Page 39 of Fire Island
“Good.” I turn my focus to the water that opens up in front of Firefly. Em sends her into the blue, engine roaring. Another piece of home slips back into my soul.
Twenty minutes later, the tall structure I’ve called home for the last two decades comes into view. The tightness that’s been winding me up since I moved into Iris’s spare room unravels at the sight. Eve moves to my left, and I swear she holds back a smile. Her hands wring in her lap and her leg jumps, the bottom of her elegant flat shoe scuffing the ground as it moves.
“Home sweet home, bud.” Em pulls Firefly to a stop by the jetty, and I stand and toss the lines over. They land square around each post I slide the buffers over and brace myself as they make contact with the wooden jetty. The movement of the water beneath the fixed infrastructure makes my head spin. I grip the door to the cabin and wait for it to pass.
A little residual side effect of the concussion, no doubt.
“Are you okay?” a soft voice says from behind.
I turn back to see deep browns studying me where I stand.
“Yep, fine.” I cross the deck and haul my ass onto the jetty before Miss Prim-and-Proper can start asking questions. Hell will ice over before I go back to being coddled at my little sister’s. She means well, but I don’t need looking after. Never have.
Little twentysomething will soon find that out.
“Cal, wait, bud.” Em meets me at the edge of the boat. “Let Eve have a look around while I give you some updates.”
How will she know where she’s going?
But, okay . . .
“I’ll meet you up there.” Eve steps over, carrying her small bag, and walks up the jetty onto my damn island. Just like that.
She pauses as the grass meets the sandy border to the island, looking up.
“So, I’ve stocked your fridge and cupboard and cleaned up best I could. But a few things were damaged by the looters while you were gone.”
Looters. Assholes who thought it would be a trip to fuck with my stuff while I was held up in the fucking hospital. What the hell is wrong with people these days?
“Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.” I turn to follow Eve, not wanting her invading my home, regardless of its condition.
Em grabs my arm. “The lamp’s gone, Cal. Smashed to pieces. The Coast Guard is trying to get you another one, but it’s going to take a while.”
“The hell?”
“Someone took a wrench to it, it seems. The glass is shoved into a pile on one side of the lantern room.”
Fire laces my veins.
“Fucking hell.” I shove my hands through my hair, molars grinding. “That damn thing can’t be replaced. We tried. The Restora?—”
“Yeah, Irry told me. So we are trying another route. We’ll figure this out, Cal.”
“Fuck me. What kind of imbecile does something like that? People rely on the light for safety.”
“Yep,” Em says, wincing as he looks toward the lighthouse. “They had to have been pretty desperate, I’d say.”
“Desperate? More like heinous.”
“Anyway, don’t stress about it. We’ll find another one.”
“Shit, geez, thanks. Let me know how it goes.”
“Yeah, will do. You better go settle your nanny into her accommodations.” He grins at me like a damn idiot.
“Right,” I grunt, heading for the house.
Firefly powers up and heads back into the open water. I glance back, an ache blooming in my chest as she cruises away. I reach the house and walk inside. It’s not that different from the night I left it. A few things are out of place, but overall, it’s neat and tidy. Em did a great job.
