Logan Donnelly didn’t resemble the same man who’d flown into Pelican Pointe several years earlier to find his sister’s killer. The paparazzi left him alone these days because he no longer made headlines every time one of his sculptures sold. Nor was he partnered with crazy Brazilian models who like to throw things in public.

Nowadays, his life looked like a poster for domesticity. His wife, Kinsey, got the credit for that. She’d given him something he’d craved without knowing it was what he’d been missing in his life. He was an old married man now with kids. And he savored every minute of it.

Somehow his dabbling in real estate had turned into much more. It gave him an avenue for trying to give something back to the community, a town that had given him so much more than he felt he deserved.

By chance, he’d started fixing up old houses around town that had fallen into major disrepair. Needing an outlet just to stay busy, he couldn’t stand seeing the homes become the eyesores everyone dreaded having next door. Giving them new life seemed like the right thing to do, and selling them off to young families seemed a natural progression.

Logan didn’t do it for the money. It gave him pleasure to know that in some way he was providing a decent place for them to live. Those who desperately wanted their own home deserved a chance at making it happen.

So when his phone rang that night after dark, it wasn’t the first time someone had reached out to him about a house he had for sale.

Simon rattled off the address and explained they were standing in the new addition over the garage. “I’m here with Gilly Grant. I mentioned I was in the market for a house. We went for a walk and the front door was unlocked.”

“Troy said he’d agreed to take you house hunting this weekend. He’d planned to show it to you anyway. Sounds like you got an early start.”

“I’m glad I did,” Simon declared. “If the price is right, I want to buy it.”

Logan reeled off the list price.

Simon did some quick calculations in his head. “Let me think about it. I’ll have to talk to Nick to work out the paperwork.”

“No problem. You need help with anything, let me know.”

Simon disconnected the call and turned to look at a stunned Gilly.

“You weren’t kidding around. Are you really serious about getting this house?”

“I’m really serious. The problem is my income is mostly seasonal. I don’t know for sure what Nick’s requirements are and what the bank’s guidelines are for that kind of income.”

She looped her arm through his. “I think you’ll find Nick and the bank go hand in hand when it comes to making loans. That’s the way it was with me. I’m a first-time home buyer, which means I’m certain Nick and Logan did some very creative financing to get me approved.”

“Then maybe they’ll do the same for me. Want to go get the kids some ice cream?”

“Ice cweam!” Jayden hollered, and the echo bounced off the bare walls.

“Way to go, new daddy. Mine really needed to get in bed. But how can I say no to a cone when it’s such a beautiful evening.”

“You shouldn’t. The Hilltop Diner makes great chocolate shakes and it’s right around the corner. We could get it to go. Besides, I promised to help you with the dishes.”

Gilly warmed inside. “You order the ice cream. Delaney needs a diaper change. She’s soaking wet. Did you bring the bag?”

Simon winced, knowing he’d left it by the front door at his house. “No. There’s way too much stuff to keep track of. I’ll run in the pharmacy and grab a box of Pampers.”

“I’ll do it,” Gilly suggested. “You take Jayden with you. He adores Margie and the feeling is mutual. If I know Margie she’ll probably give you the shakes on the house.”

The drug store was next door to the Hilltop so Simon boosted Jayden onto his hip and went inside the oldest eatery in town.

Margie Rosterman started to greet Simon in her business-as-usual manner, until she spotted little Jayden. Her face broke into a wide grin and she began to gush. “How’s my big boy today? Were you a good boy for your mama?”

Jayden bobbed his head up and down.

“What can I get you two tonight?”

“We’re in the mood for chocolate shakes,” Simon answered.

“Chocolate!” Jayden shouted. “Ice cweam!”

Margie laughed. “That boy doesn’t have a middle notch, does he? He’s either quiet as a mouse or at full volume. Am I right?”

“I’ve noticed that. Could we get these to go? Maybe two kid sizes and two mediums. We might want to take a walk along the water.”

“No problem. You guys take a seat. I’ll get ’em started for ya.”

While Margie busied herself at the other end of the counter, Simon settled Jayden on his lap at one of the booths.

“Where’s Mama?” Jayden wanted to know.

“She and Delaney went to pick up diapers because I forgot to bring supplies.”

“Oh.” He pointed to the door. “’Laney and Mama.”

Simon looked up to see Gilly bouncing into the restaurant with his daughter. A missile of heat rocketed down his spine, shot straight to another part of his body. She made a picture carrying Delaney on her hip, looking as radiant as a burst of light.

Gilly slid into their booth. “Diaper change all taken care of. What’d you guys order?”

“Chocolate!” Jayden sang out.

Gilly chuckled. “That’s my boy.”

Margie brought over four milkshakes. When Simon tried to pay, the owner waved him off. “Connie and I go way back. This one, too. Gillian Rose has been coming into this place since she was no older than Jayden.”

“Thanks, Margie,” Gilly stated. “We love you, too.”

“You guys enjoy that walk on the beach.”

“Walk on the beach?” Gilly questioned.

“It’s a nice night for it, Gillian Rose,” Simon emphasized. “Pretty name.”

She let out an embarrassed laugh. “Named after an aunt, my mother’s sister.”

The four of them headed off down Crescent Street toward the pier. Simon tried to help Delaney get the hang of the straw. “I guess I should’ve brought her sippy cup, too.”

“Never go anywhere without the diaper bag and the sippy cup,” Gilly cautioned. “You’re asking for disaster if you do it again.”

“I’m learning as I go. Where’s your dad?”

“He died of a heart attack the year before I started nursing school. Saddest time of my life. I thought my mother might have a breakdown. It was that sudden. They’d planned to take a cruise to Alaska the next month, something they’d always wanted to do. Mom had already bought the tickets. I tried to talk her into going anyway, that we’d go together, thought it would be good for her to get away. She wouldn’t hear of it.”

“I’m sorry. What did he do for a living?”

“He was a surveyor for the county.”

Simon leaned in and lowered his voice. “Is Jayden’s father in the picture at all?”

“Lordy no. Vaughn’s never even laid eyes on him. That’s fine by me. After he kicked me out, I didn’t expect anything else out of the loser. I’ve never looked back.”

“But won’t Jayden, I don’t know, one day get curious? Who knows? Maybe the loser will have a change of heart.”

“Too late. I’ve already dealt with it. He isn’t listed on Jayden’s birth certificate. And when Jayden ever gets to the point of asking me questions, I’ll deal with that, too. Single moms do it all the time out of self-preservation.”

They took a seat on one of the benches that lined the pier. Simon leaned over to her and asked, “Ever go fishing?”

Gilly wrinkled her nose. “You mean with worms? Ugh. No. I don’t like the smell of fish that much.”

“The bait isn’t always worms. There are these little plastic things called lures. Besides, I didn’t know nurses were squeamish.”

“Let’s just say I’m not a fan of…bait. And I know all about lures. The thing is, I have no desire to spend all day trying to catch a smelly fish. It’s just so…not the way I want to spend my days off.”

“How do you know if you’ve never tried?”

“I’ve tried. Wally Pierce tried his best to get me to like it.”

“You and Wally at the gas station?”

“I’ve known Wally since we were old enough to fight over a bag of M&Ms. We were ten when he taught me how to surf. That I didn’t mind. But fishing. Yuck. And tediously boring.”

“Tired,” Jayden announced, resting his head on his mother’s lap to prove it.

“I’ll carry him back,” Simon offered.

“Thanks. We did say we wanted to wear them out. I guess we did.”

On the walk back to Gilly’s house, Delaney fell asleep in the stroller, and Jayden crumpled against Simon’s chest. “I need to pick up one of these buggy things. Great way to get her to fall asleep.”

“You’re a fast learner, Mr. Bremmer.”

He snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “I had fun tonight, more fun than I’ve had in years.”

“So did I.”

“Good. Have dinner with me Saturday night.”

She looked up into his eyes as blue as the Pacific. “Do I need to get a sitter?”

“Nope. We make a good foursome.”

 

 

After he left, Gilly carried Jayden to bed, all the while wondering if Simon Bremmer was too good to be true. She hadn’t believed in men since that terrible experience with Vaughn Millar, a man she’d trusted enough to leave California. What a fool she’d been. She looked back at those days with embarrassment. But that time together had given her the most adorable little boy any mother would be proud to have. For that, she had to thank Loser Vaughn every day.

She made sure the little nightlight was plugged in, the one that bathed his room in sea creatures. Jayden was such a typical boy who adored all kinds of animals and little buggy critters---like the frog Simon had captured for him to hold.

Maybe Simon was for real. She couldn’t deny her attraction. But she’d withhold judgment to protect her heart and to make sure she did the right thing for Jayden. As far as she was concerned, nobody was going to walk all over her again, or mess with her baby. So she’d proceed with caution. She could handle a casual fling. Nothing wrong with that. She could do it because maybe, after all this time, she deserved a sliver of happiness, just a small slice of not having to be alone every Friday and Saturday night. Was it so wrong to hope Simon could provide a little friendship, a little give and take, a little sex every now and again?

She didn’t expect the moon. She was a single mom who did her best to stay grounded. But God, how great would it be to have someone to talk to.

 

 

On the drive back to the caretaker’s cottage, Simon had similar thoughts and feelings. Vibrant and funny, Gilly had awakened something in him that he felt had been dead for years. But he didn’t want to get too overly-optimistic about it. He could tell Gilly was leery of men, any men, which meant he had to take things slow. With two kids between them that shouldn’t be a problem.

He pulled up to the farm and realized this was so different from the house on Tradewinds Drive. Was he ready to trade renting for a thirty-year mortgage? Going around to the back seat, he unbuckled his daughter out of her car seat. She muttered something in her sleep that sounded like mama.

Knowing she wasn’t going to see her mother ever again, tugged at Simon’s heartstrings. Just like Jayden would have questions about his dad, Simon believed Delaney would one day want to know about her mother.

Merlin waited inside the doorway and woofed a low bark at seeing them return.

“Hey, buddy. Shh, she’s asleep. Let’s not wake her up, okay?” He tiptoed to her room and slipped her into the crib.

Standing there, watching the baby sleep, brought a flood of emotions rushing back to that summer he’d spent with Amelia on the Cape. Delaney would never know her mother. But maybe he could keep her memory alive with bits and pieces of how her parents had spent their brief time together. No matter what Brent found out about Amelia’s background, it wouldn’t change things. She was still Delaney’s mother. He’d need to remember that if he didn’t want to disappoint a little girl down the road.

As he watched her breathe, he ran his fingers through her baby-fine hair. It hadn’t taken but a few days for him to fall in love. So whatever Amelia’s motives had been at the time, her decisions had brought him to this point.

And for that, he could be grateful.