Page 6 of His Bountiful Gifts (Men of the Sea)

ULA

The last of the sunrise is fading into day when I park my car down the road from the trailer park. Aside from Meredith, who’s up tending to her squalling baby, there’s no sign of the other residents.

Gram’s caravan, or mine now, is at the far end of the park. It’s the shabby two-bedroom adorned with lucky charms and a string of garlic hanging off the awnings to ward off bad spirits. Her well-stocked herb garden borders the sides in neat planters.

“Keep to the shadows if you don’t want to be seen and follow me.”

Ronan’s body has been weakened by the ocean, but he doesn’t make a sound, though I can see his side causes him pain.

We reach the caravan, and I glance around before opening the door and letting him in. No one sees us. It’s too early for most of the residents here.

Ronan is a giant in the small trailer. He towers over me, his head nearly scrapping the ceiling. Scattered on the table are the tarot cards and burned down candles, evidence of my session from last night.

The broken windowpane has been stuffed with a blanket, and glass adorns the floor.

“Storm damage,” I say quickly.

Ronan has Gram’s shawl wrapped around his body but he’s shaking violently, his lips a pale blue.

His body was battered by the ocean, he’s been cut, and he might have hypothermia. If he doesn’t want medical assistance, then it’s up to me and Gram’s herb garden to get him fixed up.

“You need a hot shower and dry clothes.”

He doesn’t protest as I hand him a towel and show him the small shower room.

While he warms up, I rifle through my drawers in search of something for him to wear. There’s an old checkered shirt he might fit and Gram’s jogging bottoms.

I lay them out on the bed and step out to the herb garden.

Gram taught me all of the healing herbs, and I pick a bunch of echinacea and lemon balm, which should help the pain and work as an antiseptic.

“You left your water running.”

I startle at the sound of the voice, dropping my scissors into the dirt.

Jeremy crouches to pick them up, his hand “accidentally” brushing against my knee.

“I can get them,” I say quickly, plucking the scissors out of the soil.

Jeremy gives me what I guess is supposed to be a smile, but on his pinched face, it looks more like a grimace.

“Big storm we had last night. I was going to come and check you were okay.”

“I’m fine. I don’t mind a storm.”

I stand up and back away toward the door of the trailer. If Ronan decides to get out of the shower now, Jeremy will wonder who turned the water off.

“Want to head to the beach and see the damage?”

His eager eyes flick down my body and land on my breasts. It’s where they stay for the rest of the conversation.

“No thanks. Got stuff to do.”

Jeremy licks his lips. “You want to come and hang out later? My dad’s gonna be out.”

And that’s what passes for seduction in Temptation Bay.

It’s the kind of proposition I’ve gotten ever since my tits grew and boys started noticing me. Jeremy’s not a bad kid. He’s just like any other boy who’s grown up around here.

Dull and horny.

He’s what Grant was like before he knocked up Meredith, and now they’re in a trailer of their own with a screaming baby to look after.

It’s what’s expected of me growing up around here, especially now that Gram’s passed. Choose a local boy and start a family.

I’ve resisted all of the advances so far. But my options are running out. One of these days, I’ll be forced to accept a boy like Jeremy, and next thing I know, I’ll have a squalling baby of my own and a husband who drinks too much.

Which is why I was calling the spirits last night, appealing to the storm for a way out. And it looks like my pleas were answered.

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