“Thank you!” Linc beamed, sprinting to take my hand, practically dragging me to the house.
He changed in record time, leaving me more than ticked that it took him ten minutes to put his dang shoes on when I asked him to.
When we returned to the dock, Luke was loading the last few items onto the boat, inked biceps and pecs on display like a work of art. I hated that he looked so good, and I hated it more when he caught me staring, having the audacity to wink.
Linc raced to Luke’s feet and turned back to smile at me, holding two thumbs high. The sight killed the daggers I had for Luke, turning my heart to jelly.
“You need my number in case of emergency,” I said reluctantly, not thrilled to give up the goods to the king of mischief. “He’s not allergic to anything, and he knows how to swim, but I don’t want him in the water.” It was nerve-racking enough to let a four-year-old swim at the beach. A dip in the middle of the inlet was a hell no.
Linc went to object, but I held up a hand. “Sharks, Lincoln David. Sharks.” I wasn’t proud to use scare tactics, but I didn’t want him to do anything dangerous. Truth was, I’d never seen a shark in Maine, not that they weren’t somewhere in the surf.
His eyes flicked to the waves lapping against the dock. “Are they going to think I’m tasty because you are?”
Luke hooted in delight as he plucked a life jacket from the boat. “Your mom is tasty?”
Linc nodded, letting Luke help him into the neon green safety vest, the oversized man bent down to adjust the tiny straps as he laughed. It was odd he had a child’s vest handy, but I brushed the thought away. Ethan or Jason might have had kids. Weird they weren’t with them, but whatever. The Barretts were a weird bunch.
“Good to know,” Luke noted, glancing my way as he fastened the last buckle. “I’ll be sure I don’t take her out on a boat.”
“You need my number,” I pushed, my heart swelling at the two together.
Linc looked at Luke like his hero, and I’d never seen Luke so gentle. So attentive. He dropped the hardass front, exposing his tender underbelly.
“Way ahead of you.” He straightened from a crouch into all his glory, a slow-motion slide that sent my heart racing. “I already have it.”
“Thank you, Mommy.” Linc darted over, wrapping his arms around my thighs, the bulky vest rough against my skin.
I smiled down at my baby before looking back at Luke, suddenly realizing what he’d said. “What do you mean you have it?”
No one outside of my family and Dan had my number, and I was regretting the latter after near-daily texts I left unread.
Linc ran to Luke, letting him lift him into the boat, not an ounce of fear about the new adventure. He rushed to the bench beside Elena, instantly enamored with the dainty brunette.
Luke hopped on and gave me quick salute before firing up the engine. “Your parents love me, you know?”
Luke
After a long day boating, brewing, and bickering with my brothers, there was no place like home.
Everyone else was in bed for the night, planning on getting up extra early to grab good spots for the parade. I was the lone holdout on the deck staring at the bay, hoping the sound of the waves would lull me towards sleep. It’d been an hour, and so far, I wasn’t having any luck.
The time out on the water was great, especially with Lincoln keeping the mood high. I let him steer the boat and honk the horn, and he’d made a friend in Tally, revealing he’d asked Josie to play with her since they moved in.
It seemed like he made a friend in everyone, the happy-go-lucky blond as infectious as his mother. He even got stone-faced Ethan to lighten up, accidentally calling him Wheat Thin at first.
I couldn’t wait to head out again, planning an afternoon trip post-parade to soak up a few more hours before my brothers scattered back home. I wasn’t sure if Josie would let me take Lincoln along again, but I hoped she would. He had way too much fun to say no to, and it was nice to feel like a kid again watching him light up with wonder.
When he saw a pod of dolphins, he was over the moon, and when the first whale appeared, he was nearly in tears of excitement.
The waves did little to calm my stirring mind, revving me up like a kid at Christmas, each rush a reminder of getting back out on the water later in the day.
The moon was huge in the sky, and the stars reflected in the water, giving the inlet its famous tranquility that made it a place I could never leave. There were bigger, nicer houses I could afford, but I loved Nan’s place, the little spot of heaven perfect.
The wind had picked up, and if it didn’t calm, it’d make the parade a hell of a workout for the flag carriers, each gust lashing my hair wildly. The brininess of the salt air came with it, clinging to my skin.
I stared at the sea, begging it to pull me towards sleep, to drown out the stresses that lingered beneath the surface.
A dark spot at the end of the dock caught my eye, and for a moment, I thought it was merely the last post, but with another gust of wind, I saw the hair whipping with it. Long blonde hair.
I knew I shouldn’t, but I stood, walking bare-footed down the steps and across the grass, the sound of waves muffling the swish of the blades.
Josie was sitting cross-legged at the end of the dock in baggy pajama
