“Do you think you can get that coaching job?”

Spencer smiled. “You don’t know that much about me. I had to check you out and make sure Austin was safe with you, but you probably never took a close look at me. I’m not a born-and-bred Texan, you know that, but I’ve been a Texas high school football coach and athletic director for years. My teams go to state, and it’s a big-ass state. Texas is serious about football. There’s a lot of competition for a job like this in the Northwest, but not a lot of experienced teachers and coaches who would be willing to take the size of the Thunder Point paycheck if there are bigger schools hiring. This is a good place for Austin for a lot of reasons.” He smiled. “Bio-dad is here.” Then he grew a little serious. “We do fine, Cooper—me and the little man. But we seriously need to move on. We’ll visit Bridget’s family, but we’re due a new agenda. I’ll apply and interview, but in the end it’s all up to the school board.”

Cooper leaned toward him. “What if this doesn’t work out for you, Spencer? What if you don’t like it here?”

“I can’t answer that,” Spencer said. “It could swing either way—it either turns out to be a positive move for me and for Austin. Or if it doesn’t live up to my expectations, I could be looking again. And if it’s visits instead of living in the same neighborhood, you can count on me to help with that. I didn’t do this to pin you down, Cooper. I did this for an opportunity, a positive change. This town and, in fact, the high school, both have very good reputations. Even with a smaller paycheck, it looks good on paper.”

“I think you’re going to find it feels as good as it looks,” Sarah said. “I moved here for Landon. He should be the starting quarterback in the fall, unless something happens, like maybe some hotshot moves here over the summer. I was looking around for a proactive football coach in a place I could afford, in a school that boasted athletic and academic scholarships. A place with opportunity for Landon. And it’s worked so far.”

“Maybe it’ll work for us,” Spencer said. “I haven’t given my notice in my school district and I haven’t looked anywhere else yet. This was a complete coincidence. I visited you, liked your little town, started looking around for Oregon job opportunities. I thought if there was something within a few hours’ drive, this piece of coast makes for a nice weekend. But I never imagined something like this would show up.”

* * *

Spencer turned in, but Sarah and Cooper stayed out on the deck. Once the sky was dark and the million stars came out to play, it was just impossible to leave. All the customers had gone, leaving just the two of them. There were two campfires on the beach and the presence of the Razor made it clear Landon was down there somewhere. They heard a clumping up the stairs and Ham came panting toward them, tongue hanging out and drooling.

“And hello to you,” Sarah said, giving him a pat on the head

Then a whistle rent the air and he ran back down the stairs and across the beach to where the kids sat around a fire.

“Landon would probably like us to go inside and leave them alone,” Sarah said.

“So what? It’s a perfect night.” He pulled her chair closer.

She sighed and looked out over the water. “You really do have a perfect life.”

“Close,” he agreed.

“And now your son is here,” she said. “That’s everything, Cooper. That’s the whole thing for you.”

“Maybe. Spencer still has to apply for the job. Sounds like he’ll get it, though. I had no idea he was a championship coach. That’s pretty cool. I hope Spencer is up to the job of making the most out of Landon, for his sake. For the sake of college opportunities. And for the coach—he really wants an exit strategy after forty years.”

“Mmm,” she agreed. “How does it feel, really? Being a dad?”

He grinned. “Pretty damn cool. Doesn’t hurt that he’s an awesome and hilarious little kid, which I owe to Bridget and Spencer.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Bio-dad.” He laughed.

“Did you ever see yourself in this situation—the father of a ten-year-old?”

“Sort of,” he said. “In the back of my mind I thought I’d accidentally get married and have a kid or two, even though I had no idea what responsibilities that really entailed. I figured I’d grow into it. I thought I’d eventually tie myself down to a house, a couple of kids, a steady job that didn’t change every two years. I didn’t think it would take this long. I’ve always known I’m a one-woman man,” he added, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “But, I wasn’t ready at twenty-seven when Bridget was ready. I was still moving fast back then.”

“Are you saying you’re ready now?”

He turned and looked into her eyes. He smiled. “I’d better be—it’s here. And it feels pretty good. I don’t know how Spencer will like it here, but I couldn’t ask for more than this. I mean, come on—listen to that surf. Look at that sky.”

“What if this job hadn’t come open?” she asked. “What if Spencer and Austin weren’t here? And what if it doesn’t work out for them?”

“I guess I’d be on a plane regularly. Single parents do that all the time. It’s not the best situation, but it works.”

She leaned against him. The sound of lapping water at the shoreline and the laughter of teenagers on the beach was soothing. “You sound really unfucked-up for an ex-helicopter pilot who runs a beach bar.”

He laughed at her. “And for the first time in a long time, I feel that way, too.” And he kissed her brow.

Nineteen

Ashley walked home after her shift and found her mother sitting on the front porch in the dark alone. “Why are you still up?” she asked.

Gina smiled and sighed. “Mac just left and I stayed out here. Did you have a good shift?”

“I did, but I’m tired now—I’ll sleep in a little tomorrow. Are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m okay. I was just thinking how lucky I am. Having Mac in my life—he’s such a good, strong man.”

“You’re acting kind of sad for someone who is planning to get married,” Ashley said, sitting down beside her mother on the porch.

“It’ll pass. Give me ten minutes. But I will say this—I look forward to not saying goodbye to him at the end of every day. And you know what worries me? I know this is going to sound very strange, coming from your mother—but I’ve never been a wife. What if I stink at it?”

Ashley giggled. “I bet you’ll get the hang of it.”

“I hope so. I want so much to be a good wife to him, and a good stepmom. I have no doubt he’ll be an awesome stepfather.”

“He practically has been, Mom. He’s been my stand-in dad for four years.”

“I guess he has, hasn’t he?”

“Well, it sure wasn’t Stu at the diner, or Downy’s dad, Ford. If I had any situation that I’d mention to a dad, or talk to a dad about, it was Mac. In fact, ever since all that drama with Downy, Mac seems to keep a real close watch on me.” She laughed. “He really is a busybody, isn’t he?”

“He is. In the best possible way. It used to frustrate me so much that he just thought of me as a good friend, but now I realize that all those years of friendship before romance has been a good thing. He’s a patient man—he knows me as well as you do. He’s easygoing and generous, not prickly like some men. I think Lou softened him up, taught him how to live with a woman.”

“I don’t know why you two are waiting to get married. You know that Gram and I could put together a wedding in a week. Two at the most.”

“But we haven’t really figured out all the sleeping arrangements.... We have to give it at least till the end of summer.”

“By the end of summer everyone will know their places, but you don’t have to wait that long. Eve and I have talked it out. For the past four years I’ve either stayed over at her house or she’s stayed here at least once a week, but it’s usually even more often. When she’s had enough of Lou and the younger kids, she might be here most of the weekend. And when I’ve had enough of—” She stopped suddenly and even in the dark, Gina could see a flush darken her cheeks.

“You can say it. My feelings won’t be hurt.”

She took a breath. “Our house is quiet. People go to bed early. Eve’s house is lively. Lots of kids get together there because the deputy likes to have eyes and ears on them, but our house is a good spot to bring boyfriends after a game or dance because Gram is out like a light with her ear buds in her ears. When Eve gets enough of lively, she’s here, where we can just walk to the beach, or to the diner, or to McDonalds and Pizza Hut. When I’m looking for a little more action, I’m there. I might move in there—probably into Eve’s room—but Gram will let us come here to spend the night anytime we want to. It’ll probably be a lot like it is right now, except you’ll be paired up with Mac, just like you should be. And I bet Aunt Lou moves out—I bet she moves in with Joe. She’s making those kind of comments, thinking no one is listening. But Eve and I will be the same. We study together, we wear each other’s clothes, we carpool and double date. The only thing we don’t share are boyfriends.”

“Huh,” Gina said. She reached out and touched Ashley’s hair. “I’m not sure how I feel about my house being the best make-out house. But I caught on to your agenda a long time ago.”

“Well, that’s not my agenda anymore, but this house is a really good one for marathon Criminal Minds shows. Eve’s gets a little wild with Ryan and Dee Dee competing on the drums and piano and video games.”

“I like those movie and TV nights,” Gina said.

“If Mac lets you out, you can join us sometime.” Then she grinned at her mother.

“I hate that you had such a hard spring, baby. But you’re better than ever. And you were amazing before.”

“Thanks, Mama,” she said, smiling. “I feel better than ever. I don’t like how I had to learn a few things. But I like what I had to learn. And as a bonus, I got Eric.” She grinned. “I like him.”

“Whew. I’m so glad that worked out.”

“It worked out. At least so far. So about you and Mac... We could fix up a quick wedding. Lou can still take all summer to decide what she wants to do. You two can live in the same house for a couple of months if it takes her that long to decide. Maybe she’ll want to hang around for Ryan and Dee Dee while school’s out. Think about it, Mom—we’ve been like one family the past few years. We do everything together.”

“He keeps suggesting we just elope. And it’s tempting, but I think people expect a ceremony, a reception, a party.”

“Would you? Elope? Just run off and get married?”

She shrugged. “I haven’t given it serious thought. I admit, having four kids between us, a nice dinner out and a night or two away sure sounds nice. But we can wait till August so we don’t take anyone by surprise....”

“You could also tell Gram and Lou and the kids that you’ll be away next weekend, getting married. Everyone wants you to get married. No one except Dee Dee has a big need to be in a wedding,” Ashley said.

“What about you? The maid of honor?” she asked.

“Don’t take this the wrong way...you know I love Mac and the whole family but I’m a lot more interested in this idea of Frank’s—going out on the bay at night when there’s a full moon.”

“Seriously?” Gina asked.

“Frank has seen dolphins out there. I’d give anything to see a dolphin up close. Do you know if you shine lights down into the water at night you can see massive marine life?”