by Marie Force
“Since when can we afford to fly private?”
“Since your song went to number one and stayed there for twelve weeks. This is all your fault.”
She smiled even as she rolled her eyes. “My fault. Whatever you say.”
He placed his fingers on her chin and met her gaze. “There’s no ‘My Amazing Grace’ without my amazing Grace.” Kissing her, he added, “You’re the secret to all my success, and now I want to spoil you a little bit, so will you please let me?”
“If I must.”
“You must.” He followed her out of the car, helped the driver with their bags and then walked with her up the stairs to the plane. They were greeted by the pilots and flight attendant and given VIP service on the two-and-a-half-hour flight. When the pilot announced they’d be landing in thirty minutes, Evan opened his backpack and found the item he’d bought on the sly a week ago in anticipation of this moment.
“What’s that?”
“The blindfold I need you to wear for a short time.”
“What is going on, Evan?”
“Good things.” He kissed her as he put the blindfold in place. “Only good things.”
“Can I blindfold you later?” she asked.
He went immediately hard at the thought of her taking that kind of initiative. “Any time you want, baby.” Grasping her hand, he placed it on his hard cock so she could feel what her innocent question had done to him.
She snorted with laughter. “You’re so easy.”
“Only with you.”
The plane made a smooth landing on the island right on schedule at one o’clock. His dad’s best friend, Ned Saunders, was picking them up and under strict orders not to say a word until they’d reached their destination. Grace would know Ned’s voice anywhere, and he wanted to at least try to keep the fact that they were home a secret until they got to where they were going.
He helped her off the plane and into the broiling heat that had gripped the island for days now and had most likely caused the island-wide power failure. They’d lived through a few power outages growing up here, usually when it was hot like this.
Evan had donned a ball cap that he pulled down over his face, hoping he wouldn’t be recognized in the terminal. They got lucky. The place was nearly deserted. As they walked out the main door, Ned’s woody station wagon was parked at the curb. He greeted Evan with a big grin and a thumbs-up that their plan was coming to fruition.
“When will I know where we are?” Grace asked as Ned drove them to their destination with the AC on full blast. “It’s obviously somewhere hot.”
“You’ll know in a few minutes.” He felt like a little boy on Christmas. In addition to the surprise he’d arranged for Grace, the hit song had also allowed him to buy Ned out of the Island Breeze recording studio that Ned had graciously funded at a time when Evan was convinced his career in music was never going to happen.
Ned hadn’t wanted him to return the money, but he’d accepted it when he realized it was important to Evan. He would never forget the lifeline his beloved extra uncle had extended to him at a time when he’d badly needed a purpose. The studio had been a surprise success and was now being run by Evan’s good friend Josh.
Everything had changed in the last couple of years, but the best change was the woman who was now at the center of his life. She owned his heart and soul, and he couldn’t wait to show her what she meant to him.
One more minute, and they’d be there. They’d be home.
Ned took a left turn onto a dirt road that ended in front of a huge contemporary home that sat on the coast, overlooking Long Island Sound. At night, they’d be able to see the Newport Bridge lit up in the distance. About a year ago, they’d attended an open house at what Grace had deemed her “dream house.”
She’d laughed about the sheer impossibility of it as she oohed and aahed over the custom cabinetry, the teak accents, the inground pool and spacious yard. It had five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a media room, a wine cellar and a dining room big enough to host their entire family. It’d sold shortly after they’d toured it, and when it came back on the market a few months later, Ned had called him to let him know. He’d been instrumental in helping Evan pull this off by acting as his local representative during the purchase.
Evan was elated as he got out of the car, hugged his beloved friend and then went around to help Grace out.
She wobbled a bit before getting her bearings.
He kept his hands on her arms until she was steady. “Are you ready for your surprise, love?”
“Very ready. Is that the ocean I smell?”
“Maybe.”
“Can I look now, Evan?”
“You can look.”
She removed the mask, blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight and then gasped. “We’re home? On Gansett?”
“We are, and we’re home in more ways than one. Remember this house?”
Her eyes widened. “What about it?”
“You loved it so much. We both did.”
“Evan… What’ve you done?”
“It’s ours.”
She screamed and launched herself into his arms. “You’re not serious!”
“I’m as serious as a heart attack. It’s ours. The baby needs a bedroom.” The loft above the pharmacy where they’d been living until now didn’t have room for a baby.
“Oh my God! Evan!” She hugged him so hard, she nearly broke his neck.
He’d never had a better hug.
Behind her, he saw Ned grinning like a loon as he looked on. “Ya done good, kid.”
“I thought someone bought it,” Grace said, releasing Evan so she could include Ned.
“They did, and when it went back on the market, Ned called me to ask if we were still interested. That’s when I got the idea to surprise you.”
“Best surprise ever!”
“I’m so glad you think so. On the flight, I started getting a little panicky over buying a house without you knowing about it.”
“You knew how much I loved it when we toured it that day.” She glanced up at him, her dark eyes shining with unshed tears. “Is it really ours, Evan?”
“It’s really ours, and it’s all because of you. Because you loved me so perfectly that I had to write a song about you, a song that went to number one and stayed there long enough to make all our dreams come true. None of this happens without you, my amazing Grace.”
“None of it happens without us.”
“I’m thankful every single day that my amazing Grace is such a stickler for doing the right thing that she had to come back to Gansett to pay me back for buying her a ferry ticket home.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t pay you back,” she said in the prim, haughty tone he loved so much.
“I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you hadn’t come back.” He took her hand to lead her toward the front door. “I was going to come after you.”
“What? You were? You never told me that before.”
“Yes, I did.”
“No, you didn’t. I would’ve remembered that.”
Evan used the key Ned had given him to open the front door. After ushering Grace inside, he turned to wave to Ned. Evan would call him when they were ready for a ride to the pharmacy in town, where they’d left Grace’s car and his motorcycle. Also thanks to Ned, they had what they needed to spend the rest of the day and the night at their new home—food, beverages and a bed. As always, Ned had been an excellent partner in crime. He hadn’t dared clue in any of his family members, as they wouldn’t have been able to contain the surprise.
As they went into the foyer that was the size of their apartment over the pharmacy, Grace looked around, taking it all in once again, her eyes big with wonder. “I never dreamed anything like this, Evan. Or anything like you.”
He put his arms around her. “Welcome home, love.”
Chapter 26
Big Mac invited Oliver to attend the mo
rning meeting at the marina, which happened closer to noon on Sundays.
“What takes place at this so-called meeting?” Oliver asked.
“Very important business,” Big Mac said gravely.
“Otherwise known as coffee, doughnuts and bullshit,” Linda said.
Oliver laughed. “That sounds like my kind of fun. You mind if I go, Dara?”
“Of course not. Have fun.”
“We’ll be just down the hill,” Big Mac said to Oliver, “so you can escape whenever you’ve had enough of the BS.”
“Good to know.” Oliver gave Dara a kiss on the cheek. “See you in a while.”
After the men left, Dara took her coffee and wandered to the deck to check out the view of New Harbor.
Linda gave her a minute before she followed, bringing her own coffee. “That’s our marina,” she said, pointing, “and our hotel.”
“You’ve got your own slice of heaven here.”
“We do. We’re very lucky to live and work in such a beautiful place.”
“When Oliver first told me we’d been hired to run a lighthouse on a remote island in Rhode Island, I thought he was crazy. What would we do on a remote island? But there’s a peacefulness to this place.”
“There is for sure. I’m glad you can see that, especially now. It’s a little crazy this time of year when the tourists are here, but after Labor Day, it settles down quite a bit. Mac and I have a wonderful family and a big circle of friends who’ll welcome you with open arms, if that’s what you want.”
“I don’t know what I want. Every day feels like a new endurance test. Just get through it. That’s the goal.”
“That’s a tough way to live.”
“Believe me, I know.”
Linda didn’t want to push Dara to talk more than she wished to, so she sipped her coffee and watched Big Mac’s truck arrive at the marina and park in the same spot he used every day. They were nothing if not beholden to a routine, especially in the summer when the marina and hotel required their constant attention.
Later this afternoon, Linda was going to Mac and Maddie’s to help out with the kids so Mac could spend some time at the office with his assistant. Julia Lawry had done a beautiful job organizing the construction and marina businesses since Mac hired her in May. She’d been a godsend to him, and for that, everyone was thankful. Mac’s stress level had been a big concern since the incident in the spring.
“How did you… Get back to normal, or what counted as normal, after you lost your baby?”
“We didn’t. We had to invent a new normal. Nothing was the same. The loss of a nearly full-term baby was so shocking, and it took us a long time to get past it. We went on to have five children, but we still think about the one we lost, even after all these years.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Thank you. Our son Mac and his wife, Maddie, went through the same thing. They went in for a routine ultrasound with their third child, and there was no heartbeat. That was a very difficult time for them, but thankfully, they were able to move forward. They’ve since had a third child and are expecting twins in September. But they still mourn the child they lost, and they always will.”
“People tell us we should have another baby, as if that would fix everything.”
“It wouldn’t, but I can tell you for sure that a baby would bring new joy to your life. The baby certainly wouldn’t replace your Lewis, but you might find a new sense of purpose. It did for us, and Mac and Maddie found comfort in the two children they already had when they suffered their terrible loss.”
“A baby would give me something new to worry about.”
“That’s certainly true. My kids are all in their thirties, and I worry as much about them now as I always have. That never ends.”
“Perhaps Oliver and I just weren’t meant to be parents. I’ve had to accept that possibility since… Well, it might just be better for us to remain childless.”
“Why do you say you weren’t meant to be parents?”
“Look at what happened to Lewis on our watch.”
“Dara, honey, we’ve only just met, but I already know for sure that you were a loving, devoted mother, and Oliver was a loving, devoted father. What happened to Lewis was an accident.”
“He let himself out of the house while we were both there.”
“It was an accident. You both thought you’d done everything possible to keep him safe. It never occurred to you that he’d do what he did. Why would it?”
“He was always getting into stuff, but when he napped, he barely moved for at least two hours. That was the only break we got. Otherwise, we were chasing him.”
“Sounds like my oldest, Mac. He was a terror as a toddler. We told him all the time he was lucky he got siblings.”
Dara laughed. “That about sums up my Lewis. We’d been talking about trying for a second, but he was running us ragged.”
“You said he was a good napper.”
“The best. He never fought it because he’d basically worn himself out by naptime.”
“Had he ever before done anything like he did that day?”
“No.”
“So why would either of you think you ought to be paying special attention during that time?”
Dara shrugged. “We knew he was obsessed with the new kid who’d moved in across the street.”
“But would it have occurred to you that he’d try to go over there by himself?”
“No. But it’s hard not to blame myself—or Oliver. We were both home when it happened.”
“You know it’s not your fault, right? The two of you would’ve done anything in your power to keep him safe. Sometimes things just happen, and there’s no good reason or explanation for it. What happened to Lewis was a tragic accident.”
“I feel so responsible. I was prepping for a big trial. My mind was completely consumed with work. Maybe if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my job…” She shrugged. “I think about that a lot.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Dara. Parents must work in order to provide food and lodging and clothing for their children. I have no doubt that Lewis felt very loved by both his parents.”
“We loved him so much,” she said, wiping away tears.
Linda put an arm around the younger woman, hoping the comfort would be welcome.
Dara leaned into her. “Thank you for listening. It helps to talk to someone who gets it. So many people have wanted to help us, but they don’t understand. It hasn’t happened to them.”
“Lewis was a lucky little boy to have you and Oliver for his parents. You should try to take the time here as a reset. Make some new friends who didn’t know you as his parents. You may find that helps.”
“It’s already helping.”
“I’m so glad you came to our island and that we had a power failure.”
Dara laughed even as she dealt with more tears. “Me, too.” She looked over at Linda. “Thank you for listening and talking about this. So many of the people in my life can’t handle their own grief over losing Lewis. They have no space available for mine.”
“I have all the space you need for as long as you need it.”
“That means so much to me. I didn’t expect to come here and make new friends.”
“When you’re ready, I have a lot of good friends and family who’ll be happy to meet you, to welcome you and Oliver into their circle, and to make you feel at home here.”
“I wouldn’t have thought I’d want to be welcomed into anyone’s circle, but after meeting you and your husband, that actually sounds rather lovely.”
“We’ll make that happen. You just say the word.”
“Thank you, Linda.”
Chapter 27
“Everyone, this is Oliver Watkins. He and his wife, Dara, are our new lighthouse keepers. Oliver, this is my buddy Ned, my brothers Frankie and Kev, my oldest son, Mac, and our business partner, Luke Harris.”
The guys greeted Oliver with handshakes and welco
ming smiles.
“Let’s get the man a coffee and some of Linda’s famous doughnuts.” Big Mac was determined to show the younger man a good time and make him part of their morning gathering—if he wished to be, that was. “Cream and sugar?” he asked Oliver.
“Just cream is great. Thanks, Mac.”
“I’ll get them, Dad,” Mac said.
“Thanks, son.”
“You hafta call him Big Mac,” Ned said, “or it gets mighty confusin’ round here with this one.” He used his thumb to point at the younger Mac, who was now inside. “And he’s got a son named Mac, too. It’s a mess.”
Oliver laughed. “Gotcha.”
“The world needs more Mac McCarthys, not fewer,” Big Mac said.
“You keep tellin’ yerself that,” Ned said.
Mac returned with a tray containing coffees for himself and Oliver and a plate of doughnuts for the table. “Thank goodness for generators.”
The men dove into the doughnuts like wild seagulls.
“Get in there, Oliver,” Kevin said. “You can’t be shy in this group.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” He helped himself to one of the sugary confections, took a bite and moaned. “Holy hell, that’s good.”
“Right?” Big Mac said. “Linda gets all the credit for the doughnuts that are such a big part of this place. She started making them right after we were married, and before we knew it, people were coming back year after year for more of them. I swear they did more to make this place a hit than anything else.”
“Ya did yer share, too,” Ned said between bites.
“This place was a falling-down wreck when my little brother found it, had a big idea and made it a reality through sheer grit,” Frank said.
Oliver took in the bustling marina, full of boats and people and activity on the docks. “Quite an operation you’ve got here.”
“It’s a special place,” Kevin said. “This marina and this island. From the first time I ever visited my big brother here, I was eager to come back. The last time I came, I decided to stick around, and here we are.”
“The McCarthy brothers back together again,” Frank said, raising his coffee cup to Big Mac and Kevin. “Along with our adopted fourth,” he said of Ned.