“HEY, KYLE? KYLE, wake up.”
The hand on Kyle’s knee registered simultaneously with the soft lilt of Harper’s voice. A surge of adrenaline had him bolting upright to find her sitting serenely on the edge of his bed. Why was Harper sitting on his bed? Kyle flicked on the lamp to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
“Good morning,” she chirped.
Nope, not dreaming. “Harper, what are you doing here?” Still, the question came out a little sharper than he intended. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his tone and gathered his wits, “Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Everything is fine.” Smile fading, she added, “Sorry, did I scare you?”
“Yes. You did. A little. What’s going on?”
“I got a phone call this morning, and I need to be at a marina in Astoria ASAP.” Lips twitching, her gaze traveled over the blanket on his bed. “Is that a kitty-cat blanket?”
“Yes, Mia and Laney gave it to me. They made it.” Kyle checked the time. “Why? It’s 4 a.m. Why didn’t you text me?”
“It seemed easier to explain in person. I brought coffee.” A steaming mug sat on the nightstand. Nice. Kyle couldn’t remember anyone ever bringing him a cup of morning coffee.
How could someone be so sweet and frustratingly vague at the same time? Normally, she was all about the information. The very trait he planned to exploit where Owen was concerned. Kyle needed to push aside the uncomfortable manipulative nature of that thought and focus on the big picture. And the smaller one unfolding before him now. “No, I mean why do you need to be at the marina in the middle of the night?”
“Whales.”
“What about them?” he asked patiently.
“We’re going to go see some. Hopefully. A while back, I talked to the captain of a boat named Robin’s Reveler about taking me out on the ocean.”
“Who is this guy?”
“A boat captain.” She said it like he’d just asked the stupidest question ever.
“What type of boat, what kind of captain?” He fired off the questions.
She answered just as quickly, “The type that floats, the kind that drives the floating boat.”
Despite his consternation, he let out a chuckle. He couldn’t help it. “Harper, you can’t just—”
“Okay, look,” she interrupted with a good-natured huff and a little eye roll. “I know it’s in your nature, and part of your job, to want to know everything and plan everything. But we need to get going, so I have to make this quick. Everyone told me this guy was the one to ask if you want to know where the whales are. I don’t know about the specs of the boat, his favorite baseball team or where he went to high school. We made a deal. He would take me out when the weather was decent, and there were whales close by. He warned me that it might be spur-of-the-moment. Turns out, it’s today!”
“So we’re going out in the ocean.” Kyle reached for the coffee mug and tried to wrap his brain around this latest outing. A day on the ocean sounded awesome.
The last two days had been busy ones. First, they’d driven up the coast to photograph oysters. At a shellfish farm, they’d donned waders and shuffled out waist-deep into the oyster beds with the friendly owner. Harper had seemed entranced by the long history of oyster farming, impressing the man with her knowledge about how the Romans had practiced it as early as the first century. He’d shown them the proper method for shucking an oyster. An enthusiastic Harper attempted the task while the man looked on like a doting father. Then he’d graciously invited them to sample all his varieties of smoked oysters: barbecue, black pepper, garlic, jalapeno. They’d parted with a promise on Harper’s part to attend the oyster festival in a nearby town in the fall.
On the way home, they’d detoured to a waterfall, which had led to a hike in the foothills to capture some spectacular ocean views. They hadn’t returned until after dark.
Yesterday they’d driven inland and hiked through an old-growth forest. They’d followed that up with a visit to a museum dedicated to the mythical (or not) Sasquatch with an enormous carved statue of the creature out front. Somehow, Harper had talked him into posing in front of it, convincing him she needed him there “for perspective.” The smirk on her face at the final product had suggested otherwise and had Kyle suspicious of her intentions. They’d spent the afternoon at home where Kyle tackled a few of the items on his safety lesson list. They’d ended the day by strolling through downtown Pacific Cove and stopping at Tabbie’s for bowls of their prize-winning seafood chowder.
“Yep, that’s the schedule for today. You want me to write it down for you?” she joked. “Or, wait a second, I’m going out on a boat today, but you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. You could have the day off. I mean, what could happen to me on a boat for goodness’ sake?”
Kyle took a sip of coffee, set it down and said, “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”
* * *
EVEN IN THE dim light on the dock, Harper could feel Kyle’s eyes on her, inquisitive, assessing. Although, she didn’t mind his glower as much now that they were on friendlier terms. She’d also learned that frequently this look meant he was gearing up for a safety lesson. No matter what they were doing, he never missed a teaching moment. Except this morning she feared he’d see through her to the terror she was busy trying to keep in check. This whale outing had seemed like a great idea when she’d planned it. Now that it was upon her, not so much.
He said, “Just so you know, a lot can happen to a person on a boat.”
Harper felt her stomach take a dip as if she were already being tossed about on the ocean. “I’m sure,” she said, immediately imagining a number of scenarios. If the boat were to capsize, she couldn’t decide which would be the worst way to go, hypothermia or being eaten by a shark. Hypothermia would be slower and likely, ultimately, involve less pain. A shark, on the other hand, would be much quicker, but horrifically painful. Getting eaten by a shark after hypothermia set in would probably be the best bet; faster, less pain due to the numbness from the water’s frigid temperature. This was one of those puzzles that she’d enjoy mulling over with her dad. She made a mental note to ask him next time they talked.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yep, great!” she answered, fiddling unnecessarily with the camera hanging around her neck in the hope of distracting him. “I hope I packed my extra battery,” she muttered, knowing that she had.
They were a few minutes early, which normally Harper would appreciate. Kyle might be lecture-y, but he was always ready at a moment’s notice when inspiration struck her and the weather decided to cooperate. And like this morning when she’d sprung this outing on him. Initially, she’d been concerned that he wouldn’t take her work seriously. That wasn’t the case at all. He was a fun travel companion and an excellent unofficial assistant.
“I saw you put at least three batteries in that bag. Now might be a good time to talk about a few safety precautions. How much boating experience do you have?”
He also took his work very seriously. Flashing him her best “I got this” expression, she said, “When I was a teenager, my friend Cynthia’s family had a boat. Her dad used to take us sailing on Puget Sound. Super fun.”
“Sailing,” he repeated drily. “On Puget Sound. So, you’ve never been out in the ocean?”
“Of course I have! A few times, actually, since I’ve been living here.” One thing Harper had learned in her career as a photographer was that faking it went a long way where confidence was concerned, both in boosting her own and in generating others’ confidence in her. She’d scored a lot of photo opportunities this way. Kind of like Kyle’s confident victim speech, although she doubted that “attitude” would help where a shark attack was concerned. She let out a short, nerve-induced cackle.
Kyle gave her a sharp look. She could feel his eyes on her, keen with doubt and questions. Like some sort of silent interrogation, she was feeling the heat. Even her palms were sweating. His lips pursed thoughtfully. She imagined him analyzing her answer, looking for ways to squeeze the details from her.
“Okay!” She confessed, “I’ve been out in the ocean, but you should know that I’ve never crossed the Columbia River Bar.”
Kyle’s mouth turned down into a little frown.
Noise on the dock behind them halted his commentary. They both turned.
“Hey, ho! Good morning, folks.” An older gentleman approached with a friendly wave. He was medium height and barrel-chested, and with his warm grin, jolly voice and shuffling gait, Harper thought he was the perfect picture of a sailor. His white beard was trimmed close, but it couldn’t hide the dimples flashing in his round cheeks. He wore blue jeans, boots and a lightweight parka. A faded and frayed, royal blue baseball cap fit snug on his head with the word Grandpa stitched across the front.
“I’m Robin Reichman. You must be Harper, the whale seeker?”
“Yes, sir.” Harper shook the calloused hand he offered. “It’s wonderful to meet you. Thank you so much for calling this morning and making this happen. This is my friend Kyle.”
Kyle reached out his hand. “Kyle Frasier. Appreciate your generosity in taking us out today, Captain.”
Kyle and Captain Robin made small talk as he led the way down the dock to a slip and stopped in front of a sleek white boat. Fancy script spelled out Robin’s Reveler on the stern and Harper was relieved to see that the vessel looked clean and appeared perfectly seaworthy. Of course, it was difficult to make out all the details in the dark under mercury vapor lights, but she couldn’t imagine Kyle would have a problem with it.
“You kids go ahead and board.” The captain swung a hand toward the craft. “I see you brought your own life vests. No need for my lecture, then. Folks love to tell me how well they can swim.” Captain Robin added a hearty chuckle and headshake.
Kyle commented, “Tough to swim if you hit your head or break a limb on the way into the water.”
“That’s exactly right!” Captain Robin exclaimed, and Harper braced herself for a conversation about Kyle’s career. Owen always bragged about his life as a SEAL.
Instead, Kyle grabbed her duffel bag full of gear and the small cooler containing their water and lunch and climbed onboard. He faced her and Harper could tell he was staying close to see if she needed help. A combination of excitement and fear prodded the already agitated butterflies in her stomach as she boarded, but she managed to keep her cool. Stepping onto the boat felt almost menacing. Nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Pacific,” the Columbia River Bar was one of the deadliest stretches of water in the entire world, and even on a calm day like today, problems could arise in the strong currents and notorious shoals where the river literally collided with the ocean.
As if reading her mind, Kyle reached out and slipped one arm across her shoulders. Giving them a squeeze, he whispered, “Did you take the meclizine I gave you?”
She nodded. She hadn’t even thought about taking a seasickness pill until he’d handed it to her in the car.
“This is going to be a blast, and you’re going to get some phenomenal shots today.” His gentle smile charmed the butterflies into submission and calmed her fidgety pulse. Under different circumstances, she’d analyze how much his confidence and experience eased her apprehension. Right now she was just grateful.
The captain followed. “I take it you have some nautical experience, Kyle?”
“Yes, sir, a bit. I’m ready and willing to take orders.”
“Excellent. Thank you. Truthfully, that’s a relief. My buddy Al was supposed to be my first mate today but he canceled this morning. Down with a stomach bug. You think you can handle the job?”
“Sorry to hear about your friend. I’ll do my best to fill in and help out any way I can.”
The captain looked pleased, and Harper again waited for Kyle to add his credentials. Instead, he nodded politely and asked, “Should I cast off?”
Captain Robin agreed, throwing out a few specific instructions while Kyle saw to the task. The captain fired up the motor. In a matter of minutes, they were cruising out of the marina, the scent of diesel and fish and creosote surprisingly pleasant in the chilly morning air. Slivers of sunlight were peeking over the horizon behind them, the brilliant orange shade reminding Harper of a perfectly ripe cantaloupe. Overhead, a gull screeched, its grayish-white wings glowing in the morning light.
Harper didn’t waste any more time. She took a seat in the stern and began snapping photos, knowing the light would change fast now. Kyle stood by Captain Robin, the two men chatting like old friends.
A few minutes later Kyle sat down beside her. “How are you doing?”
Harper mustered a smile. “Great! Will you tell me when we reach the bar? Is there a seat belt or something I should buckle? What is the likelihood of being bounced overboard like a piece of popcorn?”
Kyle snuffled out a gentle laugh as if he couldn’t contain it. “I knew you were nervous.”
“I know you knew. That’s why I’m admitting it. Seems pointless to hide it now. How could you tell?”
“I can’t tell you that.” Kyle slid her a grin. “Then you’ll try and change your tell. But don’t worry. You’re every bit as good of an actress as you think you are. I’m just incredibly observant and intuitive.”
“Whatever.” Harper rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her smile. “Some people would say those are the same thing, you know?”
“Hmm. You’re probably right.” Kyle peered out at the water for a few seconds like he was thinking that over. Then he caught her gaze again and held it. “Honestly, I’m neither of those things. I’m just becoming skilled at reading you.”
The smile froze on her face while her body went warm and cold at the same time. What did he mean by that? And why did she want it to mean something? She was struck by the thought that she would love for someone to truly know her, to read her thoughts, to gauge her moods, to truly care about her feelings.
Before she could form an answer, he grinned. “Occupational hazard, I suppose.”
Harper ignored the pang of disappointment and forced out a chuckle. “Ha. That’s what you think, Frasier.” Nervous energy had her adding, “The inner workings of Harper Jansen Bellaire’s mind are intricate and complex. I am an enigma, and you will never solve the puzzle that is me.”
Leaning in, mouth forming a playful smirk, he said, “We’ll see about that.”
“Yeah, we will,” she shot back with exaggerated confidence.
“You’re really cute, you know that?”
She changed her mind; Funny Kyle was out, Sweet Kyle was her new favorite. “I appreciate your efforts to distract me,” Harper whispered even though there was no way she’d be overheard. “But why didn’t you tell the captain who you are? That you were a SEAL?”
“Why would I do that?” Kyle whispered way too loudly, which made her grin and decide that Funny and Sweet Kyle could share the title.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I guess so he would know that you know what you’re doing?” She liked sitting this close to him, so she could see the colors change in his eyes. Right now, they twinkled with humor and mischief.
“He’ll know what I can do when he sees me doing it. I’d rather earn his respect than tell him that I think I deserve it.” Harper realized he was happy to be here, to be heading out on the ocean. That helped a bit with her nerves, too.
Harper thought about his answer, and how unassuming he’d been regarding her dad’s rescue, his reluctance to talk about his service, even the way he’d failed to divulge his yoga skills. Maybe he hadn’t conned her exactly. It was just that he was so…blasé about his knowledge and expertise. A fresh wave of admiration rolled through her as she realized how appealing that was. And rare. At least, she’d never known a man like him. The thought flashed through her mind before she could squelch it; why couldn’t she have met him instead of Owen?
She found herself blurting, “Owen would take any opportunity to, um…talk about being a SEAL.”
“Brag, you mean?” One side of his mouth tugged up.
“That’s exactly what I mean. It was something I didn’t like about him. Not that being a SEAL isn’t amazing, because it is. It’s just, he was so…”
“Conceited?”
“Yes.”
Kyle smiled a little. “I know. He used to tell me I was too modest. And I would tell him that it was okay because he bragged enough for both of us. But he was so…lovable it was easy to overlook. Plus, there was his honor and integrity, too, which made up his core. Not to mention he was the bravest guy I knew.”
Honor and integrity? Ha. When she’d first met Owen, he’d put on a good front, showering her with compliments and saying all the right words. He could talk a good line; she’d give him that. And he never missed a chance to talk himself up.
“You are unreal,” she said. “How can you be this superhero expert at everything and still be so…humble?”
His head tipped back in surprise. “Harper, thank you for the compliment. But I am far from an expert at everything.”
“Name something you’re not good at.”
“Well, okay… Um, let’s see, I have terrible handwriting.”
“Ah,” she joked. “So, that explains the anti-note stance.”
He grinned and shook his head.
She pressed him, “You can’t think of anything, can you?”
“Of course, I can. I’m lousy at drawing or any type of art. Which is a shame because my mom is such an amazing artist.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure that counts. I think art is more of a gift.”
“I’m not great at math.”
“I love math. What else?”
“Well, my personal life is…”
“Is what?” she prodded.
“It’s pretty much a mess,” he answered. “I would put relationships in the ‘needs work’ category.”
She wanted to quiz him about that. Was he talking about his sister? Did he have a woman in his life? Was that why he’d turned perky Mandy down? How could she pose these questions without seeming like she was too interested?
Then, Kyle reached out and touched her for the first time. A combination of heat, affection and longing blasted through her with surprising force. She stared down at his hand now covering hers. And that’s when she realized that she couldn’t ask those questions without seeming too interested. Because she was too interested. How had she let this happen? She’d promised herself she wouldn’t fall again, not until she knew someone very well. She didn’t know Kyle well enough. Did she? Even if she did, and he was to return her feelings, she didn’t see a way forward for them without telling him about Owen.
That’s when something else occurred to her. What if she told him about Owen and he didn’t think anything was wrong with it? No, that wouldn’t happen. His sister was a veterinarian. Of course, he would think dealing in exotic animal parts was wrong, right? Swallowing around the lump in her throat she was afraid to look up.
“Hey.” Kyle squeezed her hand. “You’re going to be fine. It’s a nice calm morning. Captain Robin has been calling around, and it should be a fairly smooth crossing. I’ll be right here with you. And I’m not bragging when I say I’m pretty good at this ocean stuff.” Releasing her hand, he stood. “I’m going to go check in and see how much longer, okay?”
Harper nodded and turned away, her anxiety over the dangerous bar crossing dwarfed by the new fear overtaking her; if he could tell when she was nervous, what else would he see?
* * *
KYLE STOOD BESIDE the captain, gazing around at the beauty of the ocean before him and trying not to watch Harper too much. Captain Robin had been spot-on; the crossing had been relatively smooth. Harper was a trooper the whole way. It hadn’t been a hardship to sit with her and hold her hand. He liked how it seemed to help soothe her nerves.
They’d been motoring south and west, faster now, having passed the south jetty of the Columbia River. In deeper water, the swells were long and shallow, making the trip a joy. No whales had been spotted, but Harper seemed to have settled comfortably into the ride.
Suddenly, Captain Robin cried, “Spout! Starboard.”
Camera at the ready, Harper already had her camera in position. Captain Robin maneuvered the boat as close as he could. “The females have their calves this time of year, so we’ll hover round here.”
“Kyle?” Harper asked, without taking her eyes off the camera. “Can you come here?”
He moved toward her. “Yep.”
“Can you take this camera while I get a different one? Just watch the LCD and if you see movement hold the button down.”
“Got it.” He took the camera.
Harper retrieved another camera from her bag. Harper peeked around him. “You’re doing great. I’m going to change lenses real quick.”
A burst of movement dead ahead grabbed his attention. His finger hit the button, but his focus was not on the LCD. Kyle watched, mesmerized, as a whale emerged from the water and then tipped sideways, its giant body crashing against the ocean’s surface. It was so close, Kyle could see the barnacles adhered to the rubbery surface of its skin. Another one followed suit.
“Oh, boy,” Captain Robin said. “These guys are getting a little close. We need to get back a bit.”
“Kyle, did you get that?” Harper asked excitedly, snapping photos beside him.
“Maybe…” He doubted it. He was all over the place. How did she do this?—keep one eye on the subject and the other on the LCD? Another whale followed. Definitely missed that one. Finger poised, he was determined to get a good shot for her. Suddenly, it was extremely important that he not disappoint her.
“I’m going to have to move us forward,” Captain Robin’s voice barely penetrated Kyle’s concentration.
Holding the camera with both hands, he leaned over the railing… Too far, he realized too late, as the boat accelerated and his feet slipped on the deck beneath him. Falling toward the ocean, he braced himself for the cold, but his only real concern was for Harper’s camera.
Not being a stranger to frigid water didn’t make his accidental swim any warmer. Kyle easily broke the surface, thrusting the camera upward. The boat had slowed and was already turning around.
“Kyle!” Harper called. “Are you okay?”
Treading water, he flashed a thumbs-up with his other hand to indicate he was fine and waited for the boat to circle back. Doing a sidestroke so he could keep the camera out of the water, he easily swam to the stern where he handed the camera off to an extremely concerned Harper.
“I got your camera wet.”
“Who cares? Oh, my gosh, you must be freezing. You’re going to get hypothermia.”
Captain Robin was more amused than sympathetic. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”
“What’s that?” Kyle asked, expecting the joke he deserved.
“A navy SEAL imitating a real seal.”
Kyle laughed. “That’s actually a really good one.”
Harper’s expression was pure concern. “I’m sorry, Kyle. I told him because he was worried when you went overboard.”
“It’s fine, Harper. It’s not a secret.” Kyle climbed the ladder and stepped on board.
“Seriously, I’m honored to have you aboard, son.”
Kyle waved away the adulation. “I’m the one who’s honored, Captain.”
Another whale breached, farther off this time.
“At least you didn’t scare the whales,” the captain offered helpfully.
Harper shoved one of her bags at him. “I always pack a change of clothes. Hurry, get those wet things off. You’re going to get hypothermia while you’re standing around making jokes like you didn’t just fall into the ocean.” She mumbled something else that sounded like “shark bait.”
Kyle chuckled even as her concern helped ward off the chill seeping into him. Taking the bag, he headed into the cabin where he peeled off his soggy clothes. He didn’t think about what she’d packed until he was staring at the garments inside: black leggings, a long-sleeved thermal and a fleece pullover. “This should be good,” he muttered and then silently thanked her for the pair of thick wool socks at the bottom of the bag. There was no way he could squeeze his feet into a pair of her shoes.
Swallowing his pride in the face of the very real threat of hypothermia, he pulled on the ill-fitting garments and ventured back onto the deck where Harper and Captain Robin stood side by side. Grinning. So obvious that they were waiting for him to emerge. They exchanged quick glances before simultaneously erupting with laughter. The leggings only stretched to his knees, and the thermal top looked as if it had shrunk to something that was kid size. Placing his palms on his thighs, Captain Robin doubled over. Camera in hand, Harper was snapping photos like a deranged paparazzi. Kyle wondered how she managed it through her delighted cackling.
“Are you two having fun?” Kyle asked, gesturing at himself.
“So much fun,” Harper said and cracked up all over again. “These are the ones that will go on the internet if you don’t watch it.”
“I’m going to tweet it—hashtag SEAL in women’s clothing.” The captain snorted out a fresh burst of laughter. Harper had tears streaming from her eyes.
“Well,” Kyle said, planting his hands on his hips. “I think we can officially count photography as something I’m not great at. Although, those photos I took were undoubtedly awesome. Too bad I probably ruined them all when I fell overboard, huh?”
“Don’t you worry,” Harper assured him. “They’re all on the cloud. All my photos are on the cloud.”