understand just why I did that.”
He smiled at her, the same kind of fatherly smile she got from her own father. But there was a hint of Kai there in the way his eyes sparkled. “Sometimes it is the journey that’s important.”
She nodded. “Maybe you’re right. I kept saying things like that to myself when I was in the hospital.”
Understanding softened his features. “Yeah. But we went through that too. I have always thought that things happen for a reason. May’s problem brought her and Evan together and now he is in our lives.” She heard the love there, for May and Evan. “You’re here because of what happened in Atlanta. Sometimes we have to be reminded of precious things.”
She didn’t hesitate as she leaned forward and kissed his weathered cheek. His face flushed. “You are the sweetest man. How come some wonderful woman hasn’t snapped you up?”
“There was only woman for me.”
The sureness of his voice told her it was nothing but the unvarnished truth. She felt her heart turn over in her chest.
“She was very lucky.”
He shook his head. “You have to understand. Every man is lucky if they find a woman to put up with them.”
She sat back and allowed the conversation to move to something lighter and enjoyed his company. As Danny said, sometimes the journey is as important as the destination.
“Hey, Kai, is that your father at the dock?” Tommy asked.
Kai looked up and saw his father standing there. A rush of fear came first. His grandfather hadn’t been doing well, but then he took in his father’s smile and his relaxed posture and released a breath.
“Yeah. I wonder what he wants.”
After they got the boat docked, he left his crew to handle the fishermen and their catches for the day.
“What’re doing down here, Pop?”
“Nothing much.” He handed him a bag. “Been by Cynthia’s.”
He opened the bag and a fresh wave of sugary sweetness hit him. “ Mallasadas . I didn’t know Cynthia was making them.”
“She’s not. Jocelyn is.”
Just the mention of her had Kai’s body reacting. His heart slipped into an erratic rhythm and his palms grew damp. He glanced at his father and felt a bit of alarm when he took in his knowing look. To cover his embarrassment, he motioned for the bench.
Once they were settled his father said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with the men on this island. That girl has been here a few weeks and she doesn’t seem to go out much.”
Kai shrugged. “She has to be into Cynthia’s early.”
“There are enough of them buzzing around her.”
He glanced at his father. “What do you mean?”
“There are a lot of guys who pop in for lunch. Cynthia said there’s been a rise in businessmen showing up for lunch.”
Anger and jealousy hit him square between the eyes. He pushed it aside. “Jocelyn’s a good-looking woman.”
“And sweet. Why aren’t you dating her?”
“I’m not having this conversation. She needs time to put her life back together again, Pop.”
Sympathy and understanding filled his expression. “She’s not Keisha.”
“I know that. But I just…just let it go.”
He nodded. “Okay. If you want to give up a beautiful woman like that, you go right ahead.”
“I’m not giving her up. I’m giving her time.”
His father frowned. “What the hell for?”
“She needs time to adjust to her new life.”
“Pooh. Your generation thinks too much. Not enough action.”
He laughed. “I remember one time you complained that I did too much action.”
His father sighed. “I’m giving up. I have to go pick up your grandfather who spent the morning probably getting more action then either of us has gotten in a good long while.”
Kai laughed. “How about we eat out tonight at Duprees?”
Something came and went in his father’s eyes, but he couldn’t tell what it was. “That sounds like a plan.”
Chapter Seven
Jocelyn smiled at Chris as she watched him try and hold back another wave of nausea.
He smiled at her, the same kind of fatherly smile she got from her own father. But there was a hint of Kai there in the way his eyes sparkled. “Sometimes it is the journey that’s important.”
She nodded. “Maybe you’re right. I kept saying things like that to myself when I was in the hospital.”
Understanding softened his features. “Yeah. But we went through that too. I have always thought that things happen for a reason. May’s problem brought her and Evan together and now he is in our lives.” She heard the love there, for May and Evan. “You’re here because of what happened in Atlanta. Sometimes we have to be reminded of precious things.”
She didn’t hesitate as she leaned forward and kissed his weathered cheek. His face flushed. “You are the sweetest man. How come some wonderful woman hasn’t snapped you up?”
“There was only woman for me.”
The sureness of his voice told her it was nothing but the unvarnished truth. She felt her heart turn over in her chest.
“She was very lucky.”
He shook his head. “You have to understand. Every man is lucky if they find a woman to put up with them.”
She sat back and allowed the conversation to move to something lighter and enjoyed his company. As Danny said, sometimes the journey is as important as the destination.
“Hey, Kai, is that your father at the dock?” Tommy asked.
Kai looked up and saw his father standing there. A rush of fear came first. His grandfather hadn’t been doing well, but then he took in his father’s smile and his relaxed posture and released a breath.
“Yeah. I wonder what he wants.”
After they got the boat docked, he left his crew to handle the fishermen and their catches for the day.
“What’re doing down here, Pop?”
“Nothing much.” He handed him a bag. “Been by Cynthia’s.”
He opened the bag and a fresh wave of sugary sweetness hit him. “ Mallasadas . I didn’t know Cynthia was making them.”
“She’s not. Jocelyn is.”
Just the mention of her had Kai’s body reacting. His heart slipped into an erratic rhythm and his palms grew damp. He glanced at his father and felt a bit of alarm when he took in his knowing look. To cover his embarrassment, he motioned for the bench.
Once they were settled his father said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with the men on this island. That girl has been here a few weeks and she doesn’t seem to go out much.”
Kai shrugged. “She has to be into Cynthia’s early.”
“There are enough of them buzzing around her.”
He glanced at his father. “What do you mean?”
“There are a lot of guys who pop in for lunch. Cynthia said there’s been a rise in businessmen showing up for lunch.”
Anger and jealousy hit him square between the eyes. He pushed it aside. “Jocelyn’s a good-looking woman.”
“And sweet. Why aren’t you dating her?”
“I’m not having this conversation. She needs time to put her life back together again, Pop.”
Sympathy and understanding filled his expression. “She’s not Keisha.”
“I know that. But I just…just let it go.”
He nodded. “Okay. If you want to give up a beautiful woman like that, you go right ahead.”
“I’m not giving her up. I’m giving her time.”
His father frowned. “What the hell for?”
“She needs time to adjust to her new life.”
“Pooh. Your generation thinks too much. Not enough action.”
He laughed. “I remember one time you complained that I did too much action.”
His father sighed. “I’m giving up. I have to go pick up your grandfather who spent the morning probably getting more action then either of us has gotten in a good long while.”
Kai laughed. “How about we eat out tonight at Duprees?”
Something came and went in his father’s eyes, but he couldn’t tell what it was. “That sounds like a plan.”
Chapter Seven
Jocelyn smiled at Chris as she watched him try and hold back another wave of nausea.
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