Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-16

by Force, Marie

“Have a good one,” Mac called.

  “You, too.”

  “That’s my brother,” she said to Quinn. “And my cousins. It still feels weird to say those words. I’d never had brothers or cousins or a sister before last year.”

  “That has to be surreal.”

  “It is, but it’s also amazing. That guy in there…” In a conspiratorial whisper, she said, “He’s my brother.”

  Quinn laughed. “You look like a little kid on Christmas morning when you talk about him.”

  “That’s how I’ve felt since I met them all. Like every day is Christmas, and anything is possible.”

  “Must be nice to feel that way,” he said wistfully. Reaching into the bed of his truck, he retrieved her bike.

  Mallory enjoyed watching his muscles flex under the weight of the bike. “Thank you. For the tour, the job offer and the dinner invitation. This morning turned out quite differently than expected.”

  “When every day’s like Christmas, you never know what’ll happen.”

  “Very true. I’ll see you later.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  As Mallory pedaled the bike down the dirt lane that led to the main road, she felt him watching her go. She would admit to being extremely curious about him and wondered if he’d share more about himself at dinner. Mallory couldn’t wait to find out. The Summer of Mallory was already turning out to be much more interesting than expected.

  Chapter 6

  After watching Mallory ride away, Quinn went back inside, intending to spend some time in his office attempting to get organized. He’d never been part of an endeavor like this one, launching a healthcare facility from the ground up, and was finding it a welcome challenge. Working twelve hours a day sure beat trying to figure out what to do without the discipline of army life.

  He missed everything about it—the traveling, the camaraderie, the feeling of being part of something bigger than himself. His unexpected retirement from the military had left a huge, gaping hole in the middle of his life, and he was thankful to Jared and Lizzie for giving him a new sense of purpose.

  Quinn fired up his computer to check his email and was replying to a message from one of the medical equipment suppliers when Mac appeared in the doorway.

  “Hey,” Quinn said without taking his gaze off the screen. “What’s up?”

  “That’s what I wanted to know. What was my sister doing here?”

  “She wanted to see the place.”

  “How do you know her?”

  “We met through friends in town.”

  “What friends?”

  “Is there a point to this inquisition, Mac?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  “Okay, well, get back to me when you know.”

  “She’s been through a rough time.”

  “I know. She told me.” That seemed to take Mac by surprise. “You don’t need to play the protective-brother role with me. I have no intention of harming your sister in any way, so you can stand down.”

  “You seem like a straight-up guy,” Mac said. “But you keep to yourself a lot. Don’t let anyone get too close.”

  His general contractor was an observant sort of guy, Quinn thought. “So?”

  “I’m just saying…”

  “What is it exactly that you’re saying?”

  “Nothing in particular.”

  “Good talk, Mac. Glad you stopped by.”

  “Mac!” Luke called from the kitchen. “Get your ass back here, and leave him alone.”

  “Be nice to my sister,” Mac said over his shoulder as he returned to work.

  Despite his bull-in-a-china-shop approach, it wasn’t lost on Quinn that he’d been put on notice that Mac—and probably the rest of the McCarthys—would be keeping an eye on him when it came to Mallory. She’d probably be delighted to know that Mac had played the brother card with him.

  The thought brought a smile to his lips, making him realize he’d smiled more today than he had in a very long time, and the day was still young.

  Mallory rode her bike to the marina, coasting down the hill into the cool spring breeze off the Salt Pond. Gansett Island was one of the most beautiful places she’d ever seen. From the panoramic water views to the lush landscapes to the hidden waterways to the ancient stone walls and crushed-shell driveways, there was something to see everywhere she looked.

  With the spring flowers in full bloom and Race Week about to get underway, the island’s residents were preparing in earnest for the summer season. Arriving at McCarthy’s Gansett Island Marina, Mallory parked the bike and walked toward the main dock that extended into the Salt Pond. Her dad was on his knees, pounding nails into one of the wide planks that made up the pier.

  He’d turned sixty recently, not that he looked a day over fifty with his wiry gray hair, gleeful smile and bright blue eyes.

  “Hi there,” she said as she approached him, recalling the first time she’d ever seen him, right here on this pier one week after her mother died and her letter told Mallory where to find him.

  He looked up from what he was doing and smiled with pleasure at the sight of her.

  Mallory wondered how long it would be, if ever, before she’d become accustomed to the fact that this extraordinary man was her father.

  “What a nice surprise this is. What brings you by?”

  “I was hoping I might talk you into lunch.”

  “Sweetheart, you should know by now that I never have to be talked into lunch, or any other meal, for that matter.” He wiped beads of sweat from his brow with the sleeve of the faded Gansett Island sweatshirt he wore over shorts and rugged work boots. “Let’s take a walk over to the Oar Bar.”

  “That sounds good.”

  He showed her the shortcut on a path that wound from McCarthy’s Marina to McCarthy’s Gansett Island Hotel, which he and Linda owned, and over to the neighboring marina where the Oar was located. They walked up the back stairs to the hostess stand, where the woman working greeted him by name.

  “Hi there, sweetheart,” he said. “Could I get a table for me and my daughter?”

  “Of course! Right this way.”

  He smiled down at Mallory and placed a hand on her back to encourage her to go ahead of him. Everything he did and said thrilled her. Her dad. His daughter. It never got old.

  “What’s good here?” she asked, taking in the thousands of painted oars that dominated the space.

  “Everything, but I love the lobster roll. Comes with fries and slaw.”

  “That sounds good to me, too.”

  When the waitress came by, he ordered for both of them. “A Diet Coke?” he asked Mallory.

  She loved the way he paid attention to every little thing about her. “That’ll do it,” she said.

  “Make it two.” After the waitress walked away, he said, “I’d love a beer, but it’s a little too early.”

  He’d given her the opening she needed to bring up one of the reasons she’d invited him to lunch. Mallory marshaled her courage and took the plunge. “About that… I wanted to tell you… I should’ve mentioned it sooner, but things have been so busy…”

  “What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”

  His genuine interest made it so easy to say the words. “I’m actually an alcoholic.”

  “Oh… Okay.”

  “I’m sure you’re wondering how that can be when you’ve seen me drink.”

  He held up a hand. “No judgment from me. I swear.”

  “That’s nice of you to say, but I’ve been doing a lot of personal judging and wondering why I so easily forgot ten years of sobriety the minute I met my dad and his big wonderful family.”

  “Your big wonderful family.”

  “My family,” Mallory conceded.

  “Why do you suppose that happened?”

  “I’m chalking it up to stress and excitement and getting caught up in the moment and wanting to fit in. None of those are excuses, but they’re all I’ve got. I’m back to daily meetings, and I ha
ven’t had a sip of alcohol since New Year’s Eve.”

  “At Adam’s wedding?”

  Mallory nodded. “I kind of snapped out of it the next day and was horrified by what I’d let happen over the last few months.”

  “You probably ought to cut yourself a break. Those few months in question would’ve tested anyone’s mettle.”

  “I know, but still… I was disappointed in myself and vowed to get back on track. I went to a meeting that day, and I haven’t missed a day since.”

  “It’s a strong person who can look at herself with that kind of scrutiny. You should be proud of yourself for being able to do that.”

  “Thank you. It means a lot to have your support and understanding.”

  “You’ll always have my support—and my understanding.”

  She used her napkin to dab at tears that suddenly filled her eyes. “I’m still getting used to that.”

  “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere. You and me… We’ve got a lot of time to make up for.” After a pause, he said, “I find myself wondering…”

  “About?”

  “So many things. I want to know everything. Who your friends are, who you’ve loved, where you’ve lived, the awards you won in school, the big and little things that I missed out on.”

  Touched by his interest, she said, “My very best friend in the whole world is Trish Bennett. We met in second grade and have been best friends ever since. She lives in Boston and is an accomplished photographer. We’ve been through everything together.”

  “I’d love to meet her sometime.”

  “I’ll ask her to come out to visit.”

  “Boyfriends?” he asked with a raised brow that made her laugh. It was too late for him to intimidate her ex-boyfriends, but he let her know that he would’ve made for a formidable obstacle.

  “My first love was Chris Bristow in sixth grade. He never knew I was alive, but I was hopelessly devoted.”

  “That was his loss,” Big Mac said indignantly, making her laugh.

  “I couldn’t agree more. My first real boyfriend was Mike Smith my junior year of high school.”

  “Mike Smith,” he said with disdain. “That sounds like a fake name. I would’ve had him fully investigated.”

  Mallory laughed again. “I can very easily picture you doing that.”

  “Ask Janey about my investigative skills.”

  “I’ll do that. Anyway, Mike and I lasted two years, until we went to colleges in different states, and our young love couldn’t withstand the pressure of distance and coeds.”

  “He cheated?”

  “He met someone else.” Mallory shrugged. “It happens.”

  “I’m sorry it happened to you.”

  “Thank you, but I haven’t thought of him in years. The next one was more serious.” Her heart still ached when she thought of the man she’d loved with all her heart. “I met Ryan Daniels in medical school at Tufts. We got married six months after we met and did our residencies together in San Francisco.”

  “I knew you’d been married, but you graduated from medical school?”

  Nodding, she said, “Yep.” Sometimes those years felt like another lifetime, a life that had been lived by someone other than her.

  “What happened?”

  The waitress arrived with their food, but neither of them touched it right away. “We were almost done with our first year of residency, him in surgery and me in pediatrics. We were at work one day, and he collapsed in the operating room. By the time someone came to find me, he was gone. He was twenty-seven years old.”

  “Oh my God, Mallory. I’m so sorry. Did they ever find out what happened?”

  “The autopsy revealed an undiagnosed heart condition.” Mallory took a sip from her drink. “That was the start of a multiyear downward spiral for me. Ryan had life insurance that paid off our student loans and took care of the essentials, but that was bad in a way, because I had no real reason to go back to work. I had the money to wallow and to buy a lot of vodka.” She forced a smile for his sake. “After a few years of that nonsense, my mom and Trish intervened and got me into rehab. Once I got my shit together, I discovered I’d lost my desire to be a doctor, but I couldn’t let all that education go to waste. I did an accelerated program to get my nursing degree and truly found my calling as a nurse and later as a nurse manager. My career worked out for the better, but my personal life has been a little less successful. During the drinking years, I married another guy. That lasted a month before I kicked him to the curb.”

  “I couldn’t be sorrier that you had to go through so much.”

  “It was a very long time ago now. Ryan will be gone thirteen years this August.” And that was so hard to believe. Sometimes, it felt like just yesterday they’d been living together in their tiny apartment in San Francisco. She’d never been happier in her life than she was during the blissful but busy years with Ryan.

  “There are some things the heart never recovers from.”

  He couldn’t have said anything more perfect.

  Mallory looked down at her plate. “Our lunch is getting cold.”

  “You want to take it to go?” he asked.

  “No, I’m okay. Go ahead and eat.”

  He squirted ketchup on his french fries and then handed the bottle to her before reaching for the vinegar and passing that on to her as well.

  Mallory loved that at some point he’d noticed she liked ketchup and vinegar on her fries as much as he did. She also took her coffee the same way he and Mac did—a dash of cream and two sugars—and adored spicy food, which Linda had told her came right from her father. Every little discovery was like another piece in the puzzle that made up the missing half of her identity.

  They ate quietly, which was rare for him. He always had something to say.

  “Has there been anyone else?” he asked after a long silence.

  “A few, here and there. One who was more important than the others, but it didn’t stick. I’m lucky to have found true love once. I’m under no illusions that I’ll get lucky twice.”

  “Never say never. That’s one of my many mottos.”

  “Don’t worry. I haven’t given up quite yet. In fact, I got asked out earlier today.”

  He froze with a fry halfway to his mouth. “By who?”

  “Dr. Quinn James.”

  “He’s the one running that new facility out at the old school, right?”

  Nodding, she said, “Do you know him?”

  “I know his brother. Seems like a good enough fellow. Richer than Croesus, or so I’ve heard.”

  “Yes, he is. Quinn also offered me a job as the director of nursing at the new facility.”

  Big Mac’s face lit up with pleasure. “Is that right? You’d be perfect for it.”

  “I think you might be biased,” she said, amused by his certainty.

  “I’m not at all biased. You’re probably overqualified for that position after all the experience you’ve had running the nursing staff at a big-city ER.”

  “Maybe so.”

  “Are you interested in the job?”

  “I’m not sure. I need to hear more about it and get to know Dr. James a little better before I decide anything. I had a great rapport with the doctor who ran the emergency department at the hospital, which is critical. We’ll see. I’m committed to Mason and the rescue for the summer, so I have some time to think about it.”

  “I’ll confess to being totally biased in hoping you’ll decide to stay after the summer.”

  “It’s very nice to feel wanted.”

  “You are. I hope you know that.”

  “I do. You’ve all been very welcoming. I couldn’t believe everyone was there when I arrived at the house yesterday.”

  “You’re part of a family now, Mallory. That’s what family does.”

  “It’s all new to me, so you’ll have to pardon my amazement.”

  “You’ll get used to us. Eventually.”

  Mallory laughed. “I’m no
t sure I’ll ever get used to the McCarthys.”

  “Sure you will.” He popped another fry into his mouth. “Tell me some good stories about the crazy crap you’ve seen in the ER.”

  “If I do, you’ll lose your appetite.”

  “Nothing can make me lose my appetite, sweetheart.”

  Mallory took him at his word and regaled him with stories about objects in every orifice, injuries, gunshot wounds, stabbings and the wide variety of non-emergency complaints that made every shift different from the last. He laughed until he cried at some of the crazier stories.

  “What I really want to know,” he said, “is what happens to guys who get those four-hour boners.”

  “You don’t really want to know that.”

  “Yes, I do!”

  “Suffice to say, there’re needles involved.”

  Big Mac winced, and his complexion went pale.

  Mallory howled with laughter. “I told you!”

  He insisted on paying for lunch, and as they walked back to the marina, he put his arm around her shoulders. “This was nice.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Thank you for telling me the things you did.”

  “I’m glad you know. And it’s okay for you to tell Linda any of it, since you will anyway.”

  “I love how you already know me so well,” he said with a chuckle.

  She leaned her head against his shoulder, because he was her dad and she could. “I have to tell you something else.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I spent my whole life wondering about my father. When I was little, I made up a man in my mind and gave him all sorts of wonderful qualities. But in my wildest dreams, I never imagined he’d be as perfect as you are.”

  He tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Awww, honey. You’re gonna make me bawl like a baby.”

  “It’s true.”

  “Thank you. I wish I’d known about you sooner. I’m sorry that you had to grow up without me. If I’d known, that never would’ve happened. Not in a million years.”

  “I know that, and I’m still trying to make peace with the fact that my mother kept us from each other for nearly forty years. I have a lot of unresolved feelings about that.”