Chapter 7 #3
Big Mac rubbed at the stubble on his jaw, trying to think of what he should say to fix this. “It’s true I wasn’t pleased that you stopped me, but with hindsight, I can see you did the right thing. The Coasties didn’t need another missing boater on their hands.”
“It was bad enough that the others were missing. I couldn’t let something happen to you, too. And the fog was so thick. So thick.”
Big Mac stepped forward, put a hand on Luke’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m glad one of us was thinking clearly, and I’m sorry if I’ve given you the impression I was pissed. I might’ve been in the moment, but I’m not now. Okay?”
Luke nodded, the relief showing in his expression.
“You’re one of my kids, Luke Harris. I could never be truly pissed at you. Never.”
“Shit… You gotta put it that way, huh?”
Big Mac hugged him. “’Fraid so.”
Luke returned the embrace and patted him on the back. “Thank God they’re all right.”
“Yes. Thank God. And thank you. You did the right thing, but then again, you always do. You’re a good man, and I’m proud to call you one of my own.”
When Luke stepped back from him, Big Mac thought he saw a tear or two in the younger man’s eyes. They’d all done their share of weeping lately. “You can’t possibly know how much that means to me,” Luke said.
“Go on home to your wife, son. Everything’s okay here.” And it was, Big Mac thought as he watched Luke walk up the pier to the parking lot. Everything was okay. He just had to keep telling himself that in the hope that someday soon he’d believe it.
Linda was enjoying a glass of wine at the kitchen table when Big Mac returned from the marina. “Everything all right down the hill?”
“Yep. Got a couple of party boats still in from Race Week, so I wanted to make sure they aren’t going to keep everyone else up all night.”
“Remember when that would’ve been us? Up all night with our friends, partying till the sun came up?”
“That was a very long time ago.”
“Those were fun times.”
He popped open a beer and joined her at the table. “Yes, they were. Before five kids came along and ruined everything.”
Linda shared a smile with him. They’d never done anything more fun than raise those five kids and their assortment of cousins and friends.
“I ran into Luke down there. The poor kid thought I was pissed with him for stopping me from going out after the boys.”
“Oh, no. All this time he was thinking that? What did he say?”
Big Mac relayed the essence of their conversation. “I told him I could never be truly pissed at him.”
“He loves you so much.”
“I know. And the feeling is entirely mutual. What a good kid he is to be down at the docks checking on things so late. I sure got lucky when I hired that eager fourteen-year-old.”
Linda covered his hand with hers. “He got lucky, too. He got a job and a dad out of it.”
They shared a warm smile.
“I’m worried about Grant,” she said. “Really worried.”
“I am, too.”
“Something happened to him out there. Something big.”
“I’m afraid you might be right.”
“Adam has gone to find him.”
“Oh, good,” he said with a sigh of relief.
“That’s good. I thought about going to look for him, but I figured he wouldn’t want to be found by me.
I can tell I’ve been irritating them since…
” As his eyes filled, he took a deep breath and blew it out.
“Since it happened. I’m trying not to think about it.
I’m trying to remember to count my blessings.
Trying to remember everyone is safe. Other than that… ”
“I think about poor Steve and his family and how easily it could’ve been ours.”
He nodded in agreement. “You don’t think I should go looking for Grant, do you?”
“Adam said he’d call when he found him.”
Big Mac nodded. “Hard for me not to go after them the way I would’ve back in the day. Gotta remind myself they’re not little kids anymore.”
“I know, love.” Not being able to go after them had been the worst part of an awful day for him. Old habits were hard to break. “You know what would make you feel better?”
“What’s that?”
“We need to go to bed early and watch a movie. I’ll even let you pick. Some James Bond will get your mind off it.”
“I don’t need a movie.”
Linda eyed him. “What, then?”
“I need you.” He stood and tugged on her hand to urge her to her feet. “You can get my mind off it a lot better than James Bond can.”
Ridiculously complimented by his words as well as the raw hunger she saw on his face, she let him tug her up. She was no sooner on her feet than he was kissing her, his arms wrapped tight around her. His kisses had always had the power to take her breath away, and tonight was no different.
Reason finally had her pulling back from him. “Mac, wait. We need to go upstairs. Adam is home. He could come back any time. We’d scar him for life.”
“Hurry,” he said, swatting her on the rear as he directed her toward the stairs.
Laughing, Linda scurried out of his reach on the way upstairs.
“Do you still have that doohickey you got at Tiffany’s store?”
“Um, yeah. You don’t exactly use and return such things.”
“We’re going to need that.”
Her heart raced and the breath got caught in her throat as he bypassed the buttons on her blouse and pulled it over her head.
His eyes widened when he got a look at the sheer bra she wore that left nothing to the imagination. “Where’d you get that?”
“Also at Tiffany’s store,” Linda said with a saucy smile. “I thought you might like it.”
“I love it. I love that store. I need to see if she’s in need of some investors. We’ve got to keep her in business.”
Linda laughed, feeling more carefree and lighthearted than she had since the moment the island’s police chief, Blaine Taylor, found her at the hair salon with the news that her sons were missing.
Tugging at the faded T-shirt her husband had worn to work, Linda helped him take it off, giggling as she did every summer at the “farmer’s tan” that encompassed his face, neck and lower arms, leaving the rest of his torso white.
He scowled playfully. “Don’t make fun of my tan.”
“Why break tradition?”
Waggling his brows, he said, “How about you show me your tan lines.”
Linda made a big production out of removing the dress pants she’d worn to work at the hotel, revealing an equally sheer pair of panties that matched the bra.
He let out a low whistle as he reached for her.
“Not so fast, sailor.” She tugged at the button to his shorts and made quick work of them and the boxers he wore underneath.
They fell on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs. His kisses were ravenous, desperate and so, so hot. The older he got, the sexier he became to her. Her fingers sifted through the thick gray hair that had once been as dark as their sons’. The gray only added to his incredible appeal.
Tonight he seemed inclined to take rather than give, which was fine with her. He was always a generous lover, and she was happy to return the favor. She’d give him whatever he needed, whenever he needed it.
He broke the kiss, gasping as he cupped her breasts through the bra. “Lin…”
“What, honey?”
“I love you so much.”