by Marie Force
He chuckled. “You couldn’t live without me.”
“No, I couldn’t, but you still have to relax. Your stress is becoming my stress.”
“I get it.”
“Today was a bad day, but your dad is okay. I’m okay. You’re okay. Take a deep breath, will you please?”
Mac did as directed, and a big shudder shook through his muscular frame. “Remember when I said I wanted four kids?”
“Vaguely.”
“I don’t think I can do it.”
This time Maddie couldn’t hold back the laughter. “Because it really is all about you.”
“No, baby, it’s all about you. That’s the problem. I love you so damned much that the thought of you being in any kind of jeopardy makes me crazy.”
“Then you know how I felt today when I didn’t know what had happened to you.”
“A very bad day.”
“Tomorrow will be better.” She continued to stroke his hair, which was wild and disheveled from being wet earlier, and pressed her lips to his forehead. “Except for the part about three months in bed.”
“With no fun,” he said glumly.
“He didn’t say no fun. He said no to one kind of fun. There’re plenty of other kinds, as we’ve discovered.”
“And suddenly this bad day is looking up.”
“Mac?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you so damned much, too.”
He raised his head and shifted on the bed so he could kiss her. “I’ll let you call the shots this time.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“But you’d better not let anything happen to you, Madeline, or you’ll deal with me. Got me?”
She clutched his shirt and brought him in for another kiss. “Got you.”
Chapter 23
Thomas chattered all the way to Sydney’s parents’ house, where they found Buddy had been given a place of honor on the sofa, wearing what Seth had called “the cone of shame.” The poor guy had hated the cone after his neutering surgery, but this time he didn’t seem to have the energy—yet—to do battle with it.
When he saw her coming, he raised his head and let out a weak whimper.
She worked around the cone to smooch Buddy’s face. “Awww, how’s my good boy?”
He licked her cheek.
“Mom? Dad?”
“Be right down,” her mother called.
Syd held a hand out to Thomas. “Come say hi to Buddy.”
He toddled over to the sofa. “What’s smatter wid him?”
Sydney had already grown to love that serious expression of Thomas’s. “He had to have an operation.”
“How come?”
Syd took the little boy’s hand and held it for Buddy to lick. “He ate something he shouldn’t have, and it got stuck in his belly.”
“What did he eat?”
“A trash bag.”
Thomas wrinkled his nose. “Yucky.”
“Very,” Syd said, laughing. “You hear that, Buddy? Trash bags are yucky.”
“Hopefully, he’s learned his lesson,” Mary Alice said as she joined them.
“Probably wishful thinking,” Syd said. “Mom, this is Thomas McCarthy, Mac and Maddie’s son. Thomas, this is my mom, Mrs. Donovan.”
As they shook hands, Sydney noted the yearning on her mother’s face. She missed her grandchildren something fierce.
“What a handsome young man you are.”
“He’s adorable,” Syd agreed. She filled her mother in on Maddie’s condition.
Thomas giggled as Buddy continued to lick his hand.
“I can’t imagine three months in bed,” Mary Alice said, grimacing.
“No kidding. It’ll be a challenge with a busy toddler to manage, too.”
Thomas was fascinated with Buddy. “Can he play?”
“Not today. He’s got to get better first. You can come back next week to visit him. Maybe then he’ll be up for playing.”
“Why does he have to wear that hat?”
“So he won’t pull his stitches out.”
“Oh.” Thomas bent to press a kiss on the dog’s nose. “Get better, Buddy.”
“What a sweet boy,” Mary Alice said. “The vet said Buddy will be sleepy for the next few days, so don’t worry about leaving him with us for now.”
“I guess I can live without him for a day or two but not much longer.”
“Dad can bring him over whenever you’re ready.”
“Let me see how Luke is doing tomorrow.”
To Thomas, Mary Alice said, “How would you like some cookies and milk?”
Thomas glanced at Sydney, who nodded. “You can have dessert before dinner—but don’t tell your mom, okay?”
Delighted by the conspiracy, Thomas giggled. “Okay, Syd.”
Mary Alice reached out to Thomas. “Let’s get those hands washed.”
As she watched them go into the kitchen, Sydney, too, was filled with yearning for her own children who would’ve loved Thomas. They’d always had an affinity for younger children, and more than once, Sydney had questioned her decision to have her tubes tied after Malena was born. They would’ve been an awesome big-brother-and-sister team to a younger sibling.
“Looks like you’ve made a new friend, Buddy.” She spoke softly to him and ran her hand over his back until he drifted off to sleep.
Sydney checked her watch and realized she needed to get back to make dinner for Luke. Remembering what he’d failed to tell her had her stomach aching with anxiety. Why hadn’t he told her? Should she ask him? Or should she wait for him to tell her himself? Would he ever tell her? It was all so confusing.
She’d always thought of Luke as an open book—what you see is what you get—but she was discovering there was so much more to him. His boat renovation business was a prime example, and it was another thing he’d failed to mention to her.
Still pondering the issue, Sydney went to join her mother and Thomas in the kitchen. Her mom was wiping chocolate from Thomas’s mouth and clearly enjoying the visit with the little boy.
“I’d forgotten,” she said softly.
“About?”
“How sweet they are at this age. How open to every new experience they are.”
“I always thought two got a bad rap,” Sydney said. “Three was terrible, and four was willful, but two was sweet and cuddly.”
“You know,” Mary Alice said tentatively, “I’d be delighted to help out with Thomas while Maddie is on bed rest. I could take him to lunch and the park, or he could come over here for an afternoon.” Mary Alice stopped herself, maybe not wanting to get her hopes up. “If it would help.”
Sydney hugged her mom. “I’m sure Maddie would love that, and how lucky would Thomas be to get a third grandma to dote on him?”
Mary Alice smiled and put another cookie on Thomas’s plate.
“One more,” Sydney said. “And then we need to go check on Luke. He hurt his foot.”
“Papa got a boo-boo on his head,” Thomas said.
“Yes, but he’s going to be just fine. And so is your mommy and Luke.”
“Quite a day around here,” Mary Alice said.
“No kidding—and everyone talks about how nothing ever happens on Gansett.”
“Plenty happens around here.” Syd’s parents had become year-round residents six years ago but retained their Boston-area home and had spent most of the previous winter there so Syd wouldn’t be alone. “Stick around for a winter. You’ll see.”
“I just might do that.”
Mary Alice gasped. “Oh, Syd, really?”
“Thinking about it.”
“Are you planning to live with Luke?”
“Maybe.” Although they’d have to talk at some point about why he felt the need to keep the bigger details of his life from her. “What would you think of that?”
“Well, you know I’m not a big fan of shacking up.”
Sydney laughed. “Come on, Mom. It’s not 1950 anymore.”
&nbs
p; “I don’t care if it’s 2050,” Mary Alice said haughtily. “People should be married before they live together.”
“We can agree to disagree.”
“It’s not lost on me that you’re nearly thirty-six and can do whatever the heck you want.”
“Well, thank you for that, but your approval has always mattered to me—maybe a little too much.”
“It’s also not lost on me that you seem very happy with him, and your happiness matters more than anything to me. So I’ll do my best to keep my opinions to myself from now on.”
Sydney rolled her eyes. “That’ll be the day.”
“Now that’s just not nice,” Mary Alice said with a grin.
“Truth hurts,” Syd said, kissing her mother’s cheek.
“I was planning on steak and baked potatoes for dinner tomorrow night. Does Luke like steak?”
“He loves it. That’ll be perfect.” Sydney scooped up Thomas and wiped the last of the chocolate from his face. “What do you say for the cookies?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Thomas. I hope you’ll come visit me again soon.” Mary Alice handed Sydney a baggie full of cookies. “For your patient.”
Touched by the gesture, Syd took the bag. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ned hovered outside Big Mac’s room, waiting for the opportunity to see his best friend. What a damned upsetting day this had been! When he’d seen Big Mac in the water, blood pouring from his head... Ned shuddered at the memory. For a few minutes there, he was sure his friend was dead. Thank God Mac had acted so quickly—and at his own peril—to save his father. And Luke! What that boy had done! Ned would be reliving the horror of it all for a good long time.
Big Mac was urging Linda to go home. Ned had to agree with his friend—the usually unflappable Linda McCarthy looked to be on her last legs.
“I swear I’ll be fine,” Big Mac said, drawing his wife into a kiss. His left arm was encased in a cast and resting on a pillow. “Go on now. We can’t have you dropping from exhaustion.”
Linda was weepy and clingy—two other things Ned had never seen before. The whole scene was only adding to his stress level.
“Come on, Mom,” Janey said, putting her arm around her mother. “Joe and I will take you home.”
“I’ll stay with Dad,” Grant said.
“You go, too,” Big Mac said. “You look like hell. Get some sleep. Come back in the morning.”
“But Dad—”
“Adam and Evan will be here soon. I won’t be alone.”
“I’ll be here, too,” Ned said from the doorway.
“If you’re sure,” Linda said.
“I’m very sure. Go on home, hon. I promise I’ll still be here in the morning.”
“That’s not funny,” Linda said, sniffling as she bent to kiss him one last time.
“You kids take your mother home. Make sure she eats and sleeps.”
Grant and Janey did as they were told with Joe tagging along with them. On her way by, Linda hugged Ned. “Call me if anything changes.”
“Ya know I will, gal. I’ll stay ’til the boys get here.”
Linda patted his arm and went with the kids.
“Whew,” Big Mac said when they were alone. “How’s a man supposed to get a minute’s peace with all that hovering?”
“Don’t try to fool me. Ya love all the attention.”
Big Mac snickered and then winced.
“Gave us a helluva scare today.”
“So I hear. It’s all a blur.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way. Not worth remembering.”
“Perhaps you can help me fill in some of the blanks.”
“I don’t wanna talk about it. Worst thing I ever seen.”
“Not about the accident. I’m having these vague flashes of memory. Something about you and a woman...”
Ned looked up in time to see the glint of devil in his old friend’s eyes. Even though he was relieved to see the spark of life, he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about Francine. “Ya didn’t remember yer own son was home from Lala Land, but ya remember that?”
“Funny how the brain works, huh?”
“I still don’t wanna talk about it,” Ned huffed. Damn if he couldn’t feel his face getting red.
“Aw, come on. I almost died today. Least you can do is toss me a little bone.”
Ned choked back a burst of temper. “Don’t go playin’ that ‘almost died’ card.”
“Come on, it’s me. We don’t have secrets. Least I didn’t think we did.”
“I ain’t tellin’ ya nothin’, ’cuz ya got the biggest mouth on the island. It’ll be all over the docks by morning.”
“I swear to God I won’t tell anyone.”
“Since ya owe God a few favors right ’bout now, I’ll hold ya to that. Nothing much to tell. We had dinner. Big whoop.”
“Tell that to someone who wasn’t there that summer she left you for Bobby Chester or who hasn’t watched you avoid her for thirty-two years.”
“Don’tcha need to rest up so ya can walk yer baby girl down the aisle?”
“I wouldn’t miss that for the world, and you know it, so don’t try to change the subject.”
Frustrated, Ned ran a hand over his wild white hair. “What d’ya want me to say?”
“I want you to tell me you’re being careful. That you won’t let her do the same thing she did before.”
“Ya say that to Luke, too?”
“So what if I did? It’s turning into recycle summer around here.”
Ned hooted with laughter. “That’s a helluva way to put it.”
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told him—watch yourself. Don’t let her do it to you again. It was bad enough watching that the first time.”
“I’m older and wiser this time round.”
“Let’s hope so.”
“Even though yer a pain in my ass, I’m glad ya didn’t die.”
Big Mac laughed and then winced again when his head fought back. “Aww, thanks a lot, old pal.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter 24
Janey told herself if she just kept busy, she could prevent the meltdown that had been threatening all day. She made soup for her mom and ran her a bath. She put fresh sheets on beds for Adam and Evan, and cleaned up the kitchen. As she was putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, Joe hugged her from behind.
“You’re running at ninety miles an hour, babe,” he said, his lips brushing against her neck.
She attempted to squiggle free of his embrace. “I need to toss in some laundry.”
“Not tonight.”
Janey turned to him, primed for a rare fight. But when she saw only love and concern on his face, she sagged against the counter.
“You’re completely exhausted. Let’s go home.”
“You can go. I should stay here in case my mom needs me.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you, and Grant will be here for your mom. You need sleep.”
“The boys will need—”
“To fend for themselves. The boys are grown men who manage to survive without you the rest of the time.”
Her lip began to quiver, a sure sign of impending meltdown. “But I have to—”
He wrapped his strong arms around her. “Stop, Janey. Just stop.”
Despite her best efforts to contain it, a sob hiccupped through her, and the floodgates opened.
He ran his hand up and down her back. “It’s okay, honey. Let it all out. It’s been an awful day.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her face several minutes later. “My dad...”
“You can’t imagine life without him.”
Her heart ached as she shook her head.
“Neither can I.”
“What happened today was a big reminder that someday we’ll have to live without him.” She looked up at Joe. “How will we ever do that?”
“I have no idea, but thankfull
y that’s not something we have to think about anytime soon.” He wiped the tears from her face. “Let’s go home. You need some time with the menagerie.”
At the reminder of her beloved pets, she forced a wan smile for his benefit. “And with you.”
“And with me.”
“Let me tell my mom I’m leaving.” Janey kissed Joe and went upstairs, where her mother was getting into bed. “Mom? Are you all settled?”
“Getting there.”
“Joe wants to take me home. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. Go on ahead.”
Janey perched on the edge of the bed. “Grant will be back shortly. He went to get Dad’s truck at the marina.”
“Oh good. He and the boys can use it.”
“They can fight over it like old times.”
Linda offered a small smile as her eyes filled.
“What, Mom?”
“I’ve been thinking about how you just never know what’s going to happen. I was in such a big rush this morning. Late for a hair appointment. Dad was in the shower, and I left without even saying good-bye.” She looked up at Janey. “What if that’d been my last chance to see him, to tell him...”
Janey blinked back tears of her own. “He’s not ready to leave us yet.”
Linda sat up to hug her daughter.
“I can stay if you don’t want to sleep alone.”
“Go sleep with Joe. Make sure you never miss a chance to tell him, to show him.”
“I won’t.” Janey kissed her mother’s cheek. “On that note, love you, Mom. Always have—even when it seemed like I hated you.”
Taken aback by words they rarely said out loud, Linda said, “I always knew the hate phase was an act.”
“You know everything. That’s why we call you Voodoo Mama.”
Linda scowled. “I hate that name.”
“Which is why it’s so fun to call you that,” Janey said with an evil grin. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Janey?”
She turned at the doorway.
“Love you, too,” Linda said. “My little girl who saved me from having five boys and then turned out to be the hell-raiser of the group.”
“At least I never ended up in jail like Mac the Golden Child did.” None of his siblings ever missed a chance to mention Mac’s night in jail after he and Joe got caught flattening mailboxes in Big Mac’s truck.