In short order, he had a doctor taking her to X-ray. Kaia felt bewildered at how fast he got things moving. An hour later she’d been X-rayed and bandaged and was back outside on the sidewalk. Dawn was pushing back the edges of the darkness as she stood there with Heidi’s hand in hers.
“Where’s your car?” Jesse asked.
“Back at the dock where I reported for work last night.”
“Wait here. I’ll get my Jeep and drive you there.”
“I’ll stay with Kaia,” Heidi said.
Jesse nodded and jogged off toward his office. Kaia’s ankle throbbed, and she was discovering muscles she never knew she had. Maybe she’d stop for coffee on her way home. The thought of an iced Americano sounded tempting.
“Are you going to marry Uncle Jesse?” Heidi asked.
Kaia froze. “Of course not. Why would you ask such a question?”
“Your face was all red. I think he likes you. He needs a wife.”
“Why does he need a wife?” Kaia knew she shouldn’t pursue this line of questioning, but she had been wondering why Jesse was unattached. A man that attractive didn’t often escape matrimony into his late thirties.
“He’s been sad a long time. Mom worries about him.”
“Sad?” Kaia wouldn’t have called Jesse sad. Intense, focused . . . those were the words that came to mind. She took Heidi’s hand and went to a bench to await Jesse’s return.
Heidi nodded. “From the accident. Aunt Christy died. They were going to have a baby too. Poor Uncle Jesse.”
“Was Aunt Christy his wife?”
“Uh-huh. She was nice, but I don’t remember her real well. I was four when she died. Aunt Christy’s family is mad at him.”
Heidi was eight now, so it had been about four years ago. “I’m sure it wasn’t your uncle’s fault. Sometimes we have to blame someone when a bad thing happens.”
“Well, it was kind of his fault.” Heidi swung her legs to and fro on the bench. “Do you have some gum?”
“My purse is in the car. Sorry.” She wanted to ask what Jesse had done that made it his fault, but the presence of a group of sailors standing behind them stopped her. She’d be mortified if they noticed the way she was taking advantage of Heidi’s tendency to chatter. Jesse wouldn’t be pleased to find she’d been prying.
The red Jeep Wrangler pulled up in front of them. Kaia stood and managed to use her crutches well enough to get to the vehicle. She felt as awkward as a monk seal on land. Jesse hopped out and opened the door for her and Heidi.
“I’d better get in the back so I can prop my leg on the seat,” she told him. He nodded and helped her in.
“I’m taking you home. You’re in no shape to drive. I’ll pick you up when it’s time to go out tonight.”
She knew better than to object. Besides, he was right. The pain medicine the doctor had given her had made her woozy. She settled back against the door and lifted her leg to the seat. She found herself watching Jesse and wondering how she could have been so blind. Lines of suffering edged his mouth, and a furrow in his brow that she’d taken for arrogance was likely the expression of a man waiting for life to hand him another blow. His wife’s death was none of her business, but she was curious.
She couldn’t imagine how he could have been to blame for it. He seemed the type to handle anything life threw his way, but sometimes looks were deceiving. Her gaze lingered on him. What had his wife been like? Shame touched her at the thought of how she’d treated him, and she resolved to be more amiable. It wouldn’t kill her to be pleasant.
“You okay?” he asked. He flipped the radio to an oldies station.
“Fine. Can we stop for coffee though?”
“You’ve got it.” He released the parking brake and drove off the base. A stiff wind was blowing in from the sea and rocked the SUV as Jesse navigated it along the curving road toward Waimea.
“I told Kaia about Aunt Christy,” Heidi said.
Kaia saw his hands grip the steering wheel tighter. His jaw hardened but he didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure what to say either.
“That’s not a topic for discussion, Heidi. You know that,” he said finally. He turned into the espresso bar and turned to face Kaia. “What do you want, Kaia? I’ll get it and you can rest your foot.”
His expression warned her not to probe. As she listened to the Fab Four sing “Yesterday,” she wondered if Jesse was ready to move on from the past. Watching his set face as he got out of the Jeep and went inside the espresso bar, she doubted it.
Ten
Faye could hardly sleep. Finally, things were moving in the right direction. In the morning, she felt vibrant in spite of her lack of sleep, and she hummed as she measured flour into a bowl and added macadamia nuts to the waffle mixture. She cleaned and diced papaya, strawberries, and pineapple for fruit smoothies.