Page 30 of Harbor Lights

Con chuckled along with her, but she couldn’t help clinging on to that moment of connection. What did it mean? Did Shiv feel that closeness, too? The feeling she’d finally found someone who understood her. She shrugged it off. Siobhán Walsh was an activist with a violent history. Not to mention Con was so much older. And her GP. There were so many reasons not to go there, even in her own head. And yet…

TEN

Shiv’s cellphonebuzzed in her pocket, making her jump. She’d lost track of the time as Con gently teased her recent past from her. It felt like a weight off her shoulders to share. Prison had freaked her out and she’d had no time to process any of it before she’d taken off to another continent. Perhaps she should be more open with her cousins, too.

She pulled the phone from her pants pocket. “That’s Joey saying they’ll be here in ten minutes.” She typed a quick response and unfolded herself from the couch.

Con got up, too. “Do you want anything before you leave? I’ll ask Joey and Marianne in for a cup of tea.”

Shiv didn’t want the evening to come to an end, but she didn’t want to inconvenience Joey. “I’d better be ready when they get here.”

“Okay, do you need to collect your tools?”

“Yeah, I’ll get them now.”

Despite retelling much of her traumatic experience, she’d enjoyed the company of another person. Especially this particular person, who she was beginning to like a lot.

She packed her tools and was checking the door was dry enough to close as Con came out onto the porch.

“That looks so smart! My patients will think this is a respectable surgery if I’m not careful.”

“It’s the best I could do with the old paint. You should add it to my list of jobs and pick a fresh new color.”

Something flashed across Con’s face, and she shook her head. “It looks better than it has for years. Let’s focus on some of the more urgent work.”

“You’re the boss.” Shiv wondered what Con was thinking about as she stared at the door. It was suddenly illuminated by headlights. A truck had pulled up the hill and into the parking space by the house.

“There’s Joey for you, now,” Con said.

Shiv gathered her bags while two figures approached along the path. Walking in front of Joey was Marianne, looking even more jaw dropping in a fitted jacket over a low-cut top. Shiv forced her gaze to Joey, who also looked smarter than she’d seen them before, wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, even on this chilly evening. They both hugged Con, and Joey turned to Shiv, who avoided an embrace by shifting her bags onto her shoulders.

“Hey, how was your meal?”

Marianne smiled. “Divine. We’ll be going back there again.” She turned to Joey and pulled on their belt. “And they’ve asked for a regular delivery of langoustines, so Joey’s happy too.”

Joey laughed. “I don’t know how you manage to turn everything into a sales opportunity, but yes, they’re a good new customer.” They draped an arm around Marianne. “Are you ready to go?”

“Will you come in for a coffee?” Con stood by the newly painted door.

“We won’t. The babysitter needs to get home. Oh, I see Shiv’s been up to more renovating. That looks so much better.” Joey swung the door open and closed. “Do you miss the grating sound of it dragging on the flagstones?”

Con laughed. “Strangely enough, no, I don’t. Siobhán has been a godsend.”

“Well, don’t you be monopolizing her,” Marianne said. “We’ve got a dark cottage that needs lighting.”

“I can do both.” Shiv gathered her equipment. She’d never been so popular. “Talking of dark cottages, now I’ve got power in the cabin, I can work there in the evenings, so I can get your jobs done in the daytime.”

“That must make the cabin so much more hospitable.” Con smiled.

“It was fine before, but it gives me more working hours now the evenings are getting darker.”

“Right, let’s get us all home. Aisling will be charging double time soon.” Joey took one of Shiv’s tool bags, slung it over their shoulder as though it was empty and led Mari away down the path. “See you tomorrow, Doc.”

“Thanks. For dinner. And e-everything.” Shiv felt a wave of sudden awkwardness and turned quickly to follow Joey. Before she got two steps, Con caught her by the arm and pulled her back into a one-sided hug, since Shiv’s hands were full.

“No, thankyou.” Con’s breath tickled Shiv’s ear. “You’re welcome here anytime. I don’t just want you for your practical skills.” Con pulled away and her cheeks were flushed. She stepped back inside the house. “See you soon, Siobhán.” The door shut with a click and Shiv shook herself and hurried to Joey’s van.

“Sorry.” She slung her bags in the back and jumped into the cab, where Marianne had moved up close to Joey to give her space on the bench seat. “I could’ve walked down to the harbor.”

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