Peg heard Galen’s old pickup rattle to a stop and glanced over her shoulder to see no less than five more pickups pull into the driveway behind him. She quickly folded her agreement with Duncan and tucked it under her sweatshirt inside her bra, then stood up just in time to be pulled into a bear of a hug.
“Hey, sissy sister, what are you doing with all this machinery cluttering up your road and property?” he murmured, squeezing Peg until she squeaked.
Galen had started calling her sissy sister the day she’d married his baby brother, only he’d switched to porky Peg by the end of her last pregnancy—which no one had realized was twins until Jacob had made his appearance two minutes after Peter. But Galen had thankfully gone back to calling her sissy sister once she’d given birth and almost gotten her figure back.
“Hey, Pete and Repeat,” he said with a laugh, scooping both boys up in his beefy arms to give them each a noisy kiss on their cheeks, which both boys immediately rubbed off on their shoulders before returning the kiss, as was their ritual. Galen turned to face the shoreline. “You hoodlums seen any sharks in your new swimming hole?”
They both shook their heads. “But Isabel says she seen a whale blow when we was at Inglenook last Saturday,” Jacob said. “Only I missed it because I was watching the little submarine.”
“I got some snails,” Peter chimed in, reaching in his jacket pocket and pulling out a tiny fistful of wilted snails, which he then held up under Galen’s nose.
“Oh, those look fat and juicy,” Galen said, fighting his smile with a serious nod. “I think you should have your mom cook them for you for supper tonight.”
Peg gave an involuntary shudder, not only because Peter looked positively taken by the idea, but because she was wondering what other creatures she was going to find when she did the laundry. Angleworms and the occasional frog she could handle, but creepy crawly sea critters were another thing.
“And I hear a person can make soup out of jellyfish,” Galen continued, setting down the boys and giving them a nudge toward the beach. “See if you can’t find some that’s washed up on shore. You’re going to need at least a bucketful according to the recipe I found in the Farmers’ Almanac.”
“Thank you for that,” Peg muttered when the boys took off in search of dead jellyfish. She eyed the other men getting out of their trucks, recognizing most of them. “What are you doing here, Galen? I called you when I got home and told you the van was only out of gas.”
“We’ve come to meet our new bosses,” he said, looking toward the hillside.
“You’re going to work for Duncan? All of you?”
“We’re working for MacBain Logging until he clears out of here and MacKeage starts the roadwork,” he said with a nod, still watching the hillside. He finally turned to her. “Apparently both men are smart enough to know they can’t pull into a town with their crew and machinery and not put a good number of the locals on their payrolls.” He grinned. “It’s the polite thing to do.”
“It’s also damn cheap insurance,” one of the other men said with a snicker—Jonas, Peg thought his name was, from Turtleback Station.
Galen grabbed the sleeve of her sweatshirt and led her away from the men, finally stopping to stand with his back to them. “You don’t worry about nothing, Peg,” he said softly. “I’ll make sure MacKeage gives you a good price for your gravel. Any notion he might have about taking advantage of a woman will be gone once he finds himself dealing with me. You’re not selling him one pebble for less than a buck fifty a yard.” He held up his hand when she tried to speak. “I know that sounds like highway robbery for stumpage in this area, but word in town is the guy who married Livy Baldwin, Mac somebody, has some mighty deep pockets. They’re saying he’s bought most the land around here and is planning to build a fancy resort up on that mountain overlooking Bottomless. So you being a softhearted woman and all, I’ll just make sure no one takes advantage of you.”
“But—”
“And I’m gonna find you someone to sit in a chair and count every truck that leaves your pit,” he continued. “MacKeage might be a Mainer, but he’s here for a year or two, then he’s gone.” He patted her arm, then muttered something and pulled her into another bear of a hug. “You just leave things up to me, sissy sister, and you’ll finally be able to hire someone to finish that house Billy started for you and the kids.”
Damn. The last thing she wanted was Galen sticking his nose in her business. The guy meant well, but he had about as much business sense as Peter’s snails. Hell, when Galen and his dad, Clive, had tried to work on the house after Billy died, it had taken her two weeks to unravel all the electrical wires they’d run. And to save her sanity without hurting their feelings, Peg had told them the idea of moving into the house without Billy was too painful for her, anyway. The Thompson men were hard workers, but they often worked in circles.
She had definitely gotten the pick of the litter—or else Billy had been adopted.
“Is there a problem?” Duncan asked from right beside them, making Peg jump and Galen step back in surprise.
Galen recovered quickly and thrust out his hand. “Galen Thompson, Peg’s brother-in-law, Mr… .?”
“Duncan MacKeage,” Duncan said, giving his hand a quick shake, then turning to Peg. “Is everything okay?”
Peg barely had time to nod before Galen stepped between them. Good Lord, she’d always thought the Thompson men were hulks, but seeing Galen standing toe-to-toe with Duncan … well, there must be something in the drinking water in Pine Creek, because Duncan and Alec and Robbie MacBain were nothing short of giants.
“It appears to me that you’ve gotten ahead of yourself, Mr. MacKeage,” Galen said, gesturing at the hillside. “You seem to be expanding Peg’s pit before you’ve even settled on a price.”
Duncan’s gaze slid briefly to her, but it was long enough for Peg to give a barely perceptible shake of her head, hoping to God that Duncan was astute. “Well, Mr. Thompson,” he said, giving his attention back to Galen, “I prefer to know exactly what I’m buying before I throw out any prices.” He also gestured toward the hillside. “That’s why I’m digging a few test holes today.”
“Last I knew it don’t require cutting trees to dig a couple of holes.”
Duncan shrugged. “Peg mentioned wanting the pine for … something,” he said when she shook her head again. “So I thought that while I had my loggers here, I’d cut some of the bigger trees in exchange for the privilege of looking.”
Galen turned to her. “Would you excuse us a minute, sis—Peg—while me and Mr. MacKeage have us a little talk?” he asked, nodding for her to leave.
Peg walked between them, ignoring Duncan’s surprise in favor of giving him another speaking look on her way by, and headed down the beach to see what her boys and the men were looking at. Only she never reached them because Galen’s little talk lasted exactly one minute before he called to his friends and they headed to where Robbie MacBain was standing with some of his crew watching the harvester work.
“Mind telling me why you didn’t jump all over him for sending ye off like a good little lass?” Duncan asked as he walked down the beach and stopped in front of her. “He told me you might know a thing or two about construction, but that, and I quote, ‘you’re too softhearted when it comes to negotiating stuff like prices.’” He snorted. “Did he just come out of a coma or something?”
“Have you ever tried banging your head against a brick wall?” she asked with a derisive smile. “Until you eventually figure out the bricks aren’t going to move and that your head hurts?” She shrugged. “Sometimes it’s just easier not to bang my head against Galen. Thank you for keeping our business between just us.”
“Are ye worried he would want a cut? Is the pit yours outright, or does the family have a stake in it?”
“No, it’s all mine. Billy and I bought this property and the double-wide on it when we got married. And I’m not worried Galen is interested in anything other than get
ting me a fair price. He’s a good man, but he can’t keep two nickels in his pocket for more than a minute. If he knows how much money I’ll be making this spring, he’ll be finding ways for me to spend it faster than your wheelers are hauling out of here.”
Duncan folded his arms over his chest, his gaze going to the locals talking to Robbie MacBain. “Did I make a mistake hiring your brother-in-law, Peg?”
“Absolutely not. Galen’s a hard worker and good at what he knows, which is leveling dirt. Put him in the seat of a dozer and you don’t even have to rake out a lawn to seed it when he’s done.” She smiled. “Just don’t ever ask him to run electrical wire.”
“I wondered why your husband’s family wasn’t helping you finish your house.”
She shook her head. “Galen and his dad tried, but I told them not to bother because I wasn’t feeling up to moving into it without Billy.”
He lifted a brow. “They’re unaware that you’ve been finishing it yourself? Quit getting defensive on me,” he growled when she lifted her chin—even as his eyes crinkled with laughter. “That was an honest question, not a dig.”
Peg brushed down the front of her sweatshirt. “Working on that house is my therapy. You try dealing with four kids under the age of nine all by yourself every day.” She shot him another smile. “At least gnomes and fairies don’t ask a thous—”
Duncan was gone in a blur before the scream of terror even reached her, and was wading into the water and lifting Jacob into his arms just as the boy burst into tears.
“Jacob!” Peg cried, running to them.
“You’re okay,” Duncan murmured, hugging Jacob against his chest. “He’s okay, Peg. I don’t think he swallowed any water. You’re okay,” he continued, his broad hand holding Jacob’s head against his shoulder. “Quiet down now,” he whispered as he shot her a wink on his way by. “You’re scaring your mom.”
Even though Peg was all but shaking with the need to make sure her son was okay, she took hold of her unusually quiet older twin’s hand instead and followed, Duncan’s soothing words seeming to calm her just as much as they were Jacob.
“And it’s been my experience,” she heard him continue softly, “that when moms get scared, they make ye play inside for at least a week.” He stood Jacob on the picnic table, then shrugged out of his leather jacket and wrapped it around the boy—who was now valiantly sucking up his sobs. “And if you get yourself stuck inside, you’re going to miss my bulldozer pushing all the stumps and topsoil off the—”
“Jacob! Peter!” Galen shouted as he ran toward them followed by the other men. He crowded Duncan out of the way and swept Jacob into his arms. “Lord Almighty, boy, what happened? Are you okay?” He turned on Peg, the wild look in his eyes making her take a step back. “You gotta watch them every minute. The boy could have drowned!”
“Peg is well aware of her responsibilities,” Duncan said quietly, stepping between them. “Jacob only got a little wet.”
Peg shot around him and pulled her son away from Galen and started walking to her house. “Come on, Peter. It’s time for your naps.”
“Mommm.”
“Let Pete stay here with me,” Galen called after her. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
She turned to see that even though Galen had moved away from Duncan, the look in her brother-in-law’s eyes sure as hell didn’t match his tone. “If Peter doesn’t mind being too tired to cook hot dogs over a campfire tonight,” she quickly prevaricated, “then I guess he can stay out here with you.”
Peter gasped so hard, he actually stumbled backward just as Duncan folded his arms over his chest with a grin and—did he just wink at her again?
Peg spun away and started for the house, pressing her cheek to Jacob’s wet hair as Peter ran up beside her. “We’re gonna have a campfire?” he asked excitedly. “Can we make jellyfish soup? And cook the snails?”
“I think we’ll save the jellyfish and snails for your birthday, okay? Say good-bye to Uncle Galen.” Only Peg suddenly stopped, turned around, and walked toward Duncan, who was heading down the beach with Robbie MacBain. “You need to thank Mr. MacKeage for pulling you out of the water,” she whispered to Jacob. “Can you do that, big man? He was just like the Rescue Heroes you watch on TV. And you’re always supposed to thank a hero when he saves you.”
Robbie spotted her and nudged Duncan, and both men stopped to let her catch up to them. Peg used her shoulder to nudge Jacob upright. “Mr. MacKeage, Jacob has something he wants to say to you.”
“Tank you,” her son blurted at Duncan’s shirt buttons even as he turned and buried his face in her neck again.
Peg sighed through her smile. “Yes, thank you, Mr. MacKeage, for pulling him out of the water.”
“Jacob?” Duncan said in question. “Can you tell me what happened? What was that?” he asked with a chuckle when the boy muttered something into her neck. He ran his hand over Jacob’s wet hair. “Did you stumble and fall into the water, or did the ground give out underneath you?”
“I saw what happened,” Peter chimed in. He pointed at where Duncan had waded in after Jacob. “We seen bubbles coming out of the water when we was standing at the edge.” He looked up at Peg, a tad worried yet somehow defiant—just like the father he was too young to remember used to get. “I swear we wasn’t in the water, Mom, ’cause you told us to keep our sneakers dry.” He craned his head back again, first glancing at Robbie, then at Duncan. “And the sand suddenly sunk. I jumped back just in time, but Repeat wasn’t fast enough. See how the water is all up there now?” he said, pointing a dozen yards down the beach.
Peg shifted Jacob to her other hip when she realized her arms were going numb, but then signaled for Galen to take him when her brother-in-law walked up with his posse. “What’s going on?” he asked as he settled Jacob against his shoulder.
“We believe the sides of the old pit are caving in,” Robbie MacBain said. He looked at Peg. “How steep was the bank on this side before it flooded?”
“Not steep at all,” she said, frowning as she tried to picture it in her mind. She pointed to the west. “It was more vertical on that end, but even that’s been eroding over the last three years.”
“How deep is it?” Duncan asked.
Peg shrugged, looking at Galen. “What, maybe forty feet deep?”
“More like sixty or seventy feet toward the west end.” He looked at the shoreline closest to them. “But this side is mostly sand, so it’s probably not all that stable, especially with the tides.” He gestured to the east where the water came in from the newly formed fiord. “And there’s no telling how deep that opening to the lake is.”
Peg heard Duncan release a soft sigh and saw Robbie grin. “You do look like ye need a bath,” Robbie said.
“I’m really not due for another two weeks,” Duncan drawled, returning his grin. “I believe Alec was smelling a little off this morning, though. And he spends enough time on the ski slopes that he’s likely permanently numb.”
Peg couldn’t imagine what they were talking about—that is, until she saw Duncan start unbuttoning his shirt. “Never mind,” he said with a snort. “I’m soaked to my thighs already, so I might as well finish it. Hel—heck, maybe it will numb my ribs.”
She grabbed his arm. “Wait, you … you’re not actually going swimming?”
“For the love of God, man,” Galen said in surprise, hugging Jacob to him. “That water’s freezing!”
Duncan gently pulled free of Peg, reached in his back pocket and took out his wallet, then unclipped his cell phone from his belt. “Somebody has to check the slope on this side of the old pit,” he said, handing his belongings to Robbie, “before you walk out one morning and find your driveway underwater.”
“No,” she growled, grabbing him again when he went back to unbuttoning his shirt. But she was ready for him this time when he tried to pull free, and dug her fingers into his arm. “You are not doing this. I don’t care if the entire dooryard sinks into that pit; I’m
not going to stand here and watch you drown.”
The building gleam in his eyes disappeared, and he covered her hands with his own. “I’m not going to drown, lass. I’ve been swimming in cold mountain ponds since I was Peter and Jacob’s age. We all have,” he said, gesturing at Robbie. “And I need to see what that slope looks like so we can shore it up with the excavator. It might only be a matter of setting some large rocks in a few strategic places.”
“No,” she growled again, actually trying to shake him.
“I’m not willing to risk having it cave in,” he said, gently prying her hands off, then holding them against her angry tugging. “Not when it could happen while your children are out here playing, like it did just now.”
“Wait, what about the scientists?” she said. “The other day Steve told me they have an unmanned rover, so I’ll go to Inglenook and ask him to bring it here to look at the slope. He can drive their boat right into the pit.”
Duncan shook his head. “It would likely take them an entire day to bring a rover in here, when I can be in and out of the water in ten minutes and have the problem fixed in an hour. Robbie,” he said, turning away as he went back to unbuttoning his shirt. “Radio Alec from my pickup and have him bring down the excavator.” He glanced over his shoulder when Peg muttered a nasty little curse of her own under her breath, and arched his brow. “Maybe ye should take your boys inside for their naps.”
She started to spin away in disgust, but gasped instead when he shed his shirt and she saw the large bruise on his side and several small cuts on his arms and back. “Did you fall down the mountain naked?”
He turned in surprise and looked down at himself, then rubbed a tiny cut on his ribs with a grin. “It’s a very tall mountain.”
“And yet your jacket doesn’t seem to have so much as a scuff mark,” she said, gesturing at Jacob still wrapped up in his leather jacket in Galen’s arms.
Duncan walked over to sit on the picnic table and started taking off his boots. “Just be a good lass and go in the house, Peg,” he said as she walked toward him, “and let us men do our work.”
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