Page 128 of Never Forever

“Back here, Jonah!” I cried, and into our little party walked my contractor.

“Well, hello handsome,” Star said, looking him up and down. “Mimosa?”

If Jonah was surprised to see the kitchen turned into a hair salon, run by a 1950’s pin up girl drinking at seven am, he didn’t show it.

“No thanks,” he said. “But you,” he pointed at me. “You cannot stay out here alone. There were a bunch of guys with cameras on the dock this morning.”

“You saw the picture?”

“My teenagers saw it and showed it to me.” He put his hands on his hips. “I’m not certain it’s safe out here anymore if you’re alone.”

“Hello?” Another voice shouted from the front door.

There was Matt. It must have taken him a while to get everyone off the ferry.

“Holy shit,” I muttered. “It’s like Grand Central Station in here.”

“Carrie?”

“Back here, Matt.”

I shot my sister a be-cool-look before Matt walked into the mayhem of the kitchen, wearing his ferry captain uniform. His eyes found me on the stool with the cape over my shoulders, and they blazed for just a moment. Like he’d been waiting to see me. Like I was a sight for sore eyes. For a hot second my instinct was to reach out to him and pull him close for a kiss.

Because he said hello kisses were a thing now and I was starting to believe despite my own self-preservation. And maybe I would have kissed him if my kitchen hadn’t been full of people, but my sister’s eagle eyes were on us and I wasn’t trying to make my messy life any messier.

“Morning, everyone,” he said, smiling and nodding at Star, Jonah and my sister.

“Coffee?” Annie asked, and in her voice I heard about a million other questions.

What are you doing kissing my sister?

What are your intentions?

If you’re planning on hurting her again, I’m planning on giving you seven million paper cuts with your favorite book.

“I’m good,” Matt said. “I just came by to make sure you were all right. That picture-”

“You saw it?” I asked, as Star combed my damp hair down over my face.

“Of course, I saw it. My Dad saw it too.”

I split the hair over my eyes with my hands like it was a curtain. Shit. If his dad saw it, was it possible my mom was going to see it? She had called, but it just seemed too hard to believe she’d called about the picture.

My sister must have read my mind because she made a face and shook her head. No chance. Mom barely looked at the internet. She found it distasteful.

Gran, on the other hand…

“I was just telling her she can’t stay here,” Jonah said. Matt looked at him and then back at me and then back at him.

“Thanks, Jonah,” Matt said, his voice tight. “Carrie told me you were doing the contract work out here.”

“A’yup. Been looking out for the place, the residents too.”

Oh boy. Here we go. Jonah was giving off worried dad energy and Matt was starting to get his grunting face ready.

“Anyway,” I said, talking over Jonah. “As everyone can see, everything is fine.”

“This hair isn’t fine,” Star piped up. “But it will be.”

---