The Friends We Keep (Mischief Bay)

by Susan Mallery

  “Thanks for looking after him tonight,” Nicole said.

  “I love having him over and you know it. It’s good practice for when my grandson gets a little older, assuming Jennifer will ever relax enough to let me babysit him without her hovering all the time.” Pam studied her for a second. “I have the perfect necklace for that outfit. Come with me.”

  Nicole followed Pam into the condo’s spacious bedroom. Sliding glass doors led to a balcony that faced the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Views didn’t get much better than this, she thought.

  Pam crossed to a free-standing mirror and pulled on the small knob. The front of the mirror swung open to reveal a hidden jewelry cabinet. Necklaces hung from hooks and there were little shelves that held bracelets and earrings, along with spaces for rings. It was beautifully organized—no surprise, considering the jewelry’s owner. Pam eyed Nicole’s outfit again, then reached for a chunky silver necklace with red stones set in the shape of a daisy.

  “Red coral,” Pam said, as she held out the necklace. “I have matching earrings, but I think that would be too much. Your silver hoops are simple and pretty.”

  “Thank you.” Nicole took the necklace and put it around her neck, then fastened the clasp. “I’ll guard it with my life.”

  “No need to get crazy. Just bring it back when you come get Tyler.” Pam smiled and lowered her voice. “So, you and Jairus have sex yet?”

  Nicole felt herself flush. She glanced toward the half-open door, then shook her head. “It’s only our second date. It takes longer than that.”

  “I don’t know,” Pam teased. “You young people today. I haven’t had a first date in over thirty years. So is sex the third date? Or the fourth?”

  “You make me insane.” Nicole grinned. “I don’t know and it won’t be anytime soon, I promise.”

  “Which is very different than saying never. You like him.”

  The nerves returned, bringing with them that icky, unsettled feeling in her tummy. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “That means yes.”

  Nicole touched the necklace. “Thank you for letting me borrow this and for looking after Tyler.”

  “I’m very excited about our evening together. We’re having dinner at Gary’s Café, then coming back here for some Lulu time and movies. Just so you know, I’m letting him stay up as late as he wants.”

  Nicole laughed. “You know he’ll be zonked on the sofa by nine.”

  “I do, but we’ll still have fun. As will you, I’m guessing. Even without doing you-know-what.”

  Nicole covered her ears. “Stop, I beg you.” She hugged her friend, then went back into the living room. Tyler was sitting on the floor by the couch, Lulu next to him as he read from one of the books Pam always had around.

  “Bye, sweetie,” she called.

  “Bye, Mom. I’ll see you later.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  She waved and let herself out. Tyler was growing up so fast. He wasn’t going to be her little boy much longer. She would miss that, but also looked forward to seeing what kind of man he grew into.

  She took the stairs to the ground floor, then headed out onto the boardwalk. From Pam’s it was an easy walk to McGrath’s. She was going to leave her car in Pam’s visitor space rather than drive the short distance and fight for parking closer to the restaurant.

  Fifteen minutes later, she spotted Jairus sitting on the short wall by the lifeguard station near the restaurant. He was looking in the opposite direction, which gave her a second to catch her breath.

  He looked good. Tall and fit, with an ease about him. He was a man comfortable in his own skin. He wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Boat shoes with no socks and sunglasses.

  He was an appealing man, she thought, not sure what to do with the information. She was pretty sure she liked him. Which left her confused. Pam’s teasing question about sex hadn’t helped her emotional equilibrium. What was he expecting from her? What did she want to offer?

  He turned in her direction. She knew he’d spotted her because he went still for a second. Because of the sunglasses, she had no way of knowing what he was thinking.

  He stood as she approached, then removed the glasses. His brown eyes were warm, his smile welcoming.

  “Right on time,” he said, then bent down and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you. We’re not having sex tonight.”

  She hadn’t meant to say that, exactly, but there was no way to call back the words.

  Jairus looked at her for a couple of seconds, then smiled. “I can’t wait to meet your friends.”

  “What?”

  “Your friends. I look forward to meeting them. I’ll bet they’re a lot of fun.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  He put his arm around her. “Someone said something about how long you’re supposed to wait, right? Which got you thinking about dating rules and how long it had been since you had to worry about that. You freaked out, because you’re not sure about any of this.”

  She pulled away. “How do you know that? Guys aren’t supposed to be insightful. Stop it right now.”

  He laughed. “Sorry. I’m a writer. I observe people. I think about things. It can’t be helped.” The humor faded. He stepped closer to her and touched her cheek.

  “Nicole, I get it. You’re nervous. Hell, I’m nervous, too. You’re really hot and if you were offering, I’d be there in a heartbeat. But you’re not and that’s okay. I can wait.”

  “What if it’s a long wait?” she asked, her voice a whisper. “We both know you’re not into hookers.”

  He laughed again. “I’ll live, okay? I want to get to know you. I want you to get to know me. The rest of it will happen in its own time. You don’t have to worry. I’ll never pressure you.”

  She wanted to believe him because it all sounded so amazing. And she wanted him to be lying because if he was telling the truth, then she was in way over her head. How was she supposed to stay safe if he was really that honest, decent and nice?

  “You look concerned,” he said.

  “I am, but I’ll live, too.”

  He pointed to the restaurant. “Ready to go get your summer barbecue on?”

  “I am.”

  They turned toward McGrath’s. Nicole sucked in a breath, then, as casually as she could, reached for Jairus’s hand. He laced his fingers with hers and they walked inside.

  While they waited to be seated, Jairus turned to her. “You know I have a new book coming out.”

  “Yes. It’s very exciting.”

  “Liar. I’ll be going on tour. That means I’ll be traveling on and off over the next few weeks. There’s going to be a local signing. I thought you and Tyler would like to come. I can get you VIP tickets.”

  That was a lot of information, she thought. “There are VIP tickets?”

  “Of course. Brad’s a VIP kind of guy.” He squeezed her fingers. “He wouldn’t have to know about us, Nicole. It would just be a signing.”

  There was an us? A them? As in... She didn’t know as in what, but knew there was no way she could ask.

  “That would be very nice,” she told him. “Tyler would love that. Thank you.”

  “Anytime.” He winked. “You’ve made it to Brad’s inner circle. Hang on, babe. It’s a hell of a ride.”

  She was still laughing when they were shown to their table.

  * * *

  Hayley started the cleanup as soon as the last of the clients finished with a station. It had been another busy evening at Supper’s in the Bag, with lots of happy people taking home meals for their family. She stored away the leftover food and made a note of which pantry staples they were low on. Tomorrow they would do the same thing again.r />
  She had no idea how much money her sister made on the business, but she would guess it did reasonably well. Especially considering that Morgan only had to work about thirty hours a week.

  When the customers had left, Morgan pulled out a chair and sat down. “I’m exhausted. Being a small business owner is crap. I wish I’d married someone rich so I could stay home and not have responsibilities.”

  “Would be nice,” Hayley said, joining her sister. Normally she was anxious to get home, but tonight there was no reason to hurry. “Being taken care of.”

  Morgan snorted. “Like you’d ever let that happen. You’re always working.”

  Not because she wanted to, Hayley thought. To earn money to pay for her various treatments. No one enjoyed working sixty hours a week.

  Morgan leaned forward and pulled another chair close, then put her feet up and sighed. “Brent is making me crazy. That man. He’s just so into the kids. There are too many activities and he wants to be a part of them all. But on Saturday morning he never remembers I need him.”

  “Most women would be thrilled their husband was devoted to the children.”

  “That’s a crock. What about me? What about my needs? Maybe I made a mistake picking him.”

  Hayley liked Brent a lot. He was a hardworking guy who wanted to do the right thing. He deserved someone who made him happy. Unfortunately for him, he had a wife whose first concern was herself.

  Just another way she and her sister were different, Hayley thought. Morgan had always had a plan. Find a good guy and get married. She hadn’t been interested in a career. She wanted what she saw as an easy life—being a wife and a mother.

  Brent had been interested in a family, too, but first he’d wanted to finish college and maybe go to grad school for his MBA. He’d talked to Morgan about his ambitions and had encouraged her to develop her own. She’d assumed his graduation celebration would include a marriage proposal. Instead, he’d told her he’d been accepted at several grad schools, including a couple back East. Not only hadn’t he proposed, but he’d started talking about them seeing other people while he was gone.

  Morgan had gotten pregnant within a few weeks. Brent had done the right thing. He’d bought a ring and gotten down on one knee. Morgan had pretended to be shocked, then she’d accepted. They were married two months later and his dream of getting an MBA was never discussed again.

  “Brent’s a sweetie and he loves you,” Hayley pointed out. “Be grateful for what you have.”

  “Why? You got the good husband. I should have made a play for Rob instead.”

  Hayley felt her mouth drop open at her sister’s ugly statement. Did Morgan really think that Rob would have preferred her to Hayley, if only he’d had the chance?

  Hayley reminded herself that Rob had never much liked her sister. That Morgan was just being Morgan. That when Rob came back, she would tell him about the conversation and he would laugh. He would hold her and tell her he loved her and—

  Her eyes began to burn. Too late she realized she’d crossed that mental line that allowed her to stay in control. Longing and hurt and fear swelled inside her. She was so tired and she hurt everywhere, as if she’d fallen down stairs over and over again.

  “What’s wrong with you?” her sister demanded. “Your face is weird.”

  “Nothing. I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine. Are you sick? You’re not going to start bleeding, are you?”

  “No. It’s not that.” Hayley swallowed. “Rob left me. He moved out a few days ago.”

  She knew that in the name of self-preservation, telling Morgan was an absolute mistake. At the same time, she wondered if she was doing this to herself deliberately. Making the wound deeper. Because she knew she’d been wrong and deserved it?

  Her sister sat up. “No way. He didn’t. That man is crazy about you.” Her eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

  Hayley told her. About the clinic in Switzerland, what the doctor had said, the real estate agent, everything. Morgan listened openmouthed.

  “You are a complete moron. You know that, right? Dear God, let it go, Hayley. You can’t have a baby. Boo-hoo. Get over it. Adopt.”

  The words stung. “You don’t understand.”

  Morgan rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You’re so sad. Poor little adopted girl. Your life was hell. I was loved and you were hated.”

  “I wasn’t hated. It was different for me.” Their parents had loved her, they just hadn’t loved her as much. Time and again they’d allowed Morgan to have whatever she wanted—usually at Hayley’s expense. Morgan was their biological child and Hayley wasn’t. That was reality.

  Morgan waved her hand. “Quit being such a damned drama queen. You had it easy. You were chosen. They picked you. I’m the one they got stuck with. You think I don’t know that?

  “Grow up. Move on. The rest of us have. You’re going to lose the best thing that ever happened to you if you don’t. Talk about stupid.”

  Hayley stood and reached for her handbag. “I have to go.”

  “I’m right,” Morgan yelled after her. “I’m right and you know it.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gabby had been seeing the same gynecologist since she’d graduated college. Dr. Mansfield was part of a larger practice in the Mischief Bay area. But with a thriving practice came difficulty getting appointments, so it was nearly two weeks before she could get Makayla in to see the doctor.

  Andrew had planned to talk to Candace first, to give her the option of taking her daughter to the doctor. But Candace had blown off her last two visits with Makayla and time had become more pressing. Which was why Gabby was now standing at the receptionist’s desk.

  “Gabby Schaefer. My stepdaughter and I have an appointment. Makayla is a new patient.”

  The fortysomething woman behind the computer nodded. “Did you fill out the paperwork already?”

  Gabby handed over the sheets of paper, along with their insurance card.

  “Thanks. I’ll take a copy of this and get the co-pay.” The receptionist glanced at the paperwork, then at Makayla.

  “She’s pregnant?”

  Gabby told herself there was no judgment in the tone. Nothing critical. But she felt as if the other women waiting were all staring at her.

  “Yes,” she said as calmly as she could.

  “All right.” The receptionist nodded toward the door leading to the examination rooms. “She’ll need to give us a urine sample.”

  “No problem.” Gabby turned to Makayla. “You’re going to have to pee in a cup. Have you done that before?”

  The teen looked blank and shook her head. “Why?”

  “They’ll confirm the pregnancy and test for other things in your urine,” Gabby told her. “Sugars and I’m not sure what. The doctor can explain it. Let me take care of this and I’ll walk you back. There’s a whole process.”

  Gabby passed over her credit card, then signed the paperwork. It occurred to her that she wasn’t sure of her legal standing when it came to the underage teen. Would she count as a guardian, because she sure wasn’t a parent.

  A problem for another time, she told herself.

  She and Makayla went to the restroom. Gabby walked the girl through the steps to secure the urine sample, then went back into the hallway to wait.

  As she stood there, the receptionist walked up to her with her clipboard. “I want to confirm a couple of things. The date of her last period is unknown?”

  Gabby nodded. “She doesn’t keep track.”

  “But she does know the dates of intercourse?”

  Gabby raised her chin. “I think so. Yes.”

  The other woman nodded. “And her date of birth is correct?”

  “May 2, 2001.”

  “That’s what I need
ed.”

  All polite words, Gabby thought as she waited. But there was tone.

  She almost couldn’t blame the other woman. Gabby knew she would have been thinking fairly judgmental thoughts herself, if she saw a pregnant fifteen-year-old. What she wanted to tell her was this wasn’t her fault. That she’d been the one to insist on the no-boys-upstairs rule. That when she’d tried to express her concern about the kiss, she’d been dismissed. That she was the stepmother, with all of the pain but none of the power.

  But no one was listening, she reminded herself. Everyone was busy living her own life. They didn’t have time to do much more than judge and move on.

  Makayla emerged from the bathroom. She had her sample cup in her hand.

  “Over here.” Gabby pointed to the collection tray. Makayla put it down, then returned to her side.

  They went back to the waiting room.

  “What will happen at the appointment?” Makayla asked when they’d sat down.

  “The doctor will ask questions about your health and listen to your heart. Then she’ll give you a pelvic exam.”

  “What’s that?”

  Oh, God. “Have you ever been to the gynecologist before?”

  “No. Just my pediatrician.” Her big, blue eyes were so trusting. “Is it different?”

  Gabby held in a groan. “It is. She’s going to have to examine you and feel where the baby is.” Why hadn’t she thought to ask before? They could have gone online together so Makayla would be more prepared.

  Makayla drew back. “You mean she’s going to touch me...there?”

  “Dr. Mansfield is really nice. You’ll like her. She was my doctor when I was pregnant with the twins.”

  “No way,” Makayla said, coming to her feet. “I won’t do that.”

  The other women in the waiting room glanced at them.

  Gabby rose. “I know it’s uncomfortable to think about, but it’s for the sake of the baby. Don’t you want to make sure he or she is okay?”

  “I guess.”