by Conn, Claudy
It did. It told Annie that Hannah was still lost. It would be a difficult transition if she ever decided to join the family on Oahu, but Annie was determined not to stand between a mother and her child if the situation ever changed. As horrible as Hannah could be, she loved her daughter. One day, Annie would tell Erika exactly what Hannah sacrificed to ensure her safety and how she secured her future. Yet, she prayed that day was still a long way off. “As the parent with the most experience around here, tell me what we should do about Erika and her crush on Grady.”
Larry reared back and frowned. “Erika is crushing on Grady?”
“You didn’t know?” Annie bit her lip. “She talks about him all the time. I thought you would have caught on.”
“I thought it was just because he spends so much time at your house and that it was more of a brother sister thing.”
“That’s what it is for Grady.”
Larry released the tension from his body with a huge sigh. “Good! He’s too old for her.” Then the practical lawyer side of him took over. “How bad is it?”
“Pretty bad. Grady tried talking to her, but it hasn’t done any good. And the news gets worse. My sister showed up yesterday and the sparks are flying between him and Brittany. I don’t know if they will act on them, but Erika isn’t blind. She sees it, too.”
Larry weighed the options. “The way I look at it, we have two choices. We can stay the hell out of it, or we can try to find someone more suitable for Erika.”
Annie rolled her eyes. “Back to your old manipulative ways, I see.”
Larry rubbed his nose and contemplated the possibilities.
• • •
BRITTANY SPRAWLED ON the beach and waited for Grady to join her. Annie still hadn’t returned from Larry’s and the waiting was driving him crazy. Erika was in a mood, Max was crying, and Terence looked like he was about to lose his patience.
Not used to so many emotions flying about, Brittany decided to sit on the sand and listen to the waves crashing on the shore. She was exhausted. Puking took a lot out of a person. Lena and Terence were great. The small amount of food she was able to eat at the B&B settled her stomach, just as Terence predicted.
If Grady didn’t show up soon, she planned to go home and cook dinner for the family. It was the least she could do. She truly appreciated Annie and Terence for taking her in, and she didn’t want to wear out her welcome. Until she could find a job, Brittany wanted to be so indispensable that kicking her out would be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
The help she offered Terrence today hadn’t gone exactly as planned, but she was sure she could throw burgers on the grill, some fries in the oven, and toss a salad without wreaking too much havoc.
Just as she was about to head home, Grady plopped down in the sand beside her.
“Hey there,” she said, smiling into his enticing green eyes. “So what’s the verdict? Did Annie give you the answer you’ve been waiting for?”
Grady pulled her close and nuzzled his nose in her neck.
It was nice to be hugged. Brittany closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulder against his bare chest. Warmth flowed through her body, and she remembered the surprising kiss they shared earlier in the day. She just met the boy cuddling her so gently, but she felt safe.
His breath caressed her skin when he whispered, “I like you, Brittany, but I have to tell you something.”
His arms hugged her a little tighter and Brittany figured she was about to get the brush off.
“I want us to get closer, but we have a couple of problems. Erika has a crush on me, and it would kill her if we got together.”
That was one heck of a problem. Brittany wasn’t going to start off building a relationship with Annie by betraying her daughter’s trust. “What’s the second one?” she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.
“I’m not good with relationships. I’ve been known to use the girls I date. I don’t call when I should, and I treat them badly, even when they’re trying to be nice.”
That sounded like every boy she ever dated, but it wasn’t like she wanted to get serious. Brittany was only eighteen. Life had been such a drudgery living with her mom and dad. She was ready for some fun and games. As long as Grady was honest, she didn’t see the problem. “Any more issues we need to work out?”
“The biggest one of all,” Grady paused.
Puzzled, she turned her head and searched his face.
Grady kissed her.
Brittany wanted it to go on forever, but all too soon, he pulled away and headed back up the beach.
The vast ocean reaching out before her was calm, empty, and excruciatingly lonely. Grady left her wanting. He warned her about him. The boy straight up told her he was going to treat her badly. She wanted to, but somehow she couldn’t throw a negative light on the kiss they just shared. His lips were warm, his touch a loving caress, and she wanted nothing more than to drown in his soft green eyes.
“Paradise,” she pffted, “I have more problems here than in San Diego.”
As if by magic, the pod of spinner dolphins appeared. The sun was going down. It was feeding time, but Brittany couldn’t help believing they showed up for the sole purpose of making her feel better. You couldn’t watch their acrobatic display and stay in a bad mood. Over and over, they leaped into the air before splashing back into the water.
Their carefree antics lightened her mood, and a little while later, she felt ready to go home and help with the family dinner. Maybe she wouldn’t cook tonight, but she would make sure she did the dishes afterward.
• • •
GRADY WAS THERE to open the truck door the moment Annie pulled into the driveway. “You’ve been gone all day. I was getting worried.”
She knew Grady would be hovering. It would have been impossible to think with both the boy from across the street and Max demanding her attention. That was exactly the reason she stayed away. Taking the Coffee Cart to the next level would be a huge undertaking. There were a ton of things to consider. Annie wanted to be sure.
“Hi Grady. How was your day?” she asked calmly.
Grady blinked. “Not all that great.” His words dripped with sarcasm. “You disappear and don’t come home while I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting for your decision. I thought a girl was stalking me and I was rude to her. I hurt Erika’s feelings, again, and I told Brittany we couldn’t see each other.” He bugged his eyes and pointed a finger under Annie’s nose. “That last one was hard to do, because I think I might really like her. Brittany’s nothing like the other girls you’re always nagging me about.”
Annie grabbed her bag from behind the seat and slammed the door. “It sounds like you had a very productive day.” She turned her back on the anxious kid and proceeded up the walk.
Grady did not disappoint and hurried after her.
“Is that it?” he yelled. “Is that all you have to say to me?” He flung his arms in the air and barreled into Annie when she suddenly whipped around in front of him.
Annie’s face smashed into the young man’s slender chest. She rubbed her nose. Her voice was nasally when she spoke. “I only have one thing to say.” Annie stuck her hand out and grinned. “Put ‘er there, pardner.”
Grady jumped back. “Are you serious?”
She reached her hand out further and encouraged him to shake it.
The kid grabbed the side of his head and jumped up and down excitedly. He whooped and screamed, “I can’t believe it.” He grabbed her shoulders. “We’re really going to do this!” Grady hugged her tight, released her just as quick, and danced around the yard.
Her unshaken hand was still extended. “Do we have a deal, Grady?” she pressed.
He took off running happily down the street and yelled at the top of his lungs, “I love Annie Javier!”
Annie left Grady to celebrate. Three large pizzas sat on the passenger seat of Terence’s truck. The kid better calm down soon. One of the pies had his name on it.
&n
bsp; • • •
AFTER ALL THE hoopla settled down, Annie and Erika sat on the front porch swing and swayed in the cool December evening. It was sixty-four degrees and Annie had on a sweater. She pulled Erika close. “Grady thinks he hurt your feelings today, is that true?”
Erika shuddered in her arms. “Do we have to talk about him again?”
She stroked her daughter’s hair, lovingly. “No, but I think we should.”
“Do you plan on saying something new or will you be singing the same old song?”
Annie broke into a smile and sang, “He’s not the boy for you.”
A grudging smile formed on Erika’s lips. She nudged Annie’s ribs with her elbow and crooned, “He is, too.”
Annie sang in reply, “Tell me why you think that’s true.”
Erika sat back and sighed. Her eyes began to glisten. They closed tight and a tear squeezed out.
“Oh baby,” Annie comforted softly. “I’m sorry. I wish the circumstances could be different, but they’re not. You are only thirteen, but you still have to live in the real world. Grady might not always be too old for you, but that time is a long way off. Neither of you should put your lives on hold until then.”
“I heard him say he really likes Brittany.” Tears flowed freely down Erika’s face, but her demeanor was calm.
Annie thought she heard a touch of resignation in the young girl’s voice, and a tentative amount of relief began to inch through her veins. As soon as the Coffee Cart deal was formalized, Grady would be at their house even more than he was now. If Erika could somehow accept
“How do I stop caring about him?” the girl asked, interrupting Annie’s thoughts.
“I don’t want you to stop caring,” Annie explained. “I’m asking you to care about him enough not to make him feel like he shouldn’t find someone special because it might hurt you. I want you to care so much that you’ll try really hard to let go of your romantic feelings and allow Grady to be your friend again.”
Erika curled up on the swing and placed her head in Annie’s lap. “How?”
Annie didn’t like what she was about to say. It went against everything she and Terence ever tried to teach her. “Prepare yourself,” she warned. “I’m about to sound like a hypocrite.”
“You want me to pretend I’m okay with Grady and Brittany hooking up.”
Her daughter was wise beyond her years. “Basically, but it’s more than that. You might start out pretending, but I want you to get to a point where you’re really okay with Grady finding love with someone else.” The conversation was getting too heavy, so Annie tried to lighten it up. “Brittany might just be a flash in the pan. You’ve seen the ladies traipsing in and out of Grady’s house. Do you honestly believe he will treat Brittany any differently?”
Erika giggled. “He’s not good boyfriend material.”
Annie nodded in agreement. “Not at all.”
“Should we warn Brittany?” Erika asked.
“Do you want to?”
Erika’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “No.”
Annie bent down and kissed her forehead. She whispered in her daughter’s ear, “Then we won’t.”
6
“LENA,” ANNIE YELLED. “I’m going to hang around while Erika finishes her work. I’m grabbing a cup of coffee and heading outside.” She poured a cup from Lena’s fancy professional coffee maker. “Do you want to join me?”
From somewhere upstairs, Lena’s voice rang out, “I’ll meet you in a few. Go on without me.”
Annie poured a bit of half and half into her mug and walked out onto the lanai. She settled herself at the glass top table. The fringed edges of the dark blue market umbrella, planted in the middle, swayed gently in the breeze. White fluffy clouds dotted the bright blue sky. She looked out across the yard and saw a kid she didn’t recognize working in Lena’s garden. The boy was probably around sixteen and wore a pair of wired-rimmed glasses on his face. His hair was jet black and he reminded Annie of Harry Potter. All he needed was a backward z on his forehead and a wand in his hand.
Lena opened the back door and joined Annie with a tall glass of iced tea.
Annie nodded toward the new employee. “Who’s your new landscaper?”
Lena scowled. “I’m not really sure. He showed up this morning and said Larry hired him to help me out. His name is Warden Johnson.”
Larry was meddling. He knew Erika was working today and sent someone to spark her interest. Annie doubted it would work. The boy was a little on the nerdy side. Not Erika’s usual type.
The ladies watched in silence for a few minutes before all hell broke loose.
Brittany stormed across the yard. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just arbitrarily hack anywhere. You’re going to kill that plant!”
Lena looked at her sister-in-law. “Why is your baby sister abusing my new yard boy?”
“She used to work for her dad. He’s a landscaper. He’s actually pretty good at what he does. It’s his only redeeming quality. She learned from the best.”
Brittany grabbed the boy’s arm and shook it.
Annie winced. “And it looks as though she acquired Carl’s teaching methods.”
Her sister grabbed the shears from the young man’s hand and proceeded to give him a lesson in the fine art of pruning. “The way you’re attacking the thing, I doubt you know the name of this plant or how delicate it actually is.”
Annie giggled and glanced Lena’s way. “Didn’t I see you chopping the crap out of that same bush a couple of weeks ago?”
“Yes, but don’t tell Brittany. I don’t want to get in trouble, too.”
Warden blubbered and pointed in Lena’s direction, but Brittany was having none of it.
A sense of understanding washed over her. Annie placed her hands on her hips and glared at her sister-in-law accusingly. “You instructed that boy to cut down that bush, didn’t you? And now you’re sitting here while he gets browbeaten for doing exactly what you told him to do.”
Lena cowered. “Shh, don’t let your sister hear you. She’s scary when she gets mad.”
One of Lena’s guests came up from the beach and joined in on the bush discussion between Warden and Brittany. The older gentleman clapped the boy on his shoulders and spoke gently. The tension flowed out of the kid’s body. Then the gray-haired guest smiled brightly in Brittany’s direction, shot her a thumbs-up, and made his way up the hill where Annie and Lena were watching.
“Any more iced tea in the refrigerator, Ms. Javier?” he asked kindly.
“For the hundredth time, Mr. Kaplinger, please call me Lena.” She stood to get her guest some refreshments.
Mr. Kaplinger held up a halting hand. “Stay where you are. I can find my way around a kitchen.” Looking back out to the yard, he offered a bit of advice. “If I were you, I’d keep the girl and fire the boy. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. Better yet, keep them both and let the girl teach him.”
“Are you a gardener, Mr. Kaplinger?” Lena inquired.
“Not professionally. I’m more of a hobbyist.”
Mr. Kaplinger walked into the B&B and left the women to themselves.
Brittany handed the shears back to the boy and jogged over.
“Lena,” she called out harshly, “why is my cab driver staying here?”
A scowl formed on Lena’s brow. Thoughtfully, she took another sip of tea. “I’m pretty sure he flew in from the mainland. A cab dropped him off the same day you arrived. Did you two possibly share it?”
“No, I was all alone. I was super nervous about showing up unannounced.” She pointed a finger toward Mr. Kaplinger’s departure. “That man helped calm me down. He even appreciated the chintzy tip I gave him.” Brittany plopped down in an empty chair and joined them. “You don’t forget something like that.”
Lena rubbed her chin and studied the boy who was now cautiously lopping little bits off the branches. “This may sound strange, but the cabbie that dropped off Mr. Kaplin
ger looked an awful lot like that kid.”
Annie felt the need to put an end to the speculation. “I doubt that kid is old enough to drive, let alone be employed by a cab service. And if he had a job, why is he here? I can’t imagine Larry would be paying him very much.”
“Oh my goodness!” Lena’s hands flew to her face. “You and Grady had an experience with the dolphins.” She grabbed Brittany’s hand and shook them excitedly. “My mom used to tell stories about them. She said they guarded over our family and kept us safe. According to the bedtime tale, after a dolphin encounter, two strangers would appear and bless us with luck and love.”
Brittany dismissed that idea. “But I met the cab driver before I saw the dolphins.”
“Pish posh, the story changed frequently throughout our childhood.” Lena eased back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. “You can’t be too literal with these things. It’s the essence of the story which is important.”
Brittany narrowed her eyes. “So,” she began, “you believe in magic.”
Crimson blotches formed on the innkeeper’s cheeks. “I don’t disbelieve. Strange things happen all the time. Why can’t we have a guardian angel sitting on our shoulder?” She squeezed Brittany’s hand tight. “The kid’s name is Warden. A warden is like a guardian. If you look at this closely, you’ll see the pieces are all falling into place.”
“And the old guy’s name?” Brittany asked.
Lena scrunched her nose. “Kaplinger. I wonder if that has some hidden meaning.”
Brittany grabbed Lena’s hand excitedly. “The cabbie drove a Chevy Caprice.”
Lena scratched her ear. “I don’t get the connection.”
“This is a stretch, but think about this for a moment.” Brittany placed both hands on the table and drew in a breath. “You know how in the movies when a character is trying to come up with a fake name on the spot? They look around and use something they see as a jumping off point. Cap, Caprice. Cap, Caplinger. And then, so it’s not too obvious, he switches the C for a K. Kaplinger...get it?”
