Chapter 16
JASMINE
Murdered.
A woman was murdered not even six months ago.
All my Pollyanna hopes that the smugglers were done with us dissolved under the threat that they could turn up at any moment and take us out.
They weren’t telling me everything, I could feel it.
The realization that it was even worse than I imagined left me almost afraid to breathe, paralyzed by fear.
A faraway voice cut through the tension in the humid air.
“Let’s get this table cleared,” Ava said, nodding toward Faith.
I blinked at her, mute.
“Yes!” Corinne said, jumping up from the table.
At seven months pregnant she was incredibly agile, which I found quite endearing in that surreal moment.
The dock lights haloed her hair; behind her, the marina clinked with halyards and low voices, normal sounds at odds with the panic thudding in my chest. I’d thought keeping the incident secret would be easy, but that was before I heard about the murder of a family friend that they’d tied to smugglers.
I didn’t want to be the next body found floating in a canal. Maybe I should go back to Minnesota.
I looked around, unsure what to do—both right now and in the near future.
Right now I could follow the girls and give up my shield, or stay under Kai’s protective wing and silently continue to freak the fuck out?
I was leaning heavily toward the latter when Corinne called, waving me with her hand as she scooped up plates.
“Jasmine, can you bring the platters, please?”
“Sure,” I said, grabbing the fish platter in front of me as I stood, somewhat relieved at not having to make a decision with my addled mind.
Quickly I realized I’d be foregoing a conversation with the only other people who knew the danger we were in, and almost changed my mind.
But questions about Kylie swirled among the panic that had hijacked my brain, and talking about it now might send me over the edge.
Following behind Corinne, I collected the other two platters. My stomach knotted at the thought of being alone with her and Faith and Ava. I had to calm myself down.
Just remember to breathe had always been my favorite mantra.
Two deep breaths later, I was relaxed enough that trivial thoughts about the delineation of duties along gender lines and how it irked my feminist side, trickled in.
Ted stood in solidarity, grabbing the silverware and piling it into the empty salad bowl, following along behind us, the lone penis-bearer in the parade.
We filed into the kitchen, which was far too small for five of us to work together.
Ted must have reached the same conclusion, but he knew exactly what to do and went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine.
“Let me do that,” I told Corinne as she scraped food remnants into the garbage. “Go keep Ted company. We’ve got this.”
“Don’t be silly. I can’t even have a glass of wine,” she said, gesturing to her baby bump. “Sit down with Ted and entertain us.”
I wondered if an anxiety attack would be entertaining. But the Pinot Grigio might help keep me from becoming a full-blown nervous wreck. “If you’re sure… I feel like the very pregnant lady should be the one sitting, though.”
“Honestly, I feel great! I have more energy than ever,” she said while spraying down a plate over the sink. “I swam a mile and a half this morning.”
“That would explain why you’re the slimmest pregnant lady I’ve ever seen,” Ted said, holding up his wine glass as if to toast it. His bracelet clinked against the stem.
“I’m gaining weight at a steady, healthy pace,” Corinne responded with a tinge of bitchy. “I’m not skinny.”
“I didn’t say skinny. I said slim. You still have your waistline, for Christ’s sake,” Ted laughed. “Turn around,” he said, twirling his finger in the air.
Corinne gave a dubious look but let out a chuckle and complied. Even though Corinne’s back was to us and she couldn’t possibly see it, Ted flexed his hand like a crossing guard’s command and said, “Now stop.”
“See what I mean?” he asked no one in particular. Suddenly we were all staring at Corinne’s bubble butt. And sure enough, above it, was a contoured waistline.
“He’s right, you don’t look the slightest bit pregnant from behind,” I agreed. It really was remarkable.
“Anyway, that’s what I meant,” Ted said, flicking his wrist dismissively. “I wasn’t trying to slim-shame you.”
Ted looked at Ava, who’d turned to glare at him. “It’s a thing now,” he insisted.
“Well, you know, Ted,” Ava said dryly, “when in doubt, not commenting on a woman’s body will never get you into trouble.”
“Alright, alright! I own it,” Ted said, throwing his hands up in the air more dramatically than was necessary. “I’m sorry, Corinne, for trying to give you a compliment. It was shallow and insensitive. Please forgive me.”
His passive-aggressive apology somehow seemed sincere.
Corinne turned to face us, resting her hand under her perfect basketball belly.
“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m a little sensitive these days,” she said with an amused smile.
Her gaze drifted to the glass of wine in my hand. “Can I taste a little?”
“Yes, of course.” I handed her the glass. She barely tipped it enough for the liquid to touch her lips, and surely no more than a few drops made it past, but she licked her lips and savored the flavor like it had been a satisfying sip. “God, I miss wine.”
“Can’t you have a little?” Faith asked as she wiped down the countertop around the sink. “My friend Maribel was seven months pregnant in the holiday season, and her doctor told her it was fine to have an occasional glass.”
“I’m happy just tasting it,” Corinne smiled, turning the glass up to wet her lips again.
“Honey, go to town. Lap it up like a cat does warm milk if you want.” Ted laughed as he handed me a fresh glass. “Let her keep that one.”
I’d sucked down more than half the first glass and it was startling how fast it kicked in. I finally felt myself relaxing as Faith dried her hands on a Conch Republic dishtowel and came over to join us.
Ted handed her a glass. “Congrats, ladies,” he said, raising his glass first to Faith and then to Corinne, “for locking down two of the hottest men in the Keys.”
I was mid-sip when he extended the toast to me. “And you, too, if you decide to lock Kai down,” Ted said with a playful glint in his eyes and a smirk on his lips.
His tipsy crosshairs had settled on me, but I wasn’t going to play into it. “It’s a little early to think about that,” I said matter-of-factly in hopes I’d shut down the line of questioning. Unfortunately, my companions were happy to keep me in the hot seat.
“Well, Kai is obviously head over heels for you,” Faith grinned. “I’m just saying…” Heat rose up my throat; the kitchen suddenly felt smaller. I didn’t want to talk about our relationship, but I loved hearing people who knew him well say that they could see his love.
“Oh God yes,” Ted agreed, waving his hand like it was a foregone conclusion.
“He seems positively smitten.” He emptied the bottle into a glass and handed it to Ava.
“Your brothers were single for so long I was beginning to wonder-slash-hope that they were all on my team,” he snickered.
“But it seems like there’s something in the water lately.
They’re getting snatched up like bait fish these days,” Ted laughed, his slightly glazed eyes squinting.
“You better keep him, Jasmine. If you don’t, some other desperate Keys girl will get her hooks in him. ”
“Well, we’ve only been dating for a few weeks…” I paused for a nervous sip. “But I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Jesus, Ted. What’s wrong with you?” Ava elbowed him in the ribs.
“Ignore him,” she told me while shooting him a glare.
“He’s just mad that he doesn’t have a chance with my brothers.
” Raising her finger, she wagged it at him.
“And by the way, I’m still single, too. Does that mean I’m in the closet?
” She pointed to the left as she asked. Slowly and deliberately her hand swung across to point to the right. “Or am I a desperate Keys girl?”
“Neither,” Ted answered, deadpan. “You’re too busy flying billionaires to their adventures to have your own. Plus, you’re picky.” He finished with a smirk before sipping his wine.
“Picky is good,” Faith said in Ava’s defense. “When you know your worth, you don’t have to settle.”
“Listen, I think you’re too good for most men,” Ted clarified, “which makes it even less likely you’ll ever meet one who’s worthy, when you spend most of your time in private jets.”
“It’d be nice if you found one who’s worthy and owns a private jet,” Corinne joked.
“Oh no, I’d never get involved with the owners,” Ava said, shaking her head. “I like my job too much.”
Ted chimed in excitedly. “There are lots of planes, and lots of owners. It doesn’t have to be one of your bosses.” He gave an urging nod.
“So I should go hunting for a date around the airfield? Is that what you’re suggesting?” Ava challenged him, half-playful in her delivery.
“One of the few places you go where there are people,” Ted shot back.
“I’m happy being single, thank you very much.”
Ted seemed unable to resist offering more unsolicited advice. “Maybe you should get a cat.”
I snickered at their banter as Ava replied.
“Maybe you should mind your own business. I’m not going to prod into your personal life to try to embarrass you. That would be childish. Plus, your shenanigans might scare Jasmine.”
My eyes widened. Why was she bringing me into this?
Ted charged ahead, slurring slightly. “You know I don’t get embarrassed talking about my escapades,” he told Ava. Then, from the corner of his mouth, he said to me, “But they do get kind of wild.”