Page 7 of The Pilot

Kash: thank u 4 finding mom last night

Linc: You’re welcome.

Kash: mom just told me to tell u that its no prob taking a different bus from school i should be there by 330 or 4 what project are we doing first

Linc laughed out loud again. The sound rusty and echoing throughout the room.

Linc: I was going to start with painting. Need to do that before I do the floors.

Kash: awesome

Linc: You might not think it’s awesome when you see how much needs to be painted.

Kash: ive never painted b4 its gonna b fun

The enthusiasm the boy showed was endearing. Linc knew the excitement would wane after a while. After reality set in about how much work there was to be done in the house.

Linc: How about we work on setting up your room first when you get here. Then we can see what else needs to be done.

Kash: would it b ok if we set up moms room 1st she works until 6 today and will b tired when she gets home

Linc’s heart lurched at how considerate Kash was toward his mother.

Linc: Of course.

Kash: cool i gotta go moms rushing me and i don’t want to miss my bus c u later

Linc: Later.

Linc put his phone back in his pocket . . . and realized a couple of minutes later, he was still smiling. He didn’t know what effect Harper and Kash would have on his life after they moved in, but he had no doubt it would change things.

Taking a deep breath, he made his way into the kitchen, putting his mug in the sink before heading for the stairs. He needed to shower, maybe get a head start on moving his stuff downstairs before heading over to Victor’s house. He’d already texted Chad and asked if he’d help with Harper and Kash’s stuff. Of course, his brother had agreed, asking if Britt could come too . . . although she wouldn’t be lifting anything heavy on account of her being pregnant.

Linc liked Britt. She was good for Chad. Brought out the best in him.

Not a day went by when Linc didn’t see one of his relatives. He hadn’t been totally sure about moving home to Maine, but now that he was here, he was content. More so than when he’d lived out west. Family could be a pain in the butt sometimes, but he’d missed his. Way more than he’d ever realized.

Thirty minutes later, Linc was on the way to his mom’s neighbor’s house. After he was done moving Harper and Kash’s things, he’d go over and spend some time with his mom. If he didn’t, he knew he’d never hear the end of it. She’d want to hear all about how her pretty neighbor and her son had come to be living with him.

For his part, Linc wanted to nip any expectations she had in the bud. His mom was a romantic who probably thought this meant he and Harper were a “thing.” Which they weren’t. He was letting her move in because of Kash. Period.

Linc refused to let the nagging voice in the back of his head take root. The one telling him that he was a liar. He was helping out a neighbor, that was it. And he needed to make sure his mom didn’t start making any more damn wedding plans. She had enough on her plate with the other two weddings she was organizing . . . not to mention baby showers.

Neither of his brothers actually had concrete plans for their weddings yet, but that didn’t matter to their mother. She was so excited that two of her babies had found amazing women to spend the rest of their lives with, she was full speed ahead.

When Linc turned onto Victor Rogers’s property, he immediately saw that it was in dire need of some TLC. The gravel driveway needed to be graded, there were trees that should be pruned or even taken down, so they didn’t damage any structures during a windstorm, which Rockville had a lot of. Even the main house looked . . . tired.

Like Lobster Cove, Victor also had two rental houses on his property, but they looked just as neglected as the main house.

Linc had wondered once why Harper and Kash hadn’t moved into one of those, but apparently Victor wasn’t willing to give up the rental income they provided. It was just another thing about the old man that rubbed Linc the wrong way.

But Linc wasn’t privy to Victor’s money situation. Maybe he really needed the income. It was a moot point now, since Harper and Kash would be moving out today.

Pulling as close as he could to the front door of the house, Linc cut off the engine and took a deep breath. Though it was too late to take his offer back, he was suddenly having second thoughts.

And third and fourth ones.

He liked his solitude. Didn’t really want anyone in his personal space. Especially in the middle of the night, when his demons usually reared their ugly heads. And what did he know about kids, anyway? Sure, he liked Kash. The boy was smart and eccentric. And so eager for positive reinforcement. Linc could practically see the kid preening anytime someone said something kind to him.