Kissing Cousins

by Diana Tobin

  “Yeah, not sure where they came up with that term.” He gave a sound of satisfaction as he extracted claw meat intact, holding it up proudly before dipping it in the butter.

  Seeing Gusta struggle with getting the meat out of the claws, Web reached across the table and helped by prying out chunks of meat and dropping them into her cup of butter.

  “What do you do with this?” She was poking at one of the legs.

  He picked up one from his tray to demonstrate. “Easiest is to break at a joint and suck out the meat.”

  Gusta tried what he’d showed her with little success. “Is it horrible if I leave them?”

  Web stared at her mouth. Her attempts to draw out the meat had been comical, at first. Then, he’d pictured her lips wrapped around a part of his anatomy—and there was nothing comical about that thought.

  He shifted on his bench before picking up a napkin and reaching over to wipe her chin. “You have butter dripping.” Gently, he dabbed her chin and around her lips, barely resisting leaning over the table to lick her mouth clean. “Don’t pick at them if you’re full. There’s also a little meat in the flippers.” He pointed to the end of the tail.

  “I’m glad you didn’t get any sides.” She wiped her hands with more napkins. “It was delicious, and I loved it. Not sure I could ever cook them myself.”

  “Maybe one day we’ll do a real Maine clambake, or lobster bake.” At her puzzled frown, he explained. “A fire pit where we cook lobster, clams, mussels, corn. Then everybody digs in. Kind of a beach thing, but we’ve got a lake, so…” He lifted one shoulder.

  They gathered up their trash, took the trays back inside, and found a place to wash up from their meal.

  “Let’s go up to Camden and look around,” suggested Web.

  He was lucky to find a spot to park on the main street when they reached the picturesque town. Baskets over flowing with petunias hung from lamp posts.

  Together, they wandered in and out of various shops, much of the items geared to tourists. Gusta browsed farther into one store and found a lovely scene of a waterfall and the harbor out the back door.

  Web found her admiring the view. “Imagine coming to work here each day,” he said next to her ear.

  “With a view like that, I might not get any work done.”

  “How about an ice cream? There’s a stand down on the waterfront.” Web wrapped an arm around her waist to lead her out of the store.

  It was only a block from the main street down to the waterfront, but that one block was steep. Web kept his arm around Gusta as they made their way down the incline, leaving it there once they reached level ground. There was a line at the ice cream stand, but Web didn’t mind a bit. Not as long as he could be close to Gusta.

  “They sure have a lot of choices.” Gusta read the extensive menu posted above the service window. “I have to go with Moose Tracks.”

  “Have you had it before?” he all but whispered in her ear. The nice thing about her short hair was easy access to her ears. He placed a soft kiss on the tip of her ear and felt her shiver. “Chilly?”

  “Um, no.” She straightened, but Web didn’t release her. “Oh, good. We’re next.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Ice cream cones in hand, Web found a bench along the wooden walkway away from the crowds, where they could enjoy their treats and the harbor view.

  “This is wonderful. Thank you, again.” Gus gave him a quick glance and a soft smile. “I know I keep thanking you, which I should, but no one has given me a day like this since…I was a little girl.” She sighed, then quickly licked the ice cream melting down the side of her cone.

  “I’ve enjoyed it as much as you, if not more. You’re giving me a chance to see my home state with new eyes.” He watched her lick the drips from her cone, then stuck his against her lips. “Want a taste?”

  Gus would’ve refused, but feared she’d make a mess considering he’d practically shoved it in her mouth. She took a small bite, then held hers out to him. “Did you want to try mine?”

  “Nah, I’ve had it before.” He licked his ice cream where she’d just taken a taste.

  “I can’t believe you got chocolate with swirls of fudge and brownie bits.” His wrinkled brow seemed to ask Why not? “You’ve got all those cinnamon candies around the house and usually munching on one.”

  “You figured I’d get some sort of cinnamon ice cream.” Web chuckled. “I’m a bit of a chocaholic, but not mixed with cinnamon.”

  They finished their dessert in companionable silence, watching the activity in the harbor and out in the bay.

  Web had been resting his arm along the back of the bench behind Gus and now cupped her shoulder. “I have something for you to remind you of this day.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a bracelet which he held in the palm of his wide hand.

  On a silver chain were charms of colored rock, sea glass rimmed with silver, and a lighthouse.

  “It’s beautiful, Web. But, I can’t accept this.”

  “Why not?” He frowned at her.

  “It’s too much. You’ve already given me a wonderful day and the lobster meal—”

  “Consider it a late birthday present, or better yet, a welcome-to-Maine gift. Let me put it on.” She put her arm out, but Web lifted her foot to his knee. “It’s an anklet,” he explained as he fastened it around her leg. He cupped her calf in one hand while he ran the fingers of the other hand over her ankle bone and the piece of jewelry. “Looks wicked good.”

  “What does that mean? Wicked?” Gusta tried to pull her leg back, but Web tightened his hold.

  “Don’t be thinking hexes or evil deeds. It’s just a local expression.” He grinned at her. “I could’ve said, ‘Damn, baby, that’s hot!’” Web wrinkled his nose. “Doesn’t sound much like me, though.”

  She grinned back. “No, it doesn’t. It’s been a wicked good day, and long overdue.”

  “Why has it been so long since you’ve had a day like this?”

  Gus lifted one shoulder. “Work, taking care of Hope, being at the hospital with her. Life.”

  “This is life, too.” He waved his free hand to indicate the scene before them. “Taking time out to enjoy nature, seeing things around you, spending time with others. Getting to know people.”

  Gus agreed with what Web said, but how could she explain that in being the sole guardian, caretaker, and provider for her child, she’d had to let all else fall by the wayside?

  “How long have you been divorced, Gusta?”

  She turned her head to look at him. “Why do you call me that?”

  “I told you I wouldn’t call you a man’s name. And, you are definitely not a man.” His gaze raked her from head to toe, but rather than being lewd, his appreciation made her feel pretty. “Augusta is so formal, and you aren’t a Gussie. That either sounds like a prissy airhead or a maiden aunt.”

  She laughed at his description. “Don’t think I qualify for the old maid, although I have been accused of being an airhead. I like Gusta, I’m just used to being called Gus.”

  “Now that we’ve got that settled, back to my question. How long have you been divorced?”

  “A few months.” She gazed out at the water.

  Web’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “I had the impression you’d been alone for much longer than that.”

  “I had Hope,” she said quietly.

  “You know I meant your husband. From the few things you’ve said, I got the impression the two of you had divorced years ago.”

  “It took three years for the divorce to become final.” Gus kept her eyes on the horizon while her fingers twisted the napkin in her hands.

  “That’s a long time, but I can understand.” He continued to play with the charms on her anklet, letting his fingers graze her skin. “He didn’t want to let you go.”

  Gus barked out an unlady-like sound that could have been a laugh. A few heads turned her way.

  “Hell, no! Steve couldn’t wait to be shed of m
e and Hope.”

  “So, you were the one fighting the divorce?”

  She shook her head, dropped the napkin in her lap, and rubbed her hands over her face. “Almost from the moment I said ‘I do’ I realized I’d made a mistake. A horrible mistake. Other than having Hope, each day became filled with more regret.”

  Putting both hands on her shoulders, Web turned her to face him. “Did he abuse you? And, Hope?”

  Gus reached up to cup his face in her hands, staring into his hazel eyes. “Steve never hit me, nor Hope.” Once she could see Web had calmed and believed her, she added, “It would have been easier if he had.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  Gus patted his thigh in a soothing manner and turned to face the waters of the bay. “Oregon is a no-fault state when it comes to divorce. Had he hit me, I could’ve had him arrested, but that doesn’t guarantee the divorce would’ve gone any faster.

  “I told you I’d had to take Hope up to Portland for some tests.” She felt Web nod his agreement, but didn’t look at him. For a moment, she wished they were sitting on their porch in the dark. “When we got home, Steve had cleaned out the house. We were married; I hadn’t filed a separation, so there was nothing illegal about my husband moving things from one place to another. The story he told the police was I was so worried about our daughter’s illness, I’d forgotten about moving.”

  “Sounds reasonable,” Web said hesitantly. “Why hadn’t he gone to Portland with you?”

  Gus gripped her hands together tightly. She might as well get it out and let him know what an idiot she’d been. “As usual, I’d messed up again. It was my fault we had a child. Steve didn’t want children, he just failed to tell me until I was pregnant. I should have checked with him before I allowed myself to get pregnant.”

  Web laid a wide palmed hand over hers. “He did know how babies were made, didn’t he?”

  She made a sound in her throat that could have been a choked laugh or a growl. “Oh, yes. But birth control wasn’t up to him. That was my responsibility. And, since I wouldn’t have sex with him before marriage, he didn’t know what a—a disappointment I was until it was too late.”

  Gus pulled her hands out from under Web’s and tried to turn away from him. But, he would have none of that.

  “Don’t turn away from me,” he said in a quiet, but firm, voice. “Why do you think you were a disappointment?”

  She wouldn’t look at him, but she let him keep her at his side. “Steve told me, constantly.” Gus drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “He had a long list of complaints. I didn’t take direction well, I wasn’t spontaneous, I had no imagination. I complained of pain when he knew he wasn’t hurting me.”

  Web tightened his hold around her shoulders, squeezing her closer to him. He gritted out, “Bastard!”

  She tilted her head to one side. “No, his parents were married. Of course, he looks nothing like his father, so maybe his mother had someone on the side.” She grinned slightly, then waved a dismissive hand.

  “The thing was,” she continued, “I gave him a child he didn’t want, and then after a few years, we discovered that child was ill. Not only did I not provide him with a son, the child I gave him was defective. As if I’d purposely given Hope cancer.”

  Gus and Web sat quietly for a few minutes, although Web’s fisted hand rested on his thigh. This gave her time to regain her composure.

  “Steve didn’t contest the divorce; he just dragged his feet on signing. He’d pretty much taken everything. I knew I couldn’t trust him for us to do the divorce ourselves, so I hired an attorney. Like I needed another expense. All I asked for was child support. The payments would go through the state so I wouldn’t have to hassle him for money.”

  “Sounds fair enough,” Web murmured in her hair.

  “‘Fair’ is not part of Steve Payne’s vocabulary.” Her words were bitter. “Once he signed the divorce papers, the child support would go into effect. It’s difficult to get money from a man you’re still legally married to.”

  Gus patted Web’s hand where it lay on his thigh next to hers. It was more to comfort herself than him. “Steve signed the papers a couple months before Hope–” She drew in a shaky breath. “By the time everything was finalized, it didn’t matter. We hadn’t seen him in over three years.”

  Web hugged her. “I’m so sorry, honey.”

  “Nothing for you to be sorry for. You’re not the one who made mistakes.” She turned to him then, looking him right in the eye. “I don’t regret it. I can’t. I regret Hope had to suffer instead of me, but I’m grateful for every precious day I had with her.”

  ♥•♥•♥

  Web and Gusta remained on the bench, sitting quietly, for another half-hour before he suggested they begin heading home. “I don’t mind driving in the dark, but you won’t be able to see as much. Thought we’d take a different route home.”

  “You’re the guide,” she said agreeably. “I would think you’d want to take the fastest way possible.”

  “Why is that?” He helped her up into the Jeep, remaining by her door.

  “To get away from me and my tale of woe.” She grinned as if trying to lighten her words.

  He cupped the side of her face with one hand. “I want to learn all about you.” Web was serious. “You married the wrong man when you were young and naïve. You’ve grown since then and have proved to be a strong, independent woman. Don’t beat yourself up for falling for a psychopath.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead before shutting her door.

  They had driven out of town before Gusta spoke. “What makes you think Steve is a psychopath?”

  Web concentrated on the road. “He reminds me of Barbie. My mother’s mother,” he reminded her. “Mama and Gran told me about her. Once her divorce from Pop was final, she left the area. Hell, she could’ve left the state, or the country, for all we know.

  “She never contacted my mother. Gran told me Barbie once called Pop, trying to get money from him, but he told her they were done and hung up on her. Anyway, I once found a list of behaviors indicating someone could be a psychopath. Barbie hit most of them. I’d be willing to bet your ex-husband does, too.”

  Gusta sat quietly, watching the scenery pass their windows. “I believe you’d win that bet,” she eventually said. “I spilled my guts to one of the nurses after a particularly brutal day for Hope. That poor nurse learned more about me than she wanted to know. But she said the same thing. She thought Steve was a psychopath.” She stared out the window. “What an idiot I was.”

  Web pulled over to the side of the road, flicked on his flashers, and turned to Gusta pulling her to face him. “Don’t ever say that again!”

  She opened and closed her mouth several times without a word escaping.

  “Stop beating yourself up for what happened when you were young.” He nearly shook her. “A psychopath is charming and manipulative. That’s a hard combination to beat at any age. You could have wallowed in your misfortune; but from everything I’ve heard, you put your daughter first and did all you could for her. You can feel sorry for what you’ve lost, but do not put yourself down for making a mistake. Sounds like you did the best you could with what you had to work with.

  “Any man with a working brain would be thrilled to have you, and damn lucky, too. The only idiot is your ex-husband because he didn’t appreciate and cherish what he had. His mistake will be my good fortune.” With that, he ground his lips to hers in a demanding kiss.

  In the next instant, Web’s touch gentled. He let go of her shoulders and gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white, but the look in his eyes remained fierce.

  “I will not apologize for that.” He checked his mirrors and pulled back into traffic.

  They had gone a few miles when Web gritted out a low curse. “I’m sorry, Gusta. I forgot about this town.”

  “What are you–Oh.” He knew when she saw the sign. “The town is named Hope?”

  “Yeah
,” he said in disgust.

  “Can we drive through it?”

  He glanced over at her. “You want to?”

  Gusta nodded. “Please. I think it’s rather sweet. She would’ve gotten a kick out of it.”

  “I was afraid it would upset you.”

  Gusta placed a hand on his forearm. “I’m learning to accept, or trying to anyway, that my baby is gone. I promised her I would go on living and enjoy things for both of us. Some days, some hours, aren’t easy, but I never broke a promise to her. I don’t intend to start now.”

  Slowly, Web drove through the town of Hope. He didn’t think there was much to it, other than the name and its proximity to Penobscot Bay.

  “So far, I prefer Webster,” Gusta said as they left the town of Hope behind.

  Web laughed. “Me, too. You know, we could come back this way tomorrow and go to Bar Harbor and Acadia Park. Or, take the ferry over to Vinalhaven Island. Or, head down to Old Orchard Beach.”

  “Web, I don’t have to see the whole state in one weekend. And I’ll be starting my new job next week.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He shifted a bit in his seat. “Summer’s almost over.”

  “And I hope you’ll take me for a long drive when the leaves change color.” She smiled at him. “I doubt the state of Maine shuts down when it snows, does it?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then I have plenty of time to see things. I’d like to have a quiet day tomorrow. Catch up on laundry, settle in a bit more before I start work on Monday.” Gusta leaned back into her seat. “You understand, don’t you?”

  “I do.” He gave her a quick glance. “We’ll take it easy tomorrow and stay home.”

  Besides, he had a lot to think about. Gusta’s ex had certainly done a number on her. Blaming her for everything that had gone wrong in his life, and even for things that hadn’t. He’d shot her self-confidence to hell and back. Web needed to show her what a wonderful woman she really was. As he’d said, any man would be fortunate to have her in his life.

  The more he thought about it, the more he concluded he should be that fortunate man.