by Cate Beauman
Smiling, he shook his head. “You’re more than capable of handling what you do. I wanted in on you.”
She closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around him, holding on tightly, shuddering out a breath against his neck. “Oh God, Cade.”
He held on just as tightly, sliding his palms up and down her back. “Tell me what’s going on. Please.”
Sniffling, she exhaled another shaky breath as she drew far enough away to look at him. “Liam wants Kaitlyn one day a month, and eventually, for entire weekends.” Her chin trembled as another tear fell. “She’ll spend all of her time with a nanny. Eventually, she’ll figure out that her father doesn’t care at all.”
He pressed a long kiss to her forehead. Over his dead body was any of that going to happen. “I can help you. I want to help you.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Let me help you.”
“I don’t know if I can,” she said as more tears trailed down her cheeks. “It’s a lot, Cade.”
“I have a lot.”
“I think it would be better—easier—if I talk to Callie or Brad.”
He sighed, growing frustrated all over again. “What do I have to do to make you trust me?”
She frowned. “I do trust you.”
He shook his head. “With your daughter. With your body. But not with your heart. You’re still waiting for me to let you down. You expect it.”
“That’s not true.”
It was, but he had no desire to argue. “I want to help you with an attorney and a nanny. We’re going to get you the absolute best in the country, on both counts.”
Her face crumpled all over again as she covered her face with her hands, bursting into quiet sobs. “I don’t want Kaitlyn being raised by a nanny.”
“Aw, Gwen.” She was destroying him—absolutely breaking his heart. He eased her hands away, holding them in his. “She doesn’t have to be.”
She blinked her big blue eyes. “I hate this whole thing.”
“I know you do.” Guiding her over to the table, he pulled out a chair, tugging her onto his lap. “Cadence and I had a nanny. We loved her. She helped Mum and Dad when they needed it—in the summers, drop-offs and pickups at school, some after-school care. But Mum and Dad raised us. The person we hire won’t be any different—and you’ll be in complete control of the entire situation. We’ll get her set up in a rental here on the island—”
She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I can’t afford that.”
He cupped her face. “Look at me.”
She opened her eyes.
“I can. I’m also going to get my people on the search for your family attorney.”
Her brow furrowed. “Your people? This is the first time you’ve ever sounded like a billionaire.”
He laughed. “I’m just a millionaire many times over—good investments. The company as a whole is worth billions.”
She rolled her eyes. “Technicalities.”
“Multimillionaires have people, too, Gwen.” He smiled as she did.
She rolled her eyes again. “Of course, they do.”
His smile faded as he stroked his fingers along her jaw. “Please, let me do this.” He kissed her. “I want to—for you and Kaitlyn.” Because he loved them both desperately. But he knew Gwen wasn’t ready to hear that.
She stared into his eyes, exhaling a long breath. “I don’t like any of this.”
He nodded. “I know.”
Sighing again, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll let you help me.”
Chapter 25
Gwen added chocolate-covered almonds to the massive charcuterie board she’d spent the last half hour creating. She picked up several sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme next, placing them here and there for an extra touch of color and elegance. Scrutinizing her work, she smiled as she scanned the variety of meats, cheeses, crackers, nuts, mustards, and jellies. “All right. I think we’re good,” she said to Kaitlyn.
Satisfied with her contribution for tonight’s gathering, she covered her culinary artwork with plastic wrap before bringing the huge heavy board to the fridge. “Now that we have that finished, we’re officially ready for everyone,” she continued, while her daughter bounced around in her activity center—their saving grace and only option for getting anything done while her busy girl was awake.
Kaitlyn let her feet drop out from under her as she gnawed on one of the stationary toys.
Grinning, shaking her head, Gwen moved back to the counter, dressed for a day of productivity in white yoga pants, a black racerback tank top, and tennis shoes, wiping up the small mess she’d left behind as a strong gust of wind swept across the back side of the house.
Kaitlyn’s head whipped toward the French doors.
“That was a big one, huh?” Gwen glanced toward the picture window, studying the waves, noting that the swells were already picking up, well aware that both the wind and water would be much worse by early tomorrow morning. Carter Island was in the direct path of a tropical storm.
“Okay. Let’s run through the list one more time. Everyone has fresh bedding, candles, and matches in their rooms just in case we lose power. Your portable crib is set up in Mommy and Cade’s room, so we can keep you close. And I brought out all of our favorite board games, so we can have a little fun while we ride this thing out.”
Kaitlyn babbled her reply, chucking one of her blocks, sending it halfway across the kitchen.
Gwen blinked, more than a little impressed. “Cade’s right. You do have a good arm. Maybe softball’s in your future.” She picked up the accumulation of toys scattered around, putting them back on Kaitlyn’s tray. “Here you go, Cute Stuff.”
The baby blew raspberries, sending a long trail of drool dribbling down her chin.
Gwen raised her brow as she wiped up the spit with a cloth. “I’ll have to thank Cade again for teaching you how to do that.”
Kaitlyn did it again, grinning this time.
Gwen laughed, touching Kaitlyn’s nose. “You’re my Silly Billy—my Silly Kaitlyn.”
The baby got back to her activities as Gwen’s phone alerted to a text.
“Is that Cade telling us that he’s landed, or Aunt Callie telling us that she’s heading over? Mommy’s going to find out.” She moved back to the counter, smiling as she read the message.
I’m heading your way.
“Aunt Callie’s coming. She’ll be here in a couple of minutes.” She walked to one of the cupboards, grabbing two glasses for iced lemon water, anticipating Callie’s drink of choice. “We’ll have a chance to catch up before everyone else joins us, which is great.”
She was looking forward to the upcoming evening—to having the house full. Soon, everyone she loved would be arriving, tucked away safe and sound—their family tradition whenever there was a major storm.
Heading for the fridge again, she grabbed the pretty pitcher, pouring the water, adding lemon slices she’d already cut as a vehicle pulled up in the driveway. “Aunt Callie’s here.”
Moments later, the front door opened, then closed. “I come bearing gifts!” Callie called, bringing in a large basket of chocolate chip cookies, brownies, whoopie pies, and cupcakes.
Gwen hurried over to help, beaming at Callie’s ever-growing belly in her Carter Island Deli and Bakery T-shirt. “Let me take that.”
“Thanks.” Callie handed it over, giving Gwen a hug. “Molly asked me to bring that with me to make things a little easier. We got our butts kicked with orders, so I thought it was the least I could do.”
Gwen took another study of the treats, breathing in the sinful scent of the sweet confections. “I’m officially looking forward to dessert.”
“Me, too.” Callie pulled the overnight bag off her shoulder. “But this is Nate’s basket. I have another one in the car for the rest of us.”
Gwen laughed as Callie grinned. “He really is a pig.”
Callie nodded, still smiling, glowing with happiness. “But he’s my pig, so I’ll keep him.”
&
nbsp; Gwen chuckled. “Someone has to.” She frowned. “Where’s Winston?”
“He’s hanging out with Kay down at the office today. She said she was missing her Winston time.”
“We can’t have that.”
“No, we can’t.” Callie walked over to Kaitlyn, smiling down at her niece, brushing her hand over the top of the baby’s head while Kaitlyn continued to play. “I talked to Nate at lunchtime. He said he’ll be over in a couple of hours. He, Mac, Denny, and Sean are out making sure that whoever didn’t get out on the last ferry this morning is all set to ride out the storm.”
Gwen nodded. “It sounds like most people left. Cade mentioned that they’d added extra flights to Boston yesterday and today to get everyone out of here.” She glanced at the clock, then toward the overcast sky. “He should be landing any second now—the last flight until all of this is over.”
Callie moved back to the counter for her water. “Is there anything I can be doing to give you a hand around here?”
“Nope. Kaitlyn and I took care of everything.” Which was a minor miracle with her on-the-go baby.
Callie looked toward the stack of games set in the center of the table. “It looks like we have our entertainment for tonight.”
“We do—and electricity isn’t necessarily required.”
“That’s true.”
“We never got around to playing during the last storm. I was too busy giving birth.”
Callie laughed. “Well, there will be no new babies tonight.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “That’s what I said.”
Callie laughed again, rubbing her hands over her belly. “This nugget still has some baking to do, so I definitely see board games in our future. Although, I can’t promise to say the same thing if something like this should happen again six weeks from now.”
Gwen huffed out a laugh of her own as she moved to pick up Kaitlyn. “That would be something.” She snagged her water next. “Should we head to the living room and take a load off?”
“Sure. You can tell me how things are going with the nanny hunt and the latest meeting you had with your attorney.”
“Ugh,” was all Gwen said as she crossed her eyes—the new hot topic she hated with a passion.
“So, it’s going well, then?”
Things had moved quickly over the last week and a half. Cade’s people certainly hadn’t messed around after he made a couple of calls, securing a retainer with Danielle Elliott of Elliott, Elliott, and Schuster, one of the top family law firms in the United States. She and Cade were already two meetings in with Danielle and her team. “Danielle feels confident that we can keep the visits to a couple of hours once a month—at least while I’m still nursing.”
Callie nodded as she sat on the couch. “That sounds like a good thing.”
Gwen shrugged because none of this was a good thing. Taking a seat, she settled in to offer Kaitlyn a snack.
“What about the nanny?”
Gwen jerked her shoulders again as the baby latched on. “Cade and I really like three of the candidates on our list—on paper, anyway. We have virtual first-round interviews scheduled for early next week.”
Callie opened her mouth to respond just as someone knocked on the front door.
Gwen frowned because she was only expecting family today—and they always let themselves in.
“I’ll get it,” Callie said, gaining her feet, heading down the hall.
Gwen broke Kaitlyn’s latch, fixing her shirt. “Let’s go see who came to visit us.” She smiled, slightly puzzled when Mac, Nate’s undersheriff, stood in the entryway. “Hey, Mac.”
He sent her a small smile. “Hey, Gwen.” He shuffled his feet. “Uh, Nate wanted me to come pick you up.”
Her frown returned. “And why would he want you to do that?”
“Cade’s having some trouble in the air.”
Her stomach immediately sank as goosebumps puckered her skin. “It’s bad.” She didn’t bother with a question because Nate would never worry her if there was no reason to.
Mac shuffled his feet again. “Cade’s having some trouble with his engines. He called in a mayday about twenty minutes ago.”
“Oh God.” She pressed an unsteady hand to her hammering heart as Callie wrapped her arm around her waist. “But he’s still in the air?”
Mac nodded. “He was when I left. Why don’t we head down to the airport? We’ll have Nate and Buzz fill you in.”
Buzz was involved, too? A horror she’d never allowed herself to contemplate was unfolding. Cade was a pilot, yet it had never occurred to her that he might crash.
“I’ll keep Kaitlyn here.” Callie took the baby from her arms, hugging her. “You stay as long as you need to stay. We’ll be all right here.”
Gwen nodded as a haze of stark terror and shock nearly overwhelmed her. “I should get my phone. He might call.” Even as she said it, she knew the idea was ridiculous when he was trying to keep a plane in the air. But she needed to have her only way of communicating with Cade close.
Callie touched her hand. “Sure, honey.”
She hurried to the kitchen with Callie following behind.
“I can’t breathe.” She shook out her hands, pressing her palms to her heart, moving past the phone, pacing back and forth, trying to pull herself together. “I can’t get my breath.”
“Do you need to sit down for a second?”
She adamantly shook her head, forcing herself to settle down. “He has to be okay. I need him to be okay.” She looked at Callie. “I haven’t told him,” she choked out. “He doesn’t know that I love him.”
Callie closed the distance between them, taking her hand and squeezing it. “You’ll tell him. When he lands safely, you’ll tell him.”
She nodded, giving Callie a hug, then Kaitlyn a kiss before she snatched up her phone, running to join Mac as he walked toward the cruiser. “Can you turn on your lights?”
They got in the patrol car. “I’m not really supposed to, but I think we can make an exception.”
“Thank you, Mac.”
“Sure thing.” He pulled out of the driveway, then onto Route 1, hitting the lights and sirens, picking up speed as they moved down the typically quiet side of the island, now mostly empty with everyone evacuated except residents and rental occupants.
Gripping her hands tightly in her lap, she stared out into the gloomy abyss—at the choppy waves as dark and gray as the sky. The water would be cold—fatally so after more than a few minutes without proper gear.
Shaking her head, banishing her awful thoughts, she kept her eyes to the sky, willing Cade to survive—to see the Carter Island Air plane breaking through the clouds to land at the airport. “He should have landed by now?”
“Nate and Buzz will know a hell of a lot more than I do.” He sent her another reassuring smile.
She nodded, unable to fake a smile back as she focused on the sky again, impatiently waiting to be there. Each minute of the typically eight-minute drive was passing by in hours.
Finally, Mac took a left into the airport parking lot, pulling up to the front entrance. “Here we are.”
She barely waited for him to come to a complete stop before she got out, running inside. Her intention had been to hurry over to Nate, but her terror compounded as she moved toward the massive windows, staring out at the Coast Guard vessel floating offshore, and the emergency vehicles lined up by the runway: fire trucks, an ambulance, and more sheriff’s vehicles. Denny and Shawn, two of Nate’s deputies, spoke to Brad and Kenzie Kloss, Brad’s Boston friend and fellow trauma doctor who split time with him at the clinic. They were all prepared and waiting for a worst-case scenario.
“Gwen!” Nate called, moving her way.
She turned, rushing into his arms. “Nate.”
He wrapped her up tightly.
She accepted her brother’s comfort, gripping him as if her life depended on it—because right now, it felt like it did. “What’s going on? Where’s Cade?”
/> He eased her back. “He’s about ten miles out. Air Traffic Control still has him on their radar, which is a good thing.”
She nodded, trying to find a modicum of relief in his words, but she couldn’t, because that was the good news. “Mac said he called in a mayday.”
Nate nodded. “His transmissions were pretty broken up, but he mentioned that he was having trouble with his engines.”
“What does that mean?” She looked to Buzz as he joined them.
“Cade’s a damn good pilot,” Buzz reassured her. “Air Traffic Control said he was cool and calm when he called in.”
“But what about the engines?”
Buzz fiddled with his mustache the way he always did. “He declared an emergency that quickly turned into a mayday. He said something about catastrophic engine failure and dual burnout. We lost transmission after that—and haven’t been able to get it back.”
She closed her eyes, refusing to sag to the floor the way her legs wanted her to.
“He’s rock steady, Gwen, and he’s still on the radar.” Buzz gave her shoulder an awkward pat. “That’s what we need to focus on. If I had to be in this situation, I’d want Cade as my pilot. I’ll head back up to the tower for another update.”
She nodded again, turning away as her eyes filled, never feeling quite as helpless as she did right now.
Nate followed her as she moved toward the chairs. “We have to trust Buzz. He knows better than either of us. He’s worried. This is a shitty situation, but he’s not indicating anything else at this point.”
She looked into her brother’s eyes—so similar to her own, fighting so damn hard to keep it together. “I can’t lose him, Nate,” she struggled to say as a new wave of emotions choked her. “I just found him.”
He wrapped her up in another hug. “It’s going to be okay.”
But it wasn’t. If Cade didn’t make it home, nothing would ever be okay again.
“There!” Buzz yelled, running toward the window as he pointed. “Right there!”
Gwen and Nate hurried over.
Buzz hooted out a laugh, clapping his hands loudly as the plane glided in for its touchdown. “Cade Paxton. Rock steady.”
