Bad Karma (36 page)

~*~

Cassie waited on the deck the next morning. The early sun sparkled on the water. She inhaled the crisp, clean air and watched a group of small shore birds dancing in and out of the frothing waves that frizzled out on the sand that formed her new front yard. She spotted Darla driving toward her in a late model sedan and sprinted down the stairs to meet her. As soon as the car ground to a stop in the sand, Cassie wrenched the door open and threw herself inside. “Hey, Deputy Darla. You’re prompt.”

Darla smirked and shifted into reverse. “I’m always on time. I hate waiting.”

Cassie always thought Darla looked younger when she was out of uniform and dressed casually as she was today. They chatted amiably as they headed for The Net. Once inside, they lost no time in ordering their breakfast selections. Sybil Palmer took their orders and set a glass of fresh squeezed local orange juice in front of each of them alongside Darla’s coffee.

Cassie bit into a strip of bacon.
No granola in sight
. “Why do you want to learn self defense, Darla? You have so many weapons at your fingertips.”

Darla sipped her coffee, thoughtfully. “I took the required self defense classes at the academy but the instructors were all male and my size was a factor. I got tossed around like a rag doll.”

“
You can use a larger opponent’s size against him.”

“
Not when the opponent is the instructor. But, I’d like to add to my personal arsenal of knowledge and maybe not have to blow the next guy away.”

Cassie nodded. “Perhaps you can show me how to fire a gun sometime, in case you don’t get the guy who’s stalking my sister.”

Darla raised her brows. “I’d be glad to, but we’re going to get him.”

Cassie nodded doubtfully, poking the last of the bacon into her mouth.

After breakfast, Darla drove her to the
Palacio Del Mar
, the luxury condominium where Chloe and Rafael Solis lived with their daughter.

Chloe met them down in the lobby holding an adorable little blonde girl by the hand. “This is my daughter, Lacy. She’s three.”

She escorted them to the second floor where a large exercise room filled with shiny equipment was located. She led them across the polished floor and at the far side of the room they entered a much smaller room with a large number of mats rolled up against the wall.

“
This is where they teach Yoga and some other classes. I thought you might want to use this space.”

Cassie clasped her hands. “It’s perfect.” She slipped off her sandals and started unrolling the mats.

Chloe turned to Darla. “Are you prepared to go on standby?”

Darla nodded. “My husband is picking up emergency supplies today and making arrangements to evacuate the boys with my parents. If we get a blow, they’ll take the kids to my uncle’s place near Edinburg.”

Cassie looked from one woman to the other, a tingling sensation prickling her skin. “What kind of a blow are you talking about?”

Darla stepped out of her sandals. “Whenever there’s a storm out in the Gulf, we go on an emergency standby status. Just to make sure we’re prepared for whatever comes our way. Most of the time, it comes to nothing. Don’t worry.”

Cassie frowned at her. “You’ll let me know when it is time to worry, won’t you?”

Chloe giggled. “You will definitely be well informed if there’s any reason to worry. The sheriff’s department will make sure you’re evacuated in style.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “Geez, Louise!”

Darla put her hand on Chloe’s distended belly. “Almost time for this one to pop?”

“
Three more weeks, according to the obstetrician. I didn’t get this big with Lacy.” Chloe smiled and made little circles on the sides of her stomach with her fingertips.

“
Is it a boy or a girl?” Cassie asked.

“
We wanted to be surprised. Raffy...my husband, Rafael, is more excited than I am. The suspense is killing him.”

Darla tilted her head to one side, a smirk dimpling her face. “That big guy is so crazy about Lacy. He’s her teddy bear. I can imagine how he’s going to be with a brand new one.”

Cassie gave her a look of disbelief. “No offense, Chloe, but your husband is kind of scary. I can’t imagine him getting mushy over anything.”

Chloe laughed, holding her sides. “I know people have that perception, and it’s good for his public image, but Rafael is the sweetest man on the planet.”

Darla nodded, grinning. “At work, the boss is the baddest man around, but at home, he’s wrapped around Chloe’s finger…and Lacy’s too.”

“
That’s nice,” Cassie said. “Is that what it’s like, being married?”

Chloe and Darla exchanged a look.

Chloe gave Cassie’s arm a little squeeze. “Marriage is the best thing in the world, if you’re with the right person.”

Cassie bit her lower lip. “How do you know if it’s the right person?”

Darla grinned at her. “Do you have someone in mind, like the big smokin’ hot fire fighter who pulled you out of the burning house?”

Cassie grinned as her cheeks flushed. “Maybe.”

“
If it’s right, you’ll know.”

“
I, I’ve never really had a boyfriend before and Javier is just so intense, and he’s moving pretty fast. There’s so much I need to tell him.”

Chloe looked into her eyes. “Just listen to your heart, Cassie. And trust what you hear.”

Darla stepped onto the mats. “What’s first, Coach?”

Cassie blew out a long breath. “First, you learn how to fall.”

~*~

Zach laughed as he gathered Sky into his arms. He’d gotten the call from Andrew earlier and decided to drop by the hospital before Sky’s shift ended.

“
You have a niece!” Sky’s eyes were sparkling. “She arrived really fast for a first baby. Jill was wonderful. She and Andrew took the Lamaze classes online and knew just what to do. It was a beautiful birth.” She clasped her hands together like a kid on Christmas morning.

Zach kissed her cheek, glancing around at the people who were watching surreptitiously. He leaned down and lifted her in his arms, planting a big one on her.
Let them stare
. He set her on her feet and looked around again. Some were smiling. Some had turned away.

A man in scrubs came forward with his hand extended to Zach. “I’m Doctor Marcos. Call me Rick. You must be the fiancé.”

Zach shook his hand, wondering how he’d heard the news so fast. “Yes, I’m Sky’s fiancé. Zachary Bailey.”

Sky was blushing, looking pretty and excited. She laced her fingers through his.

Rick grinned up at Zach. “Sky delivered your niece all by herself. I was busy so she did it all.”

Sky tugged on his hand. “Come on. I want to show you the baby.” She pulled him to the elevator and pushed the button for the second floor.

Zach gave her a questioning look. “I’m the fiancé?”

She collapsed against him in a fit of giggles. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “On my first day here, Rick was kind of flirtatious, so I invented a fiancé.”

Zach wrapped his arms around her. “Be careful what you wish for.”

She looked up at him, suddenly serious. “You’re exactly what I wished for. I’m very happy with you as my fiancé.

He leaned down to kiss her just as the doors opened.

A man with a mop and bucket almost collided with them as they came out of the elevator.

Sky led Zach into a room right beside the nurse’s station, where Andrew sat on the edge of the hospital bed, staring rapturously at his wife and new daughter. He jumped off the bed and embraced Zach. The brothers exchanged a volley of shoulder slaps.

Zach stepped back, his arm still around Andrew’s shoulders. “Congratulations, little brother. I hope she looks like Jill.”

Andrew lifted the little pink bundle from his wife’s arms. “Take a look, Uncle Zach.”

Zach reached out to hold the tiny pink being. A rush of sentiment flooded his chest. She looked so small in his big hands.

A whisper of reddish-gold hair dusted her head. When she squirmed and stretched, she opened her blue eyes to gaze, fleetingly at her uncle before dismissing him.

Zach cleared his suddenly husky throat. “She’s a beauty.” He handed her back to Jill and bent to give her a kiss. “I’ll let you rest. I just wanted to welcome the newest little Bailey into the world.” He reached in his pocket and drew out a sealed envelope, pressing it into Andrew’s hand. “This is for anything else you might need.”

Andrew opened the envelope and scanned the number on the check. He let out a low whistle and raised his eyebrows. “This is a lot of money, Zach.”

“
Shh, it’s a gift for my niece.” Zach slapped Andrew on the back as he received a bear hug.

“
Thanks, Bro!” Andrew handed the check to Jill who opened her eyes wide and gave Zach a huge grin.

“
Wow! Thanks Zach. Do we have to name her Zacherina after you?”

He leaned down to embrace her. “Nope. Give her a pretty name as befits a pretty girl.”

“
When is Uncle Zach going to start a family?” she asked.

Zach grinned and held his hand out to Sky. “Uncle Zach just found the right woman. Skyler has agreed to be my wife.”

A new round of congratulations and back-slapping took place.

Zach and Sky left the young couple to admire their daughter. They paused outside the door for a kiss just as Tom and Millie stepped off the elevator.

Millie gave Sky a hug and reached up to give Zach’s cheek a pat. “Well, just look at the two of you. Pretty soon, we’ll be coming to see your new baby.”

“
Millie!” Tom said. “They just met. Give them a chance to figure it out for themselves.”

Zach shook his head. “Mom’s right. Sky just accepted my proposal.”

Millie clasped her hands together. “I knew it! It’s the Bailey Curse!”

Sky submitted to another round of hugs administered by both parents before clearing her throat. “Will somebody tell me what the Bailey Curse is all about? What am I in for?”

Millie laughed and took her hands. “Don’t worry, my dear. The Baileys fall in love for keeps and marry forever, but somehow, we don’t seem to have very long courtships.”

Sky put her hand over her heart and drew a breath. “Whew! Glad to know Zach isn’t going to grow fangs and bite me during the full moon.”

Zach leaned down to kiss the side of her neck. “Not making any promises.”

Millie kissed them both and Tom shook Zach’s hand.

Tom gave Zach a stern look. “Are you prepared if this storm comes in?”

“
Pretty much, sir. I need to stock up on some provisions, but we’re set.”

Sky gasped. “You mean there might actually be a bad storm here?”

Zach brushed the side of her face with his fingertips. “Don’t worry. We know what to do about storms.”

Tom peered down at her over the top of his glasses. “It’ll probably blow itself out in the Gulf. The weatherman said it was now a tropical storm though.”