Love of a Marine (The Wounded Warriors Series Book 2) (9 page)

“All right, dear. We’ll see you on Thursday at five. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too, Lillian.”

Santos held the CD aloft. “I found it. It was in my room. Was that Grandma?”

“Grandma and Grandpa are coming for dinner on Thursday.”

“Grandpa promised to take me to a Dodger game this summer. He said it would be men only, no women allowed.”

Graciella chuckled. “I suspect he doesn’t want me to see all the junk the two of you will be eating all afternoon.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Tuesday morning debuted with a typical
June gloom
overcast sky. Low-hanging clouds blocked out the sun, putting a chill in the air. Cluny shrugged.
Doesn’t bode well for a day at the beach
. He pulled up to the Dempsey house and waved at Amber waiting impatiently on the front porch.

She waved and hopped off the porch when he parked the van. She ran to greet him. “DD made Declan laugh this morning.”

“Nah. That microscopic mutt makes
me
laugh, but week-old babies don’t laugh.”

“They do too. Come in and I’ll show you. Anyway, he’s not like a regler baby. He’s rill smart.” She tugged his hand. “Hurry up.”

“You’re one bossy little girl.”

Dwayne met them at the door with a steaming mug in his hand. “Doesn’t look like beach weather.”

“What’re you doing hanging around the house so late? Still recovering from the birth of your son?” Cluny teased.

Marla’s voice called from inside, “Come in, Cluny. He was just leaving. Do you have time for a cup of coffee with me?”

He shouldered past Dwayne, giving him a little extra bump on the way inside. “I never pass up coffee with a beautiful woman.”

Dwayne snorted.

Declan reclined in his carrier on the floor next to Marla’s feet. She threw her mass of strawberry blond hair over her shoulder and held up the pot. “Amber, would you get Uncle Cluny a cup from the cupboard?”

Cluny smiled at Dwayne’s wife. She wore faded yoga pants, bunny slippers, and an oversize sweatshirt without a smidgen of makeup on her face. He winked at the sour expression on his old buddy’s face and chuckled when she puckered for his kiss. “You can leave now, Gunny. I’ve got everything handled here.”

Amber set the cup on the table. “I’m going to get DD and prove Declan can laugh.” She opened the kitchen door and called the tiny mutt.

Dwayne grinned. “You gotta see this.”

Amber went to the baby carrier and knelt. She placed DD between the baby’s legs, and Marla’s Yorkie commenced to lick Declan’s chin and hands. First a giggle, then genuine laughter poured from the kid’s mouth. His fat little body bounced, and his arms waved like a signalman on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Dwayne and Cluny exploded with laughter, startling the infant. He wailed pitifully, and Amber leaned in to him, cooing and snuggling until he stopped.

“I told you, dint I?” Her pixie face screwed up with satisfaction.

“I’ll be da…danged.” He corrected himself in time to avoid another language scolding from his goddaughter.

Dwayne leaned in to kiss Marla. “Gotta run, honey. I’m only working until two today, so you relax and I’ll take care of dinner and the laundry tonight.”

Cluny gagged. “You are so whipped, pal.”

Dwayne grinned. “Your envy is showing,
pal.”
He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. “Walk me to the truck, Cluny. I need to ask you something.”

What was this all about? Surely Dwayne couldn’t think he had any designs on Marla. He knew better than that. He took his cup and followed.

When they got to the Big D truck, Dwayne turned. His brow wrinkled. “Did you ever meet Ollie Williams?”

“Sure, but it’s been a few years, why? He must be retired by now. I know he did way more than twenty with the Navy.”

“He came to me looking for a job yesterday. Said the wife was going to kill him if he didn’t get out of her hair.” A smile twisted Dwayne’s lips. “Can’t say I blame her, a little of Ollie goes a long way.”

Cluny remembered the old Navy Chief with the foghorn bellow and gruff personality. “Doesn’t he live in San Diego? Why would he be looking around here for a job? How old is he?”

“Can’t be more than sixty. He and his wife moved into half of a duplex his son owns in Thousand Oaks. They get free rent for managing the property and sitting with the grandkids after school. The old bastard can fix anything.”

“You gonna hire him?”

“I don’t need anybody, but aren’t you looking to take on a man for routine maintenance work?”

“Yeah, I posted an ad for a plumber. I want to go after more new construction contracts. We can’t keep up with the little stuff. We work off customer referrals, and I can’t afford to jeopardize that loyalty by turning down too much work. But, Ollie? I don’t know, man. I might kill him myself.”

“I know what you mean.” Dwayne chuckled and unlocked the truck. “Think about it. If you want his number let me know. I didn’t tell him you were looking, but I think he’d be interested.” He pointed up. “Fog’s burning off.”

Cluny glanced at his watch. “Yep, it’s time to round up Amber and get going. I’ll think about Ollie and talk to you when we get back today. Am I invited to dinner?”

“Always.” Dwayne fired up the engine and put the truck in reverse. “Later.”

Back on the porch Cluny gathered up Amber’s belly boards and the stack of towels next to them. “Amber! Get a move on. Time to go.”

She came to the door carrying Declan. “Just a minute, Mom’s on the phone.”

He held out his arms. “Let me hold him.” He lifted the baby and grinned into his fat little face. “How’s it going, scrapper?” The kid looked just like Dwayne except for the red fuzz on his head. His eyes were darker than the day he was born, so maybe they wouldn’t stay as blue as his dad’s.

Marla reached the door. “Here’s Mama.” She took him from Cluny and nuzzled his face.

“We’re off then,” he said. “We’ll be back before dark.”

“Have fun. Amber, did you remember the sunscreen?” Marla raised her brows. “Make sure she puts on more when she gets out of the water, Cluny. If she gets out of the water.”

“Check.”

* * *

“They’re here.” Santos ran through the front door, holding his towels.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Graciella said. “Take the cooler out to the van and come back for those. It’s too much for me to carry in one trip.”

Cluny entered the apartment. “Tote goat reporting for duty, ma’am.” His happy grin and blue eyes melted any tension she’d felt about seeing him again after yesterday’s little upset. “I’ll carry the cooler.”

“You’re right on time.” She returned his smile and handed over the big ice chest. “I’ll get the rest. The blanket and umbrella are still in the trunk of my car.” She retrieved her hat and large beach bag, locked the door to the apartment, and followed them.

Santos scanned the parking area. “Where’s Amber?”

“She took Queen to visit the vacant lot across the street.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the van. “There she is.” He turned to Graciella. “Everything OK?”

“Yes. I’m glad you twisted my arm to do this.” This quiet, big man was good for her. Good for her son. “Santos has been up since the crack of dark.” She laughed. “I worry he might grow up to be a beach bum.”

“What this world needs is more beach bums and fewer combat troops. He’s a good kid. He’ll choose his path. You’ve done a great job.” He loaded the chest into the van through the open back doors. “You kids be sure and fasten those seat belts. Amber, hook Queen’s harness to the ring or she’ll slide around on that slick upholstery.” To Graciella he said, “Sorry. This heap’s not very fancy, but it gets the job done.”

“You have it for work, right?” Was he worried she’d think less of him because he drove a utility van? “Doesn’t need to be fancy, just reliable.” He opened the passenger door and held it while she climbed in. “Thank you, Cluny.” He’d avoided touching her. She was disappointed because even the brush of his hand warmed her in places she’d ignored for so long she’d forgotten the sensations. What happened to not wanting more than friendship from him?

He held a strong, callused hand out to her. “Give me your keys and I’ll get the blanket and umbrella from your car.”

How would his hand feel on her bare skin? She blinked. “I’m glad you remembered. Between my front door and here I’d already forgotten about it.” She dug in her bag and found the keys.

He winked and smiled, sending her heart racing. “Be right back.”

She needed to tread carefully here, very carefully. “You kids all buckled up?”

They nodded and grinned back at her. Both of them had a hand on Queen’s neck. She’d have sworn the dog smiled.

Cluny tossed the blanket and umbrella in the back of the van. “All set? Did anybody forget anything? Last minute pit stop before we go?”

“Get in, Uncle Cluny. We’re ready. We can pee in the ocean.”

Graciella grinned at Amber’s comment. “Why not? The fish pee in there.”

* * *

Her lighthearted comment wasn’t missed by Cluny. Graciella’s mood was nothing like yesterday when she’d dismissed him so abruptly. He was curious about Krystal Jefferson and the tension between the two women, but for now he’d avoid the subject and leave her to tell him what she wanted him to know. He wouldn’t do anything to change her happy mood.

Amber and Santos talked about baseball. Cluny had encouraged her to join the park league he coached during the summer. Both boys and girls were welcome on the city park teams, and the emphasis was on fun and teamwork. A natural athlete like her father, Amber took to most sports, but she’d been nagging Dwayne to pay for gymnastics camp.

“I told my daddy I wanted to learn gymnastics. He told me it cost too much, but if I got mostly A’s in fifth grade he’d pay for gymnastics camp next summer.”

“Don’t you get A’s now?” Santos wondered.

“A’course. I get rill good report cards already. I heard him tell Mom having babies cost a lot of money. I bet that’s the rill reason.”

Cluny glanced at Graciella. She smiled and pressed her lips together.

He nodded to the distance. “What a sight!” The slopes in front of a hillside home up ahead flared with breathtaking amethyst of blooming ice plant.

Graciella gasped. “When we drove this way a few days ago it had barely started blooming. It takes my breath away. Santos, look to the right. Isn’t that something?”

“It’s the exact same color as your new bathrobe, Mama.”

Cluny’s heart raced at the thought of how she’d look in that robe with her smoky golden complexion and brown eyes. Chances were he wouldn’t have that pleasure anytime soon, if ever. He needed to get a handle on his attraction to her. The last thing he wanted to do was rush, scare her off before they had a chance to get comfortable with each other. He wasn’t sure how far he wanted this to go.

Fifty minutes after they left her apartment, he turned into the large parking area at Zuma beach behind a lifeguard tower. “OK, troops, let’s figure out how to get all this stuff to a good spot without making two trips.”

He put Queen’s service vest on her, and she sat patiently while they portioned out who would carry what. “Atten’hun, for’ard harch!” He took the lead and they followed like a squad of raw recruits until he stopped at a nice flat stretch of sand. “Halt!”

Amber and Santos screamed with laughter, and Graciella shook her head. He snapped out the big blanket, spread it, and pointed. “Towels here, picnic basket there, cooler on the other side. Snap to, soldiers.”

“You’re funny, Macfearsome.” Santos set a smaller blanket and towels in the spot Cluny’d indicated and lifted the folded umbrella. “Where should I put this, Captain?”

“That’s Sergeant to you, jarhead. Troops are dismissed. Smear on some sunscreen and take Queen for a swim.”

They peeled off their T-shirts and stood impatiently while Cluny and Graciella applied sunscreen to their backs and arms, then they grabbed the belly boards and ran to the water. Queen barked and galloped alongside them. To avoid a confrontation with the lifeguard, Cluny had waved, pointed to her vest, removed it, and gave her permission to go. You knew summer was finally here when the lifeguard towers were manned from early morning until dusk.

Cluny opened the large umbrella and placed it to give maximum shade on the blanket. Graciella pulled her beach caftan over her head, and his heart nearly stopped at the sight of her in a bikini. Her long slender arms and legs were in precise proportion to her sleek dancer’s hips and torso.

Oh, Mama!

He swallowed, took off his jeans and T-shirt, folded them neatly, and set them to the side.

She plopped her big floppy hat on her head and leaned back on her hands. “What a perfect day.”

“You got that right.” Perfect day. Perfect weather. Perfect spot. Perfect kids. And the perfect woman sitting next to him. It didn’t get any better than this.

* * *

The man had a strong, lean body. The body of a hardworking man who kept himself fit. She glanced sidewise through her dark glasses, hoping he didn’t notice her gawking. His well-defined shoulders, chest, and belly didn’t have an ounce of flab. Cluny dangled his big hands from the raised knees of his powerful legs. She smiled at his big feet.

“You like my big feet?” He grinned. “Caught you looking. Don’t be embarrassed. We got that out of the way, now we can relax and enjoy ourselves.”

She sat straight. “OK, just for the record, how big are they?”

“Size thirteen. You could use one of my sneakers for a lifeboat.” He winked and pointed at her feet. “Yours are kinda big too.”

Graciella laughed and leaned back on her elbows. “I deserved that, but I’ll go to my grave before I’ll reveal any statistics.” Her cheeks and neck warmed, and it wasn’t due to the bright sun.

Cluny shifted, lay on his belly, and squinted at Amber and Santos. “He’s got the hang of it now. They’re having a great time.” He dropped his chin on his folded arms. “God, I remember the first time I saw an ocean. It was when Dwayne and I were stationed at Camp Pendleton as a couple of raw recruits. He got a charge out of my reaction. Born in California, it was old stuff to him. We were twenty years old and invincible. We knew everything.”