Florida Fling with the Single Dad, page 14
But returning to Key West would mean more goodbyes.
“Besides, your brothers say you seemed happy there. More like the old Katie,” her father said.
“You mean more like the way I was before I was shot?” she asked. Her father was as uncomfortable discussing that night as she had been. But that was before she’d gone to Key West. Before the work she’d done with her counselor. Before she’d had Dylan on her side encouraging her to do the work that was needed for her recovery.
“It’s okay to say it. I won’t break if we talk about it.” Not now. Never again. No matter how hard it was to acknowledge, she would never hide from that night again. She’d given it power over her by keeping what happened that night in the dark. But now that she had brought it all out into the light, she knew that, though she would never be the same, she could be just as strong if not stronger.
“I should have talked to you sooner. It was just such a shock. With your brothers, I’ve always known there was a chance of them being injured. But you? This wasn’t supposed to happen to you.”
She stepped toward her father and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s okay, Daddy. I’m going to be okay. So is Junior.”
Then for the first time since the shooting, she and her dad sat at her little kitchen table and talked openly about what happened the night she’d been hurt and the way it had affected her.
An hour later, after her father had promised that he would go straight home to rest and she had assured him that she would never let her fear of worrying him keep her from confiding in him, they said their tearful goodbyes and she returned to her phone where she saw she had received a new text from Jo.
Dylan told us what happened to you brother. How is he? Are you okay?
Katie didn’t think twice before she returned the text. Her father was right.
He’s doing great. See you soon.
Putting away her phone, she headed to her bedroom to pack.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“KATIE!” VIOLET CRIED as she sprang out of the car and ran up the steps of the rental cottage.
Dylan had known Katie was returning to the island—Jo had spread the word to all the crew—but he still wasn’t prepared to see her. He’d spent hours staring out his window at the cottage, knowing she would never return. But she had.
For just a moment, seeing her standing there, her hair blowing in the soft gulf breeze, her lips curved into a big smile for the two of them, he felt a momentary jolt of hope. And then he saw her suitcase and was reminded she’d only returned to finish out her contract. She’d be leaving again.
And he’d have to go through the same hell as he had when he’d watched her turn from him at the airport. His hand instinctively brushed against his lips as he remembered the kiss she’d given him before she’d run away. It wasn’t one he would ever be able to forget.
Which was just more reason for him to stay away from her now. Memories that he’d thought would give him some relief from the pain of her leaving, now haunted him instead.
“Hello,” Katie said, as she started down the stairs toward him.
“Your brother must be doing okay,” he said as he made it to his daughter and put his arm around her shoulders.
“They’re releasing him from the hospital tomorrow.” She looked almost as uncomfortable as he felt.
“See, Daddy. I told you Katie was coming back,” Violet said matter-of-factly.
“I see. Didn’t you say you needed to start on your geography homework as soon as you got home?” He didn’t need his daughter bringing up all her wildly romantic notions in front of Katie. Things were awkward enough between the two of them.
“I know. I just wanted to talk to Katie for a minute. Maybe she can come over for supper?” his daughter asked, her eyes pleading with him.
“We’re eating at your grandparents’ house tonight,” he said quickly, knowing he’d have to make a quick call to his mother to warn her of their new plans.
He couldn’t do anything that might encourage Violet’s idea that he and Katie were a couple. Instead, he needed to remind his daughter that Katie was just here temporarily and the two of them were only friends.
“It sounds like you have a very busy evening ahead of you,” Katie said to Violet before turning toward him. “I checked the schedule and saw I’m on for the four shifts next week.”
“Jo and Casey took some time off and I figured you wouldn’t mind since it’s your last week,” Dylan said, aware Violet was listening intently to every word. It was time his daughter accepted that Katie would not be staying.
“It’s not a problem,” Katie said before addressing Violet. “How about we get together next week for a painting day? If it’s okay with your daddy, of course.”
Dylan met Katie’s eyes and knew he couldn’t deny either one of them that one last day together.
“That would be fine. But right now, we both better go get ready before it’s time for us to leave for my parents’ home.” He turned Violet toward their own home, making his escape as painless as possible.
As they reached the top of the steps, Violet turned to wave goodbye to Katie. Unable to help himself, he turned too, catching sight of Katie disappearing into the cottage.
* * *
It was Katie’s last flight in Key West. In a couple more hours she would be clocking out for the last time. For now, though, she had no choice than to sit next to a somber Dylan, who had done a great job of pretending she didn’t exist for the last week. As soon as the helicopter skids lifted off the ground, her stomach had begun to churn and it wasn’t because of the speed at which they flew across the island.
“Hang on, guys,” Roy said over their headphones. “This is going to be a quick trip.”
As Dylan was lead, Katie prepared their scene bag, checking to make sure everything was in place.
“Miami General is accepting,” Dylan said over the headphones. “They’re notifying their neurosurgeon now.”
“This place has a reputation for being rough so the county cops are securing the scene right now. They’ve got the suspect in custody, but it seems there was a drunken brawl in progress when they arrived,” Roy said as he banked to the left.
The local fire department for the small lower key came over the radio with the coordinates of their landing zone and Roy had them landing only six minutes from takeoff.
“Where’s our patient?” Dylan asked one of the officers who’d been designated to escort them. It seemed that though the fighting had stopped, the amount of inebriated customers had them all on alert.
“This way,” the young officer said, leading them up to a large shack made up of large poles and what looked like palm limbs.
“They called this a bar?” Katie asked Dylan as they walked through the sand along the path through all the onlookers.
“It’s a tiki bar. They’re popular with the tourists,” Dylan explained, speaking directly to her for the first time in days.
Following the officer, she was surprised to see that their patient now lay on top of the bar while an older woman, the only person besides the first responders who seemed to be sober, was wiping up blood with her bar towel. The scene was wrong in so many ways.
“Let’s get this guy and get out of here,” she told Dylan.
“It’s okay. They’re just drunk. The officers can handle them,” Dylan said as he put a hand on her waist and gently urged her in front of him.
Startled by his touch, she jumped. Even through her thick flight suit, the one that had been made to strict specifications to protect her from the hottest of fires, couldn’t protect her from the feel of his hand against her.
But as they took the last few steps up to the bar, she realized why Dylan had suddenly become so attentive. He thought she was reacting to the crowd that surrounded her. She wanted to laugh, but it hurt too much. Only when he thought she needed him to help her through her anxiety had he been ready to give her the attention she craved since she arrived back in the keys.
“It’s not them,” she said as she pulled away from him and pointed back to the crowd that was beginning to thin as the officers explained the bar was closed for the night. Or early morning as was the case.
“It’s her,” Katie said, pointing to the woman, who was now straightening the back of the bar, ignoring the unconscious man stretched across her bar being cared for by the local ambulance crew. “That’s cold. Scary cold.”
Dylan looked at the woman and nodded his head before moving in front of Katie and beginning his assessment of their patient. Maybe it would have been better if she had pretended the crowd was the trouble. At least then she wouldn’t have to deal with the cold shoulder Dylan had been giving her.
Though she expected the patient’s injuries were superficial except for what looked like an orbital fracture, she started an intravenous line in each arm and prepared to infuse a bag of fluid.
“Let’s get him loaded,” Dylan said after he finished bandaging a nasty-looking cut across the man’s hand.
It wasn’t until they were back on their way from Miami while she was staring out the window that it truly hit her: this would be the last time she flew across the beautiful body of water below her.
It was also the last time she’d sit next to Dylan, crammed into the two seats next to each other, something that she’d always enjoyed. Until now. The feel of his hand against her waist had brought back the deep need and desire that had once consumed her. Had it affected him the same way it had her? There was a time when she would have felt comfortable asking him, exploring those needs and desires. But that was before he froze her out.
It was a good thing that tomorrow would be her last day on the island before she packed up and left for New York, because she didn’t think she could take any more of Dylan ignoring what they’d had such a short time ago. Had it just been a a couple months ago, that she’d been driven to seek some distance from her home in order to heal? And now she was running the opposite way.
Sometimes life just didn’t make sense.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DYLAN HAD LISTENED to the laughter coming from Katie’s back deck all morning. Most of it had been his daughter’s giggles, but occasionally he heard the sweet sound of Katie’s own laughter above his daughter’s.
He could have shut the door to his back deck, closed the windows he had opened to let the fresh air in, or gone into one of the other rooms where he couldn’t hear the two of them. Instead, he’d chosen to let the music of their voices fill his home as he went through his weekend chores. It was a masochistic thing to do. He knew that. But he wasn’t strong enough to pretend that he didn’t enjoy the sound of the two of them as they painted and talked.
He knew it was only his threats of taking away her allotted television time that kept his daughter from making any comments about Kate’s leaving. Trying to explain to his eight-year-old that real adult relationships didn’t work like the animated movies she loved hadn’t gone well.
The knock on the back door jarred him back into the present as his daughter raced by him to her room carrying several large pieces of paper.
“Hi,” Katie said as she stepped into the house. She carried a canvas but had it turned away from him. “I’m sorry. I was trying to explain to her that I had finished my contract and had to go home.”
His daughter’s door slammed behind her and the two of them were left alone. He’d known this was coming. At least he’dd prepared as much as any father could prepare for their daughter’s heart to be broken.
“I know. I don’t blame you.” He blamed himself. He’d known no matter what, Katie leaving both of their lives would be hard. It was like Lilly leaving Violet all over again.
“I wanted to give you this. I know you said you liked it, though if you don’t want to hang it I’ll understand.”
He took the canvas she held out to him and was surprised to see it was the painting of the white heron that she’d been so excited about. “Are you sure you don’t want to take it with you?”
“I’ve got another one I’m taking with me. I’ve also got some supplies for Violet that I’m going to leave in the cottage.” She looked down at her feet then back up to him. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done. I mean...”
Her face flushed pink. “I mean I needed a friend when I got here. Thanks for being there. For being that friend.”
What was he to say to that? How could she compare what they’d had to merely friendship?
“I’ve got to go. I’m meeting Jo and Summer downtown in a few hours.”
Holding the canvas, he stood and watched as she rushed away. Had those been tears in her eyes?
“Why didn’t you ask her to stay?” Violet demanded from behind him. “She loves me and you. I know she does. Ask her. She’ll tell you.”
He should have known his daughter would be listening to their conversation. “That’s not the kind of thing you ask someone, honey.”
“How doyou know if she would have stayed when you didn’t ask her?” His daughter’s voice was getting louder.
Why was she angry at him? He wasn’t the one leaving.
“You didn’t ask Katie to stay just like you didn’t ask my mommy to stay.” His daughter cried.
“Oh, baby,” he said as he bent down and took his daughter into his arms. “Your mommy couldn’t stay. She would be miserable here. We both knew it. But it wasn’t because she didn’t love you. She just can’t be happy in one place for very long.”
“But Katie can and you’re too scared to ask her,” Violet said as she pulled out of his arms, “Didn’t you tell me that you never learn the answer if you don’t ask the question?”
“I was talking about you asking your teacher questions if you didn’t understand something. This is different.” How did he explain that things weren’t as simple as they appeared to an eight-year-old?
“Do you want me to ask her for you?” Violet said as she headed toward the back door.
“Violet Louise Maddox, you stop right there before I ground you for the rest of your life.”
“Men,” his daughter spat out at him as she stomped past him toward her room, looking nothing like the sweet little girl that had gotten up that morning.
His head was spinning. Where had he lost control of this conversation? Maybe where his daughter had thrown her mother’s betrayal at him?
Violet had only been seven when her mother had left. There hadn’t been a way to explain to her that before she’d even been born he had asked her mother to stay. And he would never share with his daughter how her mother had laughed at him before explaining that she’d had her fill of living on his little houseboat. There were bigger and better places to see out in the world. She needed more excitement than he and his little island could give her.
But Katie wasn’t Lilly. Katie would never leave her child so she could roam the world looking for excitement. But could she ever be happy here? With just him and Lilly? Without the bright lights of New York City?
What if Violet was right? What if he let Katie walk away from them without him asking her to stay?
One thing his daughter was absolutely right about: if he didn’t ask the question, he would never know the answer.
He found himself walking from room to room. Trying to work out what he needed to do until finally it hit him. Rushing down the hall, he opened his daughter’s door only to find that she’d cried herself to sleep.
“Violet, wake up,” he said, brushing his hand across his daughter’s hair, “I have a plan, but I’m going to need your help.”
* * *
Katie stood in the middle of Duval Street, dressed in a short emerald dress of lace and silk, and tried to balance on the three-inch heels Jo and Summer had insisted would be perfect for their last night out together.
“There you are” Dylan came up beside her. Dressed in a black three-piece suit, he looked more like a banker than a paramedic.
“Where’re Jo and Summer?” she asked as she took the glass of champagne he held out to her. This was supposed to be a girls-only night. The two women had a lot of explaining to do. They could have at least warned her that Dylan would be here tonight.
“They’re around here somewhere,” he said. “They’ll catch up with us later.”
“Why are you here tonight?” she asked as they took a path down through the artist and galleries until they came to a stop in front of a small shop that she’d never noticed before. Jo and Summer were nowhere to be seen.
“I’ll explain in a minute. There’s something I want you to see,” Dylan said as he opened a door that led into a room lit with crystal chandeliers.
The only furniture in the room was a glass case that ran across the back wall. As Katie approached the it an old man wrinkled with age stepped out of a back room.
“Dylan, I’m so glad to see you. Is this your Katie?” he asked.
“Katie, this is Peter,” Dylan said.
“It’s nice to meet you, Peter.” She gazed down into the case that held as much sparkly jewelry as Tiffany’s, forgetting for a moment that she was waiting for Dylan to explain what was going on. “You have some lovely pieces here.”
“Peter was a master jeweler in Cuba before he came to Key West,” Dylan said then turned to Peter. “Is it ready?”
“Of course, it is ready,” Peter replied. “Come see.”
Katie watched as Peter pulled a small black velvet box from under the counter. A delicate ring of diamonds surrounding a round solitaire stone set into a white-gold frame lay in front of her.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. Her breath caught in her chest.
“A little girl told me today that if I didn’t ask the question I would never learn the answer.”
