The West Wind (4 page)

A rush of cool air ran over Xander as he pushed open the door to
the café. His nose was filled with the nutty aroma of fresh ground coffee. Inside,
Ambrosia was lit softly to enhance the atmosphere. He stepped in onto a mat
over a tile floor. Café style seating with wire backed chairs and tables filled
the tiled area until it gave way to a carpeted floor. Random couches,
recliners, easy chairs, and coffee tables cluttered the carpeted area
comfortably. Tall bookshelves created a short partition wall between the café
and living room styled sections. Paintings and photographs by local artists
hung on the walls. The coffee shop was full, but not crowded, and conversation
buzzed lightly over soft music. He was 15 minutes early, since his father had
instilled in all his employees and his son the same appreciation for
punctuality. In Zachariah McConnell’s world, if you weren’t 15 minutes early,
you were late.

From one of the couches in the back, Jaimie looked up and saw the
tall, handsome young man come in. “Oh, look. If it isn’t Adonis,” she said
snidely to Leana, who sat on the couch beside her drinking chai. Leana
brightened up noticeably and looked around.

“Really? Where?” she asked, her voice bubbly.

“Over there, come on,” Jaimie ordered.

“Wait, where are we going?”

“To talk to him. Honestly, how are you not blonde?” Jaimie grabbed
Leana by the wrist and dragged her off the couch, almost spilling the chai as
Leana hurried to put it down on the coffee table.

Xander was standing in the doorway looking at the bookshelves and
thinking about what renovations he would make to use the space better when a
blonde girl with a mission stalked up to him, trailing a tiny brunette behind
her. They looked vaguely familiar.

“You,” the blonde accused.

“Me,” Xander replied, bemused.

“You’re in big trouble, asshole,” she informed him.

“Do I know you?” he asked.

“I’m Leana!” the brunette said excitedly, apparently oblivious to
the tension. “We were at the dance last night.”

“Nice to meet you, Leana,” Xander said. “I’m. . .”

Jaimie interrupted before he could introduce himself. “We don’t
care who you are. You pissed off my friend
and
you called her a slut.”

Before Xander could answer, Jessica slipped her arm through his
from behind and joined the conversation. He jumped, a little startled.

“Did he?” Jessica beamed up at him. “And here I was, already happy
enough that he was the one male man enough to drop her on her precious ass
instead of panting over her like a drooling dog.”

“Jessica,” Jaimie said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m on a date, obviously,” the redhead answered, leaning against
Xander’s arm.

“A date?” Leana and Jaimie said together incredulously.

“Yes. And it keeps getting better and better.”

“I didn’t actually call her a slut,” Xander said, trying
hopelessly to defend himself.

“You said she was easy,” Jaimie pointed out, a statement rather
than a question.

Jessica smiled evilly. “Did you now? My hero,” she said and
squeezed his arm possessively with one hand. Her eyes widened in wicked
delight, intentionally sharing with the other girls. “Ooo,” she cooed.

“That wasn’t what I meant,” Xander said, missing the exchange.
“Would you tell her. . .”

“Whatever,” Jaimie interrupted. “Come on Leana, we’re leaving.”

“But my chai!”

“Now, Jaime demanded as she pushed past Jessica. “Jealous bitch,”
she spat.

“Brainless posh-zombie,” Jessica spat back.

When the girls had left, Jessica and Xander ordered coffee and she
dragged him to a loveseat against the wall farthest from the entrance. He
settle himself as deep into one corner as he could without making it seem like
he was trying to get away from his date. Not that he wanted to, but he was
uncomfortable after the exchange at the door.

“So, I take it you and those girls don’t get along.”
“Ah, no,” Jessica said a little sheepishly. “I’m sorry about all that. It
really wasn’t how I wanted to start our date.”

Xander relaxed a little. “I hope not. Though if you could plan
that, I’d be impressed. You’d have to be psychic.”

She smiled, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously. “How do you
know I’m not?”

“Well, since I’m not psychic, I guess I don’t,” he said playfully.

“Good answer,” Jessica said, sitting with one knee crossed in
front of her and the other dangling off the couch. One shoulder pressed into
the cushions at its back while she leaned just the slightest bit forward. “So,
tell me about yourself.”

Hero lay on her bed in the dark, staring at the lights coming from
the Brighton House cupola. Jaimie had texted her as soon as she had left
Ambrosia to let Hero know that ‘Adonis’ had been there on a date with Jessica
Crowley. Ugh. She couldn’t remember when Jessica had become her nemesis. They
had been friends briefly when Hero had first moved to Vista Bay, but it hadn’t
lasted long. Maybe it was because Jess was everything Hero was not: forward,
overtly sexual, powerful in the way of a woman who wasn’t afraid to use her
body to get her what she wanted. It didn’t surprise her that Jessica was drawn
to Adonis. Damnit. She had to find out what his name was, she couldn’t keep
calling him Adonis. It was ridiculous. It did fit though. No man had the right
to be that good looking. Especially that good looking and that talented. She
sighed and squeezed her blankets, imagining his deltoid firm under her hand as
they danced.

She wondered if he was the one who kept the lights burning in the
cupola. Was Jessica there with him? A flash of jealousy sparked within her. It
was her fantasy to spend evenings in that tower, looking down at everything. It
wasn’t fair that her enemy got to do so. She shook the jealousy off. It was
stupid, she didn’t even know if Jessica was actually there. If she was, was he
taking her in his arms and dancing with her the way he had with Hero? She had
to remind herself that she didn’t care. The guy was a jerk anyway.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Leana.

Leana: OMG Adonis is so hot.

Hero typed a brief message, had a second thought, then sent it
anyway.

Hero: Yeah, genius, that’s WHY Jaimie calls him Adonis.

The phone buzzed again almost instantly.

Leana: lol oh I didnt no

Hero sighed. She hated the way people spelled when texting.

Hero: Sorry to be rude, but was there something else you wanted to
talk about? I’m kind of tired of hearing about Adonis and Jessica. That’s all
Jaimie can talk about tonight.

Leana: Oh sorry. 1 more thing. Jaime and Jess were so busy
bitching they weren’t listening. I don’t think he meant to call u a slut

Hero: What do you mean?

Leana: He said that wasnt wut I meant. Wut he meant. U know wut I
mean

Hero: Alright. Thanks. I’m going to bed now.

Leana: Ok. gn

Hero turned her phone off. Sometimes it just wasn’t worth the
effort. Maybe he hadn’t meant to say she was easy. She didn’t know what to
think. It was much less confusing to be angry. She sighed again and watched the
cupola lights until she fell asleep. When she woke, she thought she remembered
seeing a shadow block one of the windows, and the lights go out.

Three days later, Hero saw him again. She and her friends had
agreed to meet at Ambrosia. When she arrived he was already there, sitting
across a tall table from Jessica with his back to the entrance. Hero wondered
if his closet had anything other than tight black t-shirts in it. Even from the
back he was handsome and she caught herself imagining playing with the hair on
the back of his neck. She shook her head clear. What the hell was going on with
her? She never thought about guys in that way.

Jessica glanced at her briefly, smirked, and went back to her
rather animated conversation with Adonis before he could notice. Hero ordered a
caramel macchiato then sat down with her friends, who were talking loudly at a
table on the opposite side of the café. She took a chair that blocked the
redhead from her view, but left the boy in it.

Jaimie hissed as she sat down. “Did you see?
They’re
here.”

“I’m over it, Jaimie. I don’t care what some random stranger said
to me on the dance floor four days ago. Life goes on,” Hero said, almost
convincing herself.

“Is that why you’re sitting in the one seat he’s visible from?”
Brian asked as if he could see right through her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said facetiously.

“Well, they do say love is blind.”

“Shut up, Brian.”

“Love you, too.”

Hero turned to Jaimie and asked, “Why do we hang out with these
boys again?”

“They’re pretty. If I wanted smart, I’d get a dog.”

“Ouch,” Evan commented.

“Evan’s company excepted, of course. He’s smart and pretty, that’s
why he’s mine.”

“I bet Adonis is smart as well as pretty,” Leana chipped in.

Jeremy piped up, irritated. “What is it about this guy that makes
all the women want to rip their clothes off?”

“It couldn’t be that they think he looks like a Greek God, could
it?” Brian asked sarcastically.

“He looks like a younger, hotter version of Matt Damon,” Leana
said.

“Really? Matt Damon? I don’t see it,” Brian replied, sounding as
though he was seriously considering the comparison.

Before the conversation could go on, the barista called out Hero’s
name for her order. Hero got up and went to the counter, leaving the banter
behind. She took her drink and thanked Emily, the barista. She was about to
turn back when someone spoke behind her.

“I hear I’m in trouble,” a baritone voice that sounded something
like crystal honey said wryly.

She turned to look at him, her own stuck in her throat.

Xander had been sitting, waiting for Jessica to return from the
bathroom when the barista had called out Hero’s name. He figured there couldn’t
be more than one Hero in a town this size, so he waited to see if it was her.
Sure enough, there she was again. A white sundress covered in white lace mesh
hung from spaghetti straps at the shoulders down to a few inches above her
knees. Blue checkered cork platform heels gave her an extra inch over what she
stood in her Aris Allens. “Wow,” he had breathed.

Hero looked up into his blue eyes and tried not to get lost. She
was so startled that “Adonis?” was all she could manage to say.

The young man looked at her strangely. “Adonis?”

“Uh, nothing. Sorry. What did you say to me?”

“Your friend told me I was in big trouble. I think I might owe you
an apology,” he said.

She felt like he was staring right through her, or so deep into
her he could see parts of her she didn’t even know existed. Hero collected her
thoughts.

“Oh. No big deal. Leana told me you said you didn’t mean it.”

“I assume Leana is the brunette, then. I’m pretty sure the blonde
won’t forgive me til there should be time no longer.”

Hero raised an eyebrow, “Til there should be time no longer?”

“Oh, sorry. That’s from Revelations. I get it from my dad,” he
shrugged unapologetically in spite of his words. “More importantly, I hope you
will forgive me a little sooner. I didn’t mean to insult you. I definitely felt
the same thing you did, I just didn’t want to rush someone whose name I didn’t
even know. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You think you know how I felt.” Hero stated, a steel warning in
her voice.

“You are the woman I danced with, right? Hero?” he asked.

“How do you know my name?” she demanded, starting to get
perturbed. It was irritating that he knew and assumed so much when she had
spent days wondering who he even was.

“I told him, DiBenedetto,” Jessica said as she came up and took
Xander’s arm possessively. Something flashed in Xander’s eyes, but left too
quickly for Hero to read.

“Why are you talking to her anyway, Xander?” Jessica asked.

“I came over to apologize.” A sharp edge entered his voice.
“Contrary to what seems to be popular belief around here, I don’t make a habit
of calling women sluts. Or easy.”

“Are you done, then? Come back to the table.” Jessica walked away
with his hand between hers and came to an abrupt stop at the end of his arm
when he didn’t move. She flushed a little, embarrassed. Neither Hero nor Xander
noticed.

“That depends,” Xander said, his eyes still locked on Hero’s. He
had to remind himself to breathe. “Am I forgiven?” he asked her.

“Umm. Sure. Yes. Fine,” she stammered. At that point, she would
have said just about anything to get out of that awkward situation and free of
the stare that made something inside her melt.

“Thank you,” he said as if she’d given him something precious.

She gave him a strange look.

“I’ll see you around, Hero,” the blue eyed Adonis said. He let
Jessica drag him away, who immediately started talking about something he
wasn’t listening to.

When Hero sat back down with her friends they all leaned in toward
her.

“So. . .” Jaimie began, “What did Adonis have to say?”

Evan broke in, a bit jealous. “Do we have to keep calling him
that?”

Hero smiled at Evan’s predicament. “No, we don’t. His name is
Xander.”

“Xander? Pussy name. Worse than Adonis,” Jeremy offered. Everyone
ignored him.

“He apologized for the misunderstanding. End of story,” Hero told
them.

“End of story? I thought you two were going to eat each other, the
way you were staring. In a good way or a bad way. I couldn’t tell,” Jeremy
replied.

The rest nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s the end of the story either. But
enough of that. Did you guys hear about the pick-up football game last night? I
heard some dude got his arm broken.” Brian winked at Hero and she gave him a
big smile in thanks. The conversation turned and the evening wore on less
eventfully.

Hero and Brian were the last to leave. She gave him a hug then
headed toward the marina where the family boat was moored. When she neared the
ramp leading down to the docks, she noticed someone nearby. Resting on a post
half his height was Xander, watching her. Hero looked around to if see if there
was anyone else nearby. Other than random people going about their business at
the marina, there was no one she knew.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as she walked up to him, her
head tilted to one side in curiosity.

He smiled. “Waiting for you.”

“That’s not creepy at all. How long have you been down here?” she
asked as she kept walking.

He stood and fell into stride beside her. “Honestly? Longer than I
wanted to be, but there was something I wanted to do.”

“What? Murder me and dump my body in the harbor?”

Xander laughed. “I think that’d be a waste.”

Hero raised an eyebrow. “A waste of what?”

“An amazing dancer.”

“Oh,” she said, caught off guard. “Thank you.”

They walked along in silence. It seemed to Hero that the quiet
should make her more uncomfortable than it was, so she decided to break it.
“So, what did you want to do?”

“Talk to you. We didn’t really get a chance the other night.”

“As I remember, you spoke more than I wanted.”

“I apologized for that.”

“And then you dropped me.”

“You slapped me!” Xander exclaimed.

“Do you drop all the girls who slap you?” Hero asked, one side of
her mouth quirked up in a teasing smile.

“Since it’s only happened once, yes.”

“I was your first, was I?”

He didn’t miss a beat. “Hopefully my last, too.”

His words had sincerity behind the playfulness that stopped Hero
in her tracks. She wondered if he ever said anything without multiple meanings
in the words. Xander took a few steps before he realized she wasn’t beside him
anymore and turned to look at her with a question in his eyes.

“Umm. . . This is me.” Hero gestured toward a power boat tied up
in a slip nearby.

“Looks cold,” he said with a straight face.

She laughed. “Don’t be an idiot. I live on the island.”

“Right, La Casa Loco, or something.”

“La Hacienda Noblé.” She looked at him suspiciously, a little
worried. “How do you know that?”

“Your favorite person in the world told me all about you and your
little ‘coven’.” Xander made quotation marks in the air with his index and
middle fingers as he said coven.

“Coven?” Hero asked indignantly.

“What, you didn’t know you were a witch?” he laughed. “I made a
joke that you, Leana, and the blonde might be the Wyrd sisters. I’m afraid it
might have stuck.”

“The Weird Sisters?” Hero looked taken aback.

“No, no, w-y-r-d. The Wyrd Sisters. They’re the witches from
MacBeth, you know? Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron
bubble and all that jazz. They’re actually meant to represent the Fates.”

He took a breath to continue, but she started laughing. His
eyebrows scrunched up, and she laughed harder. “What?” he asked, a little
offended.

“If I had to take more lectures from people who looked like you, I
might pay more attention in class. Or less, perhaps.”

He leaned his head to one side. “What do you mean?”

Hero bounced up to him, stood up on her toes and kissed him on the
cheek. “You’re cute. Goodnight, Adonis.” She laughed again.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” he demanded.

She hopped in the boat and started it. “Goodnight,” she said as
she started to back out of the slip.

“Wait, why do you keep calling me Adonis?” he asked again as he
followed the boat as far down the dock as he could.

“Goodnight,” she said, drawing the second word out into two
syllables.

“Can I see you again?” he shouted out to her. Her response was
lost in the roar of the engine as she pushed the boat into drive and sailed out
into the bay. Xander shoved his hands into his pockets and headed home.

“Hey, how was your date?” Zach asked when Xander arrived home, his
voice breaking through Xander’s replay of his conversation with Hero, which was
playing over and over in his head.

“Oh, good. Jessica’s pretty nice.”

“Pretty nice? Really? Girl like that and that’s all you have to
say?”

“Yeah. But, hey, I finally got to talk to Hero.”

His father’s face became serious for a moment. “You’re not gay,
are you? I mean, it’d be Takei, but. . . “ He stopped, taking in the look on
his son’s face.

“Ah. Hero is NOT a man.”

Xander shook his head, quite unamused. “No. She’s the girl I
dropped.”

“I hope you don’t plan to go around introducing her that way.
Hero, this is Grandma. Grandma, this is the girl I dropped.”

“Come on, Dad,” Xander protested. He laughed. “Jessica’s great, I
guess. She’s gorgeous and fun. But Hero. . . “ He paused, bit his lip and
looked his father in the eye. “I barely know her, but there’s something about
her that makes me want to take her dancing in the rain.”

Pride, ache, and sadness all flew across his dad’s face at once.
Zach put an arm around his son’s shoulder. “Well, then I would definitely like
to meet the girl you dropped someday.”

“I hope you get to.”

“Need any advice on how to win the girl?” Zach asked his son.

“Nah,” Xander said with a smile. “I learned from the best.”