Chapter 6
SIX
T he moment Xanthe saw him, it was like someone turned down the dial on a dimmer switch.
She’d looked so happy when she’d first walked out onto the patio, cheeks flushed pink, eyes gleaming. But then her smile slipped, and the happy spark faded from her eyes.
He understood her reaction. But that didn’t mean he liked it.
“Hi,” Blaine said, just as surprised to see her here. Mae hadn’t told them she was coming. Or hadn’t told him, at least. He was sure it wasn’t an oversight.
Looked like he’d underestimated her too.
“I’m so glad you came,” Willow said, breaking the awkward tension as she stood and went over to hug Xanthe.
“I wasn’t sure I could until the last minute.”
“Your timing is perfect,” Mae said. “I just took dessert out of the oven, and everything else should be ready now.”
“Need a hand with anything?” Xanthe asked, avoiding looking his way.
“You can help me bring everything out from the kitchen if you like. Been a bit clumsy lately, wouldn’t want to drop our dinner on the floor.”
“I’ll help,” Willow said, and the three of them went back inside.
Tripp looked over at him as he picked up his beer, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Well, dinner won’t be dull anyway.”
“It’s fine.” He and Xanthe might not see eye to eye on a lot of things, but they were both civilized adults.
Mae had invited them into her home and made them all dinner.
The sign over the front door was a warning as well as a motto.
He wouldn’t make this awkward and didn’t think Xanthe would either.
Even a relative newcomer like him knew the rules about coming to Mae’s house.
Didn’t matter what your political, religious, or social views were, or what your background was, everyone invited into her home was expected to be respectful of one another under her roof.
Though he assumed she wouldn’t invite criminals and bigots into her house.
He was looking forward to taking the hostility down a notch or five and lowering the temperature for tonight. Or maybe raising the temperature a few degrees, given the glacial look Xanthe had given him.
“Here we go,” Mae said, carrying a dish out, with Xanthe and Willow bringing others behind her. She set hers on the table. “I’ve made tons of veggies for you, Xanthe.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you a vegetarian?” Blaine asked her.
She set a casserole dish on the table and answered without looking at him. “Pescatarian.”
Of course.
“Is that a problem for you?” she asked him, a defensive edge to her tone and posture.
“No. Just surprised you eat fish given how much you care about sea life.”
Her stare chilled another ten degrees. “I do care. That’s why I only eat responsibly and sustainably sourced, wild-caught seafood.”
“I made brown sugar-glazed salmon. Wild-caught,” Mae added, giving no indication that she’d picked up on the tension between him and Xanthe. But he was sure she knew. And he was just as sure that’s why she’d invited them both here tonight, to force them to play nice for the evening.
Blaine picked up the bottle of white. “Wine?” he asked Xanthe.
She looked at him. “Sure. Just a small glass. Thank you,” she added after a moment.
“My pleasure.” He filled her glass half full, then topped up Mae’s.
“Now.” Mae settled herself on the seat, and Tripp helped her push the chair in. She picked up her wineglass and smiled at them all. “To us, and the spirit of friendship that marks the cornerstone of our life here on the island.”
Blaine hid a grin and raised his glass at her pointed words. Sneaky. “Cheers.” He tapped glasses with the others, met Xanthe’s gaze as theirs touched. Her gorgeous silver eyes were just this side of glacial, but at least she was looking at him.
“Everyone help yourself,” Mae said. “Then I want to hear all about the whale Xanthe rescued.”
“You did?” Willow asked in excitement.
“The humpback on the news?” Tripp said.
“That’s the one. His name is Nootka, and Lachlan got it on video,” Xanthe said. “I’ll show you after we eat.”
“That deserves another toast.” Willow held up her glass.
This time, Xanthe smiled at everyone but him.
“Tell us what happened,” Mae insisted as everyone helped themselves to what was on the table.
Blaine listened as Xanthe explained what had happened. He was impressed that she’d stayed out on the water as long as she had in the current conditions. And that she’d continually put herself at that kind of risk to free the whale.
Whatever else Dr. Lazos was, she was willing to walk the walk and put herself in harm’s way. He admired that level of dedication and bravery. As well as her obvious passion, even if he didn’t share it.
“Will Nootka be okay?” Willow asked, frowning in concern when Xanthe finished.
“Hope so. We’ll keep as close an eye on him as we can over the next week or two. Anyway, it wasn’t just me. Lachlan was a huge help. I could never have cut that rope without his expert handling of the boat, especially in those conditions.”
Blaine liked that she gave the other guy some credit.
Her ordeal explained her slightly disheveled appearance, a huge difference from the last time he’d seen her, and the white traces of salt on her cheeks and hair.
But her natural beauty and lack of self-consciousness about her current appearance was almost more attractive than her polished look at the council meeting.
“Lachlan is a gem. Anybody else find this salmon bland?” Mae asked, frowning at her plate.
“No, it’s fantastic,” Xanthe said.
“Blaine?” she asked.
He swallowed his mouthful. “No, it’s perfect. Definitely not bland.”
Mae frowned and cut a bite of roasted red pepper. “Must be my sinuses acting up with the change of season. Can’t seem to smell or taste much lately.”
Blaine watched her lift her fork to her mouth as the conversation resumed. Noticed the slight shake in her hand. He glanced around the table to see if anyone else had noticed, but no one else was paying attention.
He stayed quiet throughout the meal, trying to get a read on Xanthe as a person. Beyond the few things he already knew about her—that she was a tree-hugger and environmental warrior.
She was also smart and brave. Impressively so, but he didn’t fully appreciate how brave until she showed them the video of her slicing through the rope.
Being that close to such a huge wild and unpredictable animal in those conditions took serious balls.
One flick of that massive tail, and she could have been killed.
She was the complete opposite of his usual type, physically too. And she didn’t seem to realize—or maybe accept—that approval of the resort was pretty much a done deal. When it passed the vote, she was going to hate him more than ever.
She intrigued him though. Even if it made no sense.
Didn’t matter. He had company coming in the morning. Was excited to see Maddy, and she would take his mind off things. Hopefully including a certain alluring whale expert who couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“Blaine,” Mae said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “Anything new happening in your world?”
“Just work.” His phone buzzed in his back pocket with an incoming call. He pulled it out discreetly, saw the name on display and stood, sudden tension coiling in his chest. He’d also missed a few messages from Don. But those could wait. “Sorry, I need to take this. Excuse me.”
“Of course,” Mae said.
The others fell silent as he left the table, walked through the house, and out the front door. Only when he was next to his car did he call the person back.
“Screening your calls again?” the familiar female voice said.
“Maybe,” he answered, trying to gauge her mood. It had been more than a week since he’d last spoken to her. “How are you, gorgeous?”
She laughed. “I’m just fine, handsome.”
He smiled in relief, the tightness in his chest easing. It was a good day. “That’s good to hear. Looking forward to seeing you in a few days.”