Kisses to Remember (40 page)

Six months later…

The morning sun shimmered off
Hanalei
Bay on Kauai’s North Shore. Not a single cloud interrupted the wide blue expanse of sky. The sand beneath Holden’s bare feet was already a toasty temperature, and a warm breeze caressed him.

None of this was the best part about being in Hawaii though. The woman holding his hand, walking beside him, wearing the hottest bikini in creation with a wide-brimmed straw hat protecting her fair skin and red waves of hair was hands down the best part.

The fact that she was his wife made it even more perfect.

Holden had flown them to Hawaii himself thanks to Carl who had chosen to take two weeks off from business after hiring Holden about a month ago.

“I’m an old man,” he’d said. “I haven’t stopped working since I turned thirteen and my father stuck a wrench in my hand.” He’d cuffed Holden’s shoulder as they stood in the hangar next to Carl’s plane. “I need to rest a spell. Just a rest, mind you.” He’d waggled a finger at Holden. “Why don’t you take that pretty Johanna somewhere special?”

Carl had pressed the plane keys into Holden’s palm. “Just don’t crash it, and make sure she’s gassed up when you return.” The man had turned around and walked out of the hangar without another word.

Holden knew just where to take Johanna, but he had wanted her to be Mrs. Lancaster first. They’d gotten married at a beautiful ceremony held in Johanna’s barn. He’d transformed it again into a setting fit for romance, this time using purple roses, white candles, and with Kam and Ted’s help, about thirty of Johanna’s friends attended. Two of those friends had been Meri and Dina from Café Coeur. Meri had arrived with Evan Salisberg, Johanna’s client, who had thanked Johanna over and over for her matchmaking. The smiles on Meri’s and Evan’s faces were almost as big as Holden’s and Johanna’s. Almost. When Evan heard they planned to honeymoon in Hawaii after Holden finished building Ted’s cabin, he immediately offered his place on Kauai.

Johanna had accepted, the prospect of staying in a hotel not appealing to either of them. Their experiences with Claus and Eli, now both rotting uncomfortably in separate federal prisons, had taught them hotels were tricky. It was easy to check in, but checking out could be a matter of life and death.

Donovan Electronics was no more. The FBI and similar organizations across the globe had put their resources together to uncover the international weapons manufacturing operation Claus Vannekar and Eli Brom had spearheaded with the all too willing help of Sabrina Donovan. Holden had been called to testify against Donovan Electronics, which he agreed to do for Vaughn. For his buddy.

After the trial, Holden spent a few days in Texas boxing up stuff he wanted to keep, selling the rest of it, and putting his house in the care of an eager real estate agent. Within three days, she had sold it to a nice young couple, and Holden was on his way back to Valentine, Nebraska. To his new life. To his every dream come true.

To Johanna.

Kam had come home after two weeks in the hospital. Johanna had been right. The kid was superhuman in the healing department. The doctors were amazed at his speedy recovery. His mobility was still limited, but he was well on his way to full capacity. The moment Alex had heard about Kam’s injury from one of the guards, he’d called Johanna explaining the threat he’d received in prison to cut them loose. He requested to see them again, and Holden had encouraged them to oblige the man.

“You must miss him,” Holden had said to Kam.

“Yeah.” Kam had studied his sneakers, his arm still in a sling and bound to his torso. “Maybe not as much as I used to.” He had turned those bottomless eyes up to Holden. “He’ll always be my dad, but…”  

Pulling him into a hug, Holden had said, “Thanks, buddy.” When he’d released Kam, he’d continued, “Maybe you should visit your dad for him though. Think what it must be like not being able to see you.”

Johanna had given Holden soft, gracious eyes as she kneeled in front of Kam. “What do you say, honey?”

“I’d hate for Dad to be lonely, especially when we have each other and Holden.”

Johanna and Kam had been visiting Alex every two weeks since that conversation. Ted figured he might go along on the next visit. 

When Christina Darren had come to the farmhouse to visit Kam, the two of them had spent an entire rainy afternoon in the basement building a city out of Legos. Soul mates at age ten? Maybe. Just maybe.

Holden had suffered through the annoyance of a cast on his hand for the knuckles he’d busted walloping Claus’s iron jaw. That German asshole’s face should have come with a warning label. The cast slowed Holden’s momentum on finishing Ted’s cabin, but he’d managed by taking on the help of a few teenagers from the local high school. The kids had done great work, and Holden hoped he’d taught them a few things on the job.

Ted was thrilled with the end product, and the moment Nurse Nancy had sawed his cast off, he’d moved in. Nurse Nancy’s car spent a great many evenings in his small driveway.

In Johanna’s driveway, a 1991 Thunderbird sat waiting for Holden to remodel it into something that could whip around a racetrack. He’d promised both Ted and Kam they could help him. He’d sold his black and red Camaro to a producer in Hollywood who was making a vampire-themed television show. The guy had taken one look at the painted streaks of blood on the side of the car and had paid a hefty sum to own what he’d called “The Marrow Camaro.”   

A tug on his arm now pulled his mind away from the racecars. Johanna led him to a plaid blanket spread out on the sand. At the water’s edge, Kam kneeled over the most complex sandcastle Holden had ever seen.

Is that a dragon on the turret?

Ted stood over Kam’s work wearing lime-green swim shorts and a Hawaiian shirt with the telltale palm trees all over it. He laughed at something Kam said, then dumped a bucket of water on the boy’s head. This made Kam shoot to his feet and chase Ted into the water, the sound of his giggles floating up to Holden on the lazy breeze.

At first Kam and Ted had refused to come to Hawaii.

“You don’t need us hanging around,” Ted had said.

“Yeah, Mom,” Kam had added. “Kids and grandpas aren’t allowed on honeymoons.” He’d rolled his dark eyes as if this should be common knowledge to everyone.

“Says who?” Holden had asked. “I married your mother assuming you and Ted were part of the deal. If you’re not, then maybe I should reconsider.”

Johanna had grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and brought his face nose to nose with her own. “There are no take-backsies, no do-overs. You’re stuck with me now, mister. Eternally.” She’d turned around to face Kam and Ted. “But just to be sure, you two are coming. No arguments.”

“Oh, to be dragged off to Hawaii. Such cruelty.” Ted put a hand to his forehead. “I guess we have no choice, kid. Let’s go pack our swimsuits.”

And here they all were now. Enjoying a perfect day, on a perfect island, in perfect company.

Johanna lowered to the blanket and pulled Holden down with her. “What do you say we move here and make careers out of sunbathing?” She rested on her elbow, her sunglasses tipped low on her nose so she could look at Holden.

He copied her posture and fit his hand in the sexy dip at her waist. “You sunbath. I’ll watch.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

She slithered her hands up into his hair and deepened the kiss. She made a solid case for spending the rest of their lives right there on that plaid blanket. When she finally released him, Holden felt a little dizzy. Floating on clouds dizzy. Drank too much of a really great wine dizzy. Married the most wonderful woman in the world dizzy.

“Holden! Mom! Come look at this!” Kam hollered from the shore.

“This is why kids aren’t allowed on honeymoons.” Johanna sat all the way up and let Holden pull her to her feet.

“Would you have wanted to be away from him?” Holden adjusted her straw hat. When she shook her head, he said, “That’s what I thought.”

“Think you have me all figured out, don’t you?” She poked a finger into his bare chest, then flattened both her palms against his skin.

“Not at all.” Holden pressed his hands over hers. “I’ve just taken very careful notes, Mrs. Lancaster.”

“Well, keep up your studies, Mr. Lancaster. I’m a fascinating subject.” She tore off her hat, threw it, Frisbee-like, to the blanket and bolted for the water. Her hair streamed behind her, rippling like red silk. She stopped to pull Kam to his feet and drag him into the water. Mother and son splashed each other, smiles on their faces. Ted joined in, making hurricane-sized waves and causing Holden to lose track of Kam a few times.

He watched them for a few moments, reveling over the fact he could call them his family. Never had he felt so…full. Full of hope. Of peace. Of love.

“What are you waiting for, Holden?” Kam called, his dark hair plastered to his forehead as he wiped his eyes.

“Yeah,” Ted said, pausing in the midst of the wake he was creating. “Some of these splashes have your name on them, son.”

Johanna merely beckoned him to the water with a single crook of her index finger. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to.

ALASKA HEART

ABRA CADAVER

LAZULI MOON

THE LAST STALLION

ALLEY CAT

MIDNIGHT MISTLETOE

IN THE NICK OF TIME

FOR THE LOVE OF LIBERTY

SPEAK EASY TO ME

TABLE FOR TWO HEARTS

Christine DePetrillo tried not being a writer. She attempted to ignore the voices in her head, but they would not stop. The only way she could achieve peace and quiet was to write the stories the voices demanded. Today, she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.

She lives in Rhode Island and occasionally Vermont with her husband, two cats, a big, black German Shepherd, and a lizard.

Find Christine online at her
Author Website
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at
Night Eternal
(where she writes poems as Drake, the vampire), and

at
The Roses of Prose Blog
on the 4
^th
and 14
^th
of every month.

Thank you for reading!

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