Chapter Seventeen
Jade
“Hello?” I called as I walked through the front door of Adam’s Craftsman house that he was renting from the Garcia’s while they “tried out” living in Arizona to be closer to their grandkids.
My sister’s voice called out, “In here.”
I ventured further inside and found her sitting on the floor next to Conor, who was laying on his back on a quilt while happily kicking his feet and squealing.
I loved that he was a happy baby.
Lainey had taken great pains to try and stay upbeat and positive during her pregnancy, even after Shawn—Conor’s father, had been killed in action overseas while serving in the Marines.
Adam, also a Marine, had been injured in the same firefight. He’d been in the hospital in Germany, so he hadn’t been able to make it to Shawn’s funeral and had come to Haven Springs last month to pay his respects.
And now Adam and Lainey were in love.
Life was funny sometimes.
“Hey, sis,” I said as I sat down cross legged next to her.
“Are you dropping Brian off?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe the chief blocked off the street for you guys.”
Lainey shot me a look. “Come on; this is Haven Springs. Of course he did.”
“Where are they all even staying?”
We didn’t even have a motel in town.
“Adam said they were sleeping in their vehicles. That’s how Angus was able to clear the street. He said they were camping without a permit.”
“I guess you don’t get to be chief of police without some ingenuity…”
“I’m just glad to be able to sleep in a bed again. The O’Brien’s couch wasn’t going to cut it another night.”
“You didn’t sleep in Shawn’s room?”
She shook her head. “It would have been too weird. They haven’t done anything to it so it’s exactly how he left it.
Which, I mean—I get. They’re still grieving their son.
” Tickling Conor’s belly until he kicked some more with glee, she continued, “But they still have a piece of him with their grandson.”
I leaned down to kiss Conor’s neck, making him squeal again.
“How’s my favorite nephew?” I asked with an expressive smile as I hovered over the baby’s face. He rewarded me with a big, toothless grin that turned my insides to mush as my ovaries screamed, “Tick tock, Jade!”
“He’s good,” Lainey said as she stared lovingly down at her son. “Happy as can be. Between the O’Briens, me, and Adam, he’s doted on every waking minute.”
“As he should be.”
The back door opened and Adam called out, “Hey, do either of you have any cash Brian can borrow?”
Lainey and I exchanged quizzical looks before I yelled, “Why does he need cash?”
He appeared in the entrance of the living room. “He doesn’t want to use his credit cards.”
Lainey replied, “I have so many questions…” at the same time I demanded, “First of all, why doesn’t he want to use his credit cards? And what is he buying that he needs to use cash?”
“I’m assuming gas to get to my brother’s cottage on Cape Cod and groceries when he gets there.”
“I’m sorry, what? How does he think he’s getting to Massachusetts? He can’t fly.”
“He’s going to drive—hence the need for gas money.”
I leapt to my feet. “What? Is he insane? He can’t drive to the grocery store, let alone two days to the Cape.”
“He said if he can walk, he can drive.”
I rubbed my eyebrows in frustration. “He’s maybe walked ten yards. What the fuck is he thinking?”
Glancing down at my nephew and sister, I quickly interjected, “Sorry for my language.”
Lainey smiled. “I think you’re good for another few months, but you probably better work on it.”
I started toward the door, mumbling, “I’m going to kill him.”
****
Brian
I was in the laundry room, pulling clean clothes out of the unfolded laundry basket to pack when I heard my front door slam, followed by Jade’s voice yell, “Brian O’Shaughnessy! Get your stubborn ass out here, right now!”
Fuck, I loved her sassiness.
I slowly made it into the kitchen, where I could see her standing in the entryway with her arms crossed as she tapped her foot. She looked like she was ready to kick some ass.
All five feet, three inches, maybe a hundred and ten pounds—soaking wet—of her.
“Dammit, Brian! I will come find you!”
“I’m right here, Sunshine.”
She wheeled around.
“You’re driving to Cape Cod?”
“Well, yeah. You’re not the only one who wants to go to the beach.”
“It’s sixteen hours, you jackass.”
“I wasn’t planning on driving straight through. I thought I’d take a few days to get there.”
“I—” she closed her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. “Are you that stupid or that arrogant?”
“Um, is that a trick question?”
“You just had surgery on your right thigh, you moron. You drive with your right foot. You’ll be in agony within ten minutes.”
“So go with me.”