Soldier, Handyman, Family Man

“Hey, that was the best you’ve done yet!”

Surprisingly, considering the topic they’d just been tossing around, Peter smiled, too. “I’m starting to get the hang of it.”

“Then you’ll just have to keep taking lessons until you’ve got it.”

“Can we catch one more?”

“That’s the spirit.”

An hour and a half later, the wind picked up and Peter was visibly chilled—his skin was pink-and-white blotchy to prove it—yet he didn’t complain, just kept trying to stand up on the surfboard. He’d come close a couple of times, but never quite pulled everything together. Still he never gave up. Mark discovered he liked something about Peter—he wasn’t a quitter.

“Lie down and I’ll push you in,” Mark said, treading water beside Peter and the surfboard.

For the second time that day, Peter didn’t argue.

As he swam closer to shore, with the help of a wave pushing them the rest of the way, Mark wanted to ask a favor of Peter while he still had him on his turf. “When we get back, tell your mom you’re sorry. She loves you, and it’s got to hurt when you treat her like that.”

Peter’s lips curled inward as he put on his flip-flops and covered up with his father’s Bart Simpson T-shirt. “Okay,” he mumbled, reluctantly.

At 5:55 p.m., they walked back to where Main Street curved into the cul-de-sac, the B&B on one side, The Drumcliffe hotel on the other. Like Grandda always said, they really did own a little piece of heaven. “Good first lesson. I’ll see you tomorrow at four for the next, okay?”

Peter nodded, seriously tired, but still interested.

“And start those exercises I showed you.”

“Okay. My legs are kind of sore, though.”

Mark grinned, leaving the kid at his front gate. “Get used to it. Later, man.”

Peter smiled. “Later.”

“I’ve been worried sick about you!” Laurel said from the porch.

“I was surfing with Mark.” He rushed by her and toward the house like he hung out with Mark all the time.

“Mark?” He turned, and there was a near-shocked expression on her face. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Maybe Peter was saving the apology for dinner.

* * *

Tuesday, when Mark delivered Peter back to the B&B after his second surf lesson, Laurel was waiting.

“Will you join us for dinner?”

Did he want to do that? After spending his morning finishing up painting the hotel trim, then working more on building the arbor, truth was, this was the most appealing offer he’d had all day. “Sure, what time?”

“Forty-five minutes?”

“Sounds good. Thanks.” His spirits lifted by the invitation, Mark was struck that Laurel was the first woman he’d been drawn to since coming home to Sandpiper Beach.

A widow with three kids. Seriously, Delaney?

* * *

“One time I was on a fwing an—an a pider came an—an—an, I queemed!” Gracie said an hour later, as the girls took Mark on a tour of their living quarters. She must have felt obligated to entertain him while Laurel put the finishing touches on their meal. The unusual speech pattern was sweet, and knowing the history of her ear problems from Laurel yesterday—thinking she’d fallen down on the Mom-job—made him feel protective of both girls. And Laurel. He couldn’t forget Peter, either. He wasn’t sure what to make of that protective feeling, but he wouldn’t deny it. Though it did make him uneasy.

“I fell off a swing once.” Claire jumped in with a long and drawn-out story about exactly how her accident happened, the injuries she’d obtained, how her mother had cleaned her up, and on and on and on, while they walked down the hall toward their family room. Since he was the guest, for the sake of the little girls, he did his best to appear fascinated.

During the never-ending story, he also managed to assess the Prescott family living situation. The kitchen and in-dining breakfast area, downstairs bathroom and apparent three bedrooms with a medium-sized study, which they’d turned into their family room, was the section of the grand old home where they lived. About the size of a medium apartment. Unlike the foyer, the front sitting room and the dining room, or the six upstairs bedrooms, it was furnished with modern, wear-and-tear-styled furniture, which made sense with the kids. Laurel Prescott knew how to be practical.

“And this is my mommy’s room,” Claire said. “She has her own bathroom, but we all have to share that one.” She first gestured to the largest of the three bedrooms, probably once meant for the staff when the house was built. Or an in-law suite? He glimpsed a humble room with a comfortable-looking bed with tall bedposts reminding him of her flair for antiques, and immediately felt like he’d invaded her privacy. Would she want him gawking at her room? Then Claire pointed across the hall to the main bathroom, and he was grateful for the distraction. The main bathroom was spacious and still had, what looked like, original tile in small white hexagon shapes. The pedestal sink and bear-claw tub also looked original, though the shower curtain encircling it was covered with colorful safari animals. Yeah, he bet Peter liked that, all right.

“We share, but Petie gwipes,” Gracie added.

“That’s Petie’s room,” Claire continued by pointing to a closed door toward the end of the hall.

Since he’d arrived ten minutes ago, he hadn’t seen “Petie,” but Mark had new understanding for why the kid shut himself off.

The girls saved what they felt was the best for last. Their room. Pink! White! Blindingly so. Frilly little girl stuff throughout. Putting him completely out of his comfort zone.

“Dinner’s ready,” Laurel called out. Thank God!

“Come on, awah-bubby! Dinner,” Gracie said, taking off first.

“She means everybody,” Claire quietly clarified, then made a beeline for their family dining room in the kitchen alcove.

Mark made a point to knock twice on Peter’s closed door. “Dinner’s ready.” Just in case he hadn’t heard his mother’s announcement. Then he followed the girls.

Laurel looked great in tan capris and a pale blue tunic top, which brought out her hazel eyes. Maybe the touch of eye makeup she’d put on helped with that, too. Had she done that for him? He smiled, glad he’d combed his hair and dressed a little nicer than usual, wearing one of his best T-shirts, then waited for her to sit first. She looked a little nervous, so he didn’t linger on her eyes, instead casting his gaze down to her sandals and noticing her tangerine-colored polish. Yeah, definitely in over his head. He never should have accepted her invitation.

Peter clumped down the hall, his feet seeming far too large for those skinny legs. Before he sat, he acknowledged Mark with a nod and partial smile. Then Claire insisted on saying a quick grace.

“I should say it. I’m Gwacie!”

“I said it first,” and out went Claire’s tongue.

“Now, girls.”

Like so many family dinners at his own house, soon the plates were passed and the chaos began.

Mark wasn’t used to being around kids, especially the chatty Claire and her little echo Gracie. He figured Laurel rarely got a quiet moment with them in the house. At least Peter’s mood had lightened some since yesterday. His second lesson had gone about the same as the first, but Mark made sure he understood that everything worth learning took time.

Peter let his mom know she’d made his favorite—turkey meat loaf. Mark could tell by Laurel’s surprised and pleased expression a compliment from the kid wasn’t routine. She’d rounded out the meal with small baked potatoes, with several choices for toppings, and fresh green beans that smelled great thanks to lemon slices and a large sprig of rosemary cooked with them.

Conversation around the table had more to do with bargaining over how much each twin had to eat in order to call it dinner, and whether or not Peter had homework and had he done it yet, than getting-to-know-the-neighbor gab.