Seven
Nick handed Jillian enough cash to cover the bill as Cali scooted her chair back and rushed toward the exit. He didn’t include a tip. “Next time, try being a little bit nicer to my companion.” He strode after Cali, ignoring the undignified words coming from Jillian’s mouth.
He easily caught up. “Don’t walk away from me.”
“If I don’t, I may end up saying something I’ll regret later. Or…saying something I won’t regret.” She continued to weave her way out of the restaurant, stepping around a few customers. She slammed her sunglasses onto her face, and stalked out of the protective covering of the awning.
“You sure do rile easily.”
Cali stopped and turned to face him. He stopped and stood at the edge of the patio decking waiting for her reply.
“I rile easily?” She stepped close with her head held high. “You should’ve told me about the other women.”
A sharp gasp erupted, and Nick glanced at a middle-aged woman sitting at a nearby patio table. He assumed she had overheard Cali’s last statement judging from the disapproving look she directed at him.
He ignored her.
“I would’ve thought you’d have figured it out on your own by now…seeing as how you are such an excellent investigative reporter and all.”
Another, louder gasp sounded beside him. This time he didn’t bother to acknowledge the disgruntled eavesdropper.
Color enflamed Cali’s cheeks, and a muscle worked in her jaw before she turned, stalking across the hot sand toward the pounding ocean surf.
“You must be exhausted,” he called out.
She stopped again and whirled around. Fury mixed with confusion in her eyes. He stood, balancing on one leg at a time as he ripped his shoes and socks off his feet, rolled up his pants legs and walked over.
The wind swept a tendril of hair across her cheek, and she jerked it aside as she waited. “What are you talking about?” She posted her hands on her hips.
Nick caught up with her in a few long strides. He shook his head slightly. “You must be exhausted,” he repeated, “from carrying such a heavy load on your shoulders.”
She creased her brow and turned, heading toward the water. He easily kept up with her fast, angry strides. After a moment, she had to make the decision to either stop or walk straight into the ocean. Although probably tempted to see how far he was willing to follow her, she stopped as soon as her feet hit the edge of the water and turned toward him again.
She simply stared with her chin held high. Waiting. Watching. Her pulse pounded at the base of her throat as she took in deep, ragged breaths.
Nick swept his gaze over her. “You’re not the one in charge. The sooner you learn that, the better off you’ll be.”
Her eyes narrowed and she fisted her hands at her sides. “If I were in charge, I would care about the people on my island.”
He tightened his jaw, looked away and drew in a deep breath, trying to reign in his rising temper. He ground out the words, “I wasn’t talking about me.”
“Will you stop talking in cryptic circles? Spell it out if you have to. What are you trying to say?”
He twisted to the side and threw his shoes and socks on the dry sand. When he turned back, he placed his hands on her shoulders, firm enough to keep her facing him, yet gentle enough to keep from hurting her. “I’m talking about God. He is in charge. Not you. Not me.”
The breath left her lungs in a rush. She shook her head. “I-I thought…”
His voice softened. “I know what my responsibilities are Cali. I also know my limitations. You don’t seem to have discovered yours yet.”
A large wave crashed along the shoreline, soaking the edges of Nick’s rolled up pants as it bubbled and churned its way along the sand. He released her shoulders. She swayed. He didn’t know if it was from the pull of the water as it receded back into the ocean, the relentless heat bearing down on her from the sun, or from the truth in the words
Nick handed Jillian enough cash to cover the bill as Cali scooted her chair back and rushed toward the exit. He didn’t include a tip. “Next time, try being a little bit nicer to my companion.” He strode after Cali, ignoring the undignified words coming from Jillian’s mouth.
He easily caught up. “Don’t walk away from me.”
“If I don’t, I may end up saying something I’ll regret later. Or…saying something I won’t regret.” She continued to weave her way out of the restaurant, stepping around a few customers. She slammed her sunglasses onto her face, and stalked out of the protective covering of the awning.
“You sure do rile easily.”
Cali stopped and turned to face him. He stopped and stood at the edge of the patio decking waiting for her reply.
“I rile easily?” She stepped close with her head held high. “You should’ve told me about the other women.”
A sharp gasp erupted, and Nick glanced at a middle-aged woman sitting at a nearby patio table. He assumed she had overheard Cali’s last statement judging from the disapproving look she directed at him.
He ignored her.
“I would’ve thought you’d have figured it out on your own by now…seeing as how you are such an excellent investigative reporter and all.”
Another, louder gasp sounded beside him. This time he didn’t bother to acknowledge the disgruntled eavesdropper.
Color enflamed Cali’s cheeks, and a muscle worked in her jaw before she turned, stalking across the hot sand toward the pounding ocean surf.
“You must be exhausted,” he called out.
She stopped again and whirled around. Fury mixed with confusion in her eyes. He stood, balancing on one leg at a time as he ripped his shoes and socks off his feet, rolled up his pants legs and walked over.
The wind swept a tendril of hair across her cheek, and she jerked it aside as she waited. “What are you talking about?” She posted her hands on her hips.
Nick caught up with her in a few long strides. He shook his head slightly. “You must be exhausted,” he repeated, “from carrying such a heavy load on your shoulders.”
She creased her brow and turned, heading toward the water. He easily kept up with her fast, angry strides. After a moment, she had to make the decision to either stop or walk straight into the ocean. Although probably tempted to see how far he was willing to follow her, she stopped as soon as her feet hit the edge of the water and turned toward him again.
She simply stared with her chin held high. Waiting. Watching. Her pulse pounded at the base of her throat as she took in deep, ragged breaths.
Nick swept his gaze over her. “You’re not the one in charge. The sooner you learn that, the better off you’ll be.”
Her eyes narrowed and she fisted her hands at her sides. “If I were in charge, I would care about the people on my island.”
He tightened his jaw, looked away and drew in a deep breath, trying to reign in his rising temper. He ground out the words, “I wasn’t talking about me.”
“Will you stop talking in cryptic circles? Spell it out if you have to. What are you trying to say?”
He twisted to the side and threw his shoes and socks on the dry sand. When he turned back, he placed his hands on her shoulders, firm enough to keep her facing him, yet gentle enough to keep from hurting her. “I’m talking about God. He is in charge. Not you. Not me.”
The breath left her lungs in a rush. She shook her head. “I-I thought…”
His voice softened. “I know what my responsibilities are Cali. I also know my limitations. You don’t seem to have discovered yours yet.”
A large wave crashed along the shoreline, soaking the edges of Nick’s rolled up pants as it bubbled and churned its way along the sand. He released her shoulders. She swayed. He didn’t know if it was from the pull of the water as it receded back into the ocean, the relentless heat bearing down on her from the sun, or from the truth in the words
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