Moore Than Forever (26 page)

“Well, you just saved Paola’s summer, she was moping after the fun she had last year. I had her in the little camp they have, but she wasn’t happy.”

“Holly is coming next week, so we’ve got our babysitter back.”

“Holly and Portia. Paola’s summer just got a lot better.”

The two women spoke without looking at one another, both sets of eyes trained on the little girls at the shoreline, playing as if they’d been lifelong friends.

“So Mia, you know I have to ask you, when are you and Schooner finally getting married?”

Mia laughed, “You do know the correct answer to that question is, ask Seth.” Picking up her water bottle she took a long swig, “I really want Portia to settle in this summer without a lot of craziness. The minute we go into wedding mode there will be no way to avoid the tension that comes with it. Know what I mean?”

Gaby nodded, “You’re right. I hadn’t even thought about that. You are such a good mom, Mia.”

Laughing, Mia gave Gaby a look, “Tell me that again when she is sixteen.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, “So, what I’ve been thinking is, taking the rest of the summer just to relax and bond as a family, really have Portia settle into the groove of life with us. I can put in a few hours a day of work from out here, especially once Holly and Zac arrive.”

“Zac?” Gaby’s voice rose an octave. “Are you serious?”

The girls now sat in the wet sand digging holes and putting the clams back into the holes.

“Mommy, Mia, look the clammies are going home,” yelled Paola.

“They are so cute together,” Mia put down her water bottle and grabbed a bright pink chiffon scarf to pull her wild hair off her face and neck, “Yes, Zac is coming. Hopefully, he’ll be on better behavior than last summer and I think he will. He was ok this spring in California and actually pleasant at his graduation. What’s going to shock you the most is how amazing he is with Nathaniel.”

“Are you serious?”

“I know, right?” Mia smiled, “He’s amazing with the baby and Nathaniel loves him like crazy. It will be interesting to see how he is with Portia.”

“I’m just in shock, Mia. What a difference a year makes. Will Holly want to babysit again this year?”

“She’s counting on it,” Mia smiled devilishly at her friend. “Yes, we get free time.”

“Halellulah! Holly cannot get here fast enough.” Looking at her watch, “Speaking of time, how long should it have taken them to check out Schooner’s boat?”

“My guess is that those two are somewhere on the Great South Bay halfway to Block Island by now.”

“Or still in the marina, half trashed. And you still haven’t answered my question, when are you getting married?”

“Oh yeah, that,” Mia laughed. “Ok, so if we’re here through Labor Day, that brings us to the beginning of September, luckily I have another year before I have to worry about Portia starting school the Wednesday after Labor Day, but still it will be the change of moving from the beach back to the city and a week and a half later is 9/11 and her birthday.”

Gabby winced, “Are you going to go this year?”

Mia nodded, “Michael’s mom is flying up from Florida and she’s really looking forward to meeting Portia and Schooner.”

Biting her lower lip, the ghosts of those ceremonies were clearly swirling around Gaby, “Schooner has no clue what he’s in for.”

Mia nodded, “I know. But he really wants to go. And then we’ll leave there and do something really fun to celebrate Portia.” Glancing at Portia and Paola, “Girls, come closer to us,” Mia yelled, and the little ones moved away from the ocean’s edge. “I really want her to have a special birthday and then I can go all bridezilla.”

“I thought you’d get married out here, but there will be few services on Fire Island available late in September.”

“I know, I really thought we’d do it here, too, but Seth and Elan are looking into places out in Montauk. I have a feeling we’ll end up at Gurney’s Inn. It’s beautiful, located right on the beach and they have facilities for catering and weddings.”

Mia couldn’t help but remember the idyllic mansion in Newport, Rhode Island where she and Michael had spent their final Labor Day weekend together. The Chanler Inn at Cliff Walk was truly the most romantic location for a wedding she had ever seen. Lifting her sunglasses, she wiped away the salty tears that were escaping her eyes. Even after all this time, memories of sitting under a full Harvest moon that weekend made her heart hurt. And Michael had been right, it was the absolute perfect place to be married. Mia sighed. That was a fact she would keep to herself, saved as a special Michael memory.

“Daddy,” Portia yelled, all smiles and fluttering limbs as she ran up the sand past Mia and Gaby.

Scooped up in Schooner’s arms, he and Charles joined them on the sand chairs.

“So, did you take her out?” Mia knew the answer before she asked the question.

Schooner’s smile confirmed it and Charles’ exuberant gushing helped fill in the blanks, “Oh my God, that is one gorgeous boat. Sunset cocktail sails need to become part of our repertoire.”

“I’m down with that,” Mia agreed, “we should seriously do that, bring a picnic dinner, if the kids get tired, we put them in one of the cabins.”

“When am I going to see this famous boat?” Gaby was feeling left out.

Schooner looked at his watch and hit her with the smile, “First family sunset sailing in about five hours.”

Standing up and pulling a sundress over her bathing suit, Mia turned to Schooner and Charles, “Ok Daddies, you are now officially on munchkin duty. Gabs and I need to go plan and shop for first family sunset dinner.”

Joining her, with a swish of her long hair, Gaby and Mia set off to arrange the perfect inaugural sail menu.

Chapter Forty-nine

The monitor in baggage claim indicated that Holly and Zac’s plane had landed. Schooner paced the terminal, his long-legged strides rapidly covering the space. He hadn’t seen his two oldest in a few months and was anxious to get out to the beach with them and have them meet their newest sibling. Mia had told him that she had let the kids take extra long afternoon naps so that they’d be awake and in good moods when he arrived from the airport.

Waving as the escalator brought them down to him, he didn’t realize how much he missed his two older children until he had his arms wrapped around them forming a huddle.

“It’s so good to see you two,” kissing both of them on the temple, Schooner was clearly not shy about showing his children affection.

“Do you think Mini-Me will remember me?” Zac wondered aloud as they loaded duffel bag after duffel bag into the Range Rover.

“If not immediately, he’ll warm up pretty quickly.”

“I think he’ll remember me,” Zac did not like Schooner’s answer.

“Holly, how much stuff did you bring?” Schooner was arranging the bags so that they would all fit.

“Dad, I’m going straight from here back to Brown,” rolling her eyes at him, “I need my stuff.”

Having all four of his children with him for the remainder of the summer was the key to Schooner’s happiness. As he pulled out of the parking lot at Kennedy Airport he realized this summer was without the trepidation of the year before. Even Zac wanted to spend the summer with them on Fire Island.

“Wait until you meet Portia,” Schooner was beaming with pride, “she is so sweet and smart.”

“Mom almost shit when she heard you were adopting a kid from Africa,” Zac laughed.

“Yeah, well your mother’s idea of diversity is changing hair salons.” Schooner noticed a look pass between his children, “Ok, one of you spit it out. What’s going on?”

“You tell him,” an agitated Zac said to his older sister.

“Mom got married two days ago,” Holly genuinely looked scared delivering the news.

“No shit?” Schooner was smiling, “Damn, I lost a bet. I hate losing bets. So, she convinced Beau to marry her, huh?”

“He’s a douche monkey,” Zac piped in from the back seat.

Instead of admonishing his son for inappropriate language, Schooner stretched his hand back for a high five, “He is a douche monkey and will from this point forward be referred to as your mother’s douche monkey.”

Grabbing his phone, he quickly texted Aaron at the first red light.

Schooner: CJ married Beau 2 days ago

Aaron: No shit?!

Laughing, Schooner pointed the phone at his kids, “Check out Aaron’s response.”

Aaron: I’ll get the paperwork into the courts

Schooner: TY

“So, you’re not upset, Dad,” Holly seemed surprised.

“Not at all, sweetheart. I’m glad your mother is moving on with her life. Do I think Beau is the right person for her? No. But who am I to say what makes another person happy,” he smiled at Holly, hoping that would put her at ease.

Getting off the ferry in Ocean Beach, they loaded red wagons with the duffels and headed toward the beach house.

“Oh man, did I miss this place. I am so ready for a lobster at Maguire’s.”

Schooner smiled, wondering if she was also looking forward to seeing the restaurant’s manager, Aiden, to continue their harmless flirtation that had begun the summer before.

“Mia made reservations to go there tomorrow night.”

They approached the house and Schooner turned to his kids, “Let’s make this a good summer, ok? It’s really different having two small children in the house, so just make sure you keep that in mind.”

Walking through the door, the first thing they heard was an ecstatic little voice, with a British accent, screaming, “Daddy,” as a pink blur came running and ended up in Schooner’s arms.

“How’s my sweet girl?” he kissed her cheek and was rewarded with giggles. “Are you ready to meet your big brother and sister?”

Portia nodded, all smiles, “Hi Holly, Hi Zac.”

Schooner knew Mia had been practicing with her. Mia came down the stairs with Nathaniel in her arms.

“Look who’s here, Nathaniel. Hi guys! How was your trip?” Nathaniel’s face lit up and he pointed to Zac and began his pterodactyl screech. “Ok, ok, you can go to your brother.”

Mia placed Nathaniel in his older brother’s arms and Zac surprised Mia with a kiss on the cheek.

“Mini-Me, you remember me.” Zac was elated at Nathaniel’s reaction.

Giving Holly a big hug, Mia couldn’t help but compare the energy in the room this summer to the prior summer’s and marvel at what a difference a year had made.

Portia already had Holly by the hand and was taking her to meet her dolls.

Feeling his arms wrap around her from behind, Mia and Schooner watched as the two sets of children became one. She didn’t have to turn around to know the exact look in his sapphire eyes. All his dreams were coming true right in that room.

“Are you ever going to marry me?” he whispered in her ear, rubbing his cheek along her neck.

“Yeah, I’m sure at some point. Ask Seth. He’s got all the answers.”

“Oh, by the way, you won the CJ/Beau wedding bet. They got married two days ago,” he gently bit her neck.

Turning her head to look at him, she remained silent, her mouth hanging open, before she finally regained her voice, “No shit?”

Laughing, “That seems to be the general consensus. We were wrong about one thing, at least she won’t be interrupting the kids’ time on the beach with us.”

“So, I know exactly what I want for winning the bet.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” he smiled down at her.

“Let’s just put it this way, I’m really glad that I just bought a new tube of Mango Butter lotion for the shower.”

Tightening his arms around her, he laughed, “Damn, Baby Girl, do you have any idea of what you do to me?”

“It’s smoochal,” and she melted just a little further into his arms.

Chapter Fifty

“I don’t hate him as much this year,” from the deck, Seth was watching Zac on the beach surrounded by three girls ready to claw each other’s eyes out for his attention.

Mia laughed, “He’s just wishing he had three dicks right now. He’s definitely a much less douchey version of himself this summer. And I have to admit, he is really great with the kids, he’s like the Pied Piper.”

Seth continued to watch him, eagle-eyed, “He must get so much pussy.”

“Old and young,” Mia was shaking her head, “if he flunks out of school, he definitely has a career as a gigolo.”

It was another picture perfect cloudless day on Fire Island, Holly had the two girls, Paola and Portia, and Nathaniel was quietly playing in his Pack ‘n Play, while Mia and Seth worked on the deck.

“Kami sent the final comps on the point of sale pieces for the Africa/Health Club Membership campaign,” Mia opened the document. She regarded it for a long moment, “You know, I have not been able to figure out what it is about this piece that is just not sitting right with me… until now. It’s the font. What is this, an AR Christy font?” She looked up at Seth, “It’s too frivolous and this is not a frivolous piece.”

Immediately, she messaged Kami, telling her to have the Art Department change out the font.