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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781452590462 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Balboa Press |
| Publication date: | 01/27/2014 |
| Pages: | 468 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.04(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Sunny's Story
a novel
By KATHY ALMEIDA
Balboa Press
Copyright © 2014 Kathy AlmeidaAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-9046-2
CHAPTER 1
Not too long ago, but what seems like a lifetime, I was twenty-six years old and working as a secretary for a college professor. My boss was great and the other assistants, nice as well. The work was easy, the pay so, so. And I was totally bored out of my mind. But it was a job, and the money gave me the freedom to live on my own, in an apartment I shared with my sister, who at twenty-five, also worked as a secretary, but with a job that she enjoyed at a law firm.
It was summer and almost time for the vacation we'd been looking forward to all year. We dreamed of an Island adventure; bright blue skies reflected in the clear waters below in the sunny Caribbean, sitting in our chairs sipping frozen margaritas, soaking up the sun while enjoying the views as the male specimen walked by; oh and the ocean too. But after rent, utilities, car payments, and the rest of our bills, we were barely able to pool together enough money for a week at the beach. So we chose one of the local hotels in Saint Augustine, Florida, which happened to be a short two hour drive from where we lived in Ocala.
Before we knew it, Saturday morning was upon us and it was time for our vacation. We loaded our bags into my white mustang convertible and with the top down, we headed for the beach. After checking into the Ramada Inn, we slipped into our bathing suits, gathered our gear, and went to the beach. The beach was packed with people; some sunbathing, others throwing Frisbees, still others playing in the water. We looked for an empty spot. Finding one we sat down on our towels and started applying suntan lotion. My sister has olive tone skin and tans easily. She used suntan oil, wanting to be as dark as possible. I, on the other hand, being freckled and fair, used sunscreen. We had finished lathering up and were lying down, soaking up the rays oblivious to our surroundings. This lasted about five minutes for me. Feeling restless, hot and sticky, I decided to go for a swim.
"Rain, I'm going swimming. Want to come?"
"No thanks Sunny," she replied.
Our parents were part of the hippie generation. They'd wanted to name us Sun and Moon but changed their minds at the last minute. Rain was grateful. I glanced over at her looking totally relaxed. "How can you just lie there like that?" I asked.
"Feels good to me," she answered without opening her eyes.
"Okay, I'll be back," I said.
"Hmm," she answered.
The water felt cool and refreshing. I love to swim and even the movie Jaws can't keep me away. Of course I do look to see if there are any fins swimming nearby and I jump out of the water like a dolphin when something touches me; but I keep affirming over and over, 'I'm safe, I'm safe,' so it's all good. After swimming for a while I looked on shore to where I'd left my sister. She was no longer alone. Three guys crouched near her as she sat propped up on her elbows talking with them. "Figures," I said out loud to myself. My sister has a radar device that attracts men like a magnet. I decided to join in too. I walked up, dripping wet and said, "Hi" as I reached for my towel. The guys smiled, and turned back to my sister. "Okay that went well," I said to myself. I decided to take a walk, grabbing my hat and sunglasses to take with me.
"Where are you going?" Rain called after me.
Until she asked, I had no idea other than a walk, but then the light flashed on and I said, "I'm going to Kate's."
"Tell her I said hi."
"I will," I said.
Kate is our grandmother who told us from the beginning to call her Kate instead of grandma. She and Pop (he didn't mind being called that) built their dream home on Crescent Beach, which was about a mile or two from where we were staying. I know we could have saved some money, Rain and I, if we'd crashed at Kate's but we wanted to have this trip on our own. Still, Kate is cool and their home is a great beach house. Their two-story home is not too big or too pretentious; it's open and inviting, just like my grandparents.
As kids, Rain and I could not wait to go there. Our grandparents had decorated their home beach friendly. I don't ever remember being told not to touch or spill anything while we were there. Yet their home was beautiful, clean and decorated in bright blues, greens, peaches, and white; reflecting colors of the area.
My grandmother is an artist and my grandfather was a retired business man who could fix or build anything he put his mind to. I missed him. He died several years ago. After he died my father had encouraged my grandmother to move in with him and my mom but she wouldn't hear of it. She loved her home and life here on the beach. Pop had built her a studio on the property as well. The studio had views from every angle. Pop had put in a sliding glass door that folded in so on the days the door was open, Kate had an even better view of the beach, ocean and beyond.
Kate divided her time between painting, playing in her rose garden and working at the Gallery in town that she co-owned with Mark, who was a photographer. His photographs were inspiring; his focus being on the old town, beaches and marshes that surrounded the Saint Augustine area. They were, Kate and Mark, a good mix, keeping the Gallery fresh and interesting with their work as well as other local artists' work.
I was so lost in thought, grateful to have somewhere to go rather than watching those guys flirting with my sister, when out of nowhere I hit something that knocked me down.
"What the ...?" I asked as I lie flat on my back in an inch of water, seaweed draped over my belly. I inched up to my elbows, flinging the seaweed off of me. It was then that I noticed two very tan male feet standing at my side. I followed those feet up to the legs that were attached to the thighs, to the (well, not going there) up the torso, a very gorgeous torso I might add, up to the head that was, also gorgeous. Two very dark brown eyes peered over the top of his sunglasses down at me.
"Do this often?" he asked.
"Do what often?" I asked.
"Run into people."
"Excuse me?" I demanded, sitting up on my knees.
Man with also gorgeous black hair curling down his neck and over his ears squatted down on his hunches until he was face to face with me. "Well, do you?" he asked.
I started to reply, but then he leaned towards me and I moved back falling again into the ocean. He paused and then continued towards me. I braced myself as best as I could, lying in the seawater. He leaned over me, and when he reached his hand over my head, I closed my eyes tight. Nothing happened. I opened them slowly to see him dangling a string of seaweed in front of me. I looked from him to the seaweed and back to him again.
"Thought you might want that out of your hair," he said sitting back on his hunches again with an amused look on his face.
"I knew we should have gone to the Caribbean," I said mumbled.
"What was that? I didn't hear you," gorgeous man said extending his hand to me.
"Nothing and no thanks, I can get up myself," I said ignoring his hand.
"Suit yourself," he said standing back watching me as I wiped the sand and the rest of the seaweed off of me. "You didn't answer my question."
"And that was?" I asked.
"I'm Jake and you are?" he asked taking a different tactic.
"Not talking to you," I said as I started to walk away.
"Nice meeting you. And anytime you feel the need to run into someone, I'm your man," he said chuckling.
"Humph!" I said and kept walking. A little ways down I turned back and saw him watching me. He smiled and waved. I ignored him and kept on walking. Okay, so maybe I didn't play that out very well, but the truth was, I was so embarrassed and a little sore, I fell on my bottom pretty hard, that I didn't know what to say. Besides that guy; tall, dark haired, with gorgeous face and body was way too cocky. What did he call himself? Jake, I think it was. Yes, definitely Jake.
After walking another half-mile, I was at my grandmother's and I'd almost calmed down. I passed through the dunes on the sandy trail; by-passing the steps and crossover that led to the gate to her yard. Coming over the hill, I saw my grandmother busily pruning her roses.
"Hello Kate!"
She turned and upon seeing me, her face broke into a great big smile. "Sunny! What brings you here?"
"Vacation," I answered crossing the short distance to her. She wiped the dirt off her overalls as she stood up to greet me. Gathering me in one of her big bear hugs, I felt the strength of her body envelope me.
"That's right, I remember. It's good seeing you. Honey. Where's your sister?"
"I left her at the beach. She was busy entertaining her newest collection of admirers."
My grandmother smiled a knowing smile. "Don't worry, Honey, you've got the moxie as well."
"You think?" I said as I followed her inside to the air conditioned house, a welcome relief from the heat of the intense afternoon sun. "I smell cookies," I said walking into the kitchen.
"Yes, I made chocolate chip cookies this morning. They're your favorite, I must have known you were coming by," she said laughing as she took two glasses from the cupboard.
"You always seem to know stuff like that. And since you went to all that trouble for me, I think I'll have at least two," I said as I grabbed the plate of still-warm cookies and carried them over to the table.
She smiled as she poured us some iced tea. We sat down and started munching on the cookies and sipping the tea.
"These taste great, Gram," I said.
She looked over with mock disapproval.
"Oops," I said smiling, "I mean, Kate."
"So how are things?" Kate asked.
"Good. I'm happy to have a week off from work and I get to spend it at my favorite place, so who could ask for more?"
"Hmm, maybe somebody cute to share it with?" she said.
A mental picture of Jake's face flashed in front of me.
"Nah, I'm good," I said taking another cookie and rubbing my backside.
"Okay, tell that to someone who doesn't know you," she said giving me a look that said she wasn't buying it.
"Alright, busted," I said. I'd love to meet someone but not that Jake guy. I stuffed another cookie in my mouth.
We finished eating; making small talk, and then she invited me out to see her latest painting. I followed her outside to the studio.
"Kate, I love it in here," I said to her as I stepped inside the building made from coquina shell, not unlike the buildings in Saint Augustine, making the room feel so much cooler than outside in the hot sun.
"Me too," she said. She walked over to the easel holding her latest painting. It was a picture of a sailboat on a calm turquoise sea under a bright blue cloudless sky. Looking at the scene, I wanted to be on that boat.
"Kate, I love this!" I said.
"That's good to hear. I'm painting this for a friend of Mark's. I hope that she'll like it too."
"What's not to like. So how is Mark?"
"He's good. Working hard as ever and he's got a new girlfriend now. Her name is Sierra. She's perfect for Mark; under her influence he's starting to loosen up a bit. You know Mark, usually he's all work and no play, but since he's been with her, he's laughing more, taking time off from work, and he's not so serious all the time. It's a good change."
"Is he still living above the Gallery?"
"Yes, the apartment upstairs works well for him and me too for that matter. I can trust that he's there to cover the shop, even when I can't be."
I was glad that my grandmother had a friend in Mark. Mark was thirty-six and my grandmother seventy-six, but the difference in their ages only seemed to complement their friendship and business partnership. They both had great respect for each other and in one another's art.
"Kate, are these new?" I pointed to four chairs next to a wall.
"Yes, a friend of mine made them for me. I still haven't decided what color I want to paint them. I'm planning to replace the ones in the kitchen with these once I've finished."
"I like the shape of them. What about painting each one a different color?"
"That's not a bad idea. I'll give it some thought," she said.
We walked back to the house and spent some more time talking. I filled Kate in on the latest with my parents. My dad (Kate's son) and my mother loved traveling. Now that my father had left his day job and my sister and I were out of the house, they'd invested some of the money they'd saved in the purchase of a Winnebago. They went on adventures to sights unknown every chance they could.
My father, like Mark, was also a photographer. Working as a freelancer, he sent his pictures to different magazines from the places they visited. Both my parents enjoyed the life they were now living. Currently they were in Alaska and would be until the end of the month.
I looked up at the clock which read, five o'clock. "Wow, I didn't know it was that late. I'd better head back."
"Want a ride?" Kate asked.
"Are you kidding, after these cookies I need the exercise," I said patting my belly.
We hugged and kissed each other goodbye. I promised her that I'd see her again while we were here. As Kate stood on the back deck watching me, I waved and crossed over the dunes the same way I'd come.
I walked, heading north back to the hotel where Rain and I were staying. This time I kept my eyes wide open and didn't run into anyone. I didn't see Jake either and yes, I looked for him. By the time I got back to the hotel, the beach was practically empty with so sign of Rain.
Upon entering our hotel room, I heard water running. "Rain?"
"I'm in the shower, be right out."
I plopped on the bed to wait. The phone rang. It was Mom.
"Hi Honey, and how are you?" she asked.
"Hi Mom, I'm good and you? How's Dad and Alaska?" I asked all at once.
"We're good. It's so beautiful here. I wish you two were here with us to see this gorgeous country. Your father hasn't stopped taking pictures since the moment we got here.
"I bet! How's the weather?"
"It's cold at night and cool during the day. It's a nice change from Florida. How's your vacation going?" she asked.
"So far so good, we got here around noon and we spent the afternoon on the beach. Oh and I took a walk to Kate's."
"Really, how is she doing?"
"You know Kate, she's always good. She asked about you and Dad. She refers to you two as the happy bungles."
Mom laughed and said, "She's got that right, especially with your father. You never know where we'll end up or the people we will meet. You would have gotten a kick out of the two we met yesterday. They were definitely wild and crazy. Kind of like us, I guess. Your Dad loved it because they loved him and his stories. He'd probably still be talking to them if I hadn't pulled him away to get some sleep."
"He's a trip. Where he is right now?"
"He's outside having a cup of coffee with the new people, probably filling their ears with some tall tale of his. We're going hiking in a little while."
Rain came out of the bathroom drying her hair with a towel.
"Mom, here's Rain. She's done with the shower so I'm going to hop in. It was good talking to you. Have fun okay?"
"You too, Honey, I love you," she said and then, "Remember to be careful."
"Don't worry Mom, we'll be fine. I love you too," I said as I handed the phone over to Rain who said, "Mom, this place is great!" As I went into the bathroom and closed the door, I could hear her talking a mile a minute, filling Mom in on her day at the beach and the new guys she met.
"I met someone too, if you count running into him, literally," I thought to myself as I took my shower. Besides, those piercing dark brown eyes of his and that smile that could melt an iceberg, Jake had a great build. His hair was black like a raven and I remembered how it curled out from under his hat covering his ears. The guy was hot. I wondered if he was single or not. Probably not and it didn't matter anyway, I wasn't interested. At least that's what I told myself. Besides, what were the chances of me running into him again, no pun intended. I'd finished with my shower just as Rain finished talking to Mom.
"I love talking to Mom," Rain said turning towards me.
I wondered if Mom even got a word in edgewise. Before long we were dressed and ready to go out.
"So, where to?" I asked as we buckled in our seat belts.
"I'm starved, want to eat first?"
"Yes." We drove North on A1A, until we spotted Giovanni's, which looked to be a quaint little Italian restaurant. The parking lot was full, but we were able to find a place to park way in the back. We saw lots of people mingling outside on the front porch as we approached the entrance to the restaurant. Opening the door we were greeted instantly by the smells of garlic and oregano, transporting us back in time to when we were little and used to go to our Italian grandmother's (mom's mom) house. We shared knowing glances and smiles as we waited for the host to show us to our table.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Sunny's Story by KATHY ALMEIDA. Copyright © 2014 Kathy Almeida. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
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