Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
L ast night had been weird. This morning in her front hall, Mia tried to think of a different word for it but kept circling back to weird.
Seeing Matt again after so many years, the obvious tension between him and Cody, then the abrupt way Cody left after supper. Not to mention the way Cody’s sweet words of support and friendship had wormed their way straight through her. They played through her mind long after she was in bed. He really believed what he was saying. About her. About her worth.
All very weird.
She shook off those thoughts too and focused on the task in front of her—tying Maggie’s shoes. They had one goal for this morning: spend some time with Constance and GG. She’d been so busy lately she’d been neglecting her mother-in-law. They couldn’t stay long though; this afternoon she needed to spend time developing descriptions of the houses that were available under the revitalization plan.
“Won’t GG Harmon love seeing these pigtails?” She tweaked one of Maggie’s curly whale spouts, both of which currently stuck straight up from her head. She finished tying the shoes and helped Maggie stand. “Finn! Are you ready to visit Grandma and GG?” Constance said that GG usually felt better in the mornings and invited them to stop by for a mid-morning coffee, promising apple cake.
Finn ran down the hall, one arm in his shirt, the other swinging behind him as he searched for the other armhole. Mia laughed and helped him pull it over his head.
“Let’s go!” They headed out into the sunshine. Mia tipped her face to the sun for a breath before Finn tugged at her hand. “All right, Finn. Lead on.”
A few minutes later, they stood in Constance’s warm kitchen. The late morning sun streamed through the picture window over the pale wood dining table. The scent of apples and cinnamon filled the air. At the table, GG Harmon sat, hunched and small, her white pixie cut hair framing her face, making her blue eye luminous.
“Hi, GG.” Mia pulled out a chair and sat next to her. She took GG’s hands in her own. Ice cold. “How are you feeling today?”
The tiny woman had gained a little weight in the time she’d been in Constance’s home. Her cheeks held more fullness, and she appeared healthier overall. “I’m having a good day today.”
Mia glanced up at Constance who stood behind her mother. “Long night,” Constance mouthed. Deep bags hung under her eyes, but the corners crinkled when she smiled.
Mia quirked a grin. “I hear apple cake is good medicine.” She stood and got Finn and Maggie situated at the table. Soon, their snack was punctuated with their happy chatter. When the cake had been reduced to crumbs, Constance helped GG to her room for a nap, and Mia let Finn and Maggie run to the toy box in Constance’s front room.
Constance came back into the kitchen and began clearing off the table.
“Let me help you with that.” Mia stood and started stacking the dirty plates. She carried them to the small counter and sink. “I’ll wash if you dry.”
“You met up with an old friend yesterday, right?” Constance wiped a plate before putting it in the cupboard.
“Yeah. Matt. It was good seeing him again. Weird, but good.” A tug in her belly as she remembered his piercing blue eyes. “He’s just as talented as always. He has a gallery in Grand Rapids, near our old college, but he’s looking for a new place.”
“That must have been difficult, seeing his success.”
Her eyes prickled and she blinked. “I gave up that life when I got pregnant with Finn. He is worth it.”
Constance touched her arm. “Loads of people have a creative job and families.”
“But most of those people have someone else to support them, and maybe I would have gone back to it if Troy hadn’t died. I never had a chance to find out.” Mia scrubbed at a sticky spot on the plate in her hands. The heat of the soapy water did little to warm her up. “No. I’m happy with my life. Or I will be once I secure the house for the kids. Once more people are on island, I’m sure I can get a steady job to provide for them. Maybe even go into the real estate business full-time.” Where did that thought come from? But it was a good idea. “If enough people start coming back to the island, we can jump-start the economy and convince more people to want to live here again.”
“Sounds lonely, only focusing on the town and your kids like that.” A cup went into the cupboard, nestled next to several others of various shapes and sizes.
“I don’t have the luxury to think about that. Plus, I have Evie and Dani, and Cody, of course.” She grimaced. “Sorry, I shouldn’t talk about him.”
Constance tightened her lips. “I’m not upset at Cody. Not specifically, anyway. It’s just that seeing him reminds me of everything I’ve lost.” She let out a long breath. “I have to ask God for peace every time I see him in town.”
“I get that.” Swishing the water, Mia found a coffee cup and rubbed at it with her washcloth.
“But I don’t begrudge him his happiness. He deserves that. He was always such a good friend to Troy. And to you too.” Constance picked up a dish and wiped it dry. “And even if the fact I have trouble greeting him seems like it, I know the accident was never his fault.”
“No, of course not.” She’d never blamed Cody either. How could she, when the fact that Troy had been on the boat that night was because of her? Something she’d never told a soul.
They worked a few minutes more.
“So, is Matt cute?” Constance kept her eyes on the plate she was wiping dry, but Mia caught a hint of a smile on her lips.
“Constance!”
“What? It’s a simple question.” Constance bumped her with her hip.
“Yeah, okay. I don’t know if he’s going to move here, but yes. He’s good looking. Always has been.” If a little enthusiastic—but it was nice to know a man was interested in her after everything she’d been through. She wrinkled her nose. “But I don’t know if he’s the right guy for me. He called Jonathon Island quaint.”
“It is quaint.” Constance laughed. “As for Matt, you won’t know unless you’re open to dating again. Are you?”
“Well…maybe. But sometimes it feels impossible to think about. Troy was…” Heat pricked the back of her eyes, and she scrubbed the plate in her hands extra hard.
“I know, hon. He was your match.” Constance’s voice softened, and Mia met her gaze. “But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t have someone else out there for you. A second chance. Moving forward is hard, but it’s good.”
“You haven’t moved forward.”
“It’s different. You have two kids who need a father figure. Troy’d want a good and honorable man to be there for you and Finn and Maggie. He loved you with every breath and would never be upset.” Constance paused. “But maybe you’re right. Maybe I should put myself back out there too. My own friends are hounding me to join an online dating site to meet men in Port Joseph…Maybe I should do it.”
Mia held back a laugh at picturing Constance on a dating app. But then she sobered. If Constance could find the courage to move forward at 63 years old, maybe she could too.
Just then her phone pinged with a text message. She rinsed off the plate in her hands and then checked her phone.
Matt
I’m headed off island on the next ferry. Can you meet me at the dock in a few minutes? Want to talk over schedule before I go.
Matt had written.
And end this conversation with her mother-in-law? Yes, please.
“Constance, can I leave Finn and Maggie here with you for a few minutes? I’ll put on a cartoon for them or something.” She held up the phone. “Matt needs to meet for a quick chat.”
Constance flapped her hands. “Go. They’ll be fine here.”
Mia hurried the few chilly blocks to the ferry port.
Matt stood on the dock. A ferry waited, but the area was quiet. In the harbor, a few other boats bobbed in the waves. A light breeze lifted the edge of Matt’s jacket. A smile crossed his face and lit up his eyes as Mia approached. He walked to her and grabbed her hand in both of his. His cologne filled the space between them. Something strong and spicy and probably expensive. Suddenly, Mia was very aware of the jeans and ratty T-shirt she’d pulled on today. Was the shirt even clean? She took a deep breath and reminded herself of what Cody had said. Just be yourself . Well, couldn’t get more herself right now than this half-put-together, possibly food-stained T-shirt and secondhand jeans.
“Thanks for meeting me. I was going to call, but I thought I would take the chance to see you instead.” His blue eyes searched hers.
“This worked great. I left the kids at my mother-in-law’s for a few minutes. It’s a beautiful morning for a walk.”
“I have a meeting on the mainland with some potential investors in a few hours, so I checked out of Island Inn. I’ll be back for the big meeting at the end of next week.”
“Okay.” Why did she rush down here for this? And why was he still holding her hand? She let go. “Anything else?”
“That’s all. Just wanted to say goodbye for now.” Matt’s gaze flicked behind her and then he took her hand again. “Hello again, Cody.”
She dropped Matt’s hand again and spun. Sure enough, Cody stood at the end of the dock, arms crossed. His stormy face a contrast to the sun bursting through the clouds overhead. How long had he been there? Her heart lifted. Had he been looking for her?
A long horn sounded from the ferry. “Okay. Good luck on your trip.” Mia schooled her voice into something hopefully professional.
“Thanks.” Matt rested a hand on her shoulder briefly, gave her a smile, then nodded at them both. “Cody.”
“Matt.”
Matt picked up his briefcase before turning on his heel and making his way to the ferry.
Mia looked up at Cody’s sour face. “Good morning, Sunshine.”
He watched the boat pull away from the dock before turning to her. “It is now.” He flashed a smile. “I have a car for Finn that I found at my place.” He held up a miniature red Corvette. “I sent you a text that I was heading over to your place, but when you didn’t answer, I thought I’d go anyway and leave it on your porch. I need to get to work on a house near yours today. Then I spotted you down here when I was walking past. Where are the kids?”
“At Constance’s. I need to get back and pick them up. This meetup with Matt was an impromptu one.”
A muscle in his jaw jumped and he grunted.
“Wow. You really don’t like Matt, do you?” She took the Corvette from him and stuck it in her jeans pocket.
“He’s fine.” Cody’s eyes were hooded.
“Yes. Those two words are very convincing.”
He sighed, ran a hand through his sandy hair. “Matt’s great. I like Matt. I’d like him even more if he didn’t make you feel less than. Plus, he’s a flirt.”
“What do you mean less than?” A cloud passed over the sun, casting a shadow over them.
“You know. Making you feel insecure. But then constantly smiling at you. Touching your shoulder. Laughing at your jokes. Playing with your kids.”
“I’m sorry? Are you upset because Matt likes my sense of humor?” She put a hand to her hip. “And was nice? And likes my kids? Seriously, Code? Any insecurity on my part was just that, on my part .”
Cody flexed a fist. He squinted at the ground for a beat before his shoulders dropped. “No. You’re right. He’s nice. Seems like a good guy.” His jaw tightened.
“Code.” She reached out a hand to, well she wasn’t sure what, but Cody pulled a step away from her.
“Are you heading home?” His voice held false cheer.
“Yep.” Okay. She’d drop it for now. “Constance was just watching the kids for a few minutes. She can’t keep them long.”
“I’ll walk you. Like I said, I need to work on a house over there anyway.”
They fell into an easy cadence. “Seems like this is becoming our thing.” Maybe some light teasing would bring him around.
Cody laughed. “Sometimes it still feels strange walking through town without our third musketeer.”
“Seriously?” She stopped, crossed her arms. “Why do you do that?”
Cody stopped a step ahead of her and turned to face her. “Do what?”
“Bring up Troy any time I say something about our friendship?”
“I don’t do that.”
“Yes. You do.” She brushed past him and heard him follow. They walked past an empty storefront with a newly painted flowerbox, but even the beauty of the flowers didn’t soothe her irritation.
“Don’t you want to talk about Troy?”
“Of course I want to talk about Troy. And after he died, I was desperate to talk about him, but everyone in town avoided the topic. Maybe they thought it would be more painful for me.” The cobblestones under her feet tilted and she almost stumbled. Cody grabbed her elbow and held her steady. “Thanks. They didn’t realize that talking about him would be helpful. Even Constance didn’t talk to me about him much. But you…you were the only one who grieved with me. Who would talk about him.”
“Okay, then. I don’t see the problem.” Cody dropped her elbow and drew a half step away.
“The problem is, Troy isn’t the only thing we have in common. And yet, you use him as a shield. It’s like he’s always between us. Sometimes I wonder if you do all of the stuff around my house to help me simply because he’s not here to do it…or because you’re my friend—not his.”
Okay, then. Hadn’t meant to say all of that. She hadn’t even known she thought that until the words were out. And yet, she did.
Cody paused. A slight frown line developed between his eyes. “You’re right.” He shrugged. “It’s just that it’s always been you and me and Troy.”
“That’s not true. There was a you and me before Troy moved here. We were friends first. Being the middle child, it was easy to feel overlooked in my own house, but you always had time for me. Your friendship meant the world. It was a lifeline.” She stopped, looked at him. “It still is.”
“I’ll always be your friend, Mia.”
“And yet…once Troy moved here, you and I didn’t do much just the two of us, did we? The two of you were thick as thieves, and I was like the third wheel.”
“Are you kidding? You were the sun, and we were the planets orbiting around you. Trying to one-up each other to impress you, get you to laugh.” He shook his head. “If anyone was the third wheel, it was me. Once you and Troy started dating…well, you had eyes only for each other.” He started walking again.
She hurried to catch up as he reached Constance’s yard. Touched his elbow so he stopped. “I’m sorry, Cody. I had no idea we made you feel that way. I suppose we were pretty obnoxious, weren’t we?” Mia searched his eyes and was surprised to find a shuttering of sorts—not humor as she’d expected. But…more. Something deeper and sadder than her words warranted. Unless…
“Was there another reason you pulled away in high school? Not just because we were annoying, but…something else?”
“Something else?” His voice had gone husky, and was it her imagination, or was he leaning in closer? “Like what?”
“I don’t know.” She tugged on a loose piece of her hair that blew in the breeze. “Dani had this crazy idea that you liked me back then.” Oh goodness, now why had she gone and blurted that out? Surely he was going to laugh and give her a friendly tap on the shoulder and they’d smile about this later.
Instead, Cody shifted and looked away from her. “You were smart, funny, and talented. Not to mention beautiful. I guess back then, yeah. I had a thing for you.”
She stilled. “A thing? Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“C’mon, Mia. Even if it took him several years to pursue you, you were head over heels for Troy from the minute he stepped on the island. And then he had the courage to speak up when I didn’t. My two best friends had found love together. So, what was I supposed to say? I chose to be happy for you and move on.”
“Oh, Cody.” She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. Even through his flannel shirt she could feel the tension in his muscles. He spun to face her, just six inches separating them. His eyes flared a brighter blue in the midday sun. Her breath caught.
“You meant everything to me back then.” His voice had dropped until she had to lean forward to hear him. “In this tiny town, in our tiny school, you were like, I don’t know, a water sprite or some other fantasy creature. You always thought up the most interesting things to do, you were spontaneous and fun. And you could look at any situation and see beauty. I’d see a tree and think ‘oh, a tree’, you’d see the same tree and go home and paint something incredible.” He paused and wet his lips. “And I thought…Then Troy moved here, and we all became friends. But then your focus shifted to him. Which is fine. Honestly, I don’t hold it against you at all. But yeah. Troy is between us, because he’s always been between us.”
Under her hand his muscle rippled. She swallowed. He thought she was a fantasy creature? When had Cody become so…poetic? Also, she didn’t feel like that carefree girl anymore. But maybe she could again. In time.
Cody’s gaze flicked down to her lips.
Heat flared inside. What?—
“Mommy’s back!” Finn’s high cheer from Constance’s doorway broke the whatever it was between them. Mia gulped in a breath before taking a step back and dropping her hand.
“Hi Finn!” She pasted on a smile for her son, pretending that her heart wasn’t galloping faster than the time she’d run for the track team. In the doorway, Maggie poked her head under Finn’s arm. “Hi Mags. You guys ready to go home?” She made her way up the sidewalk. Before reaching the house, she flicked a glance back at Cody. The look he was giving her in return made her legs feel like jelly.
Their conversation wasn’t over.
* * *
Cody rubbed his neck. So that’s what whiplash felt like. Or at least that’s what this morning had been for him.
He’d been eating an omelet and deep into researching a new gasket for his boat when he’d gotten a phone call about a lead on some fishing tackle he’d need now that his dad had sold his.
After the call, he found he couldn’t concentrate on his research anymore, so he’d grabbed the car for Finn and texted Mia. Then he saw Matt on that dock, holding Mia’s hand. Then Mia asking him to talk about how he felt about her.
Culminating in whatever the heck that was outside her mother-in-law’s house. Had he really been about to kiss her before the kids interrupted them?
He’d hotfooted it out of there before Mia had a chance to razz him about it.
Coward.
But then, when she’d called and asked him to come to her house to help with something, he’d had lightning in his sneakers.
And now, he was sitting at her dining room table and supposed to concentrate on helping her with some incredibly boring paperwork.
So. Yeah. Whiplash.
“Are you okay?” Mia’s eyes were unreadable.
“Sure am.” Keep it light. “Why?”
“You keep rubbing your neck. I thought maybe you’d gotten hurt.”
He willed his hands to stay where they were. One rested on the table, and one clutched an application. Mia had asked if they could review them one more time. “I’m fine.”
“So, I think we should definitely go with the fifteen there to replace all the ones that dropped out when I started scheduling video interviews. But I’d like to pick one more.” Mia fanned out the final applications on the table. “These are our choices. What do you think? I just really need a second opinion. I don’t want to present the wrong candidates to the council and look foolish.”
Cody held out the application in his hand. “This is the one I would choose. Mrs. Harper. Solid background in sales, she’s lived in the same place for a long time, which shows loyalty, but now wants some adventure, which shows she’s ready to tackle the challenge of living and working over here. Plus, she sells cheesecake. Win-win.”
Mia smiled at him. A tight line of a smile that didn’t reach much higher than her lips. Not that he should be looking at her lips. They moved. Shoot. He’d missed her response. “I’m sorry, what?”
She bristled. “You don’t like Matt Goldfinch as a candidate?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. ‘I’m sorry, what?’” She added a slight sarcasm to his response.
“That’s not what I?—”
“I think we should give him a chance. I’d love to see a real art studio here. Who knows, maybe one day Maggie will work there and be inspired.” She glanced away, blinking rapidly.
Aw. Sure, he had a raging, green-eyed monster in his belly every time he saw or thought about Matt Goldfinch, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Mia. He certainly wasn’t about to let himself and his dumb emotions get in the way of her happiness.
“Mia, look at me.” She met his eyes and a heat zinged through him. “If you want Matt for this last slot, and you think he’s a good fit, I’m not going to fight you on it. I’m on your team.”
Her expression softened. “Thanks. I appreciate that. And I appreciate you thinking through these applications with me. It means a lot.”
“Anytime.”
Mia tapped the table once. “Okay. I think I’m ready to head over and finalize some of these details with Dani.” She gathered her papers together. They shook in her hands. “Kids! Get your shoes.” She tucked the papers in a folder then ran her palms down the sides of her pants.
“Hey.” He stood and took two steps around the table. “Nervous?”
Her smile wobbled. “A little.”
“You have nothing to worry about.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Nothing to worry about? Cody, if this goes sideways, I could lose my house. My kids could be homeless.” A fire he’d never seen before shot from her eyes. “This is the only thing I should be worrying about.”
“No, I didn’t mean?—”
“If I don’t nail every single part of this. It’s not just my life on the line, it’s the town’s reputation. It’s Dani’s job.” She flung her arms out. “It’s the whole island.”
“Okay. You have a lot to worry about. But what I meant was, you’re smart. You’re prepared. Dani is your best friend. Whatever happens in the next hour or so will be fine. You’ll figure it out.”
She blew out a breath and smoothed back a section of her hair. “Sorry. I freaked out a little there.”
“Just a little.” He softened his words with a smile. “Hey, here’s a great idea. Why don’t you let me take care of the kids while you’re gone.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking, I’m offering. C’mon, Mia. Let me help you.”
“You’ve already helped me.” She gestured at the pile of papers, a small movement that reminded him of the flutter of a hummingbird’s wings “Plus, you have your own work to do.”
“It’s fine. I’ll bring the kids over to my place. They can play, and I will get a few things done.” He spread his hands wide.
She hooked him with a look and put a hand on her hip. “Have you met my kids? You won’t be getting any work done.”
How hard could it be? There were just two of them. “You’re going to be late if you stand here arguing with me. I can out-stubborn you any day.” He spun her toward the door. “Go. Meet Dani. Have a decaf coffee. Come back a conquering hero. I got the kids.”
A scramble of jackets and shoes later and he was looking down at two adorable faces smiling up at him under twin bobble hats. Well, one face was smiling, anyway.
“Where Mama go?” Maggie’s chin wobbled.
“Your mom had a meeting to get to.” He glanced out the window next to the front door. He could just barely see Mia as she disappeared around the corner of the street. Good for her. She deserved to have some time to herself. Hopefully, she would take him up on the offer to stay out longer than her meeting required.
A fat tear rolled down Maggie’s cheek. “I go wif her.”
“Maggie’s going to cry.” Finn’s brotherly scorn came through loud and clear.
“We can’t have that.” He swooped Maggie up into his arms just as the little girl began to wail. “Shh, sweetheart. It’s okay. I’ll take care of you until your mom gets home.”
Maggie buried her head in his neck even as she cried harder. He patted her on the back. He made shushing noises. He bounced her up and down.
“That’s not going to work,” Finn said.
“Very helpful, buddy.” Maybe they all needed a distraction. “Do you guys want to see my boat?”
Maggie lifted her tearstained face from his neck, her crying miraculously cured. “I wike boats.”
“Let’s go, then.” He shot off a quick text to Mia letting her know that he was taking the kids to his place. She responded with a heart emoji. Best not to read too much into that.
“Can we take the wagon?” Finn bounced on the balls of his feet.
“Sure, bud. If you show me where it is.”
A few minutes later, they were moving down the sidewalk, Finn and Maggie tucked into a soft-sided wagon. The kids sang a nonsense song about a duck and some grapes. See, no big deal. He could handle this.
When they finally reached his shop, Cody’s arms were coming loose at the sockets. No wonder Mia rarely used the wagon. The kids couldn’t weigh much more than sixty pounds altogether, but when you bounce those sixty pounds for a half a mile over rough pavement and with no suspension, they may as well have been three hundred and sixty. At least the big wheels rolled better over the cobblestone roads than he’d expected. He parked the wagon near the door and rotated his shoulders a few times. Then he held the wagon steady for Finn to climb out. Maggie raised her arms and he swooped her up, making an airplane noise as he did. She giggled.
Inside the shop, Finn stood and gaped up at the fishing boat. “It’s so tall.”
Cody laughed. From the perspective of a four-year-old, it probably did seem quite tall. He set Maggie down and helped her take off her jacket. Finn’s coat lay on the floor, so Cody picked that up then hung them all on the hooks. He pulled out his phone and noticed that he’d missed a call from Lily. With one eye on the kids, he called her back.
“Hey, sis. You still coming home?”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily.” Her voice had a lilt.
“You sound good. Florida treating you all right?” Finn disappeared around the front of the boat, Maggie toddling after him.
“I’ve just made the most gorgeous truffle. Bergamot and caramel.”
Cody steadied his voice. “They’re letting you make the chocolates now?”
“Just…you know…” Lily dropped the upbeat tone. “I’m experimenting here and there.” Across the room, on the other side of the boat, the kids giggled. “Where are you?”
“At home.” He looked around. After the brightness of the afternoon, the dinginess of the shop wore on him.
“Who is laughing?”
“Oh. I have Mia’s kids here.”
“What are they doing?”
“I’m not sure. They’re on the other side of the boat.”
“Cody. You left a two-year-old and a four-year-old unsupervised?”
What? “No. They’re supervised. I’m right here.” He started walking around the boat toward the kids.
“Can you see them?”
“Not exactly.” Two more steps.
“They’re unsupervised.” Her sarcasm came through loud and clear.
He turned the corner and—“Lily, I have to call you back.”
It took him a second to understand the picture in front of him. Finn was covered in engine grease. It appeared as though the boy had tried painting his face with the stuff. Maggie had climbed onto the work bench—how?—and sat admiring his row of chisels and saws. In a sprint, he grabbed her hand just as she reached for the business end of his filet knife hung on a magnet on the wall.
“Finn. What were you thinking?”
Finn grinned up to him, mischief dancing in his eyes. “I wanted to be a football player.” He held his hands, slick with the grease, up to his hair.
“Don’t!” But it was too late. Finn patted the top of his blond head, rubbing the grease in until his curls stood on end.
“Mom does this with her hair,” he said.
Cody groaned. Mia was never going to trust him with her kids again. “I’m sure she uses a better product.” In fact, he remembered a scent of lilac the last time he’d seen her. It made him think of the tree outside his mother’s front door. Hopefully his cheap shampoo from the dollar store would work on the grease in Finn’s hair. “Come here.” Despite the mess, these two really were adorable. Cody snapped a quick selfie with the kids and sent it to Lily.
Cody
See, I’ve got everything under control.
In response Lily sent a crying laugh emoji.
His phone dinged again.
Lily
Should I forward that to Mia?
Cody
Do it and you won’t like what I put in your bed when you come home.
Another laughing emoji and then a GIF of someone pretending to be scared. Then,
Lily
Seriously though, they look happy. That’s a good thing. You’d make a good dad, bro.
Cody
Whoa, there. I’m just babysitting.
Lily
For now.
He smiled to himself and tucked the phone back into his pocket. His sister’s words made him pause. What if he was brave enough to pursue Mia? To tell her that not only did he used to have feelings for her…but still did? Had never stopped, really.
Picking up both kids like two sacks of potatoes, he marched back to his bunk room. “Finn, let’s see if my shampoo works on engine grease.”
Yep. Whiplash. But the best kind.