Gansett Island Boxed Set Books 1-16 (Gansett Island Series)

by Marie Force

  As the summer drew to a close, she was still a thousand dollars short of the ten thousand she had to pay Charlie’s lawyer to keep the appeal process moving forward, but she’d come up with it somehow.

  Their only remaining hope was a new trial, and the lawyer they’d recently hired was confident they had a shot. Of course they’d heard that before and had learned not to get their hopes up. There were times, especially during the glorious summer on the island, when Stephanie wondered how she managed to find the wherewithal to press on in the midst of such a seemingly hopeless situation. But as long as Charlie was behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, Stephanie would keep up the fight. What right did she have to beautiful sunsets or crisp, clear island days while he rotted in jail?

  Prison had changed him from a sweet, gentle soul to a hardened, bitter man. She’d never rest as long as he continued to pay for trying to help free her from a nightmare.

  “You’re awfully quiet over there,” Grant said, his deep voice puncturing the silent cocoon of the truck’s cab.

  “Just thinking.”

  “About?”

  Even though it was inky dark, she glanced over at him, conjuring the image of his arresting profile. The strong jaw, the perfectly sized nose, the thick hair, those soft lips… “You won’t tell anyone about Charlie. Right?”

  “Of course not.”

  Releasing a deep breath, she said, “Good. Thanks.”

  “Listen, Stephanie—”

  “Please. I can’t talk about it anymore. I appreciate that you want to help, but there’s really nothing you can do.”

  “All I was going to say is that I’m here if you need a friend.”

  She was thankful that the overwhelming darkness hid the tears that immediately flooded her eyes. She’d been so alone with this for so long that he couldn’t know what his offer meant to her. But then she remembered he was in love with someone else, and his every thought was directed toward getting her back. Leaning on a man who wanted to be with someone else was a recipe for disaster, and she’d already had more than her share.

  “I’ve never seen such darkness,” she said, closing her eyes to hold back the tears. The rain had let up a little, but the windshield wipers were still needed to clear the mist.

  “It’s crazy, isn’t it?” He sounded somewhat relieved by the change in subject. “The insane darkness is what I remember most about the time we were without power for ten days when I was a kid.”

  “So what’s your plan for getting Abby’s attention tonight?”

  “I guess I’ll try to talk to her if I can get her alone.”

  Stephanie scoffed, relieved to be back on more familiar ground with him.

  “What?”

  “I don’t get how you managed to write such a beautiful movie about love when you’re so clueless about women.”

  “I am not clueless about women.”

  “What would you call it, sport?”

  “My exposure has been somewhat…limited. That’s all.”

  Stephanie’s mouth fell open. “So she’s the only one you’ve ever, you know…”

  The squeak of the bench seat indicated he was squirming over there. “Until last night.”

  “Oh my God! Just me and her? That’s it?”

  “So what? I’ve been with her since high school.”

  His use of the present tense was a disturbing reminder that despite what had happened between them, he’d yet to move on from his relationship with Abby. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re not with her anymore.”

  “Thanks for the reminder. That really helps.”

  “You haven’t had any luck getting her to talk to you before now, so what makes you think she’ll be any friendlier toward you tonight?”

  “Cal won’t be hanging all over her like a dog in heat.”

  Stephanie couldn’t help the laugh that rang through the small space. “You’re seriously messed up, you know that?”

  “So you’ve told me. Often.”

  “The way I see it, desperate times call for desperate measures.” A pain beneath her ribs was the only warning Stephanie had that she was about to make a very stupid move. “You need to make her as jealous as you’ve been since you saw her with Cal.”

  “And how do you propose I do that?”

  “You know.”

  “What do I know?”

  Stephanie left the question to linger in the air between them.

  And then he let out a ringing laugh that hurt her feelings despite her best intention to remain removed from the surreal proceedings. She wanted to believe her outrageous idea had nothing to do with wanting to spend more time with him. Of course it didn’t. That would be a fool’s errand, and she’d prided herself on never playing the fool. Until she met Grant McCarthy, that was.

  “You’re suggesting I officially use you to make her jealous?”

  She did her best to keep her tone nonchalant. “Have you got a better idea or a more ready candidate?”

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  “You can thank me later.”

  “Don’t get all smug just yet. You haven’t actually done anything.”

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked, reaching over to run a hand up his leg suggestively.

  The sharp breath he sucked in as he grabbed her hand to stop her startled them both. She pulled back her hand as if she’d been scalded. In that moment, Stephanie realized two things—one, despite his supposed indifference toward her, he wanted her, and two, she wanted him, too.

  Chapter 7

  The yard was full of cars when they arrived at Mac’s. Grant scanned the vehicles for Abby’s car and saw it tucked between Joe’s company truck and his mother’s yellow VW bug. “She’s here.”

  “You knew she would be as one of Janey’s bridesmaids. Who was the other one? I never did get her name.”

  “Our cousin Laura. She just got married herself a couple of months ago.”

  “So what’s the plan, Stan?”

  “How should I know? Just play it cool, I guess.”

  “Cool. Okay. Does that mean play it like we’re together, play it like we’re hanging out, play it like we’re burning up the sheets? What’s your pleasure?”

  Grant swallowed hard as her words had a predictable effect on him. Why was it that even the sound of her snarky voice could turn him on? Something was wrong with him. There was no other possible explanation for the way he kept reacting to someone who grated on his nerves the way she did.

  “I guess the second one. Hanging out.”

  “Does that entail touching or subtle flirting or innuendo?”

  “I can’t even see your face, and I can tell you’re enjoying this.”

  “I am not! I just want to understand my assignment.”

  Filled with exasperation, Grant sighed. He’d been more exasperated since he met her than in his entire life before her. “Subtle touching and subtle flirting. Nothing too over the top. No mention of what happened last night.”

  Stephanie opened the passenger door, flooding the cab with light. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to go in there and start spewing off to your parents and family that you rocked my world or anything.”

  He grabbed her arm to stop her from getting out. “Did I?”

  Her brows furrowed over those expressive eyes. “Did you what?”

  “Rock your world?”

  She dissolved into laughter. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it didn’t suck.”

  Wincing, he said, “Gee, thanks for that ringing endorsement. I was a little drunk, you know. I can do better.”

  Something akin to panic skirted across her face as she tugged her arm free and got out of the truck.

  Grant got out, too, and met her at the front of the truck. “I just want to say…”

  “What?”

  “If I took advantage last night or acted, you know, less than…honorably, I’m sorry. I haven’t been myself lately, and the last thing I want is to drag anyone else down with me.”r />
  “It takes two to tango, sport, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Like I said, it didn’t suck.”

  Why was it that this little sprite of a woman could make him so hot one minute and so damned mad the next? That was something he continued to ponder as they took the back steps to the deck. The house glowed with the soft light produced by candles, creating a warm, cozy atmosphere for a tropical-storm party.

  Grant slid the deck door open and gestured for her to go in ahead of him. Since they were among the last to arrive, everyone turned to greet them, including Abby. He took a certain bit of pleasure in realizing she’d noticed he hadn’t come alone. Good. Let her see what it was like for a change. Grant pressed a hand to the small of Stephanie’s back, which earned him a quizzical look over her shoulder that he ignored as he greeted his brothers and sister.

  Ned was there, as were Maddie’s mother Francine, her sister Tiffany and niece Ashleigh. Mac’s friend Blaine Taylor, the Gansett Island Police chief, still in uniform from what had no doubt been a long day, was talking to Joe and Janey. Grant’s cousin Laura was helping Abby organize the big pile of wedding gifts while Owen Lawry tuned his guitar to sync with Evan’s.

  Stephanie stayed close to Grant’s side as he talked to his parents and visited with Maddie, who was settled on the sofa in the middle of the big great room.

  “How’re you feeling?” Grant asked his sister-in-law as he bent to kiss her cheek.

  “Fat and cooped up and cranky.”

  “Yikes. That doesn’t sound like much fun.”

  “Your brother is driving me nuts,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper, her gaze settling on Mac, who was across the room tending to their son Thomas.

  “What’s he doing now?”

  “He’s been freaked out all day about the storm and the ferry service being shut down. He hates being stuck here when I’m pregnant. He worries about something going wrong.”

  Grant exchanged glances with Stephanie.

  “What?” Maddie asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Grant said.

  His sister-in-law clutched his arm. “What do you know?”

  Surprised by her strong grip, he looked down to find big caramel-colored eyes staring back at him. “Cal left the island today. His mother had a stroke in Texas.”

  “Oh my God! I wondered where he was when Abby came alone. You can’t tell Mac that Cal is gone, or he’s apt to have a stroke himself.” Her eyes took on a wild look that alarmed Grant. “Promise me you won’t tell him.”

  “I won’t,” Grant said, “but someone else is apt to.”

  “OhmyGodohmyGod.” Maddie’s eyes got even bigger, and her free hand landed on her extended abdomen.

  “Maddie,” Grant said, alarmed by her sudden pallor. “What is it?”

  “Just an odd twinge.” She took a deep breath. “It’s nothing.”

  He glanced at Stephanie, who seemed equally alarmed.

  “You can’t stress yourself out,” Grant said. “That’s how you ended up on bed rest in the first place.”

  “When Mac finds out there’s no doctor on the island…” She swallowed hard. “I can’t even think about it. He’s been a total wreck all day.”

  “The best thing you can do is relax and try not to worry.”

  She nodded. “Yes, you’re right. But still… Maybe I should’ve listened to Mac and gone to the mainland for the rest of the pregnancy. If something happens to the baby…”

  Grant squatted to put himself at her eye level. “Nothing’s going to happen. Take a deep breath and calm down.” He waited while she did as he asked. “Now take another one. Calm. That is the word of the day.”

  Maddie released the second deep breath and gripped the hand he’d offered. “Thank you.”

  “Any time.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “That’s my niece or nephew in there. We won’t let anything happen to either of you. I promise.”

  She nodded, seeming reassured even if her eyes were still glassier than he preferred.

  “Can I get you something to eat or drink?” he asked.

  “Some water would be good.”

  “Coming right up.”

  Stephanie followed him into the kitchen and helped herself to a soda from the cooler while he got the water for Maddie. “You were good with her. Really good.”

  Surprised by the unexpected compliment, Grant turned to look at her. “So maybe I’m not a complete dolt with women?”

  “Oh, no, you are. But apparently you’re good with sisters-in-law.”

  “A guy can’t catch a break with you,” he said, amused by her even when he didn’t want to be.

  She shrugged. “Just calling it like I see it.”

  Abby came into the room and stopped short when she saw them. “Oh. Hi.”

  Stephanie took the water from him. “I’ll get this to Maddie for you.”

  “Oh, um, thanks.” Even though the gathering was still visible from the kitchen, he and Abby had the room to themselves. “So I assume Cal made it to the mainland?”

  “Yes,” she said, pouring a glass of white wine. Chardonnay, he recalled. Her favorite. She was petite and curvy with long dark hair. Her big brown eyes used to soften with love every time she looked his way. Realizing she no longer looked at him adoringly was yet another loss he was forced to absorb where she was concerned. “I guess it was quite a trip, though.”

  “I imagine it would be on a day like this.”

  “He rented a car and was in Pennsylvania the last I talked to him. He was hoping to catch a flight from there since the airports are closed from here to New York.”

  Grant tried to focus on what she was saying, but his head was spinning. There was so much he wanted and needed to say to her. Where to begin? He cleared his throat. “Do me a favor and don’t let on to Mac that Cal is off-island. He’s been a mess over Maddie’s pregnancy with Cal here. It’d be better for all of us—especially Maddie—if he didn’t know Cal is gone.”

  “Mum’s the word.” She took a sip from her glass of wine. “So you and Stephanie, huh?”

  Grant felt like she’d sucker-punched him. “What? We’re friends.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “It’s certainly none of my business.”

  “Of course it is!”

  Her brows knitted in confusion. “How is it my business?”

  “You and me… We’re—”

  “Over, Grant.” She said it so softly, as if it pained her to have to say it out loud. Again. “I’m really happy to see you moving on. That’s what we both needed to do. In hindsight, I can see we should’ve done it a long time ago.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “That’s not true.”

  She stepped toward him and rested a hand on his arm. “It is true. I figured it out a little sooner than you did, but you’ll get there, too.”

  A sense of desperation unlike anything he’d ever known came over him. He cupped her face in his hand and forced her to look up at him. “How can you walk away like everything we had meant nothing to you?”

  “Oh, Grant,” she said with a sigh, “that’s not at all how it happened. If only you knew how I suffered over you. But I found something better, and maybe you have, too. Don’t mess it up by wishing for what used to be. There’s no sense in that.”

  Before Grant could think of a reply to that, Luke Harris came into the kitchen, still on crutches from the ankle injury he’d sustained at the marina. “Oh hey. Sorry to interrupt.”

  “You’re not,” Abby said with a sad smile for Grant. “We were done.”

  “Abby—”

  She walked away like he hadn’t said a word, shoulders squared with determination.

  “Son of a bitch,” Grant muttered.

  “Sorry, man,” Luke said.

  “Don’t sweat it.”

  “No luck?”

  Grant shook his head.

  “What can I do?”

  Grant shifted his gaze to find his old friend
looking at him with concern. “Not a damned thing, apparently.”

  “I hate to say it—”

  “Don’t bother. I’m hearing it from every corner as it is.”

  “Well, then, I won’t pile on. I sort of wondered…”

  “What?”

  “You and Stephanie were having a good time at the wedding. I thought there might be something brewing there.”

  He wasn’t quite ready to talk about what might be brewing with Stephanie, even to one of his oldest friends. “Maybe.”

  “She’s gorgeous.”

  Surprised by Luke’s blunt assessment, Grant sought out Stephanie in the next room. She was talking and laughing with Janey and Maddie, and he had to admit she was rather cute when she was relaxed and her claws were sheathed. But gorgeous? “You think so?”

  “I do. Seems like a really nice girl, too. I’ve thought so since she first came to work for us. She’s very sweet and accommodating.”

  Grant stared at Luke as if he’d grown a second head. “Are we talking about the same woman? Stephanie who runs the marina restaurant? Sweet and accommodating?”

  Luke laughed. “We all think so. She’s madly in love with your dad, in case you hadn’t noticed.” Luke tilted the beer bottle he’d opened to draw Grant’s attention to the hug his father was receiving from sweet, accommodating Stephanie.

  “Well, if that doesn’t beat all. She’s mean and nasty to me.”

  “Come on,” Luke said, scoffing. “She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.”

  Grant watched Stephanie hug his mother. “You don’t know her like I do.”

  Luke raised a brow mockingly. “Is that right?”

  “What’re you still doing on crutches, anyway?” Grant asked, anxious to change the subject.

  Luke’s smile became a scowl. “Damned if I know. I can’t put a freaking ounce of weight on it. Cal thinks I might’ve torn a ligament. I was going to the mainland for an MRI tomorrow, but that’s been scuttled because of the storm.”

  “Oh, man, that’s a bummer. I hope it’s nothing serious.”