Sea Glass Winter

by JoAnn Ross

  “I was eighteen, too,” Claire shared as she cut the remaining pie into five pieces. “But I had my mother, who stepped in and helped a lot.”

  “My mother missed Trey’s birth,” Kara said. “Since I got pregnant in high school, then eloped, I wasn’t exactly her favorite person at the time.”

  “I’m sorry.” Claire’s mother had been a rock. Only now was she beginning to realize how much she’d depended on her.

  “That’s okay.” Kara shrugged. “She and I had a double wedding this past summer, so life moves on.”

  “That’s nice. I lost my mom this summer. I can’t count how many times a day I miss her.”

  “I’m so sorry.” When Kara’s eyes misted up, Charity reached into her purse, pulled out a Kleenex, and handed it to her. “Thanks.” She dabbed at her eyes even as she managed a crooked smile. “Hormones,” she complained.

  “I remember those well.”

  “Wow,” Sedona said, looking out the window at the shipwreck. “You’ve got a dynamite view from here.”

  “That was my main reason for buying the cottage,” Claire said as she placed the plates of pie on the table. “I knew it was going to take a major renovation.

  “Fortunately,” she said to Maddy, “your husband comes highly recommended.”

  “He’s always been good with his hands,” the chef said, which drew knowing laughs from the other women.

  “Maddy and Lucas were high school sweethearts,” Charity volunteered.

  “It was like something out of one of those old teen romance movies,” Kara said. “Lucas was the rich summer boy and Maddy, who’d been orphaned, was the herb farmer’s granddaughter. Everyone thought for sure they were going to get married; then Lucas made the bonehead move of breaking up with her.”

  “Well, technically I broke up with him. Which was what he wanted me to do,” Maddy said, shaking her head. “Because I wanted to get married and he wanted me to stick to my dream of going to Europe to expand my culinary skills… . Fast-forward, I ran off, heartbroken, then later made the mistake of marrying the wrong man.”

  “I—” Claire slammed her mouth shut so hard her teeth rattled, but she knew the damage had already been done.

  “You know.” Maddy smiled. “Don’t worry, just about everyone on the planet has seen my former husband’s sex video.”

  “I haven’t,” Claire said honestly. “But I did hear about it.”

  “It was not a fun time. But it turned out well, because I came home to lick my wounds and figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. What I never expected was for Lucas to be here, too.”

  “He’d agreed to add an addition to her grandmother’s farmhouse.” Sedona continued the story, patting her heart. “And the sparks were still there.”

  “Maddy didn’t want to admit it,” Charity said.

  “But it sure was fun watching him wear her down,” Kara said. “One of the things you’ll learn,” she confided in Claire, “is that living in a small town requires us to invent our own entertainment.”

  “And Lucas and Maddy definitely provided a lot last spring,” Charity finished up.

  “I met your husband this morning,” Claire told Maddy as she joined the other women at the table. “He had some great ideas.”

  “He always does. I was kidding about the hands thing. But he really is an excellent contractor.”

  “From the work he did at the Dancing Deer Two, I can see that,” Claire agreed.

  She took orders for three cups of coffee. Kara had come prepared with her own tea bag of an herbal blend from Lavender Hill Farm.

  “Sax became the caffeine police the minute I told him I was pregnant,” she said with sigh. She took a bite of the pie and moaned. “Oh, my God. That’s so good! And fortunately, I’m eating for two, so calories don’t count. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

  The others laughed, and for the next ten minutes Claire enjoyed the type of girl talk she couldn’t remember having in, well, perhaps going all the way back to school. Her days had consisted of work and having lunch with her mother, who, as a children’s book illustrator, also worked at home. She did get away on sales trips and to trade shows, but while there was a social aspect to those occasions, they were also focused on business.

  “Did Matt or Dillon tell you about the basketball team crabfest?” Charity asked.

  “No. Is that what it sounds like?”

  “If it sounds like a fund-raiser, you’re right. It’s also this Friday night at Bon Temps. It’s like a typical school spaghetti supper, but with a local coastal twist. The menu is boiled Dungeness crab, salads, bread, and desserts. Along with soft drinks, coffee, and tea.”

  Terrific. Wasn’t that just what she needed? “I can’t begin to handle spaghetti. Let alone crab. I probably would’ve given Matt food poisoning last night if Dillon Slater hadn’t steamed the clams I bought at Farraday’s.”

  Sedona arched a blond brow. “Wow, that was fast work on his part. Isn’t he too cute for words?”

  “Really?” Claire pretended nonchalance. “I didn’t notice.”

  The obvious lie caused the other women to laugh.

  “Seriously,” she insisted as looks were exchanged. “He just came over to talk about Matt’s place on the team. Then my clams began crying—”

  “Oh, that’s so creepy when they do that,” Kara said. “I grew up eating them, but I’m still always afraid that when I open the refrigerator, there’s going to be a giant clam waiting to suck me in. Just like some old black-and-white horror movie.”

  “I know! I felt exactly the same way.”

  “Great minds,” Kara said. “Dottie and Dorothy told me I’d like you. And they were right.” There was a trill from her purse. She dug out her phone, then sighed as she read the caller ID. “It’s Sax.”

  “There’s a surprise,” Maddy said.

  “I think that’s a record,” Sedona said. “It’s been at least ten minutes since he called.”

  “It’s because of those damn Braxton Hicks,” Kara muttered. “He won’t stop hovering.” She hit the button, then rolled her eyes as she listened to what Claire took to be husbandly words of concern.

  “No, darling. I’m fine. Really… Yes, of course I’ll call you if I go into actual labor. But don’t hold your breath, because it isn’t going to be for another three weeks… . No, really? . . . Thanks for letting me know. Whatever would we do without that expectant father book? And yes, I know I have a doctor’s appointment today, and if you don’t hang up and get back to work, I’m going to be late.

  “No. I won’t speed. I’m the sheriff, remember? It’d be humiliating to be stopped by one of my deputies. Good-bye. I’ll see you this evening. Thanks to Charity bringing up the basketball crabfest, I’m now craving Jake’s butter-roasted crab, so how about you, Trey, and I going out to the Crab Shack for dinner? . . . Great… Love you, too.”

  She hung up and shook her head with exasperation. “Thanks to my beloved husband’s news flash, I now know that babies have been known to come early.”

  “You should call Phoebe,” Maddy suggested. “In case Dr. Parrish failed to inform her of that possibility.”

  “Speaking of Phoebe,” Charity said, “has anyone spoken with her today?”

  “No. She asked yesterday if she could take the day off to stay home to help the new dog she was adopting from you settle in.”

  “That’s just it,” Charity said. “She never showed up.”

  “What?” Sedona and Maddy said at the same time.

  “That’s not like her at all,” Maddy said. “She’s always very dependable.

  “Oh, she wasn’t exactly a no-show. Ethan called and said something had come up and they’d have to put off the dog adoption for few days. Which is fine, since I don’t exactly have a line outside the door waiting to take the dogs home. But there was something in his voice… .”

  She glanced over at Claire. “I’m sorry. It’s rude to be talking about someone you don�
�t even know.”

  “I’ve seen her on a couple of your shows,” Claire said. “She’s very good.”

  “She is. You’ll hear the story, so we might as well fill you in.”

  As the women told her about the former Stephanie Fletcher, now Phoebe Tyler, Claire realized what a strong bond they’d formed. She hoped that their visiting was their way of letting her know that their circle could include one more.

  “I just realized we got sidetracked and I never finished filling you in on the crabfest,” Charity said. “You don’t have to worry about cooking. Jake, from the Crab Shack, is a member of the boosters, so he boils and donates the crab.

  “The boosters pay for the drinks, and Sax is not only supplying the space, but tossing in some popcorn shrimp with his famous Come-Back sauce as an appetizer. Also, Sedona’s sweet enough to supply the cupcakes, Lavender Hill Farm kicks in the salad, and the Grateful Bread supplies the rolls and bread. All the families have to do is buy tickets, show up, and let the boys serve them dinner.”

  “I can handle that,” Claire said, trying to imagine Matt serving her dinner. “I’m glad you let me know. It’d be just like Matt these days to spring it on me ten minutes before we were due at the school.”

  “Give him time,” Charity said. “Gabe and I adopted two children last year. There was an adjustment period, since both Johnny and his sister, Angel, had practically grown up in foster care. But Johnny’s making honor roll and he’s on the team with Matt. He says your son’s a phenom.”

  “So they say. His dream is to get to the pros, though I’d much rather have him concentrate on his schooling and get an education. Which is why I was so grateful Coach Slater gave him a wake-up call about grades and scholarships last night.”

  “From what I hear from Johnny, Dillon’s a great teacher,” Charity said. “He’s smart and clever, and he really likes kids.”

  “Partly because he’s still part kid himself,” Kara suggested.

  “That’s what makes him fun,” Charity countered. “How many other men do you know who set off cannons?”

  “Not my husband, fortunately,” Kara said. “Considering I like Sax having all ten fingers.”

  That said, she pushed herself out of the chair. “I’m afraid we have to get going, but it was lovely meeting you, and although I know you’re busy, I do hope we’ll be able to get together over the holidays… .

  “Oh! That reminds me of what I wanted to ask you. I swear, my brain’s in a fog these days.”

  “Pregnancy brain,” Claire said. “I remember it well.”

  “The main reason we came here today, along with bringing you some meals for while you settle in, is so I could introduce myself and invite you to Thanksgiving dinner.”

  “Oh, that’s very nice, but I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

  “Don’t be silly. We have a huge house we’re just rattling around in. Sax and his brothers will be doing all the cooking. They actually enjoy it,” she said with a roll of her expressive eyes.

  “I’ve already invited some other people who don’t have family here, and since this will undoubtedly be a difficult year for you, not having your mother, it might be good for your son to have some other kids around.”

  “Gabe and I’ll be there with Johnny and Angel,” Charity volunteered. “When Matt gets sick of all us old fogies, he can go shoot hoops with Johnny.”

  Claire had planned to get a takeout turkey dinner from the market’s deli. But Charity had a point. It would be good for Matt and her to start having a social life.

  “I’d love to come,” she decided. “Thanks for inviting me.”

  “It’ll be fun,” Kara said simply as Maddy helped her slip back into her coat.

  Claire stood in the doorway watching the SUV until it had turned onto the road and disappeared around a tight S curve. For the first time since arriving in Shelter Bay, she was actually feeling optimistic.

  27

  “I like her,” Charity said as they drove toward the bridge to return to town.

  “She is nice, isn’t she?” Kara agreed.

  “Though it’s sort of amazing that her son is fifteen years old and she’s never learned to cook,” Maddy said.

  “Not everyone cooks,” Charity said. “My mother’s gone her entire life without knowing how to feed herself. And Marcy Curtis said that Claire and her son lived with her mom, who died this past year after a lengthy bout with cancer. Maybe she’d been their family cook.”

  “Well, we’ll still have to get her up to speed,” Maddy decided. “If I have to give her private lessons in her house.”

  “Well, if I were you I’d wait until after Lucas replaces that ancient stove,” Sedona said. “Maybe it’s a good thing she doesn’t cook, because she could well burn the place down… .

  “That was clever how you worked your way into sneakily inviting her to Thanksgiving dinner,” she said to Kara.

  “I wasn’t being sneaky. I was totally telling the truth about inviting people who don’t have family.”

  “Ah, but I grew up Catholic,” Maddy said, “where we’re taught all about the sin of omission. Which you pretty much committed by not mentioning that Dillon Slater happens to be the other person you invited to dinner.”

  “It was also clever how you conveniently failed to mention that he asked you to invite her,” Charity pointed out.

  “So? And here I thought you, of all people, would approve of matchmaking,” Kara shot back. “Is there anyone but Claire Templeton left in town without a dog or cat?”

  “There are a few holdouts,” the vet said dryly. “And I do approve. Which was why I was complimenting you on how you slipped it in.”

  Kara’s phone, which she’d stuck in the cup holder, rang again. She glanced down at the caller ID and grinned.

  “Would you take that,” she asked Sedona, who was riding shotgun, “and tell Coach Slater that his date for Thanksgiving is set?”

  28

  Matt had stopped by his locker after lunch to get his English textbook when an amazing pair of breasts came bouncing toward him. They were attached to Dickhead’s blonde.

  “Hi,” she said, a little breathlessly, as if she’d been working out. Or maybe—he thought back to what her boyfriend had implied earlier—having sex in Dirk the Jerk’s backseat. “I’m Taylor Bennington.”

  “Like Bennington Ford?”

  “That’d be it.” Her glossy lips smiled, revealing blinding, perfect white teeth. “Daddy has another dealership in Boise. When this one came available last year, we moved here so he could get it started.” She tossed her hair in a sexy way. “It sucks being the new kid in school, doesn’t it?”

  “Yeah. But I doubt you had any problems.” He thought back to what Aimee had said about the girls at BHHS. She’d been mostly right. Except for a small minority, most of them had looked a lot like Taylor Bennington.

  “Isn’t that sweet of you to say?”

  As a group of freshmen plowed by like a school of minnows keeping tightly together for defense in a sea of sharks, she bumped against him. It could have been an accident. The way her chest stayed plastered against his definitely wasn’t.

  “I’m going to be your cupcake girl,” she said.

  “Cupcake girl?” Was that, like, a euphemism for something else?

  “The cheer squad always brings cupcakes for the players on the away games. We’re each assigned players.”

  She treated him to another dazzling smile that could’ve lit up the rainy day from the California border up to the Washington State line.

  “I asked for you.” Eyes as blue as a sunny summer sky back home sparkled. “I hope you’re not one of those health nuts who hate cupcakes.”

  “What’s not to love about cupcakes?”

  “That’s exactly what I always say. Especially since the cupcakes at Take the Cake are purely orgasmic.” The thought of Taylor Bennington in the hot, noisy throes of orgasm nearly took the top of Matt’s head off. “What’s your favorite kind?”


  “Kind?”

  “Cupcakes. My favorite is Better Than Sex.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Though he had no empirical evidence—yet—he seriously doubted any cupcake could be better than sex.

  “Great. That’s what I’ll get you, then. And surprise you with some other flavors. Also, the other reason I wanted to talk with you is that my parents are going to be in Oahu for some Ford dealers’ convention the night after the team’s season opener,” she said. “So naturally, I’m having a party at my place. Please tell me you’ll come.”

  Matt thought about his mother being away in Portland that night. He knew she’d hit the roof if she found out he was going to a party that was going to be totally lacking in adult supervision. But, hey, she was going to be out of town. And what she didn’t know she couldn’t worry about.

  “Sweet,” he said.

  “Oh, great.” She clapped her hands, then rose up on the toes of those red UGGs and kissed his cheek.

  Matt was debating turning his head, just the slightest bit, and kissing her mouth when the bell rang.

  “Well, I’d better get to class,” she said. “Mr. Petterson is always so cranky when I’m late. It’s like he’s in permanent PMS. Sometimes I wonder if he must’ve been a girl in another life. The other day he told me I was flirting with an EMD. I mean, is that petty, or what?”

  “EMD?”

  “Early morning detention.” She sighed heavily, which did interesting things to her breasts. “You know, like The Breakfast Club movie? But without the dancing and the pot.”

  She waggled a good-bye with her fingers, then rushed off, allowing him to finally touch his cheek where she’d left behind a glossy imprint.

  It was the same type of impulsive, casual kiss Matt had given Aimee this morning. Even less of one, since only the corner of her glossy pink lips had gotten anywhere near his.

  As she melded into the crowd dashing to classrooms and he sprinted off to class, Matt told himself that she’d just been being friendly to the new kid. It didn’t mean anything.