Whispers at Seaside

by Addison Cole

  Mira spent the next twenty minutes contemplating Nair, lube, and condoms, all of which made her both excited and really, really nervous.

  A knock on the door sent her heart into a panic.

  “Matt!” Hagen leapt from the couch and ran for the door—and Mira slipped off the bracelets.

  “YOU’RE FINALLY HERE!” Hagen grabbed Matt’s hand and pulled him inside right past Mira, and didn’t stop pulling him until they were standing in front of the table where he’d spread out the pieces of the build-your-own-robot kit. “Are those flowers for my mom?”

  Mira flashed an apologetic smile. “Hagen, don’t be so pushy, honey.”

  Matt raked his eyes down Mira’s body. How was he supposed to concentrate on building a robot with her prancing around in a pair of skimpy shorts that made him want to run his hands up the length of her long, lean legs?

  “Yes, buddy. These are for your mom, but I brought you something, too.” He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a piece of paper with a website address on it and handed it to him.

  “What’s this?”

  “That’s where we’re going to learn about what it takes to build a raft, which isn’t quite a boat, but it’s a start.”

  Hagen gasped and threw his arms around Matt’s legs. “A raft! Mom, we’re going to build a raft!”

  “First we’re going to research how to build a raft, so it might be a while before we actually build it.”

  Hagen blinked up at his mother, his blue eyes narrow and serious. “That’s guy stuff, Mom. But we’ll tell you about it.”

  Matt stifled a chuckle and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Buddy, a bit of advice. Don’t push the woman who loves you out of your life. I bet your mom is excellent at research. You should probably give her the option to be part of the adventure instead of making the decision for her.”

  Hagen’s little brows knitted. He gave one determined nod and said, “Okay. Mom, if you want to do research with us you can. But you probably won’t want to help build it. That’s guy stuff.”

  “Sounds perfect,” she said sweetly. “Why don’t you go put that paper someplace where you won’t lose it.”

  Hagen ran down the hall and disappeared into his room.

  Matt slid a hand around Mira’s waist and drew her against him. She smelled incredible, and felt even better. “I missed you, and you look utterly delectable.” He kissed her neck and took a step away when he heard Hagen running down the hall, handing her the bouquet.

  “Thank you. They’re gorgeous.” She smelled the pretty flowers as Hagen came to her side. “Mm. They smell like mint.”

  “They’re gloxinia.”

  “Ready?” Hagen said impatiently.

  “Oh yeah. I’m ready.” The innuendo in his voice was lost on the little boy, but Mira’s eyes darkened. Last night’s kiss had only made him hungry for more. Much, much more.

  The three of them set to work at the table assembling the robot, but Matt’s attention was divided as his leg brushed against Mira’s, and she returned the secret touch, her leg pressing enticingly against his. Hagen and Matt read the instructions together, with Matt filling in all the bigger words Hagen had trouble with.

  “How did you get to be such a good reader?” Matt asked.

  “Mom says I was born reading,” Hagen answered.

  “He’s always loved to read.” Mira smiled at Hagen. “I think he learned to read because he was frustrated when I had to cook dinner, do laundry, or anything else that impeded his story time. He didn’t ease into reading like most kids do. I swear he made up his mind that he wanted to read, and by the time he was five, he was reading everything.”

  “Because I’m a smart boy,” Hagen said without looking up from the pieces he and Matt were putting together.

  Hagen asked dozens of questions, wanting to know why things worked and what would happen if they tried to put pieces together differently. Matt loved his inquisitive nature, and Mira was patient with him. She didn’t respond with answers that were only appropriate for little boys. She went into detail, and Matt respected that. He liked that she didn’t quash his curiosity. As a teacher, he could always tell which students had been encouraged to research and explore and which had been either stifled or handed answers their whole life.

  As the afternoon progressed, Matt continually had to stop himself from reaching out to hold Mira’s hand or stroke her cheek. He wasn’t sure what she felt comfortable doing in front of Hagen, and assumed she would let him know. They’d exchanged heated glances, and when Mira got up from the table, she touched his shoulder or ran her fingers along his back, heightening his anticipation.

  They had lunch on the deck, and when they came back inside, Hagen was determined to finish their project no matter how long it took.

  “Mom,” Hagen said as he climbed into his chair. “You can do your work while we finish.”

  “Work?” Matt asked, hoping their night out hadn’t set her back too far. “On a Sunday?”

  “I have a few bookkeeping clients I work with on the side. I usually do it while Hagen does his homework or when he’s sleeping.” She lowered her voice as Hagen settled in at the table and said, “I think that’s his way of telling me you’re his for a little while.”

  He wanted to kiss her so badly he could taste it. He shifted his eyes to Hagen, who was busy fitting two pieces of the robot together. Matt leaned in closer and whispered, “I’d rather be both of yours. And when the time’s right, just yours for a very long, very passionate while.”

  Chapter Seven

  LATER THAT EVENING, after an intense afternoon of robot building, they took the robot out onto the deck and tested it out. Hagen mastered the remote control in minutes, and the boxy little robot with bolts for eyes and stickers for the mouth and nose was cruising along—and stopping at each gap between the decking boards.

  “Ugh!” Hagen picked up the robot for the umpteenth time, and he plopped down on the deck with a sullen face.

  “This isn’t exactly the best place to use the robot, is it?” Matt crouched beside Hagen, who shook his head. “Where do you think would be a better place?”

  “A road,” he answered.

  “Hm. That doesn’t sound very safe, and the roads around here are gravel, so that won’t work.”

  Mira was about to make a suggestion when Matt lifted his gaze and winked. She smiled, understanding that even after a long day of answering Hagen’s questions and teaching him about all things electronic, Matt was still teaching.

  Hagen’s brow furrowed, and his little lips pressed together. Matt didn’t rush him like other adults might. Like I might. He waited patiently for her little boy’s very smart brain to figure it out.

  “A parking lot is flat, right?” Hagen asked.

  “Usually,” Matt answered.

  “The pier where we get ice cream is made of the same stuff,” Hagen said, lifting his baby blues to Mira. “Cars don’t drive on the pier. Could we try that?”

  Mira and Matt both smiled. Matt arched a brow, deferring to her for the answer, which she found as endearing as his patience.

  “Sure. If Matt doesn’t mind.”

  Matt took Hagen’s hand as he stood. “I think it’s a fine idea. We can grab dinner at Mac’s and eat while we test it out. What do you say, buddy? A celebratory dinner.”

  “Yay!” Hagen cheered. “I’m starved.”

  Forty minutes later, Hagen had scarfed down a hot dog from Mac’s Seafood and was guiding the robot along the pavement at the Wellfleet Pier. Matt and Mira trailed a few steps behind, eating lobster rolls while they talked. The sun was just beginning to set, threading ribbons of pink across the horizon.

  “Thank you for taking so much time with Hagen today.”

  Matt finished his last bite and tossed his paper plate in the trash. His hand came to rest on her lower back, warm and possessive. It was funny how much she missed his touch after just a few hours.

  “He’s a great kid. I don’t know many six-year-old
s, but I can’t imagine most would sit still for that long.”

  “He’s got a long attention span when he’s interested. When he’s not, it’s a whole different story. But I feel guilty taking up your whole day. Don’t you need to be writing?”

  “I got up at five and wrote for several hours before coming over. I’m still in the research stage, so my writing is more planning, outlining, taking notes. At some point I’ll probably have to head into Boston to visit the library there. The Cape libraries aren’t quite as well stocked.”

  “The Boston library? That’s on our list.” Mira watched Hagen maneuver the robot around a young couple.

  “Your list?”

  “Mm-hm. Hagen loves libraries. We’ve never taken a real vacation. Mostly because of where we live.” She gazed out at the sailboats in the distance, inhaled the salty bay air. “Sandy beaches, gorgeous sunsets. Hagen can run along the pier, go fishing, boating, swimming, or play inland. I’ve never felt like he was missing out on much. But he turned six in December, and I promised myself I’d do more to expand his horizons. I don’t want him to grow up having never been off the Cape. So we made a list of four libraries we want to visit along the East Coast, and we’re going to take a week and visit each of them. It’s not Disney World, but it’s something we’ll both enjoy. That’s why I took on the consulting work in the evenings. That money goes directly into an account for our trip.”

  “That sounds like quite a trip. Will he do okay in the car for that long?”

  “He’s a wonderful traveler. I get more restless than he does.”

  Music began playing in the distance, coming from the gazebo Matt’s brother Grayson built for the community to use for outdoor concerts across the street from Mayo Beach.

  “Mom! Matt! Watch!” Hagen maneuvered the robot and made it look like it was dancing. Its arms and legs moved up and down, and its body bent at the waist, then turned in a circle. He laughed and wiggled his butt like he was dancing, too. His hair stood on end from the breeze.

  Mira tossed her paper plate in the trash and she and Matt clapped.

  “You made one rockin’ robot, baby.”

  “May I?” Matt offered a hand to Mira. When she took it, he began dancing in stiff movements like the robot, earning hysterical laughter from Hagen, who joined in on the fun.

  “Look, Mom! We’re all dancing!”

  Matt pulled out his cell phone and snapped a few shots of her and Hagen, who hammed it up, making goofy faces.

  “I think I found my new screensaver,” Matt said with a wide smile as he fiddled with his phone. “I’m texting these and the pictures from the other night to you.”

  When they reached the end of the pier, they sat and talked while Hagen showed a group of kids his robot.

  “Can I ask you a personal question?” Matt asked.

  Her stomach fluttered nervously. “Sure.”

  Matt nodded toward Hagen. “His dad? Is he still involved in his life?”

  She’d wondered when he’d get around to asking. “No.” When she’d first had Hagen, people had asked her about Hagen’s father all the time, and she’d thought about making up a story so she wouldn’t feel weird when she answered. But after a while she realized it wasn’t her who should feel weird about it. All she’d done was trust the wrong man.

  “Do you think Hagen would mind if I held your hand?”

  He couldn’t possibly know how much his asking meant to her. “I don’t think so. Thank you for considering him.”

  “He matters most in this equation. I’ll always consider him.” He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. “Were you married to his father?”

  She shook her head. “No. He was married to another woman.”

  Matt’s smile faltered a little, and she didn’t blame him. She knew how it sounded.

  “I didn’t know he was married when we were dating, and when I found out, I broke up with him. It was right after college graduation. He lived in a neighboring town from my school, and we had been dating for a few months. I was busy with classes, so I never noticed the telltale signs of a cheater. He could only see me on certain nights, and he rarely stayed over.” She paused as the familiar ache filled her.

  She looked at Hagen, and Matt draped his arm around her shoulder. He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. His support was evident in his actions.

  “Two months later I found out I was pregnant. I told him, but he didn’t want anything to do with the baby. He signed over all parental rights in exchange for my silence. After Hagen was born, I received a check for ten thousand dollars with a note that said, ‘To tide you over until you’re on your feet again.’ I put that money in an account for Hagen’s college and never heard from him again.”

  “That must have been very hurtful.”

  “Not for me, but for Hagen. I was so angry at being lied to that by the time I found out I was pregnant, I was over him. But Hagen has asked about him, and it’s hard to lie to him.”

  Matt shifted his gaze to Hagen, his empathetic expression turning fiercely protective. “What have you told him?”

  “I’ve tried to keep it vague, but you know Hagen. When he was younger I told him that some children have mommies and daddies and some have only one parent, and I loved him twice as much as any parent could.” She laughed softly, remembering the day that no longer worked. “He bought that for a while, and then I told him the best truth I had. I said I didn’t know where his daddy was, but that I was sure he loved him very much. I know he signed over all his rights, but I have to believe that part of him thinks about the child he’s never met. I consider it a hopeful truth.”

  Matt clenched his jaw. “Do you mind if I ask what his name is?”

  Mira hadn’t said his name in so long, it felt strange bringing it up from her lungs. “Larry Manning.”

  LARRY MANNING. THE name rooted itself into Matt’s mind like a disease as they walked back down the pier at a snail’s—or robot’s—pace. He kept a protective hand around Mira and couldn’t resist putting a hand on Hagen’s shoulder as well. The thought of what Mira had experienced made him sick with anger. No woman should be put through that type of anguish, much less given the responsibility of lying to her child about it. Hagen was a smart, loving child, and he deserved a father who adored him. There was no good answer for the little boy. Nobody wanted to feel unwanted, not even by a no-good scumbag like Larry Manning. The truth had the potential to scar Hagen for life, leading to trust and intimacy issues that could impact every relationship he ever had.

  If Matt felt protective of them yesterday, he felt ten times as protective tonight.

  “Can we get ice cream?” Hagen asked.

  It took all of Matt’s reserve to bite his tongue and let Mira answer. There was nothing he wouldn’t give Hagen right now. Or maybe ever.

  Chapter Eight

  AFTER EATING ICE cream as they walked along Mayo Beach, they crossed the street and Hagen played on the playground until he tuckered himself out. It was almost nine thirty when Matt carried him from the car into Mira’s cottage, fast asleep.

  “You can lay him on his bed and I’ll change him into his pajamas.” Mira turned on a night-light by Hagen’s door. It was quiet, save for the sounds of the bay seeping in through the open windows.

  Matt gently laid him on the bed, brushed a kiss to his forehead, and whispered, “Good night, little buddy.” He turned to Mira and asked, “Would you like help getting him changed?”

  “No, thanks. I’m okay. I’m used to this, and he’s a really sound sleeper. There’s a bottle of wine in the cabinet above the fridge if you want to pour us each a glass.”

  He was so loving toward both of them, it seemed natural, like they’d been part of each other’s lives in a much deeper way than just friends since last summer. But Mira was getting way ahead of herself. It was hard not to with a man like Matt. He made it easy to want more.

  She found him standing at the French doors, gazing out at the water. He looked
impossibly handsome in jeans that hugged him in all the best places and a short-sleeved button-down shirt. His thick hair always looked finger-combed, brushed away from his face. His looks were striking in a natural way, like model David Gandy. She’d bet hundreds of coeds had crushes on him.

  “Hey, sunshine.” He smiled and reached for her, his eyes distractingly seductive as he gathered her against him. “Is Hagen okay?”

  “Fast asleep. Once he’s out, he sleeps like a log.”

  One hand slid up her back, the other pressed against the base of her spine, keeping her close. “Does that mean I can kiss his mommy now?” He kissed her neck. “You need to tell me the rules.”

  “Rules,” she said absently, enjoying his warm breath tickling her skin and the feel of his soft lips as he kissed a path up her neck.

  His hand slid beneath her hair, cradling her head as he brushed his lips over hers in a whisper of a kiss. Her body tingled with anticipation. He gazed into her eyes, his hard, tempting body flush with hers. She melted beneath the heat searing through their clothes, and when his mouth came down over hers, she abandoned all thought, surrendering to the need that had been mounting all day. His lips were soft, despite the urgency of their kiss. She moaned, and he made a deep, guttural noise that weakened her knees. She stumbled backward with the force of their kiss, clawing at his arms, her entire body arching against his in an effort to get closer. Her back met the wall, and she threaded her fingers in his thick hair, clinging to him as they ate at each other’s mouths wildly, though quietly, rocking and grinding with maddening precision. Then his hands were sliding up the back of her shorts—Oh wow that feels good—lifting her up, guiding her legs around his waist and using the wall for support. He took the kiss deeper, sending spirals of ecstasy winding through her.

  His mouth left hers and her head tipped back, eyes closed. She drew in a lungful of air, trying to get oxygen to her brain, but he was kissing and licking her neck in the most exquisitely enticing long, slow strokes.