by Marie Force
He listened while she relayed the message.
“She said that’s great, but if he comes home drunk, she’s blaming you.”
“Fabulous. So, if I bring him home later, maybe you’ll still be there, and maybe I can give you a ride back to town?”
“That might be possible.”
“I’m not working until twelve thirty tomorrow.”
“I’m not working at all. Got the shower.”
“Mmm, I’m picturing a lazy morning in bed.”
“We’re on a diet,” she reminded him.
“I’m hoping you’ll forget about that about five minutes after we get back to your place.”
She released a nervous giggle. “We’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will. Don’t wait for me if it gets too late.”
“I’ll wait.”
Joe wished he could leave right now and go to her.
“Joe?”
“What, hon?”
“Thanks for the flowers. They’re gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you like them.”
“I haven’t gotten flowers in a really long time.”
“Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Janey. . .”
“Yes?”
Overwhelmed with love for her, he took a deep breath. “I’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll be here.”
Chapter 21
By midnight, no one else was willing to take on Mac at the poker table, so the cards were abandoned and the bullshitting began in earnest. They covered every old story about Mac’s capers as a kid, as well as his considerable dating history. Joe kept them all in beer, whiskey and cigars, even though he’d quit drinking hours ago. No one seemed to notice.
“So you know who was on the ferry this afternoon?” Evan asked. “Remember Sydney Donovan who used to come out in the summer?”
Joe tuned right into the stricken expression on Luke Harris’s face. He’d dated Sydney every summer for years before she went off to college and never came back.
“She looked rough, man,” Grant added. “Has she been sick or something?”
Since Luke seemed paralyzed, Joe told the others about what had happened to Sydney’s family.
“Oh, man,” Adam said softly. “God.”
“Apparently, she shattered her pelvis in the same accident,” Joe said.
“I heard she’s here for the rest of the summer,” Ned said. “Staying with her folks till she’s back on her feet.”
“Poor kid.” Big Mac shook his head with dismay. “How do you ever get over that?”
“Wasn’t she a friend of yours, Luke?” Mac asked.
Luke seemed to snap out of his trance. “Um, yeah. Long time ago.”
“She was a friend of Maddie’s, too,” Mac said. “They worked together at the Scoop.” He referred to the ice cream shop in town. “She’ll be glad to know Sydney’s back on the island.”
Mac was slurring his words, and Joe could tell Luke didn’t want to talk about Sydney. “What do you say we call it a night? Thomas will have you up early.”
A big goofy grin spread across Mac’s face. “He’s so awesome. Isn’t he awesome, Joe?”
Joe helped Mac to his feet. “He sure is.”
“I love being a dad. Who knew?”
Mac’s brothers snickered as Joe guided him to the door.
Mac tightened his arm around Joe’s neck and kissed his cheek. “I’m so glad you’re sleeping with Janey.”
A collective gasp rippled through the room.
“Oops,” Mac said.
If looks could kill, Mac would be deader than dead just then.
“You take him,” Big Mac said to Joe. “I’ll fill them in.”
Joe glanced over his shoulder to find the other three McCarthy brothers and Luke staring at him, mouths agape. Ned, on the other hand, had a satisfied smile on his face.
“Thanks for coming everyone,” Joe said. He moved Mac as quickly as he could to the company truck he’d commandeered for the evening and loaded him into the passenger seat. As Joe secured Mac’s seat belt, his friend’s eyes fluttered closed.
“Sorry ’bout that,” Mac said when Joe started the truck. “Shouldn’t have blurted that out.”
“Ya think?”
“They love you. They’ll be happy ’bout it.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so,” Mac said one second before letting out a huge snore.
Joe laughed to himself and deemed the bachelor party a success.
Arriving at Mac’s house a short time later, Joe equated the effort to wake Mac to rousing a hibernating grizzly bear.
“Come on, man.” Joe somehow managed to get him out of the car and halfway up the stairs to the deck with no help at all from Mac. Just as Joe’s back was about to break from the effort, Mac came to.
“Hey! We’re home. Maddie! We’re home!”
“Shut up, will you?” Joe hissed. “If you wake up Thomas, she’ll kill you.”
“Shhhhh,” Mac said. “Be quiet. Thomas is sleeping.”
Joe rolled his eyes and slid open the door to find Janey sacked out on one sofa, Maddie on the other.
Maddie sat up when they came in. “Oh, lovely,” she muttered.
“Hey, baby,” Mac said. “Come give me some love.”
“I don’t think so.” She pointed Joe to the stairs.
He wrestled Mac up the stairs to his bedroom. After propping him up in the bathroom so he could take care of business, Joe dropped him on the bed.
Mac was out cold the second his head hit the pillow.
“Might be a little ugly in the morning,” Joe said to Maddie, who had followed them upstairs.
“That’s okay. Did he have a good time?”
“I’d say so.”
“That’s what matters, then. Thanks for bringing him home.”
“No problem.”
“Did you two work things out?”
“I thought so, but then he blurted out the whole thing to his brothers, so now I’m going to have to kill him.”
“He did not!” Janey said from the hallway. “I’ll help you kill him!”
Joe reached for her. “We’ve officially gone public, honey.”
She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. “How public?”
“All the way.”
Janey groaned as Maddie giggled.
Mac let out a huge snort and turned over in bed, reaching for something—or someone.
“I guess that’s my cue,” Maddie said.
“Don’t let him breathe on you,” Joe said.
They all laughed.
“Thanks for everything tonight, you guys,” Maddie said.
“May the Force be with you,” Joe said.
“He’s going to need the Force with him in the morning,” Maddie said.
Laughing, Janey took Joe’s hand to lead him downstairs. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” Janey collected her stuff and locked the door before sliding it closed behind them.
On the deck, Joe stopped her from going down the stairs. “Come here.”
She dropped her purse and jacket and stepped into his outstretched arms.
“Now that’s what I’ve needed all damned day,” Joe said.
“Mmm,” she said. “Let’s go home.”
With his arm around her, Joe led her down the steps and into his truck.
“Smells like a bar in here,” she said, pinching her nose.
“Thank your brother for that.”
“You didn’t have any?”
He reached for her hand. “A couple of beers much earlier. I figured one of us needed to maintain.”
“Did you guys talk?”
“Yeah, it’s all good, baby. Don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I had an interesting chat with your dad, too.”
“Really?”
“Yep.” He decided not to mention what her father had told him about vet school. Joe w
“What did he say?”
“He basically asked my intentions.”
“Oh, my God! He did not!”
Joe shot her a look. “You know he did.”
“Oh, God. What did you tell him?”
Joe brought her hand to his lips. “That I’ve always loved you, and I always will.”
“Joe,” she said. “That’s so sweet.”
“It’s true, and guess what? I don’t give a shit who knows it. I’m so tired of hiding it from everyone. That gets really exhausting.”
Janey released her seat belt and moved closer to rest her head on his shoulder. “How did I get so lucky?”
He let go of her hand and put his arm around her, bringing her tight against him. “I’m the lucky one.”
“We’re both lucky.” Her arm snaked around his waist, and her lips burrowed into his neck.
“Janey. . .”
“Hmm?”
“Driving over here. Don’t get too busy.”
As if he hadn’t said a word, her hand roamed his chest and belly before heading south. When she pressed against his erection, he jolted. With one hand on the wheel and the other arm around her, he couldn’t stop her from unbuttoning and unzipping his shorts.
She stroked him, and it was all he could do to keep the truck on the road. “Janey! Jesus. Come on.”
She laughed and dipped her head to take him into her mouth.
“Shit,” he groaned, pulling the truck to the side of the road.
The heat of her mouth and the caressing strokes of her hand brought him quickly to the verge of climax. Then she added her tongue to the mix and took him right over. For many minutes afterward, Joe focused on getting air to his straining lungs. Her lips and tongue on his neck drew him out of the stupor he’d slipped into. Reaching for her, he arranged her on his lap so she straddled him and fused his lips with hers. With one hand firmly buried in her hair, his other hand ventured under her skirt to find her panties damp with desire. The discovery reawakened him, and with just the slightest shift of his hips and her panties, he surged into her.
Her head fell back, and she whispered a startled, “Oh. . .” She clutched his shoulders and rotated her hips. “Thought we were on a diet. . .”
“Not anymore.” Cupping her buttocks, he urged her to move and couldn’t believe how fast she once again had him fighting for control. Being with her reminded him of his horny teenage years.
“That was a dumb idea anyway,” she said.
“The dumbest idea ever.” Keeping one hand on her bottom, he dipped the other under her shirt and up to her breast. He pushed her bra aside and rolled her nipple between his fingers. That sent her into overdrive, and her hips began to move more urgently.
Joe pushed her shirt up and replaced his fingers with his mouth. After just one hard tug of his lips, she came with a cry of completion that took him with her. He held her tight against him, absorbing the aftershocks and the scent of jasmine that never failed to arouse him.
“I’ve always thought diets were so pointless,” she whispered in his ear.
Joe chuckled. “Some more pointless than others.”
“It wouldn’t do for us to be caught like this. I’d hate for you to end up in jail twice in one week because of me.”
“Then how about we take this somewhere more comfortable?”
She raised her head to press her lips to his in a sweet, chaste kiss that took his breath away. “Let’s go.”
Janey hadn’t told anyone about her visit with Francine. As the two o’clock hour inched closer, she was riddled with anxiety over whether or not Maddie’s mother would show. In hindsight, Janey wasn’t sure which would be better for Maddie—if her mother came or if she didn’t. Janey took a look around at the festive decorations, the buffet table and the small mountain of gifts she and her mother had contributed.
Linda came up behind Janey and massaged her shoulders. “Why so tense?”
“Just hoping it all goes well today.”
“It will. Don’t worry.” Linda turned Janey so she could see her face. “This has to be hard on you. Throwing a bridal shower for someone else. . .”
Janey shook her head. “I’m okay. You know I couldn’t be happier for Mac and Maddie. And I’ve decided that marrying David would’ve been a huge mistake.” Memories of her erotic night with Joe flashed through her mind. Remembering the bliss of waking up in his arms that morning, Janey smiled to herself. “For a number of reasons.” She looked up at her mother. “We need to cancel the wedding plans.” Janey thought wistfully of the ballroom at the Samuel Turner Inn, the sunset ceremony and reception they’d planned for next August. The wedding of her dreams—right down to the music, the cake and the dress.
“Let’s get past next weekend, and then we’ll deal with that.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Linda raised an eyebrow. “Now what’s all this with Joe?”
“That seems to be the question of the week.”
“Do you have feelings for him?”
“Lots of feelings. I’m trying to figure out what they all mean. It’s complicated. . .”
“How so?”
“He’s had. . . He’s been in love with me.” She glanced at her mother. “For years.”
“I wondered,” Linda said with a smug smile.
“You knew? And didn’t say anything?”
“I only suspected.”
“Why?”
“His eyes follow you around the room. He lights up when he sees you coming. He listens to you—really listens.”
“Yes, he does,” Janey said.
“But you can’t let his feelings for you pressure you into something you’re not ready for. You’ve just gotten out of a very long relationship.”
“Which was over a long time ago, if I’m being truthful.”
“Regardless, it just officially ended. If you rush in, you risk hurting yourself and Joe.”
“We’re kind of past the don’t-rush-in warning at this point.”
Linda put her hands over her ears. “Lalala. Don’t want to know.”
Janey laughed. “What would you think, really, of me with Joe?”
Linda framed her daughter’s face with her hands. “You’d be one very lucky girl. He’s handsome, successful, charming, attentive, a hard worker, your parents and brothers already love him, and most important of all, he’s loyal.” With a kiss to Janey’s forehead, Linda went to check the oven. “I’m sure you’ll agree there’s a lot to be said for that.”
“It’s the most important thing. At least to me.”
The screen door swung open, and Maddie came in with Mac, who was carrying Thomas. Maddie wore a pink floral sundress, and her hair fell in soft waves around her face. Janey thought she’d never looked lovelier. Mac, on the other hand, looked like death warmed over.
“Oh, there’s my baby!” Linda said, reaching for Thomas.
Mac winced. “Not so loud, Mom.”
“Did someone have a few too many last night?”
“A few?” Janey asked with a snort. “You were pretty funny.”
“I’m never drinking again,” Mac grumbled.
“Can I get that in writing?” Maddie asked with a charming smile for her fiancé.
He glowered at her.
“Go home and get some sleep,” Linda said. “We’ll keep Thomas with us.”
“You don’t want to do that,” Mac said. “He’s cruising like a mad man. You’ll do nothing but chase him all day.”
“We don’t mind, do we, Janey?”
“Of course we don’t. We can put him down for a nap upstairs.” She gave her brother a push. “Go. Come back in three or four hours.”
“Are you okay with this plan?” he asked Maddie.
“If it’ll put you in a better mood, I’m all for it.” She kissed him and sent him on his way. After he left, Maddie hugged Janey. “Everything looks beautiful. Thank you so much. And Linda. . . Thank you.”
“Our pleasure, honey,” Linda said, helping Thomas with a cookie.
“Five more days!” Maddie clapped her hands with excitement. “The time is flying by!”
“What do you still have left to do?”
“A quick run to the mainland on Wednesday to pick up my dress. That’s about it.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Janey asked.
“You’d have to take the day off, and you’re already taking half of Thursday and all day Friday,” Maddie said. “I can handle it. It’s just over and right back.”
“If you’re sure. . .”
“Don’t worry—I’ll let you know when I need you this week.”
“You’d better!”
Maddie’s coworkers from the hotel flooded in a few minutes later, along with her sister and baby niece Ashleigh.
“Is Mom coming?” Maddie asked Tiffany.
Her sister shook her head. “I tried.”
Maddie forced a smile. “That’s all right. We’ll have fun without her.”
Janey put her arm around Maddie to lead her to the guest-of-honor chair, which she had decorated with balloons and streamers. “You bet we will.”
Chapter 22
Two hours later, the women had eaten and watched Maddie open most of the presents. Thomas had fallen asleep in Linda’s arms in the rocking chair, and she’d refused to take him upstairs.
Janey was proud of her mother for embracing the child and making him a part of their family. It hadn’t been easy for Linda to get past the rumors that had plagued Maddie for most of her life. But once the letters from Evan and the others ran in the paper, Linda had to admit she’d been wrong about the woman her son loved. She’d apologized to Maddie and had made a real effort to get to know her and Thomas since then. In the midst of the rift with her own mother, at least Maddie would be able to lean on her new mother-in-law.
Janey’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket. When she checked the caller ID and saw Doc Potter’s name, she took the call because he never bothered her after hours unless there was an emergency at the clinic. She immediately thought of Mrs. Roberts and Molly.
“Hey, Doc.” She stepped onto the back deck that overlooked the hotel, marina, and Salt Pond. The fog that had been worse than usual
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