding and affection that was already stronger — incomprehensibly — than anything she’d felt for her ex-fiancé.
What she and Thane had together could be amazing, she was sure of it. All she wanted was not to screw it up! But did that justify her betraying Stanley’s confidence? Was she looking out for Thane, or for herself?
She drove straight to the clinic and ran inside. Sandra was behind the desk, giving instructions to Lilly. “Has Stanley Smith been here this morning?” Mei Lin gushed, interrupting. “I’m so sorry, but it’s important. Have you seen him?”
The nurse practitioner raised one thick eyebrow. “He hasn’t been here. Today or any other day that I know of.”
Mei Lin turned to the young receptionist. “You opened the normal time?”
Lilly nodded her head. “I’ve been here since seven-thirty. I don’t know Mr. Smith, but I didn’t see anybody here until eight, and I knew all of them.”
