Chapter 9
M cKenzie had experienced the oddest feeling of jealousy or something like that when Sierra had walked into Duke’s studio as if she owned the place. She’d been friendly and said such nice things about McKenzie’s grandmother, so why had her hackles gone up the second she came in?
For one thing, Sierra was the kind of fierce, confident woman McKenzie wished she could be. What would it be like to be that comfortable in your own skin? McKenzie wouldn’t know because she’d never been comfortable in hers. In addition, Sierra’s easy camaraderie with Duke had made her wonder if the two of them were more than just friends and fellow business owners.
He said no, but she wasn’t sure she believed him. Although why would he lie to her about that? The internal debate was stupid, especially since she had many more pressing things to think about besides wondering if Duke was romantically involved with the sexy woman who worked next door to him.
What did it matter to her if he was? It didn’t. If only she could get the message to her raised hackles to simmer down and mind their own business.
She’d been blown away by his hip, stylish studio, as well as his incredible artwork. Since the natural-talent train had managed to ride past her, she was always amazed by people who could draw, paint, sing, write or create something from nothing. She’d gotten none of those things. Her one skill, if you could call it that, was an affinity for numbers that had served her well in a variety of jobs, even if she couldn’t add or subtract in her head to save her life.
Once a boss found out she was good at math, she inevitably was asked to take on more of the admin tasks, which made her feel good about herself, even if it didn’t come with more money. One of the store managers she’d worked for had sent her to the QuickBooks class, and she’d found she genuinely enjoyed bookkeeping—as long as a computer did the math for her.
“I bet there’s plenty of businesses on this island, besides mine and Sierra’s, who’d kill for a bookkeeper who knows QuickBooks.”
“You think so?”
“I’m sure of it. You could have yourself a nice little business and work from home with Jax.”
She glanced over at him in disbelief. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely. There’s no one out here who does anything like that, but there’re a ton of small businesses who need the help. We all muddle through, but I’m sure many of them make a mess of it the same way I do.”
“How big of a mess are we talking?”
“It’s pretty bad. You’ll probably be appalled.”
“I’m sure I can straighten it out for you in no time.”
“That’d be such a relief. I stress out about it because I know I’m not doing it right, and I worry about the IRS knocking on my door.”
“I’ll take a look when Jax goes down for a nap, if you’d like.”
“Sure, that’d work.”
He pulled into the driveway at his place—or was it their place now? Shut up, MK, and quit being weird.
“Let me feed Jax some lunch and change his diaper. Then we can go next door.”
“I’ll be here whenever you’re ready.”
She went upstairs and fed Jax some of the baby cereal he’d recently begun eating, along with applesauce. While he was strapped into the baby seat, she went to use the bathroom and then made herself a peanut butter sandwich.
When she was ready to meet Duke, she decided to carry Jax in the baby seat so he could sit and play with his toys while they surveyed what was left of her cabin. She’d put this task off for days, dreading what she would find there.
When Duke saw her coming down the stairs, he got up from his chair by the firepit.
He took the heavy baby seat from her as if it was the most natural thing for him to do. For someone who’d mostly raised himself, he had lovely manners.
She walked next to him down a well-worn path that led next door. “Rosemary and I made this path over years of visiting back and forth.”
“That’s very sweet. I’m so glad she had such a good friend in you out here.”
“She had a ton of friends out here. Everyone loved her.”
McKenzie thought she was prepared to see the damage to the cabin, but nothing could’ve prepared her for the sight they encountered around the final bend in the path. The cabin she and her grandmother had loved so much had been reduced to splinters.
“Oh. Oh my God.” Tears appeared out of nowhere and quickly spilled over. There was nothing left but rubble.
Duke put an arm around her shoulders. “I know it looks bad, but the good news is you guys got out of there before it collapsed.”
She nodded, but the tears kept coming. How could there be anything worth saving in there?
While Duke held the baby carrier, she walked around the pile of wood and shingles and other building materials, looking for anything salvageable.
“Don’t get too close,” Duke said. “You don’t want it to shift and come down on you.”
“I can see the stroller!”
“Let me get it.” He walked around to join her, handing the baby seat to her to hold while he got down on his knees to reach in to retrieve the folded stroller. “Here you go.”
She pushed some buttons and had the stroller unfolded in a matter of seconds. “Well, that’s a relief. One less thing I need to replace.”
McKenzie’s phone rang, and she took the call from her mother, who’d texted yesterday and asked her to call.
“Thank goodness you finally answered.”
“I’m so sorry. I should’ve called, but I’ve been figuring out what to do about the cabin?—”
“What’s wrong with the cabin?”
“It’s a pile of rubble.”
“Oh no. Well, I guess you’ll be coming home, then.”
That’s what she’d prefer, but McKenzie couldn’t go back to living with her mother and her nonstop critiques of every decision she made. “We’re talking to the insurance company and a guy out here who does construction.”
“What do you do in the meantime?”
“A friend of Gran’s has loaned me an apartment over his garage. He said I can stay there as long as I need to.”
“In exchange for what?”
McKenzie had to bite her tongue to hold back the sharp retort that was dying to get out. But that never helped anything. “Nothing, Mom. He’s a nice guy who was close to Gran. It’s how people are out here. They help each other.”
“No man helps a pretty young woman without an ulterior motive.”
“I’ve got to go, but I’ll text you soon.”
“You should come home with that little one, McKenzie. It’s probably not safe out there.”
“We’re perfectly safe. Talk soon.” She ended the call before her mother could say something else that could never be unheard. That was her special gift—inserting the most negative, unhelpful comments into any situation.
McKenzie was outraged by the awful things she’d said about Duke, a man she didn’t even know.
“What set you off?”
“Huh?”
“You look furious.”
“My mother, as usual, with her commentary about what a man who helps a pretty young woman would want in return for his kindness.”
His expression went flat with shock. “She said that?”
“She did.”
“Well, it’s not true.”
“I know that. That’s how she is. If she thinks it, she says it, with no filter or regard for the feelings of other people. She assumes I’ll come home because the cabin is wrecked, but I can’t go back there. I just can’t.”
“You don’t have to. My place is all yours for as long as you need it, with no strings attached.”
“I’m sorry she said that, and I’m sorry I told you what she said. I should’ve kept it to myself, but she makes me so damned mad.”
“I can see why. It’s funny how I always wanted parents, but the more I hear about other people’s, the more I see I might’ve gotten lucky.”
“They’re not all like mine are.”
“I know, but enough of my friends got the short end of the parent stick that I’m glad to not be dealing with that as an adult. It would drive me crazy to have someone judging everything I said and did.”
“It’s tiresome.” She forced a smile. “I’m sorry to derail our day of positive thinking.”
“Eh, life happens. You can’t let it get to you.”
“How do I do that again?”
“You look at this perfect little face.” He gestured to Jax, taking in the world around him from the seat. “And you realize that no matter what’s going sideways at the moment, you’ll always have him to remind you of what’s really important.”
His words went straight to her heart and had her looking at him with even more admiration and, let’s face it, interest than she’d had before. “What a sweet thing to say.”
“Just telling it like I see it. What else matters besides him and whatever’s best for him?”
“Nothing else matters.”
“Well, it’d be nice if you could make yourself happy in the process of making him happy.”
“That’d be good.”
“You’ll get there. Don’t let her take up rent-free space in your thoughts.”
“I still want to know how you got so wise.”
“Life does that to ya.”
“When is it gonna do it for me?”
“Seems like it’s happening as we speak, if you ask me.”
“It’s happening since I got lucky to meet Yoda next door.”
Duke threw his head back and laughed as hard as she’d seen him laugh yet, stirring the most intriguing feeling of desire and curiosity to know more about him. She wanted to know whatever he was willing to tell her, and that should’ve scared her senseless.
But because it was him, because he was so wonderful, the feelings she had for him didn’t scare her at all. Rather, she was excited to find out what might happen next.
She no sooner had that feeling—and that thought—than a big black pickup truck pulled into the driveway. A handsome guy with dark hair and blue eyes emerged from the cab. He wore a faded T-shirt, cargo shorts and work boots.
“That’s Mac.” Duke went to shake the other man’s hand. “Thanks so much for stopping by.”
“No problem. Wow, when you said collapsed, you weren’t kidding.”
“Nope. Mac McCarthy, meet Rosemary’s granddaughter, McKenzie, and her son, Jax.”
Mac shook her hand. “Nice to meet you both. What a cute little guy. Reminds me of my Thomas when he was about the same age.”
“How old is he now?”
“Six, which I can’t believe. I’ve also got a three-year-old, an almost-two-year-old and new twins.”
“Holy moly.”
“My wife and I say that every day.” Mac moved around to take a closer look at the damage. “Looks like a total loss. I assume it was insured?”
“Yes,” McKenzie said. “My grandmother paid for three years in advance.”
“Well, that’s handy. You can rebuild to your specs, which is nice.”
“How soon do you think that could happen?”
“I could do it in the next month or so. I’d just need to order materials, and that takes a minute with us being on an island.”
“I thought I heard someone say you’re booked out until the spring,” McKenzie said.
“I am. I mean, I was, but I’m shifting some things around so I can fit in jobs like yours for people impacted by the storm. We’ll get it done for you.”
Once again, the kindness of a stranger overwhelmed her. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Not sure if Duke told you that I married a single mom. Thomas was nine months old when we met.”
“That’s how old Jax is now.”
“I thought so. Thomas and his mom quickly became the best thing to ever happen to me. I’m happy to do whatever I can for you.”
“Thank you so much. I wish there was something else I could say…”
“No need. Glad to help. I’ll get some guys over here this week to get the site cleaned up so you can see what’s salvageable underneath. Give me your phone number so I can get in touch when we’re coming by.”
McKenzie recited her number. “My service has been spotty here, so call Duke if it doesn’t go through.”
“Will do.”
“I, um, I can’t pay you until the insurance settlement comes in.”
“No worries. I’ll be ordering in bulk for several customers in the same situation as you are. I know you’re good for it. I gotta keep moving. Got a lot of stops to make today. The storm did a number on this island.”
“Is there any word on Billy or Jim?” Duke asked.
Mac shook his head, his expression grim. “Not looking good.”
“No, it isn’t. So sorry to hear.”
“Yeah, it’s very sad. Did you get the word about the get-together my folks are doing at the marina tonight?”
“Ned texted me. I’ll definitely stop by.”
“Feel free to join us, McKenzie. Everyone’s welcome.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It always is when everyone gets together. Well, I’m off. I’ll be in touch. So nice to meet you and Jax.”
“You, too, Mac. Thanks again.”
“You got it.”
“Wow,” she said to Duke after they’d waved him off, “what a nice guy.”
“He’s great. The whole family is. You should come to the hurricane survival party tonight.”
“I won’t know anyone.”
“That’s how you meet people. Everyone is welcome at everything on this island. That’s how we roll here.”
“I’m beginning to see that, and I love it.”