10. Chapter 10 - Zach
D rew didn’t even give me five damn minutes before ratting me out to Gran and the gang. My phone started buzzing before I made it down Jia’s road. The screen kept flashing with incoming texts, but I ignored it, focusing on my driving.
It was late enough that most of the rentable mopeds would be back at Josie’s rental place, but every once in a while, a late joyrider lurked on the main roads, slowing down traffic.
Maria at Amato’s Pizza waved hello. “Give us ten minutes, Zach. We’re just about ready with your order.”
“No worries.”
Reluctantly, I picked up my phone. At least I could stem the tide before I got back to Rae and the kids. Sure enough, Drew had already done his damage.
Drew: Guess who I caught kissing today?
Gran: If it’s you and Anya in a mirror, that’s not news, just a new kink.
Mom: Mom, please stop.
Vi: Not it.
Dad: Usually that means it’s you, Vi. Whenever one of you kids claims innocence, I only look at you harder.
Gran: She has an alibi. She was with me today.
Mom: Sure. Because your word is ironclad, Mom.
Gran: I’m an old woman!
Mom: Exactly. The only thing bulletproof about you is your ego.
Drew: Ahem. Rae and Zach.
Vi: !!!
Gran: Back in my day, babysitters only got caught stealing snacks, not swapping spit.
Mom: She’s lovely. You know we’ve always liked Rae.
Dad: Good choice.
Sharing my family’s group chat with Rae might scare her away for good. But if I didn’t show her, and they started messaging her directly? I shuddered. It could be so much worse. Gran was merciless with her grandchildren.
The kids cheered when I returned with the pizza. The scent of marinara and garlic hung in the air, but it did little to calm the nervous energy swirling in my gut. Rae hung back, arms crossed, weight shifting from foot to foot. She didn’t meet my eyes.
I knew I should tell her. Keeping her in the dark wasn’t fair.
Getting blindsided by Gran or my mom later would absolutely send her running.
If it were just me they were teasing, she’d defend me fiercely.
Now that she was in their crosshairs? I wasn’t sure how she’d handle it.
I didn’t want to risk her turtling on me. So I hesitated.
Rae handed me a plate, our fingers brushing. She froze as if she expected me to pounce on her. I cleared my throat.
“About earlier…” I said, reluctant to rip the Band-Aid. Her cheeks flushed, but she held my gaze steadily. “My family might already be working on new nicknames for you. ”
She exhaled sharply, half laugh, half sigh, her face scrunching briefly, eyes closed, as if she were gathering strength. When she opened them again, there was a steadiness there, a quiet resolve. “That’s okay.”
“It is?”
She dipped her chin. “I’m not ashamed of kissing you, Zach.” A flicker of the reckless spirit I loved flashed across her face. “I plan on doing it again.”
Nonchalantly, she grabbed her plate, joining the kids at the table. She left me standing in front of the remains of the rapidly cooling pizza, utterly thunderstruck.
After dinner, we took the kids to Lime Kiln Park.
The wind had kicked up, but the mix of blue sky and clouds promised a spectacular sunset.
The state park on the west end of the island was one of the more accessible places to watch.
We picked our way along the trail that hugged the seashore toward the lighthouse.
Tae scampered up a bank of rocks, and his sister followed. Hana struck a pose at the top, a cute little superhero with her hands on hips, chin tilted bravely toward the ocean. Her brother mimicked her.
Rae laughed, snapping a picture. “I’m going to send this to your mom. She’ll love it.”
A flicker of sadness crossed Hana’s features. The kids had been surprisingly upbeat about their mother being gone. But we still had weeks left to test their easy-going attitudes.
Waves crashed on the rocks below, a hypnotic background that brought peace as we followed the path, lingering beneath the madrona trees as the sun sank. The setting sun illuminated the lighthouse in a fiery orange.
Tae and Hana sat at one of the picnic tables, and I wrapped one arm around them, sheltering them from as much wind as my bulk would allow. I patted the wooden seat on my right .
“Join me? I have another arm.”
Rae snuggled into the spot I’d made for her.
She smelled like the sea and the perfumed lotion I always associated with her.
Her curls drifted against my cheek, a soft caress, even as the rest of her pressed against my side.
Her hand found my knee, and I stilled, bracing for control.
The tiniest of touches made it impossible to concentrate on anything but her.
I savored the connection, tugging her closer, my right hand possessive at her hip.
My world was damn-near perfect. Right now. Right here. Nothing more to do or get. Peace washed over me, coming in waves like the ocean below, the combination of the low roar and Rae in my arms acting like a drug on my nervous system. One I was one hundred percent addicted to.
Hana and Tae were nearly catatonic on the ride home. Tired from all the pizza and fresh air. Even Rae seemed the same, lashes slowly drooping as she stared out the window at the rolling hills fading into twilight.
The house looked undisturbed in the gathering darkness. There were no phone alerts from the cameras. But I was still uneasy.
“Wait here,” I said. Rae tilted her chin stubbornly, looking like she wanted to argue. “Just let me check things out.” I slipped out of the car and into the house, inspecting each room for any signs of disturbance before returning to Rae and the kids. “Let’s get these kids to bed.”
“You trying to take care of us, Fenwick? That’s usually my job.”
She said it with a tiny smile. Like she’d forgotten what it felt like to be cared for.
And, god, that made my chest ache. In that moment, I hated Simon.
Their sham relationship had left her on her own for too long.
He’d been a boyfriend in name only when she’d needed more.
He’d taken up space in her life without really showing up for her .
I’d been her friend, but always at arm’s length. There were limits. Boundaries I couldn’t cross. But now? She was free, and so was I. I turned to face her. She needed to know I was dead serious. About her. About us.
“You’re not alone, Rae. You’ve got me,” I said, my voice firm. “My family. The whole damn town if you’d let them.”
She didn’t call me on my bullshit, just raised a brow.
After seventy-billion lectures from her about asking for help and accepting it, my house was glassy as could be, but my point was still valid.
I’d prove it to her. Everyone loved Rae.
No one wanted to see Jia and the kids suffer more than they already had.
And I didn’t want to see her suffer at all.
Tae slipped from the back seat, a yawning Hana following.
“Read to me?” Hana pleaded after she brushed her teeth. She was clad in colorful pajamas with dogs on them.
If anyone had told me three weeks ago that a pint-sized girl would own a piece of my heart, I’d have laughed in their faces.
My time around kids had been limited. Sure, I could charm the odd baby or two who came into Harbor Brews in their mom or dad’s arms, and we’d had many rescues for lost hikers with kids, but that didn’t mean I was anyone’s first choice for a babysitter.
My life was Harbor Brews. Making it a success.
Competing with my siblings. Having a little fun along the way.
Getting my thrills through Search and Rescue.
Hanging out with Rae. Maybe volunteering to help Rae with the kids was out of character, but I was so glad I did.
I was learning things about myself. Like that I wanted a family someday.
“Sure, honey.”
Hana picked out a book about dogs in space, and we settled down, shoving a handful of colorful stuffies to the floor to make room for both of us. I smoothed my voice, making it as hypnotic as my vocal cords would allow, letting my mind drift as I flipped the pages .
Hana was a sweet kid. It was tragic that she’d lost her dad so young.
Jordan Dawkins had done his family a huge disservice, messing around on that cliff.
What could have been so important that he was out on the bluffs after dark?
The man was a whale boating captain. He and his partner Brandon sailed around the Salish Sea with tourists.
He should have lived to a ripe old age. Given Hana away at her wedding. Dangled grandkids on his knee.
Paired with the break-in at the house, it was all damned suspicious. In the rush to check for missing valuables, I hadn’t considered what exactly someone was looking for. Clearly not Tae’s game system or the electronics that would fetch easy cash. They’d been searching for something. But what?
“Goodnight, Hana.” I dropped a kiss on her forehead. Tucking her in took only a moment.
Rae looked up from her phone in the living room. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. Hana’s down. What about Tae?”
“He’s ready for bed and in his room.”
“I’ve been thinking about the break-in today.”
Rae stretched, drawing my gaze to the arch of her neck as she rolled her head. “Was that just today? Feels like forever ago.”
“I know. But what do you think they were looking for?”
Her piercing gaze met mine. “What do you mean?”
I took a deep breath. “They didn’t take anything worth easy money. It didn’t look like vandalism. But clearly, they made it across most of the house. They had to have been looking for something.”
“A whale-watching business should have nothing of value.” Rae looked grim. “If they’d locked the house, we might never have noticed. Do you think they’re trying to scare me? ”
I squeezed her hand. “Us. You’re not alone. It’s impossible to imagine anyone targeting you. We can call Brandon, your cousin’s business partner. He might know what someone is interested in.”
Rae frowned. “We should probably warn him anyway. Jia would have turned over most of the boat business paperwork to him. They’ve worked out a deal for him to continue operations. If the thief is looking into Whale of a Good Time, they might think to try Brandon’s place next.”
“Good point.”
“I’ll swing by his slip sometime this week on my way to work. Give him a heads-up. But for now, I’m exhausted. I’m going to turn in.”
Any thought of teasing her about an early bedtime faded as I took in the details I’d missed earlier. The shadows beneath her eyes. The fragility in her expression. Rae needed rest.
“I’ll double-check the locks down here. Good night.”
Taking her into my arms, kissing her again, was all I wanted to do. I clenched my hands into fists to avoid reaching for her. Anything between us was new. And I wasn’t the kind of guy to make demands. But offers?
“Let me know if you need anything.”
No seven words in the English language had ever been meant more sincerely. Been weighted with more nuance.
Rae smiled, the gentle tilt of her lips easing some of the fatigue in her features. “I will.”
But would she? Thinking we could shoulder the world’s burdens without help was something we had in common. But she didn’t have to carry things alone anymore. I was here. But how to make her believe it?