Page 78 of Meet Me on Lilac Lane

He hauled up short. “No. Absolutely not. I already have a boat. Besides, that should belong to Mia.”

“Nope. Not this. It means more to you than it would to Mia. Plus, I know you spent a lot of your money on it too. Almost as much as Troy. That boy never could keep a dime in his pocket.”

He ran a hand over the hull. The blue paint sparkled in the June sunshine. He remembered long debates with Troy over the color choice. Cody would have gone with a racing red, but Troy picked blue. Once finished, Cody had to admit the blue really worked.

“The boat is yours. I already put the title and registration in your name. When we go back through the house, I will give them to you. Keep the boat or sell it, I don’t care, but that boat is yours.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

She waved away his words. “Like I said, it might be a while before we can go back to the way things were, but I needed to get this stuff off my chest.”

They walked back through the house. When they got to the front door, he noticed movement out the small window. He saw what looked like a walking couch cushion, topped with a purple bobble. Behind that, marched another cushion, this time topped with a pair of bright eyes under a mop of curly blonde hair. Trailing behind was Mia, carrying the chair that the cushions must belong to.

He hurried out the door and down the walk, just in time to catch Maggie as she tripped on the cushion, falling forward onto it, bobble flopping.

“Whoa there, little lady.” He swooped her up, laughing. Mia set down the chair and brushed a hair out of her eyes. Could Maggie hear the beating of his heart? “Let me help you guys.” He set Maggie down and picked up the cushion.

Maggie put her little hands on her hips. “I do it mine self.”

“I see.” He bit his lip against a smile. “Stubborn, like your mama.” He shot Mia a wink. “Fierce too. Maybe she will let me help her.”

As he took the chair from Mia their fingers brushed. A zing ran up his arm and landed somewhere in his heart. “Let me help you with that.”

“Thanks.” Mia held his gaze. “It’s not heavy, just awkward.”

“I can see that. Where are we going with it?”

“Grandma Harmon’s room,” Mia said. “Were you just at Constance’s?”

He smiled at her over the top of the chair. “This has been a banner week for me. Mrs. Franklin and I had tea. I’ll have to tell you about it later.”

He walked up the yard to the Franklin house, Mia at his side and Maggie and Finn tottering along with their cushions—and finally, some peace in his heart.

He still didn’t know what the future held—with his dad’s fishing business or with Mia—but a guy sure could get used to this kind of life.

Chapter Fifteen

How could she have forgotten Troy’s boat?

Mia stood on Cody’s wooden dock, slightly swaying with the waves. The water looked beautiful today. Troy’s boat floated in front of her, blue paint sparkling. The thirteen foot Boston Whaler looked even better in the water than it ever had in Constance’s backyard. A small pleasure cruiser that doubled as a fishing boat, the whaler had four swivel seats, a modest diving platform off the back, and an outboard motor. Troy had replaced all the torn upholstery with a white faux leather. It surprised her to note that it still looked bright even after being in storage for so long.

Cody had called in a few favors, and he and Liam and a few others had pulled the boat on its trailer from Constance’s all the way down to the water. Then he’d called and convinced her to bring the kids down for a ride.

“Let’s test it out.” He’d pleaded.

“Not today, Cody. Grace is supposed to call back with a good time for her video interview with the council. If she decides to move forward with her application, that is.” Now was not the time for slacking off. After all, she was still short on applicants. It was not the time to go for a pleasure cruise.

“So, you’re just going to sit around waiting for a phone call? There’s cell service on the boat. I give you my word we won’t go far from shore. Besides, Finn and Maggie will love it,” he’d said.

Those words had finally convinced her. He was right. The kids would be over the moon with this ride. They loved going on the ferry the few times she’d taken them to the mainland. Right now, they practically vibrated with excitement as they waited to board the boat.

She and Cody and Troy had spent so much time with it in high school. Troy was constantly trying to improve the vessel. He’d tinker with the outboard motor, then they’d take it for a tour around the island. He’d painted it this sparkly, blue color just before high school graduation. They hadn’t had time to put it in the water that summer. As far as she knew, he’d never put it in the water. Not during their marriage anyway. Too many other priorities, Finn being the most important.

She was glad Constance had given the boat to Cody. Glad that he’d thought to share it with her children.

Now, those two were attempting to board, Finn with his legs spread in wide splits—one foot on the dock and one in the boat. She reached to steady him as Cody leaned out of the boat to swing Maggie in. He settled Maggie into one of the captain’s chairs before strapping her into a life vest. Then he held Finn by the elbow as the little boy navigated his other foot into the boat. Finn pulled a jacket over his head and snapped the clips shut. Cody tested the straps to make sure they were snug. When the kids were safe, he put his hand out to Mia.

She placed her hand in his. His rough calluses rubbed her palm, sending a zing up her arm.

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