WE RODE TOGETHER down the island. Clouds had rolled in and the temperature dropped on the ride. I let her lead the way around Holmes Harbor to her house. I wanted to get another chance to inspect the sculpture in her yard before it got dark. Hailey pushed her bike into the garage and I stepped through the ferns toward the giant pinecone.
“Tom?” her voice called out through the trees.
“Over here.”
Her footsteps stomped over pine needles and leaves. “What are you doing over here? You better not be peeing in my woods.”
“I wasn’t, but that’s a great idea. I really need to take a piss.” I turned and faced a tall cedar.
“Donnely!”
I hadn’t unzipped my jeans, so I turned around to show her. “Trust me, I don’t announce it when I piss in the woods.”
“But you do?”
“What man doesn’t pee outdoors? Why wouldn’t you?”
“It’s different for women.”
“Sucks to be you. Peeing outdoors is one of life’s great pleasures.”
She grimaced. “I’d like to think there are much better things to do outdoors than relieve your bladder.”
I stepped closer and gave her a peck on her check. “I can think of at least three things, and one we did earlier today.”
Her eyes softened and she gave me a shy smile. “So what are you doing wandering around my yard?”
“This.” I gestured behind myself at the giant pine cone. “Where’d it come from?’
“A really big tree.” She joked.
“It’s amazing.” I touched one of the spiked scales.
“I made it.”
“What’s it doing hidden here in the woods?” I smiled, feeling pride and awe at her talent.
She stood on the other side and ran her hand along the cupped surface of another scale. With a shrug, she met my eyes. “It was a college project. Senior year.”
“Wow. Seriously?” I paced around the metal until I reached her side. “Why is someone with your talent working at the boatyard as a project manager?”
“I applied to be a trainee welder and didn’t get the job.”
“You wanted to weld boats all day?”
Another shrug. “Sure.”
“That’s a waste.”
“You don’t sculpt for a living either.” She tried to stuff her hands in her pockets. Talking about her art seemed to make her insecure and this was a new side to the woman who’d always hit like a boy, didn’t take my shit, and had enough nerve to walk into the Dog House to proposition me.
“I fool around with a chainsaw. My signature piece is the spread eagle, for Pete’s sake!”
“Who’s Pete?” Her eyes crinkled up in amusement.
Holding her hands in mine, I stretched her arms above her head, and leaned into her so she bowed over the sculpture’s curve.
“I’m trying to be serious here.”
“And I’m deflecting. Obviously.”
“Stop doing that.”
“Can we talk about it another time? I’m cold and hungry.”
I stared into her eyes, trying to figure out the whys and hows she wasn’t sharing with me. A pale brown rimmed her irises and tiny flecks of gold floated above the green.
“Give me the short version and I’ll get you tell me the rest another time.”
She eyed me warily. “Okay. Short version is an art major pretty much equals poverty, so I took what I learned managing a sculptor’s studio, and translated it to project management. Turned out, I’m really good at organization and bossing people around. I know, shocking. Work and making money took precedence over playing with metal. But I still have studio space over in Seattle.”
I smirked at her bossy comment. “One more thing.”
Her long lashes blocked the clear green when she narrowed her eyes. “One.”
“If you had the rich boyfriend and then fiancé, why was money an issue?”
She scoffed. “Right.” Her exhaled breath lifted a strand of her hair. “I never wanted his money. After we got married, it would have been ours, but it felt weird to have him support me. Not that he would. He didn’t really get my sculptures. Sure, he thought it was cool to be with a woman who was air-quotes artistic. I guess it gave him some sort of rich guy cred to be with a wild metal sculptor he could show off at parties” She rolled her eyes.
“What a fuckwad. Oops, I said that out loud.”
“You’re not sorry.”
“No, I’m not.” I moved closer. “One more question?”
“Is that your question?”
“No.” I let my lips skim her forehead. “Why did you move back? Other than wanting to live out your lifelong dream of being a welder at Donnely Boats.”
She tried to kiss me, but I dodged out of the way. “Fine. I’d always wanted to move back here. Start a family. Have a pretty house. Be close to the water. All the super sentimental girly stuff. That’s why he bought the land for the house. For me.”
“At least he did that.”
“Why?”
“We wouldn’t be here now, would we?”
I leaned in to tug her bottom lip with my teeth. She answered by looping one of her legs around my thigh and tilting her hips into mine. We kissed against the unforgiving metal, losing ourselves in the moment. I forgot what we were talking about. Breathing heavily, I pulled away and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.
“Let’s eat,” I said.
“You do owe me from the park earlier.” A wicked grin crossed her face.
I pecked her cheek. “Later. I was thinking more about ordering pizza.”
We flipped a coin for who would go out in the cold to pick up the pizza in Freeland. She won and offered me her car, but knowing my luck I’d run into someone who knew one, or both of us, at Sal’s. Too complicated. Speaking of complicated, we’d ordered a half pineapple and jalapeño, and half meat lovers. Pineapple on a pizza was weird.
Dan behind the counter cocked an eyebrow at my order and gave me a knowing smile. “Sounds like you’ve got a date with sweet and spicy tonight.”
I chuckled at his bad joke. “Nah, hanging out with a friend.”
“The only other person I know who eats pineapples and jalapeños on a pizza is your buddy John.”
On the island, the pizza guys knew how everyone took their pie. If they teamed up with Sally, Connie, and Sandy—aka the gossips—they’d have a flow chart of who was dating and hooking up with whom all over the south island. They could probably rattle off who was off gluten or vegetarian along with impending separations and possible affairs.
Speaking of the devil, a bluster of cold from the opened door blew in ahead of Connie.
“Well, if it isn’t Tom Donnely!” She greeted me with an air kiss from about two feet away. “Hi, Dan. Hope Tom isn’t giving you too much trouble here.”
Dan and I had a silent conversation men tended to have around women like Connie. We both shook our heads and looked up at the ceiling.
“Hi, Connie,” I said to be polite.
“How’s your sister? Sandy says she’s the size of a trailer and about to pop.”
“Lori’s good. The whole family’s good.”
“That’s wonderful. After all of the scandal with your cousin last year, I’m glad you had a quiet Thanksgiving.”
Last year’s cousin drama would be material for years in the gossip circles. Much like the time a new ferry captain missed the dock and grounded near Columbia Beach. Or the time Sibley’s bull got out and blocked traffic for an hour, charging cars and anyone who dared to try to get him off the road. I think he rammed the famous red door sculpture, which was exactly what it sounded like: a random red door near the edge of a field.
At this rate, our pizza would be cold before I left Sal’s.
“I hope you had a nice day, too, Connie. Any word on Angus getting parole early? Be nice for you to have him home for Christmas.” I smiled as her jaw dropped and then clamped shut.
Gossip went both ways around here.
Dan softly chuckled from behind the counter.
“Thanks for the pizza.” I picked up the box.
“Tell John I said hello and thanks for the cord of wood.” Dan gave me a wave.
Typical John. He was always dropping off cords of wood for friends and those in need. In this case, the wood went into the wood-burning oven of his favorite pizza joint. I was pretty sure he never had to pay for his pizza again. Smart guy.
I strapped the box behind me and blew on my hands while the bike warmed up. I’d left my gloves at Hailey’s. I pulled on the road and checked my mirrors. Damn it. Connie’s car trailed a few cars behind me. No way I could drive up East Harbor without raising her suspicions. I turned and backtracked to the main road, knowing I’d have to take the long way to Goss Lake. Pizza would be frozen by the time I returned.
An unfamiliar ringtone and buzzing woke me up to an unfamiliar room and a body next to mine on a couch. I stirred and the body moved, rolling into the crevice between me and the back cushions.
“I can’t breathe,” a familiar voice mumbled.
I sat up and realized I was still at Hailey’s. It hadn’t been my first time to wake up in a strange place. Typically remembering my companions name took much longer.
“I think your phone was ringing.” I yawned and stretched.
She struggled into a seated position, getting tangled in the throw blanket. “What time is it?”
The room was dark except for the faint glow from the TV. Right, after realizing we were both fans of Bill Murray, we’d been watching What About Bob? and fell asleep.
I found my phone on the table and glanced at the screen. “It’s 11:30.”
“Geez, we totally sacked out. Who’d be calling me now?” Standing, she stretched her arms over her head.
I ran my hand over the exposed skin on her stomach. She smiled down at me and leaned into my touch. I kissed her on the hip. “Maybe you should find your phone and find out.”
My own phone began ringing and vibrating in my hand.
“Booty call?” she asked as she walked around the couch to her phone.
“Nah, they usually text.” I muted the ringer. “It’s Nick.”
“He called me, too.”
“That’s weird.”
We stared at each other in confusion for a few beats, and then she screamed, “Baby!”
“What?” I stood up and dropped my phone under the couch. Leaning over to retrieve it, I felt the floor bounce.
Hailey jumped up and down. “He texted me. Baby! The baby is coming!”
My phone beeped. *Baby. Island Hospital.*
“Looks like she’s having it here on the island.”
She was already rummaging around for her keys and jacket. “Let’s go!”
A gust of rainy, wet wind hit the windows. “Great. I’m not riding all the way to the hospital in this weather. I’ll head home and get my truck.”
“There’s no time!” Her voice held a panicked excitement that scared me. Women had a weird desire to see babies as soon as they were born. I preferred to wait until they were fully cooked and could focus their eyes. Otherwise they reminded me of the time our dog had puppies and I watched her chew off the sacs covering each pup. I shuddered.
“I’ll have plenty of time to see the kid. There’s no rush.”
“She’s your baby sister. Nick wouldn’t have texted if they didn’t want you there tonight.” She bounced over to me and hugged me. I didn’t raise my arms, so she ended up wrapping hers around mine like a boa constrictor. Giving up the hug, she said, “If you insist, I’ll drive you to pick up your truck. You can get your bike tomorrow.”
“Deal.”
We put my bike in the garage next to hers and hopped in her SUV. Once I got in my truck, she waited at the end of my driveway until I pulled out behind her. Halfway up the island, still staring at her taillights, it dawned on me it might appear suspicious if we arrived at the same time.
I parked a few rows away from her in the hospital lot and shut off my engine. I’d give it five minutes, maybe ten, and then go inside.
Ten became fifteen before my phone buzzed with a new text from Hector.
*Okay, scaredy cat, you can come inside and meet your nephew. He’s all cleaned up. Mother and baby are fine.*
Smiling despite my dislike of babies, I exhaled and got out of the cab. If I was honest with myself, it wasn’t only the yuck factor that kept me away. Babies and births were scary—so much blood and screaming.
Okay, so it was mostly the yuck factor. Stupid health class movie had scarred me for life.
Inside, my shoes squeaked along the empty hall toward maternity. I rounded the corner and a pack of Donnelys greeted me.
“It’s a boy!” Dad handed me a cigar.
“It’s a boy!” Mom hugged me as if it was my baby.
“Yay! It’s a boy!” Cara and Amy screamed and bounced like Hailey had earlier.
Yep, some sort of weird woman gene existed. I guess if you were going to have to push a bowling bowl out of yourself you needed it.
“Lori doing okay?” I asked the room in general while glancing around for Hailey.
“She was a trooper. Short labor. Only ten hours.” Mom beamed and tears filled her eyes. I hugged her to my side and she cried into my shoulder.
I stepped out of the hug and brushed my hands over my jaw. “Good.”
Hailey appeared at the entrance to the room. She covertly wiped tears from her eyes and gave me a weird smile before walking over to sit next to my dad.
He handed her a cigar, too. She took it, laughing and crying at the same time.
“He’s perfect,” she said to Dad, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Looks like Ellie.”
People were weird when they said babies took after family members, especially ones of the opposite sex. They all resembled grumpy, bald old men.
“So, Hailey, what did you do today?” Cara asked.
My eyes flashed to the other side of the aisle where Hailey sat.
“Not much. Took the bike out for a short ride.”
Cara studied her for a minute. “Tom, weren’t you going out for a ride today, too? Good weather for it.”
I leaned forward and clasped my hands between my knees. “Yeah. You know people with motorcycles around here, gotta go out when you get a nice day.”
I couldn’t be sure, but something in Cara’s line of questioning told me she suspected something. I wracked my brain trying to think of a slip or where she could have seen us out. I’d ditched Connie and gave away nothing at Sal’s. There was no way she could know we’d be hanging out.
My gaze flicked up to meet Hailey’s. She mouthed “relax,” and then turned to my mom to ask her about Thanksgiving.
Cara paid no more attention to me. Maybe her question was innocent, and I’d imagined the implied connection between Hailey and me.
A scrub-wearing Nick walked into the room with an exhausted smile. The family jumped up to greet him with hugs and back-pats. Mom burst into tears again. Dad and she went to see Lori first. The rest of us took our seats and the waiting resumed. I had no idea why I had to be here. Needing to feel useful, I offered to get snacks from the machines down the hall.
When I returned, arms laden with chips and candy, only Hailey sat in the chairs.
“Did everyone else go see Lori?” I asked, dumping my treasure of junk food on a magazine-covered table before sitting across from her. Better to keep my distance after Cara’s comments.
“They did. I thought I’d wait for you. They’re bringing Noah to the room, too.”
“Great. As long as no one asks me to hold him.”
“You really don’t like babies, do you?”
I shook my head.
She laughed and kicked my boot.
“Tom? Hailey? Mom says you two should come and say hi before Lori falls asleep,” Amy said from behind me.
I quickly shifted my foot away from Hailey’s and stood.
“Right, let’s go,” I replied a little too enthusiastically.
“And Tom? No jokes about her vagina like you made when I gave birth to Sam.”
Hailey burst out laughing.
“No, he really did. I thought Doug was going to punch him until I explained how Tom speaks before thinking when he’s nervous.” Amy gave me a sweet smile and then slapped my shoulder.
Inside the crowded room, the family stood around Lori’s bed, collectively cooing over the sea monkey in her arms. I gave her a wave from the corner and a thumbs-up. She smiled and returned the gesture.
“I still don’t see the resemblance to Ellie,” I whispered to Dad standing next to me.
“You have to see the hair.”
Overhearing us, Lori gently pulled away the baby’s cap to reveal a swatch of bright red hair.
Noah Donnely Crawford was a ginger. Poor guy. I immediately planned to teach him mixed-martial arts in order to kick some elementary school ass if anyone teased him about being soulless. No way would one of my nephews get bullied. Not on my watch. My chest filled with a combination of protection and love for the little guy. The ginger sea monkey had won me over in record time.