Chapter 15
15
“ W elcome,” Sailor said, opening the door. His easy manner made Maileah smile. “You changed.”
“I was kind of grungy.” She fidgeted with a loose thread.
She’d debated on whether to change out of her T-shirt and shorts after shopping all day for supplies. With Skeeter there, she wasn’t worried about what Sailor might read into it.
“You look nice,” Sailor said lightly. “But then, you always do.”
That didn’t sound like anything more than a comment a friend might make. Maileah couldn’t read him.
She took in the midcentury modern bungalow with the wide front porch filled with greenery. Her grandmother would love this.
“Love the color of your house,” she said. “Did you choose it?”
“Sure did.” Sailor spread his arms wide. “I call this the Creamsicle house. Sherbet orange with white trim. I took an ice cream bar to the paint shop, and they mixed the color for me.”
“Let me guess,” Maileah said. “It’s vanilla on the inside? ”
“More like dirty white, I’m afraid.” Sailor ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t have much time for housework. Come in.”
Like her cottage, this house had hardwood floors and banks of windows. As far as men’s abodes went, this was alright. She could see a woman’s touch in all the plants. Skeeter’s doing, she supposed.
He led her into the kitchen and picked up a pitcher. “I needed a few more things to get started. Skeeter will be back in a few minutes.”
As Sailor poured a glass of juice for her, Maileah leaned against the counter, watching him. She tried not to notice how his T-shirt clung to his lean, muscled frame or how his hair fell across his forehead.
Friends, she reminded herself. Just friends.
Her gaze rested on a gleaming machine she’d seen in Italian coffee houses and in her old office. “Wow, I don’t see a machine like that in many homes. You must be serious about your coffee.”
“It works great,” he said, though he seemed a little embarrassed.
She would be, too, if she’d spent thousands on a machine that made every kind of coffee known to man. That was the last thing she would expect to find in the kitchen of a man who drove a rusty Jeep. But everyone had their weakness, she supposed. And he’d earned the right to indulge his.
Maileah tapped her glass against his, taking in his vivid ocean-blue eyes. “Congrats on your win in Hawaii. You’re incredibly talented.”
He held her gaze as if searching for the right words when footsteps echoed in the hall.
Maileah turned to see Skeeter bustling through the doorway with her blonde hair and a spray of freckles across her nose. She reigned in the tightness in her chest.
Sailor looked up, a warm smile spreading across his face. “And here she is. ”
“Hi, Maileah,” Skeeter said, passing a bag of groceries to Sailor. “Good to see you again. Here’s everything you wanted, dude.”
“I owe you one, thanks,” Sailor said.
As the younger woman plopped into the chair near Sailor, Maileah noticed how comfortable they seemed together. She watched as Sailor casually squeezed Skeeter’s shoulder, the gesture so natural it made her heart ache.
Maileah felt awkward. The kitchen suddenly felt too small for the three of them.
Just then, her phone buzzed, saving her. It was a man from the dating app she’d spoken to a few weeks ago, but they’d never been able to connect. She pounced on the opportunity to slip out for a moment.
“Excuse me, I need to take this.”
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Wiggling her fingers in a little wave, she hurried to the front porch, trying to focus.
Her heart hammered as if she’d been running. She shouldn’t have come here if she was going to act weird. It was only Sailor, for Pete’s sake. And she’d talked to Skeeter before, so what was the big deal?
Sailor was free to date whoever he wanted. What was wrong with her?
She answered the phone.
“Hello, this is Jake again.”
She barely remembered their earlier conversation, but he filled her in. “I’m visiting the island next week. Still want to meet up?”
She’d just sworn off dating, but maybe this was what she needed to get rid of this awkward feeling.
“Sounds good.” They agreed on a time, and she added, “Tomorrow at the Majestic. See you at five.”
After she hung up, Maileah realized there might be a lot about Sailor she didn’t know. Not that it should matter—they were only friends, after all .
So why did the thought of him with Skeeter make her feel this way? She wondered if her unreliable heart had just complicated everything beyond repair.
When Maileah opened the door, laughter spilled from the kitchen. Delicious aromas rose in the air.
She pressed a hand to her forehead, willing her mind to veto whatever was making her heart race. She would not allow it. Not with Sailor. She had to make intelligent choices now.
Maileah strolled into the kitchen, striving to look calm and collected. “Smells great.”
“Tastes even better,” Sailor said, sautéing onions on the stovetop.
She noticed the counter strewn with ingredients he had sliced and diced. “What is all that for?” It looked like a lot more that American cheese on Wonder Bread.
“My secret ingredients,” Sailor replied. “Today, I’m using sourdough bread, a smear of pesto on the outside, and two types of cheese. Havarti and muenster.”
He gestured toward a cutting board where small piles of herbs sat. “On the inside, I’ll add caramelized onions, chives, and fresh basil. Then, I’ll grill the sandwiches in olive oil and a little butter for flavor. Sometimes I throw in other ingredients—figs, truffles, sweet yellow peppers—whatever sounds good. And deliciously decadent.”
“Put pickles on mine,” Skeeter said, raising a finger. “You should know that by now.”
Sailor shook his head. “Whatever Skeeter wants, Skeeter gets.” He took a swig of juice.
Maileah laughed at the two of them. She had to admit, they made a cute couple. “How did you two meet?”
“What?” Skeeter’s eyes went wide, and then she burst into laughter.
Sailor choked on his juice. “You think we’re dating?”
“Oh, my gosh, no,” Skeeter said. “I don’t expect Sailor to talk about me, but didn’t Babe tell you I’m his sister? ”
Maileah nearly dropped her glass. “No one told me. I just assumed because you live here.”
“With that mess of a guy?” Skeeter wrinkled her nose. “I have an apartment in San Diego. I was covering the bike concession and watering his plants.”
Relief washed over Maileah, followed quickly by embarrassment. She’d assumed Skeeter was the prolific gardener. Surprisingly, it was Sailor.
Skeeter threw a look at her brother. “Now I know how much he talks about me.”
“You never came up in conversation, Skeets.” At least Sailor had the grace to look sheepish. “Sorry about that. I forgot to mention my fabulous sister.”
“You think?” Maileah and Skeeter said in unison, then burst into laughter.
Sailor turned the grilled cheese sandwiches. “Seriously, I’m sorry you thought that.”
“So am I,” Maileah said, finally seeing the humor in the situation. “That sure changes things.”
Sailor glanced at her, and a slow grin lifted one side of his mouth. “Does it now?”
Suddenly, Maileah realized she’d said that last bit out loud. She could feel the blush all the way to the tips of her ears.
Fortunately, Skeeter changed the subject. “Sailor mentioned you’re into sports. Do you like to surf?”
“I’ve tried it,” Maileah said. “Sailor gave me a lesson, but I need to practice.”
“You should,” Skeeter said enthusiastically. “What else do you like to do?”
“I run marathons, bike, and snowboard. Pretty much anything that gets my adrenaline going,” Maileah replied, feeling more at ease. “I’ve been skydiving, hang gliding, and sailing.”
Skeeter’s eyes lit up. “Awesome. I used to surf competitively, but I’m trying new things now. ”
Maileah noticed a look pass between them. She wondered if something had happened.
Skeeter explained. “I took a bad fall during a competition. A wave dragged me across the rocky ocean bottom. I broke my collarbone, and it really spooked me. I haven’t competed since.”
Maileah nodded sympathetically. “I can understand that. It takes a lot of courage to get back out there after something like that.”
“Who’s ready for grilled cheese?” Sailor slid three toasted sandwiches onto plates and added a handful of field greens on the side.
“Did you put pickles on mine?” Skeeter asked.
Sailor made a face. “I learned my lesson about withholding pickles from you long ago.”
“Yeah, Dad grounded both of us for that fight,” Skeeter said, and they both chuckled. She put out napkins, silverware, and balsamic dressing for the salad.
As Sailor joined them, grumbling good-naturedly about being ganged up on, the last of Maileah’s tension melted away. Between the easy banter and the good food, Maileah realized this comfortable family warmth was what she’d been missing.
Maileah took a bite. Instantly, she was in culinary heaven. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. This is the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had.”
“Wait until you try it with Camembert,” Sailor said. “I make all kinds of killer sandwiches.” He gave Maileah a slight nudge with his elbow. “Now that you know Skeeter’s my annoying little sister and not my secret girlfriend, are there any other misconceptions we need to clear up?”
Her face warmed. “I think we’re fine now,” she said, meeting his magnetic gaze.
As Skeeter launched into a story about Sailor’s most embarrassing surfing wipeout, Maileah caught Sailor watching her. He grinned, and Maileah’s heart seemed to skip .
Still only friends, she reminded herself. Especially now that she lived across the street. But as time wore on, filled with laughter and easy conversation, she recalled what she liked about Todd.
If only she could combine Sailor’s personality and love of adventure with Todd’s steadiness and reliability. If only she could count on someone like Sailor.
If only…
He touched her hand, and a spark of electricity gave her a slight shock. “You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about.”
The ideas she had whipped back to mind, and she quickly caught hold of herself. She wasn’t here to flirt with Sailor like a teenager. There was no time for that. She had to kickstart a new career.
“I do, but I still have some work to do on my idea. How about later?”
“You know where I live,” he replied, his eyes twinkling. “As long as you’re not too busy with Todd.”
“That’s over,” she said hastily.
Skeeter confirmed it with a nod, and Sailor leaned back in his chair. “You have to admit, the guy was pretty dull. Like plain vanilla ice cream. I see you as a Rocky Road kind of woman.”
“Nuts and all, right? At least he was stable,” she added pointedly. “But now that I have a place of my own, my career comes first.”
The only challenge would be working with him, assuming she could convince him of her idea.
She lifted her chin with confidence, sure she could manage both.