“If I hear of any jobs, I’ll let you know,” he said.
“Thank you. I appreciate that. But I’m sure something will come up soon.”
He contemplated her, feeling a lot more than he should, a lot more than was prudent. As he gazed into the guileless blue of her eyes, the reality of the situation sank in a little deeper, hit home a little harder, and Drew actually felt a moment of panic. Alison wasn’t just visiting; she was going to be here awhile. He was going to have to deal with her. He was going to have to deal with her son. He was going to have to come to terms with how he felt about them.
The problem was Drew didn’t have the slightest idea how to deal with any of those things. He wasn’t ready to pick up where they’d left off. He couldn’t, knowing the role he’d played in Rick’s death. Worse, after the way he’d reacted to her this morning, he no longer trusted himself to do the right thing. The smart thing. The honorable thing.
Damn it.
“I’ve got to go,” he said abruptly.
“You sure you won’t stay and have some breakfast?”
“I just remembered something I have to do.” Dumb lie, but he didn’t care. He had to get out of there. Before he did something stupid. Something irrevocable. Something that would shame him and destroy a friendship that had once meant the world to him. Setting his cup of coffee on the counter, he started for the door.
He heard Alison behind him, but Drew didn’t stop. In the living room, he barely spared Kevin a glance as he crossed to the foyer. His voice sounded curt when he bade the boy goodbye. “See you tomorrow, Kev.”
“Bye, Drew. Hey!” Kevin scrambled off the sofa and rushed over to him. “Did you want to see my Zoomer 57 Skyeagle before you leave?”
“Maybe next time.” Because he felt like an ogre, he added. “I’m late for an appointment.”
Drew opened the door and stepped onto the porch. The balmy South Florida morning embraced him, and he took his first deep breath since walking into the house just fifteen minutes earlier.
He was halfway to his truck when he heard his name. Turning, he spotted Alison standing on the porch in her robe and curlers, a dish towel in one hand. In the other, she dangled his truck keys. “Hey! I think you forgot something!”
For several heartbeats, Drew just stood there looking at her, feeling a familiar tug he didn’t want to acknowledge. Wordlessly, he turned and started toward her. He tried to keep his expression light, but he could tell by her faltering smile that he wasn’t quite succeeding. Damn, he was bad at this stuff. Bad for her and her kid. Hell, he was even bad for himself.
He wished he hadn’t come to see her. Wished he hadn’t invited them to fly with him tomorrow. Spending time with her was only asking for trouble. He would never be able to live with himself if he acted on the impulses racing through his brain.
Stepping onto the porch, he stuck out his hand palm up. “Thanks.”
She dropped the keys into his hand, then cocked her head and glanced up at him. “Are you okay?”
He laughed, but the sound was fraught with tension. “I’m fine.”
“You seem...tense.”
“I’m just in a hurry.”
“You’re late for an appointment.”
“Right.”
She didn’t look convinced, so he glanced at his watch as if to prove he wasn’t lying. “Gotta run.”
“See you tomorrow morning,” she said.
Drew’s hands were shaking when he turned away from her. As he made his way down the sidewalk toward his truck, he realized he would never be able to put enough distance between them to avoid what he’d feared most since the terrible day they’d buried Rick. The only question that remained was what he was going to do about it.
Nothing, he assured himself.
Not a damn thing.
CHAPTER FOUR
Alison assured herself she wasn’t nervous as she parked the Mustang in the gravel lot of Water Flight Tours and shut down the engine. Just because an old friend had invited her and her little boy to join him on a sunrise flight was no reason to get nervous. The only reason he’d invited them in the first place was that he felt guilty for ignoring them during their first tour. Or maybe some misplaced sense of responsibility.
She wasn’t sure which rationale bothered her more.
Drew wasn’t the first person who mistakenly believed that because she was a widow, she was somehow diminished. She could save them both some time and energy by letting him know she neither wanted or needed any special treatment. She certainly didn’t need a knight in shining armor. She might be a widow, but she was far from a damsel in distress.
The only reason she was a little off kilter this morning was that she was getting some strange vibes from Drew. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She’d seen him twice in the last two days and both times he’d seemed uncomfortable and almost desperate to get away from her. At first she’d thought it was just her overactive imagination. It was clear he’d been busy the day she and Kevin had shown up unexpectedly for the tour. But yesterday morning when he’d shown up at her house, he’d been nervous and out of sorts. It was almost as if the only reason he’d come at all was out of duty. Because he’d been Rick’s best friend he felt he owed it to him to look out for his widow.
Alison didn’t need that and neither did Kevin. Duty, however honorable, wasn’t what their friendship was all about. She didn’t need him looking out for her. Sure, the last four years had been difficult. But if she’d learned anything during those first endless months after Rick’s death, it was that time was, indeed, the great healer. Life really did go on. Not only for Kevin, she’d realized, but for herself. Rick would have wanted that for her and for his son. Alison knew that as steadfastly as she knew he’d loved her. The question was, how did she convince Drew that she was doing just fine when he had the misguided notion that he owed her something?
Just tell him, a little voice chimed in. Men understood things best when they were spelled out in black and white. They didn’t do well with subtle. Alison would set him straight today and let him know that he didn’t have to look out for her. That she and Kevin were doing fine, thank you very much.
Of course none of those things explained why she’d changed outfits three times that morning before deciding on the khaki shorts and navy scoop-neck T-shirt. It wasn’t like this was a date or anything. Goodness no. Drew Evans might be a good-looking man—a fact even Alison couldn’t help noticing—but there was no way they could ever be anything more than friends. That was just the way things were. The way she wanted them to be. Evidently, the way Drew wanted them to be, too.
“Mommy, look! There’s the plane!”
Because there were no cars in the parking lot this early in the morning, she let go of Kevin’s hand. “Don’t get too close to the water,” she said.
“I won’t,” he shouted over his shoulder as he took off running toward the plane. “Hey, Drew! We’re ready to go!”
In the predawn darkness, she saw Drew standing just beneath the wing. “Hey there, sprout,” he said as Kevin approached.
She couldn’t see Drew’s face, but his silhouette was unmistakable. Broad, well-developed shoulders. Narrow hips. Legs slightly bowed with muscle. He wore a cap with the visor turned backward. A dark T-shirt revealed a flat belly and arms that were a lot more muscular than she remembered. His jeans were faded and snug, and the sight of his hips packaged so nicely made her look quickly away.
“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 s
tared 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 pu
lled 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.