Chapter 16 #2
Part of me wanted to request his wildest story, both out of curiosity and out of determination to prove that I could handle it. But in the company of Kai’s family, I decided to keep it clean with a neutral, “I bet.”
“Yeah, we’ll spare Jasmine that right now,” Ava gave Ted a look—just a subtle nod—but he got the hint and clammed up, imaginarily zipping his lips shut for effect.
Ava giggled. “He’s right about one thing, though,” she beamed at me. “Kai really is smitten.”
“Thanks for saying that,” I said, meeting her gaze. “It means a lot. I really like him too.”
“You’re so friggin’ cute together I can’t stand it,” Corinne said, licking her wine-soaked lips. “It’s fun to watch.”
Faith nodded in agreement. “His transformation from man-child to gentleman is the best part.” Her cop’s gaze softened; even Faith liked us together.
Ted seemed bored by the sappy talk and sort of wobbled on his stool as he muttered, “What I want to know is what it’s like to date a twin? I’ve always wondered.”
My heart raced at being thrust back into the spotlight. “Not much different than dating someone with a brother close in age,” I said with a shrug, hoping not to encourage Ted. But he was already three steps ahead and on a completely different thread.
“I had this twin fantasy I used to ponder often,” he chuckled. Faith and Corinne exchanged a glance, while Ava’s eyes narrowed at Ted. He continued, uncensored. “But I kept thinking, like, if you got all tangled up, would you lose track of who’s who?”
My face had to be fire-engine red by now, eyes widened, but I tried to keep it relaxed.
Ted didn’t know that I’d been tangled up with each of the Rodman twins, separately, and could therefore quite easily imagine that scenario.
And thanks to him, no matter how many times I blinked, I couldn’t get the picture out of my mind.
Heat pulsed low in my belly—unhelpful, given the current audience.
Ava came to my rescue. “Alright, Ted, that’s it. You’re cut off.” She snatched the wine glass from in front of him.
“I’m not even driving,” he protested.
“Jasmine doesn’t need to hear about your twin fantasies. None of us do, really.”
Ted’s face turned serious. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I’m a lot.” He glanced at Ava. “It’s not because I wanted to fuck your brothers though. Don’t make it weird.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m the one making it weird. Right.” Ava chuckled. “Just lay off Jasmine. Kai will kick your ass if you scare her off.”
Corinne took a softer approach. “I think Jasmine knows you didn’t mean any harm. And I’ll bet she’d rather talk about something else.” She turned to me. “Can I change the subject and ask you about your art?”
“Yes, please,” I said, relieved.
“I didn’t want to mention it in front of everyone at dinner, but Kai told you he gave us the lighthouse painting…”
“Yes,” I said, suddenly even more confused. Was there some secret beat-around-the-bush code language I needed to learn to function in this family?
“Well, I kind of took it to Paradise Key to see if they liked it,” Corinne said sheepishly. “And they did.”
Eying her curiously, I struggled to follow her thread. “Paradise Key… that’s the private island resort south of Marathon?”
“Yeah, I work with them coordinating conservation dives,” she said quickly, like it wasn’t important or impressive. “Kai tells me you could have five ready in a week?”
“Five paintings?” I asked, now thoroughly confused. She’d blurted it all out at ninety miles an hour so I was trying to process it as she continued.
“Yes, the resort committed to buy five based on the sample I took,” Corinne answered with a nod.
I stared in shock. “They did?” A feeling of pure joy bubbled up in me. A luxury resort liked my work well enough to order five pieces. Maybe I did have what it takes to make it. “Yeah, I can get those done in a week.” Unsure if she even knew what I charged, I asked, “Did you give them a quote?”
“Kai told me he paid $75. That is way too cheap for such a nice resort. And for your art. So I added a one in front.”
“Thank you,” I said, truly humbled by her kindness, and thrilled that I had an extra $875 coming in next week.
“No need to thank me,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I can take you out there when I go next Friday if you’ll have them ready. We can have lunch with the general manager, who also happens to be my best friend. Would that work?”
When it dawned on me that it may have been nepotism rather than the quality of my work that got me the sale, it stung, but only for a moment.
Who you know is often more important than what you know when it comes to success.
Like it or not, that’s the way the world works.
“Thanks for getting me that sale. It means a lot. And it really helps pay the bills.”
“If the owner of the resort likes the first five, they may want more,” Corinne smiled. “Fingers crossed.”
“My mom’s birthday is coming up,” Faith said softly. “When you have time to paint another one after you finish those five, I’ll buy another one for her.”
Gratitude swelled in my chest. These strangers were already treating me like family, much like Kai had from the start. “I’ll make time for that.”
“I might want one too,” Ted said.
Ava’s eyes rolled as she took hold of Ted’s elbow. “Let’s get back down to the dock before Dad brings the crew up here.”
“What’s wrong with that plan?” Ted asked with a contrived innocence. “There’s more wine in the fridge.”
“I have to fly tomorrow. And you don’t need any more wine. Let’s go.”
“I have an early day, too,” Corinne agreed, hopping to her feet again like she was immune to fatigue. She moved with that buoyant second-trimester energy I’d only ever seen on Instagram.
My limbs were heavy but a contentment filled me with hope and brought a lightness as I trotted down the stairs after Corinne. Night air licked cool across my skin; the grill smoke had faded to salt and diesel. My levity dissipated when I saw the gravity on Kai’s face.
“Everything okay?” I asked, touching his forearm.
“Yeah, I’m just beat,” he answered, worried eyes turning toward the ground. “You ready?”
“Sure,” I said, a little shocked by his shortness as I stepped toward the table to grab my purse. “Thanks for everything,” I said, reaching to shake his father’s hand.
He opened his arms, waving me closer. “Thank you for coming,” he said, hugging me into his broad chest. His scent was distinctly paternal.
He didn’t smell like my dad, but he definitely smelled like a dad.
Bar soap and grill smoke, reassuring. “I hope to see you back around real soon,” he said with kind eyes.
I glanced at Kai, whose face had softened. “I hope so too,” I said with a smile.
“She’s going to be busy painting!” Corinne chirped. “Five by next Friday, yeah?”
“You got it,” I grinned, until Kai squeezed my hand and I met his worried eyes.
After quick goodbyes all around, Kai walked me to the passenger side of his Jeep. “Sorry, that was harder than I thought it was going to be.”
“What happened?” I asked, confused as I slid into the seat.
“Dad knows us too well. He could tell something was up. He kept on until Coulter started in, saying we were all acting strange. Reef and Spence tried to play it cool. We all did. But it sucked.”
I winced, staring into his tired eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said, a little guilty that I’d had a good time while he was suffering.
“Maybe we should consider telling Faith. She might be able to help.” His head swiveled, and a fire burned in his eyes.
“We are not telling the cops. We’ve discussed this already,” he said with a finality that washed over me like a cold wave.
I swallowed down the fear that wanted to erupt in protest. The murder of a family friend by someone involved in a narcotics investigation had taken this to a whole new level of danger in my mind. I kept it inside though. He was too tightly wound. Now was not the time to talk about it.
Kai’s gaze shifted toward the bait shop. “Great. Here they come.”
Spence and Reef were crossing the parking lot, silhouetted in the moonlight.
Kai shut my door and made his way to the driver’s side before his brothers reached us.
He sat behind the wheel and rolled down the window.
Reef and Spence’s serious faces made my stomach tighten in a nervous knot.
Everything suddenly felt worse than it ever had.
“Dude, you’ve got to chill,” Spence said, his tone a blend of annoyed and concerned.
“I’m chill,” Kai snapped, craning his neck to try to see around them. “Is Dad in the house?”
“Yes. Stop being so paranoid,” Reef said with pure annoyance.
“I have reasons to be paranoid,” Kai snapped. “We all do.”
Spences’ head titled. “What’s going on? Do you have a lead?”
“No, still no sign of them at all.” Kai said, the volume of his voice creeping up. “No sign of their coke either.” He took a deep breath, regaining composure. “I’ve got nothing. Jasmine’s didn’t turn up anything at the bar either.”
Spence seemed to study Kai’s face before he finally nodded. “Between the two of us, Reef and I have asked a slew of folks from Key Largo to Key West. So far, nobody knows anyone trying to unload large quantities. I don’t think it’s in the Keys.”
“I’ll be sure and tell them that if they come back,” Kai quipped. The thought of those goons returning to shake him down gave me goosebumps.
“Just stay calm,” Spence said, squeezing Kai’s forearm.
“Thanks,” Kai said shortly, turning the key.
After we’d pulled onto Overseas Highway, Kai’s eyes darted from the road ahead to the rearview mirror. I reached over to rest my hand on his thigh. “You don’t actually seem very calm. What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, babe. My head is pounding, has been for over an hour,” he rubbed his forehead, drawing in a slow breath. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?”
“Sure.” I patted his thigh. I had a million questions about the dead friend no one had told me about, and why he was so off kilter all of sudden, but I knew better than to press.
Kai had been so steady, my rock. He couldn’t panic, or I might, too. A chill settled over me like a blanket of dread.