South of Heaven (21 page)

“See you soon.” Kendra watched her disappear into the galley.

Kendra removed the grill from storage, and checked to make sure there was gas and that the racks were clean.

She would grill some link sausage as an appetizer that they could munch on while watching the sunset, and then grill the steaks.

Lindsey made them a plate of ham and turkey sandwiches then pulled out a bag of chips from the pantry, before pouring glasses of tea. She surveyed the contents of the pantry and freezer for items to accompany steaks for dinner. She placed several potatoes and onions on the counter. There was a bag of corn on the cob in the freezer that she could wrap together with sliced potatoes and onions in foil to cook on the grill.

She turned to see Kendra walking inside and washing her hands in the sink. “I’m starving. Those sandwiches look great.”

“What would you like for dessert tonight?”

“You did well last night, so surprise me.” Kendra sat at the table for lunch,
 
took a sandwich, and bit into it.

“I can do that.” Lindsey crunched on a chip. “Will we go back out on Monday?”

“I’d like to, if nobody has major storm damage to deal with. I’d like to make the most out of every outing this season.”

“I’m sure you won’t get any argument from the rest of the crew. We all enjoy getting those nice paychecks.”

“It’s great to see everyone so pleased.”

“Are you all set up outside?”

Kendra smiled. “I’ve got one more thing I need to do.”

“You need some help?”

“Nope, I’ve got this.”

“I thought you could grill some vegetables to go with the steaks.”

“Potatoes, onions and corn,” Kendra asked?

“That’s what I was thinking. I’ll wrap them in some foil, add some butter and seasonings.”

“If we slice the potatoes and boil the corn a bit they’ll cook faster.”

Lindsey smiled at her. “I was thinking that too. I’ll get that started while you finish outside.”

“Would you like a salad to go with the meal?”

“Oh yeah, sounds great,” Lindsey replied.

†

Kendra walked into the small storage area and located the two lounge chairs she hoped were still useable. It had been a while since she had them out, but they appeared in good shape. She carried the chairs to the front of the boat, and returned for a small table to place beside them. Tonight would probably be the last opportunity for them to have some privacy on the boat, and she wanted the night to be special. After dinner, they would take a bottle of wine, stretch out, and gaze at the stars until they were ready to retire.

She smiled, pleased with her idea, and returned to the galley to help prepare dinner.

“I thought I’d grill some sausage for us to munch on while we watch the sunset.” Kendra showed the package she’d taken from the freezer.

“I’m all over that.” Lindsey smiled.

Kendra whipped up some honey mustard for dipping while Lindsey chopped the potatoes, and boiled the corn. “I can put the veggies on while I cook the sausage. That should give them plenty time to cook.”

“I can taste them already.”

Kendra left the galley for a few minutes and returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Can I interest you in a glass of wine?”

“Please.” Lindsey wiped tears from her eyes caused by slicing onions for the grill.

Kendra poured their wine and placed one beside Lindsey, then leaned against the counter next to her. She grinned at her lover. “What do you think about turning this boat into a pirate ship, and the two of us heading out to sea?”

Lindsey chuckled as she picked up her glass. “That would be fun.” She lifted her glass. “To the booty,” she toasted.

Kendra grinned back at her and tipped her glass. “I’ve already found the best booty.”

“You say the sweetest things for a pirate captain,”

“I must admit, you bring out the best in me.”

Lindsey sat her glass on the counter and took Kendra in her arms. “A part of me wishes this day could last forever. I’ve enjoyed our time together.”

“We’ve only just begun,” Kendra promised and kissed her. “Umm, this wine tastes even better on your lips.”

“I’m surprised at how romantic you are. Pleasantly though.”

Kendra felt her eyes watering. “You make me feel so…unbelievably good. I want to share everything I am with you.” A tear slid down her injured cheek. “What I’m trying to say here is, I love you.”

Lindsey used her thumb to gently wipe the tear from Kendra’s cheek. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I love you, Kendra. I’ve never told anyone that before, because until you, I never knew how good it could feel to constantly crave someone’s touch and smile. And the way you kiss me just melts my insides.”

Kendra grinned so wide at Lindsey’s admission that she winced.

“Pretty sore today, huh?”

“Yes, but worth every ounce of pain to hear you talk that way.”

Lindsey took her hand and placed it over her heart. “I hope you know my words come from here.” She tapped her chest with their joined hands.

“We better stop there or I’m going to be a blubbering mess.” Kendra leaned in to rest her forehead against Lindsey’s as her hands encircled Lindsey’s waist.

They stood together for several minutes.

“I guess I’d better start making our salad now.” Kendra stepped away from Lindsey.

“I’ll finish getting the veggies ready to go.”

They worked together in the kitchen, and after Kendra placed the salad in to chill, she took a sip of wine. “I’m going to get the grill going. I’ll be back shortly.”

†

They shared the wine and sausage appetizers while watching the sunset. The robin’s egg blue sky was cloudless after the storm, and the setting sun lit the horizon with beautiful hues of red, gold, and orange.

“Does it seem strange that the sky is so beautiful after such a harrowing storm?” Kendra asked.

“I know we’re still out on the water, so we don’t know about damage on shore, but it’s hard to believe a hurricane just came through the area.”

“I guess we should be grateful we didn’t experience any more problems on the boat. It certainly could have been much worse.”

Lindsey reached over to place her hand on Kendra’s, entwining their fingers. “I’m very thankful for the time I’ve shared with you. It’s been great to get to know you better.”

Kendra returned her smile. “That won’t stop once we return to work.”

“Maybe, but I know I won’t be able to spend the time with you like we’ve had these last two days, or kiss you whenever I want. I have to go back to sharing you.” Lindsey shrugged.

“There’s nothing stopping you right now.” Kendra leaned over to kiss Lindsey.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, and I promise to make as much time for us to be together as possible. Would you feel comfortable sleeping in my cabin?”

“I’d love that, if you don’t think it will cause problems with the crew.”

“I don’t think they will care one bit.”

Lindsey smiled and picked up a slice of sausage and popped it into her mouth. “This is good, but I can’t wait for the steaks.”

“I can take a hint, are you all set inside?”

“I’ve got to finish dessert, but other than that, yes, I’m ready.”

“Will you do that while I grill the steaks?”

“You betcha,” Lindsey said and followed Kendra into the galley.

“I don’t know what you’re cooking up, but it sure smells good in here.” Kendra took the steaks from the refrigerator. “See you soon.” She kissed Lindsey and left the galley.

†

After finishing dinner and a delicious dessert, Kendra took Lindsey by the hand and picked up the bottle of wine.

“Come with me,” she requested, and led Lindsey to the loungers. She sat the bottle on the table. “I thought we’d relax and enjoy some star gazing tonight. It may be the last truly relaxing night we get for a few days.”

Lindsey stretched out on the lounger and took a fresh glass of wine from Kendra. “Thanks.”

The lack of artificial light made the stars sparkle across the sky. A cool breeze blew and the lapping of the water against the boat was the only sound.

“It’s so peaceful.” Kendra reached over and took Lindsey’s hand.

They enjoyed the serenity of the night and finished the wine before retiring for the evening. Lindsey snuggled into Kendra after they made love, content to be in her arms. Kendra kissed the top of her head. “Sweet dreams, my love.”

“You too, Kendra,” Lindsey said with a sleepy voice, and she burrowed under the covers to sink into the warm bed.

Chapter Fifteen

Lindsey joined Kendra in the wheelhouse after cleaning the kitchen, and Kendra guided the boat through the narrow pass. As the beachfront homes came into view, the presence of blue tarps secured to roofs began telling the story of the damage that Dani had left in her wake. Several of the homes had evidence of water damage from the storm surge, and the dunes had taken a beating, showing significant signs of erosion.

Concerned for her crew, Kendra reached for the phone to call Harvey. “Hey, Harvey, how did everyone survive the storm?”

“No major damages, Captain. A few downed trees and the town is still without power, but the generators are doing their jobs. I went by your home and, other than some broken branches, the house seems to have fared well.”

“Do you think we can get back on the water Monday?”

“Monday may be pushing it, but Tuesday should be a go.”

“That will give us time to restock supplies.”

“Great. Several of us are going out to Charlie’s later today. He lost quite a few trees so we’re going to help him clear his drive. He won’t need firewood for a few years.” Harvey chuckled.

“No damage to his home, though, right?”

“One broken window and some missing shingles, but nothing we can’t handle.”

“Do you need help?”

“Thanks, Captain, but we’ve got this. Get some rest and we’ll be ready to go Tuesday morning. I’ll let the crew know.”

“Thanks, Harvey.”

She turned to Lindsey. “So, it looks like you’re stuck with me for another day.”

Lindsey grinned. “Time for that long hot bath in your tub.”

“That’s an excellent idea.”

“Uh oh, we have a casualty.” Lindsey frowned, nodding toward the jetties where a small sailboat had crashed into the rocks, causing significant hull damage.

“That didn’t have to happen. That boat is small enough to have been put in dry dock somewhere.”

“I’d be sick if that had been mine.” Lindsey shook her head.

“You’d have known better.”

“Yeah, I would have. Still, such as waste.”

Lindsey saw the relief written on Kendra’s face when she pulled into the boat’s slip and looked up the street to see her house. As Harvey had reported, there were limbs down from nearby trees, but no other signs of damage.

Kendra eased the boat into the slip while Lindsey tossed the mooring lines onto the dock. She stepped off the deck, securing the lines as Kendra closed up the wheelhouse. She looked up to see Kendra walking across the deck, wearing a beautiful smile, and her heart melted.
God I love it when she looks at me like that.
She held out her hand to Kendra as she stepped off the boat. Her heart soared when Kendra failed to let her hand go.

Lindsey looked up to see two women approaching the pier. She smiled when she recognized Susan with her arm secured in a cast and sling.

“Well look at you,” Lindsey smiled. “How are you?”

“Alive and kicking, thanks to you. Lindsey, this is my girlfriend, Kelly.”

“Susan has told me how much you two did for her, and I can’t tell you what that means to both of us,” Kelly said.

“I’m just glad we were there to help out.” Lindsey smiled at the two women.

“Well, hey there, stranger,” Kendra said. “You’re looking good.”

“Thanks, I’m feeling better too.” Susan took the two bags Kelly was holding and handed one to each of them. “I’m returning your clothes freshly laundered,” she told Lindsey.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

Kendra opened her bag and began laughing. She pulled out a handful of wooden spoons.

Susan returned her grin. “The doc in the ER said the use of the spoons was nothing short of genius, but I’m afraid he didn’t save them, so we bought you new ones. Hopefully, you won’t need them for future splints.”

“Thank you.” Kendra stepped forward to hug her. “Are you two staying in the area?”

“No, we just wanted to take a chance and stop to thank you both. We’re heading home. I do hope you’ll keep a future visit in mind, though.”

“We definitely will,” Kendra promised.

“Thank you again for everything. I know you’re eager to check on your home so we won’t keep you. It’s time for some medicine and a nap while Kelly drives us home.”

“Be safe, and call us to let us know how you’re doing,” Lindsey said as they walked Susan and Kelly back to the car.

“Will do.” Susan exchanged hugs with them before getting in the car.

Kendra turned to Lindsey. “Let’s go home.”

They walked up the hill and Kendra let out a deep breath. “That’s a relief. I was afraid it would be worse.”

“Do you have a chainsaw?”

“Yeah, we’ve got one in the garage.”

“I can use it to cut the limbs into manageable sections while you check the inside of the house. You can call your dad to report in.”

“Ummm, sexy, and you can use power tools, too?” Kendra teased.

“Oh yes, ma’am, I’m a woman of many hidden talents.” Lindsay wiggled her eyebrows for effect.

Kendra laughed. “I’m going to love discovering those,” she said with a smirk.

Relieved that there were only a few limbs that they would need to cut into sections, Kendra kissed Lindsey. “Be careful, I’ll be out to help as soon as I’ve inspected everything and called Dad.”

“Take your time. I can handle this.”

“I know, but maybe you’re not the only one who loves power tools.”

“I’ll save you one,” Lindsey said with a chuckle.

Kendra entered the house, heard the gentle humming of the generator, and knew the power was still out. She began checking to make sure the refrigerator was still receiving power, and then moved through the house, checking for signs of any leaks and finding none. Upstairs, she began opening the shutters. She smiled when she saw Lindsey walk out of the garage wearing safety glasses and gloves, carrying the chainsaw. There was nothing about her that Kendra didn’t love.

She dialed her dad as the roar of the chainsaw filled the air. She walked away from the window and farther into the house.

“Hey, honey,” her dad answered. “Is that a chainsaw?”

“Yes, Dad, we had a few limbs down, so Lindsey’s going to cut them into sections. We’ll carry them to the woodpile and the brush to the curb.”

“No other damage though?”

“Not even a lost shingle that I can see. I’m inside the house and everything looks good. So relax, things are fine here. How are you doing?”

“I’m good and Henry is settling into therapy well, so I’m flying home tomorrow. Can you pick me up at three?”

“No problem. Mobile or Pensacola?”

“Mobile. The airport in Pensacola is still closed. They must have had some serious damage there.”

“It’ll be good to have you home. I’ll be there to pick you up at three.”

“I can’t wait. It’s great to visit, and I’m glad Henry is making progress, but there’s no place like home.”

“I know exactly how you feel. See you soon. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetie. Tell Lindsey hello for me.”

“Will do, Dad,”

Kevin ended the call wearing a huge smile. It had been a long time since he had heard the happiness in his daughter’s voice that he had just heard. He knew something had happened to trigger the change, and he couldn’t wait to get home to find out what it was. He prayed that the spark he had witnessed between Kendra and Lindsey had finally ignited and they realized they had fallen in love.

†

Lindsey was like a kid with a new toy. She cut the oak branches into two-foot sections after trimming the smaller branches. She had cut through all but one of the downed branches when she saw Kendra coming over to her. She flipped the switch to kill the engine on the chainsaw.

“See, I saved you one as promised.” Lindsey motioned to the largest branch.

“So I see. You looked like you were having fun.”

“What’s not to like about a chainsaw?”

“Go ahead and finish cutting. I’ll grab some gloves and the wheelbarrow, and start taking the sections around back.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Deal.” Lindsey pulled the cord to restart the saw.

Kendra smiled and turned toward the garage.

When they finished stacking the cut wood, they had a sizeable pile. “This will make some nice fires in the outdoor fireplace this winter,” Kendra said.

“I can’t wait.”

Kendra squealed with excitement. “Does that mean you’re staying?”

“I’ve received an offer too good to pass up, and found me a woman I’m head over heels for, so yes, if you still want me, I’m yours.”

Kendra grabbed her in a bear hug and kissed her passionately.

“You make me a happy woman.”

“I’m kinda pleased myself, ma’am.”

“Are you up for a ride downtown? I’d like to stop and place an order with Hank, if he’s open, and maybe we can find some lunch. I’m starved.”

“I could eat, too.”

†

“Hey, ladies, I’m glad to see you weathered the storm well.” Hank was happy to see them enter the store.

“We rode it out up in the bay. Did you have any damage?” Kendra asked.

“A few broken windows at home and some water damage here, but nothing serious.”

“That’s good to hear. Are you up for some business?”

“I’d love something to keep me busy for the rest of the day. It’s been quiet. I did have some folks come in earlier for some plywood and a few bundles of roof shingles.”

“The town seemed to fare well,” Kendra said.

“Not bad, but the road east is washed out.”

“What about west? I’ve got to pick Dad up in Mobile tomorrow?”

“May be a bit rough, but you should make it. Some spots are down to one lane.”

“Anything open for food?”

“The burger joint’s running on generator power, but still slinging burgers and fries.”

Kendra looked at Lindsey, who shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

“Can we bring you anything, Hank?”

“Thanks, but the wife packed me some sandwiches.”

Kendra passed over her list. “Can we get a delivery in the morning?”

He studied the list. “Will ten o’clock be soon enough?”

“That will be perfect. Thanks, Hank, just send me a bill.”

“I will, Kendra. Thanks for the business.”

“Always a pleasure, Hank.”

“Oh, and thanks for the shrimp. They were awesome.”

“Ready for another batch?” she asked.

“Anytime you have a few extras, I’ll gladly take them off your hands.”

“I’ll see you next weekend then.” Kendra grinned and left the store with Lindsey.

Kendra looked at Lindsey. “What do you think about grabbing a few bags of burgers and fries, and riding out to Charlie’s place to check on the boys? I’d also like to deliver these.” She handed Lindsey a check. “I was able to revise the totals from this week’s haul and I’m sure everyone could use the extra money to help with storm repairs.”

“Fine with me.” Lindsey grinned.

“What’s the grin for?”

“Because you’re such a considerate boss,” she answered.

“I have the best crew a captain could ask for and I plan to keep it that way,” Kendra answered honestly as they climbed into the Jeep.

†

The crew was nearly finished when they reached Charlie’s, and Lindsey had the opportunity to sit back and watch how Kendra interacted with them. It was obvious they loved and respected her as she passed out the burgers and fries. She also handed each one of them a check to make up the difference in their pay. To the last man, they hugged her, some even kissing her on the cheek to show their affection for her.