by Muth, Becky
“Hi, I’m Lauren,” a tall woman with purple and silver striped hair introduced herself. “I’m the oldest. My husband is on a fire call, but our three kids are around here somewhere. They’re two, three, and six, and that’s all we plan to have. Now, tell us, how did you two meet each other?”
Before Peyton could reply, Kurt intervened, “Please hold your questions until the end of the introductions.”
The next sister, who was roughly the height of Peyton and wore a nose ring, bounced on the balls of her feet. “Hi! I’m Hanna. Nice to meet you. I’m a lunch lady at Gold Coast Elementary School. Lauren’s glad I work there because it means I can watch over her munchkins. I’m glad I work there because I still get summer vacations.”
“Hey there. I’m Diana.” The next woman stepped forward, extending her hand. As Peyton gave it a warm shake, Diana continued, “I own the Pacific Adventures Amusement & Fun Center.”
“The zipline place?” Peyton asked.
Diana nodded and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “That’s the one. We also have go-carts, rock climbing walls, a few roller coasters, a small water park, and this year we’ve added a panning for gold exhibit.”
“Yeah, and if you ever go, here’s a pro tip. Don’t pan for gold. It’s totally rigged.” Another woman stuck out her tongue at Diana. “I’m Morgan, by the way, and I’m a marine biologist. Right now, I’m studying how weather affects the mating habits of orcas.”
“Right. We all know it's an excuse for you to goof off between mating seasons and panning for gold is not rigged. Did you even read the fine print?” Diana argued.
Kurt put two fingers of his non-injured hand in his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. “No arguing during family mealtime.”
“But we’re not eating yet.” Diana countered.
“We will be soon enough.”
“Fine, dad junior.” Morgan stuck out her tongue at her brother.
Kurt leaned toward Peyton and, lowering his voice, said, “Diana should have gone into law instead of business.”
Before Diana could reply, the final sister gave a little wave from her place at the table. “That leaves me. I’m Sam, the tomboy. I just got out of the military and I'm going to slum it with Diana until I figure out what I want to do next.”
A pair of dogs chose that moment to tear through the yard, a trio of young children following close behind. Gilda rose to her feet, her tail thumping against Peyton’s calf.
“The big one is Davey and the little one giving chase is Goliath.” Kurt pointed to an Irish Wolfhound and a Welsh Corgi.
“Wait a sec. The corgi is Goliath?” Peyton laughed.
Lauren explained, “Their first year after moving here, our parents decided to get each other a puppy for Christmas. The quintessential old married couple, they didn’t communicate before the holidays, each wanting to surprise the other one.”
“So, on Christmas morning,” Diana picked up the tale, “they got a surprise all right.”
“That’s kind of sweet,” Peyton remarked.
Noticing Gilda’s presence, the children raced over and began showering her with affection. The golden retriever laid down and rolled onto her back.
Peyton squatted to be at eye level with the children. “This is her way of asking for a belly rub. You can pet her. She’s friendly.”
The children delighted in obliging the dog, their melodious laughter piquing the curiosity of the other dogs. Davey and Goliath came over, and Gilda leapt to her feet.
Peyton waited until all three dogs had sniffed each other’s bottoms in greeting before unclasping the leash from Gilda’s collar. She couldn’t help but smile at seeing her dog dash through the yard with the other two. Realizing Kurt’s hand rested against her back again, she avoided his gaze, turning her smile on the towheaded children. They swarmed Gilda, showering her with belly rubs.
“Are you Uncle Kurt’s new girlfriend?” one of the children asked without warning.
The second one chimed in, “You sure are pretty. Do you love Uncle Kurt?”
“Are you and Uncle Kurt going to get mawwied?” the littlest one piped up.
Peyton’s head swiveled to stare at Kurt, curious if he was as shell shocked as she felt by the questions. To her surprise, he looked cool and collected in the face of an interrogation by the preschoolers.
Pressing her lips together, she looked back to her dog as Kurt explained, “Peyton and Gilda saved my life. I was surfing and Gilda knew there were sharks in the water.”
“Like Jaws?” The tallest child’s eyes widened.
“Just like Jaws. And when Gilda asked to go into the water, Peyton told her it was okay. She ran right in and pulled me out.”
“And you did not get bitted by the sharks?” The littlest one continued petting Gilda, too young to comprehend the full extent of the potential danger.
“I sure didn’t.”
The chorus of cheers from Gilda’s pint-sized fan club filled the backyard.
“Oh, my, gosh! This is that golden retriever!” a voice behind Peyton exclaimed.
She turned to see Kurt’s mother standing in the open doorway, her hands gripping a tray piled with appetizers. Rushing to set the tray on the patio table, she ran to Peyton and grabbed her in a tight hug.
“Thank you so much for sending your dog into the water after my boy!”
Peyton felt compelled to return the hug. Over the woman’s shoulder, she saw Kurt’s face turn crimson. At least three of his sisters tried to suppress their laughter while one giggled outright.
Taking a step back and turning to her daughters, Mrs. Collins waggled her index finger. “There is nothing amusing about this, girls. If those sharks had turned on him... Well.” She paused to clear her throat. “I cannot even begin to imagine how things could have ended up.”
“It’s okay, sis.” Kurt’s aunt patted Mrs. Collins on the shoulder.
It wasn’t until she saw them standing next to each other that Peyton realized the two women were mirror images of each other. “Oh wow, you’re twins.”
“Don’t remind me.” Kurt’s Aunt Heather pleaded.
Mrs. Collins grinned at Peyton. “Don’t mind her. She’s jealous that I’m the pretty twin.”
“As if.” Heather rolled her eyes. “So, Amber, do you have any more of that Dorma Valley Wine? Jeremy wants to baste the chicken with it.”
“There’s part of a bottle in the fridge. Go ahead and use that.” Mrs. Collins waved her sister away before leading Peyton to the table. Pulling out a chair, she gestured for Peyton to sit before taking the seat next to her. "Have you been to the winery?"
Peyton nodded. "Only once, for a wine tasting. What I had was delicious, though."
"Sarge and I love it. Of course, he'd love it more if it was a bourbon distillery." Pausing to look at her daughters, Mrs. Collins waved her hand toward the house. “Girls, you can start bringing the food out at any time. Kurt, honey, come sit with us.”
Peyton watched as Kurt and his adult siblings followed their mother’s orders with the obedience of recruits taking direction from a drill sergeant. Is Kurt sure that it’s not his mom with the nickname of Sarge?
When Kurt sat at the table, his mother persisted, “Now tell me everything.”
“I didn’t do anything. It was Gilda, really,” Peyton protested, but in a few sentences covered the events of that morning.
Mrs. Collins gave a smug grin. “And you are too modest. I saw that video, how your golden retriever ran into the ocean without hesitating. She deserves a medal for that act of bravery.”
“Oh, I don’t think-”
“Nonsense,” the older woman interrupted Peyton.
Kurt’s sisters began filing out of the house, each one carrying a bowl, platter, or other serving dish. Heavy laden with food, the containers rivaled photos of featured dishes in MasterChef magazines.
Following up the rear was Kurt’s father, who stood in the doorway. “Are those meats ready yet? I’m starving!”
<
br /> Mrs. Collins hollered across the lawn, “Sarge, come here! We’ve discovered the most amazing thing!”
Peyton couldn’t be sure, but she thought she heard Kurt groan from his seat across the table from her.
“What’s that?” He took a step toward them while sniffing the air and rubbing his stomach.
Mrs. Collins’ face glowed with excitement. “Kurt’s friend and her dog are the ones who saved him from the sharks!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
After his mother announced Peyton and Gilda as being his rescuers, Kurt’s father spent the rest of the meal ignoring his only son.
It’s bad enough he treats me like a second-rate police officer at work. Now he’s completely ignoring me at a family dinner. Way to show you care about your family, dad. Kurt looked down at the plate Peyton helped him fix. He used his fingers to pop a devilled egg into his mouth. As he chewed, he pondered on how to fix things with his dad, but hearing his name pulled him from his thoughts.
“And then Kurt said, ‘But why do I have to wear the dress?’” Diana recounted, causing uproarious laughter from the women, including Peyton.
Recognizing the story from his fourth grade Halloween party, Kurt glanced at his guest, sitting to his right. She turned to gaze at him with a bemused smile and bumped his shoulder with her own. He felt a sudden desire to impress his rescuer.
Usurping his sister, Kurt tilted his head and smirked. “And she told me it was because I was the only one who didn’t have to shave my legs.”
“Then he begged us to teach him how to shave his legs,” Lauren added between giggles.
“And did they teach you?” Peyton asked him.
Kurt nodded. “Indeed, and after that, I most definitely had the smoothest legs of any boy in the fourth grade.”
“Okay, girls. Let’s get this table cleaned up. It’s time for dessert.” Mrs. Collins stood and began gathering used paper plates.
Peyton stood and asked, “Can I help?”
The woman smiled. “Sure. Fill an empty platter with dirty paper plates and bring it into the kitchen.”
When the women had disappeared inside the house, Kurt’s uncle asked, “How’s the arm healing up?”
“The doc says I’ll be out of work for a few weeks.”
His father snorted. “You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“I know, dad. You’ve made that pretty clear.”
“Jeremy, could you give my son and I a moment alone? We only need a couple of minutes.”
“Sure thing. I want to check something on the smoker anyway.” The man vacated the table and made quick work of crossing the yard.
The Sergeant rested his hands on the table and laced his fingers together. “Listen, Kurt, I don’t know what you’re playing at by bringing that woman here, but I know about her missing brother. I know you’ve been passing information to Jones and Lopez.”
Ugh! How could he find out? Was it Snowball? Kurt frowned at the thought of his partner betraying him.
“Before you ask, it wasn’t your partner.”
I hate when he reads my mind.
“And no, I’m not reading your mind. Your face gives away everything you’re thinking. That’s why I don’t invite you to the Friday night poker games.”
“So what am I supposed to do with my time off?”
“Follow doctor’s orders and get that arm healed up. Maybe when you come back, you can take another stab at the detective’s exam.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. Kurt exhaled and felt his nostrils flare as a result. “Dad, what if I’m happy writing parking tickets for the rest of my life? It helps bring in revenue for the county, right? Isn’t that what you always say?”
“Because I know you’re smarter than that and I want to see you live up to your full potential. You’re twice as smart as I was at your age. I want better for you.”
“And what if I don’t?” Kurt stared at his dad. “What if I’m happy with my life how it is?”
A couple of his sisters returned to finish clearing the last things from the table while Peyton carried a damp cloth. She wiped down the surface, scrubbing at dried ketchup where one of the children sat for dinner. By the time she finished, the women were returning with the platters, dinner items replaced with a wide range of fruits and pastries.
Lauren came out last, her husband following with a punch bowl filled with slices of ripe red watermelon. She yelled across the yard, “Hey kids, look who finally decided to join us!”
“Hey Joe,” Kurt’s dad called, raising his hand in greeting.
Peyton reclaimed her seat next to Kurt. “So that’s your brother-in-law?”
“Mhmm.” Kurt replied, the short conversation with his father having killed his prior jovial mood. “He’s a firefighter.”
“Kind of an odd duck in a family full of policemen, right?”
Kurt nodded. But he’s not the only one who doesn’t fit in around here.
* * *
Peyton pulled her car in front of Kurt’s apartment building and shifted into park, letting the engine idle. Gilda lay curled up on the backseat, her soft snores filling the silence.
“Thanks for going to dinner at my parents’ house tonight.”
“Thanks for inviting me. Your family is great, and the food was out of this world. Makes me glad I wear stretchy yoga pants for work. Even Gilda is all tuckered out.”
“Heh. Yeah. Well, you look really great tonight, by the way.” He turned in his seat to look at her. In the darkness, it was too difficult to see if she was blushing, but he pictured her that way in his mind.
“Thank you.”
“What are your plans for the rest of the weekend?” Kurt stalled, finding himself reluctant to leave her company.
“Work a little. Search for Owen. Maybe stream a movie.”
“Do you want to come over and watch a movie at my place?”
“Maybe. Can I let you know?”
Kurt heard a hint of a smile in her voice. It wasn’t a yes, but he’d take it. “Sounds good. Thanks for the ride home.”
“Thanks again for dinner, and for introducing me to your family.”
Kurt leaned over to kiss Peyton’s cheek, but at the last minute, she turned her head and the peck landed square on the corner of her lips. He jerked backwards, the back of his head knocking against the passenger window.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” He hoped she couldn’t see him wincing.
Peyton’s next words stumbled from her in several false starts, never forming a complete sentence. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to. I mean, I didn’t know you were. I just wasn’t expecting you to, um.”
“It was meant to be a polite kiss on the cheek,” Kurt confessed, keeping his voice low, sure that he was now the one blushing.
“Oh.” After a moment of silence, Peyton said, “Well, thank you again for a great dinner.”
Kurt opened his car door, feeling dismissed. “Yep. Sure thing. Catch you later.” As he exited the car, he waved his splinted arm at her before shutting the door.
Entering his building, he walked right past Sam on his way to the elevator. It wasn’t until the doors opened that he looked back, his mouth dropping open. “Sam! What are you doing here?”
“Visiting my little brother. Duh. I hadn’t seen your apartment yet.”
“Why’d you leave mom and dad’s house? Aren’t you staying in their guest room?”
“You mean mom’s sewing room? No way! I’m staying at the Redwood Cove Inn until I find a place of my own.”
“Isn’t that expensive?”
Sam shrugged. “I spent hardly anything when I was overseas. Staying at the inn, I get a view of the ocean and can meet all the tourists.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s cool. Can we talk later, though? I mean, I just saw you at mom and dad’s.”
“Yeah, but we didn’t really get to talk-talk. You know?”
“Meaning you’re here as a sp
okesperson for the group, and all my sisters want to know more about Peyton.”
“When you’re almost thirty years old before you bring a woman home for the first time? Yes, we want to know everything.”
The silver doors opened and he beckoned, his sister skipping through the lobby to join him. Once Sam was inside the elevator, Kurt asked, “They teach you that in the military? Because Sarge doesn’t put up with foolishness down at the station.”
“Don’t be too hard on him. He just wants to see you do your best. We all do.”
The doors parted and Kurt led his sister down the hall to his apartment. Turning the key in the lock, he asked, “But wouldn’t he rather see me happy?”
“You know how dad is. If he’s not happy, nobody’s happy.”
“Story of our childhood.”
“I was thinking we could study for the exam together,” Sam suggested.
The door closed behind them and Kurt turned the deadbolt.
“I’m doing a little detective work on the side right now. Check this out.” He led her to the second bedroom that he used as a home office.
“Wow. Dude. What have you got going on here?”
Kurt watched his sister take in the squares of sticky-backed paper in an array of colors tied together with maps, charts, and graphs hanging on the walls.
“I’m looking for Peyton’s brother.”
“Her brother? Is he in trouble?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Have you ever seen this before?” Kurt sifted through a pile of papers on his desk before holding up an enlarged photo displaying the symbol painted inside Owen’s house. He watched as his sister took a step back, her head cocking to one side.
“Are you kidding me, Kurt? Is her brother one of those thugs?” Sam gestured toward the picture and ran one hand through her short, spiky hair.
“Not as far as I can tell. Can you help me find him?”
“Nuh-uh. Clear this stuff out of here. Dump it in a landfill far away. In the next state, even. And then pretend you never saw any of it. This is the last thing dad would want you looking into.”
