Reluctant Adept: Book Three of A Clairvoyant's Complicated Life (51 page)

He nodded. "I will direct him to find you tomorrow morning. If you need more help, let me know." While he walked away, he added, "Have a nice evening, Samantha. Keep up the good work."

"Thanks. You too."

I'll admit I enjoyed a sideways glance of his backside as he walked away. For some reason, I thought of the smoothness of a snake. Beautiful, yes, but could be dangerous too, like the ones inhabiting the island.

I sighed and looked back to Jamie. The thought of returning him to the wild upset me more than I expected, which surprised me since I hated the thought of keeping wild animals in captivity longer than necessary. His attachment to me weighed on my mind. Would he stay away from humans and their boats?

After a moment, he swam over to hang in my shadow.

When I was sure Sven and his guards were out of earshot, I sat down at the edge of the tank again, crossing my legs kindergarten style. The heat from the concrete wasn't uncomfortable, but I looked forward to a cool swim later.

"Jamie, what was I thinking? I never should have named you. Now you're a friend and I'm going to miss you when Sven releases you."

Jamie bobbed his head upward and snorted.

"Yeah, you heard me. He said he's going to release you. I know. It's news to me too.” I shook my head and moved my legs to hang over the edge of the pool. "I just don't get it. He always talked of you being a permanent resident.” I glanced up at the mansion. “Mom would just say this is typical fickle billionaire behavior. Once they're tired of something, it's time to move on. But if that’s the case, this is the first time I’ve seen it from Sven.”

I sighed and looked back to Jamie. "Well, this is good news, right? I bet you'll be happy to get back to your own habitat. I’m going to be the sad one. I've gotten used to our talks, big guy. Who am I going to share all of my secrets with when you’re gone? The stuck-up orca over there? The ornery monk seal? And who am I going to complain to? Poor Joanne. She's going to have to pick up the slack."

Jamie cocked his head to the side and made a small chirping sound.

"Don't worry. I've got you for few months longer, at least. You're weight isn't up to where it should be.”

I glanced toward Sven’s mansion, the stark lines cutting a harsh silhouette against the lush green of the surrounding rainforest. “So did you hear Sven? How many more embarrassing topics could we cover in one conversation? First the fact that I talk to you like a maniac, then his favor to my dad for warehousing me here, and finally my phobia. The only thing missing was a discussion about Craig’s tell-all for TMZ last month.”

Slumping down, I sighed. “He suggested I go with him to scout for a new home for you. But you know how I feel about the water. Boats especially. For your sake, I wish I could do it. There’d be nothing better than seeing you swim in your own element, instead of this.” I gestured to the high-sided tank.

The manatee squeaked enthusiastically.

CHAPTER TWO

The cousin looked nothing like I expected. Instead of being dark and intense, like Sven, he was blond and blue-eyed. Although no less attractive or physically fit, his flip-flops and relaxed smile were a welcome contrast to Sven’s polished demeanor. He appeared in the aquarium's utilitarian kitchen about thirty minutes after Joanne and I had started preparing the morning's meal buckets. At a guess, I'd have said he wasn't much younger than Sven, another surprise. Somehow I had pictured a first-year college dropout, but he looked closer to Joanne and me in age, more thirty than twenty.

"Hey. I'm Kyle," he announced, in a thoroughly American baritone. "Sven told me you guys could use a hand." He wrinkled his nose, probably at the smell of fish permeating the air.

I glanced at Joanne before responding. "Hi, Kyle. Nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Jennings, the vet around here, but we’re not that formal. Call me Samantha. This is Joanne, my mostly crazy assistant."

Joanne rolled her brown eyes, retorting in her loquacious, southern style, "Of course I'm crazy, honey-bun. I have to be, working out here in the Land of the Lost. I'm a city gal, remember?" Joanne waved with a stained latex-gloved hand, smiling broadly. "Pleasure to meet you, Kyle."

As I finished stuffing a mackerel with thiamine and vitamin E capsules, I told him, "Right now we don't have a full house, so it's not as hectic as usual. We're almost done in here. You can start by helping us carry the buckets out to the cart. Then we'll go feed our residents."

"No problem. Are these ready?" He gestured to the stainless steel buckets next to Joanne.

"Yes. You probably saw the cart on the way in. It’s parked just to the left of the door there."

As soon as Kyle disappeared outside with a bucket hanging from each hand, Joanne threw an incredulous look my way. "I thought you said he was a kid?"

"I'm as surprised as you are," I whispered out of the side of my mouth.

"Lordy! That boy's hotter than Hugh Jackman’s ass." The fervent expression playing over her cherubic features made me laugh.

"Shhh. But that's a good one, by the way." I pressed my lips together, trying to be serious. "Anyway, I thought you had something going with that cute scuba instructor in town."

"Aw, what he don't know won't hurt him, right?"

Giggling, I shook my head. "You're too much. Finish up. Our friends are getting hungry."

After the three of us finished loading the electric cart, I asked Joanne to show Kyle the ropes, which I know pleased her immensely. Meanwhile, I took the vitamin-spiked fish to each patient. As usual, I finished my morning rounds with the manatee tank.

Jamie noticed my approach and swam closer with his head just above the surface. I set down the large bucket at the pool's edge. Even though it was barely eight in the morning, a drip of perspiration trickled down my side. I pulled off my hoodie, exposing my favorite pink halter-top, and threw it on the ground behind me. The gentle ocean breeze contrasted delightfully with the warm sun on my exposed shoulders and back.

"Morning, Jamie. Ready for some grub?"

After tossing him the apple wedge loaded with his vitamins, I crouched down on my knees, watching to make sure he ate it. I reached into the bucket for another. "Yum. I love apples too. Grandpa had two trees in his backyard when I was a kid. One year, the trees got so loaded with fruit that half the branches would have broken if Grandpa hadn't shored them up." A surge of grief took me by surprise. I sat back on my heels and took a shaky breath. "I can’t believe next month is twenty years. I sure do miss him."

Jamie chirped and I gave him the wedge.

"I wonder what Grandpa would have thought about this whole mess. I know Mom never told him Arthur was my father. No way he’d have been okay with her keeping me in the dark about something like that. And then to find out the way I did. Can you really blame me for getting so mad? I dunno. Crazy world, huh?”

Jamie bobbed his head in the water, chirping loudly.

"Oh, sorry. Here you go." I gave him a bunch of kale. "Even with Joanne, I’m careful what I say. It's insane. I’ve known her half my life. She'd never stoop as low as scumbag Craig. After what he did...” I cringed. “God, those pictures."

Was it any wonder that I preferred animals? They were the only ones who couldn’t sell me out, even if they wanted to.

I blew out a breath and shook my head. "It’s obvious Sven thinks I'm nuts with the way I go on talking to you, but I don't care."

I tossed some romaine lettuce into the water, which Jamie devoured with loud chomping noises. "What am I going to do when you're gone, you big twerp?" I giggled. "I know. Maybe I'll come live with you. Yeah. You and me in the shallows. It'll be great."

He slapped his right fin, splashing me with water.

The sound of movement at my back startled me. I stood up when I saw it was Kyle.

"Sorry to interrupt." The left corner of his mouth curved upward. He nodded at Jamie. "If he ever talks back, I'd be worried."

I crossed my arms. "Right. I'll keep that in mind."

"So, this is the sea cow I've heard so much about. Sven mentioned you were the only one who could get him to eat. Said he would have died if it weren't for you."

I glanced down at Jamie, who had stopped chewing in favor of eying Kyle. I shrugged. "That's what I heard. I think talking to him has helped, actually."

"Sort of like talking to plants, huh?" Kyle looked at me plainly. His eyes were a crystal-blue. They made me think of icebergs.

I had to talk myself down from the ceiling before saying something I'd regret later. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way.

Boss's family, remember?

I picked up the bucket and dumped the rest of Jamie's breakfast into the water. "Here. You can hose out the buckets if you're done helping Joanne."

"Sure," he took the bucket from me. "So, back to the kitchen then?"

"Yes." I crouched back down to examine Jamie, sending a 'we're done' signal that I hoped Kyle would pick up without any problem.

CHAPTER TWO

"So what do you think about that Kyle?" Joanne had a beer in one hand and a cracker spread with Brie in the other.

As we waited for the lasagna to finish baking, Joanne and I hung out on the back deck of our shared guesthouse. Tonight was my night to cook dinner and Joanne's turn to deal with drinks and appetizers. A plate with triple-cream Brie and crackers sat on the small table between us. Most of the time it was cut up fruit, or carrot and celery sticks. Tonight’s Cambozola was a welcome indulgence.

The crooked grin extending to Joanne’s eyes told me she was up to something. With her blonde hair tied up into a perky ponytail and sporting a faded UCSD tank top, she looked every bit the former cheerleader. I couldn't help envying the way her perfectly straight hair slithered back and forth behind her shoulders whenever she moved, like an affectionate snake. My long, disobedient curls always looked like they were barely in check, only too ready to escape the confines of my elastic band at the first opportunity.

Leaning back in a padded lounge chair, I sipped my chardonnay. Every now and then, I caught the scent of jasmine on the early evening breeze. Below us, the backbeat of crashing waves reminded me that I sat just steps away from a thousand feet of gleaming, empty shoreline.

I considered Kyle, pulling my gaze away from the view, and shook my head. "Ugh. He's all yours. He gave me a weird vibe when I was feeding Jamie this morning."

"What?” She sighed loudly. "Girl, you fixin' to be the last pea at pea-time if you keep passing up every guy that comes along. I mean, here we are in the ass-end of nowhere and you go turning up your nose at the first cute guy that shows up."

I rolled my eyes. "Pardon me for having standards." I stuck my tongue out at her before setting down my glass to slather cheese on a cracker for myself. "And I'm not sure I want to have anything to do with pea-time, thank you."

She made a noise of exasperation. "Don't go rollin’ your eyes at me, Miss. I've got a mind to drag you into town as soon as I get back from my trip, whether you like it or not." Popping the cracker into her mouth, she gave me a determined look while she chewed.

"Ha! Not gonna happen. That's all I need. More shots of me on TMZ, partying it up in Charlotte Amalie. Even when I don't drink, they manage to make it look like I'm Jersey Shore the Caribbean edition. Thanks to Craig's interview last month and the pictures he gave them, everyone thinks I’m a half-drunk slut with the IQ of a gnat." I sat back and took a bite of my cracker, careful not to dump the other half into my lap.

She snorted in amusement and dismissed the idea with the back of her hand. "Shoot. Anybody with a lick of sense knows that man was just dyin’ for attention. And those pictures … well, I tell you. I'd love to look that good in my undies. You should be proud, girl."

I laughed. "Please. You're a four to my size six. On a good day, I might add. Plus you have ta-tas that won't quit, you brat."

She clicked her tongue and waved a red polished finger at me. "Stop changin’ the subject." She inclined her chin. "Come on. Say you'll go. Stayin' on this island is gonna drive you crazier than a sack full of weasels. You need to get out some."

Still laughing, I shook my head. "No way. Last time was a disaster. You can use all the despicably endearing Mississippi-girl expressions you want. I've learned my lesson. I came to this island to get away from all that craziness."

Joanne gazed at me. "Bless your heart. The primaries are gonna be over in a couple of months. Things'll get better soon. And there's just the one ex-boyfriend hawking his dirty pictures, right?"

Chuckling, I nodded.

"See? As soon as your dad loses, things'll go back to normal."

"I don’t think things will ever go back to normal. I'm not just Samantha Jennings anymore. You know? I'm the daughter of Arthur Kincaid—world's fourth or sixth richest man. Or, whatever.” I threw up my hands. “Unless I miraculously meet someone who doesn't watch the news or read a newspaper or have a Twitter account, I'll never know for sure whether they're my friend because of me or because of my father's money."

"Aw, hon. I hate to see that snake of an ex and those other scumbags get you down. Not everybody's like them. I'm not. Sven sure doesn't seem to be." She sighed. "Okay. So some supposed friends turned out to be lower than a mole's bellybutton on digging day," she said, pausing to give my arm a gentle shake, "but most of us are a bit better than that."

I giggled and shook my head. "You crack me up, I swear. You get all these sayings from your grandma?"

"Of course. She always had some funny thing to say about just about everything. I can't even remember 'em all."

"Well, they're awesome." I sighed. "What am I going to do without you for the next two weeks? There's going to be no one for me to talk to, except the animals."

Her meticulously arched brows shot upward. "You see? That's what I'm sayin'. Just think about going into town, okay? When I get back, we'll go. Sven said the helicopter’s ours anytime. We can just go to dinner and a show. No bars this time. Maybe Kyle’ll come. It'll be fun. I promise."