Shelley Galloway - The Good Mother

Thinking of Beverly’s robust laugh at the barbecue, Evie said, “I thought she looked great.”

“She does. All those years of ballet have helped her bones. But her cholesterol’s off the charts. She’s ornery, too.” Tanya shrugged. “I don’t want to bore you, but taking care of someone who doesn’t want to be taken care of gets tiring, especially now that I’ve moved next to her. Sometimes I just want to tell her to remember her age.”

That sounded like trouble. “Maybe she’ll settle down soon.”

Tanya laughed and stretched out her legs, flexing her poor, calloused toes. “Maybe she will. And maybe one day the perfect man will appear out of the surf and take me away.”

After righting Missy’s lopsided juice box, Evie scanned the horizon. “I’ll be on the lookout.”

“Believe me, he hasn’t had the nerve to come around yet. I’m kind of ornery myself.” After a moment, Tanya said, “I’m kind of surprised you aren’t.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“After everything you’ve been through, you don’t seem bitter or angry.”

“That’s because I’m not. Just tired,” Evie replied, telling the truth. All she wanted to do was sleep and sit on the beach and watch the tide come in and out.

“Luckily, you have someone lying in wait.”

Evie glanced at the horizon again. “You’re completely confused, T.”

“Stop. You know who I’m talking about.” Tanya batted her eyes at Evie. “I mean my brother would love to be your knight in shining armor, and I bet you might just let him be that again.”

“Again?” As close as they were, August was the one subject Evie never discussed with her friend. Just how much did Tanya know about their past?

“Yes, again.”

For a split second, Evie recalled their frantic phone calls when her period had been late and his vows that he’d take care of her.

The sinking feeling she’d had, not wanting to be taken care of. The relief when she’d called him and told him that everything was fine and there would be no need to plan futures again…or, at least not for four more years.

“There’s something, Evie. August doesn’t just pop over to your parents’ house for breakfast any day of the week.”

Evie bit back a wave of irritation. Suddenly everyone around her was expecting she and August to take up from where they’d left off. “I don’t know why August came over.”

Tanya kept talking. “There always was something special between the two of you. Could be again.”

“No chance. I can hardly take care of myself and the girls. I couldn’t take care of a boyfriend, too.”

“I don’t think August is going to want to be taken care of. Probably the opposite. If I know him, he’s going to want to take care of you.”

“Then that worries me, too. I never want to feel obligated to a man ever again.”

Tanya curved her arms around her bent knees. “Maybe you should, just a little. I always thought you were a little too standoffish around John.”

Evie stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She kept her gaze on Missy, who was using a beach chair to pull herself up.

“Sure, you do. Remember when I came out to visit when Jenna was two and you had a cold?”

Evie remembered. John had wanted her to go to the doctor and get a strep test. She’d pretty much told him to mind his own business. Tanya had had trouble keeping her mouth shut.

“I don’t want anyone taking care of me. Besides, August lives here and I’m in Texas. Getting involved in a long-distance relationship would be a pretty dumb move on my part, if I was looking to get into a relationship.” Which she wasn’t.

“I suppose.”

Suddenly, Missy tumbled and fell, taking in a mouthful of sand. Spitting and crying, she rubbed her mouth and eyes, which of course got more sand and salt in them. Then the wailing began.

Hastily, Evie wiped down the baby’s face while Tanya searched through the humongous straw tote for baby wipes. Still Missy cried on.

“Uh-oh,” Tanya said, her face filled with panic. “What does she need?”

“To get cleaned off,” Evie said around Missy’s crying body, which had attached itself to her chest and neck like a giant starfish. “Get me some bottled water, please.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

After Evie got a bottle of Aquafina and practically drenched Missy’s face, the tears finally started to subside.

When she was sure she’d gotten all the sand out of Missy’s eyes she held her daughter close and murmured, “Poor Missy. I’m so sorry that happened.”

Missy’s thumb popped in her mouth in record time, her eyes slowly drifting shut. Now that the mini-crisis was over, Evie leaned back against the canvas chair, breathing a sigh of relief. “I think we’re all better now.”

“Barely all better. That scared the life out of me. I think I need a drink.” Tanya opened her cooler again, so quickly that Evie couldn’t figure out if she was teasing or not. “Maybe I have some beer in here.”

“It’s eleven in the morning! You don’t need a drink, you just need to breathe deep.”

“Breathing’s not working.”

“It will. This wasn’t a disaster.” Evie couldn’t hide the amusement in her voice. If Tanya could have seen her and the girls when she’d slit her hand open slicing a tomato and both girls in hysterics at the sight of all the blood, she’d know what a real state of emergency was.

“I can’t believe you were so calm,” Tanya continued. “I was freaking out.”

“That’s because you don’t have any kids.”

“Now I know why. I’m taking back everything I said about wanting a baby.”

Though Missy was now sleeping soundly, Evie wasn’t in a hurry to set her down. Instead, she shifted Missy and made sure she was protected by the umbrella’s shade before relaxing. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I suppose.”

Though outwardly calm, inside Evie could privately admit to being a little shaken up, too. For a moment, she hadn’t been able to remember where the bottled water and clean towels were and had been frustrated when Tanya simply stared at her instead of acting quickly.

Closing her eyes, she rolled her head and tried to loosen the knot that had formed along the base of her neck. Tried to pretend that she didn’t mind all the responsibility. Tried to relax. Once again, it was easier said than done.

August was on the phone with his accountant, but all he could think about was Evie.

He’d started a list of activities to entertain her and her two girls. And before he deluded himself into thinking it was for old time’s sake, he admitted the plain and simple truth: he wanted to be near her.

In fact, there was no way he was going to be within a mile of Evie Ray and not do his best to be in her presence. There was still a spark between them that had him thinking about pulling her into the shadows and kissing her.

Looking at his calendar, August saw that she’d already been there a full week and he’d only seen her a few times. Though his schedule looked busy, there was nothing on it that couldn’t be changed for more fun activities.

Maybe Evie would want to take the girls to the putt-putt course.

“August, need anything else?”

August couldn’t recall the last five things his accountant had told him. “Nope. I’ll be in touch if I think of something we forgot to discuss. Thanks for the phone call, Steve,” he said before disconnecting the call as fast as he could.

When blessed silence surrounded him, he stared at his notes again. Maybe he’d ask Evie if she wanted to go on a cruise around the bay with the girls.

“August? August, you busy?”