Chapter 3
Three days later, after much practicing in each of his two costumes, Bryce wore his prized Popeye costume to the fall festival. He got compliments on it at every stop and Sharon, who’d been out with them, beamed.
“You’re a genius,” Molly said, not for the first time. Her aunt had as much talent for costumes as she did with her popular paintings that made up the body of her career.
“It was fun,” Sharon replied. “And he’s the cutest veggie-eating sailor-man ever.”
Molly agreed with a laugh.
Sharon, her dad’s sister, had been widowed early in her marriage, before they’d had children. For Molly, Sharon was a treasure of happy memories as she had spent many of her childhood summers traveling with her aunt while her parents worked.
And when Bryce’s father had died—before they could set a wedding date—leaving Molly unmarried and pregnant, Sharon had given her a safe haven when no one else would even speak to her.
Sure, Bryce’s father had some questionable gambling habits and compounded the problem with sketchy associations to cover his losses. Her parents hated him. She wasn’t sure his parents were too fond of him either. But back then, Molly had been sure a change of scenery and a new wife and baby would inspire him to become a better man.
How utterly naive she’d been.
Was it wrong to be grateful his poor choices had caught up with him before he could drag her and Bryce into more serious problems?
Her son raced back to her side, happy and cheerful, and she knew things had worked out best for Bryce. Single parenting wasn’t easy. She was exhausted more than half the time, but giving him a healthy start in life was worth it.
She and Sharon had found their way, making a home as they became a unique family unit.
“Have I said thanks?” Molly asked.
“For the costume?” Sharon waved it off. “Many times, sweetheart.”
“No. For a stable home. For all of this,” she gestured toward the bustling community around them.
Each of the shops and offices in the buildings that overlooked the marina were decorated and open for trick-or-treaters. Some had games as well, with prizes for both kids and adults.
It seemed as if the entire community had turned out for the event. And more than a few visitors as well. Molly kept close tabs on Bryce, holding his hand as they walked through the busy area, but letting him go by himself to the trick-or-treat stops.
Sharon gave her shoulders a squeeze. “That’s been a pleasure from day one. Watching you mother that boy and raise him right.” She beamed at Bryce. “Well, it’s been an honor to be part of it.”
Molly sighed. Her parents had written her off. Worse, they ignored Bryce’s existence.
“I know what you’re thinking and stop right now,” Sharon admonished. “It’s good to be happy. Maybe especially when others are determined to be unhappy. Your son isn’t lacking for any good role models or elders to dote on him.”
Bryce was a few paces ahead of them, chatting non-stop with police lieutenant Will Frasier and his new wife. No doubt telling them all about his costume.
They exchanged a quick word with Will and Maureen before Bryce dragged Molly to the next storefront. She held his hand, reminding him of his manners before she let him go up to the next stop.
“He’s a brave one.”
Molly whipped around, startled to see Miles Kearney at her shoulder. She should’ve heard him. He wasn’t a man she could overlook or ignore. No matter how hard she tried.
“Yes, he is.” And it terrified her sometimes. All the time. “He’s never met a stranger,” she admitted. “Which means I’m always on high alert.” She tried to laugh it off.
“Really? Isn’t a close, safe community the big draw for living out here?”
She glanced up at him, momentarily taken aback by the intensity in his gaze. Miles didn’t mean to imply anything. He was like that with everyone. He paid attention and had a way of making whoever was in front of him feel as if they were the most important person in the world. “What do you mean?”
“The locals watch out for each other,” he explained. “Obviously, you’ll worry. Part of being his mom. But I thought—”
Miles stopped short as Bryce came racing back to show off his latest sweet acquisitions. “I said thank you,” he assured her. Bryce pulled a piece of paper out of his candy bucket and shoved it at Molly. “They said that’s for you.”
“Okay.” She glanced at the coupon for a deep-sea fishing group outing. “Thank you!” She waved at the owner standing near the booking-office door. Tucking the note into her pocket, they walked along.
When they were out of earshot, she offered the coupon to Miles. “You won’t use it?” he asked.
“Boats aren’t really my thing,” she confessed under her breath.
He threw his head back, laughing. “You’re down here at the marina all the time.”
“Because of my favorite guy.” She gave Bryce a fast hug, holding him an extra second before he squirmed away to hit up the next candy stop. “He’ll sleep hard tonight.”
She wondered if she’d manage to sleep at all. With a little luck, she’d enjoy a sexy dream of Miles. A dream was all she could handle of Miles… or anyone, really. She was definitely smitten, but he was out of her league. Far too composed compared to her chaotic single-mom life.
They continued to walk through the festival, finishing the trick-or-treat stops along boardwalk. She could see Bryce was wearing out, but he was too stubborn to give in, insisting he wanted to see more.
“I guess we should let you get back to your own shop,” she said. No sense exposing him to an impending meltdown.
“You’re going in my direction,” he pointed out. “You want to walk me home, Bryce?”
“Can I see the boats?”
Miles moved out of the path and took a knee to be at eye level with Bryce. “If we get there before dark and your mom says it’s okay.”
Bryce moved close, holding up his arms. “Carry me,” he demanded.
“Bryce,” Molly warned.
“Please,” her son added belatedly, eyes wide. When Miles didn’t move, he turned that beseeching gaze on her. “His legs are longer, Mommy.”
Miles stood, scooping Bryce up with him. “Kid makes a good point.”
She shook her head. “Anything to see the boats.”
From his higher vantage point, Bryce seemed less interested in every festival game or tent. They made good time back to Miles’s shop at the far end of the marina and Bryce scrambled down, holding tight to her hand, pulling her toward the dock and the row of sunfish.
“Hold on there, sailor,” Miles said. “Come on over here and see a special boat.”
“Seriously?” Molly smothered a laugh.
“What?”
Bryce was oblivious, eagerly keeping up with Miles. “You sound like a script for stranger danger,” she said, keeping her voice low enough that Bryce wouldn’t overhear. “There better not be a van full of puppies to lure us to our doom,” Molly warned.
“What’s doom?” Bryce asked.
“When your mom gets super mad,” Miles supplied.
He grinned and her knees turned to jelly. Was he flirting with her?
“Oh, that’s bad.” Bryce’s reply carried a wisdom far beyond his years. He grabbed Molly’s hand. “No doom.”
She swiped her hand across her heart. “I promise.”
He giggled, the sound so sweet she wanted to cling to it forever. Then he squealed and she wanted to do the same. Except Bryce was bouncing around, giddy on a second wind and Molly wanted to run back to the festival. “Miles,” she breathed. “That… That’s…”
“A boat, Momma!”
“Yes, it is,” she agreed.
Under the bright lights on the end of the building the long, shallow-draft boat rested on a trailer, the size no less intimidating on land. This vessel was so much bigger than the sailboards and sunfish Miles used in his sailing lessons. The mast was upright and just the idea of the size of the sail that would be required overwhelmed her.
“It’s an e-scow,” Miles was explaining to Bryce, who was back in his arms. “It has a big sail.”
“The main?”
“That’s right,” Miles confirmed with a smile. “And a smaller sail. The jib,” they said together. “Plus a spinnaker. When that’s out, the boat really flies, skimming over the water.” He gestured with his hands.
Bryce was practicing the new word as Miles turned toward her. “Can I take him aboard?”
Molly nodded, not trusting her voice.
Up on the boat, Bryce chattered a mile-a-minute and Miles patiently answered every question as they walked from bow to stern and back to the ladder.
Bryce scampered back to her side, delighted with the new adventure. “He’s fixing it, Mommy! So he can go on adventures.”
“Good.”
“I plan to race locally once she’s fixed up,” Miles said. “But it’s perfect for an afternoon in the harbor.”
“What if—” Molly caught herself. She refused to put her fears onto Bryce. “What if there’s no wind?”
“It has auxiliary power. We never need to worry about being stranded.”
There was no “we” in Molly’s mind. It would be challenging enough when Bryce started his lessons. “Good,” she said, a beat too late.“Molly—”
She stepped back. “We should let you get back to the fun. Say thank-you, Bryce.”
Her son obeyed, waving at Miles. “Happy Halloween!”
“Molly, one more thing.” Miles tucked his hands into his pockets.
“Yes?”
“I…” His gaze dropped to Bryce. “Why Brookwell?”
She appreciated that he didn’t accuse her of being afraid of the water or boats in front of her son. It was bad enough she had to pretend to like lizards and worms when they caught Bryce’s attention.
She wasn’t trying to be perfect, but she was trying to prevent her son from taking on her fears as his own. It had taken her years to get over driving in the rain, simply because her mother never stopped sharing the story of an awful car accident she’d barely survived.
As if cars and tires hadn’t improved a thousand times over in the decades since.
Boats and water safety had evolved as well, and she leaned into that.
She gave Bryce a big smile. “Aunt Sharon made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”
“My daddy is dead,” Bryce volunteered with his typical candor. “But we are family.”
“You sure are,” Miles patted his shoulder.
“Will you take me sailing? I’ll swab the deck,” Bryce promised.
“This boat needs loads of work before we can take it out on the water. You can help me whenever your mom says it’s okay.”
Molly couldn’t imagine her son being of much help at all, but Miles seemed sincere.
“The grown-ups will talk,” she said. “We’ll talk,” she repeated firmly when he started to protest. “For tonight, we need to go find Auntie Sharon. She’ll want to hear all about this.”
“Okay.” He stretched his arms up and she relented. He was heavy, sure, but these days would soon be gone.
“Thanks for everything, Miles.”
“Everything?” His wry smile tugged at her heart. It wasn’t his fault she was afraid of way too many things.
“Yes, everything.” And she meant it. She appreciated his kindness with her son and his genuine friendliness toward her. For Molly, friends were pure gold.
“Happy Halloween, Miles.”
“Happy Halloween, Molly.”
She tucked the echo of his baritone voice next to her heart and carried it with her all the way home. Held it close through the daily ordeal of getting one small, overtired child into bed.
And when she was alone in her own room, she brought it out. It was good to remember there were kind, warm, sincere people in the world. Good role models for her son. And as she drifted off to sleep, she gladly let the sweetness of the evening carry her into a sexy dream starring Miles.
It was better than candy.
***
I hope you enjoyed reading Sailor Surprise!