Tides of Hope

by Irene Hannon

  “We put the daffodils on them this morning,” Maddie volunteered, touching the straw brim of her ribbon-and-flower-bedecked bonnet. “We found some pink ones for yours, Vicki. Show her, Mommy.”

  Kate knelt in front of Vicki, impressed by her hairdresser’s finesse. Chloe had done a masterful job of salvaging the child’s locks, giving her a wispy pixie cut that flattered her delicate, heart-shaped face. “Pink daffodils are pretty special, but we found a few for your hat because you’re such a special girl. Do you like it?”

  Beaming, Vicki examined the straw creation, gently touching the fragile cups of the flowers. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome. Now let’s try it on.”

  Once Kate settled it on her head, she secured it with a bow under Vicki’s chin. “There. The two prettiest hats for the two prettiest girls on Nantucket.”

  As she started to rise, she felt a hand under her elbow and looked up to find Craig watching her, his eyes soft with some emotion that did nothing to steady her erratic pulse.

  “Thank you for doing that.”

  “It was no big deal.”

  “It was for Vicki.”

  “Kids are easy to please.”

  “Only if you have the knack.”

  “You do.”

  A flash of regret echoed in his eyes, and he shook his head. “Not based on what happened Thursday.”

  “That’s not true.” Kate lowered her voice. “I got the story from…” She pointed down to her daughter, who was engaged in an animated conversation with Vicki as they watched the cars go by. “And I caught the end of your conversation with…” She pointed to Vicki. “You handled it well.”

  “I wouldn’t have had to handle it at all if I’d done a better job to start with.”

  “The important thing is what you do going forward. And from what I can see, you’re on the right track.”

  The smile he gave her was strained. “I hope so.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small digital camera. “Would you mind taking a picture of me and Vicki?”

  “I’d be happy to. How does it work?” She reached for the camera, trying not to let the brush of his long, lean fingers distract her.

  “I think all you have to do is push this.” He indicated a button. “I haven’t had a chance to read the whole manual yet. I lost track of my old camera a few years ago and just got this one this week.”

  As Kate instructed them to say “cheese,” the significance of Craig’s comment registered. Most people used cameras to record good times spent with family and friends. To capture moments that could be relived in memory for a lifetime. The kind of moments that made life worth living. His lack of a camera meant that since the deaths of his wife and son, Craig hadn’t had any moments like that. There’d been no happy times worth recording—or remembering.

  It broke her heart.

  But as she pressed the button and captured the image of the smiling, blue-eyed man and winsome blond-haired girl for posterity, she prayed it would be the first of many to come as they began a new chapter in their lives.

  And despite the fear that held her back from pursuing a new romance, she also found herself wishing that some of those pictures might include her and Maddie.

  As Kate handed him the camera and he tucked it back in his pocket, Craig didn’t know how to interpret the wistful softening of her lips.

  But she didn’t give him a chance to dwell on that puzzle, calling his attention to the girls instead.

  “I can’t believe how quickly Maddie and Vicki became fast friends, can you?”

  “It doesn’t take long when people click.”

  Kate’s heightened color told him she’d interpreted his comment far more broadly than he’d intended. And that was okay, he decided. Because the statement was true for all relationships.

  Including theirs.

  As the vintage cars continued to clatter past on the cobblestone street, Craig thought about his reasons for coming to Nantucket—to reconnect with the sea and his daughter. Romance hadn’t even been on his radar screen. Yet the woman beside him was making him rethink his vow to live out his life without a partner.

  As the parade wound down, Kate checked out the sky, where dark clouds were massing in the distance.

  “Those don’t bode well for the tailgate picnic in ’Sconset.”

  “Were you planning to go?”

  “No. This is enough activity for one day.” Kate reached for her daughter’s hand. “Time to go home, honey. I think it’s going to rain.”

  “I’d offer you a ride, but we’re parked at the station. It will probably be shorter for you to walk home.”

  “You’re right.” Kate took a step back as the crowd around them dispersed. “See you at church tomorrow, I guess.”

  “We’ll be there. Thanks for inviting us today. I think the girls had a good time. And so did I.”

  Then, very deliberately, he took a step closer, laid a hand on her shoulder and brushed his lips across her cheek.

  Her eyes grew wide, but before she could respond Maddie spoke up. “How come you kissed Mommy again, Lootenin?”

  “To say thank you for the pretty hat she decorated for Vicki.” He didn’t look away from the emerald green eyes riveted on his as he spoke. Nor did he remove his hand from her shoulder. “And because I like her.”

  “She likes you, too. Don’t you, Mommy?”

  A blush rose on Kate’s cheeks and she edged away, forcing him to release his hold. “I had your sweater cleaned. I’ll bring it to church for you tomorrow.” She reached for her daughter’s hand. “Come on, Maddie. We don’t want to get caught in the rain. Bye, Vicki. Craig.”

  Without giving her daughter a chance to ask any more questions, she hustled her away.

  “What are you going to do with the picture you asked Mrs. MacDonald to take of us?” Vicki asked.

  Craig looked away from Kate and down at his daughter. “I’ll show you as soon as we get home.”

  Twenty minutes later, after downloading the photo to his computer, he printed out a copy and perused it, impressed by Kate’s photography skills. Their faces took up most of the frame, but a flower-laden antique car was visible in the background, providing context.

  “What do you think?” He held it out to Vicki.

  She smiled as she examined it. “I like it.”

  “And now comes the best part.” Craig rose from the desk in his spare bedroom and retrieved a bag from the top of a filing cabinet. Opening it, he withdrew a small brass frame and slid the photo inside. Then, leading the way, he ceremoniously placed it front and center on his dresser, moving the other picture to the side.

  The happy smile on his daughter’s face told him that, for once, he’d done something right.

  “It looks good there, Daddy.”

  “I agree. But you know what’s even better?”

  She tipped her head. “What?”

  “This.” He swooped down, scooped her up, and twirled her around, cradling her in his arms as she shrieked and giggled.

  When he stopped, she threw her arms around his neck and uttered the four sweetest words he’d heard in years.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  As her phone rang on Sunday night, Kate set aside the manuscript she was editing on the dining room table, grateful for the interruption. She hadn’t made much progress anyway since putting Maddie to bed. She was so exhausted the words kept blurring on the page.

  Retrieving the portable phone from the kitchen counter, she stifled a yawn as she answered.

  But she woke up fast when a mellow baritone voice responded to her greeting.

  “Kate, it’s Craig. I looked for you at church, but Edith told me you stayed home because Maddie had an asthma attack last night. I thought I’d call and see how she was doing.”

  Kate’s heart was warmed by his concern as she wandered back into the living room and sank onto the couch. “Thanks for checking. It was a bad one. And she had another episode this morni
ng. All in all, it’s been a tough day. She’s already in bed.” She stifled another yawn.

  “It sounds like you should be, too.”

  “I wish. But I have a manuscript due next Friday, and I’m subbing the first three days of the week. I need to put in another hour or two on it tonight.”

  “I won’t keep you, then. But I did have one other reason for calling.”

  Beneath the studied casualness of his comment, Kate detected a thread of nervousness. It wasn’t a quality she’d ever detected in his voice, and she was immediately wary. “Okay.”

  “If the weather is good next Sunday, I thought I’d take Vicki on a picnic to one of the beaches outside town. She hasn’t had a chance to wiggle her toes in the sand yet. Any recommendation?”

  She relaxed a little. “Dionis is nice. And it won’t be too crowded yet.”

  “Dionis it is. Would you and Maddie like to join us?”

  The invitation caught her unawares. Staring at Mac’s painting over the mantel, Kate tried to breathe. “The girls would enjoy that.”

  “I’m sure they would. But that’s not the only reason I invited you. I’d enjoy it, too.”

  The candid remark was similar to the one he’d made yesterday as they’d parted after the parade. The one that had kept her awake last night during the few peaceful hours when Maddie had been sleeping and she could have caught some much needed shut-eye. The one that was playing havoc with her peace of mind.

  The one he’d made right after he kissed her.

  For the second time.

  As the clock on the mantel ticked, she tried to think. To be rational. Yet her heart kept getting in the way, urging her to accept.

  “Kate, it’s just a picnic.” Craig’s quiet, steady voice came over the line. “And if it makes you feel any better, I’m nervous about this, too. I never intended to get involved with anyone again. And I don’t think you did, either. But I can’t ignore the chemistry between us or the feeling of contentment I have when I’m with you. I’ve prayed about it, and I’ve come to believe the Lord led me to Nantucket—and to you—for a purpose. In light of all the hurdles we face, we might end up being no more than friends. But I’d like to test the waters, see where things might lead.”

  Rising, Kate moved closer to Mac’s landscape. Ran a gentle finger over the paint he’d laid down with such care to create the scene of timeless beauty. She couldn’t dispute anything Craig had said. There was chemistry between them. And like Craig, she couldn’t write off their meeting—or remarks like the one about chocolate chip waffles—to simple coincidence.

  She, too, was beginning to believe a higher power was at work. And despite the hurdles he’d referenced, perhaps they should take a tentative step into this scary territory. If it didn’t work out, if either one got cold feet, they could always revert to friendship.

  As she examined the painting that had graced her mantel for the past six years, Kate was suddenly struck by a whimsical touch she’d never noticed before. Tucked into one corner, a tiny mouse was peeking out of its hole, preparing to enter the larger world despite the hazards that might lurk nearby.

  Maybe it was time she did the same.

  To go for it, as Mac would have said.

  Her fingers still resting on the canvas, Kate took the leap. “Okay.”

  A few seconds of silence ticked by.

  “You mean you’ll go?”

  The whisper of a smile tugged at her lips at his incredulous tone. “Do you want to retract the invitation?”

  “No.” His response was immediate—and definite. “I just didn’t expect you to agree so readily.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t have. But I can’t ignore the chemistry, either. I have a lot of fears to get past before this could ever work, though.”

  “I do, too. I lost one family to the sea. I have to admit I’m more than a little concerned about getting involved with a woman who spends most of her days on the water. But I’m beginning to accept that what happened to Nicole and Aaron was a tragic fluke. A bad combination of circumstances that would never happen again. I’m not there yet, though. So we both have issues to work through. We’ll just have to proceed with caution. Fair enough?”

  “Yes. Caution is good. And speaking of caution, why don’t Maddie and I meet you there?”

  “Sure. If that makes you feel better. About one o’clock?”

  “Perfect.”

  “In the meantime, get some sleep.”

  She sighed. “Why do I think that will be harder than ever?”

  A soft chuckle came over the line. “Join the club. Good night, Kate.”

  The way he said her name set her pulse tripping into double time again. “Good night.”

  Returning the phone to its cradle, she tried once again to focus on her editing task. And once again, she found it hard to concentrate.

  But this time, fatigue wasn’t the culprit.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next week passed in a blur for Kate. Between subbing, finishing the manuscript, seeing to the repair of the Lucy Sue’s propeller and dealing with another asthma attack, she found herself relying on adrenaline to get her through to the weekend. Her path didn’t cross once with Craig’s, though she did manage to finally return his sweater via Edith. But her days were so busy she didn’t have a spare minute to think of him.

  As she dragged herself out of bed Sunday morning, exhausted and beset by serious qualms about agreeing to explore their relationship, she considered canceling the picnic. But Maddie—and Vicki—would be too disappointed. This didn’t have to set a precedent, though, she reminded herself as she grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed for the shower. If things were too uncomfortable during today’s outing, the solution was simple. Don’t repeat it.

  With an exit plan in mind, Kate felt somewhat reassured. But when she and Maddie arrived at church and she saw Craig and Vicki sitting behind Edith and Chester, she steered Maddie into a pew on the other side.

  “Why can’t we sit by Vicki?” Maddie’s query carried throughout the church, and the foursome on the other side turned in unison.

  Pasting on a smile, Kate waved at the other group and bent down to whisper to Maddie. “Because I don’t want you and Vicki talking during the service. We’ll see them afterward.”

  Though her daughter pouted, Kate was glad she didn’t put up a fuss.

  Despite her best efforts, Kate found it hard to give the service her full attention—reminding her of the first time Craig had shown up at the church.

  As the last hymn wound down, she took Maddie’s hand and exited. Again, like the first time, she was tempted to flee. But running from her feelings wasn’t going to change them. Craig had had the courage to address his head-on, and she needed to follow his example. So she stood her ground.

  When Craig stepped out the door a couple of minutes later, followed by Edith and Chester, he released Vicki’s hand and the little girl ran toward Maddie. The two youngsters started an enthusiastic conversation while Kate waited for the adults to catch up.

  Edith beamed at her as they drew close. “What a perfect day for a picnic on the beach. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.”

  If she’d had her druthers, Kate wouldn’t have told the Lighthouse Lane matchmaker about the outing. But the girls had been jabbering about it all week. No way could she have kept it a secret. Instead, she’d done her best to downplay the excursion.

  But Edith hadn’t bought it. Today the twinkle in her eye was more pronounced than ever.

  “We’re still on, aren’t we?” Craig asked.

  “Yes. I should have called this week to see if I could bring anything, but my schedule was crazy. It’s not too late, though. Would you like me to pick up a contribution at the store before we join you?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve got it covered.”

  “We’ll see you at one, then.” She reached for Maddie’s hand. “Come on, honey. We have to go home and change our clothes.”

  “Wear those cut
e white shorts with the green top,” Edith offered. “That would be perfect for the beach.”

  Kate shot her a silent back-off warning. The shorts were a tad too snug and the boat-neck top tipped too low for Kate’s comfort level. She rarely wore the outfit. And Edith knew why.

  “I haven’t decided what to wear yet.” She directed her next remark to Craig. “See you soon.” Taking a firmer grip on Maddie’s hand, she led the little girl toward her car.

  And as she buckled her in, slid behind the wheel and aimed the car toward home, she wished she felt as much in the driver’s seat of her life as she did in her car.

  “When is Maddie going to get here?”

  At Vicki’s question, Craig finished spreading a large blanket on the beach and checked his watch. “In a few minutes, honey. We’re a little early.”

  She hovered close, casting a skeptical eye at the breakers. “Is the water going to come up here?”

  Smiling, he sat on the blanket, took off his deck shoes and rolled his jeans up. He’d planned an early arrival for this very reason. Vicki had never been on a beach, and he’d been concerned that the waves would frighten her.

  “No. It creeps up very slowly, and then creeps back out again. See that line of shells?” He pointed out the high water mark, denoted by various bits of refuse from the sea. “That’s as far as it comes, unless there’s a bad storm. And today is sunny. See how pretty and blue the sky is?”

  She looked up at the cloudless expanse above her but still cast a wary eye at the water.

  Craig unbuckled her sandals, stood and took her hand. “Let’s see if we can find some pretty shells.”

  He led her to the high water mark, then gradually closer to the water, until a larger wave sent an arc of water high enough to tickle their toes. Vicki squealed and scampered back, tugging on his hand.

  Craig chuckled and stayed where he was. Leaning down, he drew a smiley face in the wet sand with his finger. “This is even better than crayons.” Edging toward the water as Vicki clung to his hand, he drew the sun. “What would you like to draw?”

  She eased closer to examine his handiwork. “A flower.”