Bad Karma (37 page)

Zach slipped a protective arm around Sky’s shoulder. “Hey, Dad. Don’t scare my fiancée.”

~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Revelation

Javier had driven to the Wal-Mart in Harlingen. He was loading cases of bottled water into a cart, when he spied a familiar face.

“
Good to see you, Javier. Getting ready for the storm?”

“
Hello, Mister Bailey. Yes, sir. My mother needed a few things.” He shook his former high school science teacher’s hand. “How are you enjoying your retirement?”

“
Great, so far. The garden has never looked better. Be a shame if it all washes away.”

“
It looks like the storm may come ashore near Galveston this time.”

“
But you never can tell.” Mister Bailey gave him a pat on the shoulder. “I read about you saving Cassidy Danforth from that fire. Sure glad you did. She’s a heck of a nice girl.”

Javier grinned at the older man. “That she is, sir.”

“
Personally, I think she’s too young and pretty to teach in a high school. I’m afraid the students will give her a hard time, but considering her academic record, I imagine she’ll be able to handle just about anything they throw at her.”

Javier threw the last case of water on top of the others and turned to frown at Tom Bailey. “What was that, Mister Bailey?”

“
Cassie...She’s my replacement at the high school. She’s the new Biology and General Science teacher.”

Javier felt like he’d been sucker-punched. “I don’t understand. She’s only twenty years old.”

Tom Bailey shook his head in wonderment. “Amazing, isn’t it? She’s a genius all right. Graduated with honors last month. Master of Science in Biology with a specialization in Marine Biology. I Googled her to get all the specifics. The girl sure won’t brag on herself.”

Javier’s chest felt tight.
Why didn’t she tell me?
He tried to speak. Couldn’t. Taking a deep breath, he let it out all at once. “No, sir. She sure won’t brag.”

Javier left the store in a daze. He climbed inside his truck and sat for a few minutes, his fingers wrapped tightly around the steering wheel. Tom Bailey’s words echoed in his brain. Master’s degree, academic honors, young genius ...Cassie was...Cassie.
My innocent baby girl. My angel.

Javier turned on the ignition and the giant truck roared to life. He rolled out of the parking lot and headed toward the island.

Locating Cassidy Danforth was his only thought.

~*~

Spending the day with Darla and Chloe ranked as one of the most fun times Cassie had enjoyed since she’d been on the island. If she didn’t count the times she’d spent with Javier.

She’d taught Darla some basic moves, with Chloe and Lacy cheering them on from the sidelines. Now, she lay beside Darla on the mat, both laughing and damp from their exertion.

“
That was better than sex.” Darla glanced at Lacy and covered her mouth with both hands.

Chloe sighed. “I’ve laughed so much, you’ve made my sides hurt. You two are like the sisters I never had.”

Darla grinned. “I always wanted a sister. Then I wouldn’t have had to beat up all the boys by myself.”

Cassie lay on her back, giggling. “I can just imagine you jumping on Calvin. That is one big guy.”

“
I never got into it with Calvin. He always treated me like I was a little princess, even when I was a total hellion.”

Cassie rolled up to a sitting position. “And the others? Did you beat them up?”

Darla nodded. “Andrew and Zach and both sets of twins.”

Cassie rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “That must have kept you busy.”

Darla giggled, setting the others off on a spree of laughter. “I never thought of it that way, but I guess a sister’s work is never done.”

Chloe held her arms out to Lacy who clambered into her lap. “So, Cassie, are you and Javier getting serious?”

She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “He gave me a key to his new apartment and I helped him pick out furniture for it.”

Darla hummed the tune of the Wedding March.”

Cassie grinned. “Well, you old married ladies make it sound so good.”

Chloe gathered Lacy in her arms and stood up. “Come upstairs with me and I’ll make us some lunch. I can’t let you two leave me. This is way better than reality television.”

~*~

By the time he reached Port Isabel, Javier was breathing normally, glad that none of his buddies with the Texas Highway Patrol had been cruising on that particular stretch of highway.

In his head, he’d replayed every second of dialogue he’d ever had with Cassie, from the first time he’d seen her leggy form sprinting on the beach to the last time he’d held her in his arms.

She’d said she was a teacher, but made no effort to correct him when he’d assumed that she was speaking figuratively.

He pulled into his parent’s driveway and ran his hands over his close-cropped hair.

Maybe Jorge was right. Maybe he didn’t know her at all.

Javier got out and slammed the door of his truck. He lugged in three cases of water and plunked them down forcefully on the kitchen counter.

Selena jumped, pressing her hands to her heart. “
Mijo!
Be careful. And don’t lift such a heavy load. You just got your stitches out.”

“
Sorry, Mama.”

“
What is the matter with you? Your face looks like a thunderstorm.”

He exhaled a long breath before turning to the sink and running a stream of cool water from the faucet. Cupping his hands, he splashed his face, and then took another deep breath.

Selena handed him a kitchen towel. “What is it that has you so upset?”

Javier leaned his hip against the counter. “Tell me everything you know about Cassidy Danforth.”

“
Ay, que chula
. Your Cassie is a sweet, innocent girl. And very smart, too.”

Javier gritted his teeth together. “Just how smart is she?”

“
Why, I remember Skyler telling me that Cassie has a teaching certificate. That’s pretty smart for a twenty-year-old, isn’t it?”

Javier nodded. “Yes it is. How about a twenty-year-old with a Master’s degree?”

“
Ay!
A Master’s? That’s wonderful! I’m so proud of you, Javi. You got a beautiful girl with brains too.” Selena patted Javier’s cheek.

“
Didn’t I though?”

He finished unloading the cases of water and got back in the truck.

Truth time.

~*~

Zach carried all the plywood up onto the deck. Some of it had gotten warped leaning against one of the concrete pilings underneath the house, but maybe it would straighten out enough to be usable if need be. He stacked it all flat on one end of the deck and placed a heavy planter on top.

He looked up when he heard the roar of a powerful motor down below. Javier Rios loped up the stairs with a grim set to his jaw.

“
Javier? What’s going on?”

“
Is Cassie here?” he asked.

“
No, she and Sky went to pick up a few things at the store. What’s up?”

Javier looked upset. A muscle in his jaw kept twitching.

Zach gestured to a deck chair. “Sit down. They’ll be back soon. Have a beer.” He reached into the galvanized bucket of ice and pulled out a longneck, slapping it into Javier’s outstretched hand.

“
Thanks.” He twisted off the cap and poured the cold liquid down his throat. “Tell me something, Zach.”

“
Shoot!

Javier took another long swallow before going on. “Is Cassie some kind of baby Einstein, or something?”

Zach nodded. “Yeah, Cassie is a real brain child. She’s got a lot of intelligence, but there’s something about her...I don’t know. It’s like she’s a fresh-hatched chick about some things. When everyone else was out partying, she was in the science labs making the dean’s list.”

Javier seemed to consider that as he sipped his beer. “And everyone knows this?”

Zach nodded. “I guess. Why?”

“
Can you think of any reason why she’d keep me in the dark?”

Zach eyed the other man and shook his head slowly. “No, I can’t.”

“
Can you think of any reason she’d let me think she was just a delivery girl when she has a professional teaching job starting in a couple of months?”

Zach swallowed his own beer, not sure of the best answer. “Maybe she thought you knew.”

Javier heaved another big sigh. “I don’t think so. She didn’t tell me that she has two degrees either. I think I’m the only one around here who doesn’t know about Miss Danforth’s many accomplishments.”

~*~

Cassie knew all about anatomy. She knew it wasn’t her heart that she loved with; that the heart was the organ responsible for pumping blood and oxygen to all parts of her body, but when she spied Javier’s big red truck parked alongside Zach’s Jeep, it sure felt like that particular organ did a little happy dance in her chest.

“
Somebody’s got company!” Sky sang out.

How could he make her panties damp when she hadn’t even seen him, hadn’t smelled him, hadn’t tasted his kiss or felt his strong arms around her?
This is something way beyond Basic Anatomy.

She wanted to bound up the stairs and throw herself on him. But no. Better to be cool and help Sky carry the groceries upstairs.

She climbed out of the Audi and reached for the heaviest bag, trying to take her time about it and not glance up to see if Javi was watching her.

On the way up she met Zach going down to assist Sky with the other bags. He raised his brows and gave her a slight shake of his head in passing.

On the deck, she placed the bag on the same wooden picnic table where Javier sat with his boots resting on the attached bench. She turned to him with a smile.

Javi’s dark gaze sent a warning signal straight to her brain, like the glint of sunlight on a knife just as it slashes or that dry rattling sound before the snake strikes.

Cassie’s throat constricted as she tried to draw a breath.

His mouth turned up at the corners, but his eyes were not smiling. He made a little motion with his fingers, wordlessly calling her nearer.

Cassie went to stand before him, like a naughty child awaiting her punishment.

He reached for her hands, pulling her between his spread thighs.

Resting her knee against the picnic bench, she stepped closer, so close she could smell him, the scent of his soap and whatever toiletries he used setting off an explosion of sensations. She moistened her lips. “Javi,..I...”