by Marie Force
“Easy.” He tightened his hold on her. “I’ve got you.”
“We… I…” She looked up at him, comforted to see he was every bit as astounded by their kiss. “We were going to eat.”
“Right.” He released her in stages, making sure she was steady before he let go completely. The second his hand left her back, she wanted to beg him to put it back.
“The salad. You came in to get it.”
“Thank you for the reminder. I got a little sidetracked.”
That smile of his would be the absolute death of her. When he looked at her like that, smiled just for her… Potent.
He pulled two bottles of salad dressing from the fridge and handed them to her. “Check the dates. Things like that don’t get done the way they did when my dad lived here.”
“Neither is expired.”
“Excellent. After you.”
He carried the salad to the patio, where they encountered a disaster. While they had been making out in the kitchen, Ranger had helped himself to the steak on Finn’s plate, and he didn’t even have the decency to act guilty.
Chloe was mortified. “Ranger! Oh my God.”
The dog burped—loudly.
Finn lost it laughing.
“It’s not funny! He’s never done anything like that. For God’s sake, he can barely walk most of the time!”
“It is funny, and it’s not his fault. We left him alone with steak for quite a few minutes. What was he supposed to do?”
“He could’ve been a good boy and not eaten it!”
Ranger was defiant as he licked his chops and then settled on the patio for a full-belly nap.
“Come on.” Finn held her chair until she was settled. “You have to admit it’s kind of funny.”
“I refuse to admit anything of the kind since I believe he understands every word I say and will take that as permission to do it again.”
Finn stuck his lip out and made himself even more adorable, if that was possible. “Are you going to share yours with me?”
“Not if you’re going to laugh at his bad behavior.”
“I’m very sorry I laughed.” To Ranger, he said, “Bad boy. Don’t steal steak.”
If the dog could’ve rolled his eyes, he would have.
“That wasn’t very convincing.” She cut a quarter of her steak for herself and gave the rest to him.
“You didn’t keep enough.”
“I’ve got what I need.” She served salad to both of them and cut open the steaming baked potato to add butter and sour cream. “I haven’t had a baked potato in ages.”
“I love potatoes of any kind. My parents used to tease me about being Irish through and through because of my love of potatoes.”
“That’s funny.”
“As soon as I said that, I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have shared that.”
“Why?”
“After what you told me, I don’t want to be insensitive about growing up with parents who teased me about things when you didn’t have that.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course you should talk about them. You’re not being insensitive.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Remember, this is new information to you, but I’ve already lived with it for twenty-two years.”
He put down his fork, took a sip of his beer and stared at her.
“Do I have sour cream on my face?”
“No.”
“Then why are you staring?”
“I’m so awed by everything about you.”
“Stop it. You’re making my ego swell.”
“I mean it. You’re wise beyond your years and possibly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
Chloe’s body heated with embarrassment—and arousal. “How much beer did you drink before I got here?”
“I mean it, Chloe. I’d never say something like that unless I meant it.”
“Well, thank you. You’re not so bad yourself, but you certainly know that.”
“Anything that happened before the day I met you no longer matters to me.”
“That doesn’t sound casual, Finn.”
“This doesn’t feel casual, Chloe.”
The air between them crackled with expectation and awareness. And then she remembered his plans to leave the island in less than two weeks and all the reasons why this wasn’t possible for her and had to bring herself back to reality. “What are you doing tomorrow night?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“I’m the chairperson of the board for the island food bank, and we’re having a fundraiser at Stephanie’s Bistro. Drinks and appetizers, silent auction and entertainment by Owen Lawry. I have to be there, but I can get you a ticket if you’d like to come.” Talking about the fundraiser bought them both time to think about something other than the not so casual thing happening between them.
“I’d like to come, but I’ll pay for a ticket.” He crossed his arms on the table. “What does it say about me that I didn’t know the island has a food bank?”
“It says you should be thankful you’ve never needed it. In a service economy, a lot of the year-round residents struggle to make ends meet in the off-season. I’m involved in several efforts to help them get by during the winter.”
“I’m ashamed to say I’ve never given much thought to what happens to the seasonal employees in the winter.”
“Don’t be ashamed. It’s not something people broadcast, but there’s a fine line between the haves and the have-nots on this island. Maddie has been very involved in several of the organizations I work with and so has your aunt Linda. She and Maddie host a free Thanksgiving dinner at the marina every year.”
“I volunteered at the dinner last year. Our whole family was there. It was a great day.”
“Yes, it was.”
“You were there? Why do I not remember that?”
“I was only there for a few minutes. I dropped off pies before heading to a friend’s house for dinner.”
“I can’t believe I missed the chance to meet you sooner.”
“Think about how many times we’ve probably crossed paths on this tiny island without noticing each other.”
“Trust me. If I’d crossed paths with you before the other day, I would’ve noticed, and I would remember.”
“You’re very charming.”
“I’m not just saying that. I would have remembered you.”
Unnerved by his intensity, she looked down at the remains of her dinner, trying to find the wherewithal she needed to keep this situation from spiraling completely out of control. With every minute she spent with him, she wanted more.
“I made brownies.”
“You baked?”
“Yes, I baked.”
His indignant tone made her laugh.
“What’s so funny? My mom taught us how to bake when we were little kids.”
Chloe rolled her lips together so she wouldn’t laugh again.
“I can tell you’re trying not to laugh. We’ll see who gets the last laugh when you try my brownies.”
He got up, took their plates and went inside.
Chloe turned to watch him go, appreciating the way faded denim hugged his ass. Did he have to be so freaking sexy and sweet and sincere and perfect? Sometimes life really wasn’t fair. He’d been here almost two years and she didn’t meet him until he was days away from leaving. How was that fair?
Her chest ached with a sense of loss. She had no business allowing herself to get sucked into this crazy attraction to him. Not only was he leaving, but there was a very good chance she could end up disabled in the next few years, and the last thing she wanted was saddle him—or anyone—with her situation. Speaking of not fair…
She would eat the brownies he’d baked, thank him for dinner, collect Ranger and head home. After the benefit tomorrow night, she would tell him she couldn’t continue whatever this was between them. It hurt to think about what might’ve been, but she needed to be realistic. He wa
s leaving the island, and she was plagued with a condition that was getting worse, even if she wanted to pretend otherwise.
When he returned with a plate of brownies, she tried to push her troubling thoughts to the side to enjoy a few more minutes inside the fantasy. That’s all this was. A fantasy. A what-if. A diversion.
Naturally, the brownies were to die for. “Your mother taught you well.”
“I’ll let her know you think so.”
“Are you close to her?”
“Not like I used to be before everything happened between her and my dad. Riley and I have had a hard time with how she handled it. I mean, if you want out, get a divorce. Don’t run off with someone else when you’ve been married thirty years. My dad deserved better than that.”
“No kidding. Is she still with the other guy?”
“Nope. That didn’t last long, and she has since expressed regret for what happened with Dad. He’s moved on with Chelsea, so it worked out for him.”
“Do you live near her at home?”
“About three miles away. Riley and I own a condo together.”
“It’s so sweet how close you guys are.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said with a laugh. “We used to fight like tomcats, according to my dad. But once we hit high school, we were over that crap. Truth be told, I had a hard time when he fell for Nikki and moved out. Felt like the end of an era.”
“I’m sure it was a big adjustment for you.”
“It was, even if I’m a little ashamed to admit it. I really love her. She’s great and perfect for him in every way. But still…”
“It was hard for you to let him go.”
“Yeah. And that’s one of many reasons why it felt like a good time to move home.”
“Past tense?”
He looked at her with those ice-blue eyes that seemed to see right through to the heart of her. “Past tense. Now I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
“Finn…”
“I want this to be real, Chloe. I want all these things that I feel when you’re around—hell, even when you aren’t… I want it to be real.”
“I can’t.”
“Tell me why. Make me understand.”
“You are wonderful, and tonight was so great. It’s just that I’m not in a place where I can accommodate something like this. Trust me when I tell you that I wish I was. I really do.” Her heart broke as she said the words, which told her it was the right thing to stop this now. It wouldn’t get easier later. “Come on, Ranger. It’s time to go home. Say thank you to Finn for the steak you stole from him.”
Ranger got up, stretched and came over to see them.
Finn scratched him behind the ears. “I hope you enjoyed every bite, buddy.”
Chloe made herself get up, carry items inside, put the leash on Ranger and turn to say goodbye to Finn. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m sorry, Finn.”
“So am I. You have no idea how sorry I am.”
“I think I do.”
“Then don’t go. Stay.”
Chloe kissed his cheek. “Thank you again for dinner.” Before she could give in to the temptation to take him up on his offer, she shooed Ranger out the door and followed him to the car.
She cried all the way home.
Chapter 11
Mac bathed three kids, read stories, tucked them in and tiptoed out of baby Mac’s room, hoping he was down for the count after being fussy earlier. Maddie said he was teething and that if we remembered the pain of getting teeth, we’d be permanently traumatized. She always knew what was wrong with their babies when they weren’t themselves.
He felt like a fumbling fool next to her, and soon there would be two more of them.
They were already outnumbered, and it was about to get worse.
It had taken him months to get his head around the fact that he and Maddie were expecting twin girls. She had been so freaked out by the possibility of losing them, she’d refused to tell anyone the news.
Last night, she conked out right after they got home, and today he hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to her about anything other than staying on top of the demands of three little kids. He needed some time with her, and he hoped she was still awake.
In case she wasn’t, he tiptoed into the master bedroom where she sat up in bed, her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She wore one of the sexy nightgowns he regularly bought for her at her sister’s shop. Tiffany liked to tell him that he was one of her best customers.
“In case I forget to tell you, I’m nominating you for husband and father of the year.”
Mac unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off. “How come?”
“You got all three of them in bed and presumably asleep in forty-five minutes. That has to be a new record.”
“They were tired after playing with Ashleigh and Addie.” Tiffany, Blaine and the girls had come over for dinner.
“Still, you are my hero.”
He stopped short, slayed by her words and the love behind them. They’d been together for years now, and she still managed to stop his heart at least once a day.
She patted the bed. “Hurry up.”
“I’m hurrying.” He went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth and pulled off his jeans, returning wearing only boxers. Curling up to her in bed at the end of a long day was his favorite thing, and tonight was no exception. “Mmmm, you smell good.”
“I put on that lotion you like after my bath.”
“Are you trying to get in my pants?”
She snorted with laughter and gave him a playful shove.
“Because I’m rather easy where you’re concerned.”
“Even when I’m bigger than a beached whale?”
He scowled at her, hating when she talked down about herself. “A. You are not a beached whale. And B. I want you all the time. Twenty-four-seven-three-hundred-sixty-five.”
“That’s a whole lotta want.”
“And it’s all for you.”
To his horror, her eyes filled with tears that appeared out of nowhere when she was pregnant. Even knowing it was the hormones causing them, every one of them broke him. She quickly swept them away. “Sorry.”
“For what?”
“I know how girl tears freak you out.”
“Not just any girl tears. Your tears freak me out. I never want you to be sad or upset about anything.”
“These are happy tears.”
“There ought to be a manual that comes with all wives so we know the difference between good tears and bad tears.”
She laughed even as tears spilled down her cheeks.
Mac wiped them away. “Why the happy tears?”
“The things you say to me, the way you love me, even after all this time. It amazes me.”
“I know that deep inside, the little girl who watched her father walk away keeps thinking that’s going to happen to you.”
“I don’t think that.”
“Maybe not consciously, but you know it’s possible, so you worry.”
“You would never do that to me or our kids.”
“Never, ever, ever.”
“I know that, Mac.”
He took her hand and linked their fingers. “And I know it was a big deal for you to tell everyone about the babies.”
“I’m still waiting for disaster to strike.”
“Me, too.”
She rested her head on his chest, and he put his arm around her, holding her close where he wanted her most.
“What the hell am I going to do with three girls?” he asked with a dramatic sigh.
“You’ll be their bitch.”
“Seriously. They’ll lock me in a closet and go out with boys who drive fast cars and drink beer. And if they look anything like their mother… Dear God, I won’t survive it.”
She rocked with silent laughter. “I’m picturing them pushing you in a closet and locking you in.”
�
��It’s not funny.”
“Yes, it really is.”
“Will you rescue me from the closet, or will you team up with my three daughters against me?”
“I will always rescue you the same way you rescued me the day we met.”
“After I walked into your bike and turned you into a bloody disaster?”
“Not that so much as how you loved me—and Thomas—from the beginning and have never wavered in your devotion to us. No one has ever been more devoted to me than you are.”
She had a way of bringing him to his knees even when he was lying down. “It’s a good thing I married you, then.”
“A very good thing. Mac?”
“Hmm?”
“Tell me again that the babies are going to be fine.”
“Our babies are going to be perfect—healthy, beautiful like their mother, sassy like their sister and will have their daddy wrapped around their little fingers from the minute they are born.”
“Will you keep telling me?”
“Any time you need to hear it.”
“I might need to hear it a lot.”
“I’m available on a moment’s notice.” He massaged her lower back, which often ached when she was pregnant. “What’re we going to name these angels of ours?”
“Francine and Linda?”
“For middle names, maybe. One should be Madeline, since we have another Mac.”
“We only did that to keep up the tradition. One Madeline is enough for this family.”
“She is more than enough for me.”
“You’re stacking up the points tonight.”
“I’m sure I’ll need them before too long.”
“Probably. You do have a way of getting yourself into trouble without trying very hard.”
“It’s my special gift.”
“Back to names. Do we want them to have the same first initial?”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”
“My grandmother’s name was Evelyn. What do you think of that?”
“I like it. Would we call her Evie?”
“We could.”
“My grandmothers were Jane—and we’ve already got one of them—and Emma.”
“Two E names! Emma Linda McCarthy and Evelyn Francine McCarthy. What do you think?”
“Works for me. I love that we’re naming them after their grandmothers and great-grandmothers.”