by Marie Force
“I agree,” Big Mac said. “Our home is your home for as long as you want to stay.”
“Thank you.” Mallory swallowed hard, determined not to break down in front of them. They would never know what it meant to her to have them on her side now that her mom was gone. She’d felt so alone in the world until she came to Gansett and found Big Mac and his brood. Now a big, boisterous family surrounded her, and they would get her through this latest challenge.
Chapter 2
Mallory walked into the nondenominational church and took the stairs to the basement, where the AA website had said the meeting would be held. This was her first meeting on the island, but she immediately recognized the fellowship she’d found elsewhere in the encouraging signs on the wall, the circle of chairs and the table full of refreshments.
One man approached her and introduced himself as Andy. After so many years working in the ER, she was pretty good at guessing people’s ages, and she put him at mid-sixties.
“Hi, Andy, I’m Mallory.”
“Nice to meet you. Is this your first time with this group?”
“It is.”
“A nice bunch.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Are you a year-rounder? Don’t think I’ve seen you in town.”
“My father is. I’ve been visiting him.”
“Ah, I see. We don’t get many tourists this time of year. Another couple months, and it’ll be crazy.”
“I was here last summer and saw that for myself.”
“I like to enjoy the quiet while it lasts. What do you do for work?”
“I’m a nurse. You?”
“Retired engineer. My missus and I always said we were going to move out here when we retired, and we did it two years ago.”
“Any regrets?”
“Not a one. Wish the grandkids were a little closer, but we see plenty of them. Their folks like to visit.”
Others wandered in and joined their conversation, and Mallory was immediately at ease with these people. That was the beauty of AA. No matter where you went in the world, you could always find your tribe at meetings. In her time away, she’d forgotten how comforting the fellowship could be.
The facilitator, Nina, came in a few minutes before the start time, apologizing for running late.
“When are you not running late, Nina?” Andy asked in a teasing tone.
“I know, I know,” she said with a good-natured grin that put Mallory immediately at ease.
“She runs the Summer House hotel,” Andy told Mallory. “She’s always crazy busy.”
Mallory remembered what it was like to be crazy busy. Now she was trying to get used to a slower pace and the lack of a schedule.
Nina asked everyone to take seats, and Mallory ended up sitting next to Andy with her back to the door. They were reciting the Serenity Prayer when she saw Mason Johns come in and take a seat across the circle from her.
Interesting.
Each meeting was similar, but every group had its own quirks. This one did a round of introductions before they began.
“Hi, I’m Mallory. I live in Providence, but I’m here visiting. I’d been sober for more than ten years until a few slipups recently. Thank you for letting me be part of your group.”
“Welcome, Mallory,” the others said.
The thing she’d always loved best about the meetings was the lack of judgment. Everyone here was wrestling his or her own demons. They offered the kind of unconditional support that put lives back on track. They’d done it once for her, and she’d paid it forward for many others over the years.
Her life wasn’t off track, per se, not like it had been when she first came to AA. But she was unnerved by how easily she’d fallen back into casually drinking, as if she hadn’t waged war and won a hard-fought battle.
“I’m Mason. I’ve been sober twelve years.” As he said the words, he looked at her across the circle.
Mallory wasn’t concerned about him telling anyone he’d seen her there. The word anonymous was in the name for a reason, but it was odd to see someone she knew, even if she’d only met him that morning, in a place where she knew so few people other than those she was related to and their friends.
Not that she cared about her family knowing about her alcoholism, but she’d like to be the one to tell them when the time was right.
During the next hour, several people shared their stories. One woman talked about her husband leaving her because he couldn’t handle her drinking anymore. Her pain was so palpable, it brought tears to Mallory’s eyes. A young man told of nearly losing a close friend in an alcohol-fueled prank gone wrong and how it had sobered him up to the realities of his addiction.
Each of them had been through hell before seeking out the help they’d found at the meetings, and Mallory was no different. Her hell had been years ago, and her mistake had been thinking she’d succeeded in putting it far enough behind her that she could occasionally indulge again. She knew better, and she’d learned that in times of stress she needed to be extra vigilant about her sobriety.
The meeting ended, and when she stood and turned to leave, she was surprised to see Quinn James sitting behind her. He nodded to her as she went by.
Very interesting.
“Hey, Mallory,” Mason called to her.
She stopped to wait for him.
“You want to grab a coffee?”
“Sure, that’d be nice.”
As they walked to the South Harbor Diner, the chill of the March air off the water had Mallory zipping her jacket all the way up to cover her neck. Even at five-foot-nine inches, she was dwarfed by the strapping fire chief, who had to be at least six and a half feet tall. With broad shoulders and light brown hair, he was handsome in a rugged, muscular way.
“I’m ready for spring any time now,” Mason said.
“Me, too.”
He held the door for her at the diner and followed her inside to a booth that overlooked the ferry landing. A waitress brought them coffee and menus.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“I might have an English muffin.”
When the waitress returned, she ordered her English muffin, and he got a corn muffin.
“That seemed like a nice group at the meeting,” she said as she stirred cream into her coffee.
“It is. I’ve been part of that meeting for years, and they’re all good people. Like everything around here, attendance swells in the summer.”
“I’m sure the alcohol-related incidents do, too.”
He rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”
“So do you like the summer or dread it?”
“A little of both. I love the warmer weather, but I’m not so fond of the shenanigans that go on around here in the summer. At least once or twice a week, we have to Life Flight someone with alcohol poisoning off the island. It gets old after a while.”
“I’m sure it does, especially when you know where they’re probably headed.”
“Exactly. That’s how it started for me. Binge drinking in college that I didn’t grow out of once I graduated. Then I wanted to stop and couldn’t seem to do it on my own. Thankfully, I got help before it ruined my life.”
“Same here. I suffered a painful loss when I was twenty-six and found solace in vodka. Turns out the vodka made it worse, not better.”
He nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks. It was a long time ago.” Some days it still feels like yesterday. “I was ten years sober when I lost my mom. She left me a letter that finally told me who my father is, and when I came out here to find him, that’s when I slipped up and had some wine and beer to be social. When I thought about it after the fact, it terrified me and brought me back to meetings for the first time in years.”
“You’re in the right place to get back on track.”
“The crazy part was I didn’t even give it a thought before I did it.”
“Stress does funny things to people. I
imagine it was a big deal to meet your dad for the first time, not to mention the rest of the family.”
She liked how he didn’t pretend not to know who her father was. The whole island probably knew their story by now. “It was so overwhelming, but wonderful, too. I’d wondered about him my whole life, and to get someone like him… Well, lucky doesn’t begin to describe how I feel.”
“You definitely hit the jackpot with him and the entire family.”
She gave him a warm smile. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“So you’re here for a visit?”
Was it her imagination, or was he fishing for info? “An extended visit. I was laid off ten days ago after twelve years on the job.”
“Ouch,” he said, wincing. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
“It was a bummer, but I’m trying to see the positives. It’s a chance to try something new and shake things up a bit.”
“I couldn’t help but notice this morning that you seem to have medical skills.”
“I was the director of emergency nursing at the hospital where I worked in Providence.”
“Wow, that’s impressive. You wouldn’t be interested… Nah, that’s ridiculous. You could do much better.”
“You have to finish that thought. I’ll die of curiosity if you don’t.”
Smiling, he said, “We’re hiring people to work the rig this summer. Technically, we’d like our EMTs to be paramedics, but your training far exceeds paramedic level.”
“I’m actually a certified paramedic as part of a program I instituted for my nurses to make them more aware of what goes on in the field before the patients reach us.”
“Am I drooling?” He stuck out his chin dramatically. “Tell me the truth.”
Mallory laughed at the silly expression on his handsome face. “No sign of drool.”
“Maybe so, but I am drooling. Figuratively speaking.”
“Of course,” she said, laughing.
“Would you have any interest at all in spending the summer making very little money while treating drunks and disorderlies, accident victims and sick tourists?”
“Why, Chief Johns, you make it sound so appealing. How can I ever resist such an amazing offer?”
“You should probably resist it with every fiber of your being, but I’m hoping you won’t. I’m dead serious, Mallory. The job is yours if you’re looking to try something different for a few months. Unfortunately, I can only offer you a summer gig, beginning right after Memorial Day Weekend, ending Labor Day. I don’t have the budget to take you on year-round.”
“You may be surprised to hear that it sounds like just what I need to allow me to be here for the summer with my family while I figure out what’s next.”
His brown eyes lit up with pleasure. “Really? You mean it?”
“Sure, why not?” Mallory’s mind raced with details she’d need to see to, loose ends to tie up, such as figuring out what to do with her house in Providence and finding a place to live on the island. But she had a couple of months to deal with all that before Memorial Day.
“You have no idea how totally you’ve made my day.”
“Likewise. My summer just got much more interesting.”
“We’ll see if you’re still saying that on Labor Day.”
Mallory’s laugh got stuck in her throat when Quinn James came into the diner, nodded to her and continued to the counter, where he purchased a coffee.
“What’s his deal?” Mallory asked Mason, who turned to see who she meant.
“Not sure. He hasn’t been here long. His brother, Jared, and his wife, Lizzie, hired Quinn to run the new healthcare facility they’re opening in the former school.”
“He said he’s a trauma surgeon.”
“I heard he was in Afghanistan, but I don’t know anything else about him.”
“Well, we know one thing,” she said meaningfully.
“True. He comes to the meetings but doesn’t say anything. He never misses a day.”
“He’ll talk when he’s ready to.” She hoped she’d get to hear his story.
The door opened again to admit Mallory’s brother Mac and his best friend and brother-in-law, Joe Cantrell. Even after all these months, it still felt strange to realize she had five siblings, not to mention in-laws, nephews, a niece, uncles and cousins.
Mac’s face lit up with pleasure at the sight of her. He and Joe walked over to the table she shared with Mason.
“Move over.” That was the only warning she got before he nearly landed on her.
“Sorry about him,” Joe said when he slid in next to Mason. “We’re still working on his manners.”
“Manners are overrated,” Mac muttered.
“Work in progress,” Joe whispered loudly, making Mallory laugh. “Hope we’re not interrupting anything.”
“Now you ask.” Mallory had learned to jump into the scrum or get left behind in this crowd. “We’re just having coffee. What’re you guys up to?”
“Same thing as you,” Mac said as he perused the menu. “What’s Rebecca cooking up this morning?”
“Didn’t you already eat?” Joe asked.
“Is there a law that says a man can only have one breakfast per day?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Joe said, shaking his head. “Mason, you got any info on this so-called law?”
“I’m all for as many meals as I can get. Go for it, Mac.”
“I will, thank you,” Mac said with a smug grin for Joe.
When Rebecca came to the table, Mac and Joe both ordered coffee, and Mac added an omelet with bacon, home fries and wheat toast.
Mac sat back to enjoy his coffee. “So what’s going on with you guys?”
“So far today,” Mason said, “your sister helped to save a guy’s life, and she agreed to come work for me this summer.”
Mac stared at her. “Say what?”
Chapter 3
“Oh crap,” Mason said. “I’m sorry. Did I spill the beans?”
“No worries,” Mallory said, touched by his concern. “I haven’t gotten the chance to tell these guys that I was laid off ten days ago.”
“You were?” Mac asked, his eyes wide.
“That’s too bad,” Joe said. “I’m sorry to hear it.”
Mallory shrugged. “I’m feeling better about it than I was, especially now that I have a summer job lined up with Mason.” She smiled at him to let him know she really wasn’t upset.
“You haven’t said anything,” Mac said. “Are you okay?”
“It was sort of traumatic being escorted from the building like a criminal after twelve years there, but I’m trying to move on.”
Outrage rippled off her brother in palpable waves. “That’s how they did it?”
“They have to do it that way or run the risk of fired employees damaging systems or property on the way out, not to mention some might get violent.”
“That’s so awful,” Joe said. “I really feel for you.”
“Who can we beat up for you?” Mac asked with a small smile that told her he was teasing. But could he ever know what it meant to her to have a brother who wanted to make things right for her?
“While I appreciate the sentiment, they’re not worth it, and I’m fairly certain they’re suffering without me.”
“Good,” Mac said. “That’s the least of what they deserve.”
His food was delivered, and he dove in like he hadn’t eaten in a month. Over the last nine months, she’d loved learning little things about each of her siblings, such as Mac’s voracious appetite for food, laughs, practical jokes, his wife and children and the rest of their family. He did everything in a big way, including love, and she adored him.
Grant, who followed Mac, was more cerebral, quieter, more likely to take it all in than lead the charge the way Mac did. Not that Grant couldn’t more than keep up with Mac in the practical-joke department. He was usually subtler in his approach, however.
Adam was the family’s tech wizard. To hear the rest
of the family tell it, he could put a man on the moon with nothing more than a laptop and a smartphone. After he saved her phone from near disaster last summer when it got wet at the beach, Mallory was a believer.
Evan, who was currently on tour with country music superstar Buddy Longstreet, was the family musician. For Mallory, who had zero musical ability, Evan’s talent was beyond impressive. Not only did he have an amazing singing voice, he played guitar, piano, the banjo, the harmonica and numerous other instruments. He had a vicious ragweed allergy that made his eyes swell up for several days in the summer and fall. Those were the kinds of details she’d glommed on to as she’d gotten to know her brothers.
And then there was Janey, the ultimate little sister, and she played the part to the hilt, driving her older brothers crazy with her teasing. Until she’d told them she was pregnant again and learned how crazy they were about her. They had good reason to be concerned after nearly losing Janey the day she delivered her first child, PJ.
Nearly a year after first meeting them, Mallory was still finding out new things about her siblings, still hearing new stories about events that’d happened when they were growing up, and still absorbing each and every detail about them like a nosy voyeur who’d infiltrated their family. Fortunately, they seemed to understand her desire to know them and were equally curious about her, even if her upbringing had been far less eventful than theirs.
There it was again, the pang of anger that they’d been kept from her for so long, and as always, the anger was directed at her late mother, which made her feel like crap.
“Who can I see about a summer rental?” she asked during a lull in the conversation.
All three men answered at once. “Ned.”
“Ned Saunders? Big Mac’s friend? That Ned?”
“Yep,” Mac said with a laugh. “The one and only. Our resident hobo cab driver is actually a multimillionaire land baron. He owns a big chunk of the real estate on this island. Sold my house to me.”
“Mine, too,” Joe said.
“Wow.” The hobo cab driver description was far more fitting for Ned than land baron would ever be.
“Don’t feel bad,” Mac said. “We didn’t know that either until a few years ago when I was looking to buy a place and Dad let the cat out of the bag.”
