Page 16 of Waves of Reckoning (Echoes of Camano Island #1)

Chapter Fifteen

P aul was in better spirits for the rest of the evening as he whistled tunes while preparing meals and calling out orders.

He hadn’t felt so alive in what felt like forever. He had just walked through his door when his phone rang. His face lit up even more when he saw that it was Nikki.

“Hello,” he answered in a singsong voice.

“Someone sounds like they’re in a good mood,” Nikki said on the other end.

“That’s because I sort of am,” Paul said and kicked off his loafers. “I went back to the restaurant today, and I’ll be there for a couple of days.”

“How come?”

“Ken’s sick,” he told her and headed for the kitchen. “It’s just for a few days, but I can’t tell you how good it feels.”

Nikki laughed. “I can just imagine.”

“Why did you call? What’s going on? Any trouble at the inn?”

“Oh no, nothing like that. Everything’s great. It’s Amy.”

Paul sat on the sofa with the bottle of water in his free hand. “Amy? What about her?”

“She’s here,” Nikki told him. “She came back after we visited her in Seattle.”

“Really? That’s great news,” he exclaimed.

“Not really,” Nikki groaned. “I took her to see Frank, and she freaked out.”

“Freaked out? Why?”

“I don’t know. She thinks that the only reason we came to find her was so we could use her to take over the Nestled Inn and restaurant,” Nikki explained.

“But that’s not true,” Paul replied. “Trish started to look for her long before the accident.”

“I know that,” Nikki said. “Try telling that to her. She thinks I just want to fulfill my sister’s dying wish.”

Paul sighed. “Okay, what if I come over tomorrow and talk to her? She might listen to me.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Nikki replied. “I’d appreciate that. She’s already getting her things together. She might leave in the morning.”

“I’ll be over early in the morning, then,” Paul told her.

He could imagine how frustrated Nikki might feel. She had been thrust into a life that she didn’t understand and one that demanded so much from her. She was doing the best she could, but the whole plan to find Amy had started with him and Trish. He couldn’t let Amy just walk away without trying.

The following morning, he was there at the crack of dawn. He was relieved when Amy opened the door.

“Hi, good morning,” he said.

She rolled her eyes rudely. “If you’re here to see Nikki, she’s not here. She went to the inn or whatever,” she said and walked back inside the house.

“I’m not here to see Nikki,” Paul said and walked in after her. “I’m here to see you.” He looked around and saw her suitcase leaning against the wall. “Going somewhere?”

“You were with Nikki in Seattle, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said and folded his arms, careful not to come too close to her for fear of intimidating her and spooking her even further. “Your mother—Trish—is a very dear friend of mine, and I know you’re a little confused, but just hear me out for a second.”

“Why? What are you going to say that’s different from what Nikki said?” She crossed her arms.

“That’s what I’m going to tell you,” he said and motioned to the front porch. “I’m not going to force you to stay. You can still leave if you want to, but just hear what I have to say.”

Amy sighed. “Fine.” Her shoulders sagged as she walked out onto the front porch. “Okay. What do you want to tell me?”

Paul joined her on the opposite end of the porch swing. “I’ve known your mother for a long time, and it wasn’t just a few times that she’s mentioned you.”

“Ugh,” Amy groaned. “Don’t tell me how much she loved and missed me but didn’t even try to find me.”

“But she did,” Paul pointed out. “She spoke about you many times and how much she hurt that she was forced to give you up. She hasn’t had any other children since, so you were it.”

“That was her choice,” Amy replied coldly.

“I know you’re upset, but you can’t blame her.

She was young and confused, and she didn’t want to find you and disrupt your life, so she waited.

About a year ago, it got unbearable for her, so she hired a private investigator to find you.

She didn’t have the accident until after, so it wasn’t like she had any kind of ulterior motive in finding you. ”

“Well, how did she make the will, then?”

Paul sighed. “That was just something she wanted to do. She and Nikki had drifted apart for years, and she wanted a way to bring the two of you closer, so she thought this might be it. It was only days before the accident that she asked Frank to adjust her will just in case anything happened to her. It was like she knew,” Paul said with a sigh.

Amy grew extremely quiet as they stared at the rolling waves crashing against the shore. “I’m sorry that she was in an accident.”

“Me too,” Paul replied, glancing at Amy as he offered her a quick but sorrowful smile. “I miss her. She was really something.”

“If she and Nikki weren’t close, why did she ask her to come and find me if anything happened to her?”

“Because despite everything that happened between them, she knew how much Nikki loved and wanted you. Their bond was broken over you, Amy. She knew Nikki would never deny her something so special. Or herself.”

Amy hung her head as she stared at the floorboards. “Maybe Nikki is just acting out of guilt, then.”

“She isn’t,” Paul told her. “She wouldn’t have placed her life on hold to do this out of guilt. I would know—I’ve known her a long time. And she’s torn up about the fact that you want to leave. She really wants you here with her.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Amy said sadly as her eyes got glossy. “My life has not been ideal, and I’ve struggled a lot. I just wish…” She swallowed hard.

Paul didn’t need her to finish the sentence to understand what she was saying.

“I know,” he told her. “Believe me. I have a daughter who is barely older than you, and she lost her mother when she was only twelve years old. That was a pretty tough time for her and for me, and I made a lot of mistakes. But my point is, we all have something to deal with in one way or another. We can only do the best with what we have now, and what’s best for you is to give Nikki a chance. You won’t regret it.”

Amy looked over at Paul and raised her brows at him. “Okay, which one of them were you in love with?”

Paul laughed at her question, mainly because it took him by surprise. “To be honest, Nikki and I dated back in high school, but there’s nothing between her or Trish and me right now. I’m just trying to help out some friends of mine.”

“Doing your civic duty, huh?” Amy smiled.

“You could say that,” he said. “Did it work? Will you stay?”

“Uh, I guess so,” she replied. “But I’m not making any promises. I just want to stay to get some questions answered and figure out who I am.”

“Fair enough,” Paul told her. “And just so you know, you’re welcome at my restaurant anytime. I’d love for you to meet my daughter. I think the two of you would make good friends.”

“Yeah?” Amy asked hopefully.

“I think so,” Paul replied. “Is it okay to leave now and not worry that you’ll hightail it out of here?”

Amy laughed, and the mellow sound of her voice reminded him of her mother. “I’ll be around.”

“Good,” he said and got up. “I have to head over to my restaurant. Is it okay to check in on you sometimes?”

“Sure,” she replied.

He’d just got up out of the swing when Nikki pulled into the driveway. “Oh, here comes Nikki. She’ll be glad you’re staying. Later, kiddo,” he said as he walked down the steps and over to Nikki.

“What happened?” she asked anxiously as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

“Um, I think she’s going to stay,” Paul told her happily. He thought she’d receive the news well but detected something darker in her tone.

“What did you say to her?” she asked with a hint of accusation.

“I told her how much her mother loves her and has always wanted her, and that you do too. You’re not here to use her but to make sure she’ll be alright. Along those lines,” he said to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Why did she listen to you and not to me?” Nikki asked. “I said those very same things to her last night, and she packed her bags anyway.”

“I’m not sure,” Paul replied with apprehension.

“What exactly did you say to her?” Nikki accused.

“Nikki, I know you might be frustrated, but please don’t do this. Just be happy she’s decided to stay. Don’t make something out of this when you don’t have to.”

“I’m not trying to make anything out of this,” she snapped, then glanced at the patio to check if Amy was observing her interaction. “You’re making me look bad in front of her.”

Paul threw his hands in the air. “I’m not doing this right now,” he said, stepping back. “I have to go to the restaurant. Let me know if you need anything.”

She hadn’t replied by the time Paul walked away.

He wasn’t sure what she was going on about, but he sensed an air of jealousy about her.

There was no need for it because he wasn’t trying to get between them, and she had been fine with him coming over to talk some sense into Amy just the night before.

He wasn’t sure what changed in her. Maybe everything was finally taking a toll on her. He refused to blame Nikki for it. He’d give her some time and space to calm down. Maybe when she connected with Amy, she’d be in better spirits.

But from all indications, it was better for him to maintain his distance at present.