The Parking Space (11 page)

“I’ve been snorkeling before, but she hasn’t,” Rick said.

“Ah, a beginner, then? Well, get your gear on while I go over some tips.”

Rick handed me my mask, snorkel tube, and fins before he grabbed the bottom of his cotton t-shirt and yanked it up over his head.

Oh, for the love of all that is holy . . .

The sight of his naked, chiseled chest and defined abs caught my breath and I dropped the gear. Each piece plummeted to the ground, and the mask hit my toe, pinching my foot. I bent down, grabbing the throbbing limb as I kept myself from shouting an array of obscenities.

Seriously? Can anything else happen to me?

“You okay, Miss?” Hal asked.

I ducked my chin as I nodded—forcing myself to stare at the ground so that neither man noticed me gawking at Rick’s body. Obviously, his clothes had hinted toward his muscular build, however, the imagined image I’d had in my head hadn’t done the real thing justice.

At all.

Hal picked up the mask and handed it to me with a smirk that caused my cheeks to flush and he chuckled under his breath as though he knew the truth behind my sudden clumsiness.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“Never better.” I closed my eyes for a second and waved my hand to emphasize my forthcoming excuse. “The sun just . . . it’s so bright out here, even with my sunglasses.”

“Yeah, we hear that a lot.” His tone reeked of perception, like when the parent of a teenager knew when the defiant youth lied to them.

I ripped the mask from his hand, giving him a slight glare as I tossed it on the seat behind me. With a few movements, I shimmied out of my shorts and t-shirt. Although cute, my purple bikini suddenly felt plain, void of any frills like that of the itty-bitty material swatches and shoestrings that clung to Flora’s curves.

For a moment, I wished I’d purchased the expensive hot pink and teal patterned one that caught my eye instead, not that I wanted to spend that kind of money on a bikini, but I had loved the beading on the halter-top.

“So Miss Wright has a body after all.” Logan whistled. “Who would have thought that since she covers it up twenty-four seven.” He slipped on his flippers and grabbed Flora’s hand before they both jumped off the front of the boat into the water.

I attempted to shoot a glare in his direction, but was too late as I scooped up the mask and flipped it over in my hand.

“Do you need help?” Rick asked, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

“Um, yeah, I guess I do.”

He grasped the plastic from my hand and tucked it under his arm as he reached toward me. I held my breath as his fingers brushed through my hair, gently sweeping all the strands away from my face.

“If your hair gets caught in the mask, it will leak.”

“Oh.” The word that left my lips sounded more like an exhaled breath.

He pressed the mask against my face and slipped the strap over the back of my head. It slipped down my nose when he released it.

“Okay . . . well, that won’t work.” Before I could blink, he yanked them off and adjusted the strap, trying once again. “Let’s try this length.”

I helped tug the mask in place. It squished my nose, forcing me to breathe through my mouth.

“There, I think that should do it. Is it too tight?” he asked. I shook my head as he attached the tube and tucked it under my chin. “Does it hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

“Well, if it leaks at all when we get in the water, let me know.”

“Okay.”

He stepped back and fetched his own mask, slipping it over his head after adjusting the straps. As he slid it up and rested it on his forehead, he grabbed my flippers and handed them to me. While he slipped his own on, I jammed my soles into the blue rubber water feet that squeaked as they inched over my skin.

Hal helped me stagger over the back seat of the boat onto the small, deck-like flat stern. The extra inches stuck to my limbs made walking awkward and I nearly fell several times.

“We don’t allow boats in this part of the lagoon, so you two don’t need to worry about that. This is also a calm spot with lots of coral and fish. However, you need to be aware of your surroundings. We still have jellyfish, some small sharks, and eels that hide in the rocks and coral around the lagoon.”

He motioned for me to sit down and dangle my feet in the water.

“Since this is your first time,” he continued, “try not to venture away from the boat too far in case you get tired and if you get water in your tube, don’t panic. Either blow it out or drain it above water by removing it from your mouth.”

“Any other tips before we go in?” Rick asked, stepping onto the small deck behind me.

“Don’t touch any of the fish.”

“Yes, sir.” Rick gave Hal a slight nod and a broad smile before he drew the mask down over his face and dove into the water. The boat rocked from his movement as droplets splashed against my arms and legs.

Within seconds, he popped up out of the water and swam over to where I was sitting on the back of the boat. “You ready?”

I nodded.

“Well, then, let’s go. I’ve got you.”

He held out his hands, wrapping them around my waist as I scooted toward the edge of the stern. In between his strong arms, my body plunged into the warm water. The feeling of weightlessness overwhelmed me.

“I haven’t been swimming in forever,” I laughed.

“Yeah, it’s been a while for me, too. Are you ready?”

I pushed the mouthpiece between my lips and nodded.

Rick mimicked my movement and grabbed my hand, jerking his head as he motioned me to follow him.

Our bodies floated as we pressed our faces in the water and kicked our feet. My heart pounded. I held my breath for a moment—having never breathed through a tube, the concept unnerved me.

Rick glanced over at me, pointed to his own tube, and gave me a thumbs up. The elation in his eyes shined through the plastic mask.

Breath after breath, as the minutes ticked on, I slowly relaxed and began to take in the whole other world below the waves.

Clown fish darted through the fluttering tentacles of several sea anemone—one of my favorite fish, with their orange and white stripes. Along with them, black, yellow, and white butterfly fish swam from side to side, chasing each other as they danced around under the sea.

The coral rock spread out from the base of the mountain like long fingers. It was full of deep crevices that nearby green and yellow parrotfish scurried around, picking at pieces of food either floating around them or stuck to the rocks.

My flippers glided through the water with every kick, propelling me forward. I released Rick’s hand and kicked my legs, putting a few feet in between us as I watched a giant sea turtle swim away from us.

Bubbles exploded to my left, catching my attention as Rick waved his arms frantically and pointed toward me. Confusion pulsed through my veins as panic set in. Images of huge sharks circling around me rushed in my mind. I glanced over both shoulders several times, searching for the sea creature obviously heading toward me.

Pain seared through the shin of my left leg. I spit out my mouthpiece and screamed under water. Rick grabbed me, kicking his legs as he dashed to the surface, pushing me above the water.

“OUCH!” I bellowed. “What the heck was that?”

“You just got stung by a jellyfish.”

“A jellyfish?”

“Come on, we need to get you back to the boat.”

He turned me around, laying me on his chest as he swam. Waves fought against his movement, splashing on my face as I struggled to breathe. I tried to kick, but with each stroke, my leg felt like fire licked at my skin.

“It hurts.”

“I know it does. Just hold on.”

“What happened?” Hal shouted as he scurried to meet us on the back the stern.

“She got stung by a jellyfish.”

Without saying another word, Hal grabbed my arm underneath my armpit and hoisted me on the boat while Rick climbed onboard after me.

I glanced down at my leg. The blistered skin burned a bright shade of red. A scream hissed through my teeth, and I closed my eyes as I lay back against the stern.

“Holy cow, this hurts.”

“Do you have any vinegar?” Rick asked Hal.

“I did, but I ran out and forgot to restock it.”

Rick’s fingers clutched my ankle while his other hand grabbed my knee. “Helen, how bad does it hurt?”

“Bad. It stings and burns.”

“Okay, Helen, we don’t have any vinegar to pour on it, but I can still help you. There is one thing I can do, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

I opened my eyes, locking them on his.

Not too long ago, on a restless late night, I’d caught the middle of a show on an animal discovery channel. I knew the words that sat on the tip of his tongue.

Oh, Lord. Please. Please, no. Are you kidding me? Of all the things that could go wrong today it has to be this?

A lump caught in my throat. “I know what you’re going to say.”

My body began trembling as I sat on the stern.

“Helen, you’re going into a bit of a state of shock.” He glanced up at Hal. “See if you can find Logan and Flora. We need to get her back to the hotel as soon as possible.” He glanced back at me. “While we wait, I need to help with this pain.”

“I’m not going to lay here while you pee on me.”

He frowned. “You could have a serious reaction any moment from this.”

“I’m not going to lay here while you pee on me.”

“Fine.” He scooped my shoulders in one arm and my legs in the other to carry me to the seat.

Pain shot up my leg into my hip and down through the tips of my toes. “Ouch,” I howled. “I can’t. I can’t move. Don’t move me. Set me down. I can’t. It’s too painful.”

“I’ve got to get you in the back of the boat so we can leave.”

“Okay. Okay. Move me.”

He wrapped both arms around me again, but before he could even lift me more than a few inches, I screamed in pain again.

Oh for the love of all that is holy. Why? Why? Why?

“Okay, fine, fine. Make the pain go away.” I cringed with my words and covered my face with both of my hands. My whole body flushed fire hot, the embarrassment burned through every pore of my skin.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” I shouted. “Yes, I’m sure, just hurry up, and do it.”

Thousands of miles and thousands of dollars got me to this—a man I felt completely attracted to and wished to explore a possible relationship with now stood over me as he geared up to pee on me all because of some stupid jellyfish.

Cosmic karma was out of her ever-lovin’ mind.

“Now, no peeking, okay?” he mocked.

“Oh, you can be assured I’m not going to peek.”

A slight chuckle vibrated through his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

I closed my eyes. My hands were still firmly covering my entire face. Mortification trickled through the deepest parts of my mind.

How could I ever face this man again?

I LAID MY head on the hotel pillow while Rick sat next to the medic table. We were the only two people in the small medical clinic located behind the hotel lobby.

“How are you feeling?” Rick leaned against the back of his chair and propped one ankle on his other knee.

“I’m okay, I guess.” My teeth still chattered and I drew the blanket closer to my chin.

“I’m sorry I had to do
that
.”

I dropped my gaze from his. An itch I couldn’t scratch crawled through my skin. “Yeah, I’m sorry you had to do that, too.”

“At least Logan didn’t see it.” He laughed at his own joke. “Also, if it’s any consolation, I have to say, that’s not the first time I’ve had to do it. A jellyfish stung a friend of mine in Cabo a few years back.”

“I’m not really sure that’s any consolation.”

“Ah, come on, it’s not that bad. So I had to step in and . . . it could have been worse.”

No, I’m pretty much thinking it couldn’t.

“Hal could have been the one to do it or Logan.”

Okay, well, maybe that would have been worse, but still.

“How do you know Logan?” I asked, changing the subject.

“High school. We played football together, hung out in the same crowd. I lost touch with him when I moved to Texas for college, but then saw him out one night after I’d moved back. He’s . . . well, he’s just in his own world.”

“Yeah, a delusional one.”

“He can be rough around the edges, but he’s got a side to him people tend to not see much.”

“The only side I see is the pompous one.” I rolled my eyes and shifted my weight on the bed.

“He grew up without a mother and I think it warped his sense of how to deal with women. I don’t think he’d intentionally hurt someone, he just . . . he’s just not the type to ever settle down and get married.”

“Yeah, I figured. He’s always hosting some party at his place. It drives me insane when I can hear everything through the floor of my apartment.”

Rick’s eyes narrowed and twitched a couple of times as though a sudden thought popped into his head. “I forgot he said you lived in his building. It’s funny that I’ve been so many times before, and didn’t even think about the other tenants.”

“I’m right above him. It’s just one of the many reasons I can’t wait to buy a house and get out of that complex.”

Rick opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, the hotel nurse strode through the door. With a couple of towels in her hand, she glanced at me and smiled.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Can I just go back to my room now?”

She laid her hand on my forehead. “Well, you don’t have a fever, nor have you had any further reaction. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t . . .” She grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and pulled them down over her hands. The white sticky latex fought her movement. “Let me treat the sting one more time, then your husband can take you back to your room.”

“He’s not my husband.”

“My apologies, your boyfriend, then?”

I shook my head.

“Helen and I are just friends.” Rick uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “However, I will be helping her back to her room and staying with her for a while just to make sure she’s okay.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I said.

“Someone needs to stay with you for a while,” he argued.

“He’s right. If you plan on going to your room alone, then I’ll keep you here.”

I closed my eyes. My words hissed through gritted teeth. “Fine.”

The nurse stuck the ear tips of her stethoscope inside her ears and pushed the diaphragm against my chest. She listened to my heart for a few seconds, before moving to the front and back of my lungs, each time telling me to breath in and out a deep breath.

After she was done, she yanked several gauze pads from a bedside cart and soaked them in a bowl of vinegar while she grabbed an industrial-size box of baking soda. With a few flicks of her wrists, the gauze swept over the raw skin where the jellyfish stung me.

I closed my eyes, inhaling a deep breath to distract myself from the pain.

She sprinkled on the baking soda and the white powder bubbled and fizzed when it hit the vinegar.

“I want you to come back and see me again tomorrow, all right?”

“Okay.”

“Try to stay off the leg for the rest of the day and tonight, too. I’ll have the front desk call a cart driver for you. He’ll be waiting out front when you’re ready. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything stronger than over-the-counter pain medication; however, I’ll here is a few doses in case you want to take them.” She handed me a pill bottle that made the same noise as a baby rattle.

“Thank you.”

I climbed out of the bed as she left the room, pulling the medical cart behind her. As I hobbled around the bed, Rick rose to his feet. He drew my arm over his shoulder and wrapped his arm around my waist.

“You don’t have to do that. I can make it to the front desk.”

“You don’t like people helping you, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t wanted my help at all this afternoon.”

My guilt stung through my embarrassment. “I’m sorry.” I hung my head. “It’s not that I don’t want anyone’s help—”

“You just don’t want my help.”

“No, no, that’s not it. I guess I just felt . . . felt a little . . .”

“Embarrassed?”

My cheeks flushed fire hot. I opened my mouth to answer him, but the thought of uttering the only word I could—yes—proved too difficult, so I nodded.

“You don’t have to feel that way. I don’t feel uncomfortable about it—especially since I was only helping a friend.”

“A friend? Doctor Stark—”

“Rick.”

“Rick, we’ve known each other all of, what, twelve hours?”

“Well, technically we’ve known of each other for about a week, remember?” He winked as he mocked.

“Yeah, I remember.”

We continued past the front desk, my pace severely slow, though I desperately tried to hide my pain and mask my inabilities.

“Dr. Stark?” A woman called out from behind us.

I turned to face her just as Rick, and I jerked my head with the sight of the beautiful woman that now walked toward us with a beaming smile on her face.

Who was this woman? And how did she know Rick?

“Mrs. Bouveau? How are you?”

With his question, she grasped both of his outstretched hands and kissed the sides of both of his cheeks.

“I’m just fine, darling. How are you?” Her thick French accent purred. “I didn’t expect to see you around here. I thought you’d be back in the states by now.”

“I decided to take a few days to just enjoy the island. Have a tiny vacation since I’m already here.”

“But of course, why not. There is plenty to do on zee island, no?” She winked. “Just think of it as another perk if you move here.” Her eyes danced from him to me. Nearly as tall as Rick, her long legs were like that of a sleek gazelle. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know your friend. Hello, I’m Natalie Bouveau.”

“Helen Wright.” As I tried to shake her hand, she leaned in, awkwardly kissing both of my cheeks too—a customary French greeting that I wasn’t used to.

“My apologies, ladies.” Rick motioned toward the both of us. “Helen, this is Natalie and she is the one veterinarian on the island.”

“Oh.”

“She’s also Franck’s wife, the manager of the hotel. Natalie, this is Helen she is a patient from San Francisco who I happened to run into while having dinner one night.”

“Well my cat, Charlie, is the patient. Not me.”

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Her attention turned back to Rick and her tone changed, bordering on being pushy, and yet, hesitant at the same time. “So have you thought any more about my proposal?”

“I have, but still haven’t made a decision yet.” Rick shoved both of his hands into the pockets of his pants. His shoulders slouched slightly as he looked away from her for a moment. “However, I must say this is quite the place, that’s for sure.”

“Yes, it is. And, of course, take your time. I don’t mean to rush you in any way.” Natalie gave him a wink then clasped her hands together. “Well, I should let you two be on your way. I have come to fetch Franck for lunch. I have been so busy the last several months that I swear sometimes I forget what he looks like.”

“I should get Helen back to her room, anyway. Unfortunately, she received a sting from a jellyfish while we were snorkeling this afternoon.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that that happened to you.”

“It’s quite all right.”

“Did you see ‘zee medical nurse from ’zee hotel?”

“Yes, we were just there.”

“Well, I hope you feel better soon.” She paused, her eyes focused on Rick once more with as though thought suddenly slapped her in the face. “Since you are still here,” she said to him, “you might as well stop by ‘zee clinic again. I’m sure some of ‘zee patients could use your healing touch before you leave.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“Please do. You could even bring Miss Wright if you want. Show her around.” She smiled at me. “It’s not much, but at least we are able to save as many lives as we can.”

“I’d love to see the clinic.”

“You would?” Rick asked. He jerked his head slightly and blinked a few times as he looked at me.

“Of course, I would.”

“Well, okay. I guess I’ll bring her by when she’s feeling better.”

“Excellent.” Natalie clapped her hands. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Wright. And Rick, it was a pleasure to see you again.”

“You, too, Mrs. Bouveau.”

As suddenly as the woman appeared, she vanished down one of the long hallways behind the receptionist desk. Her arrival and departure left my head spinning and the weight of her words pounded down upon my shoulders.

I had forgotten the reason why he was here, and had forgotten that he might leave San Francisco.

“You ready to get back to your villa?” Rick asked.

As I opened my mouth to answer, a flash of chocolate brown hair on the back of a man’s head brushed through my line of sight. The way the stranger’s ears stuck out from behind and the way he moved caught my attention and twisted in my stomach.

Tom?

I shook my head and closed my eyes.

No, it couldn’t be. Tom wouldn’t be stupid enough to come here. I must be seeing things.

When I opened my eyes again, the tall figure I thought I saw vanished without a trace as if it was nothing more than a figment of my imagination. My brow furrowed as I searched the faces all around the lobby. New arrivals checking, seasoned travelers checking out, and bellhops hustling around with different luggage carts all seemed to come from every direction.

And none of them looked like the mirage I thought I’d seen.

“Helen?” Rick grabbed my arm, jerking my focus onto him. His eyes narrowed. “Are you in there? Hello?”

“Sorry.” I pressed my palm into my forehead. “I’m . . . just tired, I guess.”

“Let’s get you back to your villa.” Rick wrapped his arm around me once more, helping me through the lobby. “Well, this sure turned out to be quite the day, didn’t it?”

I snorted a laugh. “Yeah, one I could have done without.”

“Why don’t we just forget about everything that happened and start over?” He playfully bumped his shoulder into mine. “Deal?”

My eyes shot to the ground and I tucked my hair behind my ears as he helped me into the awaiting golf cart. Even though I still felt utterly mortified, I didn’t wish to continue to act ungrateful.

“Deal.”

He sat on the bench seat next to me and adjusted his weight, rocking the tiny motorized parts of metal. “To the overwater villas, please,” he said to the driver.

“Yes, sir.”

The ride to my villa took longer than I thought it would. The cart bounced and jerked as the driver maneuvered down the path past the beachfront condos, the pool, the tennis courts, and through countless palm trees. Our shoulders brushed several times.

Each touch was just another moment. Both a rush of excitement and embarrassment spread through my skin, searing my frayed nerves like the tentacles of the jellyfish all over again.

This handsome man had to pee on my leg.

Had to pee on my leg.

My shoulders cringed with every thought as the cart pulled up alongside the main dock pathway to all the overwater villas. Rick bounded out of his seat, nodding to the driver as he circled around the cart to help me.

“Thanks,” he said to the man.

“Yes, thank you,” I added.

The driver nodded. “Do you guys need any help?”

“Nah, I’ve got her.”

“Well, have a nice day.”

“You, too.”

I slid from my seat into Rick’s arms, holding on to him for balance. His embrace was strong, and his body felt solid against mine. I thought of him removing his shirt on the boat just hours ago and the image of his bare chest and chiseled abs set fire to my skin.