Matt’s voice rang out from the kitchen. “I’ll be there soon. Save the juicy gossip for later so I can hear it all. I want to know how your interview went and what Drew did when he saw you.”
“There is no gossip,” April shouted back. “But I got the job.” She giggled—a release mechanism she found difficult to control as a teenager. No matter how hard it was seeing Drew again, she would do anything to give her kids a safe place to live. After what they’d all been through, it was the only thing keeping her going.
Aggie gasped and grabbed her hand. “You’re really going to go through with it? Working with him is going to be quite the challenge. Believe me, I know what my big brother is like these days and it’s not always pretty.” She gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and then poured two glasses of tea, handed one to April, and sat down in a comfy cane chair with the other glass clasped between her hands. “He’s a man on a mission. But to what, none of us are quite sure. Dad reckons he needs a holiday before he burns out and Aunt Gigi keeps telling Dad to leave Drew alone. Let him work out his own problems.” She sipped her tea. “It’s like he has this secret agenda he must stick to as he goes through life.”
“I gather his business is going well. I met Liam. He’s the one who interviewed me for the position today. Turned out to be quite a handsome beast, didn’t he?” No longer the gangly kid who was a year behind them in school she’d caught Aggie staring at on more than one occasion.
Aggie blushed and turned her face away. “They went through residency together. Drew was ahead a year, but Liam was clever enough to advance quickly and they get along very well. My dear brother can’t deal with the island’s patients all on his own, so it was more than feasible that they go into business together.” She sighed, watching the children for a while before speaking again. “Liam was the perfect choice really. Whenever there’s a need for minor surgery, Liam steps in as anesthetist. Got his training in Seattle before he came over to join Drew.”
“Sounds like Drew was lucky to get him.” She peered at Aggie, wondering why the sudden bashful glances. “Is Drew still living at the big house?” April sat back in her chair, hand above her eyes watching her children playing at the water’s edge, skipping stones across the water. As soon as Leo threw his pebble, he ran along the shore and chased a flock of seagulls, setting them screeching as they took off only to land a few yards down the beach. Tilly followed him like the protective big sister that she was.
“Yep, but not for long. He brought a house and is almost finished renovating it. At least, I think he is. Seems to be dragging on for longer than it should be.” Aggie thumped a cushion into submission, then leaned further back in her chair. “It’s huge and the views are to die for. Not quite sure what he has planned for the future, but he’s been very secretive.”
“I guess it’s not my business anyway. How is Aunt Gigi? I miss her. She was like a second mom to me.”
“Not surprised. Your home life was nothing to cheer about. Best thing you did was leave here to go to college.”
Chapter 2
April watched her best friend climb into her car and head off to work. The joy of owning a bakery meant Aggie’s nights were almost always taken up with baking the product ready for sale the next day. Her family had cried in disbelief when she’d brought the business when she returned home after years of living in the city. They didn’t know why she’d come back or what made her change professions. April alone knew the story, and it saddened her that nothing had changed in the years since.
“Matt, can I give you a hand with dinner?” She wandered into the kitchen where he hacked at a large cut of beef, a scowl on his face.
“I’ve got it.” He threw the pieces into the pot, stomped over, and put it on the stove.
“What’s wrong?” She poured herself a glass of wine and waited. Matt had a fiery temper and it wasn’t usually directed at her, rather at things that were out of his control.
He glared at her, shook his head, and heaved out a sigh. “Look, I get that you’re their mom and all but seriously, April, when are you going to stop making out that your marriage was great? I’m sure the kids aren’t that stupid. I heard what you told them when they went upstairs just now.”
April bit down the words that were barely contained on the tip of her tongue. It would be so easy to lash out, but she knew deep down that Matt was only looking out for her. His whole family always had, hence the reason she had to tread carefully now with his little outbursts. “Sweetheart, I love and respect you, but in this instance, you’re right. I’m the mom and I know what’s best for my children.”
“And letting them think you left their father before he died because you didn’t love him anymore is the right move?”
“I owe them a decent life.”
“Like everything that happened was all your fault. Stop blaming yourself for once.” He turned on the stove and watched the flame flicker into life. “Let your idiot ex or his crazy family take some of the blame.”
She put down her wineglass. “I can’t do that, especially within hearing distance of the children. They loved their father, Matt, regardless of what happened. You of all people should understand that. It’s
