In the heat of a fall Thursday, Simon had started his morning routine by paying off his debt to Neenah Brewer, pushing a mower through thick, ankle-high grass at her house. Next, he’d moved on to the front lawn at Gilly’s, which was just as much in need of trimming as his own. It’s how he’d ended up in his own yard, clipping hedges and running his Toro through a thick patch of sod.

Three yards in one day reminded him of his teen years, summers spent earning money by cutting grass and doing odd jobs for neighbors.

By now, he could’ve used a cold beer. Over the engine noise of the Toro, he heard his phone ringing. He let go of the handle and the machine ceased its roar. It was Bradford Radcliff. “You found anything yet?”

“I did, but it’s not a minivan.”

“That’s a plus right there. What is it?”

“Honda Pilot, an SUV. And get this, it only has twenty thousand miles on it.”

“Legit?”

“Yep. The owner bought it a year ago from a dealer in San Sebastian and then decided it was just way too big for him. He wants a look at your Sierra. He’s specifically looking for a four-door GMC. I figure it might be a win-win for both of you.”

“That’s great, Brad. When?”

“Will four o’clock work?”

“I’ll make it work. Where? Because I have to get cleaned up first.”

“Meet us at the lot, bring your paperwork in case it’s a go.”

“Do you think this guy’s serious…about the truck I mean?”

“He is. It’s exactly what he’s been looking for.”

“Brad may have pulled off a miracle,” he told Gilly as he walked into the kitchen where she was busy at the stove. He breathed in the aroma. “That smells like spaghetti sauce.”

“It’s for lasagna.”

His mouth drooled. “After mowing three lawns, I’m starving.”

She angled toward him, holding up a spoon for him to sample. “Tell me what you think.”

He licked it clean. “Delicious and spicy, like you.”

She didn’t think of herself as either one of those things but let him nuzzle her neck anyway. “I used the Italian sausage your mother recommended.”

“Well, it worked. I’m ripe and need a shower. Where are the kids? I don’t hear yelling or screaming. Should I be worried?”

“My mother is in the backyard refereeing.”

“Connie’s here?”

“For almost an hour. She says she’s put away all those knickknacks in her house and wants to try Jayden visiting again.”

“You’re kidding?”

“I’ll know when I go over there tomorrow night if it’s the right thing to do.”

“What’s tomorrow night?”

“She wants another chance at babysitting and I have another fundraiser committee meeting. We’re getting to the final stages now and everything’s clicking into place.”

“How do you feel about your mother taking another run at watching Jayden?”

“Mixed. She is my mom, so the door should always remain somewhat open. Don’t you think?”

He brushed his lips to hers. “It’s your call. I gotta get going. Any last-minute advice on the SUV?”

“It’s not a minivan. How long do you think you’ll be? Dinner’s almost ready.”

“If it’s not the right vehicle, I’ll be back in time to set the table.”

He came back driving a silver SUV and carrying a dozen long-stemmed lilies in soft golden orange.

“Those are tiger lilies,” Connie pointed out, as she took them from him. “I’ll go put these in a vase. Supper’s ready.”

Simon noted a change in behavior, an almost subdued demeanor emanating from Connie. Could he finally be seeing the version Gilly had been describing all along?

Her mother stayed for dinner and watched Simon take out plates from the cabinet to set the table. She had to admit this one seemed different than Vaughn, this one didn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body.

And as she continued to listen to the couple banter, as if they’d known each other for years instead of weeks, Connie became increasingly convinced she’d been wrong about the man. Grudgingly, she even began to see Delaney in a different light.

Simon helped Gilly put the lasagna on the table and then swooped down on each kid, tussling with each one in their own way until he corralled them to the table.

The trio was loud and boisterous, and Gilly loved every second of it.

“I’d like to try looking after Jayden again in a few weeks,” Connie announced.

“What about your job at the doctor’s office?” Gilly asked. “Ten to three.”

Connie shook her head. “I’ve decided to quit and not go back at all. Quentin’s actively looking for someone to replace me.”

Gilly almost choked on the bite she’d taken. “When did this happen?”

“I made my decision this morning. My heart’s not in it anymore. I don’t think it has been since I left San Sebastian General.”

“There’s no rush for you to babysit, Mrs. Grant,” Simon told her. “I’m happy to continue to watch Jayden. He’s no more of a handful than Delaney.”

Connie thought otherwise, but kept her mouth closed about it. “I’ll be honest. What I don’t understand is why? The boy isn’t even yours.”

Simon shrugged and picked up his iced tea. “I’m not sure I can explain it. I love the kid. It’s as simple as that. He’s a precocious little guy who listens to a story like he’s sitting on the edge of his seat. He never fails to blow me away by asking something pertinent that I’ve just read to him. And when the story ends, he always seems disappointed. At first, I thought it was because he didn’t want to go to sleep, but it became obvious he was into the action and didn’t want it to end. I find that…amazing…for a kid that size to pick up on what the characters are doing and then ask me about them later…it’s phenomenal. He’s like a sponge and is sort of a precursor to what Delaney will do.”

From the other end of the table, Gilly warmed from the inside out. “I thought it was just me.”

“Nope. He is one smart cookie.”

“Cookie!” Jayden repeated.

“Not until you eat your supper,” Gilly said.

“Cookie,” Delaney mimicked.

Gilly tickled Delaney’s belly. “Jeez, we suddenly have a lot of parrots in here. But you still need to finish your supper, too.”

Later, while Gilly got the kids ready for bed, Simon did the dishes, leaving him alone with Connie in the kitchen.

“You know Gilly’s birthday is next week.”

“No, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the heads up.”

“I know what she wants.”

Simon turned from the sink and stared at Connie. “Do tell. I’m all ears.”

 

 

He made a conscious effort to keep everything a surprise. Connie had agreed to babysit at his house for the day, but with a caveat. Simon had hired Faye DeMarco to be on hand in case the older woman became overwhelmed for any reason. He’d given the teenager a complete rundown of any problem she might face with instructions to contact Cord, who was right across the street at the veterinarian clinic, if anything went amiss. In turn, Cord would get in touch with him on his cell phone if there was an emergency. Simon had paid Faye top dollar to make sure she took the job seriously and knew what a huge responsibility it was keeping an eye on Connie and the kids.

Since he wanted Gilly’s birthday to come off without a hitch, to be special, he planned the Saturday out in detail.

Right after breakfast, Faye showed up at the door first, followed by Connie fifteen minutes later.

“What’s going on?” Gilly wanted to know.

Simon finished wiping messy faces and faced Gilly. “I’m taking the birthday girl out for the day. These ladies have graciously offered to help with the kids, so we get to spend the entire day together.”

Gilly looked truly flummoxed. “No joke? That’s wonderful, but…” She took Simon into the dining room. “You’re leaving Mom with two kids?”

“That’s why I hired Faye. She’s here to make sure your mother doesn’t come unglued the first time one of the kids knocks something over.”

“That was clever of you. How did you know it was my birthday?”

“A little bird told me. We’ll have cake and ice cream with the kids this afternoon, but until then…” he whisked her out of the room. “I’m getting you on the water. A Pelican Pointe native should know what’s right in front of them and appreciate the sights.”

“I appreciate the sights just fine, all over town.” But she sensed it was pointless to argue. “If we’re going, I need to get my bag.”

“Everything you need is already on the Sea Dragon. I got up before the kids did and hauled everything to the pier. Now move your pretty fanny and let’s get going. We’re wasting daylight.”

Calling to the dog, he gave final instructions to Faye and inched Gilly toward the door and out of the house.

He decided he couldn’t have picked a more perfect day for the excursion he had in mind. The conditions were perfect, plenty of sunshine, a moderate swell of two to four feet at most. And winds were easily no more than fifteen knots.

After boarding, Gilly watched Simon get underway. It gave her a little thrill to watch him master the controls at the helm. But she’d be lying if she said she was completely at ease, which is why she held onto Merlin’s neck. “I know you’ve done this before but…”

“No buts. I can handle all types of wind and weather. Been doing this since I was ten and old enough to navigate on my own. Relax. You see where those boulders are in the distance that make up the mouth of the Bay. We’re only going that far. There’s no fog on the horizon. No twenty to thirty knot winds. Give a guy a little credit.”

As he motored out, he avoided the surfers in the lane.

Gilly waved weakly, as her stomach did a slow roll. But soon she got used to the motion and kept her eyes on the prize. The mouth of the Bay had always fascinated her. It formed a horseshoe and those boulders he’d pointed out were part of the pattern.

“Get the binoculars and you might catch a humpback or blue whale on this trip.”

That got her up and to the rail. “Really?”

“It’s October, the perfect time for mating and calving.”

“That would be awesome.” She forgot about her stomach long enough to grab the binoculars and scan the water. “I remember one time a whale came in too close and got stuck in shallow waters. I’d forgotten about that,” she muttered as her eyes continued to find interesting things that caught her fancy. “What’s that? There in the rocks?”

Simon glanced over to see an unusual formation. “Looks like a small natural cavern. That’s what I love about the water. You can see things differently each time you go out because of the change in the wind or the weather and the depth of the water.”

She switched from the field glasses to her camera, zooming in on the spot. “I can’t wait to share these.” She ran up to the helm and put her arms around him. “This was a great idea. I love having the wind in my face. And look at Merlin. Now I know how he feels hanging his head out the window whenever he’s in the car.”

She drew in a deep breath of ocean air. “I’ve been so stressed lately over this fundraiser. The masquerade ball was my idea, and I’ve taken heat about it. On top of that, Sydney’s making everyone crazy with catering and venue issues.”

“It’ll work itself out,” Simon said, sliding his arms around her waist and bringing her closer. “You’ll see. The thing’s almost here anyway and then you can put it behind you. Get work out of your head.”

“Not hard to do when I’m here with you.”

Within view of Treasure Island, he cut the engine. “Let’s drift a while and see where the current takes us.”

She knew he wasn’t talking about the boat when he took her hand and led her into another part of the deck he called the captain’s corner.

“It’s like a little apartment.”

“With a little bed,” he added as he spun her into a long, sultry kiss. Sunlight drifted in through the windows as he backed her onto a soft cushion no wider than a bunk. “Remember that first night we made love?”

“I do.”

“It’s better on the water.”

She yanked his shirt up and ran her nails across his chest. “Prove it.”

He did. Twice.

By the time they got back to the pier, the sun had dropped low in the fall sky as Simon pulled the boat into its slip. “Kids are waiting for us.”

Feeling loose and relaxed, she threw her arms around his neck. “Before we get back to the house, I just want to say three little words. Best. Birthday. Ever.”