Page 4 of The Pilot

Harper wanted to cry. She knew without a doubt Kash would love that. He didn’t have a lot of friends at school, and he already idolized Linc. Having his idol teach him “boy” things like fixing up a house would be a dream come true.

She swallowed hard. She didn’t like charity. Didn’t like knowing she wasn’t able to give her son the things he needed and deserved on her own, the very reason she was living with her dad. But Linc was offering something that might mean she could save enough to get her and Kash their own place by summer.

Independence.

He was offering her a way to get her pride back.

But a part of her still wondered about the catch. Because she certainly couldn’t see a lot in this arrangement for him. It wasn’t as if she or Kash would be that much help around his house. She didn’t know the first thing about home improvement.

“Say yes, Harper,” Linc repeated firmly. “I know you don’t like me, have never liked me. I don’t know why, it’s not as if I’ve ever done anything to you. Not back then and not since I’ve returned to Maine. But—”

“I like you!” Harper blurted, interrupting him. “But more than that, I respect you. Linc . . . there aren’t many men, many people, who would do what you and your brothers did. Move back to Maine when you had your own lives and jobs elsewhere, to help out your mom. If Kash turns out half as good as you are, I’d be proud.”

“You should already be proud of him,” Linc said with a scowl.

“That’s not what I meant. I am proud of him,” Harper insisted. “He’s my entire world. I just . . . was trying to . . . never mind.” She looked down at her fingers in her lap.

She was always saying the wrong thing around this man. She felt tongue tied and inferior to him. He’d done things after high school. Had made a difference in the world. She’d wanted to, but all she’d managed was to screw up her life before eventually running back to her daddy with her tail between her legs. She and Linc couldn’t be more different.

“Trying to what?” Linc asked.

She sighed. “Let you know that I admire you. That I’m grateful you’ve taken such an interest in Kash. That you and your family were there for him when I couldn’t be. That you haven’t let my dad’s prickliness taint your feelings for my son.”

“Victor’s an asshole, but deep down—deep down—he’s a good man. He wouldn’t have reached out to Chad when he saw my mom being kidnapped if he wasn’t. He wouldn’t have spent all day on the water looking for Marit if he wasn’t. I’m not saying I want to hang out with him or anything, but I kind of understand him.”

Harper lifted her head and looked at Linc. “Understand him?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t elaborate, and Harper was kind of scared to ask for details. She certainly didn’t understand her father. He’d always been extremely hard on her. Expecting perfection when she was anything but perfect. She felt that pressure from him now more than ever. Felt his disappointment that she wasn’t successful. That she’d had to come back home to live with him. That she wasn’t married. That she’d had a child outside of marriage.

“Say yes,” he said again. “If things don’t work out, on either of our parts, you can always go back to your dad’s. Or better yet, the smaller house on Lobster Cove will probably be fixed up by the spring. You and Kash can go there if you can’t stand my piece-of-shit house—or me—any longer. Say yes for your son. He worries about you. Feels as if he needs to look out for you. He’s your protector, and he should be sleeping in the middle of the night, not awake and texting me because he’s concerned about where you are and what might be happening to you.”

It was kind of a cheap shot, but Linc was right. Harper was well aware that her son was older than his years. That he had a tender soul. That he wanted to take care of her. They’d been taking care of each other for years now.

“All right. Thank you, Linc. I accept. But if at any time you get tired of us, and you want us out, you have to tell me. I won’t be mad. I can always go back to my dad’s place. I still don’t really understand why you’re being so generous and gracious, but I’d be stupid to say no.”

To his credit, Linc didn’t look smug or crow about her giving in. He simply nodded. “You need help moving your stuff over tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” Harper asked in surprise.

“Why not?”

“Well, I have to work.”

Linc stared at her for a beat. Then asked, “What time?”

“Ten.”

“Can you go back to your dad’s house and get some sleep?”

Harper frowned. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be able to?”

“Kash said Victor kicked you out.”

She snorted. “He did—after I was already halfway out the door. I’ve learned that when things get heated, the best bet is to put space between us. He’ll be fine.”

“All right. I’ll come over with Chad tomorrow, and you can show us what you want moved. We’ll do the heavy lifting, and when you get off shift, you can come straight to my place and put things where you want them.”