I had no idea why I was suddenly telling her all these things. I’d never told a single soul anything about my personal life. Cassidy knew more than anyone only because she’d kept digging until she found shit out. But not this time. This time I wanted her to know I wasn’t a selfish bastard. This time I wanted her to know how lucky she was to have people care about her. Even if it was the entire population of her hometown. At least she had a home. At least she had a mother.
“Abby has been more of a mother to me in the couple of days I’ve been here than the woman who gave birth to me has over my entire lifetime,” I admitted.
Cassidy turned her head toward me, that familiar pitying look in her eyes. And though I expected it to grate like a son of a bitch, it didn’t.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Shit. Maybe it grated just a little bit. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
“No, I’m sorry for the assumptions I made about you,” she confessed. “Back in Detroit. And in San Diego, for that matter. God, I was a total bitch.”
She had been. She’d read me the riot act because she’d thought I was living in the lap of luxury while my parents lived in a shitty apartment smack-dab in the heart of a city well known for its crime and ruin. The assumptions she’d made had been my own fault, really, but I wasn’t about to tell her.
“It’s all good,” I said, nudging her until she settled her head back onto my shoulder. I was surprised I’d taken that look for as long as I had. There was no sense in pushing it. “However annoying it might be, just please don’t ever complain about someone caring too much about you. Because I promise, it could be a whole hell of a lot worse.”
There was a stretch of silence then. Something had changed, and I wasn’t really sure what that something was. When the fuck had I become that guy who talked about feelings?
Cassidy must have been thinking the same thing because she gave a soft laugh and said, “You’re going soft, Matthews. You’re supposed to hate me, remember?”
And I knew exactly how to respond. “I don’t have to hate you anymore. I’m your boss now, remember?”
A jolt of pain shot through my ribs, courtesy of the quick jab from Cassidy’s elbow. All in jest, of course, so I laughed because yeah, I’d probably earned it. And it was well worth the bruise that would likely be there by morning.
Every citizen of Stonington, young and old, turned out for the picnic the next day. It was amazing to me how this community came together all in the name of showing their support for one of their own. Maybe “community” wasn’t the right word for it. Even someone like me who’d never known what it was like to be part of a family knew that that was exactly what this was.
Duff was tending to the fish fry and grill with Thomas and a couple of other burly men standing by to offer their support. Abby was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, bless her, but she still managed to find the time to come over and ruffle my hair and give me a quick peck on the cheek. I could’ve sworn I heard Casey growl a warning, which might have humored me. It had to suck for him to know I’d taken his girl and was on the verge of becoming his mother’s favorite son.
But Anna? Anna was in beast mode. Despite her temporary handicap, she was all over the place, issuing orders, greeting guests, and generally being the ultimate social butterfly. With the exception of her ginger hair, Cassidy was a mirror image of her mother, which she should have been ecstatic about since Anna made for a decent MILF. But she definitely hadn’t inherited the social gene. Though Cassidy seemed friendly with everyone who approached her – and believe me, there were a lot of people – I saw it for what it really was. She didn’t like all the attention.
Seeing her unease, I couldn’t help but remember the countless times I’d seen her in action during a board meeting or while romancing a client. In those situations, she was every bit as fierce as her mother was here. Then, it seemed like no big deal for the spotlight to be on Cassidy, it seemed natural even. Maybe that was because the light didn’t feel as harsh when it was cast in a superstar athlete’s shadow. If she treated this situation the same way, maybe it wouldn’t feel so awkward.
I was just about to cross the yard to tell her that when a raven-headed beauty stepped directly into my path. She was petite, but curvy as hell. A fact that was obvious without the need to be dressed as provocatively as she was in short shorts. It wasn’t even warm enough for shorts in the first place. That was one thing, but what really stuck out was her chest. Literally. She’d put an overly pronounced arch in her back to put her rack on display, which wasn’t really necessary with the blouse that she was wearing. One wrong move and her tits were going to pop out all over the place. Though I doubted she’d be embarrassed by the wardrobe malfunction.
“Well, well, well… What do we have here?” she asked as her eyes made an intrusive sweep up and down my body. She cocked her head to the side and smiled at me. “I’m Brittnie, and this is Whittney,” she said, pointing a thumb toward her sidekick. Said sidekick had opted to use her back arch to showcase her ass instead of her chest. It was a nice ass, I’d give her that much. Just not as nice as a certain redhead’s I knew.
Giving them a polite nod, I responded in kind. “I’m Shaw. Nice to meet you.”
Before I knew it, I was flanked by Brittnie and Whittney, each of them linking an arm through mine. Then they whisked me away toward an empty picnic table. There was a flurry of conversation between the two of them. A conversation I thought they were having with me, but since I didn’t have to say a word, maybe not.
“Oooh, you’re so strong,” Whittney said, molesting my bicep.
“Someone should get you some food so we can keep you that way,” Brittnie agreed. “Whitt, go get him a plate.”
“You go get him a plate,” she countered.
“And leave you all alone with him? I don’t think so.”
I let them have it out, not really wanting either of them to get me a plate, to be honest. I just didn’t want to be rude. Though I felt a little smothered, they didn’t particularly bother me. Both women were very pretty in a natural sort of way. Much like Cassidy. Maybe that was the sort of women Stonington bred. But unlike Cassidy, their behavior was a little too desperate for my taste.
Just then, a plate filled with a mountain of food slid before me. I looked up to see my Abby smiling down at me. “There you go, darlin’. Eat up.” The smile dropped when she turned to regard my company with a warning glare. “Don’t even think about it, you two. He’s Cassidy’s guest.”
Whittney wore a mask of false confusion, her tone completely innocent as she said, “What are you talking about? He was standing all alone, so we just thought we’d be friendly and make him feel welcomed.”
“Mmhm. I’m aware of your definition of ‘friendly,’” Abby said. “And I know where your welcome mat is. You heard me. And if I have to say it again, I’m going to tell your fathers what that definition is, too. And then I’m going to tell them just how friendly the two of you have been all over town. I’m sure that’ll make them proud.”
I loved Abby in mama bear mode. Swear to God, I was going to put her in my pocket and take her back home with me.
Abby returned to her duties, but not before giving me a conspiratorial wink. As soon as she was out of earshot, Brittnie and Whittney straddled the picnic bench, waiting for me to take the seat between them. Instead, I picked up the plate Abby had brought me and dug in right where I stood, which didn’t seem to deter the ladies at all. I could’ve walked away, but then that would be rude. Besides, if the way they were looking over the crowd of people was any indication, they were about to get their gossip on. And maybe, just maybe, some of that gossip would be beneficial to me.
I was not disappointed.
Whittney crossed her legs, shaking one so vigorously that her whole body moved in time. “So you’re Cassidy’s guest, huh?”
I nodded even though, technically, I wasn’t. Guests were normally invited. I hadn’t been, and cert
ainly not by Cassidy. Maybe Abby should’ve said I was Cassidy’s creepy stalker. Something told me not even that disturbing title would’ve deterred these two.
“From California?” Brittnie asked, hopeful.
Again I nodded.
Brittnie adjusted her top. To show more cleavage, not less. “Oh, I’d love to go to California. I’d love to go anywhere that isn’t Stonington.”
Whittney rolled her eyes. “Why? You’d just come right back. Everyone comes right back.”
Once I’d swallowed the creamy bit of potato salad I’d been eating, I finally spoke. “Really? What’s that mean?”
“You’re not from here, so you wouldn’t understand,” a gruff voice answered from behind me. I turned to see Duff Whalen standing there. “Run along, girls. I need a word.”
Though they obviously weren’t happy about it, Brittnie and Whittney did as they were told. For a second, I contemplated begging them not to leave me alone with Duff. Truthfully, he sort of scared me. Again, I wasn’t really sure what Cassidy had told him about me, but the vibes I’d been getting off him hadn’t been anything nice. I didn’t know why I was so nervous; I knew how to handle men like Duff. I’d wooed my fair share of clients’ mothers and fathers. This shouldn’t be any different. But it was. This was Cassidy’s father.
That’s right. This was Cassidy’s father. And I knew how much it irked her when she thought someone was placating her or wasn’t being respectful of the things she felt were important. Clearly, this small fishing village was important to the man who’d made his life here.
I set my plate down and looked him in the eye. “Help me understand.”
He just looked at me for a moment and then finally nodded.
“Look around you,” he said, pointing toward the crowd. “You probably wouldn’t know it by looking at them, but a lot of these young men and women are well educated. That one over there,” he said, pointing to a sandy blond guy standing with a couple of his buddies, “went away to college and got a degree in engineering. Know what he’s doing now?” He didn’t wait for my answer. “He’s back here, lobstering right along with the rest of us.”
“Why?” I asked, shocked. “An engineering degree pays very well.”
“Lobstering pays better.”
“Really? Wow.”
“Most of these boys start going out with their pops the summer of their fourteenth year and start sterning, making their own money. Do you know what it’s like to walk around with that amount of cash in your pocket at fourteen?”
I didn’t. When I was fourteen, I was hanging out at stadiums, eavesdropping on conversations between athletes, coaches, and agents to learn the ropes. I didn’t have any money, went hungry most of the time, and wore clothes I’d picked out of the lost-and-found bins.
“Some of them blow it, of course, on stupid stuff that don’t add up to much. But if they’re smart, they save up to get their own boat and gear. The ones that do that will probably drop out of high school before they graduate, and that’s just fine because they’ll be making plenty of money on their own.” He sighed. “And some of them might use that money to go to college, but like I said…”
“They end up back here,” I finished for him.
“That’s right. Lobstering is what they know. It’s good, honest money. But that’s not the only reason they come back,” he continued. “See, Stonington is its own way of life. The rules are different in the outside world, so most of them can’t hack it out there. They might leave with big hopes of going away and staying away, but after about a year, two at the most, they find themselves right back where they belong.”
He put his big paw on my shoulder, leveling a meaningful stare. “My little girl is one of the very few exceptions to that. She’s the most stubborn and determined woman I know, and when she’s faced with a challenge, she rises above it.
“All of this,” he said, gesturing toward the picnic, “is for my wife, not Cassidy. And though I’d never tell the missus this, I don’t want my little girl back here. Truthfully, I don’t think someone who’s been away from Stonington for as long as she has can ever really come back again. Not permanently, that is. She’s changed. And there ain’t a damn thing wrong with that. I’m proud of who she’s become.”
“Why are you telling me all of this, sir?”
He grinned. And for the first time since I’d met him, I felt like we had something in common that wasn’t quite evident to me yet.
“You’ll figure that out once she figures it out. And when you do, just remember: it’s a mighty big ocean out there. An ocean filled with cage after cage of meaty bait.” His laugh was as robust as his barrel chest and slightly serial killer–ish when he clapped me hard on the arm.
“And watch out for Whitt and Britt,” he said, turning to stand beside me and giving a backward nod toward them. How he’d known where they were with his back to them, I’d never know. “They’ve been circling like a couple of vultures since I shooed them away.”
Leaning in, he lowered his voice. “They’re the number two and three. Cassidy’s the number one, and they’ve been trying to take her spot.”
Huh? I was definitely missing a key piece of information. “I’m sure you’re trying to tell me something really important, but I have no clue what you just said, sir.”
“I told you it’s a different world here. There’s a ranking order among the single boys and girls. The boys are ranked according to their earning potential, who’s the best lobsterman. And the girls are ranked on beauty. Cassidy’s the number one girl, and since Casey is a legacy, he’s the number one guy.
“It was a given that those two would end up together, but when Cassidy left, it was free game. Now that she’s paying attention to you, the other girls will try to lure you away.” He shook his head incredulously. “These kids will step all over each other to land someone as high up on the ranking order as possible. Your best friend will steal your girl right out from under your nose, if you’re not paying attention. Of course I never had to worry about that with Thomas. He’s always been true blue.”
“Sir, Cassidy and I aren’t…” I didn’t know how to finish that statement, but I didn’t need to. Duff got it.
“Yeah, well, just remember what I said and you won’t end up as lobster bait.” With one more clap to my shoulder, he headed back to man his station.
On cue, Brittnie and Whittney reappeared.
“We’re baaaack,” Brittnie sang.
“I see that,” I said, grinning and bearing it.
Brittnie linked her arm through mine again, pressing her tits against me. “How about if we get you out of here? Maybe show you some secret hiding places where all three of us could get to know each other better?” The suggestive tone to her voice couldn’t be missed.
I chuckled, thinking how cute it was that these two thought they might be offering me something I’d never had. They weren’t. Threesomes were okay, but really, they just made for more work on the man because he had two women to tend to while they shared the responsibility of taking care of one man. Doing the math, that didn’t seem fair.
But I wasn’t a lazy lover. And there was only one woman in the vicinity who could attest to that. Only one woman who I had an interest in putting that much work into. And she was standing across the lawn, staring down another couple that was engaged in what looked to be an entertaining conversation.
Casey and Mia. For Cassidy, this was becoming a pattern. Maybe even an obsession. One that I didn’t much care for.
The set of Cassidy’s body was all too familiar for me. She was pissed and having a damn hard time containing all that explosive energy running through her. Finally, her attention broke from Casey and Mia, but she was obviously determined to fixate on something else. Tossing her head back and forth, looking for that something else – maybe someone else – she stopped when our eyes met, and I knew she’d found it. Target located, Cassidy turned and headed in my direction, stomping across the yard, each step only fueled by he
r determination.
Her eyes flashed to Brittnie and Whittney, who’d become even more friendly while I’d been distracted. The sort of friendly that was just short of molestation. And then it occurred to me…
Holy shit. She was going to kill Brittnie and Whittney. Or maybe I was her intended victim. Either way, a murder was about to be committed. If I’d been a pussy, I would’ve grabbed one of the girls and used her as a shield, but that would’ve been wrong.
When she reached us, she set her shoulders and stepped past Whittney and into Brittnie’s space.
“Excuse me, Mount Inappropriate,” Cassidy said, waving a hand over Brittnie’s exposed cleavage, “but I need to borrow him for a bit. Go find another bone to bury.”