Uncharted Waters (7 page)

“Morning,” he said to her as she approached.

“Hi.”

He poured from a Thermos and shoved a cup at her. “Nothing fancy, but it's hot.”

The smell of coffee made her mouth water. “You thought of everything.”

“Mommy, this is so cool! The plane's tied up to the dock just like a boat!”

“I see that,” she said.

Shoving his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, Kevin grinned. “My mommy and me made a key lime pie last night.”

Drew stared blankly at the boy for a moment as if to ask “Why are you telling me?” “That's nice,” he said slowly.

“Mommy made it for you.”

“Kevin!” she said sharply, but was too late.

“Mommy said you could come over tonight if you
want to. She's a good cook and won't even make you put the silverware away if you don't want.”

Drew glanced over at Alison and raised his brows. “I think there's an invitation in there somewhere.”

Alison laughed, thankful it wasn't yet light because her cheeks were on fire. “Kevin and I wanted to...thank you for inviting us here this morning.” She walked over to her son and knelt to tie one of his sneakers. “Why don't you invite Drew over for dinner the way we talked about it last night, honey?”

Nodding, Kevin grew serious. “Would you like to come over for dinner tonight, Drew?”

For an instant, Drew looked uncomfortable, glancing quickly from Kevin to Alison then back to Kevin. “Hey, that's nice but you sure don't have to go to any trouble.”

“The pie's already made,” Kevin said. “It's really good. Mommy let me lick the bowl and everything.”

Alison finished knotting the shoelace, then cleared her throat, suddenly nervous because she wasn't sure if Drew was going to accept their invitation. It had seemed like such a good idea the night before while she and Kevin were making the pie. Now, with Drew standing there with a scowl on his face, it didn't seem quite so brilliant.

“Don't feel obligated or anything,” she said quickly. “I mean, it's not like Kevin and I can't handle a key lime pie all by ourselves. Right, honey?”

Kevin put his hands together as if to pray. “Please, Drew. Pleeeeeease!”

Drew laughed. “Sounds like an offer I can't refuse.”

“Yay! Now I can show you my Zoomer 57 Skyeagle. It's so cool, Drew. Wait till you see it!”

Alison wiped her damp palms on her shorts. “I
thought dinner would be nice. Give us a chance to do some catching up on things.”

Drew shrugged, but he didn't look very pleased. “What time?”

“About seven, give or take,” she said. “We're pretty flexible.”

He shrugged. “I'll be there.”

She smiled. “Good.”

His gaze lingered an instant too long before he turned to Kevin. “How would you like to help me finish up my preflight check?”

“Me?”

Drew looked around. “You don't see anyone else standing around, do you?”

Kevin giggled. “No.”

“Well, then, that means you, partner. Grab that rope lying next to my toolbox and set it on the dock near the hatch for me, would you?”

“Yes, sir!”

Alison's heart swelled as she watched her little boy drag the too-large coil of rope to the point on the dock that was closest the hatch. He was working his little heart out when Drew pulled a brimmed cap from his rear pocket. Her heart melted when he set the cap on her son's head.

“Now you're the official copilot,” Drew said.

“Wow! Mommy, look at my hat. I'm the copilot.”

“Very nice,” she said, trying hard not to let the gesture mean too much. Ever since finding out that Kevin had asthma, she treasured every moment of his happiness. She knew it was silly; thousands of children led relatively normal lives with asthma. But Kevin had been faced with a double whammy of sorts. Not only
were his physical activities limited, but he would never have the opportunity to know his father.

“Okay, Drew! All done!” he exclaimed. “I did it!”

“Good job.” Drew held out his hand and Kevin slapped his palm in a high five.

Brushing his hands against his thighs, Drew walked over to Alison. She watched him approach, refusing to acknowledge that her heart was beating a little too fast. The subtle scent of his aftershave seemed to fill the air around her and she was suddenly, acutely aware of his proximity.

He seemed a little more sure of himself now that he was in his element. She only wished she didn't feel so far out of hers.

“We're ready to board,” he said, then glanced up at the predawn sky. “It looks like Mother Nature is going to put on an extra good show for us this morning.”

“How can you tell?” she asked.

“I checked the radar when I filed my flight plan. There are a couple of storms off to the west.” He grinned at what must have been a worried expression on her face. “We're not going to get close to them, but cumulus clouds make for one hell of a sunrise.”

Alison wanted to say something witty and intelligent, but her mouth had gone dry. Her heart was beating a rapid tattoo against her breast. Her palms were wet so she wiped them on her shorts. Good Lord, maybe she was coming down with something.

“Okay, Kevin, all aboard,” Drew said over his shoulder.

“Yes, sir!” The little boy gave him a mock salute. “Come on, Mommy.”

Once they were on board, Drew took his seat in the
cockpit. Speaking into his headset mike, he announced that their copilot and first officer for the day would be Kevin Myers. The little boy turned to her, his eyes beaming. “Did you hear that, Mommy?”

“I sure did.” Alison couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her son so excited. The sight of his grin, the sound of his laughter moved her so profoundly that for a moment she had to blink back tears. Of all the kind things Drew could have done, making her son happy meant the most to her. She would never forget Drew had done that.

A few minutes after takeoff, the sun transformed the eastern horizon into an artist's palette of Easter egg pastels. To the west, cumulus clouds swirled and bloomed in violent shades of red and orange and purple. When the sun peaked over the horizon to the east, yellow rays shot through the clouds like fiery streamers, turning the ocean from midnight blue to luminescent turquoise.

Alison watched the event unfold in silent awe. The magic of the moment was so pure, so intense, even Kevin, who tended to be chatty in the morning, went silent and simply gaped. She looked up once to see Drew looking back at her with a grin on his face, and she found herself incredibly thankful he'd shared this with them.

By the time the seaplane landed, Kevin had talked himself to exhaustion and was nestled against her, asleep. Alison smiled at Drew when he came through the hatch after securing the pontoons to the dock. “That was the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen,” she said quietly. “Thank you for sharing it with us.”

Taking off his headset, Drew looked down at the
child. “Looks like maybe all the excitement did him in.”

“He was so excited, he had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Plus, his chest was getting a little tight, so I gave him some of his medication a few minutes ago,” she said. “It wipes him out sometimes.”

“I guess 6:00 a.m. is kind of early for such a little guy, huh?”

“I should get him home.”

Drew stepped into the aisle, shoved his hands into his pockets. “I could carry Kevin inside for you and make some coffee if you'd like.”

“That sounds great.” She smiled at him. “I've got something I want to tell you, anyway.”

His expression turned guarded.

Rolling her eyes, she punched him good-naturedly on the shoulder. “Don't worry, it's good news.”

“Well, I guess I can handle a little good news.” Bending slightly, he scooped Kevin out of the seat and into his arms. “Come on.”

Alison couldn't help but notice the way his biceps bunched and flexed when he lifted her son, and she felt an odd flutter in the pit of her stomach. His hands looked large and strong, but incredibly gentle as he cradled the boy against his big body. He stepped onto the dock then turned to help her, but Alison waved him off and jumped effortlessly onto the dock. Once they had disembarked, he closed the hatch and they started toward the office.

They were midway there when the sound of tires crunching over gravel drew her attention. A dark SUV with tinted windows pulled into the parking lot and stopped near the dock. Holding Kevin, Drew stopped
to watch as four casually dressed men climbed out of the vehicle and started toward them.

“Do you have another tour this morning?” she asked.

“No, but sometimes tourists make their appointments in person.” He turned to her. “Why don't you take Kevin inside? Let me see what they want, and I'll meet you there in a few minutes.”

She accepted Kevin, then looked from Drew to the four men. They looked harmless for the most part. Sneakers. Boat shoes. One wore a colorful Hawaiian shirt, the other three golf shirts. Three were clean-shaven. One wore a neatly trimmed beard. Tourists, she thought. Only they didn't look friendly, and they didn't look like they'd spent much time in the sun.

Reaching into his pocket, Drew pressed his office keys into her hand. “The big round key fits the door. I'll be with you in a few minutes.”

Aware that Kevin was heavy and growing restless in her arms, she started toward the office. Once inside, she carried him to a well-worn leather sofa and laid him down. He looked exhausted. Smiling down at him, she brushed her thumb over his forehead, felt a quick swell of love. “Sleep tight, sweetie,” she said and kissed his soft cheek.

She was sitting on the sofa, watching him sleep, when the office door swung open a few minutes later. Drew looked at her, then flipped on the overhead lights. “Sorry it took so long.”

“No problem.” Rising, she crossed to him. “Did you set up the tour?”

“Yeah, they want an aerial tour over some land they're thinking about developing into a golf course. They're going to meet me back here in a couple of
hours.” He strode to a dented file cabinet, withdrew a fluffy beach towel, then crossed to the sleeping boy and draped it over him. “The air conditioning gets a little cool in here sometimes,” he said.

The simple gesture of kindness touched her. “You've got a real soft touch.” At his frown she smiled and added. “For a tough guy.”

His mouth curved. “You'll rethink that once you taste my coffee.”

“Lethal, huh?”

She wandered the small office while Drew scooped and measured and poured. It was a large room. Mini-blinds covered the windows, but still let in a good bit of natural light. An old laminate desk stood adjacent to the door. A computer, phone and several manila folders lay on the desk. In the corner, several fishing trophies from area tournaments decorated a display case. A small closet contained what she assumed were office supplies, an array of tools and several orange traffic cones. The other door led to a smaller room that had been transformed into a tiny, but functional bathroom, complete with a standup shower and a framed caricature of
The Big One that Got Away
on the wall.

“Coffee's ready.”

She turned to find Drew standing behind her with two cups in his hands. “Thanks.” She took the cup from him and sipped. “It's good.”

“Yeah, I make terrific engine sludge.”

She tried not to stare as he sipped, but it was difficult. Drew Evans had a commanding presence and was damn easy on the eye, even if he was just a friend. He might stand only an inch or two over six feet, but the man definitely had a way of filling up a room.

But despite the fact that he was attractive, Alison
didn't miss the signs that all was not well. Signs that worried her more than she wanted to admit. From the bloodshot eyes, to the weight loss, to the tension she saw in his shoulders, she knew Drew was a troubled man. She wondered about its source, wondered if the shadows in his eyes had anything to do with what had happened four years ago.

Taking his coffee with him, he crossed to the desk and sat down. She took the sled chair opposite his desk, studying him as he opened a manila folder and began to read. “I honestly can't remember the last time I've seen Kevin so excited,” she said. “He really had a great time.”

“He deserves it. He's a great kid.”

She glanced over where her son slept, felt a layer of warmth settle over her at the sight of him snuggled beneath the beach towel. “He had a pretty severe asthma attack last night right before bedtime.”

Drew set the file down, his eyes narrowing. “He's all right?”

“He's fine. I think he was just tired. The medication we're using—an inhaler—is very effective and he was resting comfortably within ten minutes.”

“I'm glad.” He glanced at the little boy and grimaced. “Asthma's a tough break.”

“He manages amazingly well. He's a real go-getter.”

“Maybe he takes after his mom.”

The compliment shouldn't have meant so much, but it did.

“So, are things going well for you?” She tried to make the question sound as innocuous as possible, but she could tell by the caution that rose in his eyes that he knew it was not.

“Things are terrific,” he said.

“It's obvious you're doing well professionally.” She looked around the office, then shot him a direct look. “This is a great place you've got. I'm glad you didn't give up flying.”

He rolled his shoulder. “I thought about it. I mean, after...the accident. But I couldn't do it.”

“You love it too much to ever give it up. It's part of who you are.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I guess it is.”

She studied him for a moment. “How are you doing on a personal level?”

The walls went up even before she'd gotten the question out. “Alison...”