“I imagine with twins your hands are pretty full.” He nodded as if he knew anything at all about babies.
“They are,” she said, “but our older kids help.”
Des chuckled. “Help being relative. The other day our son wanted to put the babies in his wagon and pull them around behind his bike. I stopped that joyride in the nick of time.”
Sadie laughed. “Where was I?”
“Taking a shower. It all went down pretty fast.”
She pressed a hand against her face in false chagrin. “I’m just not as sharp as I used to be. Two babies now is a lot more exhausting than when my other kids were little. That extra ten years makes a big difference.”
Ten extra years. She looked to be about my age. See? I was already too old for a baby.
“Was that your daughter who opened the door?” Tyler asked.
Des nodded. “That’s Paige. She’s as good a hostess as Fontaine. And speaking of proper hosting, I have to admit this punch is awful. Tyler, want a beer? Come out on the deck with me and we can escape all this pink. I think Jasper is hiding there already.”
“It’s too warm outside for the baby,” Sadie said, tipping her head at the mini-McKnight he was holding.
Des looked over at me, optimistically. “Would you like to hold her?”
Would I like to hold her? The baby? Would I like to hold the baby? That’s what he said, but what I heard was Would you like to jump from this plane with no parachute?
“Um, sure.”
I held out my arms as if he were passing me a porcupine. His motions were casual, comfortable. Clearly he trusted my ability, even if I didn’t. But oh, good heavens. What if I dropped her? What if she cried? What if everyone could tell I hadn’t touched one of these things since my internship rotation in pediatrics? That had been a mighty long time ago.
Still, a rush of warmth spread through me as I took her, repositioning her in my arms. She stared up at me, the picture of intense tranquility. As if she knew how untutored I was and was silently promising to make this easy.
And easy it was. So easy. Maternal feelings fluttered around my heart like springtime butterflies, tickling just a little. She was beautiful, and squeezable, and warm. She smelled like baby powder and pure heaven.
My uterus howled like a lonely coyote.
Damn it. I did want one of these. I really, really did.
My glance up at Tyler was involuntary.
He looked at the baby.
And then at me.
Then he looked at the baby again as if she were Pandora’s box about to burst open. And maybe she was.
His cheeks flamed red.
Des thumped him on the back and gave an amused huff of laughter. “You need a beer.” It wasn’t a question, and Tyler turned and walked away without making eye contact with me again.
“That’s Shelby you’ve got,” Sadie said when the men had left us. “This one is Sydney. Do you have kids?”
The inevitable burn of cheek flush stole over my face as I began to stammer. “Me? No. Not yet. I mean, well, no. I think I may have missed my chance on that.”
She expertly flipped the baby up to her shoulder and patted its back gently. “Why?”
“I’m thirty-five.” I held up my left hand. “No husband. Kind of want one in the picture.”
“Understandable. You’ve got time, though. I’m thirty-six, and it all went fine with these two.”
“Yeah, I don’t see it happening.” I looked out toward the deck where the men were standing around a keg, laughing and talking with animated gestures. Tyler looked visibly more relaxed than he had when staring at me with the baby in my arms. I understood his reaction. He knew I wanted one of these. I hadn’t made it a secret. And it wasn’t my fault that holding her had set off a primordial chemical reaction in every maternal cell in my body, making me sway like a human metronome.
Sadie’s gaze followed mine, and we were silent for a moment.
When she turned back to me, her smile was sincere. “You know, there aren’t many secrets in this town.”
That made me laugh. “Yes, I’ve learned that.”
“Yeah. Well, for what it’s worth, everyone in this town thinks Tyler is a pretty good guy.”
He was. There was no denying it. Tyler Connelly was a good guy.
“Yes, he is,” I finally answered. “And very sweet. He’s also eight years younger than me. What does this town say about that?”
Sadie’s smile broadened. “They say you’re probably having a really good time.”
Chapter 26
THE SUN WAS SETTING OVER the lake, and a soft haze in the air gave our surroundings a muted, mystical quality. Or it could just be that I’d had two glasses of wine at dinner. Maybe it was my vision that was hazy. Either way, it was a warm, beautiful evening as Tyler and I strolled aimlessly along the docks of the Bell Harbor marina. He pointed out various boats, discussing aspects of each one as if they were old friends. He’d grown up at this place, and every captain we encountered as we walked had a smile and a wave for him.
“That’s the Mongoose, a thirty-eight-foot Tiara Express,” Tyler told me, pointing at a white boat with a navy-blue top. “Lots of extras on that one. And next to that is the Fishing Fortress. It’s a Sea Ray Express. Most of these have dual big-block Chevy engines.”
He said this as if it meant something significant. It didn’t. Not to me. But I didn’t have the heart to tell him all these boats looked pretty much identical, or that I didn’t know a big-block engine from a big block of cheese. Mostly I was just enjoying his enthusiasm and silently wishing he could somehow manage to restart his father’s charter business.
“Did you know it’s bad luck to take bananas on a fishing boat?” he said as we got to the end of one dock and turned around to go back.
“No. Why?”
He shrugged. “Not sure exactly, but it has something to do with the old trading days. I guess tarantulas would hide in the banana crates, and once you had a couple of mating tarantulas on your boat, it was hard to get rid of them.”
My whole body shuddered. “Oh, that’s awful. I’d have to jump overboard if I was on a boat full of big, hairy, badass spiders.”
Tyler laughed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I had no idea you were afraid of spiders.”
“I’m not, usually, but being surrounded by an extended family of scary tarantulas is different. Ugh!” I shuddered again but saw a perfect opening. “By the way, speaking of being surrounded by scary families, how would you feel about coming to my parents’ wedding?”
Tyler laughed. “Nice segue. Are they venomous?”
“Tarantulas or my family?”
“Either or.”
“No to both, but I do have a sneaking suspicion my mother’s personality has been supplanted by an alien. Long story. But the good news is, my family isn’t that big and they’re all sick to death of coming to my dad’s weddings, so it should be a pretty small crowd. It’s next weekend.”
“Next weekend?”
We stopped walking and stood face-to-face. I think I’d surprised him.
“Next Friday I’m working, but I can see about switching with someone, I guess.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t mention it sooner. I’ve blocked the whole thing from my mind, and now suddenly here it is. It’s in Bloomfield Hills, so we’d have to spend the night on Saturday.”
One eyebrow rose. “I assume I’d have my own room. I’m not the type to shack up with a woman at some cheesy motel.”
“It will be a very nice hotel.”
He smiled. I tingled.
“In that case, I will happily shack up with you.”
“Excellent.” I rose up on my toes and kissed him. Then we started walking again, our hands linked and swinging.
“So, there is something I’ve been me
aning to talk to you about,” Tyler said. “Something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’m not sure what you’ll think.”
He suddenly seemed a little pensive, and so suddenly, so was I. Any conversation that started with there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you usually ended up with someone being very upset. Or someone being very surprised. Or someone being very broken up with.
“OK. Let’s hear it.” We stopped walking again and I braced for impact.
He gazed out over the water for a minute, his lips pressed into a line until he finally started talking. “I’ve been a basic EMT for almost three years now. I’ve advanced as far as I can without additional classroom training. So . . .” He took a big breath and blew out the last part, “So, I’m thinking about enrolling in an advanced paramedic training course.”
“Paramedic training?” I’m sure I sounded surprised, not by what he’d said, but purely from relief over the absence of bad news. This was great news.
He nodded and started rapid-fire talking, as if he’d been saving up all these words for just the right moment and they were finally pushing their way out, like a seed breaking through the soil in time-lapse photography.
“Yeah, there’s an excellent program in Grand Rapids that I could do and still keep my job at MedPro. I’d have to keep working, obviously. I need the money. But those shifts would count as part of my internship. It’ll take a while, a year and a half in the classroom, plus I’ll have to take an anatomy and physiology course. But I think I can do it. Tuition is about nine grand, which I don’t exactly have right now, but I’m working on that.”
He ran out of breath and stared at me expectantly, watching for my reaction.
A paramedic?
“Tyler, I love that idea.”
Relief flooded his features. “You do? You don’t think it’s too . . . you know, simplistic?”
“Simplistic?”
“Yes. Simplistic. Evelyn, you’ve made it all the way through medical school and residency. Being a paramedic doesn’t really compare to that.”
The fact that he would think that hurt my feelings, but I guess I could see his point. Still, I wish that thought had never occurred to him.
“It’s not a contest, Tyler. Plus being a paramedic is an incredibly hard job. We both know that. I’ve been in the emergency department enough times when those guys show up to know there’s nothing easy about what they do. Plus I think you’ll be fantastic. You’re a natural.”
He smiled, and I could practically feel the tension easing out of him. We started walking again. “How do you figure that?” he asked.
“You just are. You take care of people constantly. Look how wonderful you were with me when I had the flu.”
His laughter echoed over the water. “Buying you Popsicles because you puked is hardly proof I’ll make a good paramedic. You’re being overly generous.”
“I’m not. And I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me this sooner.”
“I don’t know. I guess I wanted to look into it a little more before saying anything. I’ve been in such a holding pattern waiting for the legal stuff to get resolved. The delay with that is frustrating.”
I felt his elation bottling back up. I leaned closer against him as we headed back toward the buildings of the marina.
“What does your lawyer say about the delay?” I was tempted to mention that his lawyer was my best friend’s husband who may or may not be having an affair, but it didn’t seem relevant. And either way, Steve might be an asshole, but I had no idea if he was a good attorney.
“My lawyer says be patient. Scotty turns twenty-one next week, so at least the assault charges will be sealed forever. That’s a huge load off everyone’s mind, and he’s heading off to Fort Jackson at the end of the month.”
I lowered my voice. “Does your lawyer know it was Scotty who stole the Jet Ski?”
Tyler’s gaze darted around but no one was close enough to hear us. “He didn’t steal it. He borrowed it. And no. There was no point in telling him that.”
“I disagree. I think you should tell him everything. It might influence things in your favor.” Like the amount of crap Steve believed about Tyler and his family. And the amount of crap Hilary believed too.
“This is all being handled, Evie. OK? I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about it.”
His phone chimed in his pocket and he pulled it out. His face went pale as his eyes moved over the text message. His voice rasped with frustration. “Here’s something to worry about, though. God damn it. My mother’s been caught by security at Mason’s Jewelry Store. Shoplifting.”
Chapter 27
“ARE YOU SURE YOU DON’T want me to take you home first?” Tyler asked as we jumped into his Jeep to head over to the jewelry store where his mother was waiting, presumably in handcuffs.
“No, it’ll take you twenty extra minutes to drop me off. Just take me with you.”
His jaw was set, muscles clenched. I couldn’t blame him. This was hardly the best way for me to meet his mother. I could tell he was angry with her, and worried and embarrassed. My mother had a great many flaws, but at least shoplifting wasn’t one of them. This was awkward.
The drive was silent but mercifully short, and within minutes we pulled up in front of the store.
Tyler started to say something, then just shook his head. “You may as well come with me.”
Dark-haired Tilly Mason, owner of Mason’s Jewelry Store, met us at the front door. The closed sign had been turned around and most of the lights were off.
“Come on in, Ty,” she said as if this wasn’t the first time she’d been through this scenario.
“Hi, Tilly. Thanks for not calling the police. I owe you one.”
She shut the door behind us and locked it. “No, now we’re even. Thanks for saving my dad’s life when he had that heart attack. But Ty, she can’t take stuff from here.”
We walked to the back of the store as he answered, “I know. I’ll talk to her. And the next time she comes in, you just shoo her right back on out.”
Tilly opened another door leading to a small room, and there sat a pretty, petite woman who looked very much like her son, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She looked tired, though. Not just from fatigue or from the situation. Her forehead had the kind of creases that come from life nipping at you constantly. I could do something about those lines if she wanted me to, but it would be rude to mention it, under the circumstances.
She stood up from the chair and reached out to hug him. “Oh, Ty. Thanks for coming. I would’ve called Carl, but, well, it’s his bowling night, so I called you instead.”
She stepped back before reaching him and sniffled into a damp tissue. She’d seen me, and her eyes went round in surprise.
“Oh, goodness. My goodness. You must be Dr. Rhoades.” She reached up to smooth her disheveled hair and blushed furiously. She straightened her blouse and threw a glare at Tyler, as if to say how could you?
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. . . .” My voice trailed off as I realized I didn’t know her last name. She’d had two more husbands since marrying Tyler’s dad. Plus, all things considered, it wasn’t really that nice to meet her. Not under these conditions. I gave her a clumsy little wave and retreated into the corner of the room.
Tyler stepped closer to her, his voice stern. “Mom, the next time you try to lift something from Mason’s store, Tilly is going to press charges. You’re lucky as hell she didn’t call the cops on you this time. What were you thinking?”
His mother’s lips trembled. “I wanted to get Scotty something nice for his birthday.”
“By stealing it?”
“I wasn’t stealing it. I was carrying it closer to the window because the light was better over there. If that heartless Tilly Mason didn’t keep this place so dark, I wouldn’t have had to do that.
A mole couldn’t shop in here, it’s so dark.”
She peered around Tyler toward the store owner, her pointed glance an empty accusation.
Tilly crossed her arms. “That watch was in your purse, Donna. I’m not an idiot. And I’m not heartless either. If I was, you’d be in jail. Maybe I should call the police now instead of letting Ty take you home with a warning.”
He held up his hands between the two women. “OK, OK. Let’s get this settled as amicably as possible.” He turned to Tilly. “I really appreciate you being discreet about this, Tilly. I’ll take my mom now and we’ll get out of here. How does that sound?”
“That sounds good.” She leaned around him and shook a finger at his mother. “But don’t you come back in here, Donna.”
Tyler’s mother sniffed. “As if I would. And don’t you shake a finger at me, young lady, or I’ll tell your mother how you used to smoke outside St. Aloysius instead of going in to mass.”
Tilly leaned forward, shaking her finger again. “You tell her that and I’ll tell everyone you drank communion wine every Wednesday when you were supposed to be dusting the altar.”
I pressed my lips tight. I shouldn’t be laughing. Shoplifting was a criminal offense and clearly this wasn’t the first occurrence, but the image of Tyler’s mother with a feather duster in one hand and a gold chalice of cheap red wine was damn funny. And any minute now these two ladies were going to start a slap-fest.
“OK!” Tyler said again. He grasped his mother by the wrist. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“Where’s my purse?” Donna asked as she trotted along behind him, and I followed.
“It’s on the counter near the front door,” Tilly said. “So you won’t have a chance to stuff anything else in there.”
“Thanks again, Tilly,” Tyler said gruffly as we walked out the door.
I walked past her and gave up another awkward wave. “I’m Evelyn, by the way. Nice to meet you.”
She smiled for the first time since we’d arrived. “Evelyn? You mean Bonfire Evelyn? Nice to meet you too.”
Best Medicine, The Page 23