Chapter 20

Lightning flashed far out on the dark ocean illuminating it periodically and with the sounds of reggae and the surf in the background conversation flowed easily.  

Rielle wandered over to her friend who was standing by a French door and watched as Bryan who was still in his work uniform walked purposefully over to Andrea after conversing with his host for a while.

“You know I’m shocked that Andy hasn’t figured out how your brother feels about her.” Rielle said and saw Cam grimace.

“He’s had feelings for her since we became friends in junior high school but he didn’t know how she would react. I don’t want to see either one of them hurt if it doesn’t work out.  Living on an island can have its disadvantages.” She said softly and Rielle looked over at the other woman.

“Is everything okay with you?” she asked hearing a tone in her friend’s voice that she didn’t understand.

“I should be asking you that. I was looking out the window when you drove up with K.C. I saw the two of you kissing; girl I want to know if you’ve lost the good sense God gave you?” Camille asked softly as she stared intently into her friend’s face.

She could see the tinge of red that entered Rielle’s skin and her nostrils flare because she was that close and she waited to hear what the other woman would say.

Gabrielle stepped back from the other woman wondering who she thought she was talking to. Rielle had never imagined she would hear one of her friends expressing what she took to be prejudice because of someone’s skin color. It was especially shocking coming from Camille considering her mixed parentage.

“I have a right to kiss who I want. Where is your attitude coming from?” she asked as she felt her good mood disappearing.

Her father often teased her about her fiery Latin temper that she had gotten from her mother; it might take a while to get riled up but once the trigger was pulled there was no going back.

Rielle was getting close to showing herself in front of Jarrod's guests if Cam didn't lighten up. She had infinite patience for her students but when it came to adults she hated stupid and did not tolerate foolishness.

“Girl, how long have you known that man to be swapping spit with him? I’ll tell you how long not even a minute. You don’t know him from Adam and you want to be up under him already? Are these men vampires with mind control that they come down here and make us crazy?” Camille hissed and Rielle frowned in confusion.

She turned around and perused the good looking crowd that had grown to include Gigi and her husband Simon and a few other faces she assumed Jarrod had invited but she didn’t know personally.

Gabrielle realized that her friend had been subtly avoiding their host since they’d been there and she recalled what Andrea had said about Camille’s behavior when the men had gone in to lease the vehicle for K.C.

She had never known her friend to avoid anyone or anything. Camille was known for facing life and the complications it threw her way head-on, this had come from the adversity her parents had faced from her father’s family.

It had gotten to the point where Cam's Chinese grandparents had disowned her father and the young couple had almost broken up under the weight of her mother’s guilt.  He was the eldest of four brothers all heirs to a family fortune in the restaurant business. She and Bryan had never met her paternal grandparents and the fact that they could turn their backs on her family had hurt immeasurably.

Rielle looked over at the brown skinned beauty with a puzzled look on her face until it clicked and she smiled sympathetically at her friend.

“Camille Erica Lee, do you have feelings for Jarrod Stewart?” She whispered and saw the panic that built in her eyes at those words.

“His family is royalty; he can trace his family back to beyond the Middle Ages. He could have any woman he wants. What would he even want with me?” the other woman asked in an anguished undertone.  

“What could he possibly want with you indeed?” said another quiet voice and the two women swung around to find Mrs. Mac behind them.

“I wondered why Jarrod finally made St. Sebastian his home base and now I know that it’s because of you. Rielle, I need to speak to Camille privately for a minute, can you excuse us?” The petite woman asked politely her face serious.

Gabrielle gave her friend a reassuring smile and left them to it. Rielle would have never guessed that there was something going on with Camille and Jarrod, she just knew that her friend was always prickly when his name was mentioned but she had never seen any indication that her feelings were engaged.

Rielle had known a few rich kids in college who liked to throw around their weight but Jarrod seemed well grounded and for that matter so did K.C. and Michael.

She went to find K.C. now, who was with Andrea, Georgie and the guys and stood by his side while they listened to Bryan talking about the first time he had gone surfing in Oahu. They all laughed when he confessed to freaking out and paddling like a mad man when a gray fin had come out of the water which had thankfully turned out to be a friendly dolphin and not a great white shark.

Rielle was watching Andrea’s enrapt face as he told the story and she saw the concern grow as he went on, even though he was safe in their midst.

 he rest of the evening was uneventful and Rielle could see that Andrea was finally aware of Bryan as a man and not the big brother of her friend as he talked to K.C., Jarrod and Michael. Georgie and Michael had also hit it off and he heard the pair making arrangements to meet for Sunday brunch at The Excelsior.

Jarrod had approached Camille who was standing on the lower level staring at the pool with a cream wrap when the wind began to pick up and K.C. watched the dark skinned beauty stare up at Jarrod before accepting the scarf.

He and Gabrielle were sitting on a lounger across from the two other couples talking about the upcoming volleyball tournament and triathlon when the pair finally made their way back to the group. It was ten thirty when they finally left after making plans to meet up the next day at Paradise Bay Hotel on the south side of the island where the first game was being held.

Michael who had chosen to stay said he would catch a ride later on. The men including Bryan were meeting at Jarrod's for lunch the next day so K.C. had an inkling that Michael would end up spending the night.

K.C. had a pretty well developed sense of direction and he parked outside Gabrielle’s gate twenty minutes after leaving Jarrod’s house. She opened the gate and was very conscious of K.C.’s presence as he walked with her to the front step. She saw his outstretched hand and this time she dropped her keys into his palm for him to unlock the front door.

“Would you like to come in?” She asked looking over her shoulder at him expectantly very aware of something building between them even as the air was filled with the smell of rain.

K.C. followed her not about to pass up an opportunity to spend some more time with her alone. He also wanted to clear up something and watched as she turned on the living room lights.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked and he opted for water.

 Gabrielle went into her room, dropped her bag and jacket onto a chair and then went to the kitchen. She came back to find him seated on the sectional looking at a picture of her parents and put it down watching  as she approached him.

“Are you ashamed to be seen with me?” He asked as she handed him the glass and she looked up at him with a frown.

“What do you mean?” she replied confused.

“You dropped my hand like it was hot when Camille and Georgie came out of the kitchen when we first got to Jarrod’s house and it wasn’t in a good way. Are you planning on making me your undercover lover by any chance? Cause if that’s the case I’m not down with that.” K.C. told her firmly.

He saw the confusion in her expression and realized she hadn’t even been aware she had done it.

“No that isn’t my intention. I’m sorry K.C. I just wasn’t up to being interrogated by my friends about us so soon, but it didn’t even matter. Cam saw us kissing and apparently has –concerns which she didn’t hesitate to share.”  Rielle said with a grimace, not wanting to say anything more that might pit K.C. against her girl.

“Yeah but her concern is really called Jarrod and I say they’re grownups let them solve their own problems okay.” He told her smiling down at her.

She was relieved that he hadn’t really been upset with her and smiled back as he took a sip of water.