On Monday morning, while Gilly looked after Delaney, Simon waited outside the First Bank of Pelican Pointe, for it to open.

An attractive brunette he didn’t recognize came around the corner, dressed in a gray business suit, her hair held back in a bun. He didn’t know women wore buns anymore, not even his mother. He wasn’t sure whether she was trying to look older than her years, or just very conservative in her dress.

“You’re either a very eager customer here to make a deposit or cash a check or you’re here to rob me on my very first day on the job.”

“What? No. I’m Simon Bremmer. I have an appointment. I’m here to sign my life away or at least thirty years of it. I bought a house. Today is closing. Please tell me you know what I’m talking about.”

She waved a hand through the air. “Sorry. I’m nervous. I’m Naomi Townsend. I’ll walk you through all the paperwork.”

“Where’s Nick?”

“He’s taking the week off,” Naomi explained, showing Simon to her office, a smaller one right next to Nick’s.

“Good for him. He needs a month off.”

“That’s why he hired me. I’m more than willing to take up the slack while he recharges. When I asked him where he planned to go, I thought he’d say somewhere exotic, but all he plans to do is hang out with his kids at home.”

“You’ll find around here, family is high on the old totem pole. So you’re Nick’s new hire?”

She made a slight nod and slid into business mode. “Second in command, the new bank vice president. I’m a transplant from a small town, much like this one, but in the heart of the Midwest, Grand Island, Nebraska, to be exact.”

“Ah, that’s a long way from here. I thought I detected a cornhusker twang.”

“Yes, well, you’re not from here either,” she stated. “Back east somewhere I’d guess, from the definite accent.”

“Rhode Island. Can you really take care of closing, or do I have to wait another week for Nick to get back? I have movers all lined up and everything for today.”

“No, no. I’m happy to help you. It’s a simple process for the bank. I’d normally offer you a cup of coffee right about now, but I’d have to make it first and you seem like you’re in a hurry to get this done.”

“Had a gallon of the stuff already. And yeah, I’d appreciate getting this show on the road.”

“No problem. Give me a minute to locate your file and we’ll be in business.”

She disappeared into Nick’s office and while Simon waited, one of the tellers showed up for work. Heidi Radford swung by Naomi’s office. “Everything okay in here? Want coffee?”

“No thanks, I’m fine.”

When Naomi returned she had an armload of file folders.

Simon swallowed hard. “Is that all mine?”

“No,” Naomi said with a laugh. “You’re just one of many today and the first to get here.” She took him through the paperwork, line by line, explaining each notation, spelling out the terms.  She went over homeowners’ insurance and details that scared him just a little bit.

“I put the down payment in escrow when I made the offer on the house.”

“Again, not what I’m used to, but it’ll make today’s closing that much easier.” She showed him the places to sign and initial.

His fear slid away as he scrawled his name on the documents, signing where she indicated. He watched her fold the fat papers and stuff them all into a large white envelope with his name on it. She then handed it off with a set of keys.

He stood up, ready to get out of there. “That must be an extra set. Logan gave me the keys two weeks ago.”

Naomi smiled widely. “That’s certainly different than what I’m used to doing, too, but I get it. Pelican Pointe is a much smaller community.”

Simon was in a hurry, but he cocked his head to study her. “Which causes me to wonder why you’d pick here.”

“We all have our secrets, Mr. Bremmer. I’m happy to be the first one to congratulate you on purchasing your new home. You’re now a homeowner.”

He drove by the house and took a picture to text to Gilly on his way back to the farm.

It’s official. This sucker is all mine.

Woohoo!!!! Congratulations!

From there, the move went smoothly. It tended to do that when help came from anyone who owned a truck. Logan had put out the word and men showed up to haul boxes, headboards, couches, and chairs into their pickups.

Cord, Troy, and Ryder McLachlan cleared out each room, one by one. The men were able to get every stick of furniture out of the cottage in one trip.

Like a caravan they drove out of the farm and into town, pulling up in front of the cream and tan Craftsman with the long front porch.

“This is a nice place,” Cord said, slapping Simon on the back. “You’re practically right across the street from the clinic. I can come over now anytime and bum lunch off you.”

“Yeah? Well, don’t make it a habit,” Simon fired back. “Although the beer and pizza are on me after we finish.”

“I guess we better get started then,” Troy stated.

The guys organized the boxes by room and cleared out those first. Then they turned their attention to the heavy stuff, muscling tables, sofas, and chairs into the appropriate places downstairs. They saved what went upstairs for last, heaving beds and dressers up the steps and past the landing.

Because Simon and Gilly had pre-determined where the stuff went, it cut down on any confusion.

All in all, the operation went smoothly with only one smashed finger, no boxes rattling with obvious broken dishes, and everything out of the trucks.

While everyone caught their breath, Simon went into his kitchen and pulled out cold beer from the fridge. “Start on this while I call in the pizza. I’m ordering three large meat-lovers all around so stop me if you want veggies.”

Troy shook his head. “Bree’s been on a health kick lately. This is my chance to avoid anything green or yellow that’s supposed to be good for me.”

“My sentiments exactly,” Simon stated in agreement. But after placing the order, he pulled Cord aside in the living room. “I got a call from Del Rio Saturday night. At least, I think it was him. He sounded drunk or high.”

Cord took the end of his shirt and wiped the sweat off his face. “Last time I heard, Eagle Eye was living in a New Mexico mobile home park out in the middle of the desert. The nearest town five miles away. We could ask Brent to see what he can dig up on him. One or both of us will have to go check it out.”

“He sounded in a bad way. Who knows where I would’ve ended up if you and Nick hadn’t persuaded me to try here.”

“Come on, Bremmer. You wouldn’t have spiraled downward like Del Rio. He’s got no one. Never has. Different circumstances altogether.”

“You want to get the search started, or should I?”

“I’ll take care of it. You have a lot on your plate right now getting settled.”

Simon noticed Ryder holding back from the rest. “You sure you don’t want that beer?”

“I’ve gotta get back to work. I just wanted to talk to you about John, Julianne’s dad. He told us he’s booked on the next flight to Newport.”

“That soon, huh?”

“Looks like. Are you as stunned as we are?”

Simon chuckled. “You could say that.”

“Look, I’ll be honest. John’s dated before, but he’s never been this serious about a woman to fly clear across the country like this.”

“Are you saying he’s a player?”

Ryder balked at that. “John? No way.”

“Just checking. It’s only been two years since my dad died. Well, maybe two and a half. She really likes this guy. But if he hurts her…”

Ryder grinned. “I get it. He told us about that.”

Simon held out his hand. “Thanks for the help moving. You didn’t have to do it, but you showed up. Thanks.”

“Hey, that’s what neighbors do. Besides, Gilly took real good care of Zach when he sliced his finger open. It’s a great comfort to us all having the hospital there when accidents like Zach’s happen.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna show up in a costume for this fundraiser?”

Ryder used the back of his hand to wipe sweat off his brow. “Julianne is still working that angle. I’m not sure if I like the idea or not. What about you?”

“I’m not wearing a frilly outfit. Gilly already knows that. I’ll wear black and put on a mask and that’s it.”

“Yeah. I think that’s a plan I can live with. We should probably stick together on that score. Enjoy your house. Have fun unpacking, because that’s the hard part.”

“Don’t I know it.”

As Ryder went out the door, a new face appeared on the porch, a man in his mid-twenties with wire-rim glasses and a studious expression in his eyes. Dressed casually in jeans and a white Oxford shirt, he stood looking, peering into the doorway.

“Need something?” Simon asked.

“Hey there, I’m Seth Larrabee, the new pastor at the Community Church. Today’s my first day on the job. I was out taking a walk and spotted all the moving activity and wanted to introduce myself.”

Simon shook his hand. “I hope you know, you’re inheriting a first-rate daycare program.”

“I’m aware of that. Ophelia has done an outstanding job. But the church also needs new parishioners. That’s why I’m here. If you’re new to the area, like me, I was wondering if you’d think about attending services.”

Simon rubbed the back of his neck, trying to loosen a tight muscle there. “I’ll be honest. I’m not much of a churchgoer, although I was raised Catholic, I haven’t taken communion in…” He laughed, trying to think of the last time he’d gone to Mass. “Let’s just say twelve years or so and leave it at that.”

“We’re a non-denominational bunch. We accept all faiths and hold no judgments.”

“That might be a first,” Simon mumbled. He did feel a nagging obligation to promise the man something, make some type of pledge, because Delaney had been spending a lot of time there lately. “Okay. When things settle down, I’ll give it a whirl.”

“Awesome. Sunday school is at nine. Services start at ten-thirty. Are you all moved in?”

“I think so. I want to do something special for my first night here, like get my girl some flowers.”

Seth smiled. “Would you like me to say a blessing?”

“Sure. Why not?”

The young pastor stepped inside and stood in the foyer, bowed his head. “Your home is your safe harbor; may it shelter you from the outside world during tough times and happy ones. May you find peace and harmony here for as long as you call this place home. For all who enter, may God bless. Amen.”

“Thank you. That was nice.” And short, thought Simon. “What do I call you? Reverend Larrabee?”

The man chuckled. “Seth. You can call me Seth. Your accent sounds like a mix of New York and Boston.”

It was Simon’s turn to smile. “And you don’t sound one bit like a surfer dude who’s seen the light.”

“Minnesota, North Star State, born and raised. Go Wild.”

“Hockey fan, huh? Rhode Island, Ocean State, born and raised. Bruins fan. We kicked your butts in the playoffs last year.”

“You just got lucky is all. Just wait until this season. We’re primed. We’ve improved our offense.”

“Won’t matter,” Simon boasted, slapping the new preacher on the back. “Sorry. But my money says you’re in for a quick exit again.”

 

 

That night, thunder cracked overhead as rain beat down on the roof. His roof. It was a night made for staying home curled up by the fire. So Simon built one in the living room and one in the kitchen for good measure.

Just to be on the safe side, even though the house had passed inspection by a pro, he went around checking all the rooms upstairs for leaks in the roofline and was ecstatic when he found the ceilings bone dry.

Merlin made himself at home right away by gravitating to the fireplace in the kitchen, choosing this spot as his favorite place to curl up. The dog had adjusted to having kids around him, tots who made lots of noise and sometimes treated him like a stuffed animal or a pillow or a riding toy. Merlin didn’t seem to mind the extra attention or the hectic pace that surrounded him.

Gilly had arrived with take-out from the Diner, Max Bingham’s Monday night special, a feast that included fried chicken, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, and chocolate cake for dessert. She’d stopped by Murphy’s and bought a bottle of champagne for later.

They ate on paper plates and drank out of plastic cups until the dishes could be unpacked.

“You actually met the new pastor?”

“I’m telling you the guy came right in and said a prayer in the living room. Not exactly what I expected in a preacher, though. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five with a dab of peach fuzz on his chin.”

“He’s twenty-seven,” Gilly corrected, eager to share new details. “Ophelia thought he was from one of the Dakotas.”

“Nope. Minnesota.”

“Cottage Grove. I looked it up. Ten miles south of St. Paul on the Mississippi River. According to his own words, he got into some trouble there as a teenager, but somewhere along the way, he must’ve turned his life around.”

“Really? He looks like a clean-cut kid who’s never done anything more serious than TPing someone’s house.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“Ain’t that the truth. Look, I know you’re not that fond of getting out on the water, but your next day off, I wish you’d let me take you out on the boat. Just you and me. We’ll make a day of it. Leave the kids at daycare and enjoy a lazy day on the water.”

“I don’t dislike it. And you seemed to know what you’re doing well enough. But wouldn’t it be like spending your day off working?”

“No. You’re not a tourist. We wouldn’t even have to go that far out, maybe just to the end of the Bay. Have you checked out that little island due west of Promise Cove? That’s another great spot.”

“My dad took me over there when I was a kid.” She could see he had no intention of letting this go. “All right. We could have a picnic there, which is on land.”

He couldn’t fathom being landlocked again after spending so much time in the desert overseas. “I don’t get it. Your aversion to water. You said you surfed when you were a kid.”

Shrugging it off, she chalked it up to disinterest. “I just got out of the habit is all. Wally went on to someone else and I went to the beach to ride my bike instead.”

“Breakups can be tough,” he teased.

She whacked him on the arm. “We were probably eleven at the time. I’m pretty sure he took a shine to Keegan Fanning after that.”

“No hard feelings?”

Gilly laughed. “No. I fancied Frank Martin back then. That lasted a year or so. Frank used to be a vice president at the bank until Nick booted him out. He moved off somewhere to Arizona, I think. Look, if we intend to drink that champagne we need to put the kids to bed. The bedding is in one of those boxes upstairs we haven’t gone through yet. So one of us gets to dig through the cartons and get the beds ready while the other deals with bath time. Which is it?”

He shoved back from the table, started gathering up the leftovers and discarding the trash. “I’ll take care of the bedding while you get the troops clean.”

Finding the right box took some time, but he eventually got sheets on all the beds. Rain still poured down outside. With a cold front coming in, the temperature was expected to dip into the forties, which was the reason he went in search of the right comforters and blankets. It would be a chilly fall night that suited him perfectly.

After getting the munchkins settled for the night, Gilly decided to rearrange the living room, just as Simon brought out the champagne from the kitchen. He held a silver tray he’d found that he didn’t even know he owned and watched her from the doorway.

“What happened to the furniture?” he asked when he saw her pushing the sofa in front of the roaring fire.

“I thought it’d be cozier this way. What do you think?”

Simon wasn’t stupid enough to offer an opinion one way or another. “If it looks better this way....”

He ran a finger down her cheekbone. “I’m just happy you’re here.”

She eyed the two glasses he’d already poured, picking one up off the platter. “What shall we drink to?”

“The future.”

“Simon?”

He picked up on the different tone. “What?”

“Jayden is beginning to get attached to you.”

“And you don’t like that?”

“What if…?”

“I could say the same thing about Delaney. She holds onto you like I assume she would her mother.”

“Then we have to be very careful here. For the kids.”

“I know that. Have I done something that makes you think I’m about to bolt? Is our conversation from last night…giving you reason to have second thoughts?”

“No. The future…scares me just a little, though.”

He snatched her around the waist. “Baby, we signed our life away to own homes. You down the street and me here. Now that’s what’s freaking scary. This, what we have together right now, this is the icing on the cake. Not a problem for two people like us who work hard and try to build something together.”

“But we’ve never, you know, used the L word.”

“Is that what’s bothering you? I love you, Gilly. I’ve known it for weeks now.”

“You do? Then why didn’t you say something before now?”

“I tried to tell you that day, but you didn’t want to talk about it.”

She drew a calming breath in and out. “I love you, too.”

He crushed his mouth to hers and slid a hand under her shirt. “Why don’t we bring the champagne upstairs? The bed’s ready and waiting for us.”

“There’s just one thing I need to do first.”

“What’s that? Find that sexy teddy I didn’t get to see before? Now you’re talking.”

She patted his chest. “Great thought, but no. I bought a child safety gate at Ferguson’s hardware for the landing at the top of the stairs. Could we put it up before going to bed? I don’t want Jayden getting up early and tumbling down the stairs or wandering around down here by himself before we get up.”

“There are two staircases,” he reminded her.

“I know. That’s why I bought two.”

He had to reach out and touch her, to feel her soft skin under his. He nibbled her neck and then an ear. “What if we do this. Make love right here and christen the living room. Then we put up the gates.”

“Mmm,” she said as they slid down into the cushions on the couch. Her hand reaching back to unbutton his jeans. “But we install those things before we go to bed.”

“Deal. And then figure out how to sleep late in the morning.”

She snickered and ran a hand across his ribs. “Sleep late? What a newbie. You gave that up the second you became a daddy.”

 

 

They didn’t get to sleep late.

Jayden and Delaney seemed to be on the same schedule, waking up around six-fifteen.

And Jayden was pounding on their bedroom door.

Simon rolled over and grunted. But it wasn’t until the boy made his big announcement that Simon got moving.

“’Laney’s pooped. She smells bad,” Jayden informed everyone, making sure the neighbors probably heard.

“Oh great,” Simon groaned, tossing back the covers. “I’ve got this.”

Just as bleary-eyed, Gilly offered, “I’ll get coffee started.”

She also scrambled eggs, but the kids protested. She didn’t feel like arguing and dug out cereal from the box that had yet to be unpacked, labeled “Pantry.”

“I guess I need to spend the day and unpack. But I also need to make a supply run. I need groceries and a long list of other stuff I held off buying until after the move. I thought I’d stock up on diapers and baby wipes. You want me to pick up anything?”

She looked at him adoringly. “You’re gonna do the shopping?”

He gave her a peck on the cheek. “I’m gonna try…before you head to work. I could take either Jayden or Delaney with me. You pick.”

“I need to buy Jayden a pair of shoes. He’s outgrown the ones he’s wearing. So…”

“Okay, I’ll take Delaney and Merlin with me and meet you back here or at your house around noon. I’ll pick up something for lunch while I’m out.”

“Want me to stop at Ferguson’s to see about a doggie door? I think they have one that’s simple enough to install.” But after she’d made the offer, an idea hit her. “You know what, why don’t I pick up the groceries with Delaney and you take Jayden to get his shoes, then stop by the hardware store to pick out which prefab doggie door you want. That makes more sense because I’d hate to buy the wrong kind.”

Since a simple gesture seemed to be taking a lengthy time for them to decide, he countered, “We could just do everything together.”

“But is there time to get it all done before I go to work? That’s the thing. I don’t think there is.”

“I see your point. Where do I get the shoes?”

“Sadie Dawson opened up a kid’s boutique across from Drea’s Flowers called Crimson & Clover. I don’t know what size he wears, so you’ll have to measure him. He’s probably in an eight by now.”

“An eight? For a three-year-old?”

“I know, the sizes are crazy. Can you handle that?”

Even if he couldn’t, he didn’t intend to admit it now. “I got it covered.”

They split up, dividing the errands like a tactical field operation. Gilly even gave him a list.

After buying the shoes, he and Jayden got sidetracked in the train store next door.

“Maybe I should think about getting him a train set,” Simon told Cooper Richmond. “He loves anything with wheels.”

“He might not be ready for a regular train, but you could start him off with a wooden one that connects the cars using magnets. Easy for a guy his age to handle and not get frustrated.”

“They have one like that at daycare.”

Cooper grinned. “I know. I sold it to them. I have one with forty-five pieces in a set, enough where he won’t get bored.”

That sounded good to Simon. “Do you sell the tables? Because the one he plays with at the church has a really cool table with a layout.”

“You bet. The one I sell even has storage to go with it, makes for a great place to keep everything off the floor.”

That also sounded like a good idea. “Okay. I’ll take both.”

After stowing their purchases in the truck, they crossed the street to Ferguson’s and picked out Merlin’s doggie door. They got sidetracked again when Jayden wanted to head down to the wharf to look at the boats. Always up for checking out watercraft, Simon thought it was a good way to bond. But he lost track of time. By the time he wheeled Jayden’s stroller past the T-shirt shop, Simon decided to do a little detective work. He shot a U-turn, wedging the stroller next to a street lamp and out of the way of the pedestrians.

He picked Jayden up in his arms and walked inside. The shop was narrow and full of every color shirt he could imagine, some on hangers, some neatly folded on display tables. In addition to souvenirs, he found out quickly that Malachi Rafferty sold shorts, sandals, and swimwear marketed to the tourists.

“You looking for anything in particular?” Malachi asked, standing next to the cash register, arms crossed, waiting for some poor shmuck to make an impulse buy.

Simon saw the resemblance right away. “Two words. Moss Radley. No, that won’t quite cut it. You were lead singer and guitarist for the grunge band in the 90s. I saw you guys in concert back east. Providence, Rhode Island.”

Malachi winced at the recognition. “Don’t broadcast it around, okay? I’ve been trying to live that down for some time.”

“Why? You guys were great.”

“We were, and those were definitely the heydays. But now I own this shop. I’m widowed, have two teenage girls that I try to keep in line the best I know how, probably doing a crappy job of it. And I don’t want reporters nosing around bothering my girls or asking me stupid questions like why I gave up my rock ’n roll days.”

“I get it. It’s tough doing everything on your own, isn’t it?”

“You don’t know the half of it. I got fed up with Los Angeles. That’s why my wife Melody and I moved out of the big city in the first place. We wanted to give the kids another kind of existence, something more normal than superficial glitz and glamour and traffic congestion. It didn’t last long for us as a family though. We moved here after we learned Melody had lymphoma…” His voice broke off. “We thought things would be okay. They weren’t.”

Listening to his story made Simon open up about his own detour into fatherhood.

Malachi listened and afterward looked Jayden up and down. “You got a good-looking boy there.”

“Oh, Jayden’s not…uh…” Simon changed his mind about sharing too many details. “Yeah, yeah I do. Jayden’s a great kid.”

“You won’t say anything about my…former life…will you?”

“If that’s what you want, sure. I won’t say a word to anyone.”

 

 

Simon had been so involved with shopping, the hours had slipped away. He hadn’t paid any mind to his text messages or the phone calls he’d let go to voicemail. When he and Jayden and Merlin walked in the door at twelve forty-five, late and unconcerned about it, Gilly met them in the entryway with her hands on her hips.

“Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick. Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

Jayden put his hands over his ears. “Mama, you’re too loud. I want to play with my new twain.”

“What new train?”

“I bought him a train set.”

“Simon, I sent you out for shoes.”

“I got those too.” He pointed to the kid’s feet. “He wanted to wear them out of the store.”

She looked down and saw the pair of Downshifter running shoes. “Those are Nikes.”

“Yeah. And he loves them.”

“Make me go fast,” Jayden said. “Real fast.”

She dropped onto the hall bench. “You bought my kid a train and an expensive pair of shoes.”

“They weren’t all that expensive and Cooper gave me a deal on the train because I bought the table to go with it. I figure Jayden needs something to play with here. Where’s Delaney?”

“She fell asleep after lunch. I put her down for a nap.”

Simon snapped his fingers. “Oops. I forgot about picking up lunch. Sorry.”

She pulled him down beside her on the bench. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“Is Mama mad?” Jayden asked.

“Mama is definitely not mad.”

“Twain. Can I play with my twain?”

“Yes, baby. You can play with your train.”

“You’re gonna love it,” Simon began. “It’s just like the one at daycare…only better.”