McCarthys of Gansett Island Boxed Set Books 1-3 (24 page)

“That was pleasant,” Maddie said.

He glanced over to find her sitting up with the sheet wrapped tight around her. The image of the wall going back up wasn’t lost on him. He slid back into bed and reached for her. Thomas was still asleep on the other side of her.

She resisted Mac’s efforts to embrace her.

“Don’t. Please don’t pull away from me again because of her. I can’t deal with that.”

“I can’t deal with coming between you and your mother.”

“She’ll come around. It’s nothing against you—”

Maddie released an sharp laugh. “Sure it isn’t.”

“She has this idea of who I belong with—”

“And it’s certainly not the town tramp.”

“Maddie, honey, please. Don’t hold her against me.” He coaxed her into his arms and tugged at the sheet until he reached the warm, soft skin he craved. “I love you,” he whispered, as he kissed his way down the front of her. “That’s all that matters.” Capturing a pebbled nipple between his teeth, he finally felt her resistance begin to give way to desire. Relief coursed through him. “Did you hear me tell her to find someone to cover for you this weekend?”

“Mmmm,” she said, tightening her grip on his hair.

He ran his tongue in circles around her nipple. “Know what this means?”

“What?” she asked, breathless.

“Three whole days together. No work, no obligations.”

“We still have the daycare this afternoon.”

“That’s nothing. What should we do with the rest of the day?”

“I can’t think of a thing,” she said with a suggestive smile that reminded him of something else he needed to take care of—immediately.

He kissed her cheek and then her lips. “Hold that thought. I’ll be back.”

Hoping Maddie would go back to sleep for a while, Mac went outside to call Joe. “Hey, buddy, where are you?”

“Just got into Point Judith, why?”

Mac swore under his breath. “I need a favor. Are you coming back to the island today?”

“’Fraid not. I’ve got Homeland Security coming to do an inspection next week that I’m totally not ready for. I’ll be in the office the rest of the day but back over tomorrow. Why? What do you need?”

“It’s kind of embarrassing, and now it’s even
more
embarrassing because I’m going to have to get my sister to do it for me.”

“Please tell me you’re not talking about—”

“Don’t say it. Please do not say it.”

Joe howled with laughter. “What are you? Fifteen?”

“It’s an issue for Maddie, not me. She doesn’t want it all over the island, and you know it will be if I get them.”

That seemed to stifle some of Joe’s laughter. “Well, do be sure to let me know what Janey has to say about this.”

“I’m sure you’ll find it entertaining.”

“No doubt.” Joe cleared his throat. “So, um. . . I saw her last night.”

“Where?”

“At the Beachcomber. After she babysat for you guys.”

“That brat! She was supposed to go right home.”

“I know this is a newsflash to you, Mac, but she is a full-grown adult.”

“She’s my baby sister.”

“Who you’re sending to buy condoms for you today.” Joe once again dissolved into laughter. “Not such a baby anymore, huh?”

“Shut up,” Mac growled. “I hope you behaved yourself with her.”

“The word ‘condom’ never came up. Not that I would’ve minded. . .”

“You’re very funny.”

“I just don’t get. . .” Joe stopped himself.

“What?”

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“Tell me. Come on, Joe.”

“Why do you think that guy who supposedly can’t wait to marry her never shows his face on the island?”

“He’s finishing medical training. You know how that can be.”

“All I know is if she were mine, wild horses wouldn’t keep me away.”

Mac winced. “You ever think about just telling her that?”

Joe released a bitter laugh. “Right. Like I can compete with Dr. David and all their history. That’d be a suicide mission.”

“Maybe if she knew, it’d make a difference.”

“It wouldn’t, and she’s never going to know, you got me, Mac? Don’t say a word to her. I mean that.”

“I never would, but you should. What’ve you got to lose?”

“Her friendship, and that would be truly unbearable.”

“I’m sorry it’s so hopeless,” Mac said with a sigh. “I have a whole new appreciation for how hard this must be on you.”

“It is what it is. Hey, I gotta split, but do let me know how the rubber run goes, huh?”

“Go to hell.” As Joe laughed at his own joke, Mac slapped the phone closed. His stomach clutched with nerves when he realized that Janey really was his only other option. His father would do it for him, but he couldn’t ask him. Even at almost thirty-five, he just couldn’t. Swallowing hard, Mac flipped open the phone and called Janey.

“Hey, brat, what’re you doing?” Mac considered telling her about their mother’s visit that morning but decided against it. He wanted to forget the whole unfortunate encounter.

“Heading into work, why?”

“I need another favor.”

“You want to go out
again
tonight?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what?”

“I need you to, um, well. . . If you could go to Gold’s,” Mac said, referring to the island drug store, “and just, you know. . .”

“
What
, Mac? Spit it out, will ya?”

“I need you to buy condoms for me. A lot of them.”

Dead silence.

“Janey?”

“You gotta be kidding me.”

“I can’t do it! It’ll be all over the island in ten minutes, and Maddie can’t deal with that.”

“Get Joe to do it.”

“He’s off-island until tomorrow.”

“So
abstain
for one night!”

“Janey,
please
. I’m desperate here.”

“You can’t ask me to do this. It’s too embarrassing.”

“How do you think I feel about asking my baby sister to do this for me?” He let out what he knew was a pathetic wail. “
Janey
. . .
I need you
.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t you dare play the need card.”

“
Pretty please
.”

She let out a swear that shocked him to his core. “Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “But you’ll owe me forever, do you hear me? There’s no statute of limitations on what you’ll owe me.”

“I understand.”

“I don’t think you do. For the rest of your natural life, anytime I say, ‘Jump’, you say, ‘How high, Janey? How high can I jump for you?’ Anytime I snap my fingers, you come running. Any. Time. Am I clear?”

“Crystal.”

“I’ll need at least a hundred dollars.”

“What the hell for?”

“Buffer items, you buffoon. I can’t just go in there and buy a gross of condoms and walk out.”

“So you’re going to soak me for a year’s supply of nail polish and tampons?”

“That’s the very
least
of what you owe me.”

“Fine. I’ll bring it to the vet clinic.”

“Pay me later. I can’t look at you right now. Meet me at noon behind the Beachcomber, and do not look at me. Just take the bag, give me the money and walk away.”

“I love you, Janey. Have I mentioned that lately?”

“Screw you.”

Holding back a laugh, he said, “Get the extra large ones, okay?”

“I hate you.”

Mac returned to Maddie’s and found her and Thomas still sleeping. He checked his watch and decided this would be a good time to take care of something else he’d been putting off. Taking his keys off the table, he tiptoed out of the apartment. In the driveway, he rolled the motorcycle to the street before he kick-started it. Driving along the south coast, he noticed dense fog—an island staple in June—clinging to the horizon as the sun fought to break through. Mac pulled into the parking lot at the South Point Light and killed the engine. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called his brother Evan, who was on speed dial along with Grant, Adam and Janey.

“Hey, man,” Evan said.

“Did I wake you up? You sound rough.”

“Nah, late night, but I’m on the way to the studio now. What’s up with you?”

“This and that. How’re you? How’s the recording going?” After years of struggle and toil, a small Nashville label had recently signed Evan.

“It’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”

“That’s awesome. Been a long time coming.”

“You know it. So Janey emailed me that you’re on the island. What brought that on?”

“Did you hear about Dad selling the marina?”

“No way!”

“Yep. I’m doing some repairs for him and toying with the idea of relocating and maybe keeping the place in the family.”

“Seriously? You won’t go nuts stuck on that island?”

“A few things have changed lately.”

“What could’ve possibly changed to make that place look good to you?”

“I met someone—someone you know, in fact.”

“Who?”

“Maddie Chester.”

“Oh. Really? Wow.”

“I hear you’ve got some history with her.”

“Mac, wait. You don’t understand—”

It took everything Mac had to keep from yelling at his brother. “You’re damned right I don’t understand,” he managed to say calmly, even though he churned inside. This whole thing made him sick.

“It was Darren. He started it and told us to go along with him or else.”

“Or else what?”

“He was like a god in high school. No one wanted to piss him off. When he told us to do stuff, we did it.”

“How could you be part of something like this, Ev? After everything Dad was always hammering into our heads about how to treat women?”

“Believe me, it’s eaten at me over the years. I never felt good about it.”

“What you guys did to her ruined her life. Do you realize that? It
ruined
her.”

“It was high school. How could it ruin her life?”

“Because she’s never shaken it! The whole island thinks she’s a tramp, and until last night, she’d had sex
twice
in her life!”

“God,” Evan said softly. “I had no idea. . .”

“You’re going to fix it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Here’s what I want you to do.”

Mac’s next stop was Darren Tuttle’s body shop. The place looked well kept, and judging by the cars lined up out front, it was busy. At the front desk, Mac asked for Tuttle.

“Who should I tell him is calling?” the dowdy-looking receptionist asked.

“An old friend.”

She got up and went through the door to the work area, returning a few minutes later with Darren, who was greasy, dirty and thirty pounds overweight. His hairline had receded into unattractive baldness. The “god” who’d once been able to intimidate a legion of boys into going along with his every plan had clearly fallen a few notches in the twelve years since graduation. From the quirk in his lips, Mac could tell that Darren recognized him.

“What do you want?”

“A word outside.” Without waiting for Darren to reply, Mac turned and went out the door.
 

“I heard you were back in town,” Darren said as he followed Mac outside.

Mac kept his back to the other man, planning to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Darren snickered. “You and Maddie Mattress, huh? Have you ever
seen
knockers quite like those?”

Screw the benefit of the doubt. Mac spun around and plowed his fist in Darren’s doughy face.

Knocked to the dirt, Darren flopped like a fish out of water. Blood poured from his nose. “What the
hell
?” he sputtered. “What’s your
problem
?”

Mac reached down with one hand and hauled Darren to his feet. Speaking right into his fat, red face, Mac said, “What you did to her—that’s my problem.”

Darren tried to wriggle free. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.” Mac tightened his hold. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Darren wiped at the blood on his face and winced when he connected with his bloody nose. “I’ll have you arrested.”

“No, you won’t.” Mac released him abruptly, and Darren stumbled backward. “Do you have any idea what you did to her? What your stupid-ass-she-rejected-me-so-I’ll-make-her-pay crap did to her life?”

“
I
rejected
her
.”

“Rewriting history now?” Mac raised an eyebrow. “She didn’t want you, so you trashed her all over town.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“My brother Evan confirmed her account. Right now he’s contacting everyone else who was involved.” The bead of sweat that appeared on Tuttle’s brow pleased Mac. “You married, Darren?”