by Lyn Gardner
“I thought it best I got out of there before Patrick imploded,” Judy said, placing her coffee on the hood of her car.
“Well, he did down a couple of quick ciders as soon as you left.”
“Did you?”
Eric shut the truck door and walked toward his sister. “No, because I don’t suffer from the same rectal dysfunction like our brothers.”
“What?”
“I don’t walk around with my head shoved up my ass.”
Judy couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh.”
“But I’m not going to lie,” Eric said, stopping a few inches from Judy. “What you said back there, it really took me for a loop, but I’m not going to pepper you with questions. I just want to know you’re happy, and this is what you want.”
“I am, and it is. Even if I hadn’t found Robin again—”
“Again?”
A faint smile graced Judy’s face. “Long story.”
Eric arched an eyebrow. He was curious, but whatever the story was, he somehow knew it would be worth waiting for. “Maybe when I visit in the spring then?”
“Still planning to?”
“Still want me to?”
Judy took a deep breath, her smile growing wider. “Yes, very much.”
“Come here,” Eric said, and pulling Judy into a bear hug, he kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Judy, and no matter what, you’ll always be my sister. Okay?”
Forever the runt of the litter, Judy stood on her tiptoes and kissed Eric’s cheek. “And I love you, too. A lot.”
“Good to know,” Eric said, holding Judy at arm’s length. “So, you're heading out tonight?”
“Yeah. I got my coffee and a couple of energy drinks. I should be fine.”
“You look a little wiped out.”
“That’s mostly from...from just a very long day,” Judy said, opening the car door to toss in the grocery bag. “But I’ll stop if I need to.”
“All right. Well, I better get Pat’s truck back before he realizes it’s missing,” Eric said, turning to leave. “Let me know when you get there. Okay?”
“Absolutely.” Judy grabbed her coffee cup off the hood, but as she was about to climb into her car, something in the back seat caught her eye. “Shit!”
Eric spun around. “What? What’s wrong?”
Judy glanced at her brother and then back at the car. “Hey, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure. Anything. What do you need?”
Judy opened the back door and rummaged through the luggage covering the seat. Yanking out the largest, she trotted around the car and opened the trunk, and in a minute, there were three suitcases on the ground.
“What’s all this?”
“Christmas presents,” Judy said, picking up the smaller case. “It was the easiest way to pack them. Can you take them back to Pat’s with you?”
“Not a problem,” Eric said, and grabbing the other two suitcases, he headed for the truck. Tossing them in the back, he did the same when Judy handed him the last. “Wait. What do I tell them? I mean, you didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms.”
“You don’t have to tell them anything. They’re still my nieces and nephews, and the little ones won’t care. Just ask Louise to stash the stuff until Christmas.”
“Do you think Louise is an ally?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure, but Brett said she had tried to talk to him a couple of times, so I’m hoping that means she’s a little more open-minded than Pat.”
“Actually, she always struck me as pretty down-to-earth.”
“Me, too. Oh, and just tell her to change the tags on the things I got for Doug and Pat. They won’t figure it out.”
“Are you sure?”
“Eric, even if they suffer from...what did you call it?”
“Rectal dysfunction?”
Judy chuckled. “Yeah, even if they suffer from that, they’re still my brothers. They’re still the ones that held my hand when I was a kid and I had to cross a street, and who taught me how to ride a bike when Dad could never find the time. I still love them, Eric. Like you said, that will never change.”
“But they do try our patience, don’t they?”
“That they do,” Judy said, giving Eric another quick hug. “And now, I gotta go.”
“You sure you’re okay to drive?” Eric called out as Judy went to her car.
“I’m fine,” Judy said, opening the car door. “And if I get tired, I’ll stop. I promise.”
Judy pulled the door closed, and after taking a few gulps of coffee, she headed out. Traffic was almost non-existent until she reached the interstate, and then it was sporadic with tractor trailers and RVs outnumbering the cars on the road, but two hours later, Judy had to keep her promise.
It only took one time drifting onto the shoulder of the highway for Judy to realize she wasn’t as fine as she thought. Opening the windows to let the frigid air intrude, she turned up the radio and headed to the next rest stop.
Even with coffee and energy drinks in her system, Judy hadn’t slept in over forty hours, and once she parked the car and reclined the seat, within minutes sleep took hold. Since her phone was dead, she left one window cracked open, believing the chill of the night wouldn’t allow her to sleep too long, but three hours later, it was her reaching-maximum-capacity bladder that jolted her awake. A quick trip to the ladies’ room averted the catastrophe, and after visiting the vending machine kiosk, Judy climbed back into her car with another cup of coffee and made her way north.
***
Judy took a deep breath and slowly stretched to work out the stiffness that had seemed to settle throughout her body.
By the time she had stepped foot in Safe Harbor the day before, every part of her plan had gone awry. She missed the first ferry and had almost missed the second due to an excruciatingly drawn-out visit at a phone store in St. Ignace. When she finally got to the house, Robin wasn’t home, and no longer having a key to get inside, Judy had to test every door and window before eventually gaining access through the basement. Although she had wanted to shower away the two days of grime that had settled on her skin, Robin’s bed was far too inviting to ignore, so kicking off her shoes, she stripped off her jeans, and the rest was a blur.
If Judy’s mind hadn’t been fogged by exhaustion, she would have questioned why the bed was so disheveled, and if her mind had been clear, she would have been concerned about why Robin wasn’t home, but that clarity had only just arrived...after sixteen hours of sleep.
Judy’s eyes flew open and sitting up, as soon as she saw the light from the kitchen streaming into the bedroom, she jumped out of bed and ran from the room. A second later, she slid to a stop. “Rita?”
“It’s about time you woke up,” Rita said, placing the cat bowls on the floor. “I was starting to worry.”
“But...but how did you know I was here?”
“Because when I came by last night to feed the cats, I almost tripped over your backpack. It didn’t take long to find you, and I saw no point in waking you up, so I fed Fred and Ginger, called Hank to let him know I’d be hanging here for the night, and then I crashed on the sofa.”
Judy shook her head. “I...I don’t understand. Why are you feeding the cats? Where’s Robin?”
“Robin’s in Florida.”
“What!”
Rita held up her hands. “She called me on Saturday and asked if I could watch the cats. She said a friend of hers got hurt, and she needed to leave.”
“Oh.”
“And when I asked why she wasn’t having you take care of them, she started to cry. She managed to say that you had left the island, and then she hung up.” Rita crossed her arms and glowered at Judy. “So, that leaves me with three questions. Where in the world have you been? Why didn’t you return any of my messages, and what the hell is going on?”
***
“What’s all this?”
“This,” Declan said, waving his arm over the counter. “This is ou
r breakfast.”
Robin gave Declan a dirty look as she made her way to the coffee pot. “It’s beer and sandwiches.”
“It is, and we’re going to enjoy them on the beach.”
“Declan, I’m not in the mood to—”
“I don’t give a shit what kind of mood you’re in. All I know is that you’re not going to spend any more time hiding in the bedroom watching stupid TV. You and I are going to head down to the beach, put up an umbrella and enjoy our beer and sandwiches.”
Robin snagged a mug from the counter and filled it to the top. Taking a hesitant sip, she shook her head. “But it’s only ten.”
“And by the time you get showered, it’ll be eleven, which is close enough to make it brunch. So get your ass in gear, Robin, because I’m not taking no for an answer. I get that you’re hurting. I get that she crushed you. I even get the appeal of watching endless hours of brain-numbing TV, but I stood by once and watched as another woman pulled you into that rabbit hole, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let that happen again.”
“This isn’t the same thing, and you know it.”
Declan took a deep breath and going over, he took the mug from Robin’s hand, placed it on the counter, and then pulled Robin into a hug. “I know it isn’t, kiddo. Judy didn’t fuck with your head. She broke your heart, and I’m sorry that happened, but hiding isn’t helping so the sooner you get your scrawny ass into the shower, the sooner you and I can get wasted on the beach. Okay?”
Robin freed herself from Declan’s hold and shot him a look. “My ass is not scrawny.”
“I know,” Declan said, chuckling. “I was just trying to get a rise out of you.”
“All right,” Robin said and reaching into the pocket of her PJ bottoms, she pulled out her phone. “Just let me have some coffee and call Rita to check on the cats and—”
“Nope,” Declan said, snatching the phone away. “You’re not going to stall until you can figure out a way to get out of it. Take your coffee with you, and I’ll call this Rita person.”
“Declan.”
“Robin...go!”
***
“You know, if I didn’t love you as much as I do, I’d tell you that you’re a special kind of stupid,” Rita said, reaching for her coffee cup. “Why in the world, after all these years of loving that woman, would you walk out on her?”
“I was scared,” Judy said softly. “I thought I’d lose my family and—”
“Screw your family!”
“I kind of did. Don’t you think?”
Rita shot Judy a knowing smile. “You sure as hell did, and that almost redeems you for leaving this island without even as much as a goodbye. I gotta tell you, that really hurt.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking too clearly.”
“Well, thankfully you are now,” Rita said, and getting to her feet, she began gathering the breakfast dishes. “I still think you should call her, though. I mean, I understand why you don’t want to because that’s really a romantic gesture, but Robin’s somewhere in Florida right now probably feeling like shit, and that’s all because of you.”
“But I thought you said she left because...wait. You said someone got hurt. Did she tell you who?”
“Yeah, a guy named Declan.”
“Declan!” Judy shouted, jumping to her feet.
“Relax, he’s fine,” Rita said, motioning for Judy to sit back down.
“How do you know?”
Rita brought over the coffee pot and refilled the cups. “Because when Robin called yesterday to check on the cats, I asked if everything was okay and she yes, he was fine. Then she asked if I was going to be around for a while, so she didn’t have to come back right away.”
“What did you tell her?” Judy said as she picked up her coffee to take a sip.
“I told her to take her time, the cats were no problem, and as long as she got back before Hank and I left to spend the holidays with the kids, that would be fine.”
“Oh, okay,” Judy said, placing the cup back on the table. “So when’s that?”
“The twentieth,” Rita said, returning to her seat.
“The twentieth! But that’s over two weeks away.”
“Which is why you should call her,” Rita said, and fishing into her back pocket, she put her phone on the table. “Her number’s in my contact list.”
Judy eyed the phone as she nibbled on her lip, but before she could make up her mind, the phone began to vibrate against the table.
Rita glanced down and tried to hide her smile when she saw the name on the screen. “Well, I think that’s my cue to head into the living room and relax for a while,” she said, standing up. “Don’t think you need to answer that, by the way. I’m sure she’ll leave a message. It doesn’t matter if she has to wait for a few more weeks before you tell her that you love her. Nope, that doesn’t matter at all.”
“Shit,” Judy said and jumping to her feet, she picked up the phone.
The drive back to Mackinac had provided Judy with more than enough time to get her thoughts in order. She knew she had made mistakes. She knew she had a lot to apologize for, and Judy knew she was prepared to spend the rest of her life making it up to Robin, but when Judy accepted the call, her mind became a blender and her thoughts, the fruit in a smoothie.
“Robin, it’s me, Judy.” Rolling her eyes, Judy started again. “I’m home. I mean I’m back on Mackinac, and I don’t ever plan on leaving again. I fucked up, and I know it, but...well, listen. There’s something I’ve never said to you, and I really didn’t want to say it on the phone, but Rita told me you aren’t planning to come back for a few weeks, and I’m done wasting time. I’ve wasted enough of it, so...I love you, Robin. I love you more than I can say, and I promise when you get back I’m going to show you just how much I love you by—”
“Keeping those particular details to yourself until you’re actually talking to Robin,” Declan said as he slid the door closed behind him.
“Declan?”
“The one and only,” Declan said, his eyes narrowing to avoid the glare of the sun gleaming off the Gulf of Mexico. “I called to check on the cats, but so far this has been way more enlightening.”
“Are you okay? Rita said you got hurt.”
“I’m fine. It was just a scratch,” Declan said, moving to the far end of the balcony. “But Robin’s been a fucking mess since she got here, so I’m glad you’ve come to your senses. I was having a really hard time hating you, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have got there.”
“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you did.”
“Well, thankfully it sounds like I don’t need to practice my scowl, but it also sounds like you may be between a rock and a hard place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Robin’s not planning to come back for a few weeks, so all those sentiments you just rattled off are going to have to wait, because you’re right. If you haven’t told her you loved her yet, you sure as hell shouldn’t do it over the phone. Not after all the years she’s loved you, and especially not after running out on her the way you did.”
“I know,” Judy said, and plopping down on a chair, she sighed. “But sixteen days seems like a lifetime.”
Declan unconsciously nodded as he looked down at the beach, dotted with vacationers and locals enjoying a day in the sun. Parasailers could be seen off in the distance, their multi-colored kites vibrant against the cerulean sky, as life-jacketed riders on jet skis skipped across the emerald green Gulf. Declan’s face eased into a smile. “Of course, there is another option.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“Are you afraid to fly?”
Chapter Forty-Five
Declan made his way across the sand, the insulated beverage cooler in his hand swinging with the rhythm of his steps. Reaching the cherry red umbrella, he ducked under the fringe and slipped into his beach chair. “Sorry, that took so long. My phone kept ringing.”
“Problems?” Robin said, look
ing over her shoulder.
“Not a one. Natalia called to check in and—”
“I cannot believe she went back to work.”
“She went back to work because she knows I’m okay, and I don’t need a babysitter, plus there’s a big convention happening in Tampa this weekend. Her hotel is expecting a couple hundred VIPs, so she wanted to make sure her staff had everything handled.”
“Yeah, but after what she’s been through—”
“Robin, if there’s one thing about Natalia you need to understand, it’s that she’s plucky as hell. Sure, it was frightening, but after everything was said and done, she was fine.”
“I suppose so,” Robin said quietly.
“And how are you doing?”
“I’d be better if you’d stop asking me that, and besides, I should be asking you that.”
“Lord have mercy, woman. It’s just a scratch,” Declan said, glancing at the bandage wrapped around his forearm.
“A scratch doesn’t take twenty-eight stitches to close.”
“Robbie, we’ve been over this already. I’m fine. My arm’s fine. Natalia’s fine. No harm. No foul.”
“But there was harm, Declan,” Robin said, fighting to control her emotions. “If—”
“Kiddo, if I hadn’t walked out of the bathroom when I did, you’re right, there would have been harm, a shitload of harm, but the Gods were in our favor, so drop it. Stop blaming yourself for what happened. It wasn’t your fault. Pam’s a fucking nut case.”
“I couldn’t agree more, but why the hell go after Natalia instead of me?” Robin said. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Natalia wasn’t her target. By the look on Pam’s face when I came out of the bathroom, she didn’t even know Nat was there. She was coming after me.”
“But why?”
“You know, at first, I thought it was because of what you told me about Isobel knocking Pam down when she was in Mackinac. I figured Pam was afraid to go back, but when the cops were dragging her away, Pam had a complete meltdown. You know the one? Her usual bullshit hissy fit where she threatens anyone within shouting distance what she’s going to do to them, and then makes it sound like she’s the victim.”
