Cynthia Thomason - An Unlikely Father

While she stared at him, he turned toward Jack, said something that made them both smile and raked his long fingers through his light brown hair. The style was neat and trim, just long enough for strands at his neck to brush the collar of his shirt. His profile was nice, too. A well-defined nose and chin, a slightly sloped, strong brow. Helen hadn’t been able to study these details the night before when they’d sat in the dark on the hood of her truck eating cake. And the day she’d smashed his car she’d been too nervous to give him more than a quick once-over. But now, in the soft rays of the setting sun, Helen liked what she saw.

She shook her head to keep her thoughts from wandering in a dangerous direction. “Stop it, Sweeney,” she said. “You made a promise to yourself, remember? No more…”

“What did you promise?” Jane asked.

Helen pressed her lips together and reminded herself that she was talking out loud. “Ah, pizza,” she said. “I promised I wouldn’t eat pizza for a while.” She laughed. “I never should have promised that, now should I?”

They were coming to the entrance of the pizza shop, and Jane skipped ahead to her mother. “Heck, no.”

Ethan held the door, and Claire and Jane went inside. Since Heron Point was packed with strangers, Helen didn’t expect to see anyone she knew. The townies usually stayed home on Friday nights, at least during the dinner hour. Which explained her shock when she stepped into the doorway and bumped into Maddie Harrison.

“Helen! I’ve been looking all over for you.” Holding her pizza box in one hand, Dr. Tucker’s receptionist grabbed Helen’s elbow and dragged her away from the door to stand in the middle of the sidewalk.

Helen groaned. What luck. When a woman was keeping a secret of enormous proportions, the last person she wanted to see was the only other human being in town who knew anything about it. She freed her arm from Maddie’s grasp. “Sheesh, Maddie, you’ve got quite a grip for a grandmother.”

“That’s exactly why I have it. Because I am a grandmother. I haven’t lost one of the little scamps yet.” She pierced Helen with a concerned glare. “Why haven’t you made an appointment to come back to the office?”

Helen glanced at the door, which Ethan still held open. Claire had poked her head outside, and both of them were staring at her. “Maddie, now isn’t a good time,” she hissed, jerking her head toward the door. “And smile, will you? With that look on your face, Claire will think you’re telling me I have only two weeks to live.”

Maddie dropped her voice to a whisper. “But I’m worried about you. First you come to me to buy the test. Then I hear you’ve been in a terrible accident.”

“It wasn’t like that…”

“And now, look at you. Pale, washed out. Your hair’s got no shine to it.”

Helen shook her head. “Thanks, Maddie. That’s just what I needed to hear tonight.” She looked at her evenly tanned forearm. “I’m hardly pale. I was on the Gulf for five hours today.”

“Well, never mind. What did you find out?” She leaned in close. “Are you?”

Helen debated telling the truth for about two seconds, and then realized Maddie would find out anyway. “Let me put it this way. You probably should get me in to see Doc Tucker one day next week.”

Maddie’s bright red lips rounded as if she were singing the “Hallelujah Chorus.” “How exciting!” She immediately reined in her outburst. “Of course, that’s only if you’re happy with the news.”

“I don’t know,” Helen said. “I haven’t decided for sure what I’m going to do.”

“Okay, but you should start prenatals just in case. You don’t want to take any chances.”

“Okay, fine.” Helen looked at Ethan, who gestured inside the restaurant. “Go ahead,” she called. “I’ll be right there.” He stepped inside. Helen breathed easier and grasped Maddie’s free hand. “You can’t tell anyone, Maddie. Remember, you promised.”

“I know. I won’t tell. But if you need someone to talk to about this, I’m an expert.”

It was a nice offer, and Helen was glad to get it. Some secrets were too big to carry alone. “I’ll call you on Monday. We’ll set up an appointment.”

Maddie nodded and started to walk away. She’d only taken a couple of steps before she turned back around. “That fella…the one who was standing by the door just now.”

“Yes?”

“Would he be the father?”

“Heavens, no! That’s Ethan Anderson. He just got into town.”

“Too bad. What a nice-looking young man.” She frowned. “Then it must be that scoundrel, Donovan Jax, who I heard left town.”

Helen didn’t confirm or deny the accusation.

Maddie smiled down at Helen’s tummy. “Don’t worry, little one. You’ve got good strong genes on your mama’s side. Gotta go, Helen. Pizza’s getting cold.” She turned and headed down the block, and Helen followed her friends into the Pepperoni Pit.

She found five chairs crammed around a table for four. The only empty seat was next to Ethan. When she saw the coy expression on Claire’s face, Helen knew at once who’d masterminded the seating arrangement. She slid in beside Ethan and bumped her bare leg against his hard, denim-clad thigh. She scooted a couple of inches away. “Sorry.”

He gave her an odd smile and rephrased her statement from the previous evening. “I’ve never heard of anyone catching anything from a pair of jeans.”

A waiter brought a Coke for Jane and a pitcher of beer, which he placed in the middle of the table. Jack picked it up and poured, first into Claire’s glass and then aimed for Helen’s. She placed her hand over the top.

Jack laughed. “Now I know there’s a full moon. You don’t want a beer?”

“No. Not tonight.” When he continued to hold the pitcher above her glass, she knew further explanation was necessary. Helen Sweeney never turned down a beer. “I’m still suffering from the mortification of my behavior at your engagement party.”

“You were just having fun,” Jack said.

Yeah, and look where it got me. “Sometimes, Jack, I have a little too much fun.”

He poured into Ethan’s glass. “Okay. Suit yourself.”

Jane found a friend, borrowed a few quarters and went off to play video games. Jack draped his elbow over the back of his chair and said, “So, Ethan, you talk to Archie today?”

“Sure did. He hasn’t stopped complaining that you’re not working for him anymore.”

“He’s got some good men around him. And I’m here when he decides to come to Heron Point. By the way, do you know when that will be?”

“A couple of weeks. And believe me, he expects miracles before then.”

Helen tucked that bit of information away. The great Archie Anderson was coming to the island to personally check out his new investment. She’d have to remember to tell Finn, or maybe not. Considering Finn’s reaction to any mention of Archie’s name, maybe it would be wiser not to warn him of the arrival at all. She relegated that decision to a later time because Jack’s question had presented the opportunity for her to ask about the resort and plans for its reopening. “What are you going to do with Dolphin Run?” she said to Ethan.

“I’m starting tomorrow with a cleaning crew,” he answered. “Mostly because I’m moving in on Sunday.”

Jack raised his eyebrows in obvious alarm. “What? You’re leaving the hotel? You didn’t tell me that.”

“I don’t tell you a lot of things, Jack,” Ethan said, with what seemed like forced teasing in his voice. “My rental car arrived late last night and I actually drove into Micopee all by myself this morning.” He shot Helen an amused look. “Made it all the way there and back without getting a scratch on the new ride, too.”