Book 25 Resilience After Dark #8
Sarah asks Cindy how things are going with Jace. Since Laura and Owen didn’t know about her new friendship, they’re curious.
“What is it you don’t want me to know?” Owen asks.
“It’s not that I don’t want you to know. It’s that I don’t want you to overreact.”
“To what?”
Cindy looks into the eyes of the brother who’d been her childhood hero for taking the brunt of their father’s rage to protect the rest of them. “He’s a recovering addict who did time for armed robbery.”
Owen’s expression goes flat, but his eyes convey an emotional response.
“Before you leap to judgment,” Sarah says to her son, “I want you to remember that Charlie was an ex-con when we met him. The story isn’t always what it seems. If we had judged him only on his record at the time and hadn’t taken the time to learn more about him, we would’ve missed out on one of the finest men any of us has ever known. ”
Sarah’s words of wisdom take some of the tension out of Owen’s posture. “I know, and I promise to keep an open mind.”
“Thank you.”
“Tell me more about him.”
Cindy conveys the highlights—or lowlights, such as they were—of Jace’s story to Owen and Laura.
“He’s worked hard to turn his life around, and I like who he is now.
He devotes time every day to maintaining his sobriety and is concerned about his sons.
” She hopes that whatever Seamus had wanted to meet with him about isn’t going to be a setback for Jace.
“He sounds like a very interesting person,” Laura says. “And he’s hot.”
“Like fire,” Cindy says with a grin for her sister-in-law.
“Easy, Mrs. Lawry,” Owen says.
“What? Am I so married I can’t appreciate a hot-as-fire man?”
Owen scowls at her. “Yes, you’re that married.”
“Why don’t you bring Jace to dinner some night soon?” Sarah suggests. “That’d be a good way for us to get to know him. We’ll have the whole family.”
“Because that wouldn’t be at all overwhelming for him,” Cindy says.
“We come with the package,” Owen says. “May as well get him used to us from the beginning.”
Cindy isn’t sure that’s a good idea. “I’ll ask him and see what he says.”
John goes to the marina to talk to Mr. McCarthy about the security job at the Wayfarer. Big Mac tells him he doesn’t need references because he knows John’s family. “They’re good people, and I assume you are, too.”
“I try to do the right thing in every situation.”
“That’s what we need, but I want you to know, the shit that goes on here in the summer would try the soul of the most patient of people. Nikki Stokes, our general manager, has some war stories you might want to hear before you accept.”
“I assume there won’t be anyone shooting at me.”
“They’re more apt to throw up on you than shoot at you.”
“I’d take puke over a bullet any day. I’m not afraid of drunk and disorderly.”
“We’re concerned about it escalating from there. Had a couple of reports of unwelcome sexual advances this past season, which has me concerned about lawsuits and such.”
“I have a lot of experience dealing with that, too. I’d do my best to keep things running smoothly for you.”
“I promised Nikki I’d do something about the security situation in the off-season, so you’re hired. If you want the job, that is.”
Does he want to stay on Gansett indefinitely, including during the long, cold winter? John wouldn’t have thought that would appeal to him until he’d come home and spent time with his family, not to mention the promising new friendship with Niall. “I think it sounds great,” John says. “I accept.”
Jeff does not want to leave Gansett when Kelsey is staying.
He needs to secure a job before he changes his plans.
He goes to see Mac McCarthy, asking if he has an opening in the construction company.
Jeff worked through college in construction and roofing and would be happy with anything they need.
Mac catches on right away that Jeff wants to stay to be with Kelsey.
He offers him a job on the spot. While he waits for Kelsey to come home, he sends a text to the family group chat to let everyone know his plans.
Slight change of plans, y’all. I’ve decided to spend the year here on Gansett and will be working for Mac McCarthy’s construction company. Having you all nearby has been amazing. Looking forward to some good times this winter. Josh—get your ass to Gansett. We’re having all the fun without you!
His mother responds first. Didn’t I just cosign on an apartment for you in Tampa?
Working on getting out of that as we speak and hoping I can rent a room from you and Charlie for a while longer.
Our home is your home but figure out that lease situation!
Will do.
Is this about a girl named Kelsey, by any chance? Cindy asks.
In part. It’s also about you guys and Gansett and how fun it is to be here together.
But mostly about Kelsey, John says with laughing emojis. While we’re talking about plans, meet the new director of security at the Wayfarer. Year-round gig that’s mostly four months of hard work.
Julia responds with, Congrats, Johnny! That’s awesome!
Your old Granny and Gramps are so happy to have you all here in our favorite place, Adele says. Best news ever. Josh, honey, we need you here to make it perfect.
No pressure, right? Josh responds. I’ll come visit soon. I promise. Congrats, Jeff and John. Happy for you guys!
Jace takes a cab to Seamus and Carolina’s house. Ned is his driver and delivers
him to their home with a little advice after Jace tells him the reason for the trip. Ned says, “Just make sure they know how loved they are, and it’ll be fine. I promise.”
He takes full responsibility for the series of choices that led him to being an outsider in his own son’s lives and can only hope that the conversation he’s about to have with them won’t ruin everything.
What if they never want to see him again?
Jace’s heart breaks at that possibility, but he presses on nonetheless, knocking on the door and holding his breath until Seamus opens it.
“Come in.”
The boys who usually greet him with the unbridled excitement afforded to someone who gives them a lot of attention are subdued as they sit at the table with an untouched snack of cookies and milk.
Every part of him aches as he realizes Kyle has been told about the photo Jackson saw, and both boys are upset about it.
Seamus nods for Jace to take a seat at the table.
When he is seated, Seamus says, “We asked Jace to come by because there’s something we want to talk to you about.”
Jackson looks right at Jace, brown eyes full of emotion. “How did you know our mom?”
Jace meets his son’s earnest gaze and tries to find the words he needs to explain himself to them. “Before I tell you how I knew your mom, I want you both to know that I love you so much and want nothing but the best for you.”
The boys look at each other and then at him, their gazes expectant, so he takes a deep breath and forces himself to say the words. “I knew your mother because I was married to her. I’m your father.”
Kyle lets out a sound that defies description before he jumps up and runs out the front door.
When Jace starts to get up, Seamus stops him. “I’ll go.”
Jace continues to talk to Jackson and shares that he got into trouble and was in prison. After a brief explanation, Jackson asks Carolina if he can go outside.
Jace drops his head into his hands, gutted by the exchange with his son.
“I know it might seem awful right now, but it won’t always be,” Carolina says. “This is new information that they need time to process. We just need to be patient with them.”
Carolina encourages him to continue to show up and be present for the boys.
They can never have too many people who love them.
When the boys come inside, Jace reassures them that Seamus and Carolina will be their parents, and he wants to be a part of their lives.
He missed them so much when he was away, and he’s so sorry they lost their mother.
When he says he loves them, they hesitantly let him hug them.
After a minute, they squirm to get free and run outside with their dog, Burpy, chasing after them.
“Was that it?” Jace asks Seamus and Carolina. “Was that the worst of it?”
“It’s hard to say for certain,” Carolina says. “They’re apt to have more questions and feelings about it all, but you handled it as well as could be expected.”
“I agree, mate,” Seamus says. “Well done.”
Again, he’s strangely honored to have Seamus call him that, knowing the other man well enough by now to know he doesn’t give away such things. “Thank you both for everything. I’ll never have the words…”
“It’s the honor of our lifetime to help raise your sons,” Seamus says gruffly.
Jeff tells Kelsey that he’s going to work with Mac’s construction company. She says he can’t blow up his whole life because of her. He promises her that it would be worse for him to leave her on Gansett for a whole year and be in Florida. “Are you glad I’m staying?”
She nods. “I was dreading you leaving.”
“Now, you don’t have to dread anything.”
“What does this mean for us?”
With his finger under her chin, he tips her face up so he can see her eyes. “It means we’re going to make a go of this, if you want to, that is.”
“I want to.”
Smiling, he says, “Thank goodness, because I’m about to blow up my whole life to be with you.”
Cindy hasn’t heard from Jace all day and has begun to seriously worry by late afternoon. She debates whether to text him and decides against it. Whatever is going on with him, if he wants her to know, he’ll tell her.
She hates this feeling of uncertainty that has crept in as the hours passed without a word from him after the night they’d spent together. The feeling is all too familiar, but it’s worse this time because she’d hoped for better from him.
She no sooner has that thought than she feels guilty for judging him before she knows what happened. Whatever it is had something to do with his boys, and they need to be his top priority.