The Equinox (25 page)

“Wasn’t it lonely out there? Living by
yourself?” I ask, pleading for my voice to hold it together. Why would anyone
choose to live out at sea by themselves?

“That’s why I wanted to come home—well,
the only home I’ve ever known. We still have a house here but I can’t live
there either. I tried. It’s too empty. I prefer my boat.”

I tilt my head. “Do you live at the
marina?”

He smiles. “I do.”

“If you were only sixteen when you came
back to Apollo Beach then how could you live at the marina alone? Without
guardians?”

He smiles. “I didn’t live on the boat
when I moved here. Roy took me in. He was a good friend of my parents and he
cared for me, but he gave me my space. As soon as I turned eighteen I moved out
of his place, sold the old boat, bought a new one, and started living at the
marina.”

Johnny is not the person I thought he was
at all—okay, so maybe he is a loner like I imagined, but he’s got a past
that provides more than enough explanation for why he eyes others so suspiciously.
And Roy—I would have never guessed for myself that they were so close,
but now that I think about it, I can see it in the responsibility that Johnny
holds, and his loyalty to the Island Grille.

“You think you’ll start scheduling your
hours so that we’re working together again?” His question gives my chest a
little thump and I blush.

“You noticed that?”

He laughs. “I think everyone noticed it.
There aren’t that many of us. How you got around working with me for an entire two
weeks is pure talent.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Can you blame
me? You were rotten.”

He shifts. “I don’t blame you. I was
trying to get you to quit at first—but you are one resilient girl.”

My eyes widen. “What? You wanted me to
quit?” Maybe I already knew this, but this makes it official.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, after
a couple of days, you not being around only made me want to see you more.”

My blush deepens. “You are one confusing
guy, Johnny.”

He chuckles lightly.

I resist the temptation to roll my eyes.
“I’m helping you set up the food booths this week. Not my choice,” I add
quickly. “Rose put my name down for all tasks involving food, and you just
happen to be in charge of setting up the booths. So, it’s completely against my
will, but I am working with you.”

Johnny grins at me now. He knows I’m lying,
and I don’t care. “Well, whatever the reason you got stuck with me, I’m
grateful.”

I look away, not wanting to give him the
satisfaction of knowing how utterly gorgeous I think he is, and he just gets
better looking the longer we talk.

A buzzing in my pocket disturbs us. I see
that it’s Rose, so I pick it up while cringing.

“Katrina Summer, I see you up there in
that Ferris wheel. Get down now and come home. It’s too dark for you to be out.
You know that.”

Guilt washes over me. “Okay, I’ll be home
soon.”

“And get that boy to walk you. I want to
have a word with him.” A click sounds on the other end of the line and I turn
to Johnny with apologetic eyes.

“I’m sorry. You’re going to have to walk
me home.”

* *
*

Johnny leaps out of the Ferris wheel car
first and stops the machine before helping me out. The touch of his hands on
mine is electrifying; I don’t want him to pull away but he does. He’s got a
cloud of confusion wafting over his features and I hope it’s not because of me.

He walks me home by way of the beach. The
water is calm as we move our legs slowly along the shore. Rose may want me to
be home in a hurry, but I’m not in one.

“So what’s your story with your parents?”
Johnny finally breaks the ice.

It’s refreshing when I get a chance to
talk about my mom, and now I can talk about her without choking up. “I’ve never
met my father, that I can remember anyway. My mom died six months ago,” I tilt
my head. I have to think about that one. It feels like an eternity. “Most
people already know, so I’m not used to talking about her anymore.”

Johnny
peers down at me, a look of understanding crosses his face. He knows what I
know. It’s good for the soul to remember the dead.

“What was she like?” He asks.

“She
was—always right,” I smile as I think of the look she gave me when I
dared argue. “She always dressed up like she had someone to please, yet, she never
really went anywhere. We spent most of our time together. She encouraged me to
study, to laugh, to play—she taught me how to love—and she was a
great cook,” I close my eyes and try to imagine the smell of one of her dishes.
I was always a sucker for her spinach and feta pita bake. She made it just
right; tasty, full of flavor, and crunchy crust. “Not even Charlotte’s cooking
compares to my moms.” I smile at the thought of Charlotte trying to mimic my
mom’s recipes, failing purposefully every time.

“Charlotte
seems to really care for you and Rose.”

I
can only agree. “It was so strange at first. Charlotte has always been kind to
me but here I was, alone, practically forced to move in with two strangers. They
were so patient with me—and very understanding.”

“So you don’t know why your mom kept you
away from them?” Johnny sounds puzzled. He has no idea.

I let out a sigh. “My mom wanted to keep
the world away from me, I guess. I’m not sure why. I find bits and pieces out
as time goes on. Rose isn’t exactly forthcoming.” This is enough information to
divulge without lying.

Johnny
surprises me by shaking his head. “Your mom was wrong to keep you away from who
you really are. I’m sure she was well-meaning, but it’s a parent’s job to raise
their children to one-day spread their wings confidently. Your mom must have
been holding onto something.”

It’s
like he knows exactly what I’m talking about—like he understands me.
What’s Johnny’s story? How did he become so wise?

We’re
walking through the back patio entrance when we’re greeted by an anxious Rose
with crossed arms. Charlotte is not too far behind her holding a smirk of
happiness on her face. At least one of them is encouraging me to experience
life.

“Rose, hi. This is Johnny. Johnny, meet
my grandmother Rose. And that’s Charlotte.”

Johnny shakes Rose’s hand but I can see
in his face that she’s overpowering him. I glare at her. “Rose,” I say harshly.
“Johnny was nice enough to accompany me on the Ferris wheel and walk me home.”

She lets up and drops her hand to her
side. “Well, I suppose that was kind of you Johnny. I do believe we’ve met
before.”

I desperately want to rescue Johnny from the
wrath of Rose, but he’s smiling back at her. He handles her well. “Yes, we have
ma’am. I believe you knew my parents as well. They grew up in Apollo Beach and
own a home on the other side of town.”

“Oh?” Rose raises an eyebrow. “What’s the
name?”

The wind picks up and I know this is
Charlotte’s doing. I give her a grateful look. She winks.

“Pierce.” He takes a few steps back. “I
better be heading home. Have a nice night. I’ll see you tomorrow, Katrina.”

Katrina?
Did Johnny just call me by my full name?
For Rose’s benefit most likely. I smile at him before he turns and jogs off
down the stairs leading to the beach.

Johnny Pierce. The name is fitting, and
sounds just as handsome as he is.

I turn my focus on Rose and narrow my
eyes. “Could you be any more unfriendly, Rose? You could have thanked him
kindly for walking me home. He’s not the reason I’m out late.”

Her thoughts seemed trapped though as she
ignores me. “Pierce. Why does that sound so familiar?”

I roll my eyes and shake my head. “He said
you probably know his parents.” Rose can be so frustrating. “I’m the one you
should be mad at, not Johnny.”

Rose shakes her head, as if allowing the
questions to disperse. “Okay then,” she says, her eyes challenging me. “I’m
angry at you. You know what’s out there. I can’t protect you if you don’t
listen to simple rules. No one is to be out this late, especially alone, and
especially on the Island. Do you want to be next?”

I gasp and so does Charlotte. Charlotte
comes forward quickly and takes Rose’s arm. “Rose, we should get to bed now.
Kat is safe. We can all talk in the morning.”

Rose looks exhausted. I notice this now
as her expression sags along with her shoulders. She is worried about me. I
immediately feel the guilt rush through my body.

“I’m sorry,” I say quickly, before she
has a chance to turn away. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking being
out there so late. I promise not to do it again.”

Too tired to appear grateful, Rose just
nods her head and allows Charlotte to take her to her room.

Meanwhile, I take a seat on the patio and
muse over the night I’ve just had with Johnny. Usually, I try so hard, but can
never shake him from my mind—tonight, I don’t want to.

The next afternoon I search the food
booths until I find Johnny on the far side of the Island. He’s already there
stocking cabinets and shelves with napkins and plastic ware. He looks up
briefly to greet me. “Hey Kat.”

My name rolls off his tongue naturally.
It takes me back to last night when he called me by my full name. I kind of
liked hearing him say
Katrina
. I lift
myself up onto the counter and peer into the booth. Empty boxes and plastic containers
cover the floor as if they’ve been flung in all directions.

“You like doing this? Running all these
events?”

Johnny peers up at me without lifting his
head from what he’s doing and I swear I glimpse a smile forming. He shrugs.
“I’ve got nothing better to do. You going to help or just sit there asking
questions?”

I grin. “I’m here on volunteer business.
You can’t boss me around today.”

He laughs lightly. “I don’t boss you
around
ever
.”

I lift my eyebrows. Is he serious? Does
he not remember the many times he’s told me what to do—or rather, what
not
to do?

“Sure,” I say with a grin. “Hey, have you
heard from your friends that rescued the manatee? Do you know how he’s doing?”

Johnny stops unwrapping the paper casing
from the napkins he’s holding. “Yeah, they say he’s doing great. They’re going
to keep him another couple weeks before releasing him but he’ll be fine, thanks
to you.”

I shake my head. “No, you’re the one who
knew exactly what to do. That manatee was lucky you were there.”

He looks at me with an amused glance
before folding his arms across his chest. “Don’t volunteers
help
? Come on, I want to get out of
here.”

My heart sinks. The last thing I want is
to get out of here. I swing my legs over the counter and hop down. My feet land
right in front of his and when I stand I’m surprised by how tall he is. I guess
I never noticed. My eyes land on his collarbone as a heavenly fragrance greets
my nostrils—Johnny’s familiar scent of sun-kissed beaches, and just a
hint of sweet pineapple.

Being this close to Johnny is extremely
intimidating. As my eyes flicker up at his, I catch him staring down at me. He
may not be glaring at me anymore but his gaze is still intense. He looks away quickly,
turning back to his napkin duties.

Disappointment sets in. Why does he
always move away from me?

“What would you like me to do?” I ask,
looking around.

He kicks a box at his foot without
looking at it. “You can fold rags and put them in that drawer over there. I
know it’s not the most glamorous job but it will help.”

I shrug. “It’s fine. What makes you think
I like glamorous anyway?”

He looks back to his own box of plastic ware
now. “Don’t Summer’s like nice things? Nice homes. Islands named after them?”

I resent his question. “Johnny. Is that
really what you think of me—and my family?”

He looks at me now. “Not anymore. I was
kidding.”

“But you did” I say this quietly as to
not prolong the conversation.

I can feel Johnny’s eyes on me but I
can’t look at him. “I did think that, yes—but I don’t think that
anymore.”

“You just made a comment. You obviously
still think that,” I say defensively.

If only he understood the
why
behind it all; the fact that Rose
and my grandfather are the reason this town still exists, and the only reason
the Island has the Summer name is because it was protected by magic to be a
safe house to other Solstice who seek a place where they belong. He’ll never
have the chance to understand it all but he shouldn’t be so judgmental.

“Hey,” his words are gentle. “You’re
right. Sometimes, I just make stupid assumptions—but you’ve got to admit
your grandmother likes nice things.”

I sigh. He’s right. “Yes, she does, but
that doesn’t mean you should think any less of her.”

“Again, you’re right.” He smiles. “You’re
on a roll lately.”

I shake my head, trying to hide my smile.
I finish folding the napkins and begin tearing down the empty boxes and placing
them in a pile outside the booth.

“Here, help me with this banner.” Johnny
unrolls a large banner that says Island Dogs.

I climb onto the ladder without
hesitation and he has to grab it from below me to stop it from shaking. “Go
slow, Kat. You’re going to break your neck.”

I grin. “I’ll be fine.” I hammer in one
side of the banner and then do the same to the other side.

As I’m jumping down Johnny’s right there
to make sure I land safely. His hands catch my waist and lift me the rest of
the way down. My hands use his forearms as leverage. Johnny is all muscle. The feel
of his large hands on me causes a tingling sensation all through body. He is
incredibly good looking. Have I completely denied my eyes from seeing him until
now?

“Thanks,” I say looking up at him without
actually making eye contact.

When his lips turn up I get a peek of his
white teeth so I know he’s amused by me. “You’re welcome.”

He releases my waist and I look away,
hoping my blush subsides.

“Hey Kat.” A guy I recognize as Dan from
some of the Enchanter meetings calls to me. He’s an out-of-towner so we haven’t
spoken much.

“When you two are done you should join
us. We’re all making environment signs for the city. We’re over there.” He
points to the large gazebo area that is set up with picnic tables for
everyone.”

I nod. “Yeah okay, thanks Dan.”

Dan walks away but Johnny frowns. “Signs
for the environment? What is that about?”

“Environmental friendly signs.” I shrug.
“I thought it would be a good idea to place them around the city to remind
everyone of the things we can do to be conscious about the environment.
Recycle, pick up loose trash, carpool…”

“Ride your bicycle everywhere.” Johnny is
smiling and I realize he’s teasing me which is extremely attractive.

I return his smile. “Well, yeah.”

He chuckles. “I didn’t know you were into
all that stuff.”

I shrug, knowing that I can’t tell him
the whole story. “Well, it’s important. If we want to keep our city and bay
clean, we all need to be aware so we can contribute.”

Johnny’s eyes linger on mine. My eyes
flicker up and catch them. “Can I help? Make the signs, I mean?”

Surprised, but grateful, I nod. “Of
course.”

We walk side-by-side to the gazebo where
a dozen people of all ages, led by Dan, are designing poster boards by hand
with messages and reminders about the environment.

Truth be told, I’m an awful artist. I
can’t even pretend, and I’m certain my magic isn’t strong enough to make me any
better, but I do my best. I take a blue marker and a poster board and begin
drawing words that will help others remember to be good to our environment. When
I’m done, I’m not impressed. I giggle at the hideous piece of art I’ve put
together.

Johnny looks up at me and smiles. “How’d
you do?”

I make a face and shake my head. “Not
great.”

“Show me,” he laughs, knowing I have
something to hide.

I shake my head. “No that’s okay. I think
I’ll start over.”

He gasps good-humoredly. “And waste
poster board?”

Throwing my head back, I laugh. “You had
to go there? Let me see yours first.”

“Fine.” He agrees and turns his poster
board around.

I’m expecting something similar to mine,
but no. Johnny’s poster is a masterpiece. It’s a cartoon figure of a dark
haired girl with silver eyes, riding the back of a manatee. The words above and
below it say,
They protect the
environment. Do you?

My jaw is open wide. I look from Johnny
to the poster and shake my head.
“Wow. That is really good.” I look closer at it, taking it from him. “Who is
that girl?” A suspicion tells me it’s me, but I’m not too quick to get my hopes
up. It could be anyone.

He grins. “It’s you.”

I stare at the poster once more,
particularly at the illustration of me. The head is bigger than the rest of the
body, the cheeks are exaggerated, and the eyes are wide and look like they are
sparkling.

“You’re an artist.”

Johnny makes a face now. “No, I’m not. I
just like to draw.”

I set the poster down. “Well, you should
like to draw more often. Because you’re really great at it. I wish I could keep
this.”

He snatches it away from me. “Don’t be
selfish. This is for the environment.” With a smirk on his face, he rips my
poster out of my hands. I’m humiliated before he even looks at it. He gives me
a small smile. “This isn’t bad.”

My mouth opens in horror. “Don’t start
lying to me now. You were on a roll.”

His smirk deepens. “Okay, it’s hideous, but
it’s the thought that counts.”

He stands up and takes our posters to the
table to allow them to dry. When he returns I notice how relaxed he seems. His
intensity is still there; it’s just part of him, and I don’t resent it any
longer.

“Do you have to be anywhere?”

What does he have in mind? I shake my
head. “No. Do you need me to cover your shift?” I hope this isn’t the case.

“No,” he says smoothly. “I need to run by
the energy plant to help someone, but there’s something I want to show you.”

The energy plant? What could Johnny
possibly want to show me there? I follow him anyway, curious, and I actually
enjoy spending time with him. Johnny walks with purpose, telling me there is
nothing more important than where he’s headed. He hides so much behind his thick
exterior; it’s intriguing.