Chapter Thirteen
Several days had gone by and while I’d heard from Billy, I hadn’t seen him. He’d had to go to Seattle to take care of some last minute business details before his long road trip. I’d been mostly following doctor’s orders and staying off my feet, but there were a few times I’d gone out with Lucky and my sister.
Right now, I was in the living room, sitting on the recliner with my foot propped up on pillows.
“I think dad would love Billy,” Stacy said, plopping down on the couch.
My eyes flew to my sister who looked oblivious.
“Well, considering the two don’t have a reason to meet, I’d say it’s a rather moot point.”
She shrugged. “I’m just saying.”
I adjusted my leg on the pile of pillows and let out a sigh. “You do realize he’s leaving in like three days, right?” It was a fact that was impossible for me to shake. I’d wanted to pretend I wasn’t intrigued with Billy, but I wasn’t very good at lying to myself.
The truth was that I thought he was endlessly fascinating, smart, and extremely sexy. I knew there was something hidden under the many layers of Billy that I might not ever uncover, but it made me wonder if what he was ignoring was the real reason he didn’t want to date.
“And you’re leaving in two.” I clutched my heart. “Bet you can’t wait to spend your next vacation with me.”
She ignored me. “Why won’t you let yourself imagine a little more than a date at a time with him?”
“Well, let’s see. I don’t live here and he’s leaving town.”
“But he’ll be back.”
“And I’ll be gone, and I really don’t think he’s looking for anything serious.”
“It’s not like you live in West Virginia. You live across the Sound from him, not across the country.”
“We’ve been on two dates. One was out to dinner and the other was to the orthopedic physician. I don’t think that’s enough to start imagining a life together,” I scoffed. “In fact, if he heard us, I’d be absolutely mortified.”
The doorbell rang, which completely startled me since I hadn’t seen anyone through the window. Lucky hopped off the couch and began doing his circles to the front door before my sister had a chance to get up.
“Are you expecting anyone?” my sister asked, and I shook my head.
“Lucky, quiet.”
Lucky stopped barking and sat down as my sister opened the door.
“May I help you?” she asked, glancing back at me before returning her gaze to whoever was in front of her.
“Is Maddie here?” A woman asked.
“No.” My sister shook her head. “It’s just me and my sister.”
“I could have sworn this was the address my daughter gave me.”
A car pulled up, and I saw Holly jump out of the passenger side as Maddie slowly hoisted herself out of the driver’s side.
“Oh, there they are,” the woman said, sounding relieved.
My sister turned away from the door and gave me a confused look, which I returned.
“I’m assuming our little Tiffany is here since she’s not supposed to leave the house,” Maddie said, coming through the front door with a belly that looked like it needed its own zip code. “I hope you don’t mind us barging in.”
“Not at all.” I shook my head and attempted to move from the chair, but Maddie shook her head.
“You need to stay put.” She smiled as her sister came barging into the foyer with two large bags.
“We thought since your sister came out here for a vacation, the least we could do is provide a little R&R,” Holly informed us just as the woman who we’d heard earlier came into the house with a big white bird sitting on her shoulder.
My heart rate zoomed through the roof when I saw Lucky’s tongue suddenly start slowly tracing his chops.
“Lucky come,” I commanded. “Luckeeeee come here.”
He glanced over at me and begrudgingly hung his head, as he slowly walked over in my direction.
“Sorry about my mom bringing Muppet. She’s a lot less codependent than she used to be with that bird but...” Holly rolled her eyes and set the large bags on the ground.
“Quit using all your fancy psycho babble,” her mom said, petting her feathered friend. “I just like my bird.”
My sister’s eyes skipped to mine as she tried to contain her laughter.
“So, I’ve brought some spa things for facials, and we have a masseuse coming in about an hour,” Holly said, as she began emptying the bags.
“We also picked up some food from the restaurant,” Maddie informed us.
“I thought you said Hildie would be here?” their mom asked.
“She’s coming.” Maddie smiled, sitting on the couch, holding her belly. “She had to finish up a couple things at the lodge.”
“Good.”
I looked around the living room, amazed at how lively it suddenly became.
“You guys really didn’t have to do this,” I told them.
“But it’s so sweet you did,” my sister added and I laughed.
“Stacy is doing a really good job of hiding her stir-craziness.” I grinned. “But I feel like she might be counting the days until she can get back to the job she hates.”
“Oooh.” Maddie said solemnly. “You hate your job?”
“I don’t love it.” My sister chuckled. “Actually, I like the job, not the people.”
“That’s always fun.” Maddie nodded in understanding.
Holly was busy unscrewing caps and popping lids off of all kinds of oils, clays, and lotions when I spotted Hildie pulling into the driveway.
“Billy thought you and Stacy might really enjoy some sister-bonding time since things hadn’t gone as planned.” Holly moved her brows up and down. “And since you can’t go into the spa, we’ll bring the spa to you.”
“Is he always that considerate?” I asked.
“Pretty much.” Holly nodded. “Wouldn’t you say?”
We turned to look at Maddie whose expression suddenly turned dire.
“Is everything okay?” Holly asked, putting a tub of something on the coffee table.
“My water just broke.”
“Like broke broke?” Holly nearly screeched.
Maddie furrowed her brows. “It’s not like we get a teaser first. Yes. It broke broke.”
A cackle shrieked through the air, and I realized it was the bird, fluffing its feathers and hopping up and down on their mom’s shoulder.
“Water broke,” the bird hollered. “Water broke.”
Chaos suddenly erupted as their mother yelped and nearly ran in circles while Holly called 911.
“What can we do?” my sister asked Maddie calmly.
“I’m fine. Second time’s a charm.” She grimaced. “But you might need a towel for the sofa.”
I laughed and shook my head as my sister ran to get a few. “That we can handle.”
Maddie calmly picked up her cellphone and dialed. After a few seconds, she chuckled and merely said two words.
“It’s time.”
A few more seconds of silence on her end, and I swore I could hear Chance’s voice echoing through the room full of excitement.
“We’re all with Tiffany and Stacy. Yeah. My mom’s here too.”
Hildie came into the house right when Muppet was flapping its wings and cackling while Holly was quickly muttering the address to dispatch, and Lucky was lying by my chair whimpering as he stared at Muppet, hoping for an early dinner. I kept running my hand through his fur, but I wasn’t sure how much longer that would hold him back. Muppet looked plump.
“What in the world?” Hildie asked. “I thought this was a day at the spa, not the zoo?”
Hildie’s eyes landed on her daughter-in-law, who was now clutching her belly and leaning backward.
“Her water broke and the ambulance is on the way,” Holly told Hildie.
“I don’t need an ambulance.” Maddie shook her head. “Chance will be here in minutes.”
“You think you can make it to Fireweed?” Hildie asked.
I closed my recliner and reached for my crutches. I hated feeling so useless.
“I think so.” She pressed her lips into a flat line. “Actually, I’m not sure.”
“Which is exactly why you need the ambulance,” her sister scolded her. “You’ll get priority on the next ferry off the island.”
Maddie let out a groan. “The one time I get a girl’s day out, another girl decides to break it up.”
“You’re having another girl?” I asked and she nodded excitedly. “Yes. Chance will be sorely outnumbered.”
“And I can’t think of a better way to keep him on his toes,” Hildie answered, rubbing her daughter-in-law’s back. “Where is Scarlett May at?”
“Jake was at our house, so he’ll just watch her,” she told her mother-in-law while her own mother paced back and forth with her bird.
“Who’s Jake?” I asked Holly.
“Chance’s brother.”
I stood on my crutches and looked out the window to see both the ambulance and Chance arrive right at the same time, but Chance made it inside minutes before the medics.
He was at her feet discussing next steps, and I could see the love and excitement brimming over for both of them. It sent an unexpected yearning I’d never felt before. I tried to push it away, but it only grew.
“I think we can make it,” Maddie muttered to Chance as he helped her off the couch.
Holly’s shoulders looked full of tension as they made the assessment.
The medics had come inside, but nothing was going to sway her. She wanted to ride with Chance.
“I’ve got your hospital bag in the car,” Chance said.
Hildie switched to rubbing Chance’s back, and I noticed Maddie’s mother still pacing with her bird, but it looked like she was texting someone, probably Maddie’s dad?
Holly gave me a big hug, careful not to bump my crutches, and took a step back.
“I’m so sorry about all this, but the masseuse will be here any minute so at least you can get something out of this.” She glanced at the coffee table. “And I’ll leave all this stuff here. There’s food in one of the bags too.”
I shook my head. “Don’t be crazy! This is amazing. I’m so excited for your sister. I’m glad I got to be a part of it.”
She gave me another hug as everyone, including the medics, filed out of the house, leaving my sister and I feeling like we’d just gone through a hurricane. But something happened in the last few minutes. I couldn’t help but wish that this small community was mine. For the first time ever, I didn’t want to go anywhere.
“There’s never a dull moment on this island, is there?” My sister’s eyes were filled with happiness as she let out a sigh. “But I’m starving.”
Her gaze fell to the bag with the food. “Shall we?”
“Absolutely.”
As my sister opened the bag and began taking out the cartons of food, I could see it was a feast fit for royalty.
My sister was grabbing some utensils when the doorbell rang.
“I got it,” I told her, spinning around on my crutches. “I bet it’s the masseuse. I could totally go for a neck rub.”
“You need to stay put.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head and hobbled toward the front door.
When I swung it open, I didn’t expect to see Billy staring back at me.
He was dressed in a suit and looked like he should earn a spot as the sexiest man alive. I shook myself out of my ogling phase and cleared my throat.
“Are you the masseuse they ordered?” I asked and his brow arched.
“I could be.”
I laughed and invited him in. “Did you hear?”
“Hear what?” He looked around the living room that was now filled with tubs of clay mask, jars of oil tinctures, a pile of towels, and Lucky, who looked extremely disappointed about not getting any Muppet for lunch. “Where’d everyone go?
“Maddie went into labor right over there.” I pointed at the couch.
“You’re kidding. Does Chance know?”
I nodded. “He beat the paramedics inside.”
“I bet he did.” A tenderness filled Billy’s gaze, and for some strange reason, it made me wonder if he’d ever wanted kids.
Not that it mattered one way or another.
He touched my shoulder and squeezed it slightly. “I didn’t think you were supposed to be on your feet for a couple more days.”
“We were about to eat so I was already up,” I assured him. “You hungry?”
“I only stopped by to see how everything was going. I actually have a team meeting about to start over at the restaurant. I want to make sure everything goes smoothly while I’m gone. Not that I can’t just hop on a plane and fly back here but…”
“I completely understand.” I nodded, feeling a bit of disappointment.
My sister put the third plate back into the cupboard and went to check on Lucky.
“You doing okay?” he asked quietly.
“Totally fine. Why?” I asked, leaning into my crutches, trying my best at looking cute.
“I sense something a little different about you. Maybe a little softness?”
“Are you saying I’m not very soft?” I teased.
“How about guarded?” he offered and I nodded.
“It was really sweet to see Chance and Maddie. That’s all.” I shrugged and noticed a little flicker of understanding behind his gaze. “I think it was a little more intense than I imagined watching a couple about to give birth and their love is so...” I couldn’t even find the right word.
“They’re definitely a good match,” he agreed. “He’s at her mercy.”
“I’d say it works both ways.”
He stepped closer. “Is that something you want?”
“What?” I stammered. “A baby or?”
“That kind of love?” His gaze fell to my mouth.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think so.”
“But you don’t know now.”
My heart started pounding in my chest as he studied me. I couldn’t tell what was going through his mind. Had I scared him off? He wasn’t really mine to scare, but I had revealed too much for something so casual.
“I don’t think it’s that attainable for some people, but I know fun is.” I wiggled my nose, but felt absolutely unsexy in every single way. No need to point out the reasons why.
“I didn’t come over just to check on the girls’ day. I also stopped by to see if you’re free tonight.” He glanced over his shoulder to see my sister bringing Lucky back inside. “After your sister goes back to the lodge.”
A flutter of excitement came to life in my belly.
“I…” I wanted to see him. I wanted to start where we’d left off so many times before, but I suddenly wondered if that was a good idea. I had a cast on one leg, a brace on one arm, and I hadn’t been able to stay up past eight o’clock since this happened, but then I looked up into his eyes and couldn’t help myself. “I’d like that very much.”
“So would I.” His voice was low, gravelly. “Text me when she heads back.”
“What if it’s super late?”
“Doesn’t matter.” His smile tangled my emotions into a sloppy mess.
I knew I wanted to sleep with him, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to snap out of it as easily as I thought. No promises of something more were being dangled in front of me. He was leaving and so was I. This was only meant to be a friendly, fun encounter.
Then why did my heart feel a little emptier at the thought of him leaving?
“I’ll see you later,” he whispered, peppering a soft kiss on my cheek as my sister entered with the masseuse.
“Later,” I whispered back.
He let himself out of the house, and I prayed I didn’t make a big mistake.