SEAL’s Love by Leslie North
3
Harper stood in front of the huge two-story plantation-style home on the Parks estate and found it even more gorgeous than she’d expected. She’d known his family had to be wealthy, given that they owned one of the most exclusive resorts in the world, but damn. This place looked like something off a movie set—all warm earth tones and lush foliage surrounding wraparound verandas on both levels and a view of the ocean that was to die for.
Serenity would love it. Her heart quivered in her chest. Please let her be okay. Please.
“Sweetie,” an older woman, with short, spikey blonde hair and the same vivid blue eyes as Colin came rushing out of the front door of the house and down the front stairs toward them where they were parked in the shell-covered driveway. Given their resemblance, this had to be Colin’s mother. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
She embraced her son, then cupped his cheeks. Cheeks that were a bit redder than before, Harper noticed. “Mom,” he said, with obvious affection. “It’s good to see you, too.”
“Yes, but Zoom isn’t the same as real life.” His mother hugged him once more, then turned to Harper, her brightly colored silk caftan billowing around her tall, slender frame, making her look like an impressionist painting come to life. “And you must be Harper.”
Before Harper could say a word, she found herself enveloped in a hug as well. Given their height difference, her face ended up somewhere in the woman’s chest, and with each inhale, Harper was surrounded with the scent of lilies and soap and a hint of patchouli. That last one made her miss her sister even more. When she pulled back, she found herself blinking back tears, and liking Colin’s mother more than she should for a woman she’d just met.
“So wonderful to meet you,” his mother said, smiling widely. “I’m Emily Parks. We are thrilled to have you here.” She looped an arm around Harper’s shoulders before turning to Colin. “Now, sweetie, I know when we talked on the phone earlier you said you booked rooms at the resort because you didn’t want to be a bother, but…” His mother glanced sideways at Harper and winked. “Please don’t be mad, but I canceled those reservations and had rooms made up for you here at the estate.”
“Mom.” Colin scowled. “You shouldn’t have done that. If we stay at the resort, we’ll be out of everyone’s way. We don’t want to be a burden, especially since our decision to come was so last minute.”
“Nonsense.” His mother waved off his arguments. “Family is never a burden, sweetie. Besides, you haven’t been back here to an official family function since you joined the SEALs. It won’t kill you to sleep here a night or two. Or seven.”
Not wanting to blow their cover, or see Colin and his mom fight, Harper intervened, slipping out from under his mother’s arm to stand by Colin’s side, forcing a smile until her face hurt. “Honey, I think this will be fine. And you know how much I wanted to meet your family! If it starts to feel too crowded, we can always move over to the resort after a couple of days.”
Colin looked from his mom to Harper, then back again, his stiff posture relaxing slightly as he exhaled. “Okay. I’ll get our bags out of the back of the car.”
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” another female voice said. Harper looked over to see a pretty blonde woman walking toward them from the house. In her perfect designer blouse and pants, she looked lethally elegant and made Harper feel like a slob in her shorts and plain white T-shirt. The woman looked to be about Colin’s age and was obviously related to him because there were those vivid blue eyes again. “About time you showed your face around here again, cuz.”
“Hey, Jojo,” Colin said, hugging the woman and grinning. “Long time no see. Where’s Sara?”
“Inside.”
They pulled apart, and Colin slipped an arm around Harper’s waist. “Jojo, this is Harper Bell. Harper, this is my cousin, Josephine Parks.”
“Nice to meet you, Josephine,” Harper said, shaking the woman’s hand.
“Please, call me Jojo. Everyone does. And welcome to the family.”
“Thanks,” Harper said, not missing the slightly wry edge to the other woman’s tone.
“Well, now that that’s settled,” Colin’s mother said. “I need to get back in the kitchen and make sure everything’s moving along on dinner. I’ve had your old rooms made up, sweetie.”
“Thank, Mom,” Colin said, paying the cab driver, then watching as the car drove off in the gathering twilight. From where she stood, the sunset over the water was brilliant.
“Come on inside,” Jojo said, leading Harper toward the house while Colin grabbed the bags. “You don’t want to miss all the fun.”
And there it was again, that wry tone. Mixed with the underlying tension Harper had felt in the air since they’d arrived. She could tell something was up here, she just wasn’t sure what. She stopped on the porch and turned to Jojo. “Is there something I should know before we go in?”
Jojo looked at her a moment, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lowered her voice. “Colin’s warned you, right? That he doesn’t get along with his dad?” When Harper nodded, Jojo gave her a rueful smile. “Well, this is the first time they’ve been under the same roof in quite a while. It might be fine, or it might be…dramatic. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Harper flinched. “I feel bad,” she admitted. When Jojo gave her a curious look, she added, “Colin’s here because of me. I mean, because I wanted to meet his family!” she rushed to add, remembering their cover story. “Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed if things are as bad as all that.”
Jojo squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself. This match-up had to happen at some point. And it really shouldn’t get that bad. His parents love Colin, but they never really understood him. So, eventually, Colin stopped making an effort to understand them.” They stood on the threshold, and Jojo gave Harper some serious side-eye, her expression curious. “He must really like you, if he’s willing to come to a family reunion again.”
Unsure how to respond, Harper stayed silent as she followed Jojo into the house and was bowled over once again by the beauty of the place. Lots of elegant, beautifully made furniture and a cool island theme that was at once both expensive-looking and inviting. Various people milled about, whom Harper assumed were Colin’s family. Introductions were made and she did her best to remember all the names. There was Cole, Colin’s father—an older, more austere version of his son. Patsy, Jojo’s mother. Sara, Jojo’s wife. Richard, Jojo’s father who was also Cole’s brother and Colin’s uncle. He mentioned something about being in real estate and investments. And Marigold, Jojo’s younger sister and Colin’s other cousin. She was sixteen and gorgeous. She had that whole “God, this is so boring” vibe that only a teenager can carry off. Emma, Marigold’s friend and not related to anyone. And Katie, Colin’s aunt and Cole and Richard’s younger sister. Finally, there were the grandparents—Amy and Eric.
Whew. Harper hoped there wouldn’t be a test later because her brain basically felt like mush now after the travel and the worry over Serenity.
“Colin,” his mother called from the kitchen. “Leave the bags, and someone will take them up to your rooms. Dinner’s ready. You guys can unpack after we eat.”
Colin stood near the door and placed their stuff on the floor before hugging his relatives. Well, everyone except his dad. Those two stood across the room, glaring at each other like some weird western standoff. Yep. Jojo was correct. Definitely some drama there.
“Dinner is served,” his mother called from the adjacent dining room.
Harper took Colin’s hand as he passed, more for moral support than anything, and squeezed his fingers as she whispered, “Thanks again for doing this for me.”
He grunted, then led her to the table where the rest of his family waited. “Let’s just get through this.”
* * *
Two hours later, they were finally upstairs in what Harper could only describe as Colin’s private suite in one corner of the second floor. There was a bedroom with a huge king-sized bed. A connected master bath that was pretty much the same size as Harper’s entire apartment back home in Baltimore, plus a sitting area and a full wall of windows overlooking the ocean beyond. It was beautiful, just like the rest of the house.
The bed had been turned down and sliding doors were open out onto the veranda, letting in the gentle rustling of the palm trees surrounding the house and the warm ocean breeze, scented with sand and salt.
Harper wanted nothing more than to collapse on the bed and sleep for hours, but there was unpacking to do first and sleeping arrangements to consider, so she unzipped her wheeled suitcase and started transferring her stuff to her designated dresser drawers.
“So, your family seems nice,” Harper said, hoping to get the ball rolling on a conversation. The silence was getting awkward again and Colin didn’t seem inclined to break it any time soon.
He grunted, carrying his toiletries into the bathroom.
So much for that, then.
After Harper had finished putting her clothes away, she grabbed the purple velvet pouch she carried with her and pulled out her crystal, carefully setting it on the nightstand by the bed. She and Serenity both had matching ones. Amethyst Aura Clusters they were called. They were supposed to help with clearing mental blockages and encouraging creativity. Both things Harper could use right now.
Colin finally quit futzing with his things and walked out onto the veranda to stare out at the horizon. “There’s only one bed, so I volunteer now to take the couch.”
“Don’t be silly.” Harper stood and walked outside to stand next to him. It was lovely here. “The bed is huge. We’ll share. We’re both adults. I’m sure we can keep our hands to ourselves.”
He looked over at her then and damn if those stupid tingles didn’t start again. She could feel the weight of his attention like a physical touch and it made her oddly warm inside. Then he glanced past her back into the room and frowned. “What’s that?”
“What?” she asked, turning to look.
“There on the nightstand,” he said, raising his chin in that direction. “Looks like a rainbow puppet threw up over there.”
She scrunched her nose. “That’s my Amethyst Aura Crystal. I use it whenever I need a ‘gut check.’”
He snorted. “Oh God. Don’t tell me you go in for all that new-agey crap. Good vibes and seeing the future and stuff.”
“Hey!” She clasped the wooden railing, feeling defensive. She wanted to snap at him, but she stopped herself and took a deep breath. “I get that you’re on edge, being around your family again, but there’s no need to take it out on me,” she said quietly. “Yes, I like crystals, and yes, I like ‘new-agey crap.’ Right now, I’m going through something really tough, and if holding on to something familiar and meaningful to me helps me stay calm and focused, then that’s what I’m going to do. If it offends you so much, then you’re welcome to go sleep on the couch after all.”
Colin looked like he wanted to respond, but then snapped his mouth shut and slumped back against the seat.
Harper shook her head and stared out at the coastline. Waves crashed against the white sand shore and all she could think about was how her sister was out there somewhere. This place looked like paradise, but she couldn’t trust it. Not until she knew her sister was safe. She was going to find Serenity, no matter what. And no one, not even Colin Parks was going to distract her from doing it.
