House on the Beach

by Linda Barrett

  Five minutes later, Laura was being introduced to the children’s staff and learned that a story hour was offered every morning at ten o’clock.

  “We’re in the middle of one right now. Some children attend daily, some attend weekly and some only occasionally. It all depends on their moms,” said Barbara Rayvid, Head of Children’s Services. “Frankly, I wish they’d all come as often as possible. The earlier we can foster a love of books in them, the better off they’ll be.”

  Laura nodded and looked from Barbara to Lou. “Are all librarians like you guys?”

  “You mean a little nuts?” Barbara asked. She paused in thought, then winked at Lou. “Do you think she’ll call the men in white coats to take us away?”

  “She’ll understand as soon as she works with the kids.” Lou turned to Laura then. “So, when do you want to start?”

  “The sooner the better.”

  “Tomorrow morning at ten,” said Barbara, walking to the shelves of picture books. “Here are a couple of good ones if you want to look them over before you read. In fact, check them out and take them with you.”

  “I will. Thanks very much.”

  The librarian suddenly put her finger to her lips and pointed downstairs. “Listen,” she whispered. “The hoards are approaching.”

  Laura heard the faint hustle and bustle of a crowd of youngsters. Several requests for quiet. Sibilant whispers, “Shush, shush. No pushing.”

  And suddenly the second floor was filled with children, boys and girls. Among them, Brian Parker.

  Barbara turned to Laura. “Welcome to the fifth grade.”

  Laura nodded and smiled. She stepped toward the class. “Hi, Brian,” she called softly.

  The boy spun around, as did the classmate next to him.

  “Who’s the lady?” the friend whispered loudly to Brian. “She your dad’s girlfriend?”

  “What lady?” asked another boy, swiveling to see her.

  Brian’s ears turned red as he recognized Laura. He slunk to the other side of the line and turned to his friends. “Nah. She’s new to town. We hardly know her.”

  Laura was hurt by his words but held her tongue. Matt’s son was embarrassed in front of his friends because of her. Well, what did she know about little boys? Nothing! Of course, there was always the possibility that Brian just didn’t like her after all.

  Lou hadn’t heard Brian’s remark, and Laura was glad. The librarian now was explaining what the fifth-graders were up to. “They’re going to write and perform an original play set in colonial America on the eve of revolution. Every student is focusing on one historical person and they’re going to argue the pros and cons of independence. It’ll be like a court drama, except,” he chuckled, “we already know the ending.”

  “And I bet they all want to be John Adams,” said Laura, “because of the William Adams connection.”

  “You’re not far off, but their teacher has it all sorted out.”

  “So when are they putting on this spectacular event?”

  “At the end of May,” Lou replied. “Their play will be part of the school-wide Memorial Day program.”

  The end of May! Exactly when Laura would be leaving Pilgrim Cove. A sharp wave of regret struck her so unexpectedly she almost lost her breath.

  After saying quick goodbyes to everyone, she left the building.

  BRIAN LOOKED OUT the window of the school bus on the trip home that day and saw nothing except the shocked look on Laura’s face when he’d turned away from her. The way he figured it, he had two choices. One was to forget he’d ever seen Laura McCloud at the library. He kind of liked that option, but the down-side was that Laura might call his dad and tell him that Brian had been rude toward her. Very rude. And then he’d be in big trouble.

  The second choice was to tell his dad about seeing Laura before she had a chance to, and make it sound not so bad. Then if Laura called, his dad would be prepared and not think too much about the whole thing.

  Shoot! Who knew he was going to run into her in front of all his friends? He didn’t even know what to tell them. And now, of course, all his buddies wanted to find out who she was, because in Pilgrim Cove, everybody knew everything about everybody else. So, saying, “This is Laura McCloud from Boston,” wasn’t enough. The truth was, he didn’t know what to say.

  His dad liked her. But that was private stuff.

  He’d heard Matt tell Grandpa Sam that he’d stopped at Sea View House on his way home the other day to check up on Laura. He’d never, ever done that with anyone else who rented from Bart Quinn. And there had been other ladies living in the house last year and the year before.

  And there was more evidence, like the night she’d slept over during the storm, when his dad and she had slept next to each other on the floor, close like. That had to mean something.

  “C’mon, Bri. You go first.” Casey’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and Brian followed his brother off the bus, automatically glancing up and down the street as he descended the steps. Looking out for a little brother like Casey was a big job. Casey was a good kid, but Brian wished he’d grow up faster so he could take care of himself. Or at least figure out how to talk right. Older kids made fun of him in the halls when the teachers weren’t looking, and sometimes they picked on him when he got off the bus. But not today, no one was around today. One day, Brian knew he’d get into trouble defending the kid. It was only a matter of time. With the new zero-tolerance policy for fighting in his school, Brian could just feel bad luck coming his way.

  Next year would be worse. Brian clenched his teeth at the thought. In the fall, Brian would be in middle school. Who would watch out for Casey then?

  Life in the fifth grade was complicated.

  Life at home was complicated.

  Getting older was complicated. He wished he were still a kid.

  He and Casey stomped up the driveway, activated the garage door and went through the garage to the kitchen. Their grandpa was just hanging up the phone, and Brian’s stomach plopped. Laura must have called.

  But his grandpa’s eyes were twinkling. “Coach just left you a message, big boy. Extra practice today for Saturday’s game.”

  “Yes!” He raised a fisted hand in the air and ran upstairs to change clothes and get his glove. Baseball! The best game in the world. When he was standing on second base studying the player at bat, nothing else mattered. Life was great.

  AT EIGHT O’CLOCK that evening, Laura sat on a kitchen chair facing the middle of the room, as she read aloud one of the children’s stories she’d taken from the library. Normally she’d mark up a script in her own style of shorthand indicating stresses, pace, tone and any other cues she thought she needed to make the narration as effective as possible. But tonight she wrote brief notes on a separate sheet.

  The phone rang when she was halfway through the story and she sighed. The narration had been flowing and she hated to be interrupted, but she reached for the receiver.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s Matt,” came the voice on the other end, the voice that set her mouth to smiling. “I wanted to give you a heads-up. Brian and I are on our way over from his baseball practice. If it’s not too late for you.”

  “Late? At eight o’clock? I’m thirty-three, not ninety-three. I think I can handle a visit.”

  She heard his chuckle and started to laugh herself. He had the kind of timbre that pulled others along even if they didn’t know what the joke was about. He had laughter that was catchy.

  “We’ll be there in five,” said Matt.

  “That’s fine.”

  Laura heard the van pull into her driveway exactly five minutes later. Her kettle was already warming on the stove. It seemed that sharing a cup of hot tea had become a ritual for them whenever Matt stopped by.

  She heard a clattering up the back steps and she opened the kitchen door. On the porch stood one unhappy-looking boy and one serious-looking man.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?” Laura couldn�
��t keep the alarm from her voice. “You were at a baseball practice. Brian, did you get hurt?” She moved toward him. “Let me see.”

  If anything, the boy looked more miserable and confused. He took a step back.

  Laura stilled. “Well, at least come on in.”

  Matt’s arm was around his son, urging him inside, before he turned to her. “Brian’s not hurt, Laura, but he’s got something to say to you.”

  “All right.” She faced the boy. “Did you get my message from your grandpa?”

  “Huh?”

  Matt stared at her. “Please, Laura. Just let him talk.”

  She nodded, but really, the kid looked miserable.

  “Today at the library,” he began, “when I saw you…I should’ve said hello instead of…you know…saying I didn’t know you.”

  “You were embarrassed, Brian. I understand that. So I was thinking, that perhaps I should not have said hello in front of all your friends.”

  The kid started to breathe normally. “You thought that?”

  “Only afterward, unfortunately. So, I’m sorry if you had your hands full with your buddies.”

  “I didn’t know what to tell them. They all asked me who you were.” His eyes focused everywhere but on her.

  “Hey, pal,” she said, lightly brushing his hair with her fingers. “Just stick to the truth and you’ll be okay.”

  His expression was intense. “Like what?”

  “Tell them I’m the lady who lives at Sea View House now. Tell them that you and your dad fixed some plumbing problems out here, and now we’re all friends. In fact, tell them I’m a friend of the family.”

  “Okay,” said Brian after a moment. “Plumbing problems. Family friend. I can do that.”

  “Of course you can,” she said, giving him her full attention again. “But I’ll try not to be there next Thursday morning, so you won’t have any problems.”

  He blushed again and started to smile. “That’s okay. No problem.” He turned, searching the area with his eyes. “Where’s Midnight?”

  “Try the middle of my bed,” Laura said, indicating the back of the house. It seemed the library incident was over.

  Brian’s grin got bigger as he looked at his dad. Matt nodded his approval, and Brian disappeared through the center hall moving toward Laura’s bedroom.

  She and Matt were alone. “Let me pour—”

  “Wait, Laura.”

  She turned toward him. The glow of his smile transferred that warmth to her.

  “Thanks, Laura. Thanks very much. Brian was wrong. But you were terrific with him. Growing from boy to man is not an easy thing.”

  His voice carried such conviction, Laura had no doubt he was speaking from experience. “I should have known better,” she whispered.

  He waved her words away, instead stepping forward and stroking her cheek, then leaning in close.

  She tilted her head back, lips parting slightly.

  He kissed her gently on the forehead.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  LAURA PUNCHED the steering wheel as she drove to The Diner on the Dunes two mornings later. Matt had given her a kiss on the forehead. After their romantic walk on the beach, she’d expected more. She blinked back tears of disappointment.

  It’s better this way. She’d be gone at the end of May and wouldn’t have to face telling him about the cancer. But her self-directed pep talk fell flat. She’d allowed herself to fall for Matt and she’d hoped he felt the same way.

  She pulled into a parking spot, shut the ignition and checked her face in the mirror. Her eyes looked a little red, so did her nose. She reached for her compact and performed some touch-up work, then added bright pink lipstick. Somehow, lipstick always made a woman look good and feel better. Of course, a smile would help! She tried one out in the mirror, but viewed a grimace instead. She exited the car and slammed the door behind her.

  She walked to the entrance of the diner, glanced at the ROMEOs sign and felt a natural smile cross her face. She’d be fine. She went directly to the men’s reserved corner and was swept into the conversation before she had a chance to sit down.

  “You’ve given us good news, you have, Laura McCloud!”

  She tilted her head at Bart Quinn’s sudden Irish brogue and caught his eye. “And what news would that be, Bartholomew Quinn?”

  The Chief laughed, Ralph Bigelow slapped his hands on the table top, while Lou and Doc Rosen wore identical happy expressions. Laura winked at them. They loved watching and listening to her matching wits and lilt with their unofficial leader.

  “The library, lass, the library. Lou says you’ve volunteered. I knew this would happen. Sea View House is already claiming your heart.”

  Joe Cavelli, whose son was married to Bart’s younger daughter, eyed Laura and said quietly, “They’re making book on you.”

  “What!” She stood in front of her chair and searched each face. “What could you possibly be betting on?” Her speech reverted to normal American, all traces of the Irish gone.

  “Now, now. Don’t worry yourself.” That was Bart, trying to smooth things over. “We’ve only just begun the pool.”

  “Well, you can just end it. Whatever it is.”

  But the Irishman was stubborn. “No, no. I’ve got the feeling about this.”

  “I’m lost,” said Laura, finally sitting down. “Where’s Dee with her wonderful coffee?”

  “Taking the day off,” said the Chief, avoiding her eye.

  “Well, good for her!” said Laura. “I never thought she’d allow herself.”

  “She didn’t have much choice,” said Doc, winking at Laura. “The Chief, here, kept her dancing last night until she begged for a break.”

  “Oh-h-h.” Interesting. She looked at the Chief, whose complexion was turning ruddy. “Dancing? All night?”

  “Don’t stare at me that way! Look at him, instead,” replied Rick O’Brien, pointing at Doc. “He and Marsha closed the place down.”

  “I had no choice, either, no choice at all,” Doc explained without flinching. “My wife loves to dance.” The doctor’s quiet demeanor was at odds with the mirth in his eyes.

  “Fred and Ginger times two,” murmured Laura. She looked around the table, not knowing what to think. The Pilgrim Cove senior set was full of surprises.

  Her coffee cup was filled by a part-timer. Laura smiled her thanks and tuned into the conversation going on around her.

  “Any more going into the kitty on Laura? Remember, it’s not a question of ‘if,’ it’s a question of ‘when.’ One bundle is for the end of June. The other is for the end of the summer.”

  Laura placed her mug carefully in front of her, took her spoon and tapped the cup’s rim. Finally silence prevailed, and everyone turned their attention to her.

  “What pool on Laura?” she asked in a quiet, authoritative voice.

  In unison, all the men looked at Bart.

  “Why, it’s as obvious as the nose on your face, my dear. You’re donating hours at the library to the children. You’ve made friends. You’re part of the community now.” He beamed at her.

  “And?” she prodded.

  “And you’ll be buying your own house here and settling in.” He smiled encouragingly. “It’ll be a happy day when I show you some properties. But will it be by the end of June or by the end of the summer? That’s what we’re deciding.”

  Stunned, Laura needed a moment to figure out an appropriate reply for a bunch of charming rascals old enough to be her father and more. “Haven’t I mentioned that my sister wants me to move to Atlanta?”

  Every face fell. What she’d give to have a camera!

  “However,” she continued, stretching out the word, “I’m not sure yet.”

  Grins all around again. And a babble of voices. All urging her to stay in Pilgrim Cove. Her heart filled as she acknowledged the genuine affection they felt for her.

  “You’ve got the pink color in your cheeks,” said Bart. “Sea View House will do it every time.
” He turned to Doc Rosen. “Has she not gained a pound or two since she’s arrived?”

  Only the expression in Doc’s eyes changed as he focused on her. His keen appraisal made Laura feel as if he could see through her, that his visual exam would reveal her secrets as clearly as an MRI would. Her nerves tingled; her hands felt clammy. How could he possibly know about her? She’d told no one.

  Finally Doc nodded. “She’ll do.” He faced Laura then. “Grief destroys appetite. Another couple of pounds wouldn’t hurt.”

  She exhaled and relaxed, until she heard the Chief say, “Here’s a man who’ll have an opinion. Morning, Matthew.”

  Laura swiveled in her seat, and sure enough Matt Parker was walking toward their table, all six feet of him, broad shoulders outlined by the fabric of his jersey, long legs encased in snug jeans and his eyes fixed only on her.

  “Morning, all,” said Matt. “My opinion about what?” he asked as he joined the group but remained standing.

  “How do you think Laura looks now that she’s been in Pilgrim Cove almost a month?” It was the Chief’s voice, and from the corner of her eye, Laura saw the retired cop elbow Lou, who was seated next to him.

  “How does she look?” Matt repeated the question as he continued to stare at her. “She looks good. Too damn good!”

  Pinned to her seat by the force of his gaze, Laura couldn’t breathe, her heart almost leaped from her chest. She focused on Matt, oblivious to everyone else at the table. Oblivious to the whole diner.

  When he jerked his head toward the door, she rose without saying a word and followed him outside. He led her toward the rear of the building, away from the busy main entrance, then stopped and faced her. Her back was to the diner; she saw only Matt and gasped at the intensity of his expression.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” he said. It should have been a compliment, but he didn’t sound happy. His hoarse voice revealed strong emotions held in check.

  “What…?”

  He placed his forefinger gently over her mouth and silenced her. “I think about you all the time.” The words came out one by one, reluctantly but in a softer tone.