Storms of Passion (13 page)

Always a lover of good stories, Vivian learned a lot of about her fellow crewmates during dinner. The pounding in her head finally gave way to the ache of her muscles.

“Well, at least you’re in shape.” Mrs. Parson’s round face smiled. “My poor old body hasn’t worked like that since the kids were small.”

Putting his arm around his wife’s shoulders, Mr. Parson’s replied, “Nonsense.” He tugged his wife close. “You’re in fine shape.”

Vivian marveled at their closeness. Married thirty-seven years, yet they seemed as much in love as she imagined they were when they were young. She liked to muse about happy ever after. That’s why she loved the romance genre at the publishing house. The love the Parson’s shared is what Vivian wanted—a marriage that was strong and lasted, a union of people who stayed together because they wanted to be together, not because they felt they should, or that it was easier to stay than to walk away. Her parents didn’t seem to have what the Parson’s had, at least not from Vivian’s vantage point. Her parents always struck her as staying together because it took too much energy and effort to make the change.

The Jordan’s were much like the Parson’s, having grown closer as they got older. The Matthew’s, on the other hand, were as opposite the others as a couple could get. Mrs. Matthews, Linda, had the air of superiority. She was someone who snipped and complained about everything from the size of the table to which they sat, to the state of the boat they would be soon boarding for their sailing cruise.

“I don’t know.” Linda complained, her thin, pinched face contorting with dissatisfaction. “The people in charge just don’t seem very competent. It’s certainly not what I expected.”

Leaning forward on the table, Vivian rested her elbows as she picked up her tea. “What did you expect?” She tried to participate in the conversation. She had taken on the role of peacemaker of sorts, getting to know the MacLean’s a bit better than the rest. Vivian felt obligated to find out the reason for the woman’s displeasure and see if it could be remedied. She understood all too well that negative attitudes were infectious and if Linda continued, her attitude would infect the rest as well. “I really didn’t know what to expect either, but they seem to be doing a good job with the demonstrations. We have to be safe. We paid to learn and they have an obligation to teach.”

Vivian wasn’t being harsh, but she did feel compelled to defend Lynette and Randy, who worked so hard. They were so warm and giving, Vivian couldn’t stand for people to criticize unnecessarily.

Nodding her pumpkin orange, short curls, Clara Parson’s smiled. “I agree. Arthur and I have done everything from skydiving to hitchhiking across the states and this couple, the Captain and his wife, are as nice as they come.”

Having effectively shut Linda down, as people like her would only continue when she had people to feed off, Vivian asked about the many adventures the couples had shared. Howard and Janie Jordan were a relatively shy couple, studious, both accountants and resembled the part, but they smiled lots and were happy to share how every year they played tourist roulette.

Clara’s eyes widened. “Tourist roulette?” Her face lit with curiosity.

“That’s what we call it now. Our kids started it for us years ago. They originally called it the Holiday Wheel. The kids said we were too uptight and had to live a little.” Janie reached out and tentatively touched Howard’s hand. “Now we travel at the end of every tax season.”

Smiling at his wife, Howard continued. “We have this wheel. The kids made it when they were youngsters and I can’t see us ever throwing it away, no matter how beat up it gets.”

The Jordan’s had four kids who had been apparently unsatisfied with their parent’s all-work-and-no-play attitude, so they made the holiday wheel, which Howard and Janie renamed, Tourist Roulette. After tax season, their kids bring out the wheel to help determine the family vacation.

Howard laughed, grabbing his wife’s hand to share the cherished memory. “Remember, Janie dear, that first year when all that was on the wheel were cruises, and something else. I can’t remember, but it had something to do with famous mouse.”

“They wanted to go to a big amusement park like all their friends.” She smiled warmly at her husband. “Terrible that they had to convince us though.”

“Oh well, we got the message and they get their annual vacation.” He chuckled. “Now that we’re nearer retirement, we actually keep the tradition and we all go on a big family vacation once a year. Janie and I go on a separate one, just the two of us.”

Watching as the couple gazed at each other, Vivian experienced an internal sigh as her heart melted.
That’s what it’s all about
. The love and companionship between this couple was almost palpable.

Everyone at the table exchanged stories about children, grand children, and adventures, to what they had in common and what they did for a living.

Vivian marveled how placing any group of people together in one spot for a period of time meant eventually, no matter what kind of rough start they may have, people will find common ground.

Clara and Linda flanked Vivian as they all walked back to the Inn. The men walked slightly ahead, engrossed in some sport debate over the miss of the competition runner and the conspiracy theory.

“That Nate is a looker,” Clara said.

“Too bad he’s married,” Linda added.

“To his high school sweetheart, though.” Janie smiled.

Clara squeezed Vivian’s arm. “I hear Nate has a brother. A twin. Bound to be a looker too. I have only seen him from a distance. He’s some sort of bookworm. I picked that up from Ethel.” She winked in response to Vivian’s sidelong glance.

“He’s a computer programmer,” Vivian answered.

“Oh, so you met him!” Clara clapped her hands eagerly, her small body bouncing with excitement of the prospect of being a matchmaker.

“Only briefly.” Vivian lied, trying to downplay the conversation and thinking of ways to change the subject. She lightly rubbed her fingers along her lips, remembering Tuck’s lips on hers.

“No special someone for you, dear?” Janie asked.

“No, not now. There was someone.” Vivian was content and comfortable with these women, and didn’t mind sharing a bit of person information. “But it ended up he wasn’t
that
special.”

“Don’t you worry.” Linda patted Vivian’s back. “The right one is just around the corner. You’ll see.”

The air was fresh and clean, and the company most excellent. Pleasantly tired at the evening’s end, Vivian snuggled cozily into her goose down, duvet-covered bed, stretching her tired and sore muscles.

****

Randy tapped Tuck’s shoulder, rounding the family dining table to set the tray of barbequed steaks and burgers in the middle. “She’s a stunner, son,” he said with a knowing wink, lifting a particularly large steak off the pile. “Smart too.”

Tuck stared at the tray of meat, waiting for his father to lay the tongs back. Using his knife and fork, he sliced into a thick cut to see the red on the inside. His father had a habit of either over or under cooking the meat. Tuck found one, charred on the outside and blood red on the inside, just the way he likes it. He lifted the juicy piece of Alberta beef off the tray.

Nate frowned, acknowledging that Tuck was deliberately silent. “I didn’t know what to expect.” He placed a burger on each of the kids’ plates before offering the tray to Emily. She and his mother were always the last to sit at the table. “I told Emily, prior to Vivian’s arrival, that a single gal was coming to learn sailing, so we might as well put the zoo sign out and say the cougar has arrived.”

Emily slapped his arm. “That’s mean. I told you that then, and I tell you again in front of the family.”

Nate tossed her a boyish smile, continuing. “But Dad is right, Vivian is smart. She doesn’t flirt and she’s not all about
look at me
. She seems very genuine on wanting to learn how to sail.”

“Of course she is. What a chauvinist you are.” Emily loaded her potato with sour cream and chives. “Oh, what’s with you and cougars,” she said between bites. “Why’s it okay for men to check out women, but a single female checking out a man she’s labeled as on the prowl. Tuck is single and he goes to the Tavern weekly…”

Tuck coughed, almost choking on the large forkful of steak in his mouth. He held up his hand while he took a drink of iced tea. “Hold up there.” He coughed again. “I didn’t say a word, so why pick on me? And I go to the Tavern to play guitar.”

“Sure you do, and men go to strip clubs for the fashion show.” Emily shot back.

“Not the men in this house,” his mother said, standing and glancing around the table.

“Oh Ma, you know we don’t.” Nate laughed.

Emily held a piece of potato on the end of her fork undeterred. “I am sure Tuck gets
lucky
at the Tavern once in a while.” She nailed him with her doe-eyed gaze and smiled. “You forget what a small town we live in. People talk.”

Tuck wisely refrained from commenting, so the conversation continued around him while he sat back and enjoyed the great food and family banter.

His mother cleared a few dishes from the table and brought them to the kitchen. “Well, I think Vivian is just lovely. She’s well mannered, charming, and very curious about everything.”

The aroma of the deep-dish, apple pie heralded his mother’s re-entry. “Oh Randy, I forgot the ice cream.”

“I’m on it.” Tuck’s father wiped the crumbs from his bushy beard with his napkin before jumping up.

Serving the slices of pie, his mother continued. “Well, I’m just saying, I liked her from the first and there’ll be no more comparison to cougars where Vivian is concerned.” She raised a brow at Nate, and Emily chuckled.

His father resumed his seat, scooping a generous helping of ice cream for every plate. “I agree.” He bit into his pie. “Ma, you sure can cook.” He swallowed his mouthful and held his fork paused above his plate. “Vivian asks lots of questions and not stupid ones either. She really wants to know how to sail.” He dove his fork back into his pie. “Tucker, you’re being awfully quiet this evening. It wouldn’t hurt for you to get to know a nice girl like Vivian.”

The door closed behind Tuck, announcing the arrival of cousin Billy.

“You adding match maker to list of services offered to clients, are ya captain?” Tuck didn’t want to continue this conversation with his family. He didn’t need his family’s input before he had the chance to determine if they were even compatible.

“Ah, well, when lightning strikes, as they say,” Randy said through another mouthful of pie.

Billy filled his plate with a burger, potato, and corn. “Fancy lot it would do him, Vivian lives on the other side of the country.” The younger man added just when Tuck hoped the conversation might peter out.

Emily pushed her plate aside, having only eaten half of her pie. “I wouldn’t worry about distance,” she said as Nate quickly dragged her unfinished plate toward him. “When it’s right, it’s right. The location is here and the timing is now.” She smiled at Tuck and then turned to Billy. “You get those results on your exams yet, Billy?”

As Billy launched into his discussion on school, Tuck rose from his chair. “Well, that does it for me.” He took his pie with him. “When you all decide how my love life is going to turn out, you let me know.”

Tuck settled on the swing on the front porch and had only taken a couple bites of the most delicious apple pie when his brother joined him.

“Sorry, man,” Nate began, sitting down on the opposite side of the swing, his long legs stretched out in front of him. “Vivian is a looker though. You can’t blame us for wanting someone good for you.”

“You can try sucking up all you want. I am not parting with my pie.” Tuck laughed.

Nate joined Tuck’s laughter, moving the swing to and fro with his long legs. “It’s been two years since your divorce. Isn’t it time to move on?”

“Are you talking about me moving on or
getting it on
,” Tuck said between mouthfuls. “Let’s not forget, we just met her and yet everyone assumes we’re a match made in heaven.”

Nate patted his knee before rising. “Tuck, man. Emily’s right. You were seen at the Tavern with Vivian, and Marston has been bitching about how you were going at her in Ethel’s flower garden last night…”

“We were not in the flower garden.”

Nate shrugged his shoulders. “Well, wherever you were, apparently it was an intense situation, so don’t sit there like this is coming out of left field, bro.”

Tuck laid his empty dish to the table beside the swing. Standing from the swing, he headed across the yard to the beach. “I’m done with this conversation.”

He walked along the beach toward his house. Sometimes being back home was more like taking a step back rather than moving on, and he really was trying to move on with his life. He just didn’t know if Vivian was a temporary distraction.

****

The next morning dawned bright and cheery with hardly a cloud to mar the beautiful azure blue of the sky—almost white at the horizon and growing darker in hue to its apex straight above. Tuck trotted down the long set of stairs, pausing at the bottom to stretch before taking an early morning run.

He had only been called out a couple of times since re-enlisting as a reservist, and each one had a happy ending. However, after the ass-kicking he took at the pool the other day from Nate, Tuck decided he had to get back in shape. People’s lives were never to be trifled with. Being a desk jockey for so long had left him soft in the haunches. He had, as his brother liked to tease, let himself go to pot.

Starting along the deserted road, admiring the sun glistening off the dew on the grass, Tuck reflected on his conversation with Nate. “You can go to the gym all you want,” Nate had said. “But it’s a good day’s labor that will straighten you out.”

The MacLean’s business was multifaceted to keep them busy and afloat to use the pun year round. In the summer, they catered to tourists, and when the season moved to autumn, the family took orders for various custom-designed boats and built them over the winter. In the spring, the finished vessels would be sold to clients. Tuck had recently convinced his parents to start attending various boat shows as part of their annual planning and marketing strategy for the coming season.