Memories in Sea Glass: Driftwood Key Beach Reads #2

8. Liberty

Liberty smoothed a tablecloth on one of the picnic tables she and Mom had set up on the back porch in preparation for tonight’s get-together with the McKinnons.

After talking with Chase last night, Liberty had headed to bed early, still uncertain how to tell her mom about what was going on. She’d woken up a little later, when Anthem and Justine came giggling down the hallway, presumably after a night out on the town.

It was too hard to get back to sleep, so she ended up just grabbing her book and reading until her eyes closed on their own and she dropped the book on her face.

Now she was feeling tired and keyed up all at once.

And she missed Chase.

It was odd that she had been gone for over a month and survived it. But a single walk on the beach had had her feeling like she had when they first met—all fluttery and anxious to see him again.

Don’t do that,she begged her heart. We have to go slowly.

It was good that they weren’t seeing each other tonight, even though all she wanted was to introduce him to the extended family she’d found in the McKinnons, relax by the ocean, and hear his deep laugh join in with the others.

Slow and steady,she reminded herself again.

“Oh, the tables look great,” her mom said as she came out with a couple of pottery-style serving bowls. “I thought maybe we could float some votive candles in these. And they’ll keep the breeze from blowing the tablecloths off.”

“Good idea,” Liberty said.

There was another awkward silence between them, probably the tenth of the day.

“I do want to talk to you about what’s going on with Chase and me,” Liberty said. “I’ve always told you everything, and I know this is… strange.”

“It’s okay, honey,” her mom said immediately. “You’re an adult now. You’re allowed to have boundaries.”

“I’ll tell you soon,” Liberty said. “I’m just not ready yet.”

“I’ll be here,” Mom said firmly. “Whether you decide you want to talk about it or not, I’ve got your back. Okay?”

“Okay,” Liberty said, turning to her mom and squeezing her tight, bowls and all.

A few minutes later, the sound of a car pulling up had both of them scrambling to get to the front of the house.

“Sorry we’re a little early,” Becca said as she got out of the car. “Mom was worried we’d have to wait in line at the flower shop.”

Mary climbed out of the car, holding a bouquet of Star of Bethlehem blossoms.

“Oh, how pretty,” Jess said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense,” Mary said, with a big smile. “Bringing something is one of the best parts of visiting. Oh, doesn’t your front porch look inviting?”

“I’ll grab a vase,” Liberty said, dashing back to the kitchen as her mom took Mary’s arm and they headed up the porch stairs together.

Glory was already in the kitchen, pulling a tray of bacon-wrapped scallops out of the oven.

But there was still no sign of Anthem or Justine.

“Have you seen the other two?” Liberty asked.

“They’ve been holed up in Anthem’s room ever since I got home,” Glory said, shrugging and looking a little hurt.

“That’s strange,” Liberty said with a frown as she hunted for a vase in the cabinet. “Wonder what’s going on.”

“Who cares?” Glory asked bitterly, making it very clear that she did.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Liberty asked, pausing her search and looking to her baby sister.

“Nah,” Glory said. “I’m starving. Let’s just get this show on the road.”

Liberty found the perfect blue vase for the delicate white blossoms and brought it out to the front porch, where her Mom was sitting with Mary and Becca.

“What do you think of this one?” she asked cheerfully.

“Oh, thank you, Liberty,” her mom said, holding out the bouquet. “Want to get them set up?”

“Sure,” Liberty said.

Connor’s pick-up truck had just pulled up out front, so she waited to yell hello before heading back to the kitchen to fix the flowers. But then the passenger door opened, and Chase stepped out.

Liberty blinked at him for a moment, unable to believe it was actually him.

“Hey,” Chase said with a gentle smile. “Turns out that this is the thing I had with my boss.”

Liberty felt her mom take the flowers and vase from her and disappear into the house, but she barely noticed.

“Goodness,” Mary said from her chair on the porch. “You know Connor’s new worker, Liberty?”

“She’s married to him, Ma,” Connor told her as he jogged up the porch steps. “Ha.”

“You knew?” Chase asked in wonder.

“Of course I knew,” Connor laughed. “This is a tiny town, son. You said you were here looking for your wife. Didn’t take a lot of detective work to piece it together.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Chase asked.

Connor only shrugged and grinned.

“Because you’re a good worker,” Mary called down from the porch. “And because he’s got a touch of the matchmaker in him.”

“I do not, Ma,” Connor protested, though he was still smiling.

“He thinks I’m a good worker?” Chase asked.

“Don’t let it get to your head, kid,” Connor said, pointing to him.

Chase smiled at him and Liberty realized that as little as he liked coming home smelly and tired, Chase obviously enjoyed working for Connor.

He headed over to Liberty, a question in his eyes.

“I can grab a cab back to the bed and breakfast, Liberty,” he said carefully. “If you’d rather not see me tonight when your family is getting together.”

The idea made her heart ache, and she shook her head before she knew what she was doing.

“Are you sure?” Chase asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she told him.

In all her life, no one had ever worried about her feelings the way Chase did. He had instinctively known from the beginning that good manners were important to her. But he always took the trouble to try and ferret out how she really felt.

“I missed you,” she heard herself murmur.

“I missed you too,” he said, smiling warmly, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

There was a single awkward heartbeat between them.

“Well, let’s meet this hard worker,” Mary called from the porch, as if to save Liberty from her own uncertainties. “I’ve heard a lot about you, young man.”

“Hi, Mrs. McKinnon,” Chase said respectfully, heading up the stairs to meet her. “I’ve heard a lot about you too.”

“Just call me, Mary, honey,” she laughed. “And I’ll bet Connor told you all about how strict I was, huh?”

“Honestly, he mostly talks about your cooking,” Chase said.

That tickled Mary and she was on her feet a moment later, pulling him into a hard hug.

“I like you,” she told him, patting his cheek. “Let’s go see what smells so good in Jess’s kitchen. Come on, Liberty.”

The next thing Liberty knew, they were each arm in arm with Mary, heading into the house.

They got Mary set up on the back porch at one of the tables with a glass of sweet tea and the tray of bacon-wrapped scallops to tempt her. Glory joined her right away and the two of them began chatting cozily about her adventures at the resort.

At another table, Mom was cutting up watermelon.

“Let me do that,” Liberty told her, reaching for a knife.

“Fine,” her mother said. “Let Chase help you though.”

“I’m on the job,” Chase said with a grin.

Jess headed back to the kitchen with Becca to check on the biscuits. Together, Liberty and Chase attacked the task of slicing the delicious fruit.

More McKinnons arrived, each of them stopping over to be introduced to Chase. Clint was one of the first, and he put himself to work immediately after saying hello. Liberty smiled as she watched him bring out more cushions for the benches and turn on the two big ceiling fans he had installed earlier in the week.

Though he and her mom couldn’t be more different temperament-wise, the big blond contractor definitely shared Jess’s determination to serve and give comfort to others. Though Mom might not realize it yet, Liberty was more and more sure there was something growing between them—something stronger than just friendship.

Liam came next, with his son, Dylan, who headed right over to chat with Glory and Mary.

Kyle brought a huge salad and Becca teased him for bringing it from the restaurant instead of making it himself, stealing cherry tomatoes out of it all the while, as he laughed his head off.

Anna brought a gorgeous cake she said she had whipped up at the bakery, and was lovingly scolded by the whole family for making her own birthday cake.

“I know what I like,” she said with a mischievous smile as she headed over to Chase and Liberty to be introduced.

Though Liberty had felt shy about meeting so many new people at once, her big, friendly husband was instantly right at home with the McKinnons. He laughed and smiled and learned all their names, asking them about their work and who was older than whom.

Liberty felt completely at ease, knowing he would carry the conversation and allow her to relax.

This is why we always worked, Liberty thought to herself. Our skills balance each other’s.

For the years they spent together, she had never once felt fully awkward at a party with new people. She looked up and caught him studying her, such fondness in his eyes that it made her heart throb. Too soon, the gigantic watermelon was completely cut up, the perfect triangular slices laid out artfully on the tray.

“Let’s get cleaned up,” Chase suggested.

They headed into the kitchen together, washing up in silence. She wished she could extend the moment alone together, but it was passing quickly.

“Want to walk outside a little?” Liberty asked a little too loudly.

“Sure,” Chase said. “Out front?”

“That sounds good,” Liberty told him.

They headed out to the front porch in silence.

What were you thinking?Liberty’s better angels demanded. What are you doing?

But it felt right to walk with her husband.

“How was your day?” she asked him.

The simple question they always asked each other back home still slipped off her tongue so easily. The familiarity of it made her smile.

“Much better now,” he said, glancing down at her, his eyes twinkling.

“Are you sure you didn’t know about tonight?” she asked.

“Very sure,” he told her. “Why would you think I did?”

“You just adapted so easily,” she said, shrugging.

“I’ll adapt to anything if it means more time with you,” he told her.

Though the line could have been cheesy, from him it was earnest. Liberty could always tell.

“I’ve been thinking about everything, Liberty,” he said, his voice going deeper and more emotional. “I’m sorry that you had to get that news about your test results alone. Why didn’t you call me?”

She stole a peek up at him. His eyes were filled with concern and sadness.

“Did you think I would be upset with you?” he asked quietly.

“No, Chase,” she told him right away. “I never thought that. I thought you would comfort me, actually.”

“And you… you didn’t want that?” he asked.

She stopped walking, trying to formulate her thoughts.

“It was an awful moment,” she said, stroking a frond of the small palm tree they had stopped beside. “All I could think about was you—how much you love kids, how much you deserve that big family you always wanted.”

“You deserve it too, Liberty,” he told her. “But these things aren’t in our hands. They aren’t about deserving. The most important things in life can’t be earned.”

He gazed into her eyes with so much love. Slowly, he reached out to touch her cheek, so softly it was as if he thought she might break if he touched her.

She leaned into the warmth of his hand, craving the comfort of his touch.

“Liberty,” he whispered, asking for permission.

She tilted her chin up without meaning to and he leaned down, closing the distance between them.

But before his lips could touch hers, there was a scream from inside the house.

“Jess, the kitchen is flooding!”