Page 86 of Hearts on the Mend

Cassie chokes out a surprised laugh. “You do?”

“I want nothing more than to pull you into a big, sudsy bath and warm up after a cold winter day. Wrap my arms around you and catch up about our day. Talk over what happened with work and Ruby, hear about the birds you saw…” I tease.

Well, that’s one version of it. But she’ll get the idea.

“I’ve always wanted a clawfoot tub.” She squirts shampoo into her hand and reaches up, massaging it into my hair. I bend at the knees a bit so it’s easier for her to reach, and I swear they almost buckle at her touch.

“There’s not enough room for it without knocking out the closet in the hallway. You don’t want to lose any bedroom space upstairs.”

“I think you like this house more than me.”

I brace one hand flat against her stomach and the other against the wall to keep myself standing.

“I just love you.”

Cassie stops on a soft gasp, her eyes wide. “I know.”

It takes two attempts, but eventually, we get out of our own way and make it into town to meet my mom and Ruby at the library, but first, we stop at The Wharf House to grab coffee.

“Used to live there,” I say, pointing to the empty spot on Main Street when we climb out of the truck. It’s still weird to see. “My family’s restaurant burned down almost two years ago now. There used to be a small apartment over it. Worked on the boat hauling traps with Dad and Ethan.”

“Not Jack?”

I chuckle. “Jack’s good at a lot of things, but manual labor isn’t one of them.”

The harbor buoy dings in the distance as seagulls squawk overhead. It’s not too busy this time of year, and I might not admit it much, but I always preferred this town in the offseason. Felt like it was ours, and we didn’t have to share it with the tourists.

So much of my life when I was younger revolved around Merritt’s Catch. It was never mine though. And when things fell apart between me and Brooks’ older sister, Lucy, it was easier to say goodbye. My parents had their hands full enough, and I was tired of waiting around for crumbs, as shitty as that sounds.

I reach for Cassie’s hand without thinking, but she doesn’t pull back as we walk up to the small coffee shop.

“Can you order me something? I’m going to pop in and say hi to Izzy at the bookshop.”

“Sure.”

Cassie surprises me again when she tugs me down for a quick kiss. “Thanks, baby.”

I’m still reeling a few minutes later when I’m in line, and an older man claps a hand on my shoulder.

“Haven’t seen you in a long time. How’ve you been, Murphy?”

Chief Teskey’s hair is white now, but it’s still shaved in the same short, boxy style I remember.

I trained with this guy in high school at the fire department. It’s kind of wild to see him now. It’s weird to see yourself grow older by watching those around you. Some days, I feel fucking ancient, even though I’m thirty-six.

“I heard about what happened,” Tommy says. “You have a minute to sit down and catch up?”

“Sure.”

He has a big mug of black coffee and a cheese Danish that’s topped with pistachio cream, and he insists I try a bite, which I do.

It’s good, but not as good as the blueberry and maple ones Cassie made last week.

“Part of the job,” I say. I’m not really in the mood to share more, and luckily, he doesn’t press for details.

“When are you going back?” he asks.

“I have to get medically cleared first before I drive back to Montana. Soon, I hope.”