Summer Wish

by Jill Sanders

  Not that he had anything against Raya’s job. Hell, he had a friend who’d worked at Disney for a few years to pay for college. In Orlando, it seemed like the best option for most college-age students. If they could get the job.

  He’d been lucky enough himself to go from the local community college after getting his associate's degree straight into police training. He’d never had to worry about paying the bills after he’d gotten a scholarship for his first two years of college.

  He’d known that Lea had rushed away at a very early age to Harvard. He also knew that she’d worked her butt off her entire life to get there. Even now, she was juggling two jobs to save up for her own medical practice.

  What other twenty-seven-year-old could say the same? Those four men the other night probably drank their way through high school and barely passed their classes. Yet something deep inside them said that they were superior to her because of the color of her skin and which continent her ancestors had come from.

  It ate at him to know that his father felt the same way. He could still remember the first time he was ashamed of his father’s views.

  He’d been in the library and had overheard an older kid talking about how they’d learned in history class how the Germans had tried to wipe out an entire race of people.

  It had taken him a moment to understand, as he’d grown up hearing how proud his father was to be German and how honored he was that his grandfather had fought in the war and killed all those evil Jews. How the man and his wife had escaped prosecution for the good they had done and had fled to the States so they wouldn’t end up like the rest of the men he’d fought beside.

  He’d grown up thinking that his father had been telling him the truth. That the Jews had indeed been evil somehow. That his great-grandfather and great-grandmother had been lucky that they’d escaped.

  He’d spent a week learning about what had really happened, and it had made his stomach twist in knots.

  He’d never looked at his father or his ancestors the same after that. When it had come time to learn about World War II in class, he’d hung onto every word, fearful that he’d see his great-grandfather’s pictures in the history book or in the black-and-white movies they’d watched in class.

  He’d never told anyone about his heritage or just where his father’s ancestors had come from. Somehow, even though the men he was related to didn’t feel shame for their actions, Brett had.

  When the boat’s motor cut off, Brett cleared his mind and realized they were already back at the Val family’s private dock. Their massive white three-story home sat on the back of Pelican Bay and had killer sunset views. There was a two-story dock that not only held their boat up out of the water but had a sundeck and a viewing area. There was also a wide seawall that kept the high bay waters out of the plush perfectly manicured yard during a storm.

  A large rectangle swimming pool, complete with a hot tub and waterfalls, sat close to the house and its wraparound back porch.

  Tall picture windows, which he knew would be boarded up if a hurricane rolled through, overlooked the water. The main floor of the home was a living and entertainment space. There was a detached five-car garage, complete with a spot for her parents’ stylish motor home. He’d only been upstairs once in all these years, to visit Lea when she’d been sick and drop off some of her homework. Her room had been on the second floor and had a view overlooking the water. He knew that her mother had a home office on the top floor, along with the main bedroom, since Lea had told him many years ago that her parents lived on the top floor.

  He helped Ken clean, winch, and hoist the boat back up onto the lift, securing it with the lines the way Ken showed him. Then they cleaned the fish in the sink and cutting area on the dock, placed them in a cooler, and hauled them up to the house. He had left his new cane at his place, so it was slow going.

  He was trying to be more independent and had figured that he didn’t need it any longer. Now, however, he was seriously wishing he had something to steady himself.

  He was surprised to see Lea sipping drinks by the pool with her mother when they passed by.

  “Don’t mind us, boys, we’ve just gotten off work and are taking a break,” Lea’s mother said, tipping her glass towards them. “Beers are in the fridge.”

  Katie Val could easily pass as Lea and Raya’s sister. The woman didn’t look a day over thirty, with the exception of a few gray hairs around her temples. The woman was a knockout, just like Lea.

  “I’ll get this started. Why don’t you get off that leg?” Ken said as they set the cooler by the outdoor kitchen area.

  “Sure.” Brett nodded and then headed back towards the pool. He stopped by Lea’s chair and sat down next to her. “Hey.”

  She handed him her drink and he took a sip. Cold sweet liquid soothed his thirst and aches.

  “This is good. What is it?” he asked, handing her the drink back.

  “It’s a famous Val sunset,” Katie answered. “I’ll go make you one if you want?”

  “Thanks,” he said and moved over to take the seat next to Lea. “So, how was work?” he asked her.

  She sighed. “Good. Thankfully, Sanjay wasn’t on shift. Which meant I had a great day.” She smiled. “You? It looks like you caught some fish.”

  “Enough for dinner,” he agreed. “I’d forgotten that your dad goes out on the boat all day. Thankfully, he packed lunch for the both of us.”

  “Dad doesn’t do anything halfway,” Lea replied with a smile.

  “I could help…” He started to get up when he noticed Ken carrying a large tray out to the grill area.

  “Don’t you dare,” Lea said in a low voice. “The way he views it, now that you’re here, you’re a guest.”

  He sat back and took the drink from Katie when she handed it to him. Then she disappeared to help her husband.

  “How about a dip?” Lea asked after he took a drink.

  He set his plastic glass down and followed her slowly to the edge of the pool.

  “I remember a few pool parties here when we were younger,” he said, sliding into the cool water.

  “A few. Not as many as most, but I did have some normal childhood moments,” she said with a smile.

  While they played around in the water, her parents grilled and cooked dinner. When the table on the back porch was set and the food ready, they dried off, wrapped a few beach towels around themselves, and headed up to eat.

  Sitting under the shade of the porch eating grilled fish and vegetables all while having a stimulating conversation, Brett realized just how lacking his family life had been.

  Every single meal he’d spent with his mother and father in his youth had been in silence or listening to his father complain about one thing or another. Usually his mother’s cooking or meal choice if he wasn’t gripping about politics.

  Normally, the television would be blaring some news station while his father talked about his latest conspiracy theory of how the system was rigged against him.

  He had never once imagined, growing up, that families could be so much fun. The four of them sat around the table for hours, talking about a wide range of topics from politics to the latest movies playing in the theaters.

  At one point, the dishes were cleared away and fresh watermelon appeared. More drinks were poured, and everyone moved down the yard for another dip in the pool.

  He couldn’t remember having a more relaxing day in his life. He watched the sunset while floating in the pool next to Lea.

  “Thanks,” he said, glancing over at her.

  “For?” She smiled back at him.

  Reaching across the water, he pulled her floaty towards his and took her hand. “For today.”

  She chuckled. “Thank my mother. It was her idea.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Val, for today,” he called out to her mother, who was lighting the firepit.

  “You’re welcome,” her mother called back with a chuckle.

  “I think she needed today as much as you
did. She’s got a couple of big cases coming up,” Lea said.

  “Tell me she’s not defending the guys from the other night.” He half groaned it.

  “No.” Lea shook his head. “She’s made a point to request that she remains off the roster if they need a public defender. Besides, it’s a conflict of interest, so I don’t think they’d ask her.”

  “Good.” He glanced over at her mother and wondered how anyone could defend people they knew were guilty. “How does she do it?” he asked after a moment. Shifting off the float, he stood in the water next to Lea so that he was closer to her. “How does she defend people like them? I mean, when I arrest them, I can easily keep my feelings in check, since I usually arrive there after most of the damage is done. Still, a few times I’ve had to put my emotions aside when someone’s been abused. But the other night… It was the first time I’ve been on the receiving end of things.”

  “Being vulnerable for the first time opens your eyes to a lot of things,” Lea agreed as she slid off her float.

  He helped her down into the water and ran his hands over her hips, nudging her closer.

  “Nothing like this has happened to you before, right?” he asked, suddenly realizing the possibility that this was something she dealt with on a regular basis. After all, she’d remained so calm through it all and had only broken down after she’d fallen asleep.

  “Not like that, no. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t felt the sting of racism before now.”

  He sighed heavily and glanced at her parents. “Them?”

  “Everyone in my family has at one point.” She nodded. “The other night was by far the worst of it. Normally, it’s little stabs. My mother and I are told often how we belong in a nail salon instead of an operating room or a courtroom. My father…” She glanced over his shoulder at her parents. “No one believes he owns his business. They think he’s just an employee. I think Raya is the only one in our family that gets perks for being who she is. She is only one of half a dozen women who tried out for the Mulan role.”

  “I would suspect that most people don’t understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of hate.” He let his body brush up against hers.

  Her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

  “You’d be surprised. I wasn’t the only one who got bullied in school. At Harvard, there were other kids, not as young as I was, but all of us were taunted for being smart. It was as if being smart at a young age was an opening to some for instant disdain.” She shook her head.

  “Was it that bad?”

  “No, I kept my head down and ignored most of it.”

  “Is that how you were able to remain so calm the other night?”

  She smiled. “It was easy when all I had to do was focus on you.” Her eyes met his.

  He smiled and then pulled her in for a soft kiss.

  Suddenly a huge splash of water fell over them when her father executed an expert cannonball right near them.

  Laughing, he released his hold on Lea. “Your father’s wishes are very clear,” he said before her dad surfaced from the water.

  “He’s harmless,” Lea said quite loudly after her father’s head resurfaced.

  “Who me?” Ken said with a smile. “Remember, my little sea turtle, I’m a shark.” He laughed watching Ken swim, hands pointed like a dorsal fin above his head, after a very giggly Lea.

  Chapter 17

  It took Lea a few days to stop daydreaming about the wonderful time she’d had at her parents’ place with Brett. Each time she had a moment alone, she fantasized about spending more free time with him like that. Or, better yet, how it would be if they were married and had a home and children of their own.

  After two days of silence from Brett, she sent him a text message and asked how he was doing. Since he wasn’t at the camp any longer, bumping into him each day wasn’t possible as it had been.

  She could have gone over to his place to check up on him, but she didn’t want to come across as desperate.

  It had almost been an hour since she’d shot off the text message, and she was beginning to worry that he was avoiding her.

  She was sitting in the medical cabin at the camp, bored out of her mind. She’d just finished wrapping up a guest’s sprained ankle and was staring down at her phone, willing it to chime with his message when the screen door opened and the bell above it sounded.

  “I’m bored and missing you,” Brett said as he walked in.

  She smiled instantly. “You went radio silent on me,” she said after he gave her a kiss.

  “I didn’t mean to.” He frowned. “I think I left my phone at the gym the other day, or someone stole it.” He shrugged and held up a new phone. “It took them a whole day to get me a new one.” He shook his head and tucked it back in his pocket. “Plus, I was so sore after the workout, I slept most of yesterday away.”

  She frowned. “You shouldn’t push yourself so much.”

  He shrugged. “What else is there to do?” He moved over and sat down on the edge of her desk. “I’ve looked over Aiden’s security plan for this place more than a dozen times. I’ve even reevaluated the entire thing twice.” He sighed. “I’ve read more than a dozen books.” He rolled his eyes. “I was hoping you’d be around here today to keep me company.” He took her hand in his. “When do you get off work?”

  “Eight,” she said while her heart skipped a few beats. Thoughts of spending the night with him again played in her head, making her body go weak.

  “Want some company tonight?” he asked, brushing his hand softly over hers. Using just one finger, he traced the inside of her wrist, up to her elbow. If she had been standing, her legs would have folded.

  How was it possible that the man made her weak all over? Just a simple touch from him and she went into full swoon mode.

  Thoughts of locking the door to the cabin ran through her mind.

  “I have some free time now,” she said with a smile.

  His eyes moved towards the open door.

  “Tell me that locks,” he practically growled out.

  Instead of answering, she walked over, shut the heavy inner door, and flipped the lock, then turned the Doctor is In sign to the side that read the Doctor is Out before walking back over to him.

  She stepped between his legs as he pulled her close and started to kiss her.

  She melted against him, her hands running over his shoulders, his arms, and chest. Everywhere she could touch him, she marveled at his strength.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” he said against her lips.

  “Hm,” she responded as he started to pull her camp shirt up, exposing her belly. When his fingertips touched her skin, a sense of urgency spiked in her.

  “Brett.” Just saying his name had the desire doubling. This was Brett. Her Brett, she said over and over in her mind as he peeled her clothes off her slowly.

  When all their clothing lay on the floor, he lifted her to the edge of the desk and stepped between her hips.

  “Look at me,” he said softly. “I love watching your eyes go soft when I enter you.”

  She did as he asked and marveled at the feeling of him filling her. Arching towards him, she held onto him as he began to move.

  As with before, she felt like it was impossible to get close enough to him. Like even the slightest barrier separating them was too much. She wanted speed. Needed it this time.

  She’d worked up being with him in her mind over the past week and had dreamed of the moment so many times that all she needed was to feel him inside her in order for her to burst into shards.

  Her nails dug into his shoulders as he kissed her, swallowing her cry as her entire body convulsed around him just as he followed her.

  “That was…” Brett said into her hair.

  “Needed,” she finished for him.

  He chuckled. “I was going to say fast and unexpected. I just came here to see about the possibility of having lunch and dinner with you.”

  “Lunch, dinner.”
She leaned back and smiled at him. “Breakfast.”

  He smiled back at her, then kissed her. “I’m game. Just as long as there is some exercise between all those meals.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.

  “Oh, you know it,” she said as he handed her the shorts he’d pulled from her moments before.

  “You know, I may need more visits to my doctor from here on out,” he said, pulling on his own board shorts. “Do you do house calls?”

  She laughed and slapped his shoulder playfully when he handed her back her shirt.

  She pulled it over her head just as her cell phone rang. She saw her mother’s face on the screen and frowned as she answered it.

  “Hey, Mom, what’s up?” she asked, slipping on her shoes.

  “Hey, sweetie, I thought you’d want to hear it from me first, but both Robbie Dixon and Larry Ryan have made bail,” her mother said in a worried tone.

  Lea’s heart sank into her gut, making her feel slightly nauseated. She’d known this was going to happen. She had figured the men would get out days ago.

  “Thanks for letting me know.” She glanced over to where Brett stood, fully dressed again with a worried look in his eyes.

  “I was going to let Brett know, but Dad says that he left his cell phone on the boat the other day.”

  Lea’s eyes shot up. “He did?” She smiled. “I’ll make sure to tell him that.”

  “Well, if he wants it back, it’s at our place,” her mother added. “I’ve got to get back to court. I just… Be careful okay. With their history, I wouldn’t put it past them to do something stupid.”

  “I will,” she agreed. “See you later.”

  “Your mom?” Brett asked.

  “Your phone is at my parents’ place. You left it on the boat,” she said with a smile.

  He rolled his eyes. “Well, now I’ve got two, I guess.” He chuckled.

  “Also, Robbie Dixon and Larry Ryan are out on bail.”

  “Yeah, I’d heard that earlier. It’s one of the reasons I came over here.” His eyes avoided hers. “I… um, will be keeping an eye out for them.”