Page 68 of Lucky Strike

Liam gives me a tentative splash once he’s close enough, so I splash him back. Conlan gives him a noogie, and they roughhouse for a while, dunking each other and goofing off. Eventually Liam begs to go back to shore, so his dad carries him to where he can stand. The second Liam springs onto the sand, Conlan comes back and wraps his hand around my waist, pulling me close. "I wish every day could be like this.”

I shiver as his lips brush my ear. “Maybe it can, one day.”

“Guys like me don’t get that option.”

“Your dad did,” I remind him. “Your grandpa did.”

He ducks down, trying to capture my lips, but I turn my face, so he gets my cheek instead. “He’s going to freak out.” I nod toward the shore, where Liam’s attempting to salvage the ruins of his waterlogged sandcastle.

“He’s not even paying attention.” But he lets go of me, his fingertips leaving trails of heat on my skin. “I missed you.”

He keeps saying that. I missed him too, but this time the words stick in my throat. Because this is a slippery slope, and I’m already starting to fall.

18.Lucky

Now

One of my favorite restaurants is over in Oak Bluffs. Bria says she’s never been to Martha’s Vineyard, which is tragic, so I make dinner reservations.

“Impulsive,” she says, when I tell her. “And frivolous. We have plenty of food here, you know.”

“There’s a chance I’ll have to head back to Boston tomorrow,” I say with a shrug. “Besides, the point of money is to spend it.”

Liam, on the other hand, is always up for an adventure. He sits between us on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, a perma-grin splitting his newly tanned face as we jet along. He insisted we sit on top, in the very front, so nothing would block our view. A half hour later, we arrive in Oak Bluffs. We walk to the restaurant, which is packed, and sit on the covered patio, where a live jazz band is playing. Liam’s not as impressed with the fish—to our amusement, he insists Bria’s is better—but Bria loves hers.

We get dessert to go so we can watch the sun set over the water. Liam falls asleep while we’re waiting for the ferry back to Falmouth, sticky with ice cream.

“He’s had a big day,” Bria says, adjusting him on her lap.

I start to take him from her, but she just tightens her grip and rests her cheek against his curls. The affection in her eyes squeezes my heart until I have to look away, focusing instead on the darkening horizon. “Every day’s a big day for this kid.”

“It’s the beach.” She yawns. “Makes me tired, too.”

It does the same thing to me, but I have other things on my mind tonight. Like my overwhelming attraction to my kid’s nanny. Who’s also my ex-girlfriend. It was easier to ignore my baser instincts back in Boston, but we’re in vacation mode now, a fuzzy place with blurred boundaries and fewer real-world responsibilities. Less clothing, too. Bria’s swimsuits are relatively tame, but that hasn’t stopped me from taking matters into my own hands every time I take a shower lately.

At least she let me kiss her last night. That’s progress.

Back in Mashpee, after Liam’s tucked into bed, I knock on Bria’s door.

She answers with a knowing smile. “Can I help you?” She’s changed from the cute, yellow sundress she was wearing into a long-sleeved shirt and cotton shorts, and she’s yawning, but I can’t help it. I want to be with her.

“Do you want to go for a walk? On the beach?”

“Now?” She looks at her watch as if she doesn’t know exactly what time it is. “Liam?—”

“Is out like a light.” I lean in the doorjamb. “I swear, you worry about him more than I do.”

“It’s my job.”

“He’s my kid.”

Huffing, she folds her arms.

“I’m going, either way. Shelby and Bacon are asleep in Liam’s room with the door shut, and Terry and Mitch are on the first floor. Nothing’s gonna happen to anybody without us knowing.”

Bria opens her mouth and shuts it, dropping her arms. “Give me a minute. I’ll meet you down there.”

Checking on Liam one last time, I walk out to the deck then down another few stairs past the pool. We hardly use it these days, as the Atlantic is just another few feet, but it’s nice to have. Maybe I’ll give Liam a couple of swim lessons before we go.

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