The long waves glide in through the afternoon while we watch from the island.
—W. S. Merwin
Hope filled a large plastic rectangular container with two-dozen sliced shortcakes, topped them with dollops of whipped cream, then strawberries with their juice. She placed the matching shortcake halves on top, covered the container, and placed it on a shelf in the refrigerator.
Glancing at her watch, she noted she had half an hour to spare. It was enough time to take another shower and change her clothes.
She was looking forward to sharing dinner with Theo and his family. Her initial impression of him had changed dramatically after their dinner at The Fish Net. She’d found him relaxed, and at times he’d exhibited a wicked sense of humor. His interaction with Noelle was attentive and gentle, and there was no doubting his deep affection for his sister.
I like him. Hope smiled as she undressed and covered her hair with a plastic cap. She was still smiling as she stepped into the shower stall and closed the door.
Theo pulled into the driveway and shifted into Park behind a midsize car with New York plates. Opening the door to the SUV, he stepped out, leaving the engine running to keep the vehicle cool. The eighty-five-degree early-morning temperature had climbed steadily, reaching ninety-four by two o’clock. Sand grated under his rubber soles as he mounted the porch to the gleaming white house shaded by palm and palmetto trees.
Hope’s house was much smaller than the one where he was spending the summer, yet it had a charming quality missing in Jeff’s vacation home. Peering through the screen on the door, he pulled the cord attached to the clapper of a cowbell. He smiled. The bell was quaint and functional.
“Come in, the door’s unlatched.” Hope’s voice came from somewhere inside.
Theo pushed open the screen door and stepped into a small space leading into a living room. White sheers swayed in the ocean breeze coming through the screen-covered windows. An overstuffed sofa in chartreuse complemented two facing wing chairs with matching footstools that were covered in a sunny yellow-and-green floral chintz print. Beyond the living room was a dining room with a long rectangular table seating eight. The table and chairs were made of mahogany.
“Good afternoon, Theo.”
The sound of Hope’s voice caught Theo’s attention, and he turned slowly. “Good afternoon.”
Hope wore a sand-beige linen tank dress that flared out around her calves. A pair of mules in the same fabric matched the dress. Instead of her usual ponytail hairdo, she had pulled her hair off her face and secured it in a chignon on the nape of her neck.
“I’ll be with you in a minute. I have to get the dessert from the refrigerator.”
Theo followed her. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
“I was raised never to come to someone’s house empty-handed. Maybe it is not the norm in California, but it’s a Southern thing,” she added.
He frowned, his eyes level under drawn brows. “What makes you think I don’t have Southern roots?”
“Do you?”
He took two long strides, bringing them only inches apart. His dark eyes moved slowly over her face. “What do you think?”
Hope found it hard to draw a normal breath with him so close. She felt the whisper of his breath over her forehead, the heat from his body, and the sensual scent of his cologne. He looked good, smelled wonderful, and there was no doubt he was all male. He was dressed in white again—this time white linen shorts and shirt. The darker color of his upper body was clearly visible through the finely woven fabric of the shirt. He had replaced his sandals with a pair of white deck shoes. There was a subtle virility about Theo that radiated from him like a powerful beam of light coming from a lighthouse.
“I don’t know, Theo. You tell me.”
He nodded, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I do.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Where?”
“Beaufort and Edisto Island, South Carolina.”
Her smile was dazzling. “Don’t tell me you have some Gullah blood flowing through your veins.”
“Some.” His smile was mysterious.
“How did a Gullah end up in La-La Land?”
Winking at her, he said, “I’ll tell you later.”
Hope opened the refrigerator door and took out the container with the strawberry shortcakes. Theo took it from her.
“What’s in here?”
“Homemade strawberry shortcake, compliments of my grandmother’s recipe.”
“Hot damn! You made my favorite.” Curving an arm around Hope’s waist, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
There was nothing sexual in his kiss or embrace, but that did not stop her body from reacting. Her breathing quickened.
“We’d better get going, because it’s too hot to leave it out for very long.”
Theo dropped his arm, unable to believe he had been so impulsive as to hug and kiss Hope. After he’d done it, he realized he wanted to do more.
Theo waited for Hope to lock the front door, then he escorted her to the Lexus, helping her up onto the passenger seat before he placed the plastic container in the cargo area. He maneuvered up the hill and drove around to the side of his house, parking under the carport.
Theo cut off the engine, then turned his head slowly to meet Hope’s light brown eyes. There was something about her eyes that reminded him of a cat’s-eye marble. “Are you ready to meet the Andersons?”
Her lush mouth softened as she smiled. “Of course.”
She did not have to wait long, because a younger version of Theo opened the passenger side door for her, his large, dark eyes filled with curiosity. Seconds later, another young man appeared, looking enough like Theo to have been his clone.
“I’m Brandon,” said the first one, extending his right hand to help her down.
Her shoes touched sand-littered concrete. “Thank you, Brandon. I’m Hope Sutton.”
“Theo told us you were coming for dinner. He also warned us if we were not on our best behavior he would jack us up.” His voice was low, as if he were telling her a secret.
Hope’s jaw dropped slightly. “Jack you up how?”
“Don’t know, don’t want to find out,” Brandon’s brother said.
Theo rounded the Lexus, cradling the container with the shortcake to his chest. “Let’s go inside where we can be introduced properly.”
Hope rolled her eyes at Theo. Didn’t he know threats and intimidation never worked with children, especially teenagers? Flanked by Brandon and his brother, she followed Theo into a rear door that led to an air-cooled modern kitchen. A petite woman with stylishly cut silver hair and sparkling blue eyes looked up from her task of shredding lettuce and flashed a friendly smile.
“Welcome.”
Hope returned her smile. “Thank you.”
Theo handed Noelle the container. “Please put this in the refrigerator.”
“What is it?”
“Strawberry shortcake.”
Noelle stared at Hope. “Did you make it, Miss Hope?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Cool.”
Theo dropped an arm over his brothers’ shoulders. “Hope, I’d like for you to meet my brothers. Christian and Brandon, Miss Hope Sutton.”
She inclined her head. “It’s nice meeting you.”
“Everybody calls me Chris.”
Hope noticed that Theo had tightened his grip on Christian. “Then Chris it is.” She smiled at Brandon. “How about you? Do you wish to be called something else?”
Shyly, he dropped his head. “No. Brandon’s okay.”
Theo removed his arms and walked over to Helen. “Helen Bryant, housekeeper, peacemaker, and all-around saint. Helen, my friend, Hope Sutton.”
Helen wiped her hands on a towel, extending the right one. “My pleasure, Hope.”
Hope shook her proffered hand, noticing that the intense summer sun had not been kind to the woman’s fair skin. The tip of her nose was a bright pink.
“Same here, Miss Helen.”
The housekeeper’s face flushed. “The Miss Helen is for the kids,” she whispered.
“Can I help you with anything?”
Helen waved a hand. “No. You’re a guest. The next time you come you won’t be a guest. Then you can help me—that is, only if you want to,” she added, meeting Theo’s incredulous glare.
Shaking his head, he cupped Hope’s elbow. “Come sit and relax. As soon as the meat and fish are done, we’ll eat.”
She followed him out of the kitchen to the rear of the house. An expansive outdoor patio with Adirondack chairs shaded by large white umbrellas faced the ocean. Four rotisserie chickens turning slowly on a commercial cart grill made her mouth water. The only thing she’d had all morning was a cup of tea.
Theo pulled out a chair at a large round table with seating for six. She sat down. A pale-blue-flower-sprigged tablecloth, with a hole cut in the middle to accommodate the pole for the overhead umbrella, matched the stack of white plates with a narrow blue trim. Beside it, a wicker basket was filled with cloth napkins and silverware.
He hunkered down beside the chair, smiling. “How hungry are you?”
Hope met his gaze. “Very.”
“Good. I was hoping you brought your appetite, because Helen was up before dawn cooking. She believes she’s feeding a small army.”
“Cooking for three teenagers is a small army.”
“Amen to that,” he whispered. “Is there anything you don’t eat?”
“I’m off red meat for the summer.”
Theo angled his head, his eyes narrowing. “Are you all right?”
Her expression stilled and grew serious. “Yes.” The look on Theo’s face said he did not believe her. “If I eat red meat, then it must be organic.”
His smile was dazzling. “You’re in luck. Helen only buys organic meats, fruits, and vegetables. She says foods with additives and preservatives play havoc with her hormone levels.”
Hope wanted to tell Theo that she and his housekeeper had something in common. Averting her gaze, she stared at the beach. “The view of the ocean from this point on the island is spectacular.” Less than a quarter of a mile away was the proposed site for Palmetto Haven, a private gated community for the wealthy.
Theo straightened. Hope had changed the subject. If she was sick, then he wondered how sick? Had she come to McKinnon to reconnect with her roots before…? His thoughts trailed off. He did not want to think of her dying.
“I’ll be right back with something for you to nibble on.”
Theo retreated to the house, and a minute later Brandon arrived with a platter of deviled eggs and stuffed grape leaves in one hand and a bowl of shrimp and avocado seviche in the other. Noelle followed with a bowl of crispy tortilla chips and bite-size parmesan-dusted meatballs.
“I helped Theo make the meatballs,” she announced proudly. Noelle speared a meatball with a toothpick, put it on a small plate, and handed it to Hope.
She took a bite, her eyes widening in surprise. “It’s delicious.” It had a Mediterranean flavor. After the second bite, the meatball was gone.
“Theo said the recipe comes from Greece.”
“I take it your brother cooks very well.”
Noelle sat down next to Hope. “He cooks better than Miss Helen,” she whispered. “Please don’t tell her I said that.”
Hope became her coconspirator when she said, “I won’t.”
“What are you two whispering about?”
Theo had come up on them without making a sound. “I was just telling Noelle how much I like the meatballs.” Hope hadn’t lied, but it wasn’t totally the truth either.
“She did most of the work. All I did was measure the ingredients.” He placed two pitchers filled with icy concoctions on the table.
“Which one is for the kids?” Noelle asked.
Theo pulled her braids. “They’re both for the kids. The grown-folk drinks are inside.”
Brandon and Christian came out of the house, carrying a large pot and a pan of marinated meat. The pot went on one of grill’s two range-top burners, the pan of meat on a side table. Helen finally put in her appearance, carrying a large wooden bowl filled with salad. The activity increased until the table literally groaned with food.
Christian assumed the responsibility of manning the grill, while Brandon acted as waiter, bringing platters of cooked and steamed dishes to the table. Hope sampled a butter toasted frankfurter roll filled with lobster salad and topped with fresh chopped chives, steamed clams in a savory leek butter, and shoestring fries dusted with kosher salt. She ate sparingly, saving room for the grilled chicken, filet mignon medallions, and the salad made with an assortment of field greens and marinated vegetables.
Their cooking and serving duties completed, Brandon and Christian sat down and began eating. The pitchers of punch disappeared quickly, and Theo got up, returned to the house, and came back with two more.
He pointed to a pitcher filled with a pale yellow liquid. “Grown folks.”
The three Andersons exchanged knowing glances, then nodded. All knew how their older brother felt about underage drinking.
Christian reached for an empty platter. “I’m going to clean up now.”
Theo frowned at him. “What’s your hurry? We still haven’t had dessert.”
He gave his guardian a direct stare. “We can eat dessert later. It’s time we left for the movies, or we’re going to be late.”
Theo returned the stare. “Then go.”
“We… we don’t have to clear the table?” Noelle asked, her voice rising slightly in surprise.
Theo affected a stern expression. “If you’re going to the movies, then go. Otherwise stay and clean up. No speeding,” he called out to Christian as he shot up from the table. Then the three teenagers were gone, racing in the direction of the carport.
Helen chuckled softly. “I’ve never seen them move that fast.”
Shaking his head slowly, Theo said, “I don’t know why they’re in such a hurry to go see a movie they’ve seen before.”
Hope knew the answer. Going off without an adult chaperone was a show of independence, a sign that they could be trusted. She took another sip of her vodka lemonade, staring at Theo over the rim of her glass. What she saw in his gaze should have shocked her, but it didn’t, because she felt the same.
His gaze dropped to her bared shoulders, then to her breasts. Her hand stilled, as if paralyzed. She couldn’t move, breathe. He radiated a sensuality that drew her like a magnet. Reluctantly she pulled her gaze away. Only then was she able to breathe normally.
“I’ll help clean up.”
“No, you won’t,” Helen argued. “You’re a guest.”
Turning her head slowly, Hope looked at Theo, who took furtive sips of his drink. “Do you plan on inviting me back?”
He seemed startled by her query. “Of course.”
Placing her napkin on the table, she began to push back her chair. “Then that settles it. I’m not a guest.”
Theo moved quickly, pulling back her chair. His left arm curved around her waist. “It’s not good to get on Helen’s bad side,” he whispered close to her ear.
Hope shivered despite the heat. “Let me handle this, please.” He dropped his arm, and she felt his loss immediately. She liked him touching her. “Helen, I’d like to talk to you about something.”
The bright blue eyes were suddenly alert. “What about?”
Leaning down, she whispered, “Female stuff.”
“Of course, dear. We’ll talk in the kitchen.” She stood up and motioned to Theo. “You stay and relax. Hope and I will clean up everything.”
He sat back down, shaking his head. At forty years of age, he still did not understand women. In the six years he had come to know Helen Bryant, she had never permitted anyone to help her clean her kitchen, yet she hadn’t known Hope more than three hours and without warning she had reversed her hard stance.
He was tempted to bring some of the dishes into the house but quickly changed his mind. He would do as Helen suggested—sit and relax. He moved away from the table and lay on a chaise under the protective cover of an umbrella. He was not only full but also sleepy. He doubted whether he had had more than three hours of uninterrupted sleep, because his dreams were disturbed by the images of the woman who had spent the past three hours at his table.
There was no doubt his brothers were as intrigued by her as he was. Christian had whispered to him that Hope was hot, while Brandon surreptitiously had given him the thumbs-up sign.
McKinnon Island was good for Noelle, Christian and Brandon. It was even good for Helen. She cooked less and did not have as much laundry. Most times the teenagers lived in swimsuits, while grilling outdoors. The only thing she complained about was their tracking sand into the house.
Theo opened his eyes and smiled. Yes, McKinnon Island was very good for him because of Hope. It was the first time in a very long time that he wanted to see a woman not because he wanted her to share his bed. She made him laugh, and she challenged him. Letting out an audible sigh, he closed his eyes and within minutes succumbed to a gentle peace that had eluded him most of his life.
Theo woke up, startled. He thought he’d heard voices. Raising his left arm, he stared at his watch. It was almost seven. The afternoon had sped past. Swinging his legs over the chaise, he sat up. Hope and Helen were nowhere to be seen. He pushed off the chaise and went into the kitchen. Everything had been put away.
A shiver snaked its way up his spine. The house was too cool. He stopped to adjust the thermostat before he walked into the family room. Helen sat in a deep club chair, her bare feet on a matching ottoman. She was reading the latest James Patterson Alex Cross mystery.
Her head came up and she smiled. “I suppose you’re looking for Hope? She’s down on the beach,” Helen continued before he could answer. “She’s very nice, Theo. A lot better than some of the others I’ve seen you with.”
He flashed a half-smile. “So, you like her, too?”
She stared at him with surprise. “You’re not going to tell me to mind my business?”
“Not today, Miss Helen,” he said, grinning.
“Invite her back tomorrow.” She wasn’t certain Theo heard her, because he was already out the door, heading in the direction of the beach.