“Of course. Sorry. Will you and Gus have dinner with me tonight?”

  “Let’s just see how the day goes, Ryan.”

  Gus pulls a plastic container of Matchbox cars out of his tote bag and shakes it at Ryan. “Wanna play cars with me?”

  Ryan’s blue eyes light up. “Are you kidding me? I love Matchbox cars.”

  He drops to his knees and crawls across the sand to Gus. “How many cars do you have in there, buddy?” Peeking inside the container, Ryan counts ten cars. “How about if you take your five favorites and give me the rest.” They count together as Gus picks his cars out, one at a time, and sets them on the ground. Once the collection is divided, they build a racetrack in the sand and drag their cars around and around, making louder zoom noises then one hears on a busy interstate.

  When they tire of playing cars, they roll about on the ground, throwing limbs and giggling, until they’re covered in sand. Hannah can’t help buy smile to herself. Ryan is like a kid himself, and Gus is eating it up.

  Ryan jumps to his feet and throws Gus over his shoulder. “Hey, Mom,” he calls out to Hannah. “Okay if we go rinse off? I promise not to let go of him.”

  “Be careful. He’s slippery when wet.”

  Hannah watches Ryan carry a cackling Gus down to the water. True to his word, he grips her son tight as they wade in. In that short amount of time, Ryan has fallen for Gus. It’s easy to do. He’s a lovable little boy. Until Monday, he was her little boy. And now she must share him. Deep down, she knows that having Ryan in his life is in Gus’s best interest. Does Hannah still have romantic feelings for Ryan? Can they be a real family? What will this mean for her company and the life she’s hoping to build in Charleston? He mentioned he’d be willing to live in Charleston. For the sake of their son, maybe she should give Ryan another try.

  Birdie moves through the day with a mix of emotions. She’s elated after a night of exquisite sex, but she feels guilty for scaring Hannah and remorseful for lying to Stan about Cary. Why didn’t she tell him the truth? She had plenty of opportunity between lovemaking when, snuggled in each other’s arms, they shared their deepest secrets and dreams for the future. Because she’s afraid he will question her judgement for allowing Cary back into their lives. And there is no sane explanation as to why Cary is living in her apartment. Except that, in a moment of weakness, she felt sorry for him. Birdie remembers her conversation with Hannah from earlier. Can we get rid of Dad? He’s driving me crazy. He’s always hovering over me. Cary is always hovering. And he’s driving Birdie crazy too.

  Stan invited Birdie to dinner tonight. She’ll use the opportunity to tell him about Cary. She’ll explain whey she lied and pray he forgives her.

  Around three o’clock that afternoon, during a lull in business, Birdie is replenishing baked goods in the showcase when Stan enters the cafe with a large bouquet of wild flowers. When he sees her, he smiles and waves the flowers. Her immediate thought is getting Stan out of the cafe before he sees Cary, but before she can make it around the counter, Cary comes through the swinging door from the kitchen with a tray of doughnuts.

  “Birdie,” Cary says, “we’re almost out of the cherry almond donuts. Do you—”

  Stan stops dead in his tracks as his gaze shifts from Cary to Birdie and back to Cary. Spinning around, he tosses the flowers on the ground and burst through the door.

  Birdie hurries after him. “Stan! Wait! I can explain.” She catches up with him in the parking lot behind the bakery. “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Stan says with one hand on the door handle of his pickup truck. “Why not last night when I asked you about him. You lied. You said you hadn’t heard a word from Cary, yet here he is working behind the counter in your cafe. Are the two of you back together?”

  “What? No! Never! I’m just helping him out until he gets back on his feet.”

  “I don’t believe you. How can I trust anything you say?” He opens the door wider. “I’m a private man, Birdie. I keep to myself, and I rarely let people get close to me. I thought you were different.” He climbs behind the wheel and starts the engine.

  Birdie tugs on his arm. “Please, Stan! Can’t we talk about this?”

  “There is nothing left to say.” He pries her fingers from his arm and slams the door shut.

  When he puts the truck in reverse, Birdie steps out of the way as he backs out of the space and speeds off down the alley toward The Avenue.

  Fighting back tears, she returns to the cafe. She finally found happiness, and she ruined it.

  She enters the cafe to find Cary still behind the counter, transferring the cherry almond donuts from the tray in his arm to the one in the showcase.

  “Trouble in paradise?” he asks, a smirk on his lips.

  “None of your business.” She snatches the tray from him. “You don’t work here, Cary. I’m grateful to you for helping out last weekend for the holiday. But I neither need, nor can I afford, the additional staffing. I assume you’ve had no luck finding a job elsewhere.” When he hangs his head, she adds, “Have you even tried?”

  Staring at the floor, he says, “I’ve applied to every business on The Avenue. They’re either not hiring or they won’t hire me, as is the case next door. Shaggy says I’m not good enough to wash his dishes.”

  Birdie winces. That’s harsh. But not her problem. He brought this on himself. “I warned you this would happen, Cary. You have until next Friday. Job or no job, you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay. There simply isn’t enough room for the four of us in my apartment.”

  His hazel eyes widen. “Come on, Birdie. You don’t mean that. Are you seriously going to kick me out on the street?”

  “Not at all. I’m giving you five days to work something else out.” Turning her back on him, she takes the empty tray to the kitchen.

  Sadie looks up from her mixing bowl. “What’s wrong, Birdie? You’re pale as a ghost.”

  Birdie sets the tray in the sink. “I just fired Cary.”

  Sadie drags a rubber spatula around the inside of her mixing bowl. “I didn’t know he was working here. I thought he was just helping out.”

  “I was paying him, even though technically he volunteered.” Birdie drizzles liquid soap on the tray and lets warm water run over it. “I told him he needs to move out by Friday. I feel bad. He has nowhere else to go, and no one will hire him.”

  “You got nothing to feel bad about. Men like that prey on women like you.”

  “What kind of woman is that, Sadie? A gullible old fool?”

  Sadie wags her spatula at Birdie. “I didn’t say that, so don’t you go putting words in my mouth. You’re a goodhearted woman. That’s what you are.”

  Yeah, right. And she’s also a liar.

  Twelve

  Saturday afternoon

  Ryan is already seated at a primo table on the porch when Hannah and Gus arrive at Shaggy’s. “Nice job,” she says. “What’d you do, flash your dimples at the hostess?”

  He chuckles. “Works every time.”

  Ryan watches Hannah struggle with Gus’s booster seat, but he doesn’t offer to help. He enjoys the fun part of having a kid, like rolling in the sand and playing Matchbox cars, but he avoids the unpleasant parenting duties as though he’s somehow exempt.

  When she orders chicken tenders and fries for Gus, Ryan asks for the same. “Are you kidding me? You could have scallops or crab cakes and you’re ordering chicken tenders.”

  He shrugs. “I’m living vicariously through my child.”

  When the waitress brings their dinner, Ryan instigates a french fry eating contest. They are obnoxious and loud, and the other restaurant patrons stare at Ryan as though he’s lost his minds. He lets Gus win, but Gus’s hands and face end up covered in ketchup.

  While Ryan pays the check, Hannah takes Gus to the restroom to clean him up.

  Ryan is waiting on the boardwalk when they return. “Ice cream, anyone? I hear Scoops makes a mean hot fudge sundae.”

  “Ice cream!” Gus yanks his hand free of hers and throws himself at Ryan’s legs.

  Hannah plants her hands on her hips. “Ryan, no! Chocolate this time of night is a bad idea.”

  Looking up at Ryan adoringly, in a pleading voice, Gus says, “Please, Daddy!”

  Daddy? Did Gus pick up on that when she introduce him to Ryan this morning? Or did Ryan drive the point home while they were rolling around in the sand on the beach?

  Hannah tosses her hands in the air. “I give up. If you won’t take my word for it, you’ll see for yourself the effects of sugar and caffeine on a two year old.”

  Ryan gives Gus a high five, and father and son walk hand-in-hand toward Scoops with Hannah following at a leisurely pace.

  Ryan and Gus devour the hot fudge sundae while Hannah, still full from dinner, doesn’t take a bite.

  Returning to the park, Ryan and Hannah sit on a bench while Gus runs circles around them.

  “Watching him is making me dizzy,” Ryan says, his eyes on his son. “You were right about the sugar and caffeine. I guess, I have a lot to learn around parenting.”

  Hannah nods. “I guess you do.”

  “But I’m not going anywhere, Hannah. I will own up to my responsibilities. I like to think I would’ve owned up to them when you got pregnant if you’d given me the chance.”

  “After you cheated on me, I didn’t feel I could trust you with my child. You have to earn back that trust, Ryan.”

  “I will. However long it takes.” Ryan squints as he looks toward the cafe. “Who’s that woman in the window watching us?”

  Hannah looks over at the darkened windows. “That’s my mom. I want you to meet her.” She motions for Birdie to join them. Birdie lifts her hand in a half-hearted wave but she doesn’t get up from her table. “Hmm. That’s not like Mom. I hope nothing is wrong.”

  “Ha. I know what’s wrong. Her little girl is on a date with the guy who knocked her up.”

  Hannah cast him a sideways glance. “I don’t consider this a date, Ryan. Besides, Mom’s not like that. She blames me for getting pregnant as much as you. None of that matters to her anymore, anyway. She adores Gus.”

  Gus finally runs out of energy and crawls into his daddy’s lap. Ryan smiles and kisses his sweaty forehead. “My mom is excited to meet you.”

  Hannah rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

  “I’m serious. She wasn’t thrilled when I first told her about Gus, but she’s come around. This week is our family’s annual trip to Pawley’s Island. I’m going straight there when I leave here tomorrow. My parents have invited you and Gus to come up next weekend.”

  Hannah jumps to her feet. “Whoa, Ryan. Meeting your parents is a big step. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

  With Gus in his arms, Ryan stands to face her. “Let’s be fair here, Hannah. My parents have a right to know their grandchild. You’ve kept him from us for almost three years.”

  Hannah can’t argue with that. “Will your sister be there?” Ryan often fondly spoke of his older sister when they were in college.

  “Olivia’s there now. Unfortunately, she has to leave on Wednesday to go back to New York.”

  “I need to get this little one to bed.” Hannah takes a now-sleeping Gus from Ryan. “Let me think about it. I’ll text you in the morning.”

  “It’s still early. Any chance you can come back out and play after you put him to bed? Your mom’s here. She can watch him while we go back to Shaggy’s for a drink.”

  Her gaze travels back to Birdie in the window. She looks down, like something is definitely bothering her. “I don’t think so, Ryan. Not tonight.”

  She doesn’t trust Ryan, any more than she trusts her heart. Slow is the only way to go in figuring out their relationship. Hannah was once very much in love with Ryan. Which makes her vulnerable. And he just broke up with his fiancé. Which makes him equally vulnerable. She won’t be his rebound person. Gus is the most important part of the equation. If Ryan is to be a part of their son’s life, it’s important for her relationship with him to be amicable.

  Birdie hears the door lock click followed by footfalls on the tile floor as Hannah makes her way across the cafe to her table.

  “Mom, what’s wrong? You look so sad.”

  Tears blur her visions as Birdie stares into her cup of tea. “I lied to Stan, and now he’s furious at me.”

  “Seriously? You’re honest to a fault. What did you lie about?”

  Dabbing her eyes with her napkin, she tells Hannah what happened.

  Hannah shifts Gus from one hip to the other. “Let me put him down. I’ll be right back.”

  Hannah returns twenty minutes later with a cup of tea and the baby monitor. “Where’s Dad?” she asks, sliding onto the chair opposite Birdie.

  Birdie lifts a shoulder. “He went out somewhere. He’s mad at me too. I gave him notice. He needs to get out by next Friday.”

  “Good for you. I don’t know why you let him live here in the first place.”

  More tears fill Birdie’s eyes. “I did it for you, sweetheart. I was hoping you and your father would rekindle the close relationship you once shared. I thought, when you heard his side of the story, you might feel some compassion for him. Have you even talked to him about what happened?”

  “No. And I don’t care what happened in Maui.” Hannah falls back in her chair. “Look, Mom. I’m grateful to have closure. But what Dad did to us is unforgivable.”

  “Don’t let Dad get in the way of your happiness. By now, Stan knows what a huge heart you have.” Hannah smiles soft. “If he doesn’t, he’s not good enough for you. Explain to him why you lied. He’ll sees you made a bad decision for the right reasons.”

  Birdie stares down at her hands as she shreds her napkin. “You don’t think it’s too late?”

  “Not if he cares about you. Which I’m sure he does.”

  Birdie inhales an unsteady breath. “I’ll go see him after we close tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully he will have calmed down by then.”

  Hannah sips her tea. “Do you think it’s too late for Ryan and me? He asked me to give him another chance.”

  Birdie frowns. “I thought Ryan was engaged.”

  Hannah shakes her head. “He broke up with Danielle.”

  “What about Ethan?”

  “What does Ethan have to do with anything, anyway?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?” Birdie says, a smirk playing on her lips. “Your pretty green eyes sure sparkle whenever you talk about him.”

  “I haven’t heard from Ethan, which I take to mean he isn’t interested. Besides, Ryan is Gus’s father. I should give him a chance.”

  Birdie levels her gaze on her daughter. “Because he’s Gus’s father? Or because you still have feelings for him? Don’t get the issues confused, sweetheart. Every woman wants to provide a happy home with loving parents for her child. But no home is happy when the parents don’t love each other.”

  “That’s a valid point. I need to sort out my feelings for Ryan. And the only way to do that is spend time with him. His parents are spending this week on Pawley’s Island. The’ve invited Gus and me for next weekend. I guess, we’ll go. What do we have to loose?”

  “Nothing. And everything to gain. At least for Gus. He’ll get to meet his paternal grandparents. And you get to see how they are with them. As the saying goes, the apple never falls far from the tree. Watching Ryan interact with his parents will give you a clue as to what kind of father he’ll be.”

  “I haven’t thought of that, but you’re right.”

  Birdie runs her finger around the rim of her empty tea cup. “How does all this with Ryan affect your business expansion plans?”

  “It doesn’t. I’m moving forward. I’m done with putting my life on hold.” Hannah places her clasped hands on the table. “I convinced myself I was staying on the island because I love it here. And I do love the island and the inlet. But I’ve been living here for all the wrong reasons. I’ve been hiding out, afraid, not only of Ryan finding me but of losing someone else I care about.”

  “Ryan found us, and the world didn’t end. Even if we don’t end up together, Gus will have a relationship with his father.” Hannah looks away and stares out the window. “Dad scarred me for life when he abandoned us. I thought that by staying close to the people I care about—you and Gus and Max—I could somehow control what happens to you. When you didn’t come home last night, I freaked out. And that’s ridiculous. You’re a grown woman. And I’m thrilled you’ve found someone to share your life.”

  “If Stan forgives me.”

  Hannah smiles. “He will.” She reaches for Birdie’s hand. “The months after Dad’s disappearance were the worst. But our relationship is the one could thing that came of them. You’re my best friend, Mom. And I will forever be grateful to you for helping me raise Gus these past few years. I’ve learned so much from you. But I lean on you too hard. I’m terrified at the prospect of being a single mother living in a strange city, but I need to get on with my life.”

  Birdie squeezes her hand. “You’re going to do great, sweetheart. I have so much faith in you. You’re talented and outgoing, and you have a special way with people. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. No matter where you live, I will always be here for you.”

  “I’m counting on that. And Charleston’s only an hour away.” Hannah pushes back from the table. “What a day. I’m heading up. Are you coming?”

  “Not yet. I’m gonna sit here a bit longer while I figure out what to say to Stan tomorrow.”

  Hannah stands, stuffing her phone in her back jean’s pocket and gathering her empty tea cup and baby monitor. “If you marry Stan, do you think he’ll give me a deal on a wave runner?”

  Birdie burst into laughter. “Where will you keep it if you’re living in Charleston?”

  “Here. At the marina. For when I come home on the weekends.” Hannah starts off and turns back around. “I was livid when you sold our house on the inlet and bought this building. But our tiny apartment feels more like home than that house ever did.”

 

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