by Force, Marie
After that, she received a handbook with department policies and procedures that Mason reviewed with her in detail in his office. Then he showed her where the supplies for the rig were kept and went over the routine that each shift followed.
It was a lot of information to absorb all at once, but he was patient in answering her questions and getting her oriented to their way of doing things. At ten minutes to eleven, he asked if she’d like to join him at the AA meeting.
“Are we allowed to do that?” She’d been resigned to missing meetings on the days she worked.
“As long as we take a radio with us, we’re allowed.”
“Good to know, and yes, I’d like to go.”
“We can take my truck. If anything comes up, we can meet the others at the call.”
“Sounds good.”
In the truck, he said, “I’m sure you must have questions about everything we reviewed this morning. You can feel free to ask me about anything that isn’t clear.”
“I’ll reserve the right to pepper you with questions once I’ve had more time to review the manual and work a couple of shifts.”
“My door is always open. We’re really glad to have you and to have the opportunity to learn from you.”
“From me? I’m the low one on the totem pole.”
“And you have the most experience in emergency medicine. We’re all excited to have you on the team, even temporarily.”
“Wow, that’s nice to hear.”
“I was hoping I might be able to talk you into doing some training while you’re with us—anything you think we would benefit from. I’d leave the content up to you.”
“I’d love to. Training was one of my favorite parts of my old job.”
“Keep it up. You’re already in the running for employee of the year.”
Mallory laughed. “And it’s only my first day. I think I’m going to love this job.”
“I sure hope so,” he said with a note of wistfulness that put her on alert. “You know, Quinn asked about you when you were back in Providence.”
“I heard that.”
“So you’re seeing him?”
“I am.”
“Oh.”
After an uncomfortable silence, she said, “Mason…”
“Nah, it’s okay. I get it.”
Ugh, Mallory felt terrible. “I hope we’ll be very good friends and colleagues this summer.”
“Of course we will. Why wouldn’t we be?”
That was his way of saying no harm, no foul, and she couldn’t be more thankful for his acceptance of the fact that she had chosen to spend her time with Quinn. She and Mason were friends, nothing more. She hated to disappoint him, but better now than later, when it might make things awkward at work. “Good.”
They attended the AA meeting, where Mallory missed seeing Quinn, and returned to the station to help prepare lunch. Her first call of the day came right after lunch when an elderly island resident called for help after a fall at home. With Trip’s assistance, Mallory assessed the woman’s injuries and determined she should be transported to the clinic for X-rays and further evaluation by Dr. Lawrence.
At the clinic, she briefed David and Katie.
“Let’s get you comfortable, Mrs. Givens,” Katie said after they transferred her to a bed in the clinic.
Mallory and Trip were on their way back to the rig when she ran into Maddie in the waiting room.
“Look who it is,” she said to Hailey, who was with her. “Auntie Mallory.”
She would never get tired of being called Auntie Mallory or grow immune to her niece’s excited reaction to seeing her. After receiving a hug and sloppy kiss from the little girl, Mallory lifted her into her arms.
Hailey’s brows furrowed as she studied the patches on Mallory’s sleeves.
“You look great in that uniform,” Maddie said.
“The pants make my ass look huge.”
“That’s not true.”
“You’re too kind. Everything okay with you guys?”
Maddie’s smile faded ever so slightly, but Mallory noticed. “Just my weekly check-in with Victoria. After what happened last time, we’re being extra cautious with this baby.”
“Totally understandable, but I’m sure everything is fine.”
“I won’t truly believe that until he—or she—is sleeping in my arms.”
Aware that Trip was waiting for her, Mallory handed Hailey back to Maddie. “Hang in there. You’re doing everything right.”
“Thanks. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
“I’m sure you will. No parties tonight?”
“Not that I’ve heard of, but the day is young and so are we.”
Mallory laughed at the witty retort. “Yes, we are.” She waggled her fingers at Hailey. “You girls have a nice day.”
“You, too.”
The rest of Mallory’s first day flew by in a flurry of paperwork, training and bonding with the guys she worked with, all of whom were handsome and at least ten years younger than she was. Trip was even younger, having told her he had just turned twenty-five. She felt like a mother hen around them as they talked about their plans for the evening, which included women and beer.
“You guys have to work in the morning,” she reminded them.
“We know, Mom,” Boner said with a wink, and with that, Mallory had a nickname.
She left the station a little after four and drove the short distance home, wondering if Quinn would be there or if he’d gone to work. When she stepped through the door, she found Brutus there but no sign of Quinn, so she texted him.
Just got home. Are you at work?
Yep, finishing up here soon.
How about a home-cooked dinner?
That sounds fantastic.
Do you need a ride home?
Nope. Jared has assigned himself to me. I’ve made him my bitch today.
Mallory laughed at that and was glad to hear the brothers had spent the day together. Go easy on the poor guy.
What fun would that be? Home soon.
Mallory ran for the shower and took the time to shave her legs, among other areas. After what’d happened in her bed this morning, she fully expected things to progress tonight and couldn’t wait for him to get home.
Maddie left the clinic with Hailey’s little hand curled around hers. Ever since her daughter had begun to walk, she didn’t want to be carried anywhere, which was fine with Maddie. This pregnancy was exhausting her in a way the previous three hadn’t. The worrying took a toll. She knew that but couldn’t seem to stop obsessing about all the things that could go wrong, even while doing everything in her power to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Victoria had put her on a monitor for a full hour, during which no abnormalities had been detected. She’d determined the baby was active and thriving exactly the way he was supposed to. And without confirmation, Maddie was still certain the baby was a boy. During the test, Hailey had sat patiently on the bed with Maddie, looking through the books they’d packed for the outing.
Hailey let out a cry of excitement and pulled on Maddie’s hand. That was when she realized her husband was leaning against the big black SUV he’d bought for her.
With no other cars in the lot beside their two, Maddie released Hailey to run to her daddy, who scooped her up and made the little girl shriek with laughter when he spun her around over his head.
“If she pukes on you, I’ll laugh at you,” Maddie told him.
“My little angel wouldn’t do that to me, would you, Hailey?”
She filled her tiny fists with handfuls of Mac’s thick dark hair. “Dadadadada.”
“Don’t give Daddy bald spots, angel.” He freed his hair from her grip and turned his formidable blue-eyed gaze on Maddie. “How’d it go?”
“Everything’s fine.”
She saw the relief cross his face before he schooled his expression. He was every bit as nervous as she was, even though he usually tried to hide it from her so as not to add to
her worries. She loved him for that.
He held out his arm, inviting her to join the snuggle with Hailey. “My two best girls.”
“Do you have room in these arms for one more?”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“Nope. Just wondering.”
“I have room for as many girls as I can get.”
“Hear that, Hailey? Daddy used to be a playboy in Miami before he came home to Gansett and knocked Mommy off her bike.”
Chuckling, Mac held her tighter and nuzzled her hair. “Best day of my life.”
“What’re you doing here? I thought you’d be out at the job site.”
“The job is officially finished as of thirty minutes ago.”
“Wow! Congratulations on the biggest job yet for McCarthy Construction.”
“Thanks, babe.”
“I’m so proud of you, Mac. You’ve grown that business into something really special over the last couple of years.” Sometimes she felt guilty for not contributing to the family coffers, but they’d decided she would stay home with the kids until they were all in school.
“What’s that frown about?” He traced the outline of her lips with his fingertip.
“No frown.”
“I saw a frown. How about we go home and get this little angel down for her nap, and then you can tell me what makes you frown before we celebrate the end of my biggest job yet?”
“I could be talked into that.”
“I’ll follow you home.”
Mac strapped Hailey into her car seat, kissed her until she giggled and then kissed Maddie.
On the short ride home, she saw him following behind her in the big truck he used for work. She took the final turn onto Sweet Meadow Farm Road, the road to the home where they’d been so happy together. Except for a brief time after they lost Connor, their marriage had been as close to perfect as it was possible to get.
If they lost this baby, too…
“Stop, Maddie. Stop it right now.”
“Stop, Mama,” Hailey said from the backseat.
Maddie smiled at her daughter in the mirror. “Mama is being ridiculous. Victoria said everything is fine, and that’s what we have to believe.”
“Mama,” Hailey said as she chewed on her fingers.
Maddie brought the SUV to a stop at the foot of the stairs that led to their gorgeous deck. Everything about this place they called home appealed to her, especially the man who’d made it all possible.
He came to get Hailey from her seat and carried her into the house. “I’ll put her down while you get off your feet, babe.”
“Thank you.” She went to get a glass of ice water and listened to Mac talking to their little girl as he got her ready for a nap. Taking her water with her, Maddie went upstairs to their room to use the bathroom. She was standing at the sink washing her hands when Mac wrapped his arms around her waist and flattened his hands over their baby. “How’s my baby mama doing?”
“Okay.”
“Just okay?”
“Better after seeing Victoria but still anxious.”
“I wish I could get a time machine to take us to the finish line now.”
“I wish you could, too.”
He took her hand and led her to their bed, encouraging her to lie down.
When she had stretched out, he took her feet onto his lap and began to massage them, pressing his thumbs into her arches.
“Feels good.”
“Close your eyes, relax and tell me what had you frowning before.”
Maddie closed her eyes, but her mind was too busy to allow her to fully relax. “Nothing really.”
“Don’t lie to me, Madeline. I know what I saw.”
“Sometimes I feel bad that you work two jobs, and I don’t work at all anymore.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Are you for real right now? You’re running after kids from the second you get up almost until the second you go to bed while taking care of everything having to do with the house. If that’s not a full-time job, tell me what is?”
“It doesn’t bring in any money.”
“We have what we need, don’t we?”
She nodded. “And then some.”
“I couldn’t do what I do without you here doing what you do better than anyone. Knowing you’re with our kids gives me such peace of mind. Please don’t think you aren’t contributing, because you are. You make it all happen, baby.”
“I sure got lucky the day Mac McCarthy knocked me off my bike,” she said with a sigh of contentment.
“We both got lucky that day.”
After a while, she felt Mac crawl up the bed and turned toward him, wanting his arms around her. Everything felt better when he held her. “I miss having sex with you.”
“Don’t say that word. I can’t hear that from your lips right now.”
“But I really, really miss it.”
“Maddie… I’m begging you. Please don’t talk about it.”
“Do you want me to, you know, do something for you?”
The moan that came from him made it sound like he was being murdered rather than offered sexual favors. “That wouldn’t be fair.”
“I don’t care about being fair. I care about you not getting what you need—”
“Maddie, sweetheart, the only thing I truly need is for you and our baby to be safe and healthy. Going without for a while is no sacrifice compared to that.”
“I hope the next three months go by quickly,” she said with a sigh.
“So do I.”
“And then there’s the six weeks after the baby arrives…”
He moaned. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like what?”
“Like how hot it’s going to be the first time we get back in the saddle.”
“Mac! That doesn’t count as changing the subject.”
“But you know it’ll be hot.”
She reached for him and brought his lips down on hers. “When is it not hot between us?”
He whimpered pathetically. “I’m never going to make it.”
She laughed at his distress and then kissed him again.
Chapter 23
Mallory made a quick trip to the grocery store to buy steak, potatoes and vegetables to make a salad. After returning home, she got the potatoes in the oven and the steak cooking on the grill Janey had left on the deck. While the steak cooked, she played fetch in the backyard with Brutus.
Quinn found her there when he came in with Jared.
Brutus let out a happy bark and charged up the stairs to greet Quinn. Thankfully, Jared was standing behind him, or the excited puppy might’ve knocked Quinn over.
“Careful, pal,” Quinn said as he scratched Brutus behind the ears.
Quinn looked over at her, and his gaze collided with hers, heating her from the inside as memories of their encounter came rushing back to her.
“I put your bag in the kitchen,” Jared said.
“Thanks for everything today,” Quinn said.
“And that’s my cue to get the heck out of here,” Jared said. “You guys have a nice evening. I’ll be back in the morning to take you to work.”
“Thanks, Jared.”
“See you, Mallory.”
“Bye, Jared.”
He bent to give Brutus a scratch before he took his leave.
“Alone at last,” Quinn said when they heard the screen on the front door close behind Jared.
“So it seems. Are you hungry?”
He continued to stare at her when he said, “Starving.”
Mallory moved from the yard to the steps that led up to the deck, where he stood propped on crutches, watching her every move. She came to a stop in front of him. “How’re you feeling?”
“Fine.”
“Your leg is better?”
“A little.”
“That’s good.”
“Kiss me.”
Taken aback by the gruffly spoken words, Mallory looked at him for a long momen
t before she laid her lips on his in a soft, sweet kiss that made her heart beat faster.
“I know for a fact that you can do better than that.”
Never one to back down from a challenge, she flattened her hands on his chest, slid them up to his shoulders and looped them around his neck to draw him down to her for a real kiss, the kind with tongues and teeth and desire so sharp and so potent she nearly forgot her own name.
“Now that’s more like it,” he said when they resurfaced many minutes later. “What’re you cooking?”
“Um, steak and potatoes?”
“Will it keep for a little while?”
Fully aware of what he was asking her, she didn’t hesitate when she nodded and reached behind her to turn off the grill.
Tipping his head, he indicated that she should go ahead of him into the house.
Her heart pounded a rapid rhythm as she reduced the oven temperature and then turned to find him waiting for her.
“Brutus,” he said, “go lay down like a good boy.”
Brutus landed on the dog bed Mallory had put in front of the fireplace.
“For once, he finally minded me, and his timing couldn’t be better.” He nudged Mallory toward her bedroom.
Reminding herself to breathe, she stopped next to the bed and waited for him to catch up to her.
“I wish,” he said, “that I could pick you up in my arms and carry you in here.”
“I don’t need that.”
“I still wish I could.” He maneuvered so he was sitting on the bed and propped the crutches against the bedside table. “Come here.”
She took a few steps to close the distance between them.
Quinn wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against her belly. “It’s been a long time since I wanted someone the way I want you.”
She ran her fingers through his hair. “I feel the same way.”
“You look so pretty,” he said as he began to unbutton her blouse. “You always look so pretty. The first time I saw you, I wanted to talk to you and get to know you. I was so happy to see you again at the meeting after we met at the accident site. And now that I know you, I’m still hungry for more of you. That first day, after the meeting, when I saw you at the diner with Mason?”