Whispers at Seaside

by Addison Cole

  “You must. You raised five stubborn children.”

  They joked about what it was like when Matt and his siblings were growing up, and they reminisced about his mother, easing some of the deep-seated pain of her absence. When dinner was ready, they ate out on the patio, and Matt eased into a conversation about the hardware store.

  “How are things at the store, Pop?”

  His father waved a dismissive hand. “No sense in getting all wrapped up in that.”

  “I don’t want to get all wrapped up in anything.” Besides Mira. “I’m just wondering how business is going.”

  His father pushed to his feet and carried his plate into the kitchen. Matt gathered the other dishes and followed him in. He wasn’t about to let him get off that easy.

  “Come on, Dad. Please talk to me.”

  With a heavy sigh, his father turned to face him, his features lined with regret. “You only call me Dad when you are being serious. Let’s not get serious, Matt. The business isn’t going to stay in the family, so what’s the use of pouring my energy into it? I want to retire in a year or two. Heck, I’d like to retire now, spend more time with Bea and you guys. But I’ve got to keep the business going long enough to get Mira through her CPA exam.”

  Hearing his father refer to Mira as if she were his daughter should have surprised him, but it didn’t. He’d seen the picture of Hagen above his father’s desk at the store. No one besides family had ever been pinned to that wall. That was more telling than any words could ever be. But he was surprised that his father knew about Mira’s plans to take the CPA exam.

  “You know about that?”

  “Of course I know about that. She’s too smart not to try to do better for herself. The way I figure it, when she passes the exam, she’ll get another job, and I’ll close up shop. Pretty simple.”

  There was nothing simple about his father closing the business he’d worked his whole life to create. “You worked hard to make Lacroux Hardware mean something to this community, and to our family. Even if none of us want to spend eight hours a day there, that doesn’t mean we want to see it fail. Is that what you want? To close the business as if it never existed?”

  His father shook his head and shrugged. “Matty, I built the business to leave something to my children. You know that. And it’s not surprising that you all went out in the world and found your own paths. That’s what your mother and I wanted for you. It’s what we encouraged each of you to do. The store is an outdated dream. A dream that had legs and gave us a comfortable life. But time has passed, and its legs aren’t what they used to be. It served its purpose, and it’s not going to stay in the family, so it’s time to think about letting it go.”

  Matt didn’t know if it was because of Mira or his father, or because he was in a nostalgic frame of mind and thinking about a future with both, but when the words “What if I’m not ready to?” left his lips, he didn’t try to fight them.

  “Then I’d say that makes no sense. You’ve got a career at Princeton and a big book deal, promises of a lecture circuit. What would you want with the business?”

  “I’m not sure I’d disagree with you, Pop, but would you be opposed to me and Mira taking steps to see if there’s a way to make the business more competitive? You never know. Maybe it will stay in the family after all.”

  His father crossed his arms, a Lacroux habit when confronted with a situation they didn’t want to deal with. He lowered his chin, and Matt knew he was weighing his answer.

  “It won’t cost you a penny,” Matt assured him. “Let us do a little research, talk to a few people, and see if there are any viable solutions.”

  “She’s talking about new computers and an accounting system, Matt.” He lifted his hand and rubbed his finger and thumb together, indicating a pricey endeavor.

  “Talking and buying are two different things.” Matt moved to the sink and began washing the dishes. “She’s thinking of a co-op, where you and other small-business owners work together and form a business so—”

  “Form a business? Why would I want another business when the one I have is already in trouble?” He grabbed a dish towel and began drying the dishes.

  “Because there are plenty of small businesses just like yours out there. Mira has a list of a dozen other family-owned hardware stores already, and they’re probably struggling just like yours is. In order to compete, you have to be creative. Working together, you can all reap the benefits of bulk buying and passing on larger discounts to your customers.”

  His father set the plate he was drying down and shook his head. “Running another business to save this one? I don’t know, Matt. I’m getting closer to retirement every day. I don’t have the energy to run another business.”

  “No, but Mira does.” He paused, letting the idea sink in.

  It might not be fair, throwing Mira into the mix, but the more Matt thought about it, the more he didn’t want his father’s business to perish. He was proud of what his father had built, and always had been, even if his aspirations had led him in a different direction. But now that he was back on the Cape, he couldn’t imagine walking through Orleans and not seeing his father’s store. Matt had seen fierce determination in Mira’s eyes, had heard excitement in her voice as she’d outlined her business plan for the co-op. Technically, Mira wasn’t family, but it was clear how much she adored his father and liked working at the store—He’s like a surrogate grandfather, and selfishly, I don’t want Hagen to lose that connection.

  “Mira is invested in the business and the community. She’s like family. I know you feel that way. Why hold on to the business just to let it—and her—go? Why not let us try to save it? To build it into something more, something she can dig her fingers into and make you proud of?” He paused again, allowing his father time to think about the scenario he’d just laid out. “If you won’t consider it for yourself, consider it for her.”

  His father wiped his hands on the towel. He leaned his palms on the counter and his chin fell to his chest. “Mira,” he whispered.

  “You’re here for only a few months, Matt. If you break her heart, she might leave the business anyway.”

  And if I don’t, your dream of keeping it in the family just might come true.

  Chapter Eleven

  WEDNESDAY EVENING MATT picked up Mira and Hagen to go shopping for camping supplies, looking dangerously handsome in a short-sleeved white linen button-down and khaki shorts.

  “Matt!” Hagen ran to the door, and Matt crouched to hug him, melting a little more of Mira’s heart.

  “How’s it going, big guy?”

  “Good! I brought my robot to camp and my friends loved it. My teacher said I’m going to make a great scientist one day.”

  “You’ll be great at whatever you want to be when you grow up.” He pulled a Princeton baseball cap from behind his back and put it on Hagen’s head. “To keep ticks out of your hair while you’re camping.”

  Hagen beamed at Mira. “Look, Mom!”

  “That’s a pretty sharp-looking hat.”

  “Hello there, gorgeous.” He leaned in for a kiss on the cheek, and his masculine scent consumed her. “I’d have brought you one, but I thought you’d rather have this.” He handed her a small envelope and held a finger up to his lips, then glanced at Hagen, who was going up on his toes to look at his new hat in the hallway mirror.

  “What have you done?” She opened the envelope and read the handwritten note. Sunshine, I would be honored if you’d join me on Nantucket for a weekend of pampering and relaxation. I promise to bring you home sexually sated (if you’d like) and rejuvenated for another week of mommying. Yours, M.

  Her hand covered her heart. She opened her mouth to thank him, but all that came out was, “Matt…?”

  “Too presumptive?” He wrapped a hand around her waist and whispered, “We don’t have to fool around. I just want to be with you.”

  She shook her head and pressed her lips together in an effort to calm her rampant
emotions. “It’s not that. It’s just so romantic. Nantucket? I’ve never been there.”

  “I’m ready to go!” Hagen dashed out the front door with his robot under his arm.

  “On our way,” Matt called after him, then he gazed into Mira’s eyes and said, “We’ll leave Friday after you finish working. You deserve romance, and I want to be the man who gives it to you.”

  “I want that, too.” It was a small admission, but it felt enormous, because she meant it in every possible way.

  Mira’s head was in the clouds the whole way down to Hyannis, where they enjoyed dinner at a waterfront restaurant. Hagen, refusing to take off his special hat, fed the seabirds pieces of bread, while Matt and Mira took pictures and snuck kisses. Mira made a mental list of what she needed for the weekend—sexy lingerie, condoms. Ohmygosh. Condoms. She pondered the Nair hidden in her bathroom. Matt didn’t seem to care about what he’d felt down there the other night, but they’d been so hot and bothered, maybe he just hadn’t noticed.

  “I talked to my father, and I think it’s safe to start working on the co-op,” Matt said quietly.

  She was glad he inherently understood that some topics weren’t meant for Hagen’s ears. She had a much harder time keeping her excitement over the prospect of the co-op contained. “He agreed?”

  Matt wiggled his hand, indicating not so much. “But he’s getting there. He won’t fight us on it. I think we can move forward.”

  “Really?” She felt her eyes widen. “Matt, this is huge,” she said in a hushed whisper. “But I’d like to talk to him about it, just to be sure. I would hate for him to think I was doing anything without his approval.”

  “Absolutely.”

  On the way to the mall, Mira began making another mental list—for the co-op. Could this day get any better?

  They held hands walking into the mall, and when Hagen noticed, he moved around Mira to Matt’s other side and took his hand. “You’re Mom’s boyfriend,” he said matter-of-factly.

  Oh yeah, the day just got miles better.

  Matt glanced at Mira, and she knew he was looking for approval to confirm Hagen’s comment. “We had a talk about us.” She leaned closer and whispered, “I hope that’s okay.”

  Matt draped an arm over her shoulder and kissed her temple. “Anything you do is okay.” He smiled down at Hagen. “How do you feel about that, little man?”

  Hagen shrugged. “Good. But I wish you weren’t going back to New Jersey.”

  Matt bristled. Mira had wrestled with telling Hagen the truth about Matt being in town temporarily. When she weighed the pros and cons, she felt it was better to prepare Hagen for Matt’s return to New Jersey than to let him build false hope. When he’d pushed about whether that would mean Matt would no longer be her boyfriend, she’d finally alluded to a long-distance relationship. She’d waited, dreamed, hoped, and fantasized about being with Matt for too long to even allow herself to consider anything less.

  “I’m not sure if I’m going back or not, but I’m glad you feel good about me and your mom,” Matt finally said. “Because I enjoy spending time with both of you.”

  “But you aren’t my boyfriend,” Hagen said. “You’re my friend.”

  “Right.” He arched a brow at Mira.

  “He wanted roles, so I gave them to him.”

  “Friends are good,” Matt said, then quieter and for her ears only, “for now.”

  She tried to pretend her mind wasn’t racing with that open-ended comment as they shopped in the outdoors store. Matt filled a basket with a first aid kit, bug spray, a battery-operated lantern, a utility tool that had no knife but a fork and spoon that folded up to fit in Hagen’s palm, and a compass.

  “All right, little man. Time to find the sleeping bags.” He took Hagen’s hand, and Mira touched his arm.

  “Drake has sleeping bags, and I’m sure he has all the other stuff, too. I usually just send him with a new pair of pajamas and a few little toys or books to keep him busy.”

  Matt’s brows knitted. “Every boy needs his own camping gear. Would you mind if I bought him a sleeping bag? I don’t want to step on your toes.”

  Hagen blinked serious baby blues at Matt and tugged on his hand. “Tell her it’s guy stuff.”

  Mira could see she was outnumbered, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Flattered, for sure, but she didn’t want Matt to think he needed to spoil Hagen. She also didn’t want Hagen, who wasn’t a needy child, to think he had to have new things for every outing. One look at her son and boyfriend’s hopeful expressions and she relented.

  “Okay, but this doesn’t mean every time you have an outing you need this much new stuff.”

  “I know,” Matt and Hagen said in unison, which made her laugh.

  They arrived back at her cottage later that evening with new pajamas, a sleeping bag, and a host of camping paraphernalia that Mira’s man and boy considered essentials. Matt and Hagen spent the next hour meticulously going through each item, removing tags, discussing proper usage, and then packing the lot into Hagen’s camping backpack.

  When they tucked Hagen into bed, he insisted he wear his hat, but Matt convinced him to hang it on the bedpost so it didn’t become misshapen. His robot sat in the middle of his desk, next to his book about building robots. Mira was glad Matt had given them extra batteries, because he’d been playing with it every free minute and had already gone through the first set.

  She stood in the doorway listening as the two of them discussed the raft-building information Hagen had learned from studying the website. Matt listened intently and complimented him on his research skills. Research, that was exactly what her son loved. She hadn’t been able to pinpoint it until now.

  “How would you feel about Mr. Lacroux helping us build the raft?”

  “Mr. Neil?” Hagen asked. “I’d like that.”

  Matt ruffled his hair. “Yeah, Mr. Neil.”

  Hagen threw his arms around Matt’s neck. “It’s going to be the greatest raft ever.” He settled back onto his pillow, and Matt smoothed the covers. “Matt?”

  “Yeah, buddy?”

  “Do you think I’m a nerd?”

  Mira stepped into the room with her heart in her throat. Hagen had been teased in the past about being a nerd, but she hadn’t heard anything like that since he started attending camp.

  Matt eyed Mira, who shrugged one shoulder and narrowed her eyes, indicating she didn’t know where this was heading, but please tread carefully.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “No reason.” Hagen grabbed his teddy bear from the side of the bed and hugged it.

  “Hagen, honey, is someone at camp teasing you?” Mira asked.

  “No,” he said on the tail of a yawn.

  “Do you think you’re a nerd?” Matt asked.

  Hagen shrugged and turned on his side, obviously done with this conversation. Matt leaned down and whispered something in Hagen’s ear, and Hagen hugged him again.

  Matt squeezed her hand on the way out of the bedroom. Mira said good night to Hagen, hoping and praying he wasn’t being teased again and wondering what Matt had said to earn that extra hug.

  “I love you, sweet boy.” She pulled the door partially closed on her way out of his bedroom and struggled to retract her mommy claws.

  MATT PACED THE deck thinking about Hagen and rubbing the tension from the back of his neck. Mira joined him a few minutes later with worry swimming in her eyes. He gathered her in his arms and swallowed his frustration, knowing it would only further upset her.

  “Are you okay?” He brushed her hair from her shoulder and kissed her softly.

  “I wish I could say yes, but he’s been teased before, and I thought we’d moved past it. I’ll talk to the camp counselor tomorrow and see if she’s noticed anything.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  She drew back, surprise replacing her worry. “You don’t have to do that, Matt. It’s kid stuff.”

  “It’s Hagen stuff, and I don�
�t mind. I want to be there.”

  He lowered himself down to the lounge chair, stretching out his long legs, and pulled her down beside him. She snuggled in, her fingers playing lightly over his chest. They lay like that for a long while, listening to the waves lapping at the shore and feeling the breeze wash over their skin.

  Sometime later, after the initial shock of worry over Hagen’s question subsided and Matt felt Mira’s body relax against him, he gently rolled her onto her back and gazed down at her beautiful, troubled face.

  “Am I coming on too strong?”

  “I don’t know. I’m used to taking care of Hagen myself, and suddenly you’re ready to step up and protect him.”

  “And you,” slipped out before he could school his thoughts, but now that it was out there, he wasn’t about to deny it. “I care about you both, Mira. All these months I’ve liked you from afar. You’re the only woman I’ve thought about since last summer. The only woman I’ve wanted, and now I can finally show you and Hagen how much I care.”

  The truth only made her expression more troubled.

  “Talk to me, sunshine. What’s wrong?”

  “You talk like you’re here forever, and we both know you’re not. You’re only here for a few months, and every day that time gets shorter. I have to protect Hagen’s feelings. He’s already getting all wrapped up in you. I can’t prepare him for how he’ll feel when you leave. He’ll be devastated.”

  The truth was a bitter pill to swallow. “And you? How will you feel if I go back?”

  “I’m an adult. I don’t matter,” she said without an ounce of regret, and that made him ache, because she mattered a heck of a lot.

  “Your feelings do matter, just like mine do, and Hagen’s. We’re all important, even though Hagen takes precedence, as he should. I don’t know what will happen in three months. It’s only been a few days, but I’m learning as much about myself as I am about what it’s like to live outside of the academic world. I’d forgotten so many simple things, like how great it is to spend time with you and Hagen without worrying about leaving in the morning and not seeing you for weeks on end. And how it feels to take the time to not just eat a real breakfast, but to sit down at a table with my brother and my niece and our friends and visit. Things I let go for too long.”