About That Kiss

by Cindy Miles

  “Ah, the mysterious girl on the dock,” Owen said to Sean as she joined them. “Nice to finally meet you.”

  Sean gave a shy nod. “You, too, sir.”

  “Young lady.” Jep inclined his head, beckoning Sean to join him. She did. “Know how to make hush puppies?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan watched Sean peer over Jep’s ingredients. Then she looked at his grandfather with those enormous hazel eyes.

  “Teach me?” she said.

  Was it the way she said it? Or the sincerity in her quiet voice that caught Nathan so completely off guard? Whatever it was, it had affected poor Jep, as well. The old man’s cheeks turned red and splotchy and he sputtered, cleared his throat, then gave Sean an affectionate pat on the shoulder.

  “Of course, gal,” he said, and she stepped closer to him, and so began Jep’s lesson in the art of making hush puppies.

  Nathan watched the interaction further, and found it more than curious. He was astounded to find himself almost mesmerized by the way Sean’s innocent acceptance of Jep had not only made the old man stammer, but slip into his Irish accent. Jep Malone did that only when he was absolutely furious, or completely enamored.

  The way Sean responded to Jep touched Nathan’s heart in a way he wasn’t expecting. It made him sit up, take notice. Not just the fact that she was beautiful. She was and, despite Nathan’s determination not to notice, he had. He’d been unable to help it. No, his attention went beyond the recognition of the beauty that resided beneath her bewitching eyes or the love he saw in those very same eyes whenever she looked at her daughter. It was something about those two small words, teach me, that Nathan found so humbling. So damned enchanting. It made his earlier determination not to get close to her just that much more difficult.

  He watched her now, seemingly at ease with his grandfather, allowing the old man to show her how to combine the ingredients for his secret hush puppy recipe. Whatever clever thing Jep was saying to her was rewarded with a smile—one that was entirely different from any Nathan had seen on her yet. It was intriguing. It was baffling.

  He suddenly realized it wouldn’t be quite so bad being the one who coaxed such a smile from Sean Jacobs.

  When Nathan looked away, it was his father’s eye he caught.

  And Owen simply smiled.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  IT HAD BEEN over an hour since they’d arrived at the Malones’, and for the first time in...well, a long, long time, Sean felt at ease.

  “Sean, this is my husband, soon-to-be father of this bundle of sweetness,” Emily stated, then linked her arm through his. “Matt.”

  Matt Malone was a beast. As big as Nathan was, but with an edge. Sharp. Maybe even dangerous. Not to his family, though. That much Sean could tell. He had the same eyes that all the Malones had—a furious, sea-storm green. His hair was clipped short. Not buzzed, but close. Military? Police? There was an intenseness about him that gave Sean pause, made her almost want to move away from him. The way he’d measured and weighed her. He wasn’t trying to hide his scrutiny. Not at all. Could he tell she was keeping secrets?

  The moment that she saw him soften as his wife leaned her head against him, and Matt’s hand went to her belly, Sean relaxed. He was curious about her, was all. A small part of her still wondered, though, if he could see through her. If he could see just why she wanted to keep to herself.

  “All right, now everyone knows everyone, and I’m starved. Let’s eat!” Jep called out.

  Everyone gathered at the mammoth-size picnic table beneath the oak trees, and Sean found herself seated between Nathan and Eric. Willa had found her place right beside her new best friend, Jep. Next to her, Nathan’s dad.

  “Let’s bow and give grace,” Jep barked.

  “Who’s Grace?” Willa asked.

  “Willa,” Sean said, telling her daughter to shush with a finger over her lips.

  Jep glanced at Willa. “You know. Prayer. A thank-you to the good Lord for our blessings.”

  “Oh!” Willa exclaimed. Then she obediently closed her eyes and folded her hands before her.

  “Dear Lord, we thank you for this bounty, and for the folks who prepared it. Mainly, me. And thank you for our new neighbors, and for finally getting them over here. Amen.”

  Sean’s gaze met Jep’s, and his mouth twitched into a slight grin. She liked him. There was nothing pretentious about the elder Malone. He said exactly what he meant, no matter the outcome. Honesty. Integrity. Filter or no filter.

  Chatter broke out as everyone began passing platters of fried shrimp, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and the hush puppies that Jep had shown her how to prepare. Large plastic glasses held iced and sweet tea garnished with lemon slices. She felt as though she were in a travel magazine for the coastal south.

  “So where are you from, Sean?” Owen asked.

  Sean, prepared for the question, offered him a smile. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Nathan had paused and seemed interested in her answer. “Originally, a small town just outside Dallas,” she stated. “But I moved around a good bit as a child. Lately, we were in Norfolk, Virginia.”

  “Makes for a well-rounded youngster,” Owen offered. “I was stationed once at Virginia Beach. Nice place.”

  “Tell us what you do,” Emily asked, her head cocked to the side as she studied Sean. Too closely. “No, wait. Don’t tell me. If I had to guess, I’d say...an elementary school teacher.”

  “No way,” Eric said, rubbing his jaw and eyeing Sean. “Nurse.”

  Panic began to seize Sean’s ability to hold a straight face. Her eyes shifted around the table. Everyone watched, waiting for her answer. “Well, I’ve had a myriad of occupations over the years,” she began. “Freelance writing being one.” A nervous smile edged its way onto her face. It felt cagey and fake, and she couldn’t help it. Not one bit. Usually, she had standard answers to offer polite conversationalists when they asked about her occupation. But this nice family? Suddenly, the lies tasted bitter on her tongue.

  “My mama takes care of me,” Willa piped up, not looking at anyone in particular as she seemed focused on shoveling in fried shrimp. “Mama says that’s a full-time job, don’t ya, Mama?”

  Internally, Sean sighed with relief. She had nothing to offer these people by way of personal information. Not anything they’d like to hear, anyway. Besides...two souls with zero filter—Jep and Willa—could be disastrous if they had access to too much of Sean’s history. Who knew which people they’d accidentally share the wrong information with?

  She noticed the others around the table now had their attention on her daughter, and that caginess eased out of her. Not all, but some.

  “Not only is that a full-time job, but it’s an important job,” Nathan replied. “So Willa, tell me what your favorite thing is about Cassabaw so far.”

  Sean shifted her gaze to Nathan. He was completely engrossed in Willa’s response. He’d intentionally diverted further questions away from her. She’d have to thank him later.

  “Well,” Willa answered, “I like dining alfresco with the dolphins. But I wanna jump in the water and Mama says there are sharks and stingrays and flesh-eating amoebas and that I can’t. I like eating ice cream on the pier, too. And riding the Ferris wheel.”

  “Ah,” Nathan said, nodding. “The old sharks-and-stingray-and-dreaded-amoebas fear.” He leaned toward Sean, keeping his voice low. “Sharks won’t wander this far inland, and the rays, well—” his voice dropped lower “—they won’t bother you.”

  “Swum here my whole life, darlin’,” Jep said. “Not once have I seen a shark out there.” He nodded toward the river. “Ain’t no amoebas, neither.”

  “Well, I ain’t afraid of sharks,” Willa piped up. She shoved a hush puppy into her mouth. “Mama’s scared of everything.”

  “Willa,
” Sean scolded. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” her daughter answered around the hush puppy.

  She was scared. Of nearly everything. While her fear was justified, she hated that her daughter now saw it. Until recently, Sean had been able to hide that personality flaw. “Well, if Jep and Nathan say it’s safe, then—” she inhaled “—we’ll give it a try.”

  “Yay!” Willa cried, then continued eating.

  The rest of the meal went by as any other ordinary outdoor meal, she supposed, with light chatter of weddings, soon-to-be baby births and nursery renovations. No one else asked her anything personal, and for that she was grateful. She learned all of the Malones except Matt, who was, until recently, in the Marine Corps, were at one time or another US Coast Guard rescue swimmers. Eric still was and worked at the local base on Cassabaw. Sean noticed how quickly the conversation shifted away from that topic of Nathan’s tenure as a rescue swimmer. She found herself wanting to know more, and wasn’t too sure she liked that feeling...

  When they finished eating, the men began cleaning off the table and carrying dishes into the house. Everyone had a job to do, and they seemingly did it without a single thought. She’d never seen anything like it.

  “Trust me,” Emily said, patting her arm. “I grew up around them and this cleanup still fascinates me.” She fondly glanced at the men as they worked. “Military and Coast Guard life has them moving like a well-oiled machine, don’t you think? I’d get up and help but would be rushed right back to my seat.”

  Sean rose and lifted the near-empty bowl of hush puppies. “I’ll just take this in,” she said, and Emily simply smiled.

  Sean crossed the yard, and just as she reached for the screened door leading into the kitchen, it was opened by Nathan. His frame all but filled the entrance, and those green eyes met hers. He smiled, reaching for the bowl. “I’ll take that, thanks,” he said, then inclined his head and pushed the door open wider with his shoulder. “Come in. I’ll show you around the oldest bachelor pad on Cassabaw.”

  Sean glanced over her shoulder and saw Willa standing in front of Emily and Reagan. Her entire body appeared in movement as she enthusiastically told her story. God only knew what that story was. With a deep breath, Sean turned to Nathan. “I’d like that.”

  “This way.”

  Inside, the fresh scent of lemon hit her. The level of tidiness and cleanliness either meant they hired a housekeeper, or they were all neat freaks...or Emily was correct and their military-based upbringing left them preferring things to be in order. It was nice. The decor favored a nautical theme at its most basic—it was straight out of an old copy of Moby Dick. On the walls of the living room, an old cast net filled with sun-bleached shells, starfish and sand dollars clung to the ropes, and faded blue-and-white wooden oars were nailed crossways above the brick fireplace.

  “The fishing gear once belonged to my great-granddad, Patrick Malone.” Nathan moved across the room to a wall covered with framed pictures and pointed to one. Sean moved closer and peered at the black-and-white photo of a handsome, happy young couple. A small boy wearing black stockings, suspenders, dark knickers with a white billowy shirt stood between them overlooking the sea. The boy’s hands were in the air and slightly blurred, as if he’d moved them just as the shutter on the camera had closed.

  “They came from Galway, Ireland. This was taken the day they left on a steamer bound for America. Patrick and his wife, Annie, brought little Jep to Cassabaw when he was only seven.” He chuckled. “Even in that picture there you can tell Jep was a handful, just like he is now. If you listen closely, you can sometimes hear the Irish lilt in Jep’s voice.”

  “Yeah, the madder he gets, the heavier the accent gets,” Matt said from behind them. He joined them at the picture. Eric, with Reagan by his side, and Emily also wandered in and joined them.

  “Aye, boyo, you’d best get your arse outta that river right now!” Eric imitated Jep, with a heavy Irish accent. “I’ll skin ya, boyo! I’ll do it!”

  Everyone laughed.

  Sean wondered what it would be like to know your own heritage reaching back more than a century. It completely fascinated her, and as she peered at the black-and-white images of little Jep, his parents and old Cassabaw, she found she wanted to be a part of that. Not the Malone family per se, but a family tradition that extended further than herself, generations. She allowed the briefest of thoughts to linger about her own heritage, of where she actually came from. Perhaps, one day, she could find out. For Willa’s sake.

  Willa. So engaged in the Malone history, she’d very briefly forgotten her daughter was in the care of someone else. Sean glanced out the large picture window facing the marsh, searching for Willa.

  “If you’re looking for Willa, she’s with Jep and Owen,” Matt offered. “She’s fine.”

  Sean met Matt’s gaze. The ease of his smile and the assurance in his eyes made her believe him.

  “Hey, Sean,” Emily piped up. “You’ll have to bring Willa to the big Fourth of July celebration. Food, music and lots of fun all along the pier.”

  “All the businesses turn out,” Eric added. “And there’s a huge fireworks show after dark.”

  Sean smiled and gave a nod. “I...will. It sounds great. Thank you.”

  “Mama! Look what King Jep and Prince Owen gave me!” Willa came flying inside.

  The Malones all laughed at her names for the elders.

  In her small hands Willa clutched a piece of PVC pipe about six inches long, with a long cord wrapped around it. At the end was a triangular-shaped weight. She also had a plastic bag containing what seemed to be a piece of raw chicken. Sean looked at her daughter.

  “What in the world is that for?” she asked.

  “Well, King Jep says if I tie this chicken to the end of the string, then tie the other end with the pipe to our dock at low tide then drop it in the water until it hits bottom, I can pull it up very, very, very slowly and a crab will be on the end!” Willa’s large eyes widened even more as she explained. “Only if I have patience, though. Prince Owen told me that.” She jumped, making her wings flap. “Can we go and tie it off now? Please?”

  Nathan bent and looked at Willa. “I think the tide is just about right. I’ll give you a hand.” He glanced at Sean. “If that’s okay with your mama.”

  Nathan coming over to their home. Giving her daughter a small bit of normalcy and happiness by tying a piece of chicken to a string to catch a crab. Such a simple thing. Why not?

  Although what in the world would they do with the crab once they caught it?

  Sean nodded. “That’s fine.”

  They said their goodbyes then, and Sean thanked Jep and Owen for tending to Willa in such a kind way. Jep followed them to the porch.

  “You bake, young lady?” he asked Sean.

  She smiled. “Some.”

  He scratched his head. “Hmm. You do anything else?”

  Sean thought about it. “I knit.”

  Jep’s eyes lit up. “I like them little blankets that go across your lap.”

  Sean couldn’t help but grin. “That sounds like a request.”

  “That’s exactly what it is. Good night. And don’t be a stranger over here.”

  Sean waved goodbye and followed Nathan to the truck.

  The Malones certainly were a unique family, with a known—and celebrated—history that went back more than a century. She was surprised to find herself at ease with them. Then Nathan placed his hand at the small of her back as she climbed into the passenger side of the truck, and her insides gave a quickening. Butterflies? Shivers? Nerves? She’d packed those sensations away long, long ago.

  Yet, the longer she spent in Nathan’s company, the more relaxed she became. Made her look forward to the next time he stood close to her. Looked at her. Touched her. M
aybe she was just now realizing all of these things because, for the first time in a very, very long time, she was allowing it. It frightened her.

  And it thrilled her at the same time.

  In the truck, they listened to Willa’s excited chatter. She clutched the plastic bag of raw chicken in one hand, and the pipe and weighted cord in the other, and every so often Nathan would glance over Willa’s head and offer Sean a slight smile. It made her uncomfortable—the intimacy of two adults connecting over a child. It made her want it more.

  And it confirmed just how screwed up her life presently was. Actually, had been for one hell of a long time. But for now, they were here, in this place. With these people. And it all made her daughter happy, and, if she was being perfectly honest with herself, it made her feel...normal. And for that, Sean was grateful.

  Unfortunately, by the end of summer, it would all be over.

  Nathan pulled into their drive, and Willa headed straight for the dock.

  “Willa, be careful!” Sean called out.

  As Nathan walked beside her, his presence crowded her, almost as if he took up all the space and air around her. When she looked up, his gaze rested on hers.

  “She’s a great kid,” he said in that deep, slightly lilted voice. “I’m glad you both came over today.”

  The butterflies kicked up in Sean’s stomach again, and she gave a hesitant smile. “I am, too, Nathan. I... We had a good time.” Surprisingly, she had. It shocked her, and scared her at the same time. Getting involved with the Malones meant having to say goodbye, and she knew that would hurt Willa. It was one of the reasons she feared even simply going to dinner. Getting to know Nathan’s sisters-in-law, his dad, grandpa. His brothers. And him.

  The fact that Sean had enjoyed herself stunned her. In a way, she felt that she’d known the Malones her whole life, instead of having just met them. They’d made her feel so at home. It was a new sensation for her. She liked it. And she was scared to like it. Why do I have to be so complicated?