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Conrad bounces on his bottom. “Can we, Mama? Puh-lease.”
I pat his head. “Not tonight, sweetheart. But we can stay for the movie.” When he starts to argue, I shoot him a warning look that silences him.
The children help me clear the table while Will rinses the dishes. Once the kitchen is clean, we set the threesome up in the family room with blankets, a mountain of pillows, and a huge bowl of popcorn. Will makes White Russians for us grownups—a mixture of vodka, coffee liqueur, and a dash of heavy cream—which we take outside to the veranda.
I touch my glass to his. “Thanks for having us. I had a nice time.”
“Thanks for coming. I had a nice time as well,” he says with a kindness in his smile I’ve never seen before. I can’t put my finger on it, but he somehow seems different from the man I met at the hardware store a couple of weeks ago.
We stand at the corner of the porch, sipping our drinks in comfortable silence. He’s easy to be with, as though I’ve known him for years. When a streak of lightning illuminates the darkening sky, I say, “Looks like a storm’s coming.”
“Mm-hmm. Ahead of a predicted cold front that’s forecasted to bring us our first taste of autumn weather.” Turning towards me, Will takes my glass, sets it on the railing, and tilts my face to his. He presses his soft lips to mine. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” he says, his breath a whisper against my lips.
Drawing me close, he kisses me again with more urgency. Electric currents ripple throughout my body, sending tingles down to my toes. This man lights me up like a firecracker. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had sex in months. Or because I’ve endured such emotional turmoil, I’m desperate for human touch. Or maybe it’s just the man himself. After the way Grady betrayed me, I never thought it possible to find love again.
I’m so lost in the kiss, in the warmth of his body against mine, that I don’t hear Caroline approach until she’s standing right next to us.
“Daddy?”
Startled, Will pushes me away. “Sweetheart! What is it? Why aren’t you watching your movie?”
“I got up to go potty and saw you kissing Miss Julia.” Caroline stares at me with her father’s electric blue eyes, studying me as though in a new light. “Is she gonna be my new mama?”
Will cast an apologetic glance in my direction. “No, Caroline. Miss Julia and I are just friends. Sometimes grownups kiss their friends. Now run along back inside.”
He marches her over to the double-paned doors. When he returns to my side, he says, “I’m sorry she saw that. I’m sure she’s confused. And she’s not the only one.” He runs a finger down my cheek. “That kiss was . . . I don’t know how to describe it except to say wow.”
I’m the most confused of us three. I agree with Will. The kiss had the wow factor. But I don’t want to be a friend with benefits to anyone. Most especially Will.
I grab his hand, pulling it away from my face. “I should go before the storm sets in,” I say and hurry inside to collect my child and our belongings.
Will helps me carry my things to the car. After buckling Conrad into his car seat, he walks me to the driver’s side. “I hope you’re not upset about . . . you know . . . the kiss?”
“Not at all,” I say with feigned nonchalance.
When he leans in close, I worry he’s going to kiss my lips again, but he plants one on my cheek instead.
“Thanks again for having us. It was a perfect evening.” I get in my car and close the door.
I assume Caroline told my son what she witnessed between her father and me on the porch. I fully expect Conrad to interrogate me, but his eyes are closed before we depart the driveway, and he’s snoring softly by the time I reach the Merriweather Bridge.
With no moon or streetlights to offer illumination, Beach Drive is bathed in pitch darkness. As I drive slowly towards the cottage, I fantasize about a future with Will. Our children play together so well. How would they get along as siblings? He would move out of Marsh Point, and we would get our own home. Maybe an old house on the water with double-decker porches where I could spend my days writing. Maybe we would have a child together. At least one, maybe even two. We would be a happy couple, raising our four children in this peaceful town with no threat of outside danger. A pie-in-the-sky dream that is not likely to ever come true.
We arrive home to find the lights out in the cottage. My heart pounds in my chest as I help Conrad from the car.
“Why is it so dark, Mommy?” Conrad asks, as though sensing my tension.
“I’m not sure, son. I thought I left the lights on.” I turn on my phone’s flashlight, and as I’m taking hold of my son’s hand, lightning cracks the night sky. “Stay close to me. We need to get inside before it pours.”
The first raindrops splatter our faces as we run for the door. Using the flashlight for guidance, we make our way to the electrical panel in the kitchen. Several circuit breakers have been tripped. I flip the switches to restore the power in the cottage, and the lights blink on.
“What made the power go out?” Conrad asks.
“Who knows? Maybe the approaching storm had something to do with it.”
I remember being out in the boat and thinking I saw someone moving around in the cottage. I check under the bed and in the closets for an intruder. Once I’m certain we’re alone, I turn on the security system and help Conrad get ready for bed. After reading him a story, I go to the kitchen for a cup of tea. But my teacup isn’t in the drying rack where I’m certain I left it with my salad plate from lunch. Goosebumps dot my arms as I search the kitchen. I find the two items in an otherwise empty dishwasher. I haven’t run the dishwasher since we moved in. Because our ancient dishwasher on the farm rarely worked, I got in the habit of hand-washing my dishes. Someone was definitely in this cottage while we were gone. Did they intentionally trip the breakers so we would come home to a dark house? Are they lurking outside in the rain, waiting for an opportunity to break in?
The cup of tea forgotten, I remove my handgun from the lockbox in my closet and insert a loaded magazine. I turn every light in the house on except the ones in Conrad’s room and settle into the most comfortable chair in the living room. I’m using myself as bait. I want whoever is out there to see me. I want them to break in so I can shoot them. I’ll tell the police it was a random intruder, but the killing will send a message to the cartel that I’m not to be messed with. I can and I will defend myself and my child. This is a reminder that we will never be safe from the threat of The Six. I can’t drag Will into my drama, and I certainly can’t put his innocent children’s lives at risk.
