A whistle blew, and Theo’s deep voice called out that it was quitting time and to grab any tools and head back. Once they were all gathered at the boat landing again, he and Rico thanked them for all their hard work.
“We’ll be clearing this site for the next few weeks. Anyone who wants to continue is welcome. We only ask that you let us know. Rico has the sign-up sheet.”
Many of the volunteers shuffled toward the parking lot while she waited to speak with the ranger. She wanted to keep helping. Needed to keep helping. Her body was aching and complaining louder than it ever had, but she was determined to do this.
The group of teenage girls crowded around Rico, who chiseled a smile onto his features as he checked off the dates they would return.
“Thank you, ladies. I need to organize with the rest of these volunteers.” His dismissal was professional but clear.
As they wandered off, still looking back at the attractive man, she stepped closer. “I’d like to sign up, please.”
Rico glanced at her, then down at the paper. “Chelsea, right? What dates are you available?”
“I’d like to come back every day until it’s done.”
Peeking toward where Theo had gone, Rico then looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. “Every day? You might want to take a break a few times.”
“I don’t have anything more important to do, and I love Jordan Pond. I’d rather be here than anyplace else.”
That got him staring at her strangely again. What had she said?
“Okay, got you down. If you can’t make it, please call the ranger station to let us know. We’ll be moving farther down the trail, and we want to make sure we can account for everyone.”
“Sure.” Stepping over to the side so Kelly and Tammi could sign up, she picked up her backpack and dug inside for her car keys. It had felt strange driving again after so long, but she’d made sure to practice at the estate in Westchester for the last week, so she’d be confident in her drive all the way to Maine.
As she slung her bag over her shoulder, she caught sight of Theo climbing the hill toward the restaurant and gift shop. A blonde woman with a young girl was ambling down. The little girl broke free and dashed toward Theo, who picked her up, swung her around, then kissed her neck. Giggles rang all the way down to where Chelsea stood. The sound brought tears to her eyes.
They were too far away to tell how old the child was, but she was young. Guess Theo hadn’t waited around to move on to the next conquest.
Pain shot through her heart and her stomach clenched, thinking of the past. Another reason she’d wanted to come up here. In a month, it would be the end of May. Four years from when she’d lost the most precious thing in her life.
Theo slung his arm over the blonde as they trudged back up the hill. The child’s dark head bobbed back and forth on her father’s shoulder. Their child most likely would have had dark hair, too. Would she have had brown eyes like Theo or blue like hers?
Shaking her head, she knew she had to get rid of these thoughts or she’d end up curled in a ball on the ground. Memories flashed through her, anyway.
“Where’s my baby?” Her mind had been fuzzy from the anesthesia, but she reached down to her stomach and knew her child didn’t rest there any longer.
“I’m so sorry, my dear,” her father had said, his voice as brusque as ever. “There were complications.”
“What complications? Where’s my baby?”
“It was stillborn. I’m sorry.” He couldn’t meet her eyes.
“It?”
“She. It was a girl.”
“No!” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “She was fine when we got here. Kicking up a storm. How could she have died? I want to see her.”
“That’s inadvisable, Chelsea. You know with your condition it could cause all sorts of problems.”
“I don’t care.” She shook her head and tried to get out of the bed. The IV line pulled at her hand. “I have to see her.”
Her father patted her arm and gently pushed her back down. “I’m sorry, but it was several hours ago, and they’ve already disposed of it. I thought it best in the circumstances.”
“Disposed? You disposed of my child? My baby!” She was truly hysterical now. How could anyone do that? “And it’sshe,not it.”
Her father nodded at a nurse by the door who did something to the IV, then left the room.
