Page 45 of Hiding Rose
Chapter Twelve
The boat rocked, soothing me as it motored through the waves of the ocean. Niko was at the helm of the yacht and Sawyer sat next to me, a drink in one hand, my hand in the other. The sun shone brightly and I enjoyed the heat on my body after spending the last six months indoors, for the most part. I leaned my head back on the giant lounge chair and sighed. I’ve been wound tighter than a drum the past five days since the second note was delivered. I spent most of my time in the daycare center working on the renovations and meeting with contractors. We had a long meeting of the minds a few days back and everyone is ready to do their part to get the center moved and open. Flynn will be running the electric today before the carpenters finish the walls tomorrow. By the time we get back from Honolulu the walls will be in the process of being painted, then the carpet will go down, and they’ll turn it over to me for the finishing work. Sawyer decided we would go to my appointment and while in Honolulu we could shop for the appliances we would need. The big island has more selection and stores to choose from, which meant we might be able to look at the appliances in person rather than online.
“I can’t believe you convinced Niko to cruise us to Honolulu,” I said, letting my head fall to the left, a smile on my face.
“He was heading to the hospital anyway. I figured it sure would be easier to get the appliances on the yacht than ship them, since Gideon’s helicopter can’t fit them all.”
“True,” I agreed. “I would love to have them with us when we get back. They’ll have the countertop and cabinets installed by the time we return, which means we’ll be ready for the appliances immediately. All we’ll have left to do for the meal aspect is the menu planning.”
He kissed my hand and smiled. “We have lots of time for planning. I want you to enjoy the ride over to the island. Hawaii is an amazing plethora of beauty and you don’t want to miss a thing.”
I nodded, centering my head again to watch the tiny islands go zipping by. We were on the viewing deck of Niko’s yacht. He used it to go back and forth to the hospital in Honolulu where he works, since flying isn’t practical when he goes as often as he does. He docks the boat in a marina and sleeps in it instead of maintaining an apartment or staying in a hotel. Sometimes Lei and Bim head over with them when Lei’s not working, which is rare. As the general manager of the resort, she’s basically tied to the place with an umbilical cord. A few years ago, when her life was in danger, Niko was the one to rescue her from the drug dealers who were after her, but he also rescued her from herself. She was so convinced she was going to die that she forgot how to live. I didn’t want to go as far down the rabbit hole as she did. I want to live, and I’ll fight to stay alive. The man holding my hand had a lot to do with my conviction. He’s barely left my side since the night the second poem was delivered. When he’s finished in the kitchen each night he brings me dinner and after a walk on the beach or a movie snuggled in bed, he sleeps beside me, holding me in his arms. He’s taking his job seriously, and I’m falling deeper and deeper in love with him. If only I could say it, but the words won’t come. I try, but every time I can’t get past ‘I’. I can see it hurts him terribly, but there’s nothing I can do right now. I have to take it one day at a time or I’ll go as crazy as Jarrett.
“You know what I love?” I asked, and he shook his head. “How expressive you are about your feelings. It’s rare these days to find a man who isn’t afraid to put himself out there and share in the beauty of nature, express empathy for others, and still be masculine and charming.”
“You know what I love?” he asked and I shook my head. “You,” he answered, kissing my knuckles and smiling at the sky.
“Sawyer, I…”
He shushed me with his finger to my lips. “You don’t have to say it back. When the time is right it will fall from your lips without reservation. In the meantime, I’ll keep proving my love to you one day at a time.”
He sat up and pointed into the water. “Look, humpbacks,” he said excitedly. He yelled to Niko and the boat slowed, then stopped to bob in the water. Sawyer helped me to the edge of the deck where two humpback whales played. Their blowholes sent plumes of water into the air as they frolicked in the deep blue sea. They twisted and turned, dancing through the water like sixty-thousand-pound ballerinas. Sawyer held me around my waist and kept kissing my cheek as we watched them play. I pointed toward a fin in the water.
“Oh no! It’s a shark,” I gasped.
Sawyer laughed in my ear. “No, sweetheart, those are dolphins.”
I searched the water and sure enough, as they got closer I could see their long narrow beaks and rounded grey bodies. There were ten or twelve swimming around and through the two whales. The whales turned and followed the dolphins closely, the twisting and turning resembling a child’s game of tag or follow the leader.
I pointed. “The whales are going to eat them. What should we do?” I asked concerned.
He kissed my cheek and held me tighter. “These whales don’t eat dolphins; they don’t have teeth. They eat krill, plankton, and small fish. Whales and dolphins are known to play like they are, but it’s rare to see. This is quite an unusual sight. I’ve only seen it a few times in my life, and I’ve lived here for thirty years. I think your magical enchantment is affecting more than just me.”
I kept watch of them, my hand shading my eyes as they frolicked in the rolling waves, the sun glinting off their smooth gray skin. My ears caught the sound of a bird singing and I pointed to my ear. “Where’s the bird singing from?” I asked.
“It’s not a bird; it’s the whales. They’re communicating with each other. They’re using what are called pulse calls to socialize with each other. It sounds like singing or squeaking to us. You might hear them clicking, too. They usually click closer to shore to navigate rocky areas. The sound bounces off objects and tells them what areas to avoid.”
I reached backward and cupped his face. “How do you know all of this?” I asked, surprised, but pleased with the lesson on Hawaiian sea creatures.
“I’m a native, sweetheart. I might not have the typical physical traits of a Hawaiian, but I was born and raised here. Hawaii is in my blood.”
I swiveled and put my arms around him, hugging him as the boat picked up speed and soon we were propelled through the water again. “Thank you for exposing me to new experiences. You don’t know what it means to me to feel like a normal woman even if it’s only for a few moments at a time.”
He led me to the lounger and sat down, helping me down onto his lap where he cuddled me into his arms. “You are a normal woman, Rose. It must be frustrating to have this hanging over your head, but I refuse to behave as if we have to hide. There is too much beauty in where we live to hide inside. I’ll keep you safe, but I also want you to experience the world with me.” He ran his hand down my face and smiled. “Do you look more like your mom or your dad?” he asked out of the blue.
Taken aback I had to think about it for a moment. “Most say my mom. They call me her ‘mini-me’. My mother is a beautiful woman, so I don’t mind in the least.”
He ran his thumb under my eye. “You’re damn beautiful yourself, Miss Scott.”
I smiled and kissed his lips. “Thank you. What about you? Who do you resemble, and where do your parents live?”
A shadow passed in front of his eyes and I waited, afraid I had dug myself into a hole that would be awkward to escape. “I don’t resemble either of my parents. Like Bim, I was adopted.”
I leaned down and kissed his lips again. “I’m sorry, I had no idea.”
He smiled lazily and held me close. “Don’t apologize. It isn’t something I go around advertising. My early years on the island weren’t your typical childhood. I moved from home to home and when I was eight decided enough was enough. I lived on the street for about three weeks, thinking I was fine and could do it forever. Then a group of older boys beat me up and a man found me lying on the beach, covered in sand and bleeding from a head wound,” he held his hair back, and a scar ran the length of his forehead near his scalp line.
“Holy cow,” I whispered.
