Chapter 30
Over the next few days, Jace went through the motions.
He attended daily meetings, went to the gym, worked at the bar and visited the boys every afternoon after school.
For them, nothing had really changed, but for him, everything had.
The incident with the woman from the state had hurt him deeply, and there was no denying that it had been a setback for him, right when things had been going better than ever.
Even things with Cindy had changed, despite her best efforts. He just couldn’t seem to get past the emotional storm raging inside him.
“Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Mallory asked over coffee three days after the morning he’d dropped the boys at school for the last time.
Seamus and Carolina had gotten home two days ago and had settled in with the boys with Joe and his kids spending a few more days with them. Things were back to normal for everyone but Jace.
It took Jace a second to realize Mallory was talking to him. “Huh?”
“What’s with you the last few days? You’re here, but you’re a thousand miles away. You sit in the meetings and brood, but never say a word. What’s going on, Jace? And don’t say it’s nothing.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Obviously, but what you’re doing isn’t working. You’re getting more remote by the day. You were so excited about your new job, things with Cindy and being with your boys. What happened?”
“It’s easier just to tell her,” Quinn said. “Otherwise, she’s like a dog with a bone, beating you over the head with it until you spill your guts.”
“You be quiet,” Mallory replied. “You’re the one who asked me what’s wrong with Jace.”
“You’re not yourself,” Mason said bluntly. “If something’s wrong, you know by now that stewing over it only leads to trouble, and we’ve all had enough trouble.”
They were right, and Jace knew it, but it was upsetting to talk about what’d happened and how he felt about it.
But since Quinn was right about Mallory not letting it go, he decided to fill them in.
“While I was taking care of the boys, a woman from the state department of children and family services showed up at the house as part of finalizing the legal guardianship for Seamus and Carolina.”
“Okay…” Mallory said.
“Seamus forgot about the meeting in all the craziness with Carolina breaking her leg. The woman asked who I was, and I told her. She had the lowdown on me and questioned their judgment, leaving the boys with a parolee, even if he’s their biological father.”
“Stop it,” Mallory said, her expression conveying shock. “She did not say that.”
“Yes, she did. She told Seamus he needed to make other arrangements, or she’d have to notify her bosses about the situation. That’s when Joe was called home to take over with them.”
“Oh my God, Jace.” Mallory looked as stricken as he felt, even days later. “I’m so sorry that happened.”
“It’s true, though, right? It doesn’t look good for them that they left the boys with a convicted felon on parole.”
“They left the boys with someone who loves them and wants nothing but the best for them,” Mason said in his typical blunt way.
“Who also happens to be an ex-con on parole for the next five years.” Bitterness poured out of him like acid, threatening to devour all the progress he’d made since coming to Gansett.
“From her perspective, I’m the last person in the world who should be taking care of them.
But I was really enjoying the time with them. ”
“I’m sorry.” Mallory reached across the table to put her hand on top of his. “That totally sucks, but you can’t let it undo all the good stuff.”
“Cindy said the same thing, but I’ve just been in this spiral since Seamus called to tell me I was being fired as their caregiver—in the nicest possible way, of course. He felt terrible about it.”
“It’s an unfortunate development no matter how you look at it,” Quinn said, “but it happened, you punted and now you move on with the boys still in your life and all the other good things still there, too. Like a new job you’re excited about and a girlfriend who makes you happy.
The only one who can let a setback ruin everything is you. ”
“I hate to say it, but he’s right,” Mallory said with a saucy grin for her husband. “This bad thing happened, but you must move on from it. It doesn’t change anything that truly matters about your new life.”
“It brought home all the ways I’ve fucked up and how that’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“No, it won’t,” Quinn said emphatically. “You’re doing everything right. You can’t let someone else’s judgment—in a situation where the woman was only doing the job she’s paid to do—derail you. You just can’t let that happen. Who the fuck cares what she thinks?”
Jace grunted out a laugh at Quinn’s unusual outburst.
“Let it go, Jace,” Mallory added in a gentler tone. “It happened. It sucked. It’s over, and you’re still fine. You have a great new job and a wonderful new relationship with Cindy and your boys are back in your life. It’s all good, so just let it go.”
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder,” Mason said.
“You’re a tough crowd,” Jace said, feeling immeasurably better after airing it out with them. He should’ve known they would help. They always did.
“We’re telling you the truth, and you know it,” Mallory said.
“I do know it, and I appreciate it. I think more than anything, it was embarrassing to have my past possibly screwing things up for Seamus and Carolina, especially after they’d entrusted me with the boys.”
“Understood,” Mallory said. “But it didn’t screw up anything. It’s not like they didn’t know you’d been in prison before this happened.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“They knew that, and they still asked you to be the one to care for the boys during their emergency,” Quinn said. “From what you said, they didn’t hesitate to ask you.”
“They didn’t, and he said they’d ask me again if they ever need coverage.”
“That ought to be what matters,” Quinn said.
Jace nodded. Quinn was right. They all were, and he needed to let it go. “Thank you for listening and for the tough love. I needed it.”
“We’re here for that any time.” Mallory smiled as if she was proud of herself for busting him out of his funk. “We did good work here, gentlemen.”
“She’s going to gloat about this all day,” Quinn said. “In case you were wondering.”
Jace laughed at the face Quinn made as he said that.
Mallory leaned into her husband. “You love me.”
He put his arm around her. “Someone’s gotta.”
John asked his brother Jeff to drop him off in town. “You need a ride home?” Jeff asked when he pulled over by the ferry landing.
“Nah, I’ll get a ride.”
“You look good. Where are you heading?”
“To meet a friend for dinner.”
“A friend or a friend?”
“The former. For now, anyway.”
“But you like him.”
“Yeah, I do.” John looked over at Jeff. “Are you seeing Kelsey?”
“Yep.”
“I’m glad for you. She seems like a nice girl.”
“She’s one in a million, and I’d like to think I’m smart enough not to let her get away.”
“I hope it works out for you guys.”
“Likewise, with you and your friend. I’m glad you’re sticking around. We just gotta get Josh here.”
“He’s got something going with a woman in Virginia. I don’t think he’s coming.”
“We’ll see,” Jeff said. “Anyway, if you end up needing a ride, call me.”
“Will do. Thanks for the lift.”
John got out of the car and waved to his brother as he drove away.
He was glad to see Jeff doing so well and settling into a healthy relationship.
Jeff’s suicide attempt had scared the hell out of them, and to see him thriving was such a relief.
Like so many things in their lives, that, too, was thanks to the involvement of their amazing grandparents.
The story Russ and Adele had told him about Russ’s brother had weighed heavily on John’s heart and mind the last few days. He was so incredibly thankful for the unwavering support of his family and knew how lucky that made him.
He stepped into Stephanie’s Bistro, where he was due to meet Niall, and looked around for him.
Already seated at a table, Niall waved him over.
John’s heart beat a slow tempo as he crossed the crowded dining room and took a seat across from Niall.
For once, he didn’t care who saw them together or who might make something of it.
All the people in his life who mattered had given him their unconditional love and support, freeing him to fully enjoy this evening with a new friend who might turn out to be more than that.
“How’s it going?” Niall asked in the sexy Irish accent that had first caught John’s attention at the Beachcomber weeks ago.
“It’s going better than it ever has, actually.”
“Is that right. How so?”
“Well, everyone who’s anyone in my life knows the truth. I’ve landed a fabulous new job that’ll have me working my ass off in the summer with a relaxed schedule the rest of the year. I’ve got ninety-five percent of my family living nearby, and I’m making some fun new friends.”
“Wow, you’re having a good week.”
“Best week ever.”
“Where’s the new job?”
“Right here on Gansett.” Was it his imagination, or did Niall perk up when he said that? “Managing security for the Wayfarer.”
“Oh, that’s cool. I heard they need that after a wild season.”
“That’s what I was told. But like I said to Mr. McCarthy, drunk and disorderly people aren’t usually pointing guns, so it’ll be a relief from what I’m used to on the job.”
“Did you see a lot of guns pointed at you when you were a cop?”
“A lot more than I ever expected when I started out. The domestic situations were particularly hairy that way.”
“I give you so much credit for doing that work. I wouldn’t have the stomach for it.”
“Your talents would be wasted in any other job but the one you have.”
“Thank you. It’s still fun, so that’s something. I’d love to see it go beyond playing in bars on Gansett and recording at Evan’s studio, but so far, that hasn’t happened.”
“It hasn’t happened yet. Doesn’t mean it won’t.”
“True.”