Spitfire (Puffin Cove) (25 page)

"
Awesome show, Mac!"

"
Kane! Great to see you, man! Saw you in the crowd. Hot frickin' night, eh?"

They gripped hands and bumped chests, evolution having skipped this particular ape-man greeting
. Mac swiped a towel across his neck and beard, then scrubbed it all over his sweat-dampened hair.

Kane scooped
Laura to his side, his arm pulling her close. "Mac, this is Laura, and that's Jill and Landon. Wanted t' introduce ye t' yer number one fan here." He winked at the singer and Laura pinched Kane's side, narrowing her eyes once again.

"
Good to meet ya, folks." Mac Laughlin laughed at the lady's chagrin. He had seen it a hundred times before, and always got a chuckle and a little surprise when even full grown adults got goofy meeting him. "Hope you enjoyed the show. Festival's as much fun as ever, eh?"

"
It's my first time, and it's fabulous. You guys made my night!" Laura gushed like a dorky fan-girl.

"
First time? Come on, let's grab a beer and you can tell me all about it." He led Kane's group down the metal backstage steps to the luxurious tour bus, where the rest of his band and a number of other people were relaxing, eating, and talking. He plucked two long necks from a bucket of ice, twisted a top and handed one to Kane's gorgeous woman.

"
Oh, no thanks. I'm DD tonight."

Mac handed the bottle over to Kane, and passed two more toward
the sexy little tinkerbell and a guy that could have passed as a GQ model, then fished out a bottle of water for Laura. He flopped onto the bus's sofa, patting his hand on the seat and angling his smile up to her. She sat beside him, the perky blonde slid her hot little bottom into a seat at the dining table, and Kane leaned against the counter, watching his girl with a small smile on his face.

"
How's it that it's your first time at the festival?"

Mac was very interested
. He had never known Kane to bring a woman around. He and Kane had met a few years ago at a charity benefit and become fast friends. They had recognized a kinship, both having somewhat high profile vocations, both reasonably attractive and unattached, both occasionally in the uncomfortable position of rebuffing adoring fans.

They
had seen each other at numerous events or private parties since then, and Mac had never once seen Kane's eyes locked to a woman the way they were tonight. The dude did not even bat an eye when a gorgeous chick wearing a plunging top and come-get-me boots brushed by him very provocatively, ran a hand down his arm, and her eyes hotly down his body.

Good for you, mate
.

Laura
saw it, and barely suppressed the urge to claw the ho's eyes out. But Kane didn't react, so she figured she shouldn't either. Not a great idea to make a screeching bitchfest scene on a rock band's tour bus. Mac's laugh snagged her attention, and she realized that he picked up on the little vignette. She chuckled, wondering how Kane couldn't have. He just stood there sipping his beer, and watching her. Weirdly.

After
Laura's initial goofy nervousness at being in Mac's presence dissipated, and the quick surge of jealousy at the hussy's brazenness sizzled away, she became animated. She couldn't believe how amazingly down-to-earth, funny and charming Mac was. Not at all full of himself, as she might have expected a talented and popular musician to be. They chatted easily, and she excitedly told Mac how much she enjoyed his music, how it enriched her life and made her happy, how her sons would freak when they heard that she had met him and gone
backstage!
, how she had just moved to Newfoundland and loved it. She prattled on about the house she had just bought, how much she loved the ocean and the people she had met. She peppered him with questions about his tour and the new music they were working on. She wanted to melt into the seat when a great, gaping yawn overcame her, and Mac busted out laughing.

"
Oh, man. I'm so sorry. Geez." She rolled her eyes and fanned a hand at her flaming face. "It has been so great to meet you, Mac. And I really loved your show. This has been a night I'll never forget. But I think the day has caught up to me and it's time we headed for home."

She glanced at Kane, who dipped his head
, unsmiling.

"
Naw, the night's young! Stay and party," Mac cajoled teasingly.

She patted the hand that he ha
d slung around her shoulder, and rose to leave. The group shook hands all around, Jill thanked the guys for a great show, and Kane located Landon on another sofa near the back of the bus, making headway with a very hot groupie.

They jostled and picked their way through the crowd, finally making it back to the car as the bright lights and deafening din of the festival receded behind them
. Laura stripped off her sandals, groaning in appreciation as the cool pavement soothed her aching feet.

"
Are you sure we should have left Landon back there? He might get eaten alive," she chuckled.

"
He's a big boy. He can handle himself," Kane told her.

"
Disgusting," Jill spat.

Laura
turned a surprised look to the back seat. "You okay, honey?"

Jill
huffed a blonde wisp off her forehead. "I just think it's gross seein' him hang all over every trollop he can find. But it's nothin' new. He's been like that since he probably got his first pubic hair. I just don't like being a witness to it, is all."

Laura
wrapped her lips around her teeth and bit down. A snort made its way out of her nose in spite of her efforts. "Did you have a good time anyway?"

"
Oh, yeah," she smiled. "I'd forgotten how much fun the festival could be. And it was amazing meeting the band an' all. I didn't know you knew them, Kane."

Kane had been silent, broody, pretty much since he
had introduced them to Mac back stage. Laura looked to him now, sitting in the passenger seat. Was he upset? Had she done something to make him angry with her? It had been so long since she'd seen him crusty, it came as a bit of a shock to her.

"
Aye, met a few years ago. Good fellas."

Laura
smiled woodenly, and drove home barefooted. After dropping Jill off she pulled the car down the lane and around Kane's barn. She killed the engine and turned her weary smile to him, rubbing her hand on his thigh.

"
That was a fantastic night. Did you have fun, sweetie?"

"
Aye. You?" he clipped.

What the heck
?
He
was
pissed. She could almost feel it seething through his jeans into her hand.

"
Kane. What is it? Are you upset with me?" She couldn't for the life of her think of what she might have done to displease him. She frantically ran her mind through the day, and…nothing.

"
Just tired is all. 'Night, Laura." He pecked her on the cheek and got out of the car. She watched, nonplussed, as he trudged to the house, absently patting Stanley's head as the dog happily loped along side his returned master.

Laura
's eyes burned, tears threatening, the joy of the day suddenly dead and empty. She sat in the car.

Well, now what
?

In the end,
after she watched each light in the farmhouse go out, she turned the key in the ignition and drove the lonely five minutes back to her house by the sea.

Chapter Eighteen

She waited
. And knitted. Did laundry. And cried. What had happened? Maybe this had come to the end she had expected. Maybe he had grown tired of her, and the frivolity of the festival had been as good a time as any to drift away from a relationship that had grown too serious. Maybe he had caught the eye of someone at the festival that he wanted to get to know, maybe that bitch ho skank, although she highly doubted that one, but who knew? She, clearly, did not. One way or the other, she needed clarification. Or closure. So she called him.

And got n
o answer.

She drove to the farm
. The truck was there, but the roadster was not in the lane. The cows and sheep were in the pasture, all munching happily on grasses and sweet hay. Stanley barked, wagging his tail in canine happiness to see her. She got out of the car and nuzzled his warm fur, catching a faint whiff of Kane's cologne. The tears burned her nose and sprang to her eyes once again. She searched the barn, then knocked on the door of the house. No noise, no lights, no off-key Johnny Cash.

She drove to
Jill's.

"
Honey! What's wrong?" Jill asked, alarm flashing through her eyes when she saw Laura's tear-streaked face.

"
Oh, Jill," she wailed like a heartbroken, dorky teenager. "He's gone. He won't answer my calls, and he's not at the farm. He hasn't spoken to me since the festival. I don't know what's happened. It's like he…he turned off a switch on the way home from George Street. It feels like it's oh…oh…ohhhver!" she bawled.

Jill
gathered her in her arms and let her weep. She rubbed Laura's back and led her to the couch.

"
Well that's not like Kane. Tell me what happened."

"
That's j-just it. N-nothing," she hitched, blowing her nose into the tissues Jill handed her. "You were there the whole time. Did you notice anything? I mean, I didn't…we were just having a good time, then he...sh-shut down."

Jill
sat silently for a few minutes, then said, "Seems to me our boy's had a visit from the green-eyed monster." She nodded, then smiled. "Yup. The surly Irishman's jealous."

Laura
peered at her through red-rimmed eyes. "Huh?"

"
Jealous. Unless I miss my guess, it's eatin' him alive." Jill threw back her head and laughed. She slapped a hand on her knee and chortled.

"
But…there's…he can't be. About Landon? It can't be. He's seen us together lots of times." Clearly, Jill was a closet alcoholic.

"How about Mac?"
Jill asked, eyebrows raised, barely able to bite down on her grin.

"Mac
? The musician? You're joking. Geez, there was nothing…He's famous. He's way younger than me. He's Kane's friend. There's no way Kane would..." Laura ran through the last hour before he shut her down, and...Jesus. Maybe Jill was right. Well, holy shit. "Well, if that's it, then he better grow the hell up. I'm not playing that game. He won't talk to me? Fine! Let him rot in it."

Well, enough of this shit
! Her despair had turned to anger in the wink of an eye. Hot, metallic fury coated her tongue. She jumped up and paced angrily around the room. Oh! She wanted to find him and tear a strip off him, lay into him and call him every kind of fool. She only had eyes for him. Didn't he know that? See that?

But what if…
"Jill, there can't be anything for him to be jealous over. What if he's just done? What if he's ready to move on? It would be a convenient excuse. You know, 'Go on, enjoy another fella, lots of f-fun to be h-had.'"

"
Nope. Not Kane. He's not like that. Besides, he's crazy about you. I know it."

"
Well what the hell am I supposed to do? God, Jill. This is just too complicated."

Jill
smiled like a loon. Jesus, the crazy broad was delighted. "There's not one thing complicated about it. You're both nuts about each other and both too stubborn to admit it. I think it's high time. Don't you?"

"
No…I can't." She paced.

"
Maybe it's for the best." She stalked.

"
I should just let him go, get on with his life." She stomped.

"
Find a nice girl and get married and have b-babies." She collapsed on the couch and started bawling. Again.

"
Well, sweet crucified Christ," Jill muttered. "I'm gonna go find him."

"
No! Jill, just leave it." She laid her head on the back of the cushions and closed her eyes. "The boys'll be here in a couple of weeks. I don't want anything to spoil their visit. I'll clear the air after that. If there's anything to clear."

***

"You're breaking up with me?"

"Look,
Laura. Yer boys'll be here soon, and it'll give ye a chance t' spend time with them without the likes 'o me around anyway."

She had finally broken down and called him again
. And he had finally answered. She knew she was being a lovesick dork, but she couldn't let another day go by without knowing what the hell was going on in that stupid head of his.

"D
ammit, Kane. You're being a tool!"

She wished she could see his face
. Then was glad she couldn't. Being with him, having this conversation, would probably tear her apart. His voice was soft, controlled. She couldn't read it.

"
Ayup, that I am. But Laura, ye need this time. Let's face it. I'm the first guy ye've been with in sixteen years. And the second in yer life. Ye should be havin' the time o' your life, not tyin' yourself t' the first available guy that comes along."

The shock rolled through her, and h
er voice was low, and ominous, when she said, "Tell me that's not really what you think of me. Of us. Just who gave you the right to tell me who I should be with?" Now she wasn't just pissed. She was
incensed
. "Do you think I'd be with you, do the things we do together, just for a lark? Just to get my rocks off?"

"Baby, lis
ten. Mac was seriously into ye. Ye deserve t' explore that. Ye should have that opportunity."

"Are you
high? He was being nice! He knew I was with you. And he's your friend. I don't know him from Adam, but I get that he wouldn't move on a friend's woman."

"
Laura." He sighed. "Baby, I'm comin' over. We shouldn't be havin' this conversation on the phone."

"Oh, go to hell
, Kane. If you really thought someone was interested in me, or I was interested in someone else, and you didn't have the balls enough, or the
feelings
enough to fight for me, then I don't guess we have anything to talk about. Have a nice life."

She poked the phone off
, threw it across the room, and cried.

Laura latched onto the best therapy she knew. She threw herself into work. The rental saws were so much better than the handyman specials she had had back home. The footings were pretty heavy for her to heave around on her own, but with determination and body mechanics she got them into place and levelled. She was able to tie into the existing fastenings on the house, and the porch was built in a week.

She spent the next week staining it a rich charcoal grey, standing back to congratulate her intuition that it would tie in nicely with the black shingles on the roof
. The cranberry red door popped, and she built window boxes that she filled with geraniums and ivy.

She bought Muskoka chairs for the porch, and built a long, low bench along the railing for extra seating
. There had been a tall stone urn at the hardware store, and she placed it beside her door, and filled it with pussy willows and cat-tails and pansies. Once the porch was dressed she tackled the gardens, giving them a healthy toss with manure and peat moss, unearthing the struggling perennials from the suffocating weeds.

Again, she fell into bed exhausted each night, and had a harder time getting started each morning, the physical aches from all
the manual labour unsuccessful in drowning out the emotional ones. Her longing for Kane was wearing on her. There had been no word from him in two weeks. Jill did her best to buoy her shredded spirit. Laura knew it must have cost Jill plenty to bite her tongue a million times on Kane's name. But, bless her, she never mentioned him once.

And
Laura had her sons to look forward to.

She made herself imagine that she
had never met Kane, and that this was what it would have been like had she not. That made her feel a little better for awhile, and the day that she went to the airport to see her sons for the first time in three months she was nearing positive and cultivating excitement.

She stood at the arrivals gate, her hands clutched under her chin
. When she saw them coming down the escalator from the baggage carousel her knees went wobbly and fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"
Aw, Mom. Don't." Kyle said, and grabbed her in a big, manly hug. Manly. Her baby. How had they grown so much, and into such handsome men in just three short months? She broke away from Kyle to envelop Kevin in her much smaller arms.

"
Who are you, and what did you do with my babies?" she laughed tearfully.

"
Geez, Mom. Get a grip." Kevin said as he slung his arm over her shoulders and they headed for the doors.

Laura
beamed at them, looking left, then right, then left again. She had missed them so much. Her babies were here, having flown half-way across the country, on their own, to see her. How life changed.

It gave her a little pain in her heart to know that she
would never be able to relive those days when they were small and sweet and totally dependent on her. Now she could depend on them if she needed them. And oh, she did. She hadn't realized how much until they were here. She had needed to see them, to spend time with them, to fill her heart and distract her from her depression since Kane had dropped out of her life.

"
Suh-weet ride!" Kevin ran his hand over the sun-warmed hood of the Touareg. "Shoulda got a black one, though." He winked at Laura. "Shotgun!"

"
Actually, why don't you drive and Kyle, you ride shotgun. I'll sit in the back and navigate."

She took them on a tourists
' route home, pointing out the sights they had missed or forgotten from the first time they had been in Newfoundland.

"
So, you're happy here, Mom? Things working out like you'd hoped?" Kyle, ever the sensitive one of the two, questioned her, meeting her eyes in his visor mirror.

"
Couldn't be better. I love it here. I've met so many wonderful people, and I can't wait to show you guys off to them. We're having a party in a couple days. You'll meet them all then. And wait 'til you see the house!"

Kyle
narrowed his eyes at her and a muscle flexed in his jaw. Geez. He was so perceptive. No doubt he noticed the slightly purple tinge under her eyes. She was exhausted. He probably remembered her looking like that when she had worked all those night shifts. But thankfully, he kept his silence.

She guided
Kevin to drive up Signal Hill, and they strolled to the point to look out over the bustling harbour.

"
Is this where we got the boat when we saw the puffins?" Kevin asked.

"
No, that was out of Bay Bulls. You remember that trip, eh? I'm so glad. I haven't done a boat trip this time. Would you guys like to do another one with me while you're here?"

"
That would be cool. I wouldn't mind doing some sea-kayaking too." Kevin, six-foot tall and bullet proof, wanted every daredevil experience he could legally get.

"
Yikes. Not me. You guys are welcome to do that without me. But I can set you up." Laura's fascination with the sea stopped short of bobbing around on it with nothing between her and certain death but a hunk of fibreglass and a piece of foam rubber. She had watched adventurers with envy when she and Kane had been in Twillingate, the kayakers foolishly paddling close to the icebergs. It would be an awesome experience, but she was too nervous to be safe at it. And letting Kane into her thoughts had her instantly angry with herself.

They were just in time for the Tattoo
. The re-enactment of the British Infantry Regiment rang out with a fife and drum band and cannon fire. They watched, transfixed, as the high school troupe meticulously performed military manoeuvres in authentic 18th century uniforms, transporting Laura and her sons to a bygone era.

"
Cool! We didn't see that last time."

"
I know. It's the first time I've seen it too. I'm glad the timing worked out today. But we should get home. I've got a turkey in the oven."

"
Niiiice!" Kyle sighed.

Laura
smiled. That boy loved to eat more than almost anything.

They drove through Puffin Cove,
Laura pointing out Landon's garage, Sweeney's, the café and Puffin House. She chattered on about her friends and their influence in her new life. She told them of her experiences with the moose, the house, the icebergs, the whales. Through it all they interjected questions and comments.