“Right back atcha, Mom.” He was, he realized, indeed thrilled to be home where he was loved and respected and appreciated. After the week he’d had, that was exactly what he needed.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Fortified by her visit with Adam, Linda rushed into town to meet her dear friend, Carolina Cantrell. Since Caro’s son Joe had married Janey, the two women had been closer than ever, especially now that they were expecting their first shared grandchild.

Linda arrived at the South Harbor Diner only five minutes late, which wasn’t bad, considering she should’ve left ten minutes earlier than she did. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, dropping a kiss on Caro’s cheek and sliding in across from her. “Adam was on the noon boat, and he came home just as I was leaving.”

“You must’ve been happy to see him.”

“Extremely. He’s here to see his brothers after the accident.”

Caro shook her head with dismay. “It’s all I think about. How close we came to utter catastrophe.”

“I can’t even let myself go there. When I think about poor Steve’s family and what they must be going through…”

“He was so young.”

“The same age as Evan. It’s unbearable. I’ve been thinking about reaching out to his mother, but I don’t know what to say. My boys made it, and hers didn’t.”

Caro reached across the table to cover Linda’s hand with her own. “Mother to mother, I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.”

“Maybe.” Linda shook off the sadness. “Anyway, this isn’t why you wanted to get together.”

“No, it isn’t.” Caro withdrew her hand and crossed her arms, seeming nervous all of a sudden.

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

“No. Everything is actually quite right for once.”

Linda raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

Caro released a deep sigh and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table. “Do you remember last fall when I told you I’d met a man?”

Nodding, Linda said, “A much younger man who you wouldn’t name, if I recall correctly.” Caro’s face flushed with color that made Linda laugh. “Are you blushing?”

“Perhaps. A little…”

“Spill it, sister. You’ve had me wondering for months who this younger man is.”

“Seamus,” she whispered so softly that Linda almost didn’t hear her.

“Seamus O’Grady? As in the Seamus who runs the ferry company for Joe?”

“Shhh, keep your voice down. No one knows, well, except for Joe and Janey. They know now.”

“Well, well, well… Girlfriend gets herself a boyfriend and what do you know? She gets the cutest, sexiest, most eligible guy in town now that most of my sons are off the market.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Caro said, seeming mortified by the word.

“My apologies. I should’ve said lover.”

Caro cringed. “Oh God, that’s even worse.”