Love Lost & Found (Surfside Romance Book 2) Read online

  Outside the hotel, Rick kissed Hannah on the top of her head. “It was great meeting you,” he said, shaking her hand. “Thanks for sharing your mom with me. We had fun catching up.”

  “I’m sure you did more than catch up.”

  Teena burst out laughing. “Hannah, you’re so funny. I love you so much.” She wrapped her arms around the teenager. “I wish you were my little sister.”

  Teena turned to Alexa. “Thanks for letting us hang out today.”

  “We had a blast, didn’t we little sis?”

  “The best, big sis.”

  “Second the motion,” added Rick squeezing Alexa so tight she could barely breathe, which was perfect.

  Hannah piped up, “Hey buster, be careful with her.”

  Rick eased his grip, but clung like a life preserver. His touch was gentle yet urgent, his laugh deep and throaty. She felt a catch of excitement in her breath.

  “Group hug,” Teena said, as everybody gathered in for a moment that in all likelihood would never happen again. It was the perfect ending to an impossibly perfect day.

  CHAPTER 19

  ON CHRISTMAS morning, Sari Conklin pulled on hiking boots with the intention of locating one of the mysterious vortexes. They were described as magnetic fields infused with pure healing energy. Sari didn’t know what that meant without a crash course in metaphysics. But she hoped to get a basic grasp with the spiritualist she’d booked online.

  A Google map showed a cluster of them a short drive away. Armed with a bottle of water and her GPS, she drove to the area and found groups of tourists on the rocky path leading to a flat-topped red mesa with twisted juniper trees. She waited patiently as other sightseers lay down on the “magical” spots, staring into the cerulean blue sky. It was early. The sun was still ascending. Sari felt energized in the crisp, dry air. The divine dome above stretched forever. This was heaven on earth.

  When it was her turn, she lay down and waited an appropriate amount of time for something auspicious to happen. She stood up and brushed the back of her stonewashed jeans. Then she stepped aside to let others have the same experience—if it could be called an experience.

  A young hippie with long, unwashed hair and frayed khaki jacket stood nearby. “Excuse me, can you tell me what I’m supposed to feel when I lay down on one of those?”

  His eyes were gray and half-lidded. “You feel amazing, that’s what. It’s like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders. You get to start life all over again.”

  “That good?”

  “Yeah. I come here every day. It’s like plugging in my batteries for a recharge.”

  “Maybe I just need to relax and feel the vibe.”

  He grinned goofily. “Take a chill pill. It’ll blow your mind.”

  Just to the right of the pine woods, she spotted another marker, followed the path and lay down on that one, too. No battery charge. No mind-blowing jolts of clarity. But as she slid into her car, she felt lighter. After nearly forty years in Portland, she’d put her house up for sale, rented a condo, packed her belongings, and driven twelve-hundred miles away to start anew. That was, in itself, uplifting.

  At the Sinagua Plaza, she parked and stepped out into a winter wonderland, realizing she hadn’t sent anything to Alexa and Hannah. Over the years she’d been sporadic, depending upon her level of depression. Sometimes she felt alive and was generous; other times she waited like a tortoise for the festivities to pass. This year, with all the tumult around packing and moving, she’d simply forgotten.

  Couples strolled and children climbed on the wooden sleigh shrieking with delight. An enormous decorated fir tree sat in the middle of the plaza, surrounded by wooden boxes resembling gifts. Santa held court with his white beard and red velour suit as Noels rang out from hidden speakers. A multitude of lights twinkled, and white, gauzy angels dangled from tree limbs. It was enchanting.

  Pulling out her cellphone, she sent a text wishing them a merry Christmas and saying the gifts were in the mail. It was a lie, of course. She’d pick up something and send it priority express after the fact.

  As she wandered through the interconnected brick and adobe court-yards, she noticed the Native American influence: statues of women in fringed leather, chiefs in full headdresses posted like sentinels outside galleries and souvenir shops. The vibrant colors spoke to her. Passing the plate glass windows of Red View Gallery and Bonanza Jewelry, she wondered if Hannah’s ears were pierced and recalled the day Alexa had hers done without asking permission. Sari had let everyone know how angry she’d been. Looking back, it was a big flap about nothing. Very few things were worth getting upset about. Life is a learning experience.

  As she debated between the Sedona Pizza Company and the Open Range Grill & Tavern for lunch, a text rolled in from Alexa. Sorry to have missed U. We’re in Portland but you’re not!! Merry Xmas wherever UR.

  Sari plopped down on a bench. Alexa in Portland. With Hannah? Why hadn’t she said anything? If they wanted to surprise her, they did.

  “Merlot,” she told the bartender as she slid onto a bar stool at the Open Range Bar & Grill. Her hand shook as she lifted the glass to her lips.

  “We have a special turkey platter today,” he said offering a menu. “Plus the usual tacos and burritos.”

  She nodded, smiled, and held up her glass. “Cheers.”

  He moved away and began drying wine glasses, hanging them upside down in the overhead rack.

  Sari didn’t notice the man in the corner of the shadowy bar. His dark, wavy hair was pulled back, cheeks prickly with stubble. He wore silver rings on thick fingers and a chain bracelet around his corded wrist. He drank an amber liquid from a tall glass. She felt his eyes burn through her clothing and was suddenly self-conscious of being a paleface among the bronze and olive-completed customers. She was a large woman with wide hips and full thighs that men found tantalizing. A colorful woolen shawl draped around her shoulders, covering her ample bosom. And although she felt lonely on this family holiday, she didn’t want anyone’s pity or sympathy. For the first time in ages, she was happy.

  Glancing back to her phone, she noticed a photo of Alexa and Hannah, both grinning. Enlarging it, she saw the FOR SALE sign outside her old house in Portland. A second text pinged in: a selfie of Alexa and a nice-looking bearded man. The text read: Remember this guy. It’s Rick Harlow!!!!

  She remembered Rick. If anybody was going to get Alexa into trouble it was him. Obviously he was still smitten. She wondered how they’d managed to hook up again after all these years. Did they finally have sex or had they done it in high school and kept it a secret? At least she hadn’t gotten pregnant. That’s all that mattered.

  Feeling eyes boring into her, she turned toward her left and noticed a stranger in a black denim jacket. He nodded at her. Sari was absolutely certain they’d never met. She would have remembered those piercing eyes and large hands.

  As he held up his glass as though offering a toast, she felt goose bumps run up her arms. Pulling a bill from her purse, she laid it on the bar and slipped out.

  CHAPTER 20

  RICK ARRIVED at the hotel, sauntering into the lobby in a gray thermal shirt showcasing every rippling muscle. His stonewashed, button-fly jeans didn’t leave anything to the imagination. He was, by far, the hottest lumberjack on the planet. A potential contender for The Bachelor. They’d been in romantic limbo since their teenage years and now Alexa was flying away, again. He gave her a cool half smile. Alexa slowly expelled a breath.

  “Hey there hot stuff.” He kissed Hannah on the head. She flushed pink.

  He planted a wet one on Alexa’s cheek. “Let’s get our butt hooks outta here.”

  “Is that lumberjack humor?”

  “You’re a smart cookie Hannah.” He tousled her hair. “Let’s get rolling.”

  He heaved their suitcases into the cargo area of Teena’s SUV and arrived at PDX with time to spare. “I have to see my folks for Christmas breakfast,” he said. “Have a safe
trip. It was great seeing you again, and I mean grrrrreat.”

  “Please say hi to your mom,” Alexa said. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see her.”

  “She would’ve liked that. She always thought you were the one for me.”

  Did Mrs. Harlow—Mrs. Riley now—see them as ill-fated lovers like Romeo and Juliet? Whatever. Grabbing the handle of her suitcase, she kissed him lightly on the lips.

  “Take care of yourself Rick.” She smiled ruefully.

  A uniformed patrol officer strode over. “Move it buddy.”

  “I’m highballing.” He shot them a killer smile as Alexa passed through the automatic doors, fighting back tears.

  “TBH Mom, he’s way cooler than Luke.” Hannah scurried to catch up. “You should marry him.”

  “I’m not marrying anybody.”

  “He loves you. Anybody can see it. Teena and I talked about it for hours.”

  Alexa searched for a flight board and moved to the security queue. Once cleared, they stopped at the Grab & Go restaurant on the main concourse for a quick breakfast before boarding.

  “You know I’m not happy about the pierced ears. You should’ve asked permission.”

  Hannah’s brow furrowed. “I texted four times and you didn’t answer. Was I supposed to wait all day?”

  “I didn’t get any texts.”

  “Check your phone, I sent them.”

  Sure enough, there were the missed messages sent at eleven-ten and another at eleven-fifteen, followed by two more.

  “I was up on Bald Peak Mountain. I guess there’s no reception up there.”

  Alexa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as Hannah shrieked, “OMG, Mom, is that an engagement ring? When were you going to tell me? Holy shit!”

  A few customers turned and smiled.

  “I’m not engaged.”

  “How did he propose?” Hannah ran her finger over the stone. “Was it super romantic?”

  Alexa added another packet of sugar to the bitter coffee. “It’s complicated.” She recalled Rick getting down on one knee and slipping the sapphire ring on her finger before the world went dark.

  “We should move here so you two can be together. It’s fate.”

  “Listen sweetie, I have a great job. You have school and a boyfriend. So do I.”

  “You should’ve thought of that before this.” She pointed at her mother’s hand.

  “I got a text from Grandma Sari wishing us Merry Christmas.”

  “Listen, Mom, I’m serious. Teena is like my big sis.”

  “Luke loves me.”

  “Does he? Or is that wishful thinking on your part?”

  “Okay, I don’t know for certain. But he acts like he does.”

  “Luke’s a long shot,” said Hannah, finishing up her fried egg sandwich. “But Rick’s the sure thing.”

  “Who made you so smart?”

  “Dad.”

  “What? Dad?”

  “He’s the philosopher.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “You have to taste the fruit to know the flavor. So it is with love.”

  Alexa stared blankly. Where did she get this stuff? Maybe she needed stricter parental controls on her smartphone.

  They boarded and buckled in. Flight attendants conducted their pre-flight check and within minutes they were soaring high over Portland, banking to the southeast as the PA system crackled to life.

  The captain’s voice boomed out: “Merry Christmas everyone and thanks for flying with Delta. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we have beautiful weather for flying. The bad news is that a polar vortex is blanketing the Midwest and we’ve been rerouted from Chicago to Phoenix. Please check in with an agent to find your new connecting flight. Sorry about the inconvenience. Have a great holiday.”

  Hannah glared at her mother. “This is your fault.”

  “How is a winter ice storm my fault?”

  Hannah put in her earbuds, took them out, and said in a voice louder than normal, “I hope you tell Luke that you’re engaged to Rick.”

  Alexa’s breakfast sloshed in her gut. “It’s just a Christmas present from an old friend. That’s all.”

  She leaned back and closed her eyes, struggling to recall what Rick had told her. “I asked your mom if I could marry you. She went ballistic. Said you were going to college and nobody was going to wreck your life before you had a chance to live it. Your dad said you were too young. But if we waited two years, he’d give his blessing.”

  The flight descended into Sky Harbor Airport shortly after noon and they found complete chaos—as if a Midwest snowstorm was the apocalypse. They had seven hours to kill before catching a flight to Fort Lauderdale. If only Alexa had known she was an hour’s drive from Sedona, they could have rented a car and spent Christmas Day with grandma, as planned. But the thought never crossed her mind. Instead, they browsed the concourse for a pair of pierced earrings for Hannah.

  Despite her snarky attitude, Alexa had a deep well of love for her daughter. She prayed Hannah would keep her mouth shut about the ring until she figured out what it meant—if it meant anything at all.

  CHAPTER 21

  THE DAY after Christmas dawned bright and cloudless, glorious by any standards. Sari had a morning appointment with a healer; the moving truck would arrive later. Everything was happening quickly and, hopefully, according to some divine plan.

  Crystal Light Therapy was located in a free-standing adobe building on the second floor. Downstairs was an emporium of all things spiritual where she could buy something neat for her new condo, as well as belated holiday gifts for Alexa and Hannah. She felt unusually optimistic. Discussing her dependency on mood elevators was on the agenda. Her goal was to embrace life without medication and, ultimately, summon the courage to tell her daughter the truth.

  The teal blue door had an old-fashioned glass doorknob. She knocked lightly. A man’s voice said, “Come in.”

  She entered a large sunny room; a happy healing space. A beige leather couch was adorned with Native American-inspired pillows. A decorative rug covered most of the floor between the couch and the door. To the left was a large, solid wood desk. To the right were floor-to- ceiling bookshelves with Kachina dolls, geodes, books on metaphysics and psychology, and a dazzling array of crystals. Soothing paintings of the moon and stars with swirls in soft colors graced the walls.

  Even before opening his mouth, she realized Sean Cooke was not an authentic shaman, as advertised on his web site. He was pale with thin brown receding hair, dull eyes, and a broad, red nose, possibly indicating the medical condition known as rosacea or overuse of alcohol. He wore a knee-length multi-colored caftan over jeans and scuffed brown cowboy boots with sharp spinning spurs.

  “If you’re ready, let’s head out.”

  “What?” She was startled by his strange getup, his British accent, and his rush to spirit her away.

  “You wanted to see the vortexes.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes, you paid in advance for the tour and clearing session.” His face grew hard, lips pressed together, disappearing from his face altogether.

  “I don’t remember.” She stood with arms akimbo. “It’s been a crazy week.”

  “I turned down three other clients.” His chastising tone made her feel guilty and defensive.

  “I’m sorry for any confusion. I saw the vortexes yesterday. I only need the clearing.”

  His cheeks reddened, his hands balled into fists. “Without my expert knowledge, you won’t get their full benefit.”

  “Maybe another time.” She found him arrogant and rude. “You know what, just forget it. Refund my money and we’ll call it a day.”

  “So tell me,” he said snidely. “How was it? Do you feel any different? I’ll bet a free session you don’t.”

  Sari felt belittled. “I don’t want a free session, just a refund.”

  She walked to the blue door, wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, she tur
ned. Nothing happened. Again she tried, jiggling it and pulling inward, panic rising.

  “Is it locked?” She stared at him wild-eyed. “Am I being held a prisoner?”

  “It’s never locked, except at night.”

  “Why won’t it turn?”

  “Your mind won’t let it.”

  “You can’t be serious.” She tried again. “This is ridiculous.”

  Sean’s challenging tone softened.

  “Ms. Conklin. Please, relax. There’s no need to panic. It’s obvious you need help now.” He stepped behind his desk. “Come, sit down. Let’s start again.”

  Sari released the doorknob, hand trembling. “That was the weirdest thing that’s ever happened.” She moved toward the desk and sank into the chair facing him.

  “Your chakras are not aligned. There are other issues as well.”

  “Like what?”

  “Sometimes our energy becomes blocked.”

  “Like a blood clot?”

  “Please, I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  His tone was a little condescending, but she shook it off as she tried to relax and settle her emotions. Sean set out a group of objects, one at each corner, others in the center and a deck of cards with animal totems, as well as runes of assorted shapes and sizes. “Please don’t touch the desk or anything on it.” When he was ready, he intoned: “Clear your mind. Forget the vortexes and the moving van.”

  She hadn’t mentioned the van.

  “Quiet the mental restlessness, turn the mind within. Harmonize your thoughts and desires with the all-fulfilling realities you already possess. If you synchronize your hopes and expectations, you will float through life on buoyant wings and with inner peace.”

  A clock ticked as the gentle sound of air flowing through the vents put Sari at peace. Sean turned the cards and chanted. She found it surprisingly soothing, even if he wasn’t authentic. A vision of the dark-haired man from the bar flowed into her thoughts, followed quickly by one of her late mother, Deidre Martin. She didn’t understand what was happening as the figurines on the desk seemed to swirl like a gaseous mist, saturating her entire body, filling up the empty spaces of her mind.