The next week passed uneventfully for the Reynolds family. They seemed to emerge from the scattering of Ethan’s ashes in a more peaceful place. Josh was relieved at the passing of the anniversary. All the momentous occasions surrounding Ethan’s death had been marked with both sadness and closure. A feeling that he’d overcome yet another hurdle in this long journey calledgrief. This one seemed more significant than the others.
This week his parents had joined him on theCarolina Dreamfor his two-hour tour. It felt good to have their support, their approval. Josh had been processing all his father had told him. In the end, parents were only human. They did the best they could. At least his dad told him the truth and was trying to improve their relationship. Josh would do his part.
He’d also enjoyed time alone with Maggie this week. His parents had even offered to watch Zoey. Everything seemed to be heading the right direction.
But inside Josh a storm was brewing.
His dad’s denial of the affair was never far from Josh’s mind. Because if Dad hadn’t fathered Will, as far as Josh could see, that left only Ethan. But he’d been dating Maggie back then, and Josh couldn’t believe his brother would’ve cheated on her.
Was it possible Will’s dad was his biological father and the boy’s uncanny resemblance to Ethan really was just some random fluke?
In an effort to learn more, Josh decided to do a little fishing. So a few days ago when he’d been eating with the crew, he asked Big D about his adoptive father. Josh was just trying to figure out how to finagle the information from Will when, like a gift from heaven, the boy offered up that his dad hadn’t come into his life until he was five.
A gift, and yet a punch in the heart. Every moment since then, Josh had been torn up inside. There was too much evidence for this to be a coincidence. He had to tell Maggie about his dad’s denial. About Will’s dad. He couldn’t keep that knowledge a secret from her. He just wasn’t built that way.
Not to mention all the other people involved. If all was as he suspected, his parents had a grandchild they didn’t know—from the son they’d lost. Zoey had a brother. Owen and Mia, another cousin. Erin and Patrick, a nephew.
And Josh couldn’t forget about Will—especially not when they worked together daily. He’d gotten to know the guy pretty well the past month. He was a good kid. Thoughtful, hardworking, helpful. They shared a love of sports, even if they rooted for different teams. And it seemed Will had a biological father he didn’t know about—would never have a chance to meet. But he also had an extended family. A family who would embrace him and love him unconditionally.
Josh ruminated on the situation as he drove to pick up Maggie for what was sure to be a difficult date. The more he weighed the facts, the more convinced he became. Dread simmered in his stomach. The rain picked up and he put the wipers on. Had Ethan known about the boy? Josh couldn’t imagine he had. Josh had enough trouble conceiving that he’d ever cheated on Maggie—and left the mess for his brother to clean up.
“Did you really do this, Ethan? She did not deserve that. Doesn’t deserve this. And now I have to be the one to tell her. Thanks a lot.”
Maggie was gonna take this hard. Who could blame her? She would learn her dead husband had likely cheated on her—albeit when they’d been dating. But loyalty was everything to Maggie. When Ethan had gone off to college, she’d been so worried he’d fall for another girl. Josh and Erin had done everything they could to allay her fears.
But she’d been right after all.
She would be so hurt, confused, and angry. This would turn her world upside down—and so soon after she’d finally found her footing again. Josh felt like a heel for doing this to her. He just didn’t see any other option. She would return home in two days and he’d put it off as long as he could.
He tried to focus on the positive. They had made some wonderful memories this week. His thoughts drifted back to Friday night, when they’d gone to Erin and Patrick’s for a barbecue and a swim. After supper he and Maggie had a few moments alone in the deep end. He’d caught her around the middle and tugged her to the side where he’d kissed her the way he’d been wanting to all week. He lost himself in the coconutty smell of her hair, the sweet taste of her mouth, the gentle curves of her waist. Her skin was warm and silky smooth. Her lips pliant beneath his own. He wanted to stay right there all night, wrapped up with her like—
Suddenly, she was gone, fluttering away, as peals of laughter carried from the patio. His nieces had invaded their private party. Maggie tossed a coy glance over her slender shoulder. His mind and body slowly shifted gears as she sliced across the pool. He’d forgotten how effortlessly she glided through the water. Momentslater when she emerged from the pool, he half expected her to have sprouted fins or a mermaid’s tail.
On Saturday Maggie had finished the last of her swim lessons. She was feeling a bit melancholy about leaving her students, so Josh distracted her with a trip to the aquarium with Zoey. On Sunday Josh had taken Maggie to The Wharf, arguably the nicest restaurant in town. They danced afterward—only slow songs for that swanky establishment. Josh wasn’t complaining. Ever since she’d professed her feelings, he’d felt free to hold her and kiss her and show her how much he adored her. When she did the same in return, he felt like a new man.
They hadn’t seen each other for three long days, but they’d spent hours on the phone each night and exchanged frequent texts during the day.
Josh turned into his parents’ drive and shut off the ignition, a heaviness weighing him down. He would take Maggie out for supper and then he’d break the news.
***
Josh was in an odd mood. Maggie couldn’t put her finger on it. His exchange with his parents and Zoey seemed normal enough. He swept Zoey into his arms, then chased her around the house with tickle fingers. And the second they stepped outside he swept Maggie into his arms. “You look beautiful. I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
He brushed his lips slowly across hers. “Three days is too long.”
But now as he drove to the restaurant, she couldn’t banish the suspicion that something was wrong. Maybe it was the way his handsgripped the steering wheel. Or the tension of his thigh beneath her palm. Whatever it was, it nipped at her like an icy wind.
The wipers arced across the windshield, momentarily clearing the glass. A bank of gray clouds obscured the evening sunlight as a storm front closed in.
She glanced at Josh. “Everything okay over there?”
He tossed her an unconvincing smile. “Yeah. You hungry?”
“For seafood gumbo? Always. I’ve been meaning to get over to the Seafood Shack all summer. I can’t believe how fast it’s gone by. That I’m going back to school in four days. That Zoey’s about to start her second year of preschool. She’s growing up so fast. Also, I’m not quite ready to face my mother. She called today. She’s still angry about Derrick and when I wouldn’t give in to her demands, she hung up on me. She won’t make it easy, and living in the same town again, it’ll be difficult to avoid her.”
She glanced at Josh as he turned into the restaurant’s lot. His brows bunched together and his eyes were focused straight ahead.
