“You mean get married?”
Dan nodded.
“No!”
The kid’s eyes were shiny, his fishing rod clutched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles were as white as his face. Dan stared at the child. A boy in pain stared back. Personal history had already left its mark. Dan knew what Josh was thinking.
“No more divorces, Josh. This time the family is forever.”
The kid’s whole body flinched. “How do you know that? Everybody gets divorced and then life sucks.”
“Not everybody. Not me!” Dan put his fishing rod down and leaned back on his hands. How could he reach an eight-year-old in a way he’d understand? His gaze fell on Jessie. Dan waved the dog over and rubbed her head. “Think I’d ever divorce Jess? Get rid of her?”
“No!” The horror on Josh’s face spoke for itself.
“Why not?” asked Dan.
“Because you love her. And she’s the best dog in the world.” Josh dropped his rod and crept over to the hound. He laid his head on her ruff while his arm went around her neck.
“I love your mom even more than I love Jessie.” Dan spoke quietly, hoping his solemn tone would reinforce his words.
Josh’s eyes widened in astonishment. If the boy and the subject weren’t so serious, Dan would have laughed.
“Did you tell her?”
Dan nodded. “And she’s very happy about it. But you can ask her yourself.”
“Okay.”
“One more thing, Josh. I love you and Emily, too. More than Jessie. And I promise not to get rid of any of you. No matter what.”
Finally, Josh was ready to explore the idea. “I have a lot of friends, and we make a lot of noise.”
Dan sighed in relief. Success. He’d hooked him and negotiations had started. “I’m glad. Friends are very important. Just like baseball teams.”
“And what’s my dad going to say?”
“Your dad has already figured it out. Not a problem.”
“Oh.” His thoughtful look was soon replaced with one of delight. Josh rolled on his belly and got nose to nose with Jess. “Did you hear that, Jessie? You’re going to live with us. Forever! And Dan, too.”
Daniel didn’t mind coming in second. Not when the rewards would be incalculable. “Josh? How would you like to help me plan a surprise for your mom? A terrific surprise?”
The boy looked at him eagerly. “Sure.”
“But you have to keep it a secret, even from Emily.”
The boy wrinkled his nose. “You mean, especially from Emily. She can’t keep any secrets.”
Dan chuckled and held out his hand. “Shake? Man to man?”
Josh nodded and put his hand in Dan’s. “Shake.”
“Thank you,” said Dan before hauling the boy close and hugging him. “You are some kid, Joshua. The best. And don’t forget it.”
Shelley met them at the back door, questions in her eyes. Daniel nodded and winked. “Hook, line and sinker.”
WHAT HAD POSSESSED him to propose to her on a baseball field in front of the whole town, or rather, part of the town? The part that would attend the last game of the season. Nuts. How could he have considered it, much less put the plan into action? But he had.
In the beginning, he thought his reasons sound. He’d spent as much time with Shelley coaching kids as he had on the beach or in Sea View House or at the diner. The Parker Plumbing team had been along for the ride from the beginning. But more than that, he wanted Shelley’s kids to experience his commitment to them and to their mom in a way they’d remember.
But still…Daniel could hardly believe that he was consciously putting himself out there. He scanned the crowd from the dugout at the top of the fifth on Sunday afternoon, surprised at the large attendance. Maybe because the season was ending. Baseball was everybody’s game after all.
Bart Quinn, Lila and Lila’s mom were there. And Matt and Laura Parker with Brian, of course. And Rick and Dee O’Brien, who didn’t have any kids in the league. For that matter, neither did Lou and Pearl Goodman or Mike and Kate Lyons. Heck! All the ROMEOs and wives were in the bleachers.
Josh was at bat and slammed the ball out to right field for a home run. In the dugout, Emily cheered for her brother, but cheers from both teams’ supporters filled the air.
“Wow,” said Shelley. “Everyone’s in a good mood today. Even the competition.”
“Yeah. Who’s up next?”
“Dan! You’ve got the order memorized. What’s wrong with you?”
“Sorry. Is Casey ready?”
He had to pay attention or she’d think he’d lost his mind. Which might be true. Time moved slowly through the sixth inning with no runs being made on either side. Parker Plumbing was up at the top of the seventh. When the third out was struck, Dan splashed some water on his face, then approached Shelley while wiping his brow. “Would you mind getting some more water from the car? Whatever we had here is gone.”
“You’re really perspiring, Dan. Are you not feeling well?”
“Just need some water.”
“Be right back,” she said, and ran off.
Dan turned to his three basemen, shortstop and pitcher and gave each a rolled-up paper bound with a rubber band. “You all know what to do?”
They nodded.
“Remember, wait for my signal.”
They nodded again and ran to take their positions.
“Here’s the water, honey.” A worry line marred Shelley’s brow and Dan kissed it. “I’m fine. Thanks.” But he took the bottle and drank, just to reassure her. Then stayed next to her in their dugout while the other team was at bat.
Finally, the inning ended. “Step outside, Shel. Want to show you something.”
Dan led Shelley by the hand to home plate, and motioned for Emily, Jess and their grandparents to follow. The children on the Parker Plumbing team stood quietly at their places. Slowly, a hush fell over the field. Something Dan hadn’t expected. And then he realized for the first time, that the entire crowd knew what was coming next. There were no secrets in Pilgrim Cove.
“What’s going on here, Dan?” Shelley whispered. “I don’t like this. It’s weird.”
“I hope not.” His stomach was churning. Why had he ever thought this idiocy was a good idea? And it was too late to change his mind now.
He raised his team cap in the air, held it up, then lowered it quickly to his side. Across the field, five children held up signs painted in block letters by Dan in the wee hours of the night.
SHELLEY, WILL YOU MARRY ME?
He watched her face until he knew she’d absorbed the message. “I love you, Shelley. With all my heart. Will you…?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” She threw her arms around his neck. And he twirled her around and around to the cheers of Pilgrim Cove.
When he finally put Shelley down, he picked up Emily and kissed her. Still holding the child, he waved to the crowd. “In case you couldn’t hear the answer,” he bellowed. “She said yes.”
Another cheer greeted his words. Emily pointed at the big signs, then leaned into him and said, “You did arts and crats, too!”
“SEA VIEW HOUSE did it again!” Bart Quinn’s voice left no doubt as to whom the credit belonged. He patted himself on the stomach. “The gut still works.”
Shelley grinned at the Realtor, who sat across the table from her at the Lobster Pot. Dan had insisted on celebrating with the children that evening, as well as with her parents. Somehow they all wound up sharing a large table with the Parkers, Quinns, Sullivans and anyone else who wanted to be with them.
Laura Parker spoke up. “You’ll be writing your Sea View House story in its official journal before you leave town. Bart’s got the book in his office. What a collection. I read for hours before I wrote our story.” The loving glance she gave her new husband revealed the happy ending. But Shelley knew that Laura and Matt’s romance was defined by painful twists and turns along the way.
“I’m sure I’ll be just as fascinated,”
said Shelley.
“Are y-you going to l-live here now, Josh?” asked Casey. “That would be cool. W-way cool.”
Josh’s eyes lit up when he looked at Shelley, but it was Dan who answered.
“Would you settle for summers, kiddo? I think we know someone sitting right at this table who could help us find a house to lease.”
“He’s got that right,” said Bart Quinn.
Shelley turned toward Dan, her heart overflowing with love. “That’s such a wonderful idea. Just perfect.” She reached for his hand.
“My pleasure.” His eyes devoured her, and she felt herself blush. No question, she and Dan would be celebrating later on that night.
“Are you going to tell them about the phone call we got today, Granddad?” asked Lila. The young woman scanned the table. “It’s unusual that Sea View House is in demand during the off-season. But it’s happened twice now. Laura had it in the spring, and now we’ll be leasing it in the fall after you leave.”
“He’s a marine biologist who’s going to double as a science teacher in the high school. Last-minute hire. Don’t know the details yet,” said Bart.
Shelley’s attention was caught by Maggie Sullivan and her sister, Thea Cavelli. The women were approaching with a large poster in their hands. They paused between her and Daniel.
“Boy, oh, boy,” said Maggie. “Events happen so fast around here, we can barely keep up. But today, we were there at the baseball field. We saw it all.”
“So we’ve got another piece of community art for the restaurant,” added Thea. “Hope you like it.”
The ladies stepped back as they held up the picture so everyone at the table could see their latest effort.
A beach scene, the sand covered with pretty sea shells. A caricature of Daniel wore a graduation cap and tassel and dragged a wide-toothed rake behind him. He peered down at one of the shells, which was a caricature of Shelley.
The caption read: Professor Dan Combed The Beach Till He Found The Perfect Shelley.
The entire table broke into applause.
“Look!” said Emily, pointing at the picture. “There’s Mommy and my Daniel!” Her eyes shone with excitement. “Where’s Jessie?”
Katie’s grandma, Maggie, put her hand on her cheek and rocked her head in dismay. “My goodness! We almost forgot.”
She whipped out a piece of thin charcoal from her pocket and sketched in the golden retriever trailing after Daniel.
“How’s that, sweetheart?”
“Oh, yes!” said Emily. “It’s perfect. Just perfect. I’m so glad we came here.”
“So am I,” said Josh.
“Don’t leave me out,” added Daniel.
“Or me,” said Shelley, looking at each member of her family and basking in their happiness. Reveling in her own. She glanced at Bart Quinn for a moment. Amazing how one phone call to an ad in the newspaper changed her whole life. One phone call. Which led her to one special town and to one special house…where she’d met one special man. Her gaze rested on Daniel. The right man.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1144-5
NO ORDINARY SUMMER
Copyright © 2004 by Linda Barrett.
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No Ordinary Summer Page 21
