Chapter 20
They stood at the door until both vehicles had left the driveway. Then Nikki shut off the outside lights and locked up. “That was really fun.”
He followed her back to the sofa. “Yes, it was. Nice of my dad to cater.”
She pulled a cable-knit blanket over them. “Very nice. He’s very sweet and obviously crazy about Chelsea.”
“He has been from the start. At first, it was kind of odd for us to see him with someone else, but now she’s one of us.”
“Do you hear from your mom?”
“Yeah, we’re in touch. We text and stuff.”
“What’s her name?”
“Deb.”
“Your entire demeanor changes when you talk about her. Do you realize that?”
“It does?”
She nodded.
Reclined against a pile of pillows with her snuggled up to him, Riley ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to bring some order to it. “I’ll never understand why people don’t just get divorced if they want someone else. Why cheat?”
“I don’t know. I don’t get it either.” She looked up at him. “No matter what happens between us, I promise I will never do that to you.”
“And I will never do it to you.” He drew her into a kiss that quickly went from soft and sweet to needy. “I feel like it’s been days since I woke up with you.”
“Days and days,” she whispered. “Let’s go to bed.”
On Thursday, Riley and the rest of the McCarthy family took the first boat off the island to attend Courtney’s funeral, which was held in a cathedral in Providence. They filled four rows in the crowded church, surrounding Shane with their unwavering support.
Shane had remained stoic throughout the emotionally charged service, and Katie never left his side or released her tight hold on his hand during a very long day.
The usually jovial group was subdued on the ferry ride home.
“It was so good of you all to come,” Shane said. “I really appreciate it, and I know Courtney’s mom did, too.”
“Nowhere else we would’ve been today,” Big Mac said.
“We’re all so proud of you, Shane,” Linda said.
Shane’s eyes filled as he shook his head. “Don’t be proud of me. I didn’t do anything.”
“You tried to save her,” Linda said gently. “You did as much as anyone could.”
“She’s right, son,” Frank said. “The only one who could truly save Courtney was Courtney. You did everything you could and then some.”
“This is just the saddest freaking thing,” Janey said in a low tone that only Riley and Finn sitting next to her could hear. “I can’t bear it for him.”
“He’s going to be okay,” Finn said. “We’ll all be there for him, and we’ll get him through it.”
“I thought you were planning to go back to Connecticut,” Riley said.
“I talked to Mac, and he begged me to stay until the Wayfarer is finished. Besides, I don’t feel right leaving when Shane’s dealing with all this, and what’s up with him anyway?” Finn gestured to Mac, who was on the phone as he paced from one end of the cabin to the other.
“No idea,” Riley said. “He’s been agitated all day.”
“He doesn’t like leaving Maddie and the kids on the island, especially this time of year,” Janey said. “He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to get back to them.”
“You left Joe,” Finn said.
“And we told Maddie to call him if she needed anything, but Mac frets nonetheless.”
“Something else is up with him,” Riley said. “He’s been acting kinda weird all week.”
“He’s always weird, if you ask me,” Janey said, grinning.
“You have to say that,” Finn said. “You’re his baby sister.”
Janey rolled her eyes. “And he never lets me forget it. I have two kids, and he still can’t deal with the fact that I have sex, regularly, with his best friend.”
“Ewww,” Finn said, cringing. “Don’t be disgusting.”
“Nothing disgusting about it, my friend,” she said suggestively.
A shout went up from the other side of the cabin, where Adam sat with Abby. She was holding her cell phone and staring at it with huge eyes as Adam leaned in to see what it said. Then he looked at her, seeming equally dazed.
“What’s going on?” Janey asked her brother and sister-in-law.
“We just got a text,” Abby said, her eyes filling with tears and her hands shaking. “They… They have a baby for us.”
The group erupted into cheers and surrounded Adam and Abby to share in their excitement. Luckily, they had the cabin more or less to themselves.
“It’s a boy,” Adam said, leaning in to see the phone, every bit as emotional as his wife as he read the text. “The family he’d been promised to is unable to take him, so it’s happening fast. We can pick him up the day after tomorrow.”
Janey took the phone from Abby, whose hands were shaking so hard, she could barely hold it. “The message says you need to reply if you are willing to accept the child.”
“Say yes!” Adam said. “Tell them we’ll be there!” As Janey typed in their response, he pulled his wife into his arms and let out a happy whoop. “We’re having a baby!”
“And life goes on,” Big Mac said, squeezing Shane’s arm. “Life goes on.”
By the time the ferry docked in South Harbor, Mac was on the verge of a full-on anxiety attack.
Leaving Maddie and the kids alone on the island in the dead of winter had freaked him out, because there was always a chance he wouldn’t be able to get back if the ferries stopped running.
There’d been no question about going to the funeral to support Shane, who was not only his cousin but his close friend and coworker.
He and Maddie had debated about her going with him, but Hailey had a fever the day before, so Maddie hadn’t felt right about leaving their daughter with a sitter for a long day, and with baby Mac still breastfeeding, they would’ve had to bring him with them.
In the end, they’d decided she should stay home while he went to the funeral by himself.
But he hadn’t had an easy moment since the morning ferry pulled out of port, leaving the most important people in his life behind on a remote island in the dead of winter.
“Mac.” Only his father’s hand on his shoulder kept him from leaping the three feet from the still-moving ferry onto the island. “What the hell is wrong with you today? You’re like a cat on a hot tin roof.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Mac.”
The way his father said his name had him turning to face Big Mac. At six foot two, Mac was no shrimp, but his father still had two inches on him. He also had an ability to stare him down that no one else, except Maddie, had.
“What’s going on, son? And don’t say it’s nothing. I know you too well to believe that.”
“I don’t like leaving Maddie and the kids on the island, especially this time of year.” He glanced at the dark clouds that had loomed all day. The crossing had been bumpy, but not as rough as it could’ve been.
“What else?”
“That’s it.” Mac glanced longingly at his truck parked a hundred yards away. “Can I go now?”
“You can go when you tell me what else is going on.”
The cars began rolling off the ferry. Uncle Frank tooted as he and Betsy drove by with Laura and Owen in the backseat. They’d left their kids with one of the women who worked for them at the hotel, which was quiet this time of year.
Knowing defeat when it stared him in the face, Mac sagged as he glanced up at his dad. “Maddie’s pregnant.”
His father seemed momentarily stunned before he recovered. “Oh. Well. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“That’s why you were so tense about going today.”
“One reason. She’s been really tired, and I’m sure she’s had a long day. The thought of them being here and me not being able to get back to them for whatever reason… Stressed me out.”
“I get it.”
“The pregnancy is very new. We’re not telling anyone because…” He still had trouble saying Connor, the name of their son who had died in utero.
“I won’t say a word. I promise.” His father hugged him, speaking gruffly in his ear. “You’re a wonderful husband and father, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Damn the man! He had Mac on the verge of bawling his head off. “I had the best possible example,” Mac replied.
“Everything okay?” Adam asked as he, Riley and Finn approached them.
“Yeah,” Big Mac said, releasing Mac. “Everything is just fine.”
“It is now.” Mac stepped onto the island and breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Waving to the others, he jogged to his truck and was on his way home within seconds.
The ten-minute ride to Sweet Meadow Farm Road seemed to take twice that.
Even though he’d texted with Maddie all day, the vision of their home lit up like a power plant was the best thing he’d seen since he’d left nearly twelve hours earlier.
Every freaking light in the house was on, probably thanks to Thomas, who they were constantly telling to turn off the lights when he left a room.
Mac bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, opened the sliding door from the deck and stepped into bedlam.
Toys were scattered about the living room, little Mac was bawling his head off as Maddie walked him while also supervising Thomas and Hailey, who were apparently supposed to be cleaning up but were fighting over a truck.
The kitchen table was covered with the remains of what looked like a spaghetti dinner.
Filled with relief, he blew out a deep breath. Business as usual.
Hailey was the first to spot him, and she let out a cry of happiness as she ran for him on pudgy legs. Her blonde curls bounced, and her face reflected her pure joy at seeing her daddy after a long day.
Mac scooped her up and made her squeal when he kissed her neck. She smelled like peanut butter, spaghetti sauce and little girl. Most important, the fever was gone. “How’s my baby girl?”
“Daddy, Thomas got in trouble for stealing my toys.”
“I didn’t steal nothing,” Thomas said, sticking his tongue out at his sister.
Mac squatted down and brought Thomas into his embrace, kissing the top of his head. “How about I make you guys a deal? I’ll help you clean up this mess and take your baths and read you three bedtime stories if you promise no more bickering. Do we have a deal?”
“Okay, Daddy,” Hailey said.
Three stories were a powerful bargaining tool.
“All right,” Thomas said begrudgingly.