Anna's Courage (Rose Island Book 1) (21 page)

“We thought we’d bring you breakfast to thank you for helping Gabby last night,” he said as Hailey offered the plate.

“Thank you.” I kept my gaze on the cinnamon rolls in order to avoid looking at him. “Those smell amazing.”

“They taste even better,” Hailey said. “I snuck one before we came over.”

I gestured toward the groggy boys who’d woken up early to resume their video game. “With this crowd, that was a good idea because once they start eating, you might not get one. You can’t imagine the amount of food growing boys consume.”

“Nick eats a lot, too,” Hailey said, smiling up at her uncle.

I followed her gaze and asked Nick about Gabby.

“As good as ever,” he said, bouncing the baby in his arms. “I can’t even tell she was sick last night. I called the pediatrician, and she confirmed your diagnosis. She said if her cough gets worse, I can bring Gabby in for a steroid shot, but she’d rather avoid it. She also said not to worry if she was perfectly fine all day and coughed again tonight.”

“That’s the strangest part about croup,” I said. “They seem fine during the day, but scare you to death at night with that barking cough.”

Travis rose from the couch and sidled next to me. “Hey, Nick. Hey, Hailey. Hey, munchkin.”

Gabby smiled and burrowed into Nick. Travis reached out and tickled the baby under her chin. “What’s wrong, muffin head? Don’t you remember your ole buddy, Travis?”

To everyone’s surprise, Gabby spun around and dove toward Travis. He caught her and held her tight. “Well, hello, shortcake.”

“I think she likes you,” Nick said.

“She likes all the nicknames I have for her. Especially . . .” he paused for dramatic effect, bounced Gabby on his hip, and shouted, “
Ole Meatball Tutu!”

Gabby cackled with laughter, but my entire body stiffened. Travis had given Gabby the name he’d invented for his imaginary sibling. What did that mean?

Standing in the entryway together, I was struck by the vivid image of the five of us forming a family. I imagined vacations, holidays, and everyday meals surrounded by these people I loved so much.

Loved
. I’d come to love Hailey and Gabby as though they were my own children. And Nick. I was wildly attracted to him, but more than that, I loved him. Loved him in a way that made me want what was best for him, even if that didn’t include a life with Travis and me.

Nick winked at me as if he’d both read my mind and felt the same way.
Did he feel the same way?

“Bring those cinnamon rolls in here,” Bianca hollered from the kitchen.

I motioned for Nick to follow me back, while Travis and Hailey joined the other kids in the living room.

“A soldier who can cook,” Bianca said, swiping a cinnamon roll off the plate. “You’re a man of many talents, Nick.”

He laughed. “Don’t get too excited. They’re just from a package. I’m sure they don’t taste as good as what Vicki makes at the bakery.”

“You better hope not,” Bianca said. “Vicki wouldn’t appreciate the competition.”

“Ah, she doesn’t have to worry about competition from me. I just mastered macaroni and cheese.”

Bianca patted the empty chair beside her. “Come sit down and let me hold the baby while Anna plays hostess and brings us more coffee.”

I gestured to the coffeemaker and asked if Nick would like a cup of coffee.

“That’d be great,” he said, sitting beside Bianca.

I turned away, grateful for the task that distanced me from Nick. What had he thought when he came downstairs last night to find me gone? And what was he thinking now?

I set a cup of coffee on the table in front of him and refreshed Bianca’s mug. Then, I opened the refrigerator to retrieve a carton of eggs and busied myself making scrambled eggs.

“Can you believe this warm weather?” Bianca said, playing patty cake with Gabby. “Last week it was so cold, I turned on the heat. This morning, I made Anna turn on the air conditioning. If it doesn’t get cold soon, poor Santa is going to die of heat exhaustion.”

“Has the island’s Santa ever considered wearing shorts?” Nick asked.

Bianca laughed and lowered her voice. “That’s what Anna’s father says every year. He plays Santa at church on Christmas Eve, and we always get a heat spell that week.”

“Really?” Nick said, surprised.

Bianca nodded. “The pastor gives Santa a blessing on the big night, and it’s all very exciting. You should definitely come and sit in the front pew with our family.”

“That sounds nice.” Nick took a sip of his coffee. “It’s been a long time since I attended church on Christmas Eve.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Bianca asked. “If it’s an invitation you need, then here it is. Please come to church with our family tomorrow and the next Sunday and Christmas Eve and every Sunday after that. The door is always open.”

Nick smiled. “Thank you, Bianca.”

“Of course.”

I finished cooking the eggs, then placed them in a Polish Pottery bowl. As I brought them to the table, Nick stared at me as if we were the only two people in the world. My insides went all mushy, and I told myself to look away. I needed to remember why we couldn’t be a couple, but his gorgeous eyes made it impossible to remember anything right now.

Clapping her hands together, Bianca winked at Nick. “I’ve got it! Today is the perfect day for you to help Anna take out the Jet Ski.”

Nick looked out the window as if contemplating Bianca’s suggestion. Or my dirty windows. “She’s right. It’s going to be a beautiful day.”

Bianca nodded. “You can’t let Anna wimp out of the deal she made with you. She did pinky-swear, after all. I’ll watch the kids, so you won’t have to worry about them.”

Frowning, he gestured toward Gabby. “I hate to leave the baby if she’s not feeling well.”

“She’ll be fine,” Bianca insisted. “Vicki and I are taking the kids ice skating. If Gabby gets fussy, I’ll bring her back to my house while Vicki stays with everyone else.”

Nick wrinkled his brow in confusion. “Where are you going ice skating?”

“Downtown near the courthouse. The city installs a synthetic skating rink each Christmas so we can ice skate in our shorts.”

Hailey entered the kitchen just in time to hear about the skating rink. “Can I go, Uncle Nick? Please?”

Nick looked at Hailey with concern. “You don’t mind me taking Anna out on the Jet Ski?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind as long as I get to go skating.”

I sat at the table and took a sip of my coffee. “I appreciate everyone’s effort to orchestrate my life, but I’m not going out on that dangerous thing.”

“Don’t be scared,” Bianca said. “Nick won’t let you drown, right, honey?”

Nick spoke with confidence. “No. I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

I remembered how Jillian’s ex-husband had promised to bring Marcus back from that last deployment. It’d been unwise for Keith to promise something like that, but hadn’t I promised my parents and Marcus I’d be safe flying? Hadn’t I promised Travis I’d always come back?

Travis overheard the conversation and ran into the kitchen. “Please, Mom. Please let Nick take you out on the Jet Ski. It’s kind of like Yoda. You didn’t want to keep him at first, but now you love him. Maybe you’ll feel the same way once you get out on the water.”

I bent down to pet Yoda who sat at my feet. “I think they’re trying to use logic to influence me.”

“Is it working?” Travis asked.

I locked eyes with Nick. I knew he couldn’t guarantee my absolute safety, but I trusted him. “Will you bring me home if I hate it?”

He grinned. “I will, but you’re not going to hate it, Anna. You’re going to love it.”

*

Later that morning,
I stepped onto the wobbly dock and tugged at the tight wet suit I’d borrowed from Vicki. Apparently, the wet suit was supposed to be tight in order to keep me warm, but I felt self-conscious, especially when I caught Nick admiring my figure.

As he backed the trailer down the boat ramp, I held my breath, imagining the whole contraption—trailer, Jet Ski, and Nick—sliding into the water. To my huge relief, that didn’t happen.

Jumping out of the Tahoe, he gave a wave. I waved back and watched him unload the Jet Ski before riding over to me. “I forgot the bumpers and rope to secure it to the dock cleat. Can you hold it while I park the car?”

“Of course.” I was nervous, but surely if I could give birth and fly a helicopter, I could complete this simple task without plunging into the water.

Taking hold of the handle, I gripped it tightly as Nick stepped onto the dock. Both the dock and the Jet Ski bobbed up and down, but I held on, determined not to lose my balance.

“Are you okay?” he asked, placing a hand on the back of my life vest.

“Never better.”

He laughed at my cynicism. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

As he jogged to the car, a pair of roseate spoonbills flew overhead, their pink wings flapping through the air. My sixth grade class had taken a field trip to the aviary preserve where we’d learned that spoonbills did not mate for life. Instead, they chose a partner they kept for that breeding season alone.

Maybe Nick, like the male spoonbill, was only temporary. Maybe these few sweet weeks were all we’d ever have together.

Regardless, I’d never forget him. He’d awoken a part of me I’d assumed was lost forever. A part I’d assumed had died with Marcus.

When he returned from parking the car, he held the Jet Ski so I could climb aboard. Stepping down, I clung to his forearms with both hands, terrified I’d fall.

“I’ve got you,” he said, griping my arm.

My heart pounded, but I nodded and lowered myself to the seat. With both hands, I grasped the handlebars and held on for dear life. Nick climbed on behind me and hooked the lanyard with the key to my life vest. “This will allow the engine to stop in case . . . never mind. Are you ready?”

Not daring to let go of the handlebars, I twisted around to look at him. “Were you going to say in case we fall in the water?”

“Maybe. But that’s not going to happen.”

“And if it does?”

He grinned. “Then obviously it would be your fault.”

I nudged him with my foot, and he laughed.

“Okay, if we fall in the water,” he said, “we’ll deal with it. It’s not like we’re falling from the sky in a helicopter. The water might be a little cold, but we’ll be okay.”

“You’re right. I’m being a big baby. Let’s go.”

Reaching around me, he showed me how to insert the key to start the engine. Immediately, the Jet Ski rumbled to life and eased forward. A jolt of panic hit me. “Why are we moving? I’m not ready. Where are the brakes?”

“It’s okay,” he said, squeezing my arms. “Just steer, and when you are ready, you can pull the gas to make it go faster.”

“I don’t want to make it go faster. I want to make it stop.”

His arm pressed against mine as he showed me how to pull back the brake.
Brake
being used in the loosest sense of the word because, much like a helicopter in the air, the Jet Ski couldn’t completely stop, it just hovered in place.

“Should I release the brake?” I asked.

“Sure. And when you’re ready, you can pull the gas handle.”

“What if I don’t want to pull the gas handle?”

His tone was humorous. “Then you don’t have to. We can continue this turtle pace all day long. In my opinion, speed is way overrated.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No.”

“Yes, you are.”

He laughed. “Maybe just a little.”

We putted along for awhile, my confidence growing the farther we traveled. Heat from Nick’s hands at my waist singed my body. How did he manage to make me crazy with a simple touch?

“Anna, look!” He pointed to a spot in the near distance where two bottlenose dolphins simultaneously crested the water and leapt into the air. They disappeared below the surface, only to reappear moments later.

Nick directed my attention a little off to the left. “Do you see the other two?”

“Yes, I can’t believe they’re right here! I’ve seen them from the air and from the shore, but never like this. It’s absolutely incredible.”

I continued driving the Jet Ski along the bay at the breakneck speed of half a mile per hour, watching for dolphins. After a while, I grew more courageous. “Okay, I’m ready to go faster. What do I do?”

Nick tightened his grip around my stomach. “When you’re ready, squeeze the gas and let her rip.”

Taking his words literally, I squeezed the handle tight. The Jet Ski catapulted forward at the speed of light, causing the vehicle to tip one way and then the other. I screamed and lost my balance. Although I tried to compensate by leaning in the opposite direction, the watercraft flipped, plunging us both into the frigid water.

I
gulped a
mouthful of freezing-cold, salty water. Bobbing to the surface, I coughed and frantically searched for Nick.

“I’m right here,” he said, wrapping his strong arms around me.

“
Nick
.” I clung to his life vest as my teeth chattered from both the cold and fear. Salt water stung my lips and eyes. Blinking several times, I tried to put things into focus.