I'Ve Got You (16 page)

She cocked her hip, once, twice, then craned her neck to see the pained expression on his face and said, ‘My morning just got a whole lot better.'

‘Jesus, watch it or I'll throw all your undies away,' he murmured, and held her tighter. ‘Hey, Mum, what's happening?' Kabe's voice wobbled. He cleared his throat and added, ‘Did you have a good trip?'

‘You'd better introduce me first.' She didn't wait for the introduction but extended her hand. ‘Hello, beautiful. I'm Kabe's mum, Marilyn.'

Belle took her hand. ‘Hi, Marilyn, you may remember me, I'm Belle Fabrini.'

Marilyn's wide blue eyes and big smile lit her face. ‘Mario's granddaughter … fantastic! And you two were snogging just now … how brilliant!'

‘Mum!' Kabe complained and rubbed his face. ‘Pay no attention, Belle. Mum says what she thinks.'

‘You'll get used to me, Belle. I tend to hold back on the negative and, as I didn't see any, I didn't hold back.' Marilyn changed tack. ‘I came straight from my wing, no sign of Lexie. Have you two had breakfast or is it brunch?'

‘We were just on our way,' Kabe told his mother.

‘Really … and I thought you were going somewhere else entirely.' Marilyn's throaty laugh had always been infectious, and that hadn't changed at all.

They rounded a corner to the main patio where someone had laid a table for five. A self-serve buffet stood to one side groaning under the weight of juice, eggs, bacon, rolls, toast, yogurt and fruit.

‘Is this a spread especially for Lexie and me, or does it happen every day?'

‘If we're all here at the same time, which is rare, then our cook, April, does a full breakfast. Otherwise it's a bowl of muesli and coffee.'

‘Gosh, I don't know where to start … My head hurts,' Belle muttered.

Kabe ushered her to the table and pulled out a chair. ‘Sit, I'll be right back.'

‘You look a bit peaky, are you okay?' Marilyn asked.

‘I caught up with Lexie over a bottle of wine … not used to drinking much. Lexie will be worse off. Thank you for letting her stay in your guest room.'

‘My pleasure, sweetheart.'

Kabe ambled back juggling two plates and three glasses of juice like an expert waiter.

‘Mum, you want me to load up a plate for you?'

Marilyn eyed their breakfast. ‘No thank you. I'd rather not end up in emergency with some teenager hitting me with electric paddles,' she said dryly, and headed for the buffet.

Perhaps Marilyn had a point; Belle wasn't sure whether the bacon and egg on toast was such a great idea either. While she stared at her food, Kabe handed her two aspirin.

‘Eat, you'll feel better,' Kabe said.

‘Promise?'

‘Yep.'

She downed the tablets, and asked, ‘As far as I know nothing can fix a hangover. Are you playing games with me, Kabe Hunter?'

‘Nope.' He placed a hand on his chest. ‘I'm offended,' he said, eyebrows arched as he pointed at her sarong. ‘You're naked under that, and
I'm
playing games?'

She giggled and forked a piece of toast laden with bacon and egg into her mouth.

A well-built, broad-shouldered man appeared barefoot and wearing board shorts that dripped water across the patio. He had short fair hair, and his eyes were so dark his pupils were almost invisible. The best part about him was his handsome, friendly face. ‘Morning, you must be Belle.' He stopped rubbing his hair with a towel, and extended his hand to her.

‘Hi, and you must be Dan.' It only took him a blink to assess her. It made her smile because in that blink, she also knew Kabe had a very good and loyal friend.

Dan headed for the buffet to pile up his plate with food.

Marilyn groaned in disbelief and sat down with a bowl of muesli, yogurt and fruit. She mixed the ingredients together, and said, ‘Guess who I saw in town.'

‘No idea, Mum. You going to tell us?'

‘Greg Travers,' she said, straight-faced.

Belle choked on a mouthful of juice and then coughed so hard she couldn't speak.

‘Mum!' Kabe warned, frowning.

‘What's the matter? Belle needs to be warned.' Wide-eyed, Marilyn looked at them. ‘I'm under no illusion, so don't think for a minute that I'm being snide or cruel. Belle would never go out with someone like that, let alone be engaged to that smarmy little prick.'

Belle dabbed her face, and said, ‘Thank you, Marilyn.' Next to her, Kabe looked down at his plate and shook his head.

Halfway through breakfast, Belle caught sight of Lexie coming along a path, also wearing a sarong plus a big straw hat and sunglasses.

‘Hi, Marilyn,' she said, and kissed Kabe's mother on the cheek. ‘Who made the day so bright?' she whispered, pouring herself a coffee then sitting down opposite Dan.

‘Me.' Dan chuckled, got up and went back to the buffet, saying, ‘Suck it up.'

Grimacing, Lexie turned her sunglasses on him. ‘Ugh,' she muttered.

Belle peered at Kabe. Desperately trying not to grin, he pulled his lips in between his teeth, let them go on a sigh, and muttered, ‘Trust Dan.'

Dan set a glass of juice, two tablets and a plate of hot breakfast in front of Lexie. She stopped sipping her coffee and stared down at the food and paled. ‘Eat,' Dan ordered.

‘Sis, I know you won't believe me, but a greasy breakfast really does hit the spot.'

With great deliberation, Lexie put her cup down on the saucer and winced when porcelain hit porcelain, but sliced into her egg on toast, took a bite and chewed, mumbling, ‘My teeth hurt.'

Marilyn let loose that delicious throaty laugh of hers, and said, ‘I think the boys might be onto something, and then I suggest coffee.'

‘Isn't a huge cooked, greasy breakfast a fallacy?' Lexie mumbled

‘It's always worked for me,' Dan mumbled around a mouthful of egg and bacon.

Kabe and Dan kept the banter going throughout breakfast while Lexie slowly shook her head in an
I-can't-believe-this-shit
way, or tried not to giggle. Holding her head when the boys barked out a laugh, muttered, ‘Please stop, I can't take it anymore.'

Marilyn laughed, and often. When she caught her breath she said, ‘You know who's missing out on all this fun?'

Belle tensed, and knew instinctively who Marilyn was talking about. ‘Pop,' Belle replied, and Lexie agreed. ‘He'd love this, sitting around, exchanging stories … and boy, he could tell some whoppers himself.'

‘I've often wondered why Mario chose to live on the island,' Marilyn put in, ‘because he never used to.'

‘He moved there not long after Nan passed away.' Belle paused, thinking back. ‘He says he prefers the solitude, but I'm not convinced anymore.'

‘No—no, that's right, I wouldn't be either,' Marilyn confirmed. ‘Mario was a vibrant figure in Luna Bay. He helped local charities raise money. He was a volunteer driver for the elderly. He grew vegetables and shared them around … and he just stopped all that? No, there has to be a good reason that he hasn't told anyone about, and that's typical of him, the sweetheart.'

Belle looked at Lexie, and was sure her expression mirrored her own. Marilyn was so right; she'd been thinking the same thing from the moment she said goodbye to him the day before yesterday. What was their Pop hiding? It had to be huge.

‘There's something else, Mum,' Kabe began. ‘Make no mistake, Greg Travers will lie to the newspapers and accuse me of wanting Butterfly Island.' He turned to Belle. ‘Remember on the yacht, I said, brace yourself?'

Her worried eyes locked with his, Belle nodded and said, ‘I think Lexie and I need to speak to Pop and get some matters sorted. Not sure what, but we need to talk to Pop face to face, not over some scratchy mike.'

‘Yep.' Kabe slid his arm around her shoulder.

‘When can we leave?' Lexie asked.

Kabe looked at his watch. ‘We've been yakking for hours. It's best if we take off first thing in the morning.'

‘
We'll
take off?' Belle asked. ‘I thought it would just be Lexie and me talking to Pop.'

‘How're you going to get there?' he asked, grinning.

‘Oh … um … could we borrow a boat?' Belle asked sweetly, head to one side.

‘Have you handled a commercial launch or speed boat on your own before?' Kabe smiled when Belle shook her head. ‘Don't look so deflated, they're powerful boats. You do what you have to do, we won't intrude on you and Mario.'

‘Thank you,' she said as Lexie nodded carefully.

‘You can count me in as well,' Marilyn piped up. Everyone looked at her, and she added, ‘Oh stop it. You won't even know I'm there, I promise.'

Dan shoved his chair back. ‘I'm going back into town, see if they still need help cleaning up,' he said, and started clearing the table.

‘I'll get April to make us a lovely dinner. And to do justice to April's culinary skills it would be nice if everyone made an effort and
dressed
for a change,' Marilyn called over her shoulder as she walked away.

‘Oh … bugger, I don't have anything. I didn't bring much in the way of clothes,' Belle announced.

‘Great, let's go shopping,' Lexie said. ‘It'll be like old times.'

‘You're not going anywhere near town in just a sarong,' Kabe whispered in her ear.

Belle gave him an innocent look and quirked an eyebrow. ‘Oh, but why?'

Mischief played in Kabe's eyes. ‘Everyone! Belle hasn't—'

She quickly slapped a hand over his mouth.

‘I'll change into my shorts.' She felt heat begin to flush her cheeks, and glancing around the table, announced, ‘Before anyone asks why I'm not borrowing my sister's clothes, Lexie's a size smaller than me.'

‘Didn't even cross my mind.' Kabe lost the fight trying to control his grin.

Everyone around the table shook their heads at Kabe.

‘What?' he asked, trying to look innocent.

‘You're a bad man.' Dan chuckled.

‘No … just know what I love,' Kabe said with a low growl, his heated eyes on Belle.

He'd made that statement in front of everyone. Suddenly, she couldn't get a breath in past a heart that had taken up every available space in her chest. His fingertips pressed up under her chin to close her mouth.

Eyes on his, she whispered, ‘I had a second or two to watch your mother's face before she left. She was the kitty who lapped up the cream, ate a goldfish and a mouse, all at the same time.'

Kabe chuckled and slipped a hand around her neck, and it felt good. ‘I have to make a few phone calls. Meet you girls back here.' He pulled her towards him, kissed the top of Belle's head and left.

* * *

An hour later, they drove into Luna Bay. People of all ages were busy cleaning up debris the storm had left behind. She knew that within a few months all would be back to normal. Already, some shops were open and trading as usual.

Kabe dropped Belle and Lexie off in the town centre, right outside a lingerie boutique. He opened the passenger and back doors on his Chrysler Voyager and extended his hand for them as they stepped out. Arm around her waist, he pulled Belle in close and kissed her firmly, but quickly, on the mouth. Not letting her go, he turned to peer at the window display of black and red lacy bras and undies then back at Belle. Mouth tweaking, he whispered, ‘Tease me.'

She gasped as an image formed in her mind. His eyes scanned her face and he grinned. In an instant, her erogenous buttons fired, her jellied legs barely held her up, and she clung to his shoulders for support.

‘I wish you had a brother hidden somewhere,' Lexie mumbled.

‘I do … Dan. More like a brother than a real one.' He let Belle go, curled back into his car and said, ‘I'll be helping around town; two hours long enough?'

‘Sure,' Belle squeaked, cleared her throat and added, ‘Can't we help clean up as well?'

‘You are … go shopping.' He turned to look at the lingerie shop then back at Belle.

She rolled her eyes and asked, ‘Meet you right here?'

Kabe nodded and eased his car out into the main road.

‘I really want some of that,' Lexie muttered. Belle gave her a glare that said
in-your-dreams
. Lexie quickly corrected herself. ‘Not him, you klutz!'

‘Well there you go, he's got a brother. I reckon you ought to give him a try.'

Lexie rolled her eyes, grabbed Belle's hand and pulled her into the lingerie shop.

After trying on countless lacy bits of underwear, Belle selected her favourites, paid and hauled Lexie onto the next shop to buy practical clothes such as shorts and T-shirts.

They had twenty minutes left. Lexie asked Belle to get them both an iced coffee, while she tried on a bikini she'd liked the look of. She took Belle's shopping bags and said she'd meet her back at the lingerie shop.

Belle ordered three coffees—one for Kabe—to go. She paid the barista and as she put her change into her purse, a hand cupped her elbow—instinctively, she flinched.

Instant recognition had her wrenching her arm away from the most repugnant man she'd ever had the misfortune to know. Face hardening, body trembling with anger, she swung around.

‘Greg!' she hissed.

‘Well of course it's me. I've been keeping my eye on you and your sister. The Hunter left you on your own to make shopping choices that are undoubtedly wrong.'

‘Don't touch me, you sleaze!' she snarled.

‘Don't make a scene in public.' His slimy grin made her skin crawl.

He tried to put his hand back on her arm to usher her away from the counter. ‘I'm here for your own good. I care about what happens to you.'

Belle side-stepped out of his reach. ‘Sure you do. That's why you're here, because you care so much about
me
.' Leaning back, hands up warding him off, she glared at him. ‘
Don't
touch me again—ever!' The smell of him evoked fleeting memories—memories that made her grimace. She tried to grab the fragments and piece them together. Frustrated, Belle knew it was crucial that she remember but the harder she tried the faster they faded.