by Conn, Claudy
Erika took a moment to consider her offer. She bit her lip as she wavered back and forth. Her nose scrunched when she came to her decision. “I’ve been hurt every single day for the past six months. I’m tired of it. Grady is never going to see me as anything other than the little girl across the street. He may even love me like a sister, but that’s not what I want from him.” She pushed away from the table and paced the room. “Everyone has told me that there is no future in loving him the way I do. I just never believed it until I saw the way he looked at you the first day you arrived. I tried to tell myself his goo goo eyes weren’t real and that it wouldn’t amount to anything, but he never looked at me like that. He never looked at any of his girlfriends that way either.” Erika’s distress intensified with each word she spoke. “I can’t lie to myself any longer. I want to be happy. I want a real boyfriend. I want ―”
Erika was on the verge of tears. Needing to defuse the situation before that happened, Brittany cut in and said with a wink, “A cute boy named Warden.”
Erika cocked her head and grinned. “I don’t know about that, but meeting him certainly didn’t hurt.”
• • •
BRITTANY CURSED LENA’S loppers. The yard tools she owned were cheap, flimsy, and practically useless. She positioned the blades on the dying branch and pulled the handles together with all the strength she could muster. The blades torqued off center and made a clean cut impossible. Now Brittany faced prying the loppers from the outer layers of bark without causing any more damage. It took her a while, but once one blade released, it was a simple matter of bending the limb away from the one still embedded in the bark and wiggling it out.
The moment it was free, she pitched the inefficient piece of garbage across the yard. Lena was simply going to have to invest in some quality equipment or Brittany would never make any headway.
Mr. Kaplinger walked down from the lanai. His tall, lanky body was slightly hunched over with age. The humid, overcast day pumped moisture out of him and the man wiped sweat off his brow before replacing his baseball cap. He picked up the loppers and gently brushed off the dirt as he made his way back to her.
Brittany felt like a jerk. How was she ever going to become the plant whisperer for Warden if she couldn’t get along with an inanimate object? Somehow she had to get her dad out of her head. This was her life. She wasn’t under his influence any longer. How she chose to behave was completely up to her. She alone was responsible for her actions.
“Hi, Mr. Caprice,” she called out. “Sorry about that. It won’t happen again.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he chuckled. “I’ve thrown a few things out of frustration before. Where is young Warden this morning?” His brow furrowed and his head tilted questioningly. “Did you just call me Mr. Caprice?”
Brittany smiled and wondered if she should tell him about their crazy theory. She didn’t believe it would offend him and thought he might even think it was funny, so she said, “Yes, I did. That was the model of the cab you were driving when you dropped me off at the Javiers’ several mornings ago. It was the same cab Warden was driving when he dropped you off here.” When she heard the words spoken out loud, she realized how crazy it sounded.
Mr. Caprice scratched his head. “Excuse me?”
He was going to think she was insane, but she explained anyway. “You came with the dolphins to bring us luck and love. Don’t try to pretend it isn’t so. We have it all figured out.” Brittany smiled brightly and hoped he thought she was joking.
He handed the loppers back. “Well, in that case,” he said, tipping his Yankee’s ball cap politely, “have a good day, Miss Brittany.”
Britt took the loppers and called out after him. “You, too, Mr. Caprice.”
She turned and saw Terence making his way down to the dock. His hair needed a trim and he hadn’t shaved since the day she arrived. There was much more to the man than being the captain of the Erika Rose. He was also a computer consultant of some kind, but it was obvious his boat and being on the ocean was his first love. He wore a dark blue t-shirt, brightly colored board shorts, and a pair of river sandals graced his feet.
Her sister snagged herself a very handsome man. The love they shared was evident with every touch, glance, and word they spoke to each other. They seemed to understand how special their relationship was, so they treasured every moment they spent together.
Brittany thought about that for a moment. Maybe it was the other way around. Perhaps it was the fact that they treasured every moment, which made their relationship special. A warm feeling flowed through her body, and Brittany realized it wasn’t luck which made their relationship work. Despite the demands of their jobs, Erika, Max, and now herself, Annie and Terence made each other a priority. They didn’t take each other for granted.
“Hey Britt!” Terence hollered her way. “Can I get your help for a moment?”
“Not another tour,” she groaned loudly.
Terence made an X across his chest with his finger and vowed with a cheeky grin. “I will never ask that of you again. I need help carrying all these boxes. I don’t want to have to make thirty trips back up to the truck.”
Brittany saluted. “On it, boss.” She dropped the loppers on the grass and looked around for her apprentice. “Warden!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Put the loppers away for me, I’ll be back in a bit.”
She followed Terence up to his truck and realized she had yelled at Warden again. Becoming the plant whisperer was going to be tougher than she thought.
• • •
LENA CALLED THEM all in for lunch. She didn’t need to include Mr. Kaplinger. She ran a bed and breakfast, lunch was not part of the deal, but she called him, too. He was a curiosity and she wanted to learn more about him. After sleeping on it, she saw how far she and Brittany had fallen down the rabbit hole. Mr. Kaplinger couldn’t have possibly been Brittany’s cabbie, and Warden couldn’t have been Kaplinger’s driver. The whole thing was ridiculous.
Mr. Kaplinger was the first to enter the kitchen. “Lena, please call me Kap. No one calls me Mr. Kaplinger.” He removed the ball cap from his head and held it to his breast humbly. “I’m a guest. You don’t have to include me.”
Lena reached out and touched his arm. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm so sharply, it took her a moment to recover. “Kap, I’m feeding three other people today, what’s one more?”
He leaned in and whispered, “But you aren’t including the other guests.”
Lena mirrored his movements and lowered her head next to his. “You’re special.”
Kap laughed. “Oh yes, I heard all about it. Brittany told me how I came in with the spinners and that I’m lucky.”
Lena held up a plate. “I hope you like calamari.”
“Of course I do,” he chuckled. “Squid is a dolphin staple. I only hope I prove to be as fortunate as you expect. At any rate, I’m grateful for your hospitality.”
“Hush and sit down. We don’t really believe that old tale.” Lena placed the plate in front of him. “It’s just a story my mother used to tell us. Whether you are blessed or not, we’re happy you’re here.”
Terence banged open the screen door and was followed by Warden and Brittany. The trio washed up and Lena retrieved a green leaf salad and plate of fruit from the refrigerator.
Brittany pulled out a chair. “I’ve never had an employer feed me before.”
Terence slid some mango onto his plate. “I thought you worked for your father?”
“Like I said,” Brittany sneered, “I’ve never had an employer feed me before.”
Warden looked horrified. “But he’s your dad!”
Brittany waved off his conclusion. “I guess no one ever told him that.”
Lena pushed the calamari in her direction. “Eat all you like, sweetie. I need you nourished so you’re able to put in a full day’s work.”
A grateful smile crossed the young landscaper’s face before she turned to Warden. “Did you
put the loppers away like I asked? I’m not sure you heard me.”
Lena grabbed Warden’s arm and laughed heartily. “I heard her all the way up here. If you missed that, we’re going to have to get your ears checked.”
Brittany slunk down in her chair. Guilt was plastered all over her face. “Sorry, it’s a process. Do I get any brownie points for hearing how I sounded and chiding myself?”
Mr. Kaplinger voiced his opinion. “I’ve found that recognizing a trait you don’t particularly care for is the first step in changing it. My vote doesn’t count, but I’d give you a brownie or two.”
“I heard you, Miss Brittany,” Warden confirmed. “I put the tool away just like you wanted.”
Brittany sat up, impressed by his manners. She punched the boy lightly on the arm. “Just call me Brittany or Britt. That Miss stuff is a little too formal for me.”
Warden let out a sigh of relief. “I thought it sounded funny, but my parents told me I should refer to you formally.” He looked at Terence and Lena. “Does that go for you, too? I don’t want to appear impertinent. This is my first job and I want to make a good impression.”
Terence pulled his plate a little closer and swallowed a bite of food. “Kid,” he began, “I probably wouldn’t answer if you added a mister in front of my name. You are free to call me Terence.”
Lena held out her hand. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lena.”
Warden pumped her hand with youthful enthusiasm.
Mr. Kaplinger followed. “And please, call me Kap.” He gestured to the entire table. “All of you, please. Kaplinger is quite a mouthful.”
Brittany’s eyes sparkled with delight. “I think I’ll call you Mr. Caprice, if that’s okay?”
Kap raised his water glass. “To new friends.” He singled Brittany out and clinked her glass with his. “You, my dear, may call me anything you like.”
• • •
AN HOUR LATER, Brittany and Warden were back at it. The day was hot and muggy. Sweat trickled down their faces and dripped off their noses. The hard working duo pulled weeds, hacked down unwanted volunteers, and turned over dark soil in preparation for new plantings. When it came time to tackle the pruning, Brittany sent Warden back to the shed to retrieve the loppers.
He returned with a shiny, sturdy tool. The top of the line instrument of branch removal was something Brittany had only dreamed of being able to afford.
“Where did this come from, Warden? What happened to the old cheapie pair?”
“I don’t know, Miss Britt. All of them are like that. I couldn’t find the old tools anywhere.”
Brittany’s brow furrowed. “First off, call me Britt.” She ran her finger down the lopper blades. Part of her hated to tarnish its fresh oily finish, another part couldn’t wait to feel it bite into a branch and have it slice effortlessly through. “Secondly, I have to see this for myself.”
She dropped the loppers by her side and marched off in the direction of the storage shed. Britt banged open the door and stepped inside. Warden told her what to expect, but what she saw was impossible. Two hours earlier, the shed was dusty, dirty, unorganized, and one hundred percent neglected by its owner. Cleaning the shed was way down on the list of things which needed to be done at Lena’s B&B. Brittany estimated they wouldn’t get to the job for at least a couple of weeks, but right in front of her were new pegboards and hooks, housing an array of gardening tools. Shovels, trowels, weeders, different sized pruning shears, and a pair of scissors had its own special place on the wall. Off to the left hung a wide-brimmed hat, three different sized hoses, a couple of rakes, and a saw. A cart to carry large shrubs to a planting destination was over in the corner and several sets of gloves nestled inside.
Brittany’s mind raced. Even if Lena ordered all these items, not enough time had lapsed for them to be delivered, let alone for the shed to be cleaned and organized. With both Warden and herself tackling the job, Britt thought it would take two or three days to complete the task. Less than three hours had passed since she was last inside the shed. The transformation baffled her.
Warden stepped up alongside her. “It’s beautiful.”
Brittany glanced at her young assistant. His eyes were bright with awe. “Do you know anything about this, Warden?”
Warden’s head shook with wonderment. “It’s pretty cool, though. Spiders kind of scare me and this place creeped me out. I hated it when you sent me in here.” He waved an arm out across the room. “How did this happen?”
Brittany blew out a breath. “Beats me.” A thought popped into her head and she narrowed her eyes mischievously. “Are you sure you and Mr. Caprice didn’t rope the dolphins into sending this stuff our way?”
Warden took a shocked step backward. “No offense, boss, but you’re weird.”
Her assistant was only a couple of years younger than herself, but he seemed like a baby. Brittany clapped him on the back joyfully. “Come on, let’s get back to work. I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth. A wish has just been granted and made our job easier.”
Unable to resist, she leaned over and gave Warden a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing the wide-brimmed hat off its hook.
“What was that for?” Warden asked.
Brittany placed the hat on her head and handed Warden a mid-sized set of pruning shears. “In case you happened to have anything to do with this, I wanted to express my appreciation.”
“But I didn’t.”
Brittany winked at him knowingly. “If you say so.”
Warden followed her back out into the yard. “But I really didn’t,” he protested lamely.
She caught sight of Mr. Caprice heading down to the beach. “Thank you!” she called out to the man who seemed to be having the time of his life being associated with the lucky dolphins.
Mr. Caprice grinned and continued on his way.
Warden reared back. “I swear I never met that man before I started working here.”
Brittany’s eyes twinkled. Even if her mystical theory wasn’t correct, being able to tease Warden made it all worthwhile.
8
“I’LL HAVE THE Kona Special.”
Annie grabbed an extra-large, recyclable cup from the stack in front of her. “You got it, Mr. Lee.”
“What did I ever do without you, Annie?” Mr. Lee took the cup and handed her a five. “You’ve made my morning caffeine fix so much more convenient.”
Annie waved off the bill. “It’s on the house. That huge fishing tour you booked before dawn cleaned me out. I had to call Grady to replenish my supply.”
Mr. Lee gestured to the little card table which held an almost empty display of Erika’s ornaments. “Looks like your daughter did well today.”
“They seem to be a popular item,” she agreed. A noisy screech from a baby bird interrupted Annie’s train of thought. The earsplitting squawk made her wince in pain. “I hope momma and daddy bird come back soon, that tiny chick is driving me nuts.”
Mr. Lee looked up into the branches in search of the distressed infant. When he saw it was a white tern, he blew out a sad sigh. “I wouldn’t count on it. One of my guests thought target practice was part of our tour. Somehow he got a hold of our flare gun and cooked a couple of white birds before I was able to wrestle it away from him.” He held up his coffee cup. “From the smell of his breath, I’m pretty sure he added a little something extra to his brew before coming aboard.”
Knowing the little bird was destined for death turned Annie melancholy. “That poor creature. Tern’s don’t even have a nest to relax in.” Her hands balled into tight fists at the injustice. “Life started out tough enough for that little guy, now this. How will he survive?”
Mr. Lee’s face filled with sympathy. “I’ll slice up some scraps and place them under the tree, but unless he lets go...”
“Which he won’t until he’s too weak to hold on any longer,” Annie finished.
“Sorry, Annie.”
Annie waved goodbye to her dear fr
iend. “Thanks anyway, Mr. Lee.”
The thought of the baby bird dying all alone up in the tree wouldn’t leave Annie’s mind. His distressed chirps echoed in her ears. He had to be starving.
It was almost quitting time and Annie agonized over her next move. No matter what the species, leaving a baby alone to fend for himself was not something she was capable of.
She walked around the Coffee Cart and looked up. The snow-white bird paced back and forth down the length of the branch. Annie held out her hands. “Jump.”
The bird turned his head curiously.
“Come on,” Annie urged. “You can do it.” She held her hands up a little higher. “Jump.”
The bird’s head cocked in the other direction and Annie believed she had his attention.
“Excuse me,” a deep voice said behind her, “are you still serving?”
Annie startled. She turned and found Mr. Kaplinger’s sea blue eyes, gazing down at her. “Yes, Mr. Kaplinger. What can I get for you?”
The gentleman removed the ball cap from his head. “Please call me Kap.”
The smile the older man shot her was contagious, and Annie grinned back. “It would be my pleasure, Kap.” She walked around to the serving side of the Coffee Cart and grimaced. “It’s just about quitting time. I’m afraid I don’t have much left. How about a Kona Special?”
“That sounds just about perfect, Mrs. Javier.”
Annie snapped the lid on the cup and handed it to her sister-in-law’s guest. Just as Kap was about to take it, Annie pulled the cup back and locked onto his gaze. “My name is Annie.”
Kap bowed his head. “Thank you, Annie.”
The little tern chose this time to squawk and Mr. Kaplinger looked up into the branches of the nearby tree.
“It’s a sad story, Kap. I don’t believe his parents will be returning.”
Mr. Kaplinger held out a finger and whistled. The little bird flapped his wings, and with feathers still incapable of flight, floated down from the branch and landed on the old man’s friendly extended perch.
