Down and Out in Flamingo Beach

by Marcia King-Gamble

  “Tomorrow can’t come fast enough,” Granny J moaned. “I have a business that I’ve neglected. Lord knows what I’m going to find when I get back. My granddaughter has been running the shop and although she’s efficient enough she’s not exactly an entrepreneur.”

  “Your granddaughter seems quite capable to me. By the way, she’s a lovely young woman and she strikes me as smart. Any changes she’s made will probably be for the better.” Dr. Ben’s cheeks were ruddy under his light complexion. He took off his glasses and stuck them in his pocket.

  Granny J shot up in bed. “Changes? What changes? What are you not telling me?”

  “Take a deep breath now and settle down. Change can be very good. No one wants to remain stagnant.”

  Granny J flashed her warm welcoming smile, the kind she used on customers. She eyed the doctor slyly. “Some changes aren’t good. You’ve met my Joya. Isn’t she a lovely woman?”

  “Beautiful, compassionate and smart,” Dr. Benjamin said, his face turning an alarming shade of crimson.

  Granny J folded her arms across her chest. “If she’s all that, then why isn’t a young, handsome doctor like you asking her out?”

  “I just might,” Dr. Benjamin said, patting her hand as if she were a child. “At the very least I’ll take it under consideration.”

  Good lord, the man needed nudging. In her day, men stepped up to the plate and took care of business. She’d have to find a reason to make this happen. The Hamills could definitely use a doctor in the house.

  Derek finished putting the final coat of primer on the bathroom wall. He’d gotten back from his run energized and found Nana asleep and Mari wanting to run an errand. All in all, it was the perfect time to get stuff done.

  He pressed his nose to the new window and saw the sun slowly disappearing into the sea. He had just enough time to jump into the shower and change before Joya stopped by. He was looking forward to spending this time with her. There was more going on in that pretty head than he’d initially been led to believe.

  Twenty minutes later he’d showered, shaved and changed into a pair of khaki shorts and polo shirt. He’d also slipped on a pair of canvas boat shoes and, as an afterthought, had slapped on cologne. Finally he stuck his head into Nana’s room to see how she was doing.

  She was lying still, hands clasped on her stomach as if she was laid out. A pack of cigarettes remained in easy reach, as were several books of matches.

  Derek eased her door closed.

  “Nothing wrong with my hearing. You going out, boy?”

  Derek tiptoed back into her room. He kissed her cheek. “Yes, can I get you something before I go?”

  “Nope, I have everything I need.” Nana sat up in bed and reached for a cigarette. She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell?”

  “Cologne.”

  “Nobody puts on cologne just to hear some guys jam.” She sucked what was left of her teeth. “You all dressed up ’cause of some woman.”

  “You’re too smart for me. I’m out of here, Nana.”

  Derek left her smoking those damn cigarettes and went out on the porch to wait for Joya. By the time she got there maybe he wouldn’t have that nasty smoky smell clinging to him.

  He hated to admit it, but he was fascinated with Joya and normally he ran from that type. She’d struck him as high-maintenance, more than a little demanding and highstrung. But he liked how dedicated she was to her grandmother and how committed to taking care of her business.

  Derek had heard the talk around town about how Joya had tried to change Quen. He’d heard all the speculation about why the marriage had deteriorated. It didn’t take long to find out stuff in Flamingo Beach, fabricated or otherwise.

  Well hell, his marriage had deteriorated, too, because he’d spent way too much time at work. He’d justified the time spent away as earning the money to buy his wife all the things she wanted. He’d gotten caught up in the corporate game and keeping up with the Joneses. In retrospect he should never have gotten married. There hadn’t been much between them to begin with. They’d just mistaken physical attraction for true love. When the bloom wore off the rose they’d tried to make it work and from there everything had begun unraveling.

  “Hey, Derek?” Joya had arrived. When she stepped out of her red convertible, everything inside him went still.

  She had on pants that stopped a little below the knee and a shirt showing an inch or so of skin at the middle. For once she wasn’t wearing those ridiculous heels. The whole effect was of a tiny, fragile person who needed his help. Derek met her halfway down the walk.

  Joya waved an envelope and a set of keys at him. “I’ve got the deposit. These keys will give you access to the store if I’m not around. Check inside and make sure it’s the agreed-to amount.”

  He took the envelope from her but didn’t open it right away. “Want to come in and see what I’m doing to the house before we run off?”

  “I’d love to,” she answered, surprising him. “I’ve always admired this house.”

  He held the front door open for her, and she walked in, stopping to look down, a slow smile curving her mouth.

  “Bamboo floors,” she said, “Nice.”

  “Yes. I laid them myself because they’re durable and in keeping with a beach house. If Nana decides to put the house up for sale, bamboo floors will increase the value, don’t you think?”

  Joya was too busy wandering around the great room and inspecting the fireplace that seldom got lit to answer. She ran a hand over the top of the marble mantelpiece. “This is nice.”

  “My workmanship,” Derek acknowledged with some pride. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “No thanks. I’m saving myself for that wine you promised.”

  “Derek, you have somebody there?” Nana croaked from her bedroom.

  “A friend stopped by,” Derek shouted back.

  “A woman friend. You going to bring her in to meet me?”

  Nothing like being put on the spot. “Nana doesn’t get out much, do you mind?” Derek whispered.

  “Not at all.”

  Derek took Joya’s hand and began leading her through a maze of rooms. “Excuse the mess,” he said. “The house is currently under construction. As you can see, I’m working on several rooms.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “Derek, you bringing your friend to see me or not?” Nana Belle reminded them.

  “We’re coming, Nana.”

  Derek rolled his eyes and they burst out laughing. “She’s a character.”

  “She just might have my grandmother beat,” Joya agreed, actually liking that Derek’s large hand was wrapped around hers.

  Derek paused in front of a door that was slightly ajar. “I might as well warn you, Belle is a heavy smoker, so be prepared.”

  “I was a flight attendant, remember? I’m used to people disconnecting the smoke alarm in airplane bathrooms so that they can light up. I’ll manage.”

  Joya was taking it all in stride. He liked that and guessed his eccentric grandmother wouldn’t faze her one bit. Pushing the door open he spotted Nana Belle sitting straight up in bed sucking on one of her cancer sticks.

  “This is Joya Hamill,” Derek said, nudging Joya forward. “She and I are heading out to the beach to hear the people jam.”

  “You’re Trudy and Leland’s girl,” Belle said, staring at Joya. “You must look just like your mother.”

  “You knew my parents?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Come closer, child, so I can see you.”

  Joya approached the bed until she was close enough to touch Nana.

  Derek was always amazed at Nana’s long-term memory and the stories she could recount. Having a visitor had made her alert. It had been a long time since he’d seen her this alive.

  “Is my great-grandson courting you?” she asked, peering into Joya’s face.

  “Uh…We…”

  He placed a hand on Joya’s forearm. “We need to go or all the good spots are
going to be taken. Mari’s in her room, Nana, you call her if you need anything.”

  “I’d rather suffer in silence.”

  Derek did another eye roll and tugged on Joya’s hand. “We need to go.”

  “Can I leave my car out front or do I need to move it?” Joya asked.

  “Your car will be just fine. We’ll cut through the sun porch. Did you bring the blanket? Call Mari if you need anything, Nana.”

  “You two have a good time.” She sounded sad, as if unhappy they were leaving.

  “It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Carter,” Joya said, to the old lady.

  “Call me Ms. Belle.”

  His great-gran lit up another cigarette. She blew a huge smoke ring and closed her eyes. They’d been dismissed.

  Outside, Joya said, “Thanks for introducing me to your great-grandmother.” Derek had found a flashlight and the promised wine while Joya retrieved an old blanket from the trunk of her car; the kind you kept for emergencies. They were set.

  “Nana’s an odd duck, but she means well.”

  “I’ve heard so much about her from my own grandmother that I feel I know her. She is just as Granny J described her. Direct and feisty.”

  “You’d have to be to survive five husbands,” Derek said, tongue-in-cheek. “She’s a tough old bird and doesn’t suffer fools easily.

  “One husband was enough for me,” Joya said under her breath.

  “Yeah, I agree. I’d be hard-pressed to walk down an aisle again.”

  “You were married?” Joya asked. “I had no idea.”

  “All of five years. So much for happily ever after.”

  “What happened?”

  “A lot of things. Work got in the way. I didn’t give her the attention she needed.”

  “You worked 24/7? Construction gets that busy?”

  “I wasn’t always in construction,” Derek said cryptically.

  Joya’s gray eyes scanned his face, and he realized he’d gotten her full attention. He’d said too much.

  “What did you do before you were in construction?” she asked.

  “A bunch of different things.”

  He didn’t have anything to hide or be ashamed of. It was just that he’d put the corporate world behind him. Today he used his engineering skills in a very different way and if Joya was going to hinge her liking or disliking him on his current profession, well, that didn’t speak well of her.

  He’d had it with superficial people and those needing and wanting to keep up with the Joneses. From his experience the Joneses were usually in a lot of debt. It cost money to keep up appearances.

  They’d reached the area where the jam session was held and their conversation was put on hold. Several people had brought folding chairs and there were cars double-parked, some illegally on the boardwalk. Every available speck of sand was covered with a blanket or cloth. The smell of beer and barbecue competed with the scent of brine from the ocean.

  Derek held Joya’s hand as they picked their way around an amiable Saturday-night crowd.

  “We should have gotten here earlier,” he groused. “There’s no way we’re getting close to the stage.”

  “What about up the beach a bit?” Joya suggested. “We’ll be able to hear the tunes even if we can’t see the musicians.”

  “Good idea,” Derek said making a U-turn.

  They walked up the beach away from where the crowd gathered. It was probably not a good idea to be in a secluded spot with Joya. Parts of his body were already at half-mast.

  But maybe tonight was the kind of night to let your other head rule. Tomorrow, when reality returned, he could deal with the consequences.

  Chapter 12

  The jam session ran over its allotted time, largely because the weather was drizzly. The musicians, concerned about their equipment, refused to play until the rain stopped, and although there was no real downpour, moods were somber.

  Joya and Derek found an isolated spot up the beach close to the lighthouse. They figured that if there was a torrential downpour the lighthouse would provide shelter. A few couples having the same idea had spread blankets behind the rocks. And, although they couldn’t see their neighbors, the fruity smells of wine, barbecue and citronella candles scented the air, providing evidence of their proximity.

  “Excellent choice of wine,” Joya said, sipping on her second glass while surreptitiously checking the label. There was just enough light coming from the gas lanterns on the boardwalk to make out the label. It truly was an outstanding zinfandel and must have set Derek back at least a twenty-spot. He was full of surprises, a man of many layers, she decided.

  “At one point I kept a cellar,” he let slip.

  “You did?”

  She wasn’t sure she believed him.

  “The house I owned came with one. Rather than let it go empty I decided I would learn what I could about wine and start collecting.”

  Joya sat back on her blanket. Her feet were bare and her toenails were painted sugarplum-pink. She curled and uncurled her toes and decided, why not play along with him?

  “So what did you do with this house you owned?

  “Sold it. Hey, that guy on the sax is pretty good.” He didn’t seem to want to discuss his wine collection or his house. But she did.

  “I don’t think I’ve heard him before. Maybe he’s new to town,” she said.

  “Everyone’s new these days. Flamingo Beach is quite the hot spot. We’re the flavor of the month, judging by the houses going up. Mind you, I’m not complaining because it means work for me.”

  There was a rumble of thunder in the distance, followed by the crash of lightning.

  “Uh-oh,” Joya said. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little rain?” Derek joked.

  “A little I don’t mind. A lot—that’s a whole other story.” She stood and grabbed at the blanket he was still sitting on.

  “Okay, Ms. Subtle, I get it.” Derek stood before she tried to pull the blanket out from under him. He picked up the wine bottle with a third of its contents left and draped an arm around Joya’s shoulders.

  “Where to, madam?”

  “The lighthouse or we make a run for it down the beach and hope that we make it to my car or your house before it pours. My hair doesn’t hold up to rain.”

  Another crash of thunder made it sound as if the sky were splitting in two. Forks of lightning lit up the surrounding area.

  “Bye-bye jam session. No one’s stupid enough to risk being electrocuted. It’s the lighthouse for us.”

  Derek swooped her off her feet and began to run toward the tower.

  “What are you doing?” she screamed, quite liking his Neanderthal approach, but reluctant to admit it. The wine must have gone to her head, either that or Derek and his offbeat personality had gotten under her skin.

  “Where did everyone else go?” Joya asked, realizing they were alone. She wrapped her arms around Derek’s neck to anchor herself.

  “They all had the good sense to find shelter a long time ago. But not us.”

  Joya giggled, liking the lighthearted way he poked fun at them.

  Exactly one second before the sky exploded and rain pelted down, Derek kicked opened the lighthouse door and set her down inside.

  “That was close,” he said, removing the flashlight from his pocket and illuminating the interior briefly. “I wonder where everyone else is hiding.”

  “Right now, the only thing I’m concerned about is not having some creepy-crawly thing run over my foot.”

  Derek shone the flashlight around, making shadows on the walls, and found steps leading upward. “I’m at your service, princess. I am prepared to do battle with any rodent or palmetto bug we encounter.”

  Another bolt of thunder had Joya grabbing Derek by the arm and clinging. Outside, angry waves slammed against the pilings and sheets of rain sounded like a giant crumpling cellophane.

  “Doesn’t appear that it’s about to let up
anytime soon,” he commented.

  “Then we might as well either explore or get comfortable.”

  “How about we do both? It’s rumored this place is haunted, I say we go find the ghost.”

  Something about having Derek nearby was very comforting, and made her ready to take on any ghost. She had the feeling he was the type of guy who took good care of his ladies. Too bad she wasn’t one of them.

  Where did that come from?

  Joya still had a hold of his arm. Up close and personal she couldn’t miss the delicious smell coming from him. Maybe it was a good idea to explore and not get comfortable. Who knew what she might do? No, they might do. They couldn’t be trusted together.

  “I’m leading the way,” Derek said shining the flashlight in front of them and lighting a path.

  Joya followed him toward the narrow stone steps that no two people could possibly mount side by side. She kept a fistful of his shirt in her hand as they continued to climb.

  For some strange reason she was getting really spooked. Maybe it was the darkness, or it might have something to do with Derek bringing up the story that the lighthouse was haunted. Then again, maybe it had to do with the realization that the two of them were here alone, and no one had seen them enter. If anything happened, no one would know.

  They’d reached the top. Through a window she could see an angry sky lit up by lightning and she could hear the ocean’s roar below.

  Something furry brushed against her foot. Joya’s scream pierced the darkness. She leapt into the air, bringing Derek with her.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?” His voice was close to her ear.

  Her breathing now came in quick little bursts. She was close to hyperventilating. “A mouse. A rat,” she said when she could bring herself to speak. “Something with fur and claws. It was disgusting.”

  Derek, despite her death grip on him, shone the flashlight around the open space. Whatever it was had gone into hiding.

  “I want to go home,” Joya pleaded, looking uneasily around and expecting whatever it was to reappear.

  “You’d rather brave a storm than deal with a mouse that’s more scared of you than you of it?”