by Jenna Mindel
Annie scrunched her nose. “Bikes are cheaper and easier to stop if we want to explore the shoreline. I wore my bathing suit just in case.”
Matthew chuckled. Annie had not only demanded to pay her own way, she’d come prepared. A couple of beach towels were also stuffed in her backpack.
Another thought plagued him. “Water’s going to be cold yet. Will that be okay?”
She pinched his hand and then let go. “And you’re the one telling me not to worry. I’ll be fine. I’ve been reading what I can and can’t do as the pregnancy progresses. Trust me, my doctor okayed swimming, too.”
He glanced at Annie’s feet. She wore the same brand of sporty sandals that can be worn in the water as he. A good thing considering the shore was pretty much pebbles and rocks.
The ferry put into dock with a shudder of reverse engines. The deck hands tied up and then the green light was given to exit. The dash began and Matthew followed Annie down the stairs and off the boat.
The long wooden dock leading to the main street was a fury of activity. People stood in line with their Mackinac Island trinkets and ice cream cones waiting to catch the next ferry back to the mainland. Hotel personnel loaded luggage and supplies onto horse-drawn carts.
Kids darted, parents corralled and the sun blazed overhead. He heard his name called and looked around.
“Hey, Zelinsky!” One of his wheelsmen that lived on the eastern side of the state waved and walked toward them.
He laughed. “They let you off the Block? What are you doing here?”
“Doing the tourist thing with the family. They’re supposed to meet me right here, but they’re late. What about you?”
Matthew turned toward Annie. “Jimmy, this is Annie Marshall.”
Jimmy’s eyes widened as he recognized her and offered his hand. “Mrs. Marshall. How are you? We sure miss Jack. The William Lee Block ain’t the same without him, but then this guy probably already told you that.”
Annie shook it with vigor, smiling. “Yes, thanks, and I’m okay.”
“Hanging out with this goofball, huh?” Jimmy didn’t look shocked, or even surprised.
“Umm, yeah.” She let out a nervous-sounding laugh.
Jimmy looked at him, then Annie, then back to him and smiled. “Good. Good for you. Well, there’s the family, gotta run.”
Matthew watched the guy walk away. “See? No big deal. Guys don’t care if we’re together.”
Annie’s brow furrowed. Maybe she didn’t believe him. “Some might.”
* * *
After they’d rented two bikes with complimentary water bottles, they trekked away from the hubbub of town with the plan to grab dinner and hit the shops later, after their ride. Passing by the main park filled with clumps of huge lilac bushes in bloom, Annie scanned the deep lavenders and purples of bursting flowers.
Their sweet scent teased her nose, but instead of pulling over to inhale, she kept pedaling. And fretted over Jimmy’s assumption that she and Matthew were together. She’d once heard that men could be worse gossips than women. If so, it’d be all over Jack’s freighter that they were seeing each other.
And they were. They were on Mackinac Island like any dating couple. Would the crew think less of her because of it?
She sighed.
“Hey, let’s stop here a minute.” Matthew had been riding behind her until the bike traffic had thinned but had come up alongside of her.
“So soon?” They hadn’t gone much more than a mile, but she pulled over as asked and gently laid her bike down, not trusting the kickstand off-pavement.
Matthew held out his hand. “Come on, I have an idea.”
She took it and they ambled closer to the water. This seemed an odd place for a swim. “Should I grab the towels?”
“No.” Matthew looked around and then pointed at a little outcropping of rocks. “There. That’s the spot. Come on.”
“Spot for what?”
He looked at her then. “I think we should build a rock cairn in Jack’s memory. And we should build it together.”
Annie felt her throat tighten. There were many of the little rock structures already dotting the shoreline. “Nice.”
“I think so.” He let go of her and searched the immediate area until he found a couple large and sort of flat, smooth rocks for their base.
She made a pile of various sizes and then sat down. Silently, they started placing rocks on top of each other. Larger to smaller, they stacked carefully. And with each rock, Annie felt a sense of letting go.
She glanced at Matthew.
His handsome face looked serious as he touched the rocks with reverence. He looked up and caught her watching him and gave her a shadow of a smile.
Words weren’t needed. She didn’t want to talk, anyway. She might admit to the odd notion that this was some kind of guilt offering for the growing attraction between them. And like those inadequate sacrifices noted in the Old Testament, stacking a few rocks wouldn’t make them clean.
She couldn’t shake that imaginary scarlet letter sewn into her heart even though she hadn’t done anything wrong. Not yet.
Dear Lord, please...
That seemed like the only prayer she could say lately. Closing her eyes, she asked God to delve into her heart and help her figure out that tangled mess.
When they finally finished, they sat silent on the rocky beach next to their rock monument and stared out over Lake Huron. Annie spotted a freighter in the distance. One of the big bulk freighters like the William Lee Block, the one Jack had captained. A fitting sight and oddly comforting, too.
She pointed toward it, but Matthew was already watching its slow slice through the water. “Would you look at that?”
“Heading up the St. Mary’s.” Matthew’s hair looked windblown from the ferry ride over. The sun-lightened ends of his sandy brown hair curled in crazy directions and the tanned skin of his face was rough with stubble along his jaw. He made one handsome sailor.
She stood. “Ready to go?”
“Ah, yeah.” Matthew stood, too. He used his phone to take a picture of their rock cairn.
Annie grabbed hers and did the same. “Good idea.”
He gripped her waist as they walked toward the bikes. “Watch your step.”
“I can walk.” She pushed away. “What is going on with you?”
“I don’t know.” He stopped and faced her, running his hands through his hair. “I feel responsible for you now that there’s a baby. I don’t know, but it’s like if I’m not on my game and something happens—”
He looked off toward that freighter and then blew out his breath. “I can’t let Jack down again. He’d want me to protect his kid. And you.”
Annie’s heart broke at the haunted look in his eyes. “Matthew...”
He held up his hand. “Don’t.”
She remained quiet. He was mourning, too. Trying to deal the best way he could, and part of that had to do with her. He’d said he wanted more. Well, maybe she did, too. Was that so bad?
After a few moments, she smiled. “No more somber sadness, okay? Not today. We’re here to have fun.”
He looked grim but nodded. “And fun we will have.”
“Good.” Annie reached her bike and climbed on, but took a swig from her water bottle before pedaling back onto the two-lane asphalt path.
She understood his position. His reasoning, even. They were friends because of Jack. They were probably drawn to each other because of their connection to Jack. Annie didn’t want Matthew to be a replacement for the dead husband she missed. Annie would always miss Jack. She cared for Matthew, she really did, but was she falling for him?
If she was, she wanted it to be because of who he was, not because she needed someone to fill the void. So far, Matthew had been the on
e giving so much support while she received. It was her turn to give back and that meant testing the waters of this relationship a little.
* * *
By the time they’d made it over halfway around the island, Annie was hot and sweaty. She didn’t care how cold the water was, she needed to cool down. “I’m about ready for a swim. How ’bout you?”
“Yeah.”
She spotted a freight-shipping dock where a few kids were jumping in and climbing out by ladder. The water was aquamarine blue and then deeper blue beyond. Gorgeous. “What about here?”
Matthew shook his head. “I’d rather you wade in than jump. Come on. There’s a nice beach expanse up ahead.”
Annie looked at the inviting water. There was a spot to wade in, but not much of a beach area. She shouldn’t chance jumping off that docking ledge, anyway. “Okay, you take the lead.”
Matthew rode ahead of her. It wasn’t far until he pulled over at a busy fork in the path. On the left, folks lined up at a concession stand and nearby restrooms. There was also a trail that led inland. On the right lay a huge expanse of pebbled beach with an awesome view of the Mackinac Bridge stretched over the deep blue waters of the Straits. Next to the path sat an ancient cannon perched seemingly ready for action.
British Landing.
Holding on to her bike, she read the historical marker about an amphibious landing by the British in 1812. She felt Matthew standing close beside her. He leaned forward to read the sign and his arm brushed hers, causing her stomach to flip.
“I never realized the British had come here.” Her voice sounded tight.
“Hmm. Want something else to drink? Or an ice cream?”
She glanced at the busy stand. “No way. That’s too big a line. We’ve still got water. Let’s swim first.”
He looked hesitant, as if he didn’t quite believe that swimming was a good idea for her. But then he nodded. “We can leave the bikes against that tree over there. Come on.”
She followed him.
Matthew grabbed her backpack from his basket. “Let’s walk down the beach to where it’s less crowded.”
She took his hand, knowing he offered it to keep her steady on the rocky beach more than anything else. The rocks were neither big nor craggy, making it easy enough for even little kids to run around near the shore. She was perfectly capable of making her way, but she’d let him do the protective thing. For his sake more than hers, but then she gladly held on, too.
They walked the shoreline away from the crowd when Matthew stopped. “How’s this?”
“Perfect.”
She helped spread out their towels and looked around. No one she recognized or knew in sight. Not that she expected to see anyone from town. Mackinac Island was loaded with tourists this time of year and today was no exception. Plenty of those tourists waded in the rounded bay. And no one paid them a bit of attention.
Matthew stripped off his T-shirt. “Let’s do this.”
Annie felt her eyes widen at the sight of his broad chest. Nerves and anticipation jumbled at once, making her feel like an unsure teenager on her first date. “I can walk into the water by myself. I’m not eighty, you know.”
He winked at her. “But you’re half that, right?”
She bent down for a smooth pebble and tossed it at him.
“Hey.” He laughed and ran straight into the water and dove under. He came back up with a roar of delight. “It’s cold, but feels good!”
Annie wasn’t the run-right-in kind of girl. She took her time. Slipping off her shorts, ball cap and T-shirt, she carefully waded in, shaking her hands as she went. “Brrr. It’s freezing!”
It wasn’t really. Her feet and calves got used to the cool water real quick. And it did feel great, warmed early from the hot spring they’d had.
Matthew came toward her wearing a worried look.
She shooed him back. “I’m kidding, it’s fine. I’ll be fine. It just takes me a while to get in.”
“I’m not waiting all day.” He splashed her.
“Cut it out.”
He did it again, and then ran forward and scooped her up.
She squealed, but held on. “Matthew, don’t.”
But he was already taking her toward deeper water and the warmth of his skin coaxed her to hang on.
She stared at the strong column of his throat.
He made a move to throw her and she squealed again, wrapping her arms more securely around his neck.
In a quiet voice, he said, “I got you.”
“I know.” Her breath caught when she looked into his eyes. “You can let me down now.”
Slowly, he did. Settling his hands at her waist, he said softly, “I’ll never let you down, Annie.”
Like a splash of cold water to the face, Annie frowned. “That’s a lot of pressure.”
“Maybe.”
Part of being together for the long haul was giving each other slack and not expecting perfection. If they made it that far.
Absently running her palms down his strong arms, she grabbed his hands with hers and gave him a shake. “Don’t put that on yourself, okay? Not for me.”
His eyes narrowed. “Maybe we should agree right now to worry less and trust these feelings a little more.”
She didn’t know about that. Her feelings were running rampant lately. “How about we agree to worry less. For now.”
“Deal.” He leaned toward her with an intent look on his face.
Annie wasn’t about to break their promise of friendly fun. She dove backward out of his reach, splashing as she went. “We’re here to swim, remember?”
“Agreed.” He dove forward and they swam farther out and then side by side in line with the shore.
He was a good swimmer but held back on her account. She’d never have been able to keep up had he lengthened his strokes.
“I’m going in to dry out and warm up.” Shivering, she trudged out of the water, reached her towel and lay on her back.
It wasn’t as comfortable as the sand beach in Maple Springs, but not bad. The stones were smooth and flat and warm and then there was the added bonus of no sand stuck all over. Crossing her ankles, she tipped her head up toward the sun and closed her eyes.
“Can you feel the baby move?” Matthew flopped on his stomach next to her.
She’d been absently rubbing her belly and stopped when she realized it was something she did a lot of lately. “Not yet.”
He nodded toward her middle. “You’ve got a bump there. In the last couple of weeks you’ve popped out.”
She’d noticed that, too. “It’s not going to be easy to hide it much longer.”
“Why hide it at all?”
Annie shrugged. They’d made an agreement not to worry, but she couldn’t help it. She was already letting him down. “I want to make sure everything’s okay.”
“I know.”
“Once everything checks out with the ultrasound at the doctor’s office, I’ll tell a few people, starting with Jack’s parents.”
He propped himself up on his elbows. “I want you to come with me to my parents’ place Father’s Day weekend for a cookout.”
Father’s Day was less than two weeks away. “I don’t know.”
“I’ve got to catch ship by the sixteenth, and I want you to meet my mom. I’d feel better knowing you had another person to call while I’m gone besides Jack’s mom and Ginger. What if they’re both out and you needed something?”
Annie chuckled. “That’s what cell phones are for.”
“My mom’s had ten kids. She knows stuff. I want you to go.” He was serious.
Meeting his family was a big step. What on earth would they think of her? And him? She rubbed her stomach again and felt an odd sensation of fluttering deep in
side. “Whoa...”
“What?” He sat up, alarmed.
She smiled. Not moths this time, more like bird wings slapping a window. “I felt... I don’t know. Something.”
His eyes widened and he stretched his hand toward her, then hesitated. “Can I?”
“Umm, sure, but I don’t think you’ll feel anything.” She tensed when Matthew gently touched her midsection. Heat from his palm radiated through the damp material of her top.
And then she felt it again. The flapping movement.
Her eyes filled and burned. Could her baby tell this touch wasn’t hers? Her baby didn’t know Jack was gone, but in time he’d wonder why he didn’t have a father. A child deserved a father. A boy needed a dad.
She looked at Matthew. What was she doing? Their relationship could backfire and then what?
He quickly pulled his hand back. “Can’t feel anything.”
“It’s early yet.” Annie sat up and sniffed. No way would she cry.
He looked a little shaken, too.
Scared or sick, or a little of both, she couldn’t tell but it made her laugh.
“What?”
Relieved to lighten this moment, she tossed a small pebble his way. “You look like you might pass out.”
He caught it with one hand. “I won’t. It’s that, well, this just got real.”
“Wait till you see the ultrasound pictures.”
Matthew looked really scared then.
Annie laughed again. “You don’t have to go. Seriously, Ginger already volunteered.”
“I’m going. And I’d feel a lot better once you’ve met my mom.” He sounded stern.
As he said, things were getting real, real quick. She was going to have a baby. She might not be able to do this all by herself. Would she truly be able to drive herself to the hospital when the time came?
Good advice from another woman who’d been through it many times over might be a good thing. “Okay, I’ll go to your family cookout and meet your mom.”
