“Yes, thanks. JoAnn and Lloyd gave me the heads-up on all that stings, bites and stabs. Friendly country you have here.” She gave a wry grin. “You’re a teacher, too?”
“I teach at an art school in Tucson.”
“Kids?”
“Mostly kids. A few adult classes. I like working with the kids.”
“I want kids.” Olivia smiled bitterly. “R.J. wants to wait a few more years. Each year it’s been maybe next year, when business settles down.” She huffed out a breath, and unshed tears glinted in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m talking too much and not letting you paint. I came up here to see you work, not chew your ear off with my issues. I was curious to see how you paint.”
Kay searched for a polite answer. “No problem. But I think the painting might be done for today anyway, and I’m hot. Want to go swimming?” They should check on Mark and see how badly he’d fried himself.
“That water is calling my name. It’s hot enough to fry eggs up here. Let me carry something for you.” Olivia blinked hard and set a smile back in place as she gathered Kay’s folding campstool and cooler. A soft sigh escaped her. “You and Nate, you two really have your relationship together. Clear as day. Do you plan on having kids?”
Kids? Air stuck in Kay’s throat. She collapsed the umbrella and wrapped the bungee cord to restrain the folds. And have their relationship together? And clear? They used to. Now everything was pure fog. Her head swam as she packed up her paint box and she blamed the heat.
Olivia missed Kay’s silent panic. “I used to think R.J. was my Prince Charming, but somewhere, we went wrong, and I just don’t know what to do.” She sighed. “How did you meet Nate?”
“I met Nate here. After Ann and Lloyd got together, they twisted my arm into timing my stays at Mohave with the vacation Lloyd and his friends take here every year.” She grinned. “So I’ve been the newbie with this bunch, too. They’d been wanting me to meet this buddy of Lloyd and Dave’s who was always out of the country—Nate—for a couple years, but our paths never crossed. He was late, and they were getting worried, when finally, after dark, he showed up in that sailboat of his with two ice chests full of ice cream and a watermelon. He’d hunted all around Las Vegas to find the right kind of ice cream for a surprise for JoAnn. We met. He was nice, but it was kind of a major reunion for him and the guys, and they got to talking, and you know how they can talk. I took a late walk and came across him fishing for cats—catfish. We talked. Fished. We hit it off. Nothing extraordinary or notable.”
Nope, nothing extraordinary at all. Heat flooded Kay. Nothing, aside from her careful inhibitions having been thrown to the wind, along with her clothes and last brain cell, as fishing poles were dropped and they spent a sweaty, luscious night making love in that cramped, stuffy berth of his sailboat. And the next, and at her camp, and every day after until the end of his stay. It had been so weird, so perfect, so, so…well, right.
Friends with benefits, she supposed, was one crude way of describing their relationship. Good friends. Excellent benefits. Very excellent. It was as if her life held this little slot meant for Nate, and Nate alone. No wild emotions. No mad romance. No jealousy of what he was doing with his life out of her sight. Mad passion worked in the opera. Too messy in real life. She blushed. Not that passion was missing between them when they were together. Just the insanity.
“Hmm.” Olivia brushed a pebble around with her toe. The pebble overturned, revealing its pale underside free of the darker desert varnish.
And they had kept the sanity for six quiet, comfortable and reasonable years, all their boundaries and expectations neat and clear. Now…
Olivia toed the pebble around some more. “When I met R.J., I thought he was the man of my dreams. He was different then, but then—no, he’s the same. I loved him so blindly, thought I couldn’t do without him, that he was saving me, like some perfect knight in shining armor. He dazzled me. He could be—can be so sweet, and when he puts his focus on you…” She stooped and plucked up the pebble, brushing the crusting sand clean with her thumb to study the two sides. “I thought I was being so careful, everyone told me he was the man for me, and I loved him, and I left everything to go with him. I live like a princess. I have everything. And I have nothing.”
“What happened?” Kay wanted to know, didn’t want to hear.
Despair flooded Olivia’s face. “I didn’t see the reality then, and he doesn’t want to change now, I guess. I had hoped this vacation, away from the usual people and places, well—Oh, hell, I need a cigarette. I’ve really got to quit.”
****
Nate and Chuck had arrived at the marina on schedule, but Pippa and her friend were not waiting as planned.
Chuck checked his voice mail, only to learn the girls would be at least an hour, maybe more, before they arrived. He decided on a cold drink and a wait in the café.
Nate headed off to his truck with the empty cooler for the drive to the supermarket. The closed-up pickup was blistering, so he opened both doors to air the cab. He’d missed his truck on his travels. The pickup was nothing flashy, just a good, dependable white Ford F-150. Lloyd had taken great care of the truck and the Whisper over the years while Nate was away. He plugged his phone into the lighter to charge while waiting for the AC. A check of messages showed one missed call from his mom in voice mail.
Her cheery voice rang and rushed on the playback, “Hi, Nate, Dad and I are out on the patio grilling, and we just wanted to say hi and hope you’re having fun. Love you and miss you and can’t wait to see you. Dad says he found a new beer recipe he wants to have you try. He’s been experimenting on the grill again. Some sort of rubbed pork chops and baked corn on the cob thing tonight. My waistline is doomed. Doomed, I tell you. Say hi to Nate, Tommy.” His dad’s muffled, “Your waist is perfect” and, “Hello,” came through and then his mom returned, “Okay, bye. Love and kisses. Talk to you later.”
Nate grinned. Dad was trying on hobbies with enthusiasm. So much for Mom’s worry of having a retired couch potato underfoot all day.
He dialed. The phone rang and rang. The answering machine picked up with his dad’s voice. “Hi, you’ve reached Ellie and Tom—”
“Hello? Hello? Hello? I’m here!” His mom, all breathless and giggling, picked up. “Nate, is that you?”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Wonderful. Tommy, it’s Nate. Pick up. Where are you?”
“Still at Lake Mohave. Came into the marina with Chuck to pick up Pippa. Sorry I missed your call.”
“I’m so happy you called. Isn’t it awfully hot there? Your dad’s getting on the phone. Having fun? How are you doing?”
Miserable. I’m in love with a woman who’s afraid of marrying me.
“Great. I’m having a terrific time.”
“How are Lloyd and JoAnn? And Dave? We never see him anymore.”
“Dave’s good. We just found out Lloyd and JoAnn are expecting a baby. Both are doing very well. Lloyd says business is booming.”
“Tell them we’re so happy for them. They must be on Cloud Nine.”
“Hey, Nate.” Nate’s dad jumped in on the call. “Excellent. I told that boy taking over the business was the right move. How’s the fishing?”
“About average. Nothing to get Dave rolling on one of his fish tales yet. He’s got a new Mastercraft. Very smooth ride.”
“Is your artist friend there this year? Kay?” his mom asked.
A wave of need and frustration rolled through him. He forced the expected cheer into his voice. “Yes, she is. The whole gang is here. We’re having a great time. Christopher brought Margie. She’s a doll, mom. You’d love her.”
“That’s so wonderful. Take lots of pictures. I want to see everyone. Tell JoAnn to expect something in the mail for the baby.”
“I promise, Mom.”
“We’ll see you when you get here. Drive carefully. Your dad has the barbeque all planned.”
Dad groaned. “That was supposed to be a surprise, Ellie.”
His mom laughed merrily. “How can it be a surprise when you throw a barbeque every time he comes home?”
Nate joined in with her infectious laughter. The only surprises ever to Dad’s barbeques were the menu and how many people would be there. Dad always killed the fatted calf, figuratively, anytime any of his wandering children came home. “I’ll call again when I’m ready to hit the road on the twenty-fourth so I can give you an ETA with the stops I plan.”
“Thanks, honey. I love you. Oh, and I have some boxes of stuff for the house. I can hardly wait to see the house. The pictures you e-mailed are wonderful. Have fun and remember, drink lots of water and don’t forget your sunscreen. You’re wearing one with good SPF, right?”
He grinned. Nothing ever changed at home. “Yes, Mom. Promise. Love you, too.”
He set the phone on the seat, folded the windshield sunscreen away, and closed the truck doors. The AC had run enough to stand driving now. What was Kay doing right now? Would she hang with the girls and relax?
No, she’d be by herself, painting as planned, unless JoAnn did something drastic and duct-taped Kay to a chair or something.
He needed to sit down and talk with Kay. What he didn’t know was how to get that conversation started. His thoughts drifted to his parents. Always so in sync, like he’d thought he was with Kay, they made the talking and problem-solving look so easy.
There was an idea. Get Kay among the irresistible forces that were his parents, throw in Dad’s homemade apricot wine and mom’s cherry pie and brownies, a picnic cruise on the Columbia River…He needed all the allies he could get in this campaign. Nate laughed against the sickly wave of desperation. Yeah, he was just desperate enough that kidnapping Kay off to visit with his parents in Boardman, Oregon, sounded sane and reasonable.
If it came to kidnapping, Dave and Lloyd would probably help…
Oh, get a grip. What he needed to do was get her out on the Whisper, where they both always felt at peace, take a slow evening cruise, and just let conversation develop naturally.
The oven-hot slam of heat off the pavement when he stepped out of the air-conditioned cab made him half-sorry he’d turned on the AC and been in the truck long enough to acclimate. Oh, well. He trotted across the parking lot into the frigid store and breezed around the aisles to grab the few necessaries, some extra snacks and treats.
Then, as he headed for the checkout and the ice, he thought of the perfect camping treat. He cruised back a couple aisles and grabbed several bags of marshmallows, a few boxes of graham crackers and lots of Hershey bars.
The idea of Kay meeting his parents kept bobbing around his brain. Would Kay drive with him to his parents? The long drive could be useful. They might have their camp off to themselves here, but they weren’t ever quite together alone. If he could get her alone, then they could do the serious talking they needed without their nearest and dearest friends breathing down their necks.
He pondered the possibilities and practicalities of such a trip as he carted his bags to the truck. Kay didn’t always have her summer route completely mapped out and fixed in stone. He could offer the idea up as a working trip to appeal to her logical side. Where could they go? Maybe…they could hit the City of Rocks National Preserve in Idaho on the way, stop for some photos and painting, and then catch Interstate 84 to his parents. Spend some time together on the way. Alone. Maybe she’d like the drive. Maybe she’d consider it. That would give him an extra week to two weeks with Kay. He’d have to ask his parents to hold off on the barbeque. However, if he pulled off her yes, they’d have more to celebrate than just his coming home.
His spirits bounded. Yep, the idea had possibilities.
By the time he’d reached the marina and parked, Pippa and her friend had arrived, and Chuck was already loading their bags into the boat.
He set the cooler and Kay’s ski down on the dock just in time as Pippa launched herself at him. “Nate!” Her loud, happy squeal startled a pair of mallards into squawking, irritated flight.
She hugged him with a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Oh, it’s sooo great to see you again. And congratulations! Chuck told me.” She kissed him again. “I’m so excited for you and Kay. Wonderful, wonderful news. And I know I thanked you already, but thank you sooo much for the photo of Chuck and me. I have it framed in the living room and it’s perfect! I love the beard on you, it’s sooo cute! You should have grown this years ago.” Another smacking kiss and she let go and bounced away to pull her friend over.
She wrapped her arm back around Nate’s waist. “Nate, this is April. April, Nate, who is our most excellent photographer friend and fellow fishing fiend.”
He held out his hand, but April turned the handshake into a kissy hug. “I’m so glad to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!”
Nate politely extricated himself from between the two women.
Chuck rolled his eyes good-naturedly and hefted the cooler onto the boat. “Come on, girls, let’s get this show on the road. Folks are wondering where we are by now.” The low-key Chuck and the effervescent Pippa might seem a complete mismatch, but they’d been a couple the longest of all Nate’s friends. She hid it well, but behind Pippa’s ditzy I’m-having-a-blonde-moment cheerleader exterior lurked an intelligent accountant.
Almost as bouncy as Pippa, April was all blonde curls and tanned, toned curves and wore a pink bikini top not quite up to the task but that made it clear those generous breasts were all natural. A small pink crystal heart sparkled on a gold belly button ring above white hip-hugger shorts. After wading through all the cheery introductory gush, Nate gathered April was Pippa’s longtime friend from the gym where she took yoga classes. She was a real estate agent, also did design and color consultation, and would love to help him if he ever had any questions about his new house. He couldn’t picture either of them sitting still long enough for yoga, but all that energy got them quickly loaded onto the boat and on their way back to camp.