by Marie Force
"You're not going to forget this, are you?"
"Nope."
"And you won't have sex with me? Really?"
"Not until I'm very, very sure that I'm in love with you."
"But you're taking away one of my best weapons to make you fall in love with me!"
"I said we couldn't have sex." She pushed him onto the bed and straddled his lap. "I didn't say we couldn't do other stuff."
"What other stuff?" Intrigued, Joe ran his hands up her legs, pushing her skirt up as he went.
"Well, there's kissing," she said, pressing soft kisses to his face that made his heart race. "And touching." She massaged his shoulders and chest.
Joe closed his eyes as he realized it was possible that not having sex with her could be even more exciting than having sex. "What else?"
"Cuddling, snuggling, talking. Dating—like normal people."
"You want to date."
Her fingers danced over his skin, giving him goose bumps—among other things. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, no problem. So let me get this straight. After we've done, well, everything, you want to go back to holding hands?"
She reached for his hand and brought it to her lips, pressing a kiss to his palm. "I love to hold hands. Don't you?"
"All depends on whose hand I'm holding."
"What do you think of mine?"
He loved this coy Janey, who was having so much fun playing with him. "Your hand," he said, nibbling on her fingers, "is my most favorite."
A smile lit up her face. "Wanna make out?"
"We're really going on a sex diet?"
"Yep."
"In that case, I'd love to make out."
Joe walked Janey home the next morning and headed to the South Harbor Diner where he met Mac and Thomas for coffee just about every morning he was on the island. Joe told himself it didn't mean anything that Mac didn't show. Perhaps he'd decided to sleep in or to make it an early morning at the marina. As Joe bought coffee and a blueberry muffin, he figured if Mac was still mad with him, he'd find out soon enough.
Feeling the first sting of coffee against his abused lips brought back memories of the night before. Making out with Janey for hours had turned out to be among the most exciting and frustrating experiences of his entire life. After having all of her, it was damned hard to settle for less. She'd allowed second base but nothing more, and Joe had gone nearly out of his mind with wanting her. In fact, long after she had fallen asleep in his arms, he'd lain awake vibrating with desire and dissatisfaction.
Janey had to work most of the day, and he had to take care of the final details for Mac's bachelor party that night, not knowing if the groom-to-be was even talking to him. "Fabulous," Joe muttered to himself as he left cash on the table and got up to leave the diner. With the bachelor party tonight and the bridal shower tomorrow, Joe didn't expect to see Janey again before tomorrow night at the earliest. Another reason to be in a foul mood.
How was he supposed to make her fall in love with him when they couldn't spend much time together? Just as he had that thought, he passed the florist shop. A bright yellow arrangement caught his eye. The sunny colors reminded him of Janey as he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Ten minutes later, he had arranged for delivery of the yellow bouquet to the vet clinic and was laboring over what to write on the card.
When the phone rang, the nosy florist left him to go answer it. Joe stared at the card. What to say? He chewed on the end of the pen for another minute, until he heard the florist wrapping up her call. He wrote quickly: "Pick you up at 8 tomorrow night. Wear something sexy. Love, Joe." By the time the florist returned, he had sealed the note into the tiny envelope. "That'll do it." He figured the news would be all over the island within an hour that Joe Cantrell had sent flowers to Janey McCarthy.
"Very good, Mr. Cantrell. We'll deliver your order this afternoon."
"Thanks." Joe left the shop and whistled all the way to Mario's. He confirmed the bachelor party food order, which would be delivered to McCarthy's Marina at seven. Checking his watch, he was surprised to realize he had wasted so much time at the florist. He was captain on the eleven o'clock boat back to the mainland and returning on the two. While he was on the mainland, he had to run home to pick up a suit for tomorrow night.
Approaching the ferry landing, he smiled to himself. "She wants a date? I'll show her a date."
Chapter 19
"There has to be something you can do," Mrs. Roberts said, tears streaming down her wrinkled face as she held the limp and listless Molly to her chest. The seventeen-year-old yellow mutt kept a watchful eye on the people in the room, but raising her head took more energy than she could summon.
"I'm sorry," Doc Potter said gently, resting a hand on the elderly woman's shoulder. "I'm afraid her time has come."
Watching the scene, Janey wiped a tear from her cheek. This was Doc at his very best, and she learned something from him every day she worked for him. She couldn't begin to imagine Mrs. Roberts' pain. The idea of losing any of her pets killed her, but at least she had a big, loving family all around her. Mrs. Roberts only had Molly, and she'd resisted their suggestions over the last year that she might want to think about getting another pet so that when Molly's time came, she wouldn't be all alone.
"Am I doing the wrong thing?" Mrs. Roberts asked between sobs. "Letting nature take its course?"
"She doesn't seem to be in any pain," Doc said.
"What do you think, Janey?" Mrs. Roberts asked.
"I think Molly wants to stay with you as long as she possibly can, but she hopes you'll know when it's time to help her along."
Doc nodded with approval. "That's right."
"Okay, then," Mrs. Roberts said. "That's what I'll do."
"Just keep her comfortable and try to get some liquids into her." Doc helped the elderly woman up and escorted her to the door. He scratched Molly's ears and kissed her sweet face. "I can come to the house if need be. You have all my numbers, right?"
"Yes. Thank you both so much. I wouldn't be able to get through this without you."
"That's what we're here for," Janey said, feeling bruised and battered by Mrs. Roberts' terrible grief.
"It's so sad," said Lisa, the receptionist, after the door closed behind Mrs. Roberts.
"I can't stand it," Janey said. "Seventeen years!"
"Molly doesn't want to leave her," Doc said. To Janey, he added, "You said just the right thing in there. Well done."
"My heart was breaking the whole time."
"Mine, too," he said with a frown. His bushy white eyebrows and mustache drooped with sorrow. He took these things hard. They all did. "I hope Molly goes on her own so we don't have to put her down. I don't want to have to do that."
"I hope so, too," Janey said. "Just the thought of that makes me ill."
"Something came for you when you were in with Mrs. Roberts, Janey," Lisa said, smiling. "I put it on your desk."
"Thanks." She wandered back to her office and gasped when she saw the huge bouquet of yellow flowers. Even before she found the card in the midst of all the bright blooms, she had broken into a smile. Joe. Tearing the envelope, she read the brief message over and over, her heart fluttering with anticipation. How would she stand to wait until tomorrow night to see him again? If he was out to make her fall in love with him, he was off to a great start. She couldn't remember the last time she'd received flowers.
"Oh, hey, nice flowers," Doc said from the hallway.
Janey leaned in to take a deep breath of fragrant lily. She loved picturing Joe going to the florist to buy flowers for her, even if it meant the whole island would know about them by sunset. "Aren't they?"
"From David?"
Janey held the card against her chest. "Nope." Doc had always been more like a beloved grandfather than a boss, and he loved to tease her about anything and everything.
"Well, who else would it be?"
Janey was surprised that news of their breakup hadn
't reached him yet. "David and I broke up last week."
"Oh. Well. Mac said you had a situation, but I didn't imagine… Wow."
"It's okay, Doc. It was for the best."
"You're handling this quite admirably. Had to be a big disappointment."
"It was, but I've come to realize it was over a long time ago. We just chose not to see it."
"I'm glad you're okay."
"Thanks for all the time off. It really helped."
"Pshaw," he said. "It's been quiet this week with the holiday and all. Besides, you hardly ever take time off."
Janey tucked the card from Joe into the pocket of her lab coat. "Do you have a minute? There's something I need to talk to you about."
"Only if you tell me who sent the flowers," he said, smiling as he came into her office and shut the door.
"You'll find out soon enough. Nothing stays a secret for long on this island." She'd been thinking about the conversation she needed to have with Doc for days, but now that the moment was upon her, she was struck with nerves.
"Is something wrong? Besides the thing with David?"
"Everything's fine. It's just that I've been, um, thinking…"
"About?"
"Vet school."
His eyes widened. "You don't say! That's wonderful news. I've been saying for years it was a travesty you didn't go after college."
"I know," she said. "I should have. I see that now."
"Have you applied?"
"I let Ohio State know I'm interested in taking them up on their six-year-old offer. I haven't heard back yet."
"What can I do?"
"Write me a new recommendation?"
"Done."
"Thank you so much," she said, relieved.
"You know I've been thinking about retiring," he said tentatively. "But if I thought you'd be ready to go in a couple of years, I'd be willing to wait."
"Wait? For me?"
"I'd love nothing more than to turn this practice over to you, Janey."
She sat back in her chair, flabbergasted. "Wow."
"You're a natural. You'll sail through vet school because of what you already know."
"Thanks to you."
"And you. You took advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow. I'll write you the most bang-up recommendation letter they've ever gotten." Full of fire, he got up to leave. "We'll get you in. Don't worry. Probably be next year, though."
"I know," Janey said. That was a long way off. "You're the best for being so willing to help."
Doc flashed an impish grin. "Won't hurt that I'm also a generous alum," he said on his way out the door.
He was the reason she'd chosen Ohio State in the first place. She'd worked at the clinic all during high school, first as an unpaid helper and later as the Saturday receptionist. Hearing his stories about the school and the program had made her want to go there, too.
As she gazed at the flowers Joe had sent, she wondered how she'd manage to have the two things she wanted. Her stomach ached when she realized it might come down to a choice. In the past, she'd chosen David over her own dreams. The one thing she knew for certain was she couldn't do that anymore.
Never again would she put someone else's dreams ahead of her own.
"Penny for your thoughts."
Janey looked up to find Mac standing in the doorway. "Oh, hey. What're you doing here?"
He eyed the flowers on her desk. "Just wanted to see my sister. Is that okay with you?"
"That's all you want?"
Shutting the door behind him, he dropped into the chair. "Are those from Joe?"
"Maybe."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want to."
A flash of hurt crossed his face. "Why?"
"Gee, let's see. Could it be your propensity to overreact or maybe it's your tendency to treat me like I'm twelve?"
"Janey—"
"I'm a grown woman, Mac. I can sleep with anyone I want to, and believe it or not, it's none of your business."
"You're right."
Shocked, she stared at him. She hadn't expected such easy capitulation. "I am?"
"I hate the idea of anyone hurting you. When I first heard about what David had done, I honestly thought I could kill him."
Hearing that, Janey softened. "You're the best big brother any girl could ever have. You know I love you as much as I love anyone. But you've got to let me live my own life, even if it means I get hurt once in a while."
"I'm trying."
Janey scowled playfully at him. "Try harder."
"So you and Joe…"
"Me and Joe." Thinking of him brought a smile to her face.
"He's had a big bad thing for you for years."
"So I've heard."
"You really didn't know?"
"Maybe deep down. But when I was with David, I never let myself go there."
"And it was really your idea to, you know…"
"Sleep together?"
He swallowed hard. "Yes."
"It was all me. He tried to tell me it was a bad idea, that I'd regret it."
"And did you? Regret it?"
"Not for one second. He's amazing and sweet and he loves me so much, Mac. I've never had anything even close to what I have with him."
"I guess that's saying something in light of how long you were with David."
"What I had with David wasn't anything like this."
"So you're in love with Joe?"
"I don't know. I'd like to be, but I'm not sure yet."
Mac glanced at the flowers. "He's not exactly being subtle, is he?"
Making a face at him, she said, "It would hurt me if this caused a rift between you and him."
"It won't," he said almost reluctantly.
"He loves you so much, and he's thrilled to have you living back here again. I couldn't bear to come between the two of you. That would hurt me more than anything."
"I needed to hear you say he didn't take advantage of you when you were down."
She got up and went around the desk. "He didn't. And you already knew that because you know him."
Mac stood and reached for her. He hugged her for a long time and then kissed her forehead. "Love you, brat. I just want you to be happy."
"I'm working on that."
"Let me know what I can do to help."
"Stop being such a buttinsky and forgive Joe."
"I will."
"And Maddie."
"Already did."
"Good. I adore her. She's absolutely perfect for you."
He smiled. "I agree. Do something for me?"
"Sure."
"If I promise to not overreact and overwhelm, will you not keep me in the dark? I like knowing what's going on with you."
She went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I'm making some plans and decisions. As soon as I know more, I'll tell you all about it."
"I'll look forward to that." He checked his watch. "I'd better go. The boys are coming in on the one o'clock boat."
"I can't wait to see them," she said of their three other brothers. "This will be a fun week, and at the end of it, you'll be married. Hard to believe, huh?"
"Not anymore. I can't imagine my life without Maddie and Thomas."
"I hope someday I'll be that certain."
"Take your time, brat. Getting it right is well worth the wait."
"So I've discovered."
He hugged her tight against him. "I'm here if you need me."
Janey's eyes burned with tears as she clung to him. "I know." She pulled back and looked up at him. "Have fun tonight."
"Oh, I plan to," he said with a wicked grin. "My last hurrah."
"Hearts are breaking up and down the East Coast."
Mac laughed. "Sure they are." He left her with a wave.
Janey watched him go, knowing that even after he was married, he'd still be there for her. In the midst of chaos and upheaval, there were some things she could count on to stay the same. Her big brother wa
s definitely one of them.
Chapter 20
Janey left the vet clinic and decided to take care of something that had been on her mind all day. Steeling herself for a fight, she walked over to Maddie's former apartment, above her sister Tiffany's dance studio. Janey knocked on the door and waited. And then waited some more. After several minutes, the door cracked open, and Francine scowled when she saw Janey.
"What do you want?"
"I'd like to talk to you, if you can spare a minute."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"You've never even met me. How can you dislike me so intensely?"
"You're one of them."
"If you're referring to my parents, I believe you'll recall that my mother gave you ample opportunity to make restitution before she ever reported you. And she wasn't the first to report you."
"She took the most pleasure in it," Francine grumbled.
"You don't know that. You don't know anything about her. Or me. Or my brother. You haven't given any of us a chance, yet you've decided we're no good."
"I know what I see—and what I hear."
"And what's that?"
"Your mother hasn't exactly been good to my girl over there at that fancy hotel of hers."
"And she has apologized for that. After she learned the truth about Maddie—"
"What truth? What're you talking about?"
"When Maddie told Mac about what my brother Evan and his friends said about Maddie in high school, Mac made them all write letters of apology to the Gansett Gazette."
Agog, Francine stared at her.
"Maddie was furious at first because he hadn't yet told her about the letters. But they totally changed her life on the island. No one thinks poorly of her anymore, Mrs. Chester. My brother did that for her."
"Well, your other brother caused the whole thing."
"No, he didn't. Darren Tuttle did, but Mac took care of him, too. Evan just went along with it because he was too stupid not to. His apology letter was the most heartfelt of the group. He said he'd always regretted what they'd done to her, and he welcomed the chance to apologize."
"I don't know what you want from me—"
