Evening Stars

She checked the ceiling as she entered the living room and was pleased to see the dripping had stopped.

“Stay there,” she said, pointing to the small tiled foyer. “I’ll be right back.”

He gave her the kind of slow, sexy grin that had, for centuries, caused women to make very bad choices. “Now that I’ve found you, I’m not going anywhere.”

“You think statements like that are comforting?” she asked.

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Yeah, not good news.”

She hurried to her bedroom where she locked her door before changing for the second time in fewer than thirty minutes. She left her hair wet, which was exactly what had happened with Dylan. Was it the rain? Should she move to Phoenix?

Still perplexed by the bizarreness that was her life, she returned to the living room and found Kyle exactly where she’d left him. Only he’d removed his jacket and hung it on the coatrack. Which meant he was wearing a thin sweater that illustrated the man enjoyed working out.

Even damp he was pretty, she thought, taking in the square jaw, dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was about six feet, maybe six one, lean, but strong. She knew the latter because he’d caught her without gasping for air.

“Why are you here?” she asked pointing to the sofa. “Everything okay with your family?”

He looked up, scanning her face. “I’m not here for help, Nina. I’m here for you.”

“Yeah. Okay, then. Have a seat.”

When they were sitting across from each other, she drew in a breath. First things, first, she thought. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I doubt the fall would have actually killed me, but I would have been hurt.”

“That’s true.”

He was staring at her as if trying to memorize her features. The intensity wasn’t scary, it was just strange.

“So, what brings you to Blackberry Island?” she asked.

“You.”

“You keep saying stuff like that. What does it mean? I haven’t seen you in forever. Kyle, you did get over your crush, didn’t you?”

“If I say yes, will that make you feel better?”

“A little.”

He leaned back against the sofa and stretched his arm along the back cushions. The relaxed, open posture of a man who was supremely confident.

“I got over you, but I never forgot you,” he told her. “I remember everything about you, Nina. You were my dream girl.”

“You were twelve.” He’d also been persistent, she thought, remembering him re-creating the scene from Say Anything, and standing outside of her house with a boom box. Only it had been about six in the morning, on a Sunday. The neighbors hadn’t been amused.

“Making you the older woman.” The grin returned. “You were so hot. You used to wear these really short shorts and when you bent over to pick up my sister—”

She held up her hand. “You were twelve,” she repeated, wondering if anything about this conversation was illegal.

Back then she’d done her best to ignore him, while taking care of his baby sister. Kyle had been a friendly kid. When he wasn’t trying to convince her to run off with him, he’d been busy hanging out in his room or having friends over. Normal stuff.

“How long ago was that? How old are you now?”

“Twenty-six.”

“So, fourteen years ago. I was sixteen. I was saving money for college.”

“I know. I kept telling you to wait for me, but you didn’t listen.”

“Do you blame me?”

“No. Back then the age difference was too big. I figured that out eventually. After we moved away, I really missed you. But then I got to high school and discovered girls my own age.” Humor brightened his eyes.

“Uh-huh. So much for me being ‘the one.’”

“You were, but I thought it best to practice so that I would be—” he coughed “—ready for you.”

“How generous.”

“I’m that kind of guy.”

A player, she thought. Not that it mattered to her. He was still too young. “I know you’re not really here on Blackberry Island because of me. Is your family still in the area?”

“No. We moved years ago, and they’ve never been back. I’m stationed in Everett.” He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “I’m a fighter pilot.”

She felt her eyes widen. “What?”

That grin was back. “F18s. I’m doing training. Part of a joint task force. I’m good at what I do. I’m on track to join the Blue Angels.”

With five simple sentences, he’d started her head spinning. She knew about the Blue Angels. They were stars at air shows all over the country, maybe around the world. Their precision flying was practically the stuff of legends. “You’re a fighter pilot?”

“Yes. I was offered a couple of different assignments. I picked Everett because of the location. I thought it would be fun to check out the island and see if you were still here.”

She ignored that. “You fly multimillion-dollar planes?”

“That’s me. And if the government is willing to trust me with that kind of equipment, you can trust me, too.”

She chuckled. “Right. Does that line usually work?”

“All the time.”

“I apologize for women everywhere.”

“No need. So, what about you? What do you do?”

“I’m a nurse.”

He raised his eyebrows. “So, if I’m hurt, you can take care of me.”

Which was just like a guy, she thought humorously. “Not everything is about you.”

“Sure it is. Have dinner with me.”

“What? No. You’re too young.”

“It’s only four years and you know you’re curious. We’ll catch up.”

“We were never friends, Kyle. There’s nothing to catch up on.”

“Then we’ll get to know each other. I meant what I said. You’re the girl I fantasized about, Nina.” There was that smile. “You’re even better than I remember.”

She thought about the extra twenty pounds, the wet hair, the lack of makeup. “Are you sure they’re checking your vision regularly?”

He stood up and crossed to her, then pulled her to her feet. His large hands held hers. His skin was warm, and although she didn’t want to admit it, there was a distinct tingle low in her belly.

“Nina Wentworth, I have wanted you and been waiting for you for fourteen years. The least you can do is have dinner with me.”

Her breath actually caught in her throat. She could say with certainty that had never happened before. Not even once. She’d been nervous and interested and aroused, but never...fluttery.

Suddenly Kyle seemed like a man, in the best possible sense of the word. Gone was the preteen who had stalked her. This new and improved version got her attention in a big way. His gaze never left her face as he dropped her hands, cupped her cheeks and kissed her again.

This time she was warm and dry and had the wherewithal to notice the gentle warmth of his mouth on hers. He didn’t push, didn’t move, but he lingered, as if he wanted this moment to last forever.

Or maybe that was her.

He raised his head. “Dinner,” he murmured. “Say yes.”

“Yes.”

“Day after tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll be here at six. We’ll have dinner. You’ll have a good time.”

“You know that for sure?”

That sexy smile returned. “I do.”

“You’re a player.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Your tone says you don’t mean that as a compliment.”

“I don’t. You enjoy women, and for some reason, now you want to enjoy me.” She winced, wishing she’d chosen another phrase.

“I do,” he said easily. “Very much. All of you.”

Because he’d had a crush on her years ago.

“Reality never lives up to the fantasy,” she said.

“You’re right. Sometimes it’s better.”

Oh, he was good. Way out of her league. He hadn’t denied her charge. Given the chance, he would seduce her before she’d had a chance to catch her breath.

Instead of being dismayed by the thought, she had to admit to a little tingle of anticipation. She hadn’t ever been with anyone like Kyle. He was easy to look at, funny and charming. So what if she would be one among no doubt many notches on his bed post? If she knew what she was getting from the outset, then she wouldn’t get emotionally involved and she wouldn’t get hurt. Didn’t she deserve a little “me” time?

“Dinner,” she said firmly. “At six.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” he told her as he crossed to the door.

“I am, too.”

He paused to study her. “For real?”

“Yes, Kyle. For real.”

The smile turned boyish. For a second, she could see the kid he’d been. Then the man returned and winked at her.

“Good,” he said, before he disappeared into the rain.

She shut the door behind him, then leaned against it. “What have I done?” she asked aloud.

Fortunately, there was no answer.

She wandered toward the kitchen thinking that dinner would be nice. She could use a man adoring her. It would perk up her spirits and brighten her complexion.

Her cell phone rang. She answered it without checking who it was.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Nina, it’s Dylan.”

Dylan? Her nose wrinkled. Hearing his voice was a bit like taking a bite of broccoli after tasting a hot fudge sundae. Because that’s what Kyle was, she thought humorously. A forbidden dessert.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“What? No. Sorry. I just got home from work and I’m still figuring out my evening. How are you? How are you settling back into island life?”

Guilt, she thought with disgust. She always babbled when she felt guilty. Not that she owed Dylan anything, but here she was, talk, talk, talking.

“It’s smaller than I remember,” he admitted. “My parents are closer.”

“And you’re the favorite son.”

“The only son. It’s intense.”

“I bet.”

There was a moment of silence.

“I have to go to Seattle this weekend,” he said. “But I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner next week, after I’m back.”

Nina knew for a fact she hadn’t been on a date in nearly eighteen months. Now she’d been asked out twice in one day. Why couldn’t this have been better coordinated? One date last year, one date this year?

Dinner with Dylan. Although she hadn’t recognized Kyle, she knew everything about Dylan. While she was over him, she was still the tiniest bit bitter about the way things had ended. Which brought the guilt back again, which annoyed her.

“It wasn’t supposed to be a hard question,” he said quietly.

Ack! “Sorry, sorry. Sure. Dinner would be great.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely. Give me a call when you’re back and we’ll set up a night. I’ll bring you up to date on all you’ve missed since you’ve been gone. That will take at least fifteen minutes.”

He chuckled. “I look forward to it. Talk to you soon.”

“Sure. Have fun in Seattle.”

She hung up and tossed her phone on the counter.

If ever there was a time to have wine with dinner, tonight was the night, she thought, heading for the open bottle on the counter. But she would pass on the cookies she’d bought. And go to Pilates at least one more time a week.

Not that Kyle was ever going to see her naked. But still. A girl could dream.

Chapter Six

THE DRIVE FROM Mischief Bay to Blackberry Island was direct. North on I-5 for about 1100 miles, then a left at the arrow pointing to the bridge. Easy enough.

Now, after spending the night just this side of Sacramento, Averil carefully pulled into a rest stop south of Medford, Oregon. At the rate she was going, she was going to get to the island before dinner, which seemed both good and bad. On the one hand, she was happy to be escaping her life. On the other, she knew she was running away, and that was hardly a situation to make anyone proud.

She parked her car and got out. The rest area was quiet. There were only a couple of big rigs parked on the other side. Hers was the only passenger vehicle. After using the restroom, she washed her hands and walked outside.

The morning was crisp and clear. The rain would start farther north. She could see her breath and was grateful for her jacket. Deciding to stretch her legs for a few minutes, she started to circle the building.

She really needed to use her time away to get her life in order, she thought. She was too old to be running away, and yet here she was. Escaping from unpleasant reality. She missed Kevin already, and at the same time, she was glad to be away from him. As if that made sense. She had no direction, no novel, no anything. She was lost, plain and simple. Which was probably why she balked at having a baby. If she wasn’t sure she could save herself, how could she be responsible for someone else?

Just past the men’s room, she saw something move by the trash can on her left. She paused and watched. She saw the movement again. Her stomach clenched when she realized a small dog was huddled by the can.

The animal looked to be maybe twenty or thirty pounds, with matted gray-and-brown fur and big eyes. She could see it was shaking and, as she approached, the dog cowered.

She glanced around, but there were no other cars. The animal looked terrified, torn between running and wanting to be rescued.

“I know the feeling,” she murmured in a low voice as she slowly approached. “It’s okay, little dog. I won’t hurt you.” She crouched down and held out the back of her hand. The animal flinched but didn’t move. She gently touched its shoulder.

The animal shuddered, then seemed to collapse on itself. Averil shifted closer and patted its side. She could feel bones everywhere.

“Oh, honey, you’re starving,” she said, realizing some jackass had simply abandoned the animal. There was no collar, and with the dog sticking close to the rest area, it should have been easy for an owner to find.

She continued to pet the animal, trying to gain its trust. After a few minutes, she stood. “Okay,” she said, patting her leg. “You want to come with me?”

The dog rose and stared at her. It continued to tremble.

“I think we’re close to Medford. I’ll take you to a vet and have you checked out. If you have a chip, we can find your owner. If not, at least you’ll be warm and fed.”

The dog stared at her.

“It’s all right,” she said. “I’m a good person. I’m confused and emotionally stunted, but I won’t hurt you.”

The dog seemed to accept that and walked along with her.

It turned out the animal was too weak to jump into the backseat, so Averil lifted her. She was shocked at how little the dog weighed. She poured water into her hand and the animal drank greedily. She had part of a scone from the Starbucks where she’d stopped earlier, and the dog gulped that down.

When Averil slid behind the wheel, she started the engine and turned up the heat. It only took her a couple of minutes to use her phone to find a vet in Medford. She called and got directions, then drove back onto the highway.

* * *

“She’s about three years old,” the vet—an old guy with a kind expression—told Averil. “I would guess she’s been on her own for a month. She has a few bruises and she’s malnourished. I doubt she’s had a decent meal in that time.”

The technician looked up from the computer. “There aren’t any reports of missing dogs in the area,” she said with a shrug. “Without a chip, there’s no way to find her owners.”

“She was dumped,” the vet said. “Unfortunately, it happens.” He left the room.

Averil stroked the dog huddled on the examination table. The animal had been examined and bathed. She’d also been given a small meal.

“There’s a no-kill shelter in town,” the technician said. “She’s pretty cute and it shouldn’t be long until she’s adopted. You did a good thing, bringing her here. She’ll be fine.”

Averil stared into the dog’s brown eyes. She was white with brown spots after all. Part King Charles Spaniel, the vet had said. Part who-knows-what. She’d endured the exam and the bath without protest and seemed resigned to whatever fate had to offer. Averil knew the most sensible solution was to leave her at the shelter.

She fingered the dog’s soft fur. “I’ll take her,” she said. “Can I do that?”

“Sure.” The other woman smiled. “She seems like a sweetie. Do you know what you’re going to name her?”

“Penny.” Averil touched the dog’s head. “Hey, Penny. Want to come live with me?”

Brown eyes regarded her solemnly.

“You’ll need some food,” the tech said. “We have a brand that’s good for sensitive stomachs. That will help her ease into having regular meals. Feed her about half a cup, four times a day for the first few days. Then you can go to a cup twice a day. Maybe mix in a little canned food. If you want to change brands, do it over time or she could get sick.”

The woman wrote down a few instructions. “Once you get where you’re going, she’ll need to be vaccinated. She’s already been spayed. I think there’s an old collar and leash in the lost and found box. Let me go grab them.”

She left the room. Averil continued to pet Penny. “It’s okay. You’re going to live with me now. I’m pretty sure I can handle a dog.”

Penny stared at her, her expression still fearful, but at least she’d stopped shaking. Soft brown eyes seemed to ask if that was the best Averil could offer.

“You’re right,” she said quietly. “I need to make a commitment. I will take care of you. I promise.”

The tech returned with a leash and cloth collar, along with a couple of old towels. Averil thanked her, paid the bill and walked to her car. Penny had accepted the collar and leash without complaint and now walked beside her. When they reached the car, Averil opened the back door.

Penny looked from her to the seat.

“Come on, Penny. Can you jump?”

Penny did as requested.

Averil laughed. “Good girl,” she said. “You’re smart, you know that? All right. Let’s make you a bed.”

She folded the towels into squares and placed them on the seat. Then she unfastened the leash. She patted the soft fabric.

“Come on, Penny. This is for you.”

Penny placed one paw on the towel.

“Good girl. Yes, you get comfy for the rest of the drive, okay?”

Penny turned twice on the towels, then laid down with a sigh. Averil stroked her a couple more times before closing the door and walking around to the driver’s side. By the time she pulled onto the freeway, the dog was asleep.

* * *

The afternoon had started to wane by the time Averil made her way over the bridge leading to Blackberry Island. Penny had slept for most of the drive north. They’d stopped at a couple of rest stops so they could both use the bathroom, and Averil had given the dog light meals. It turned out that Penny was also a big fan of burgers, so they’d shared lunch at a McDonald’s just south of Portland.

Now they were nearly done with their drive.

Averil was both relieved and oddly tense as she took in the familiar sights on the island where she’d grown up. As a kid she’d ridden her bike over nearly every foot of road here and had explored vineyards and coasts. She’d swum in the ocean, eaten at most of the restaurants and stands and knew at least one kid from all the local families.

Blackberry Island had always been home. It was the place that made the most sense to her. It was where she always knew who she was.

She supposed that was part of the problem. In Mischief Bay she had many roles. She was a reporter, a writer, a wife. In Mischief Bay, she was a grown-up. Here she was Nina’s little sister. Bonnie’s youngest. There weren’t expectations.

In her head she knew that running back home wasn’t exactly a testament to her maturity, but she could live with that. The truth was, somewhere along the way, she’d gotten lost, and now she didn’t know what she wanted.

About a mile from the house, she pulled off the main road and parked by the beach. She collected Penny’s leash and walked around to the passenger-side back door. Penny sat up, waiting for her. Her long tail thumped steadily.

“So you like me now, do you?” Averil asked with a grin. “It was the burger, wasn’t it?”

She clipped on the leash, then stepped back. Penny jumped to the ground and started to sniff.

“There’s a doggie area over there,” Averil said as she pointed to the square of gravel just off the beach.

Penny used the facilities, then the two of them went for a walk along the rocky sand. The air was warm, the sun bright in the sky. Due west was the Strait of Juan de Fuca. That body of water separated Washington’s northwest peninsula from Vancouver Island. Somewhere in the middle of the strait was the line between the United States and Canada. About sixty miles due west was open ocean.

Averil remembered her friends staring out at the strait and talking about getting on a boat and sailing away. To see what was out there. She’d been less interested in leaving and found little appeal in the thought of days or weeks at sea. Nor had she wanted to go to UCLA. That had been Nina’s dream for her. But she’d made it sound so wonderful that Averil had agreed.

Now she was home—whatever that meant.

“I’m not making much sense, am I?” she asked Penny.

The dog glanced at her and gave a tentative tail wag.

“Come on, Penny. Let’s go face the music.”

They walked back to the car. Penny settled on her bed, and Averil started down the familiar road.

When she saw the house, her eyes began to burn. Nothing had changed, she thought with relief. Not the street or the neighborhood. Everything was as she remembered.

Emotions tore through her. She fought against them, not sure if she was happy, sad or desperately confused. By the time she’d parked the car, she was crying.

Nina opened the front door and walked out. Averil stumbled to her feet and rushed toward her.

“Hey, it’s okay,” her big sister told her. “You don’t have to cry.”

But it was too late. Averil hung on tight, sobs tearing through her. She cried without knowing why, but now that she was home, that was okay, too.

* * *

Nina stood in the center of the bedroom. Averil had been home all of thirty minutes. She’d carried her suitcase into her old room, changed into PJs and climbed into bed. From the looks of things, she didn’t plan on getting out any time soon. Nina had brought her water and a sandwich. Averil had consumed both, then stretched out with her eyes closed.

“Thanks Nina,” she said, her voice sleepy. “You’ve been great. I feel a lot better.”

Nina sat on the edge of the bed, still not sure why her sister was home and what would happen now that she was. Nina stroked Averil’s hair and felt a rush of affection. They were sisters. They loved each other. Despite how they fought like cats and dogs, that wouldn’t change. And speaking of which...

“Tell me about the dog,” she murmured.

Averil opened her eyes and smiled. “Her name is Penny and she’s sweet.” She explained about finding her. “I’ve fed her and she went to the bathroom before we got here. I’ll set my phone to wake me up so I can take her out in a couple of hours.”

“What about bowls and a bed?”

Averil yawned. “She’s been on her own for at least a month. She isn’t expecting much. I’ve got food and I’ll get the rest tomorrow. I love you, Neenie.”

Nina smiled. She hadn’t been called that in years. “I love you, too, kid.”

With that, she rose and walked out of the room.

Once in the hall, she hesitated. Should she shut the door? Penny followed her, watching with her big, brown eyes.

“You’re unexpected,” Nina told the dog.

Penny’s tail wagged, and she followed Nina into the kitchen.

Averil had left her luggage in a pile in the living room. One suitcase was open, with half the contents spilling out over the floor. In the kitchen was a bag of food and some instructions.

“You’ll need to eat soon,” Nina said as she read over the notes. “Small meals several times a day. Canned would be good.” She looked through the luggage Averil hadn’t dragged to her room. There were a couple of ratty towels and a jacket, but no dog food beyond the small bag that was about a third gone. No bed, either.