Chapter 8

Liz knocked on the door of the room at the lodge in which Grace was recuperating. This had not been a good day for the island. Given how much of the activity at Northern Lights was physical, some injuries were inevitable, but it went without saying the fewer the better. Sprained ankles, bug bites, sunburn, okay. But the tragic death of Marianne Abbott the previous summer and now this, happily as it had turned out, were serious.

Bad for anyone to be injured. Bad for staff morale. Bad for island PR. That made it triple bad. As a woman, Liz still grieved for Marianne and her family, and wanted to do whatever it took to prevent such tragedies. As Village President, she could add in worries about possible lawsuits. At very least they needed to review all safety protocols with the town leaders, Derek and his top staff. At most, hire a decent doctor or nurse practitioner who would live on the island. No offense to George, who had done a fabulous job taking care of the island’s injured, but the expansion of the resort, plus more and more people moving to live on the island full-time and more of them having families—more people meant more services were needed.

Northern Lights Retreat had been started by Derek’s father in the 1950s for the sole purpose of running fishing trips. Simple cabins, three meals a day, a boat captain, that was it. Derek had done wonders expanding and redefining the retreat, but the town needed to catch up.

“Come in.” The voice was sweet and musical, and so…young.

Derek had almost convinced her that his interest in Grace was platonic, but not quite. Fixing a bright smile on her face, Liz pushed open the door, hoping she took an instant liking to this…whatever she was, this Most Special Person of Derek’s.

Otherwise she might get bitchy.

“Hi, Grace. I’m Liz Mayer, Village President of Aurora.” Grace was a slender blonde with wide blue eyes and peaches-and-cream skin scattered with freckles. Darn it. She was totally adorable. Liz had a “friend” on the mainland whom she visited on occasion, though it had been a long time since they’d been together. She assumed Derek had similar ways of taking care of his needs. A romantic relationship between the two of them as co-leaders of the town was impractical at best.

Liz’s fear right now, with this sweet young thing in town, was that she’d been kidding herself. Maybe her conviction that she and Derek were only biding their time, burying their need to be together until circumstances made it possible—or at least more practical—was all in her romantic female head.

That would suck.

“I just stopped by to see how you’re doing. I’m sorry about your accident. You look fine. I hope you feel that way?”

“I’m much better, thanks. Got a little chilly, then warmed up. That’s all.”

Liz nodded. She liked that Grace downplayed the incident instead of launching into a poor-me whine-fest. Good strong woman. Stoic.

Derek must like that too.

Stop it.

“Anything I can do? Anything you need? I guess you’re already getting everything paid for while you’re here, so I can’t help there.”

“Not necessary, thanks.” She smiled, but not simperingly. Nothing to hate about her yet. Again, darn it. “Derek has been really sweet.”

“I’m sure he has.” Her smile staled.

Grace gave her a quick look, which made Liz instantly try to bolster it back into sincerity.

Not Grace’s fault.

“Other than today, how are you liking our island?”

“It’s beautiful.” She struggled to sit up higher. “I’m really enjoying it. And I plan to continue. Though from now on mostly on dry land.”

“Good plan.” Liz found herself nodding inanely. She was about out of chit-chat. Generally she had no problems talking to strangers, in fact she liked doing it, but right now a completely unnecessary and extremely unwelcome ball of jealousy was distracting her. “You have dinner plans tonight?”

“Oh.” Grace blushed. “Yes.”

Liz’s lips tightened. “You’re eating with Derek.”

Argh! Why did she say that? Why not simplify things and wear a sign, I am secretly in love with Derek and don’t want you to have him?

“Derek?” Grace looked astonished. “No, with Connor Reed. He’s an old friend. We worked on an organic farm together one summer in Colorado.”

Yay!

“I see.” Liz gave an absurd giggle she immediately wanted to take back. “That’s great. I mean, I was…maybe you’d want to have dinner with…after your accident I was thinking you might not want to eat alone. Or maybe you would.”

Not surprisingly, Grace was now looking at her with some concern. Her left eyebrow went up; she tilted her head. In that instant, another face jumped out from her features.

Liz nearly fell on the floor.

No way.

No way.

Grace was looking really concerned now. “Is…something wrong?”

Liz didn’t blame her for asking. “No, no, everything’s fine. Wonderful, actually. I’m glad you have someone to hang out with tonight. That had to be a shock today.”

“It wasn’t great. But before we flipped over we had a fabulous trip. We saw a whale spouting.” Her eyes lit up and she smiled wide, looking even prettier. Guess what? Liz didn’t care. Grace could be as beautiful as she wanted. “That was a first for me. Though next time I’m going to watch them from a wide and extremely stable boat.”

“Gotcha. Aren’t they amazing?”

“Yes!” Grace put a hand to her chest. “I was so excited.”

“I don’t blame you.” Liz was able to smile naturally now. Nice girl. Lovely girl! “I grew up around here and I still find it thrilling. Wait until you see a humpback breaching. Those huge bodies launch up out of the water and then come crashing down. It’s incredible. I still get goosebumps.”

“Where did you grow up?” Grace seemed to be more at ease too. Liz had obviously been communicating some of her tension. “On Polaris?”

“Close. In Klawock. The little town on Prince of Wales Island where you caught the ferry. During high school I worked here at Northern Lights as a maid for several summers, then after college I was hired as an assistant to Derek’s father and never left.”

“And now you run the place.”

She rolled her eyes. “Aurora wouldn’t exist without Northern Lights. Everyone knows that. I run whatever Derek lets me.”

“He…did you know he knew my father?” Her pretty face turned suddenly serious and vulnerable. Liz took a step back. She still didn’t know. The kayak ride would have been the perfect place for Derek to tell her, and he hadn’t. If he didn’t have the balls to tell this poor woman before she left Polaris, Liz would leave him without any at all. Grace deserved to know as soon as possible.

“I did know that.” Liz stepped closer to the bed and put her hand on Grace’s shoulder, wanting to bend down and give her a maternal hug.

“Did you know him?”

“No.” She hesitated, unsure how to go on, but desperately wanting to offer some helpful information even if she couldn’t tell her the truth. “This is going to sound strange, but I hope it makes sense to you soon. I want you to know that Derek is a really good person, but he has one fatal flaw.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “What’s that?”

Liz sighed. “He’s a man.”

Grace burst out laughing. “I thought you were going to say something awful. That is hilarious. And yes, poor things. They can’t help themselves.”

“It’s tragic.” Liz was really glad she no longer had to hate Grace, because she seemed pretty terrific. “Speaking of Derek, I need to go visit him, too, but I look forward to bumping into you again during your stay. Feel free to come over to the municipal building any time. It’s about halfway between here and the ferry dock. My door’s always open.”

“Thanks, Liz. Nice to meet you.”

“Same here. Have a good dinner.” She winked, even though she probably shouldn’t have, and grinned when Grace blushed again.

Outside in the hall, her grin faded, though the giddiness that had come over her when she realized Derek and Grace were definitely not an item still lingered.

His daughter.

Good lord. What was he playing at? Why didn’t Grace know? When was he going to tell her? Was he going to tell her? For that matter, when was he planning to tell Liz that he had a child?

Thank goodness she’d figured out the relationship. If nothing else she could keep Derek from screwing it up.

Honestly.

His room was across the carpeted hall from his daughter’s—his daughter’s!—so it was only a few steps before she was knocking again. “Derek, it’s Liz.”

“Come in.”

After his illness, she should have known that the sight of him looking anything but calm and in charge would affect her.

It still did.

He wore one of the thick fleece bathrobes the resort provided in guests’ rooms during the winter. He must have been napping because his hair was half flattened and his eyes were bleary and swollen. On his forehead was a small raw-looking area that looked as if he’d gone at it with a cheese grater.

Ouch.

Her heart melted. She wanted to crawl in next to him and hang on for dear life. Thank God he was safe.

“Hey, Derek.” She made her tone brisk to avoid tenderness. It would only piss him off and make her cry. “Did someone forget to tell you which side of the kayak is supposed to be up?”

“Yeah.” He grinned ruefully. “Not one of my smarter moments. Waves were too big for kayakers with our experience. Or lack of.”

“You were showing off.”

He shrugged. “Not like you think.”

Exactly like she thought. Liz pulled a chair over to his bedside. “I just spoke with Grace. She doesn’t seem the worse for wear. Have you been over to see her?”

“I stuck my head in a little while ago. If anything had happened to her…” He scowled and dropped his head to his chest. “I’m not the man I was, Liz.”

She snorted while her heart nearly broke. “Were you ever?”

“Maybe not.” He smiled up at her, exactly as he was supposed to do. Funny how many times she’d wished he’d drop the macho act and be a real, vulnerable human. When he was sick and now again, all she did was try to joke him out of it. They’d need to get comfortable with all sides of their personalities—if they ever got the chance to try.

Liz put her hand on his shin and squeezed lightly. “You were trying to do something nice for Grace and you had an accident. Could have happened to anyone. You’re both fine, and that’s what matters. However…”

He groaned. “Here it comes.”

“It’s not a bad idea to think about installing a more skilled medical person on the island.”

“You paying?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah, absolutely, and for a private masseur for each of us.”

“You know, I could use a personal bartender, too.” He rearranged one of the bed pillows so it sat more comfortably behind his head. “But yeah, you’re probably right. Especially if we’re going to have that big blowout Fourth of July party.”

Liz dropped her head into her hands. So help her, the man lived and breathed stubbornness. He probably figured she was vulnerable after the shock of his accident—though God forbid he knew exactly how deep that went—and had decided to press the advantage.

He should know her better than that. She’d come right back with the subject she most wanted to talk about, especially given how he felt about Connor Reed—for no reason she could figure. “I guess Grace and Connor are having dinner tonight.”

His face darkened. “How do you know that?”

“She told me.”

“What, you’re best girlfriends now?”

“Would that be a problem?”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

“I think they’d make a nice couple.”

“Staff members aren’t supposed to date guests.” Derek fussed with his pillow again. “And he’s not good enough for her.”

Liz smiled lazily. Gotcha Derek. He’d walked right into that one. “You sound like her father.”

His eyes shot to hers. Held.

Liz raised her eyebrows.

Derek narrowed his eyes.

Classic Mayer-Wakefield standoff.

Except this time the stakes were higher than their fights over policy procedure and finances. This was personal. This was about trust. Intimacy.

He cracked first. “Yeah, well, there’s a reason I sound that way.”

“Yes?” She had trouble looking calm and unaffected. This stubborn, difficult man was so dear to her, this admission would be huge and painful for him—and it would mean the world to her. “What is it?”

“I am.” He pressed his head back into the pillow, looking terrified. “I am her father.”

“Well.” She kept herself calm only with an effort. He’d let her in.

“Well?” Derek looked astounded. “That’s all you have to say? You’re not appalled? Surprised? No questions, no outrage? No shock?”

“I figured it out already.” Liz patted his shin. “She looks like you.”

“Is that right?” His face broke into a proud smile he immediately tried to repress. How silly they both were, hiding so much from each other. “She’s a right good-lookin’ filly, huh.”

“Oh gross.” Liz made a face like she’d eaten rotten fish. “Never say that again.”

He chuckled, looking happier and more relaxed than she’d seen him since…well, since that night. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”

“Forgiven.” Liz folded her arms. “So you have a kid, huh? How did that happen? And I don’t mean the biology of it.”

He sobered quickly. “It’s not a pretty story.”

“I can take it. I’m tough.” She wrinkled her nose. “Which I suppose you’d say makes me a sturdy old mare.”

“Not touching that one.” He rubbed a hand across his chin. “I met Grace’s mother when I was young and stupid. She got pregnant so I did what I thought was the right thing and married her. Not surprisingly, it was the wrong thing. Eventually she met someone else, took Grace and ran. I tried to find them, then realized I’d just be setting up battles I couldn’t win, and that the one who’d suffer most from the fighting would be Grace.”

His voice thickened. He dropped his eyes. “So I let her go.”

Liz had to swallow hard in order to speak. “That’s a brutal decision. But I admire you. It was the right one.”

“I hope so. By now she’s old enough to make her own decisions about whether she wants me in her life, so I invited her here.”

“I see.” If you asked Liz, Grace had been old enough for quite a while.

“Actually, she’s been old enough for a while.”

Somehow Liz managed not to look smug. “Yeah, I noticed that.”

“It took getting sick to get me off my cowardly ass far enough to do something about it.”

“I wouldn’t be hard on yourself, Derek. Having Grace back in your life is a good silver lining to the cancer cloud. And you have plenty of time to get to know her.” She squeezed his leg again, needing the reassurance of his living body under her fingers maybe more than he needed the reassurance of her touch. “When are you going to tell her?”

“Yeah, uh…” Derek scratched his chin. “Not sure about that. I guess I figured the moment would just seem right at some point while she’s here.”

Men.

Liz leaned forward in her chair and squeezed his leg harder, turning her tender gesture into a stern warning. “Or maybe you just need to do it.”

Derek stopped scratching.

Met her eyes.

“Yeah.” He swallowed convulsively. “Maybe I just do.”