by Aubree Lane
“I have to be honest with you, Grady,” she said solemnly.
The smile on Grady’s face dropped into a dejected sulk.
“It’s a good idea.” The light turned back on in her young business partner’s eyes. “Before we get ahead of ourselves,” she cautioned, “we need to know exactly what this is going to cost. Let me discuss it with Terence and my lawyer.”
Grady jumped up and moved towards the front door. “Stay right there. I’ll be right back.”
Annie watched him fly out the door and race across the street. Two minutes, later he came running back, with a folder clutched in his hand. He skidded into the kitchen and slapped the folder on the counter.
With one finger, he gently inched it out in front of her. “I already consulted with an attorney and researched it thoroughly. Here is my business proposal.”
Annie was impressed. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while.” She opened the folder and found a professional looking presentation. Spreadsheets were filled with numbers, graphs and projection charts packed the rest of the pages. “Wow!” Annie eased the folder shut. “Why don’t you go down to the beach with the girls and give me time to study this in depth.” She glanced up towards the heavens. “God willing, I’ll have a couple of hours before Max wakes up.”
“Brittany needs a job. Can I tell her about this? We’ll need some help.”
The same thought occurred to Annie, but she needed to slow the boy down. “I know you’re excited.” Her finger tapped the proposal. “You’ve done a tremendous job here, but let’s take this one step at a time. Even if I agree to this, it’s not going to happen overnight.” She touched Grady on the cheek. “Dude, we’ve known each other for years, but have you ever once heard me mention my sister? We haven’t been in contact for quite some time. I think we should get to know her before we bring her into the loop. It’s hard, but please be patient.”
“But Annie,” he countered with a cajoling smile. “She’s really cute.”
• • •
Later that night, after Max was in bed, Annie sat nervously beside Terence as he lounged against their cushioned headboard, flipping through the pages of Grady’s proposal.
“I thought you wanted less work, not more.” Terence thumbed his way through the report and said seriously. “I’ll support whatever decision you make, but this is a big deal.”
Annie shifted her eyes upwards. “It will be more work in the beginning, but eventually, we’ll be able to sit back and let the money roll in.”
Terence had a feeling her mind was already made up. If Annie wanted to do this, then he was behind her all the way. Still, he felt the need to play the devil’s advocate. With the birth of Max, his wife felt she lost all control of her life. She needed something other than motherhood to sustain her, but she also needed her work hours to be more conducive to being a mom. This would be a way to expand something she already created and still work normal business hours. He flipped the folder closed. “Then I think the next step is to consult with Larry and see if what Grady put together is doable.”
The smirk on Annie’s face made him want to chuckle, but he knew better than to let it out.
“I was pretty successful before I gave it up for you,” His wife touted proudly. “I know a thing or two about what it takes to build a business, and I know a good idea when I hear one.”
Terence slipped her hand in his. “I also remember how relieved you were when you sold it. I thought you wanted out of Jamoka Jack. I think you need to slow down and decide what you,” he said, tapping her shoulder lightly, “really want. Grady’s an adult. He has to find his own way.”
Annie flopped back into the pillows and glared at the wall in front of her. A few moments later, she closed her eyes and contemplated his argument.
Terence waited patiently. It was all part of her process, but he suspected the deal was sealed. He turned off the bedside light and pulled her close. “Sleep on it. There’s nothing you can do tonight. We’ll talk again in the morning.”
Annie wiggled her fanny against his pelvis and enticed softly, “I’m sure you have a lawyer-in-law somewhere on the island who wouldn’t mind a little late night consultation.”
The teasing of her bum triggered his ever-present need for her. Terence loved how his body still responded to her smallest touch. “I don’t know about that, but I could use a bit of consulting.”
Annie turned around in his arms and faced him. Her blue eyes were barely visible in the glow of their alarm clock. Her soft lips parted and her tongue pressed gently against his. As nice as the kiss was, it lacked the ardent passion Terence desired. He pulled away. “On second thought, let’s just call it a night. Max will be up in a couple of hours and I’m tired.”
Annie’s teeth tugged on his lower lip. “I love you. Are you sure you want to stop? I’m willing.”
Terence stroked her silky hair. “I’m looking for a little more than just willing, and I don’t think I’m going to get that tonight.” He flipped her around and pulled her back into his chest. “You have a lot on your mind. You just lay here and think while I go to sleep.”
• • •
Terence’s arms wrapped Annie in comfort as her mind whirled. If she and Grady decided to become partners and turn Jamoka Jack into a franchise, she wouldn’t have to haul her cart out before the crack of dawn to catch the fishing crowd. She would only have to deal with the office end of the business while Grady did all the heavy lifting.
A soft snore emitted from her hunky husband and she wiggled in just a bit closer. His skin was so warm, she never needed a blanket. Even now, in December, it wasn’t cool enough to pull even the lightest cover over her. Soon the numbers spinning around her head began to drift into oblivion. Her eyes closed and a yawn took command of her jaw. All the tension left her body. Half-heartedly, she tried to pull the numbers back into her brain, but she yawned again. The figures slipped too far away to retrieve. Bit by bit, her body grew heavy. Soon she was out like a light.
3
Sand the color of pink haze stretched out in front of Brittany. Without another soul around, she plopped down to watch the calm waves gently lap against the shore. The sun crested the volcanic mountain range behind her, and the soft morning glow washed out over the Pacific Ocean.
As exhausting as yesterday was, Brittany had not slept well. The decisions she needed to make about her future left her unsettled. The gut wrenching pang of disappointment, knowing her parents must realize she was gone and hadn’t tried to contact her, didn’t help either.
Later on she wanted to talk to Annie about how she was able to put their parents’ aloofness aside. Brittany wanted to get there fast. The hurt she felt was crushing. One by one, the tears slid down her cheeks.
Brittany pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top. She never understood what their problem was. She hadn’t been a bad kid and she worked hard for her dad. He always wanted more, expected more, until Brittany had nothing left to give. The one good aspect about the landscaping business was that Brittany was able to lose herself with the hard manual labor. She beat back a steady stream of demons with the swing of her ax, shovel, and sledgehammer. Even installing and maintaining the intricate drip watering systems, for the drought ridden San Diego County, served to keep her mind off her family troubles.
The problem was that more kept creeping in.
Brittany heard the sound of quick footsteps padding their way across the sand and wiped her face on the bottom of her oversized t-shirt.
With a thud, Grady dropped down alongside her. “I love this view. It never gets old.”
Wanting to appear as normal as possible, Brittany reached out her leg and grazed the top of Grady’s foot with her fifth little piggy. “I thought you had to work the Coffee Cart this morning.”
“Annie called me a little while ago and told me she wanted to take the shift. I’m not sure why, but she’s the boss.”
With so much happening the previous day, Brittany
forgot to have someone clarify how Erika had two fathers. “Hey Grady,” she asked. “Do you know anything about the Javiers’ family history? I’m completely confused.”
The corners of Grady’s lips curved into a snicker. “It’s the strangest story I’ve ever heard, but they make it work.” His board shorts had inched their way up. The bare skin of Grady’s thighs and lower leg rested lightly against hers. “My family was straight forward. We were just your typical mom, dad, and kid, but the Javiers are a different kind of clan.” He reached out and took her hand. “To understand, you’ll have to open your mind and let the information flow in. If you try to dissect it, you’ll never get the love they all feel for each other, or the ginormous amount of effort they’ve put in so Erika could grow up wrapped in a very odd looking cocoon of happiness.”
Brittany wasn’t sure if Grady was being evasive or if the family relationship was really that bizarre, but she squeezed his hand and encouraged him to continue.
He cocked a questioning eyebrow. “Are you ready for this?”
Brittany wasn’t sure. “I guess we’ll have the answer to that, after I’ve heard the story.”
Grady stared out at the sea. With a pensive scowl on his face, he began, “Since it’s not my tale to tell, I’m only going to give you the general gist of it, but don’t worry,” he said, smiling once more, “if you ask Erika, she’ll be more than happy to fill you in on all the gory details. She has no problem letting all the family skeletons out of the closet.”
He released her hand and scratched his arm uneasily. “Erika’s biological father is a man named Larry Wright. He’s this old dude who lives a little way down the street from us. I guess he didn’t know about Erika until she was around eight or so. Up until that time, Terence believed Erika was his. From what I understand, the two dads were messed up in some kind of custody battle with Erika’s mom, but that it all ended amicably. Erika is supposed to split her time between the dads, but since they live so close to each other, she wanders in and out as she pleases. Everyone is cool as long as both dads know where she is.” Grady suddenly laughed. “Now that she’s thirteen, Erika thinks she’s all grown up. Last week, she tried to stay out all night with one of her giggly little girlfriends. She told the dads she was staying with the other one, but Terence can read her pretty well. He nailed Erika’s ass before the outdoor concert she wasn’t allowed to attend barely begun. Erika was pretty embarrassed when both Terence and Larry showed up to haul her butt home.”
Erika was lucky. As long as Brittany had all her work finished, she couldn’t imagine her father taking the time or caring enough to come and find her. Of course, all bets were off the table if she failed to complete even one of her assigned tasks.
Brittany wondered if her dad was on his way to Hawaii to take her back home. She wouldn’t go. She was eighteen. He couldn’t make her. Before her panicked thoughts had a chance to turn her into a blubbering idiot, something Grady said popped into her head, and swung her right back into the conversation. “Did you say Larry Wright?”
Grady nodded. “Why?”
“As in Marissa Wright’s father?” she shrieked.
Grady chuckled. “I told you it was complicated.”
Brittany was young when Annie was in her teens, but she still remembered the beautiful blonde who honked the horn of her sleek convertible and waited for Annie to race outside. Brittany was pretty sure she understood, but she had to confirm her suspicion. “Are you saying Erika’s real dad is also the father of Annie’s best friend?”
Grady wrapped an arm around her. “Early one morning, a few years back, it was sheer craziness around here when the story came to light. Annie and Terence are great, but for a while, my mom and dad forbade me from going anywhere near the strange family across the street.”
Brittany couldn’t sit still. She jumped up and walked to the water’s edge. Small waves pulled the sand from under her feet as she tried to digest this new information. Annie’s family was messed up, but somehow they found a way to fill their home with love and security for Erika. The thought seemed unfathomable.
Before yesterday, Brittany believed Annie had come down in the world. Her sister gave up a successful business to be with Terence Javier and his daughter. It seemed straight forward, but Annie’s life was a complex mess. She was raising a girl who wasn’t related to her or her husband, but she loved Erika anyway.
It irked Brittany that Erika had love and support from so many people who weren’t obligated to give it. Britt’s mom and dad were supportive when she was a child, but somewhere along the line, they grew distant, and Brittany was left to figure out a way to meet her needs by herself.
Her own sister, a blood relative, hadn’t been there for her. Annie poured love all over Erika, and a flash of anger surged through Brittany’s veins. She turned back to Grady and yelled childishly, “Annie isn’t so perfect!” The surprised look on Grady’s face kicked her resentment into high gear. Annie practically adopted the orphaned kid across the street, but she hadn’t given a thought to her baby sister. Annie loved everyone, except her. Brittany was on the verge of throwing an immature temper tantrum, but she was beyond caring. She glared down at Grady, still sitting in the sand. “And what makes you so special? Why does Annie love you and not me?”
• • •
Grady wanted to hug Brittany and offer her comfort, but something told him she needed to vent. He had first-hand experience with that. After he lost his parents, the only thought in his head was why me. Apparently Brittany was suffering from the same affliction. He didn’t know what Britt was going through, but he knew Annie, and he was certain Brittany’s estimation of the situation was way off base.
Brittany continued to storm back and forth across the beach. She stomped her foot angrily. “I want to throw something,” she wailed, “but all you have is sand!”
Grady held up a finger and raced back towards a grove of palm trees. “I’ll be right back.”
If the younger version of his boss wanted to throw something, he was going to make it happen. Walking off the trail to a rocky outcropping, he bent down and scooped a few handfuls of lava chunks into his shirt.
He returned and handed one to Brittany. “If this isn’t enough, there’s a lot more where that came from.”
Brittany’s turquoise eyes and scowling brow, looked at his stash. She snatched a rock out of his hand and chucked it into the Pacific.
Grady was impressed at the distance of her throw. He doubted he could beat it, but he was determined to try. All but one piece of lava dropped into the sand. Determined to make his Little League coach proud, Grady wound up, lunged forward to get as much momentum on the pitch as possible, and fired it off.
He was right. His rock didn’t come close to reaching the same distance as Brittany’s. “You have a heck of an arm there,” he praised.
His compliment only angered Brittany more. One by one, she picked up the rocks and threw them furiously into the water. Each toss was followed by a frustrated grunt. Her long amber hair flew with outrage each time she reached for another stone.
When the pile grew low, Grady raced back for more. He made three trips to the lava pile before Brittany showed signs of slowing down.
After the last chip of cooled magma left her hand, Grady gripped her fingers and pulled her down the beach. “Run with me.”
Brittany only hesitated a moment before she fell into step behind him.
In just a few strides, she was alongside Grady and on the verge of passing him. Brittany had already out thrown him, but there was no way she was going to outpace him. Grady kicked it up a notch, but Brittany easily kept up. He looked over and saw a mischievous glint in her eye and knew he had been challenged. “You think you can beat me?” he dared. “Okay, little girl. Bring it!”
Brittany laughed and slowed to a halt. “Stop,” she cried, “you win.” Her hands were propped on her knees and the girl was breathing heavily.
Grady trotted back. “Feel better now?” he ask
ed.
A flash of tawny hair with red highlights flew past him and Brittany called out over her shoulder, “I will as soon as I whoop your butt.”
Grady laughed and sped off after her long legs and short shorts. Brittany was more like her sister than she would probably care to admit.
Having made great strides in closing the gap, Grady began to eat the sand Brittany was kicking up behind her. He spit the fine granules out of his mouth and backed off to let her have the win. Brittany needed it more than him. Her pity party appeared to have dissipated and he didn’t want to spoil her fun.
That was his story and he was sticking to it. He might have been able to beat her, but it would have required a lot of hard work.
When Brittany realized her competition had given up, she made a wide U-turn and jogged back through the surf. Grady changed course and locked in on his target. She might be able to throw farther and run faster, but that was where Grady drew the line. He needed a little payback. Brittany was going under.
He waded out knee deep and waited for his prey to join him.
• • •
Brittany saw the gleam in Grady’s eyes and knew he had something planned. Well, let him try, she thought. Her body had grown strong and quick with all the manual labor she performed, and her mind had never been slow. Just like Annie, Brittany spent as many hours as possible away from her house and the abusive parents who dwelled within its walls. The friends she hung out with were a rowdy bunch whose only interest in life was getting high and having fun.
For the most part, Brittany passed on the highs and focused on the fun. It had been sorely lacking in her life, and she’d been desperate to make up for lost time. Brittany was the jokester of the group. One prank after another was played on her unsuspecting pack of loveable oddballs.
