Chapter 21
Ned Saunders gave Jace a ride to Seamus and Carolina’s place shortly after one.
They’d texted to say they needed more time because the boys and Ethan were having lunch.
At some point, Jace needed to find a used car or truck to get around.
Thinking about that was far better than worrying about what he needed to say to his sons and how they might take it.
“Gorgeous day,” Ned said.
“Sure is.”
“September is the crown jewel, if ya ask me. Best part o’ the year. Tourists are gone, and things get back ta normal round here.”
“I can see why you love it.”
“Are ya enjoying livin’ on our fair isle?”
“Yeah, it’s great. Nothing not to love.”
“The winters ain’t so great, but we get by.”
“I guess I’ll find out.”
“Want ya to know… I admire whatcha doing for them boys of yers.”
Jace glanced up to find Ned looking at him in the mirror. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised that people had heard who he was and why he was there, but Ned’s comment caught him off guard just the same.
“A lot of fellas woulda come bombin’ in, flexin’ their muscles, whether that was good fer the kids or not.”
“I’ve already done enough damage where they’re concerned. I’m not looking to do more.”
“Seamus and Carolina are good folks. Yer kids couldn’t ask for better.”
“I know.” Jace debated for a second about whether to tell the older man the reason he was going there now and quickly decided he could use all the advice he could get ahead of this meeting.
“We’ve been passing me off as a friend of Seamus’s, but they saw a picture of me with their mother and had questions about how she knew me. ”
“Ah, damn. What’d ya do about that?”
“We’ve decided to tell the truth, much sooner than we’d planned to.”
“And yer goin’ there now fer that?”
“Yeah.”
“Fer what it’s worth, I’m a big fan o’ the truth. Ya can never go wrong with that.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I usually am. Ask around. People’ll tell ya.”
For the first time in an hour, Jace grinned. “Is that right?”
“A man gathers a lot of wisdom drivin’ people round. Ya hear a lot.”
“I’ll bet you do, and you’re right. The truth is always the best plan. I just wish they were a little older and able to understand what I need to tell them.”
“I consider Seamus a friend, and I’ve gotten to know them boys a little bit. I think they’re gonna be just fine. Kids care about who loves them. The more people who love ’em, the better off they are.”
“That’s true.”
As he pulled into Seamus and Carolina’s driveway, Ned made eye contact in the mirror. “Just make sure they know how loved they are, and it’ll be fine. I promise.”
He pulled a ten-dollar bill from his pocket. “I’ll do that. Thanks, Ned—for the ride and the advice.”
“Both are free of charge. If you need a ride back ta town, gimme a call.” He handed Jace his business card.
“Thanks again,” Jace said, touched by the other man’s kindness.
“Good luck to ya.”
Jace sent Ned off with a wave and walked toward the house on legs that felt wooden.
His entire body was riddled with tension as he approached the door to the home where his children lived.
At times like this, the enormity of what he’d lost that night in the convenience store swept over him like an emotional tsunami.
While Jess had died, so, too, had Jace’s marriage and any chance he’d had to raise his sons.
He took full responsibility for the series of choices that had led him to being an outsider in his own children’s lives and could only hope that the conversation he was about to have with them wouldn’t ruin everything.
What if they never wanted to see him again?
Jace’s heart broke at that possibility, but he pressed on nonetheless, knocking on the door and holding his breath until Seamus opened it.
“Come in.”
The boys who usually greeted him with the unbridled excitement afforded to someone who gave them a lot of attention were subdued as they sat at the table with an untouched snack of cookies and milk. There wasn’t a carrot stick or block of cheese in sight.
Every part of him ached as he realized Kyle had been told about the photo Jackson had seen, and both boys were upset about it.
Seamus nodded for Jace to take a seat at the table.
When he was seated, Seamus said, “We asked Jace to come by because there’s something we want to talk to you about.”
Jackson looked right at Jace, brown eyes full of emotion. “How did you know our mom?”
John found Big Mac McCarthy right where he’d been told to look—working on winterizing the family’s marina in North Harbor. He was on a ladder doing something to one of the light poles on the long main pier when John walked up to him.
“Can I help ya?” Big Mac asked.
“I’m John Lawry.”
“Oh, hey. Sorry. I didn’t recognize you from up here.”
“Heard you’re looking for some security help at your place in town.”
“You heard right. Would you mind holding the ladder for me so I can get this done before my son or Luke catches me up here and gives me a lecture?”
Smiling at the older man’s commentary, John wrapped his arms around the ladder and held on tight while Big Mac changed the lightbulb. “I got you.”
“All good. Coming down.”
John stood by just in case he tripped, but he was agile like a cat as he descended the ladder and held out his hand.
“Good to see you again.”
John made eye contact and shook the man’s hand the way his father had taught him. “You as well, sir.”
“Don’t call me that. This is Gansett, and I’m Big Mac to you.”
“Got it.”
“Heard you were a cop in Tennessee.”
“Yes, for eight years until recently.”
“Made any plans?”
“Nothing beyond spending some time with my mom and the family. Beyond that, I don’t know.”
“We just finished our first full season at the Wayfarer, and one thing is crystal clear. We’re in bad need of better security.
We need someone who knows what they’re doing.
I’m not going to lie to you—in season, the job will be a gigantic pain in the ass.
In the off-season, you’ll be bored. We’d put you on an annual salary with bonuses for surviving the summer.
We also provide full medical and dental insurance as well as long- and short-term disability.
” Big Mac named a salary number that piqued John’s interest. It was more than he’d made in Tennessee. “What do you think?”
“I think it sounds great, but don’t you want to check my references or anything?”
“You’re Owen, Katie and Julia’s brother. That’s all I need to know.”
John eyed him skeptically. “Is that how it works around here?”
“Yep. I think the world of them, your mom, Charlie, your grandparents, Cindy. Wonderful family.”
“Thank you. They’re pretty great.”
“I assume you are, too?”
“I try to do the right thing in every situation.”
“That’s what we need, but I want you to know, the shit that goes on there in the summer would try the soul of the most patient of people. Nikki Stokes, our general manager, has some war stories you might want to hear before you accept.”
“I assume there won’t be anyone shooting at me.”
“They’re more apt to throw up on you than shoot at you.”
“I’d take puke over a bullet any day. I’m not afraid of drunk and disorderly.”
“We’re concerned about it escalating from there. Had a couple of reports of unwelcome sexual advances this past season, which has me concerned about lawsuits and such.”
“I have a lot of experience dealing with that, too. I’d do my best to keep things running smoothly for you.”
“I promised Nikki I’d do something about the security situation in the off-season, so you’re hired. If you want the job, that is.”
Did he want to stay on Gansett indefinitely, including during the long, cold winter? He wouldn’t have thought that would appeal to him until he’d come home and spent time with his family, not to mention the promising new friendship with Niall. “I think it sounds great,” John said. “I accept.”
Jeff Lawry was in love. There could be no other way to describe the light-headed, carefree way he felt whenever Kelsey was anywhere nearby—and even when she wasn’t.
Just knowing she existed in this world made it a better place.
The thought of leaving her in a couple of weeks was so painful, it kept him awake at night, rethinking his life plan so it might include her.
He’d come early to the McCarthys to pick her up after work, hoping for a minute alone with Mr. McCarthy, who was at home recovering from a vasectomy.
The only reason Jeff knew about that was because Mr. McCarthy had told him to enjoy your swimmers while you can.
That had cracked him up, especially as he tried to imagine his own father saying such a thing.
Jeff hoped the McCarthy kids knew how lucky they were to have a dad like him.
He often wondered what his life might’ve been like if he’d been born into a normal family.
Not that he’d trade his mom and siblings for anything, but what he would’ve given to have had a childhood free of violence and fear.
The fear had been debilitating and had driven him to drugs and a suicide attempt.
He gave thanks every day for the second chance he’d been given by the EMTs who’d saved his life that day as well as the grandparents who’d threatened legal action to get him out of his father’s home.
He’d been determined ever since not to squander his second chance, which was why he wanted to talk to Mr. McCarthy.
Jeff knocked on the sliding glass door.
From his post on the sofa, Mr. McCarthy waved him in. He had a stack of papers and a laptop on the table next to him. Was that a bag of frozen peas on his lap? Interesting.
“How’s it going, Jeff?”
“Good, sir. How are you?”
“I’m better, and I told you before not to call me sir.”
“Sorry, sir.” After being raised by a career military officer with a mean left hook, the habit was so deeply ingrained in Jeff that he’d never be able to undo it.
“Kelsey is at the beach with the kids, but they’re due back in a few.”
“I know. She texted me. I wondered if I might speak to you for a moment?”
Mac looked up at him. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”