Into My Heart

By: Izabel

Chapter 14: Limitations

*~*~*~*

A little boy wandered over to them, rubbing his eyes with a sandy hand, crying. "I want my mommy," he whimpered. He stared up at them, his big brown eyes pleading. "Where's Mommy?"

Someone shouted from the water. Jason turned quickly to Max. "Can you…?"

Max nodded. "Go," she replied.

As Jason tore across the sand, Max grabbed the child's hand. "Do you remember where she was?"

The boy nodded. He pointed to an empty chair. "That's Mommy's."

Max's brow furrowed. She went over to the chair and looked around the beach. No one seemed to be searching for his or her kid. "OK, what's your name?"

"Kevin," he replied, sniffing.

"Are you sure this is your stuff, honey?" Max asked, kneeling to his level.

He picked up a bucket and pointed to the name on it. "Kevin Cray. Me."

Max sighed and stood up. When she looked back down, she noticed a piece of paper on the chair. Something twisted in her gut and she bent to retrieve it. Her heart leapt into her throat as she read it.

Please keep my son safe.

Nothing else. Next she looked for Jason. He was on the beach, helping an elderly couple. His eyes met hers and he lifted an eyebrow. She shook her head.

"OK, Kevin," Max began. The boy had been sitting on his towel quietly, playing with a dump truck. "Why don't you come with me?"

"How old are you?"

"Six," he said.

Kevin stood, and brought his truck as he followed Max up to Jason's tower and went inside with her. He sat in a corner of the room and played quietly with his truck. Moments later, Jason joined them. Max thrust the note into his hands.

He read it, looked at Max, and read it again. "She left her kid?"

"Shhh!" Max hissed, pushing him outside. "What now?"

Jason spread his hands wide. "Call Sean."

Max nodded, checked on Kevin, and picked up the phone. "I need to speak to Sean."

Moments later, she was patched through to Sean's cell.

"This better be important," he grumbled.

Max had forgotten he and Leigh had taken the day off.

"It is," she said quickly. "Sean, it's Max. A mother left her kid on the beach with a note saying for us to take care of him."

"What?" he replied. "I'll be right there."

Max set down the phone and shrugged at Jason. She turned and saw Kevin behind her.

"She left." He said it so plainly and innocently, Max felt her heart break. "Didn't she?" Before Max or Jason could reply, he went on to ask, "What's your name?"

"Max," she replied gently. "This is Jason."

"Hey," Jason said, kneeling beside the boy.

Max glanced out at the water. Three kids were crashing into the water on their surfboards, not heeding the signs posted that had 'no-surfing' sprawled across them. "Jase?" she said, pointing to the water.

He groaned and took off across the sand.

Max sighed as she watched her boyfriend rush over to the surfers. "Are you hungry, Kevin?" she asked gently.

He shook his head. "You're nicer than Aunt Karen."

Max stood up quickly. "I'm wha—" She stopped. "Has this happened before?"

Kevin nodded, biting down on his lower lip. "Mommy left me with Aunt Karen last summer for a few months, but she came back." He looked at his sandy feet. "But Aunt Karen died three months ago."

"I'm sorry," Max said genuinely. Max glanced up as she heard a truck stop by the tower. Leigh and Sean were running up the ramp moments later.

"Kevin, this is Leigh and Sean, they're going to help you find your Mom, OK?" Max asked gently, turning Kevin's hand over into Sean's palm.

Kevin nodded with the trust of a child. He looked at Leigh. "You have pretty hair."

Leigh laughed softly. "Thank you, Kevin. You're not so bad looking yourself."

"Hey, should I be jealous?" Sean asked with mock seriousness. He looked at Max. "I'll talk to you later?"

Max nodded. Thinking twice, she handed Sean the note. "You might want this."

She watched them drive away with Kevin and she shuddered. How could someone leave his or her son? She was still entertaining the thought when Jason returned.

He gently tapped her shoulder and she whirled around and smiled up at him. "Sean and Leigh just took Kevin."

"I saw," he replied. He glanced at his watch. "I'm off in a few minutes. You hungry?"

Max shook her head. She shut her eyes and a slow smiled crept across her face. When she opened her eyes she saw Jason giving her an odd look. Max wound her arms around his muscled torso and pulled his body close, pressing herself against him. "Maybe I could eat dessert…" Understanding lit up Jason's eyes. He gave her a quick kiss before returning his gaze to the water and sand.

His dark eyes were smiling as Max pushed off from the guardrail and ran her fingertips across Jason's bare, tanned back. She felt him shudder under her touch and smirked. She slowly sashayed down the ramp, feeling his eyes upon her every move. She spun on her heel and gave him a huge grin. He laughed slightly and shook his head in amusement. She shielded her eyes with her hand. "Can you toss me my towel? It's still up there."

Jason saw her towel by his bag and reached down for it. He gently tossed it over the side to her. His eyes swept across the sand, noting the handful of teenage boys whose eyes were openly roaming across Max's body. He snorted and rolled his eyes, finally focusing them back on the beach.

"Hey, Jamie!" he heard Max yell. Jason turned and saw Jamie, his replacement for the afternoon shift walking over. Jamie's ears turned red as Max waved to him. He dared to look up for a second, and the look her gave Max made Jason's eyes narrow.

Jason was used to guys looking at Max—how could they not? She was gorgeous. He also knew she would never cheat on him, but something about Jamie made him uneasy. He always seemed to be catching Jamie staring at Max. At first he thought it an innocent crush, but now it seemed like more.

Jason started down the ramp as Jamie paused beside Max. As Max talked to Jamie in a light, conversational tone, she reached her hand back for Jason to take. As Jason stood beside Max, Jamie's face reddened and he backed up a step. Nodding stiffly to Jason, he turned to Max and said, "I'll see you around, right?"

"Probably," Max answered innocently. She smiled at Jason. "Ready?"

Jason nodded, and casting a warning look at Jamie, he allowed Max to lead him away. Once out of earshot, Jason voiced his concerns.

Max simply laughed. "Baby, trust me."

"I do trust you," Jason replied. "I don't trust him."

Max smiled sweetly at his concern and leaned against him as they walked. "Jamie's harmless. And he could never ever compare to you." Max stopped and turned Jason to face her. "I love you."

Jason smiled in spite of himself. "I love you, too," he responded and leaned down to kiss her. He pulled away and stared down at Max. Her blue eyes were turned up to him, love shinning in them. She looked so sweet and innocent.

Max sighed and tucked her hand inside of Jason's. They were walking past a tower when they heard a loud crash. Both spun and saw a cloud of smoke rising over the horizon.

"Jason!" JD yelled, running towards him. "Two jet skis collided, I need backup!"

Jason took off into the water. Max started to follow, but Jason turned abruptly and stopped her. "Stay on the beach!" he ordered.

Max halted and glared at his retreating form, hating to feel useless. She watched both of them swim out on boards towards the accident and smacked her fist into her palm. She groaned in frustration. A piercing wail ripped through the buzzing crowd and the truck stopped by the tower. Two lifeguards Max barely knew jumped out and hurried into the water.

Sighing in defeat, Max turned and began to walk towards Headquarters—alone.

She had been sitting on the couch in the lounge for nearly half an hour when Jason came in. His eyes met hers and smoldered. He walked over to her and motioned for her to follow him.

Once outside, he flashed his dark eyes at her. "You know you're not supposed to do anything for at least a week—are you crazy?"

"I forgot," Max snapped back, brushing a blond lock out of her eyes. "Besides, you didn't even let me get near the water. I want to help—it's my natural instinct as a lifeguard! You know that!"

"Why'd you take off? I walked up and down the beach looking for you until Carrie told me she saw you come in here!" Jason shouted.

"I didn't know I had to check in and tell you everywhere I was going, Dad," she retorted sarcastically.

"I thought maybe you were stupid and tried to follow us and were unconscious at the bottom of the ocean, Max!" he yelled.

"Oh, so now I'm stupid?" Max roared. She looked deep into his eyes and shook her head with visible disgust. "I'm outta here."

Without another word, she turned and walked to her car. Her tires squealed in protest as she raced out of the lot, tears blinding her vision.