Page 78 of Island Protector

She’d been bowled over when Miles had finally explained his financial status. At this rate they would have college funds for three or four kids. Which could come in handy if and when their family grew.

“That’s, um, very generous. Thank you.”

“Our attorneys drew it up in your name and your husband’s name,” Thomas added.

“Are you happy?” Anne queried. A smile bloomed across her face. “You must be. You look happy. And from the sound of things, Bryce is delighted with his father.”

“We are happy. All three of us.”

Anne blotted tears with her napkin. “I’m such a watering pot. But it’s incredible.” Another sniff. “The very idea of Tommy’s son being here. Being real. Having a good life.” She blinked rapidly and fanned her face.

“Whatever you decide?—”

Molly held up a hand, cutting off whatever Thomas had been about to say. “Sharon was my only family outside of the community. Miles was a foster kid. He and I found each other through Bryce. And we became a family.” She glanced to Sharon, saw that she and her aunt were on the same page. “A family of four.”

“And we’d love to be a family of six,” Sharon said. “I know Molly will want to be cautious at first.”

“And rightly so,” Thomas said. Anne was nodding along enthusiastically. “We do understand. Especially after what happened.”

“We will definitely let Bryce set the pace for getting to know him,” Anne vowed.

“That’s very thoughtful,” Molly said. “I have a few more questions before we introduce you to Bryce.”

“Anything.” Anne smiled. “Ask away.”

“How do you feel about sailing?”

“Oh! We both love to sail,” Anne replied.

Sharon smothered a laugh behind her napkin. “Bryce will be delighted.”

“Mm-hm.” Maybe she should be relieved her son came by sailing genetically. “Possibly more important than sailing, because boats are everything to Bryce these days, how good are you at fielding questions?”

Thomas lifted a single eyebrow. “I’d say we’re handling this interview pretty well.”

Molly grinned at him. He had no idea what he was in for as soon as they met Bryce. “Lucky for you, I’m not five years old. Bryce is in his constant-question era. Sharon and I aren’t sure he will ever grow out of it. There are times when I have to tell him to hold a question for an hour or even till the next day.”

“I think that’s lovely,” Anne gushed. “He clearly wants to learn.”

“About everything and everyone,” Sharon said. “Which brings me to an important detail. How are we going to introduce you?”

“What did you tell Bryce about Tommy,” Anne queried.

“Nothing yet,” Molly admitted. “I’ve kept the answers simple when he has asked about his dad. I told him his dad loved him but he couldn’t be with us. He knows Miles is a stepfather, as much as he can understand that concept, right now. Miles is the only man Bryce has ever called Daddy.

“Will that be upsetting for you?”

“Of course not,” Thomas replied. “Sounds like you’ve taken a sensible approach.”

“Thinking optimistically,” Anne ventured. “I would love it if he called us his grandparents. That’s who we are. That’s the role we want to fill in his life. Would it be so awful if he thought of us as anextension of the father he never knew? I would never paint Tommy as a saint. But I don’t want to paint him out of Bryce’s life entirely either.

Her answer resonated deep in Molly’s heart. “I understand that,” she said. “And I respect it. We’ll just have to agree to find our way step by step.”

“Yes please. We’ll let Bryce’s curiosity lead the way.” Anne sipped her tea.

Sharon leaned over. “Molly, why don’t you let them know we’re coming?”

“Do you mean it?” Anne’s tea cup clattered against the saucer.

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