“You’re right about that.”
Hoisting the crate onto a shoulder, Reese walked up the path leading to Cherie’s house and climbed the porch steps. He was looking forward to the get-together because it would keep him from thinking about the possibility he could’ve gotten Cherie pregnant. He didn’t know what had possessed him to make love to her without using a condom; he knew that, if it had been at his house, it wouldn’t have happened. Now, even days later, he could hear her whisper in his ear once he’d recovered from the most unbridled lovemaking he’d ever experienced: “You picked the wrong time of the month to make love to me without a condom.”
It was the first time he’d slept with a woman without using protection. The exception had been with Monica when they were married because she’d used a contraceptive. Even when some women claimed they were on the pill, Reese still didn’t want to take the risk they weren’t being truthful. However, Cherie wasn’t some woman or any woman. She was special, and special enough for him to want to spend all his spare time with her.
She was intelligent, sexy, uncomplicated, and unpredictable. He liked that she didn’t take herself too seriously; for him, that was a breath of fresh air. He’d finished readingThe Alienist, and they spent hours discussing the novel—something he enjoyed and looked forward to with other books.
He peered through the glass on the storm door and then rang the bell. Derrick came to the door and opened it. “Please come in, Reese. What’s up, Chief?” he said to Parker.
“There’s no chief business today, Derrick. It’s just Parker.”
“Who’s minding the station house?”
“Assistant deputy chief Ian Burrows,” Parker replied. “I doubt whether there’s going to be any arrests or citations tonight because everyone will probably be watching the game.”
Derrick flashed a dimpled smile and opened the door wider. “You guys are just in time to get your eat on.”
Reese gave the owner of the Seaside Café his crate. “We bought some libations just in case you run short.”
Derrick stared at the bottles in the crate, then rolled his eyes upward. “There’s enough booze in this house right now to openandstock a bar.”
Reese took his cousin’s crate. “What’s good is it won’t spoil.”
“You’ve got that right,” Derrick drawled. “The ladies went upstairs to change, and as soon as they come down, we’ll eat. Meanwhile, Graeme is in the kitchen tending bar. I have to warn you that he has a heavy pour, and if you have a problem navigating it back to the mainland, Parker, you’re more than welcome to crash at my place.” He shot a glance at Reese. “I don’t have to tell you where you’ll be sleeping.”
Reese slowly shook his head. “Damn! News appears to travel around Coates Island at warp speed.”
Parker rested an arm on his cousin’s shoulder. “Don’t act so shocked, Reese. Everyone and his mama knows you’re keeping company with Cherie Thompson.”
Derrick’s eyebrows lifted. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard the termkeeping company.”
Reese wanted to tell Derrick it was because his cousin was a throwback to his grandmother’s generation. Parker’s father had been a fire-and-brimstone preacher who raised all his children in the church; less than a week following his high school graduation, Parker walked into a Marine Corps recruiting station and enlisted. The military was a good fit for him, and he’d served for thirty years, rising to the rank of master sergeant. He’d been a hard-nosed, no-nonsense drill sergeant with an impeccable reputation for turning young boys into men in the tradition the Corps was known for. Once a marine, always a marine.
He followed Derrick through the entryway, past the living and family rooms, and into the kitchen, where Kayana’s husband was busy measuring ingredients into a shaker. The large flat-screen mounted over the fireplace in the family room was muted and tuned to ESPN, and he barely caught a glimpse of two banquet tables with cold and warming trays that were emitting mouthwatering aromas. The table in the dining area was set for nine. Cherie had added a leaf, expanding the table, and had set out another chair. It was obvious she was expecting more people.
He set the crate on the floor next to the breakfast bar. “Here’s some more to add to your stash,” he said to Kayana’s husband. Reese had had very little interaction with the former high school teacher who had vacationed on the island and liked it enough to purchase property and retire here. Graeme was tall and slender, with large gray eyes, and Reese noticed that his cropped, sandy-brown hair had acquired more silver since their last encounter.
Graeme set down the shaker, wiped his hands on a towel, and extended the right one to Reese. “Thanks. It’s nice seeing you again. And especially out of uniform.”
Reese took the proffered hand. “Same here. Right now, work is the farthest thing from my mind.”
Graeme pointed to three mason jars of margaritas lining the countertop. “Take one and let me know what you think.”
“I’ll also have one of those,” Parker said, as he set down his crate.
Graeme handed Parker a jar. “Drink up, Chief.”
Reese noticed his cousin’s frown when Graeme had addressed him by his official title. Most folks called Parker “Chief,” while he was Deputy Matthews. He touched his glass to Parker’s and then took a sip. He swallowed the ice-cold liquid, and then, without warning, it detonated in his chest. Derrick had warned him that his brother-in-law had a heavy pour.
He blew out a breath. “How much tequila did you put in here?”
Graeme wiggled his eyebrows. “Nice, isn’t it?”
“No, you didn’t!”
Reese turned to see Cherie standing only a few feet away. It was obvious the alcohol had temporarily dulled his senses because he hadn’t detected her approach. She wore a white man-tailored blouse with a pair of fitted jeans and ballet flats. She’d styled her hair in a ponytail and applied a light cover of makeup. It was the first time he’d seen her without a bare face. The smoky shadow on her lids made her eyes appear even lighter than they were, while he couldn’t pull his gaze away from the raspberry color on her lush mouth.
He moved closer and kissed her cheek. “Hey, bae.”
