Chapter 8
Jeff came down the stairs to his mother’s kitchen, his mouth watering at the scent of whatever Charlie was making. “What is that?”
“My own pasta sauce with sausage, peppers and onions.”
“Wow, that smells good.”
“Are you hungry?” Charlie asked.
“Starving, but I’m on my way out.”
“No worries. I’ll put some aside for you to have later.”
“Oh. Thank you. That’s nice of you.” How long would it take, Jeff wondered, not to be shocked by the never-ending kindness of his new stepfather? Sure, he’d known fathers like Charlie existed, but having never experienced such a thing firsthand, it still came as a surprise to him.
“Where you off to?”
“Going to see my friend Kelsey. Today’s her birthday.”
“Oh, fun. What’ve you got planned?”
“I made a reservation at the Lobster House.”
“Fancy. You need some money?”
Jeff stared at him for a second, wondering if he was for real.
Charlie pulled his wallet from his back pocket, tugged out a C-note and put it on the counter. “Put this toward it.”
“I can’t take that.”
“Why not?”
“Because.”
Charlie’s laugh was a mix between a growl and a grunt. “I want you to have it, which means you can take it.”
“You don’t have to do that, Charlie.”
“I know, but after years of bad luck, it’s fun to share my good fortune with the people I care about, so take the money and have a nice dinner with your friend.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m very sure.”
Jeff reluctantly took the bill, all the while waiting for Charlie to strike out, to tell him he was a loser for accepting it, to do something other than smile with pleasure that Jeff had accepted his gift. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Thank you for everything, Charlie. Not just this, but for making my mom so happy.”
“Making her happy is the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life.”
“I’m sorry if we can be a little skeptical sometimes. It’s in the DNA.”
“No worries. I get it.” Charlie turned to face Jeff, making eye contact. “I swear on my life that what you see is what you get with me, and that’s never going to change.”
“You have no idea what that means to us.”
“I think I do, and I mean it.”
“I know you do. I’m starting to have faith in that.”
“Good. Now go have some fun with your friend.”
“Thanks again.”
“You got it.”
Jeff grabbed the keys to his mother’s car, which he’d arranged earlier to borrow, and headed to Sweet Meadow Farm Road to pick up Kelsey at the house where she worked for Mac and Maddie McCarthy.
As he drove, he was full of emotion over the kindness of his stepfather and what a balm it was on the festering wound on Jeff’s soul.
How lucky they were to have Charlie in their lives.
As he went up the stairs to the deck, the sound of babies crying filled the air. He had joked to Kelsey that working there was the most effective birth control ever.
She saw him at the door and waved him in as she consoled one of the wailing babies while Maddie dealt with the other one. “Sorry. We thought we had them down, but they had other ideas.”
“No worries. Our reservation isn’t for an hour yet.”
“Hand her to me, Kelsey,” Maddie said. “You’re off duty.”
“I don’t mind staying a little longer to help get them settled.”
“They don’t seem to be having it today, and I hear baby Mac is up from his nap.”
“I’ll take her.” Jeff reached for the baby Maddie was holding. “Go get Mac.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, no problem,” he said, even though he had almost no experience with babies. He knew enough to hold her, support her head and not drop her, which seemed to be what was needed at the moment.
“Thank you so much,” Maddie said. “I’ll be right back.”
“That was very nice of you.” Kelsey smiled at him as they sat together on a sofa with the babies. “Poor Maddie hasn’t slept in days. These girls are running their mama ragged.”
“I can’t fathom having twins.”
“Me either, especially with three other little ones. Maddie’s sister, Tiffany, took Thomas and Hailey to the beach after school, which helped a lot today.”
“Five kids. Damn.”
Kelsey laughed, and he lost his heart a little more to the magical sound.
He’d never liked a girl more than he liked her and was seriously torn about what he was going to do next month when he was supposed to report to his first real job in Tampa.
He’d recently signed a lease on an apartment there and had to pick up the car he’d left with a friend in Orlando.
When he’d arrived on Gansett for his mom and Charlie’s housewarming party, he’d planned to spend a week, maybe two, before returning to Florida to hang with his college friends ahead of starting his job. Since he’d met Kelsey, all he wanted was to spend as much time with her as he could.
She wore her curly reddish-gold hair up in a bun when she was working and had warm hazel eyes that sparkled with amusement any time she was near the kids. Maddie referred to her as their “Disney princess” because she was so great with the children, who clearly loved her.
Jeff had known her for a couple of weeks now and had been waiting to see something in her he didn’t like.
That’s what usually happened. A girl seemed so perfect for him at first, but after a while, he’d start to see her catty, jealous or mean side.
Kelsey didn’t have any of those traits. While Maddie thought of her as a Disney princess, Jeff considered her a unicorn, that rare young woman who wasn’t all about her phone, her friends, her looks and chasing boys.
Kelsey had goals, such as owning her own daycare center someday, which was why she’d jumped at the chance to be a nanny.
The job had given her experience that would be invaluable to her career goals.
She hadn’t said much about her plans now that Mac McCarthy’s busiest season was winding down.
Would the family want her to continue, or would she be free to pursue employment elsewhere? Like in Tampa, perhaps.
He almost laughed out loud at the direction his thoughts had taken.
As if that was going to happen. She loved the kids and working for the McCarthys, and they were clearly in need of her help with two newborns, an eighteen-month-old, a four-year-old and a six-year-old.
Besides, he hadn’t told her much about his past, which would probably be a deal breaker for whatever fictional plans he might be making that included her.
She was way too good for him. Hell, she was too good for anyone.
Maddie returned with baby Mac and put him down on the floor with his toys while he had a drink and a snack. “I’ll take Miss Evie, Jeff.”
He handed the baby over to her mother.
“Thanks for the extra hands.”
“No problem.”
“You’re good with her,” Maddie said. “Do you have babies in your life?”
“Just my brother Owen’s kids. I was the youngest in my family. They all like to tell me how they changed my diapers.”
Maddie and Kelsey laughed.
“To hear the oldest three tell it, all they did was change the diapers of the rest of us.”
“Your mom had seven children,” Maddie said. “She needed all the help she could get. I can’t conceive of two more than what I have now.”
“I can’t conceive of one, let alone five or seven,” Jeff said.
“We all say that until the time comes, and it makes perfect sense,” Maddie said, “although we didn’t plan on five.” She held up baby Evie and made her chortle with baby laughter. “These girls were a big surprise. The best kind.”
The slider opened to admit Mac McCarthy, drawing a shriek from baby Mac, who ran to his dad on unsteady legs.
“See how it goes?” Maddie asked. “It’s Mommy, Mommy, Mommy until Daddy gets home.”
Mac picked up his baby son and gave him a hug and kiss. “That’s because Daddy is the coolest.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Tell them that when they’re hungry.”
“Mommy is never more popular than she is at mealtime.”
“Are they talking about breastfeeding?” Jeff asked Kelsey.
She giggled at the face he made. “I believe they are.”
“Should I wait in the car?”
Maddie laughed. “You’re off duty, Kels. Thanks for everything today. You kids go have some fun.”
“You’re welcome.” Kelsey transferred the other baby girl to her mother. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“We’ll be here, and happy birthday again.”
“Thank you for the gifts. I have no idea how you pulled that off—along with cupcakes.”
“I had help.”
“It’s appreciated.”
“Have a great night.”
“Happy birthday, Kelsey,” Mac said.
“Thanks!”
Jeff waited for her to get her things together. They said their goodbyes and walked down the stairs to the car. “Happy birthday to you,” he sang.
“Thank you. Maddie got me the most awesome beach bag, coverup and a new towel. I love them.”
“Glad you had a fun day. We’re going to the Lobster Pot for dinner.”
“Yum. I just need to run home and change first. Emma puked on me earlier.”
“You say that so casually, as if it’s no big deal that you got puked on at work.”
“It is no big deal,” she said, laughing. “She’s a baby. That’s what they do.”
“Babies are kinda gross.”
“And very adorable.”
“If you say so.”
“Don’t you want kids?”
“I mean, sure. Someday in the far-off future.”
“I want a lot of kids.”
“How many is a lot?”
“At least six.”
He looked over at her, astounded. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. I longed for more siblings, but my parents couldn’t have any more after me, so it was just my brother and me, and he was quite a bit older. You were so lucky to have six others.”
“Yeah, for sure. They’re all great.” He couldn’t imagine life without them—and didn’t want to. “So, six kids, huh?”
“A girl has to have a goal.”
“You’d be a wonderful mother. You’re so good with the kids.”
“I adore them.”
Those three little words confirmed what he already knew—she wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.
But he was, and sooner rather than later.
Still holding his younger son, Mac sat next to Maddie on the sofa and leaned in to kiss his wife. “How’d the day go?”
“Not bad, all things considered. Tiffany took Thomas and Hailey to the beach after school, so that helped. She’s bringing them home after dinner.”
“Did Hailey have a good day at preschool?”
“She did. Ned said she didn’t even cry this time when he dropped her off.”
“That’s progress. And how about first grade?”
“Thomas and Ashleigh had a good day, too, but the teacher separated them, so they won’t talk to each other all day.”
Mac laughed. “That’s probably a good idea.”
“Tiffany said she’s praying they don’t decide to play Naked-Boy-Naked-Girl in school.”
“Oh my God, don’t even say it!”
“I know! That’s what I said to Tiffany, too.”
“They’d be remembered forever for that.”
“I’d rather they be remembered for being outstanding students or athletes or anything else, actually.”
“Same.”
“Your wonderful mother was here earlier and made dinner,” Maddie said.
“God bless the grandmothers.”
“You said it. How was your day?”
“Good. Busy as always this time of year shutting down the marina for the winter and getting my ducks in a row for off-season construction work.”
“The summer goes by too fast, but this year, I’m thankful for that because we need you here.”
“I’m here, love.”
“I’m so glad Kelsey agreed to stay on until the twins turn one. She’s such a godsend.”
“The kids love her.”
“I love her. I might even love her more than I love you.”
“Ouch.”
“Sorry, but it’s the truth.”
Mac smiled at her. “I get it, babe.”
“I don’t really love her more than you, but it’s close.”
Still smiling, he kissed her and then the two sleeping babies as Mac squirmed in his arms, trying to get free.
“I’ve decided he needs a nickname,” Maddie said. “I can’t have two Macs in this house plus your dad. Every time I say Mac, your mom asks which one. I think we should call him Trip. I read somewhere that’s the nickname for boys who are the third to have a name in their family.”
“Trip. I like that. What do you think, son? Do you want your nickname to be Trip?”
“Aye ya ya,” he said.
“I’d take that as a yes,” Mac said.
“Sounded like one to me.”
“How about I take over for a bit so you can take a break?”
“I can’t recall the last shower I had, so that sounds good.” She transferred the sleeping babies to him and got up, waving her arms to get the blood pumping through them again. “I’ll be quick.”
“Take your time. Daddy is on the job.”
After she went upstairs, Mac made sure his son was content with his trucks and Paw Patrol on TV before he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
Just for a minute.