by Natalie Ann
“That’s great. I was going to ask how that was going. Where, if you don’t mind sharing?”
“My cousin Drew called me earlier this week. I’ll try to make this short and not bore you with history, but I think you know most of the major players since you’ve brought their names up yourself. But Drew got engaged in February. His fiancée is renting a house from Bond Realty. That is how they met. She’ll obviously be moving in with Drew soon, but she has one roommate. That roommate is dating Mac.”
“Mac Bond?” he asked of the chief of police.
“Yes. Sidney had some trouble last week. An ex had been stalking her and no one knew. He showed up on the island and made his way into their house and was attacking her. Choking her, from what I heard. Mac arrived on time when the guy pulled a gun on him and Mac shot him.”
“Wow. I hadn’t heard this,” he said. Not that he paid too much attention to the local news. Though now that he thought of it, he remembered a lot of side conversations in the bank but walked past them like always. “I hope everyone is okay?”
“They are. Thankfully. But Drew is positive Mac is going to push the issue that Sidney move in with him now or very shortly. Amanda, Drew’s fiancée, said that Sidney wanted to transfer the lease in her name and Mac kept asking her to hold off. Maybe there is another engagement coming. Not sure and I don’t want to assume, but that would make the house available for me.”
“You’d want to stay where there was an attack and shooting done?” he asked, his jaw dropping.
She grinned at him. “Stuff like this happens all the time in life. It wasn’t random, I’ve got no worries.”
“I guess so. That might make me nervous.”
“Don’t try to talk me out of this. Even my own parents weren’t this bad,” she said, tilting her head at him.
“Sorry. Maybe it’s the Dad genes coming out. You’re an adult and I shouldn’t be telling you what to do.”
She laughed this time. “You aren’t telling me what to do. We are just talking. I don’t mind the concern. It’s kind of nice, if I’m being honest. But it’s all good, and again, nothing is set in stone. I could be getting excited over nothing. Either way, I can stay with my parents until I get my own house. Or Eli offered me a place at the casino.”
“You’re considering living at the casino?”
“Your face is priceless,” she said. The waitress brought over their drinks and asked if they were ready to order and it gave him time to get control of his reactions to what she was saying and try not to blow this.
“Sorry,” he said once the waitress left with their orders. “I just didn’t think of that.”
“I’m not considering it,” she said. “Even if I get sick of staying with my parents, the thought of being in a hotel or the casino and all those people isn’t on my list of enjoyable pleasures. I don’t sleep well with noise and there’d be a lot there.”
“So where is this house that you might end up with?”
“The north end,” she said. “Maybe a mile or two from the port.”
The other end from where they were and about a thirty-minute drive between their houses. “Not a bad drive to the clinic then,” he said.
“No. About ten minutes. Then another five to the hospital. About fifteen more to here. It’s the same drive from my parents to the hospital and then about five more to the clinic. It’s still way better than dealing with the ferry.”
“Definitely,” he said.
“So my other news is Eli’s director of security is working on trying to track down who might have stolen my identity. It could be someone in Russia for all we know, but since you know as well as I do the purchases were locally in Massachusetts and New York, that might not be the case.”
He’d seen some of the transactions when the paperwork was going back and forth between him and Hailey and thought that this might be a local that did it too.
“No. And it might be easier to catch the person too.”
“That is what Griffin thinks, but he hasn’t said much more to me. Hailey got the information on the other three cards and sent that on too. As Griffin has said, my life is pretty much frozen.”
“I’ve met Griffin a time or two,” he said. He’d gone to the hotel to meet with Eli and assure his money was safe and secure. Griffin had been in the room both times drilling him on questions. The guy was smart and downright intimidating next to the laid back Eli Bond.
“He’s a character. I’ve never talked to him until weeks ago.”
“If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Thanks,” she said. “You’ve been a great help to me already. My father and brothers, even Eli, all say the same thing about you.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“He’s a great guy, they say.”
“Points for me I suppose. Guess I’m doing a good job at my job.”
“I think it’s more than something with your job. My family knows I’m here with you, but I appreciate you not offering to pick me up.”
He figured that might be the case. “Adele knows who I’m with too,” he said.
“And you didn’t want her to?” she asked.
“I wasn’t going to hide it. She asked who I was with tonight and I said a friend. Immediately she asked if it was you. She keeps wanting to learn how to braid. I’m hopeless to teach her. I’m still shocked I was able to do it myself.”
She smiled at him. A soft one that warmed him in places that had been cold for way too long. “That’s sweet. And this is where you say your daughter comes first, so no worries, I know that. I think it’s a great quality to have in a man to put their family first. It’s how I was raised and I’d expect no differently from someone I get to know better.”
“Thank you for that,” he said. “I worried.”
“Which means that it’s been an issue in the past?”
“It has been. I haven’t dated often because the last time a year ago left a bad taste in my mouth. She wanted more time than I could give her. I’m glad I never introduced her to Adele and had that worry.”
“But I’ve met your daughter and now you’re worried about that?” she asked.
It dawned on him that, no, he wasn’t worried at all. “Actually it hadn’t even crossed my mind. She sees you as a friend and maybe that works to my benefit.”
“It could,” she said. “Any advantage helps us both. So...you know I’m going to ask this and you can tell me to mind my own business, but I’d like to know how your wife passed away.”
He was prepared for this to come up and he owed it to her. “She died in premature labor along with my son.”
12
I Like You
Of all the things that Seth could have said, she hadn’t expected to hear that come out of his mouth.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I guess it makes me wonder how you can even be on this date with me.” At least she assumed it was a date. Yes, it was. She was doubting herself when she never did before.
“Why wouldn’t I be? You had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t doctor error. At least I don’t believe so.”
“That’s good. But still. There are a lot of people who blame anyone they can in horrible situations like that. I haven’t been doing this long and have had all good turnouts during delivery, but I know that sometimes the needle on the spinning wheel doesn’t land in the best spots.”
“No,” he said. “Do you want to know what happened? I’m sure you could understand if anyone could.”
“Of course, if you want to talk about it,” she said. Maybe he needed to get it off his chest with someone that understood like he’d said.
“Ellen, my wife, started to bleed at about five months pregnant. Not much. She was seeing a new doctor. The one that delivered Adele had left the practice. This doctor had been there for years, but Ellen had never met her prior.”
“Did she have any problems with Adele?”
“No. Perfect pregnancy. No issues, nothing. Not
even any sickness. She breezed through it. I know a lot of women hate being pregnant.”
She laughed. “Oh yeah. I’ve heard it all.”
He smiled and she was glad to know he could at least do that. “She was good with it. But with the second one, she didn’t feel as good. She was tired more. Just worn out it seemed. When the bleeding started we were at the doctor’s right away. They ran tests and everything was fine. Said it happened to some people but to keep an eye on it. That it was really no more than spotting.”
“It is very common,” she said. “There are some women who get their period fully during the first trimester and don’t even know they are pregnant. Some longer. It’s not the norm, but not unheard of either.”
“So we were told and found out when we researched ourselves. It did calm us a bit, but then every time it happened we were nervous. It’d happened a few more times but small. And they’d diagnosed her then, telling us to take it easy when it happened. We did start to relax a little, but that night I was putting dishes away and she walked into the kitchen to say she was bleeding again. I told her to go lie down and I would finish cleaning up and we would watch TV in bed together. She’d just put Adele to bed.”
She reached her hand over and put it on his. “I’m sure you remember every detail of that night.”
He snorted. “Yeah. Some I wish I’d forget. I was unloading the dishwasher when she screamed my name. I ran to the room and there was a lot of blood on the bed. I called 911 knowing that I’d want medics working on her ASAP en route.”
“Smart,” she said. “Did she have placenta previa?”
“Yes. They said it covered her cervix. I don’t need to explain what happens then,” he said.
“No, you don’t.” It was always riskier in the third trimester and then blocking the cervix was the worst possible scenario. No doctor wanted to see that, and if they did, they wanted the patient in the OR immediately for a C-section.
“Ellen lost too much blood. She lost consciousness by the time they got her to the hospital. The baby was too premature. He only survived a few hours. I didn’t get to hold him until after he passed. By then Ellen was gone and, well, that part is a daze.”
“I’m sure. And this is the worst thing to even be talking about.”
“I used to think it was before. I never talked about it with anyone other than my mother and then it was minimal. I’m not sure why I told you as much as I did just now.”
“Because as you said, I understand. Maybe that is part of you needing to be ready. That you had to be able to say what you did.”
“I think you’re right.”
“And I know you want to say that Adele comes first again. I understand it all. I’ve never been someone to jump into a relationship before and won’t now. I’ve got a huge transition going on in my life.”
“I think that might be why I was so willing to come to dinner.”
“Oh, it wasn’t my glowing personality that did it?” she asked, grinning.
“That’s a big bonus,” he said. “I like you. I can’t say that about a lot of people. I loved Ellen and we got along and I liked her. I’d dated women before Ellen that I could honestly say, looking back, I might not have liked them all that much.”
She laughed. “I think I understand. My parents used to say that. That they loved each other to death. They shared a bond, they raised three kids. But they truly were friends and liked each other too. That if they ever had to be stuck on a remote island with someone, they’d pick each other.”
“Maybe it has to do with the bloodlines and this island having been remote at one point,” he said.
“Could be. I’m sure you know a lot of the history of the island?” she asked. “Or do I need to bore you with a lesson?”
“I know most of it. As I’ve said before, I’ve met and worked with some of your relatives.”
“Good. Some people find the whole thing funny; others are drawn to the lore and legend.”
“Do you believe it?” he asked.
She’d never thought much of it before. That merchant captain, Malcolm Bond, was issued a challenge to find this remote piece of land and if he could with minimal coordinates, he would win the hand in marriage of Elizabeth Rummer. The challenge had been issued by Victoria, Elizabeth’s own mother, in the hopes of saving their shipping empire after her husband had passed away.
Rumor had it that Malcolm found the island by accident at the end of the storm, but when he set eyes on Elizabeth it was love at first sight. The Bond family had used that story and history to help build the tourism of the island.
Many in the family believed it and tourists often came here even looking for their own true loves.
“I’m not sure I disbelieve it,” she said, laughing. “I haven’t had much time in my life to think of it one way or another.”
“Good to know,” he said.
“So now that we’ve got that all out of the way and I had you spill your guts…”
“I didn’t spill all that much,” he said. “Now if half my dinner ends up on my shirt or pants that would be different, but talking didn’t seem to bother me all that much.”
“I’m glad. So why did you move to Amore Island? Or was it a good job transfer?”
“Both,” he said. “My mother retired here and I needed help with Adele.”
“And your father?” she asked.
“My parents divorced when I was in high school and he moved out West. We didn’t see him much after and it was fine with me. My brother, Adam, felt it more than me not having a father around. Or he was more hopeful. To me, my mother is a rock star. She was all I needed.”
“Has anyone ever told you that a man that loves his mother is a pretty sexy thing?”
He started to cough since he’d just taken a sip of water. “No, they haven’t.”
“Well, it is. Family means a great deal to me and I respect others that feel the same. Which is why I’m going to take your lead on what you may or may not want to say to Adele if we go on another date. Which I’m hoping we will.”
Might as well throw it out there. If he didn’t want to, she had a feeling he’d voice that opinion.
“I’d like that too. And so you know, I’ve dated before. The last relationship, if we call it that, was a year ago. I hadn’t introduced Adele to her and she didn’t want to meet my daughter either. At least in the beginning. Then she brought it up as a way to push the relationship faster, but it wasn’t for the right reasons. In my gut it wasn’t. I should have realized right away that was a sign. She wanted me to spend more time with her and less at home.”
“She wanted you to choose?” she asked.
“Yes. I did. It wasn’t her.”
“And no one should make you do it.”
“Thank you for that. And since Adele knows I’m here with you, I guess if you’re willing, I’d like to see if you could see her again too. She thinks we are friends.”
“I’d like to think we can be that and more, but if friends is all it’s meant to be, then that is the case.”
“You’re very easygoing,” he said.
“I think I always was, but many might not say it. Some might say I’ve got a warped sense of humor too and I’m sorry if I put you on the spot by accepting Adele’s invitation. That was that part of me coming out.”
“I’m glad you did. And yes, I’d like to see where this could go too. Friends, or more.”
And at the end of the night, when they were standing next to her car, he reached for her hand and just held it. She thought it was sweet, but she wanted more and saw it in his eyes he did too.
So she asked, “Do I get a kiss goodnight?”
He laughed. “Absolutely.”
He leaned down, his lips lightly brushing hers, his tongue coming out to trace but not seek. It was a tease and it worked because she wanted a heck of a lot more.
13
Deep Topics
A month later, Ava was moving into her new rented home on Amore Island
.
No, it wasn’t perfect. Yes, it was too big. But she didn’t care.
Two of her cousins had bit the dust—or been bitten by the lore of the island—and gotten engaged the end of May.
First Mac Bond and Sidney. Drew had been right, and Sidney moved into Mac’s house, almost a minute after the ring was put on her finger. But it’d taken time to get everything of hers and Amanda’s out of the house.
The second was her cousin Emily and Crew Ackley. That would have been fun to hear about, knowing how long Emily had been engaged prior and yet only dated Crew for about six months.
But now Ava was here and it’d taken just as long for her to find a moving company to take the ferry across to bring her possessions. And when she finally did, they wanted it secured with a credit card. Which of course she didn’t have and wasn’t about to use her debit card for it. She hated calling her mother, but it had to be done.
What also had to be done was not really seeing much of Seth either and it was killing her knowing how their last date ended. Well, their first date.
Yes, they talked about some deep topics, but that was also best to do too. The air was as clear as the Antarctic. The kiss they shared at the end, not so much.
That was wrong. It was clear and somewhat clean, but it was teasing and leaving her wanting for so much more. She didn’t have to wonder if he felt the same way because in the past month they’d been talking and she knew he did.
But she’d been on call her last two weeks at her job so there was no way to get on the island. She used that time to pack everything she could and then filled her car up with as many of her possessions that she’d need for the two weeks before she could move into the house this weekend.
It wasn’t so bad staying with her parents. Or maybe that was because she knew it was short term. But she was busy at work and Seth was too. He’d said school was winding down and Adele was winding up.
She remembered those days as a kid on the countdown for summer break.
The only thing she could say was that Seth and she talked a lot on the phone at night when Adele was in bed. Not every night, but a few times a week for an hour or more.