Like One of the Family

by Kimberly Van Meter

  “You’re afraid of commitment?”

  “So she says.”

  Actually, that made a lot of sense, but Lilah wisely kept that opinion to herself and besides, they were at Larimar and it was just about time to pick up Lora and Heath to hit the ferry.

  They walked into the lobby and saw Pops, looking none the worse for wear, standing by a police officer. Lilah squealed in total relief and ran to her grandfather, so happy to see him. She didn’t even notice Lora and Heath talking to a separate officer off to the side.

  “Pops! Where have you been? We’ve been so worried!” Lilah framed his weathered face with her hands, so relieved he was safe. “What happened?”

  “Oh, not you, too,” he grumbled, shocking Lilah with his irritation. “Lora’s all up and arms. Treating me like a child who can’t walk without help. I just went to get supplies and forgot my damn cell phone here. Larimar was near out of toilet paper, you know. Cheaper in St. Thomas to get it in bulk.”

  “But, Pops, you were gone all night…” Lilah said, her voice trailing in open confusion.

  “Well, I must’ve lost track of time and then when I realized I needed to get back, the last ferry had already left for the night.” He scratched his head, his eyes cranky as he tried to recall the exact details of his adventure. “Anyway, I don’t know what happened but the next thing I knew I was being harassed by a couple of thugs. They took my TP and ran off with it.”

  Lilah looked to the officer, horrified. “My grandfather was robbed?”

  The officer looked as if he were struggling not to laugh, but Lilah didn’t see the humor at all. She glared at the officer and then fussed over Pops. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine, sugar bird,” he said, but his expression was one of embarrassment. He hadn’t even realized Lindy was standing there yet. Lilah’s heart ached for him. She looked to Lora, who was speaking quietly with the other officer. She knew Lora was handling the details, so she moved to distract Pops by taking his arm and pointing at Lindy. “Look who’s home?”

  He followed her movement and his face crinkled in a raw smile of joy that totally eclipsed his earlier expression. “Lindy girl! When’d you get here?” Lindy bounced over to Pops and embraced him tightly. “All my sugar birds are home! Wait until your Grams finds out. She’s going to wet herself with happiness!”

  “Goodness gracious, I hope not.” Lindy laughed, seemingly unfazed by Pops’s mention of Grams as if she were alive. Lilah wished she had her strength. Sometimes when Pops talked about Grams it was like a slice to her heart. “What are you doing worrying everyone like that? Lilah made me hop a plane right away and come home because you were being all crazy. Is that true?”

  “I’ve always been a little left to center, part of my charm you know,” he added in a conspiratorial whisper. “But let’s get some breakfast. I’m starved. I can’t remember when I ate last, but it feels like forever. You up for some scrambled eggs and bacon?”

  “Of course. You know I have the appetite of a growing boy,” she said, smiling. And just like that they left the lobby as if nothing of consequence had happened, as if Pops had not spent an entire night in St. Thomas alone, robbed and brought home by two uniformed officers.

  Lilah rubbed her eyes and felt the overwhelming urge to just go back to bed.

  * * *

  LORA FINISHED WITH THE POLICE officers and felt drained. She looked to Heath and he seemed to understand. Lindy, damn her, had flitted off with Pops as if everything was fine, barely blinking an eye when he’d mentioned Grams as if she were in the other room, and Lora was still trying to wrap her head around what the hell was happening between her and Heath. What colossal bad timing, she thought grumpily. Now was not the time to start a complicated and potentially damaging love affair.

  Needing to put some space between herself and everyone else, Lora murmured something about needing to go for a run, and quickly departed the room. Of course Heath was hot on her heels, understandably so. She was acting bipolar. One minute she was snuggled up tight to him and the next she was trying to get away.

  “I need some time alone,” she said sharply, irritated that he’d followed.

  “What’s going on? You’re running away. That doesn’t seem like you.”

  She turned to face him. “I’m not running away,” she denied hotly, secretly hating that he’d zeroed in on her intent. “I’m not used to going so long without the gym. I need some exercise. It helps clear my head.”

  “And what do you need help clearing? Let me help you. I’m a good listener.”

  “Stop it. I don’t want you in that role. I want space. I’m not interested in becoming bunk buddies, or more than superficial lovers. I don’t appreciate you following me as if you have the right to intrude on my business, and I definitely don’t like you acting like we’re all cozy in front of my family.”

  Heath stared, his expression going from concerned to pissed off in about the same amount of time it had taken Lora to tear down all the great moments they’d just shared together. She’d gone too far, but her head was jammed full of details that were all clamoring for attention—she definitely didn’t have time to sort out the inconvenient thread that represented her sexual relationship with Heath.

  “I’m sorry—”

  “You said your piece. I heard you loud and clear.” And then he turned and strode from her room, slamming the door on his way out.

  “Real mature,” she muttered, but she felt the urge to stomp her foot in the same show of immaturity. She was truly too old for this. There was a reason she’d avoided these types of relationship traps in high school, and she had no desire to give it a try now.

  Her life was so much simpler when she was focused on her career. This emotional stuff with her family and now Heath…it was far more complicated than anything she’d ever negotiated in the corporate world.

  * * *

  IT WAS OFFICIAL: he was nuts.

  Temporary insanity was the only plea he could offer when he thought of his decision to take a chance on Lora Bell.

  He was fairly certain she’d lost her soul to the devil in exchange for her physical attributes. Lord knew, he’d been taken down by the promise in her eyes and seductive sway of her hips.

  And he, of all people, should have known better. Had she not plainly told him that she was interested only in no-strings-attached sex? She’d made him feel like some hormonal girl when he’d been stung by her rejection. And now he was sure she’d ripped his balls from his scrotum and held them in her dainty hand.

  His first instinct was to leave and get some air, maybe go for a swim, but in spite of Lora’s piss-poor attitude, he needed to hang around a while longer and check on Pops. Lora could kiss his ass. Pops was his family, too.

  He found Lindy, Lilah and Pops at the big table, chowing on an expansive breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, toast and fresh orange juice. Lilah was pretty good in the kitchen and Pops loved to cook anyway so between the two of them, they’d managed to whip up a pretty decent meal on short notice.

  “Just in time,” Pops announced, wiping his mouth. “Grab a chair. There’s plenty. I want to talk about the gift shop.”

  A groan from Lilah surprised him. “Business at the breakfast table? What would Grams say about that? She says breakfast is for family time, right? So let’s just enjoy our food, okay?” Heath caught the faint strain in Lilah’s tone but Pops seemed oblivious, for which Heath was grateful. Actually, he was glad for Lilah’s intervention.

  Heath knew he had no reason to feel nervous, but his own guilt caused him to jump at shadows even when they weren’t there. A part of him worried that Pops would suddenly realize he’d mortgaged Larimar’s future on Heath’s talent, and maybe that hadn’t been the wisest of decisions.

  Pops nodded, as if remembering Grams�
��s admonition, and selected another forkful of bacon. “You’re right, Lil,” he said. “Business can always wait but family is a different story.”

  Heath smiled, secretly relieved. The gift shop was a needed conversation, but with everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, he’d rather not jump into that heavy a discussion just yet.

  “Come on, Heath. You know you can never turn down the prospect of a meal, especially when it’s right here in front of you,” Lindy teased, taking great pleasure in sticking her nose by the mound of bacon on her plate and inhaling the scent.

  “You got that right,” he agreed easily, taking his place and proceeding to fill his plate. “Food is my weakness.”

  “I’d say Lora is your weakness,” Lindy teased under her breath, earning a sharp look from him. She grinned and blew a kiss without apology. He shook his head and returned to his food, grateful Pops hadn’t heard that little comment.

  “Ahh…home cooking. You know, in the circles I hang around,” Lindy continued, “especially the women, bacon is a four-letter word. So much fat, so cruel, yadda yadda. Bottom line—bacon is good and I like to eat it.”

  Lilah grinned and poured some juice. “You’re going to die of hardened arteries if you keep eating like that,” she warned with mock seriousness.

  The camaraderie around the table was much like it used to be, evoking warm memories of the past when he’d been made to feel as though he was part of this family at all times.

  “Where’s Lora?” Pops asked.

  Heath shrugged, not wanting to talk about that woman. He couldn’t trust his mouth right at that moment so he stuffed it with food. But trust Lindy to stir things up when he just wanted to enjoy breakfast without having to think about how Lora alternately infuriated and aroused him—sometimes in the same instance.

  She popped a grape into her mouth and then said, “So loverboy, when did you and my older sister start shacking up?”

  Heath was caught off guard by the blunt question and nearly choked on his bacon. Lindy grinned like the wiseass she was, showcasing perfectly white, straight teeth, and clearly enjoying his discomfort of being put on the spot. She shrugged when he glared. “I’m just stating the obvious. Of course, I say do what you want. You’re consenting adults. We’re not kids any longer. There’s nothing wrong with you two hooking up, but I have to wonder what you see in her. I mean, aside from the physical. We all know Lora is pretty with a decent bod.”

  Pretty. It seemed a silly, weightless word when applied to Lora. She was beyond pretty. She was heavenly. Hello? Remember, that heavenly creature was the same one who just kicked you out of her room, accusing you of acting like a clingy girl.

  “We’re not seeing each other,” he answered with a short glance aimed at shutting her up. But Lindy was having fun and continued to poke.

  “Oh, come on, Heath, we all know you’ve had it bad for Lora since we were all kids. Actually, I’m glad you’ve finally admitted it. How about you, Pops? What are your feelings about a Lora-and-Heath union?”

  Pops grinned in answer. “Sounds good to me. The girl needs someone to remind her how to smile. My sugar bird works too hard. I was just telling Grams the other day that Lora looked tired. She needs a little island time. I don’t know what they’ve got in Chicago that they don’t have right here.”

  “Well, for one, snow,” Lindy quipped.

  “Don’t be a smarty-pants,” Pops said. “What I mean is, what’s so special about that cold place that she’ll pick there over her home?”

  Heath cursed himself for being ten kinds of stupid but he said in Lora’s defense, “That’s where her job is. She’s a top marketing executive. There aren’t too many openings in her field on the island.”

  “Well, I don’t think it’s good for her. It’s eating her up inside. My sugar bird likes to act all hard-boiled but inside she’s softer than the lot of you.”

  “That’s no act,” Heath muttered before he could stop himself, earning a sharp look from Pops. “Sorry…I’m on edge this morning. I think I’ll just grab this to go, if no one minds.”

  Lindy said, “Swim later?”

  Heath thought of how tweaked Lora became whenever he hung out with her sisters and he hesitated. But then, he realized with a wash of anger, he couldn’t allow Lora to dictate his actions. She didn’t care, so why should he? “Sure. I have some work to do this morning. How about this afternoon.”

  “Sure.”

  Pops jumped in, asking with interest, “What are you working on today?”

  “Inspecting for roof damage from the storm. Before checking out, one of the guests reported a leak in their room. I want to make sure it’s not coming in from a hole.”

  Lilah looked fretful. She was afraid of heights. “Be careful, Heath. Can’t we hire someone to do that? It’s so dangerous.”

  Heath grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead for caring. “Thanks, Li, but I’m the handyman around here. That’s what Pops pays me for.”

  “Heath will be fine,” Pops said, patting Lilah’s hand. “He’s done this a million times. I’ve trained him well. He knows what he’s doing.” He gestured to the food. “Take what you need. And let me know what you find up there. There’s a bigger storm front rolling in, gonna be a windy one.”

  Heath nodded and grabbed a handful of bacon and eggs to go and wrapped everything in a large piece of toast. He hefted it in salute then exited the room before Lindy could ask him any more questions he couldn’t answer and before he said something he ought to keep to himself.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  LORA FOUND POPS A WHILE LATER after she’d taken a quick shower and dressed. She’d berated herself for letting Heath muddle her thinking and made a stern promise to herself to stay focused on the true and important issues at hand instead of allowing herself to get sidetracked by her libido.

  “There you are,” she remarked mildly, finding him chatting up Oscar the mailman. She smiled in a perfunctory manner and then said to Pops, “Would you mind talking with me for a minute? It’s important.”

  “Of course, sugar bird,” he said, finishing up his conversation with Oscar with an introduction. “This here is my oldest granddaughter—the go-getter as her Grams like to call her. There’s no obstacle too tough for her to scale. Straight-A student all through high school and then an honors graduate in college.”

  “You must be so proud,” admired Oscar, smiling at Lora, who was fighting the instinct to brush off the compliments. She’d never felt comfortable with so much praise but she’d learned to accept it with a modicum of grace, particularly when her grandfather loved to gush about his sugar birds to whoever would listen. “You have a lovely place here. The name Larimar, it’s the same as the stone right?”

  “Larimar is the legendary stone of the Caribbean,” Pops answered with total seriousness, and Lora wanted to groan. Her grandfather loved to tell stories, especially about legends and tall tales. This one was his favorite. She’d be lucky to tear the man away at all now. “It’s only found in one place in the world—in the Dominican Republic, not too far from here, of course—and the legend is that once you take a larimar stone away from the island, you’re bound to return someday. Do you have a minute? Let me show you a few pieces we have in the gift shop.”

  “Sure,” Oscar said, breaking into a smile. “You know I just got this route and I’m still learning the ins and outs. I love local history, though.”

  Lora watched with warm exasperation as her Pops led Oscar to the gift shop window where a larimar pendant was displayed.

  “My girlfriend back in the States would love this,” he said, admiring the stone. “Do you ship?”

  “We sure do,” Pops said, and Lora smiled. Her Pops was a natural salesman. Whether he was losing his marbles or not, he could sell ice to an Eskimo.
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  “I might have to come back when I’m off work and pick one up. Her birthday is coming up,” Oscar said, returning with renewed interest to a larimar pendant necklace hanging behind the glass case. “How fascinating…so it begs the question, is the legend true?”

  Pops looked Oscar straight in the eye and said, “I was serving in the navy, stationed in the Caribbean when I was about twenty years old. I bought a larimar pendant from a street vendor to give to my girl back in the States. Two years later I brought my girl here and married her. I’d say it works. At least it did for me.”

  “I’m trying to get my girl to move here, too,” the man said, smiling, looking to Lora. “That’s a pretty cool story to have in your family.”

  Lora nodded.

  “So when you ask if Larimar means something—to the Bell family, it means everything.”

  Lora blinked away the sudden wash of moisture pricking her eyes. She didn’t think she’d ever find anyone who would love her the way her Pops loved Grams.

  “And each of my sugar birds has their very own larimar pendant, given to them on their tenth birthdays.”

  Lora thought of her pendant sitting in her jewelry box in her apartment in Chicago, forgotten, and she flushed with guilt. Lilah and Lindy always wore theirs, no matter what. In fact, they often had the chains switched out just so they didn’t accidentally lose the pendant by a broken clasp. Lora hadn’t looked at hers in years. She rubbed her nose when it tingled in warning. Tears weren’t far behind. “Damn,” she murmured, excusing herself quickly before she made a spectacle in front of the mailman.

  Lilah was walking down the hall and caught her as she was wiping her eyes. She stopped with an expression of wary concern. She couldn’t blame her little sister for being cautious around her—it wasn’t often that she was easy to approach. “Are you okay?” Lilah asked.