Colleen Coble

by Rosemary Cottage

  “I’ll get you some tea.” Amy escaped to the kitchen.

  It felt like a boulder was lodged in her stomach. No matter how carefully she approached the subject, it was going to be hard. Should she tell them together or approach her father first? He might be the most reasonable. Her mother was bound to get emotional, but she might be more upset if she thought Amy was trying to exclude her.

  When she returned to the living room, her father was on the sofa working on his iPad. He barely grunted when she asked him if he wanted iced tea, so she placed her mother’s glass on a table by her chair, then settled on the sofa beside her dad. She could put it off a few hours, but she’d be sick by nightfall if she didn’t get this out in the open.

  The breeze lifted the curtains at the window and blew in the scents from the herb garden: rosemary, cilantro, and oregano. Rosemary for remembrance. This was the time to remember Ben too. What he wanted. His dreams, the future he never had. If he wasn’t willing to marry Gina, what did that say?

  Her mother wiped the condensation on her glass. “You look like you just bit into rhubarb. Is something wrong?”

  Amy inhaled and prayed for courage. “Dad, would you put your iPad down a minute? I have something important I need to tell you.”

  Her father looked at her over the top of his glasses, then set his iPad on the cushion beside him. “You look very serious. Are you in financial trouble? Or is this more nonsense about Ben’s death?”

  She wasn’t about to get into what she’d found out about Ben’s death. “Did you know Ben had a girlfriend here?”

  Her mother frowned. “That’s ridiculous, Amy. He was going to marry Elizabeth. The poor girl is still a wreck. Did I tell you I ran into her at the club the other day? She looked positively dreadful. So pale and drawn. She started to cry at the sight of me. Her father wants her to start dating again, but she says she’ll never forget Ben.” She dabbed at her eyes.

  How much of Ben’s reluctance to marry Gina had to do with his engagement? If only Amy could ask him.

  She inhaled and her stomach tightened. “Ben had a baby with the woman here, Mom. A little girl.”

  The words fell into the silence of the room like an explosion. Her mother leaped to her feet. “That is impossible. Ben would have told us!”

  Amy reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a picture of Raine. “This is Ben’s daughter.” She extended the picture to her mother, who at first refused to take it. “Look at her, Mom. Her name is Raine, and she is a year old.”

  Her mother’s fingers tightened on the picture, and she stared into Raine’s smiling face. “Sh-She’s beautiful.” Her voice shook.

  “What’s this nonsense?” Her father got up and snatched the picture out of his wife’s hand. “She looks nothing like Ben.”

  “She looks like her mother,” Amy said. “Gina Ireland.”

  Her father stared at the picture. “I don’t know any Gina from here on the island. Are her parents the Irelands who own the marina in Virginia Beach?”

  “No, they’re from New York. Wealthy. I’m not sure what their business is though.”

  Her mother took the picture back. “If she came from a good family, then he clearly wasn’t ashamed of her. Why would he keep something like this from us?”

  “I haven’t been able to figure that out yet.”

  Her father’s lips flattened. “Are you sure the child is Ben’s?”

  “Ben’s name is on the birth certificate. Though I have to tell you all of it—Gina didn’t have a very good reputation.”

  Her mother frowned. “Did Ben ever have a paternity test done?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Her father was looking more skeptical. “Where is the child now?”

  “Gina’s brother, Curtis, has custody. He’s pretty amazing, really, and the baby clearly loves him.”

  “Surely he has to work. I suppose he puts her in day care,” her father said, curling his lip.

  “Actually, no. Curtis’s aunt moved to the island to help care for Raine. She’s wonderful with her. There are no worries there. I’m telling you because I know you’ll want to be part of her life. I’m sure Curtis will be willing to let you have her over a weekend on occasion as she gets to know us all better.”

  Her father lifted an eyebrow. “We will want to raise her ourselves, of course.” He looked at his wife. “Isn’t that right, Mary?”

  “Oh, of course!” Amy’s mother sat upright in her chair. Spots of color in her cheeks brightened her eyes. “Once we’re sure she is Ben’s child.”

  The boulder in Amy’s gut grew. “I can’t support you in that, Mom and Dad. Raine belongs with her uncle. She’s happy and he adores her. The upheaval wouldn’t be right.”

  Her father squared his shoulders. “Children are resilient. I’ll call my attorney at once.” He turned around and grabbed his phone from the sofa.

  Curtis was dragging when he got home from work. The Coast Guard unit had gone out on two rescues, and one of them had resulted in a death, something that always left them feeling defeated. Raine’s bright smile always recharged him though.

  The aroma of enchiladas wafted through the house as he sat on the floor with Raine and her blocks. Edith had said dinner would be ready in half an hour. When the doorbell rang, he half hoped it was Amy. He wanted to apologize about losing his temper. He started to smile when he saw her, then his gut clenched when he saw two people behind her. The woman was obviously her mother. She had the same eyes and hair color as Amy.

  He opened the door and pasted on a smile. “You’re just in time for dinner.”

  The man’s mouth was set in a firm line. “You must be Curtis Ireland. We’re here to see our granddaughter.”

  Amy mouthed I’m sorry at Curtis as he stood blocking the doorway. She managed a watery smile. “Um, Curtis, these are my parents, Oliver and Mary Lang. As you can tell, I told them about Raine. They’d love to meet her if it’s convenient. I tried to call you, but it went to voice mail, and they were too eager to wait.”

  Her soft voice broke his stiffness. None of this was her fault. “My phone was dead, and I had it charging. Raine is in the living room playing. Come in.”

  Amy entered first. “Smells like Edith’s famous Mexican.”

  He stood aside for her parents to enter. “Chicken enchiladas. I’m sure there’s plenty if you’d like to stay for dinner.”

  Mary Lang glanced around the entry. “This is quite lovely.” Her voice held surprise.

  “Thanks. This way is the living room.” He led them down the hall to the door on the left. Raine had a block in each fist. She waved one at him, and her small white teeth gleamed.

  “Oh, she’s darling,” Mary said in a rush of breath. She stepped quickly into the room and knelt beside Raine. “What do you have there?”

  Raine held up a block and smiled. “Block.” It sounded more like bock.

  “Can I help?”

  The little girl examined both of the blocks she held, then handed Mary the one in her left hand.

  Curtis turned to Oliver. “Can we discuss this privately? I’ll take Raine to my aunt in the kitchen.” He lifted the little girl into his arms and carried her to where Edith was chopping salad. When he explained what was happening, she gave Raine a cracker and put her in the high chair.

  When Curtis returned to the living room, the tension was palpable. Mary stood off to one side, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Oliver paced in front of the fireplace. Amy sat on the sofa with her hands clasped on one knee.

  Curtis dropped onto a cushion beside her. “Have a seat.”

  Mary sat gingerly on the edge of the armchair and looked at her husband. “I’ll stand.” He thrust out his jaw.

  Curtis wasn’t going to be intimidated by the way the big man stood over him. He rose as well. “Very well. I assume you’re here to ask questions about all this.”

  Mary’s lips trembled. “First and foremost, why weren’t we told about Raine’s birth? I don’t
understand.”

  “That’s something I can’t answer. Gina was always generous with Raine. I’m sure she would have been happy to share the baby with you. It had to have been Ben’s idea to keep it quiet.” The truth was harsh, but he’d done nothing to soften the blow either, and he felt bad when tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  Oliver picked up a picture of Gina with Raine just days after she was born. “There has to be more to it than that.”

  “It’s all I know, all I was told.”

  Oliver pointed his finger at Curtis. “Your sister has been dead for several months. Why didn’t you tell us about Raine when she died?”

  “Dad, please sit down. This can escalate into an adversarial meeting if we aren’t careful. That’s not in anyone’s best interest.”

  “I don’t want to sit down! I want to know why this man”—he punctuated the words with a jab of his forefinger at Curtis’s chest—“didn’t tell me about my own granddaughter. If she is our grandchild. Was a paternity test done?”

  Curtis clenched his teeth and exhaled. Getting angry wasn’t going to fix anything. “Ben acknowledged the child. He signed the birth certificate. There was no need for a paternity test. And Gina wanted me to raise Raine. I love her, and I didn’t want there to be any question of where she would live. So know this right now—I’ll never give her up. You’re wrong if you think you can come in here and demand to take her. Gina made her wishes clear, and I have legal custody. Ben never paid a cent in support either. You have no rights here.”

  Oliver thrust his head forward. “I have grandparent rights! I demand the right to see her!”

  Curtis didn’t back away. “I’ll be happy to let you have visitation.”

  “If she is my grandchild, I intend to sue for more than visitation, young man. I want her permanently. And I can get the best attorneys. You’d be wise to give up without a fight.”

  “You may have money, but so does my family. A judge isn’t going to look any more favorably on you than on me. I’m younger and she knows me. If you want what’s best for her, you’ll drop the thought of custody.”

  “I want her to love us,” Amy put in. “Not to tense whenever we show up. Think before you cause irreparable harm, Dad.”

  “Mary, we’re out of here.” Oliver wheeled toward the door.

  Mary rose and followed her husband. “We’ll be in the car, Amy.”

  “Don’t you want to see Raine?” Amy’s face was white.

  “There will be plenty of time for that when we are sure she is Ben’s daughter.” Mary went out the door. Moments later the front door latched.

  “I’m sorry,” Amy said. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “I’ll handle it. No one is taking Raine away from me.” Curtis knew his tone was hostile, but right now he blamed Amy too. For all he knew, she’d encouraged her parents to try to get custody. But it would be over his dead body.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  The church bells rang out twelve times, and Amy paused digging plant holes to wipe her brow. She inhaled the good scent of freshly turned dirt and glanced around at the community herb garden. Ned had wasted no time after their talk yesterday, and the plowed plot was ready for planting. She’d purchased the herbs herself as her contribution to the project. Townspeople populated the rows like ants scurrying to their mounds.

  Working almost let her forget the way her parents had treated Curtis last night. Almost.

  Alec and Libby’s sister, Vanessa, worked two rows over. Libby was their cheering section and sat with Noah under the shade of a live oak tree. Even Libby’s half brother, Brent, dug diligently in the dirt on the other side of the field. The Coasties had their own little spot where they were planting star-of-Bethlehem, rockrose, impatiens, cherry plum, and clematis. It was the concoction known as “Rescue Remedy,” and it tickled Amy to see them so excited about it. She intended to make good use of it with her patients.

  “Lunch!” Libby put Noah in his seat on the blanket and knelt to open the wicker picnic basket.

  Amy wiped her dirty hands in the grass, then pulled out a disposable towelette to clean up a little better. She handed one each to Alec and Vanessa, and they both wiped their hands as they went to join Libby. Vanessa looked like a slightly younger version of Libby, but she usually wasn’t one to get her hands dirty, from what Amy had been told.

  “I appreciate you coming out to help,” Amy told her.

  “I kind of like it.” A smudge of dirt marred one of Vanessa’s pink cheeks. She wore stylish capris and a sleeveless top that showed toned arms. “What’s it like being a midwife? Sounds scary. What if something goes wrong? Have you ever lost a baby or a mother?”

  Amy walked with her toward the shade where Libby had spread the tablecloth. “No, but I’m very careful to monitor my patients and refer them to a doctor if there’s anything out of the ordinary. I know things can go wrong, and I’ve been lucky so far. A birth can take a wrong turn in a hospital too though. But most of the time births run smoothly. It’s a natural process, you know. It’s a modern Western notion to lock up a woman while she gives birth with the rest of her family cut off from the experience.”

  Vanessa nodded. “I guess I can see that. You did a great job delivering Noah. He’s so sweet. I think he smiled at me yesterday.”

  “He might think you’re his mother. You and Libby look very much alike.”

  Vanessa brightened. “We do, don’t we? I like hearing that.”

  They reached the shade, and Amy’s stomach rumbled in response to the smell of grilled chicken. Libby had brought a real feast of chicken, potato salad, seven-layer salad, baked beans, and even pie. “I’m starving. That’s not coconut cream pie, is it?”

  Libby smiled and set a bowl on the blanket. “It sure is. Delilah made it.”

  “I’m starved too.” Vanessa waved at her brother, then went off to join him and his girlfriend at a picnic table by the church.

  Quite a few of the townspeople quit for lunch too, and several of them stopped to thank Amy for contributing her expertise. She gave out several recipes for herbal remedies, including a recommendation to eat garlic and take echinacea for a cold. She was beginning to feel like a part of the community already.

  When the hair on her arms stood at attention, she knew without looking around that Curtis had arrived. Why did she react so strangely to his presence? The entire situation was outside her comfort zone, and she didn’t know how to handle this attraction. Never before had she been unable to ignore a man. And they were likely to be at odds until things were settled with Raine.

  Curtis was smiling though. “You did all this?” He wore sandals and khaki shorts that showed his tanned legs.

  He acted like he hadn’t been furious when she and her parents left last night. Two could play that game, so she smiled and tried not to show that she was uncomfortable. “Not just me. I had lots of help.”

  “Your parents still here?” His mouth twisted. “Listen, about last night. I’m sorry I lost my temper.”

  “Apology accepted. It was tense all around. And yes, they’ll be here until tomorrow.” She pointed them out as they approached with boxes of fish and chips in their hands from the Oyster Café. “Looks like they’re bringing a peace offering.”

  “For you, not for me, I’m sure.”

  “Don’t leave,” she said when he began to move away. “We have to learn to get along for Raine’s sake.”

  Curtis hesitated and thrust his hands in his pockets. “I’ll stay for you.”

  Her dad paused when his gaze lit on Curtis, but he tipped up his chin and marched toward them. “We brought some fish.”

  “Thanks. It smells good.” Amy took the box of food from him. “I don’t think you’ve met Libby and Alec. And little Noah.” She introduced the family.

  Her dad shook hands with Alec. “You own the big Tidewater Inn place. I’ve thought about investing in it, if you’re interested in a partner.”

  Alec glanced at Libby, who gave a slight
shake of her head. “Uh, thanks, but we’re doing okay. It’s been in Libby’s family a long time. She has plans for exactly how she wants it to be.”

  “Of course, of course. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  Curtis visibly tensed. How were they going to keep Raine from feeling torn between them as she grew up? Amy hadn’t realized until this week just how abrasive her father was. It was eye opening.

  The rich scent of good dirt floated in the air. Curtis kept an eye on Amy as he dug holes two rows over from where she worked. Her pink cheeks and bright eyes told how much she enjoyed gardening. Several people stopped and asked her about using herbs for various ailments, and she answered all of them with a smile. Mud marred her white shorts, but nothing marred her spirits.

  Josh nudged him. “Keep your eyes to yourself, buck.”

  Curtis straightened with a grin. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black. You can’t seem to quit watching Sara.”

  Josh grinned. “No crime in eyeing a pretty woman.”

  “Exactly.” He thrust his shovel into the soft dirt with his boot. When he lifted it, he saw something white. “What do we have here?” Kneeling, Curtis brushed the soil away to reveal a plastic bag filled with white powder. “Whoa, I think we’d better call Tom over here.”

  “Cocaine?”

  Both men had stopped their fair share of drug runners when they patrolled in a Coast Guard boat. Curtis motioned to Tom, who hiked up his pants and walked over the rows to join them.

  Curtis stepped back from the cocaine. “Not sure how this got here.”

  Tom’s eyes narrowed. “Someone buried it out here. Seems a weird place to hide it.” He knelt and undid the twist tie, then stuck his finger in the powder and tasted it. Grimacing, he closed the top again. “Cocaine.”

  This plot had belonged to Gina. Tom probably knew that, which was why he was staring at Curtis so intently.

  Tom poked in the dirt with the toe of his boot. “Did Gina come here often?” His tone was casual, too casual.

  “She brought Raine here to play sometimes. It was quiet.” The area was secluded by the church and obscured by a perimeter of trees.