Just Like That (The Kings)

The titter of Bluebirds was a soothing soundtrack to my Wednesday evening. Sure it was a far cry from the lull of crashing waves against a yacht on the Amalfi Coast, but it was perfect.

It had been almost a week since our trip to Italy and my head was still in the clouds. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I missed Tommaso’s cappuccino.

I kept catching my thoughts wandering back to why Olive would have Maryann King’s necklace. The stunned look on JP’s face told me there was no mistaking it was hers, and it seemed like it was no coincidence.

He had been so tender and selfless in letting me keep something of his mother’s that had also belonged to my sister, but it only added to the mounting questions I had about Olive.

What other secrets was she hiding?

Listening to the conversations around me, I sighed and settled into the plush velvet of my wingback chair.

“You okay?” Emily’s kind face was creased with concern.

“I am.” I gave her a soft smile. “I thought I would miss Italy, but it feels really good to be home.”

Her eyebrow pitched up. “Home, huh?”

I could feel my cheeks heat, and I tried to hide it with a sip of whatever rum cocktail concoction Annie had brought with her. It was fruity and rich and just the perfect amount of sour.

I raised the glass to Emily. “Home is where the skoolie is.”

Her lips twisted in playful disbelief. “Mm-hmm.”

A sharp laugh lurched out of me. “Oh, and thanks again for Lego camp.”

If she was dizzy from my sudden change of topic, Emily didn’t let it show. Instead, she smiled widely in the way she always did when she spoke about the children’s programs she ran at the local library. “Did Teddy enjoy it? I think we had a lot of fun!”

I grinned. “He did. Loved it, actually. He’s still talking about it and how we need to scour a few stores to find the really good stuff. He wants to build another set to go with the next book he’s picked out to read.”

Emily sat back in her chair with a contented sigh. “That makes me so happy. I knew I could snag a few curious minds if I mixed books with kids’ love of building. The feedback is really helpful.”

I took another sip. “I’m sure he’ll be wanting to sign up for the next activity. I’ll keep you posted.”

Emily’s hand rested on my forearm. “I’m happy you found your way here to us. Both of you.”

A tightness in my chest bloomed and unexpected tears sprung to my eyes. Everything about this quirky coastal town was unexpected, yet drew me in.

The people.

The quaintness of the small town.

Him.

Emily took a drink, quietly eyeing me as if she could see my thoughts hopping in my head. “Have you heard anything yet?”

I swallowed down the emotion and shook my head. I knew she was talking about the paternity results. In reality, the impending results only increased my anxiety, so I had buried it deep down and focused on the now. I hated anytime the doubts and insecurities cropped up.

What if JP wasn’t Teddy’s dad?

What if he was?

What if this thing between us develops into something more?

Would I be Teddy’s aunt and his mom?

My throat was thick as I swallowed and tried to focus on Emily before I spiraled into oblivion.

“Nothing yet. I’m literally checking the mail every day.” I looked down at the pink, fruity cocktail in my hand and dug for a sliver of courage.

“Honestly, I’m not really sure it matters anymore,” I whispered.

Emily’s brows tipped down. “What do you mean?”

My fingers tingled and my head was swimming. “Well, I only came here because Olive wanted me to. I had every intention of having JP sign away his parental rights. The judge insisted that he could only do that with the paternity results.” Nerves tittered through me as I quietly gave voice to the fears. “But what if I don’t want him to sign his rights away anymore?”

Emily’s smile was soft and understanding as she touched my arm. “Does JP know you’re feeling this way?”

I shook my head. We hadn’t discussed the specifics yet. I was fairly sure that both of us were actively pretending like it wasn’t happening and were simply attempting to enjoy the present.

But what if he was still planning to sign his rights over to me? Teddy would be crushed.

My impending mental spiral, along with our conversation, was interrupted when muffled shouting turned louder as the bell to the bookshop clanged against the glass door.

Our heads collectively whipped around as we all watched MJ stomp into the bookstore. Her cheeks were flushed and her typically sweet and good-natured demeanor had all but evaporated.

“How dare you follow me!” MJ’s chin was high and her fists were clenched, like she was ready for a fight.

The air in the bookstore was thick. Every woman around me tensed, like they were all ready to spring into action to protect one of their own.

Behind MJ, an enormous man sauntered in, seemingly unaffected by her outburst. He was handsome, with dark hair that looked like it needed a trim. He had a mustache that stood out a little thicker than his scruff and had muscles for days. But not just regular muscles—his thighs were thick and his arms crossed over his broad chest as he grinned at MJ.

“Relax, Thunder.” The man was smiling, but there was an edge of teasing in his tone. “You might hurt yourself if you keep stomping around like that.”

“Thunder?” she shouted, stepping forward. He was so much taller that her chin lifted higher, but she didn’t back down.

I stayed perched behind the high back of the chair, peeking out and soaking up their interaction. My eyes bounced between them.

He scoffed. “Yeah. You’ve got this whole storm cloud vibe happening. It’s cute.”

He licked his lip, and I noted the quiet, yet audible, gasp of the women around me.

“Cute?” Fire danced in MJ’s eyes. “You are absolutely unreal. Do you know that? First you skulk around an assisted-living facility—after hours, let me remind you—then you have the balls to insinuate that I’m a—a—a lady of the night!”

A what now? I was totally lost but enthralled by whatever drama was unfolding in front of me.

“You been thinking about my balls, Thunder?” The man was clearly trying not to laugh as he shifted his stance.

Beside me, Emily stifled a giggle as MJ threw her hands in the air with a frustrated growl.

A whisper came between Emily and me. “You know that’s Logan Brown, right?”

Emily’s head whipped around. “The rugby player?”

Lark’s eyes glittered with delight. “The Olympic rugby player. Apparently football and rugby are like sports cousins or something. Wyatt is always analyzing sports strategy, so the Olympic Games were constantly on. He’s actually from Michigan, and trust me . . . I would not forget those thighs.”

The women giggled as my eyes shifted back to the drama unfolding in a very public way. “Yeah, but how does MJ know him?”

“And why is he here?” Emily added.

“I came to apologize.” Logan’s voice was thick, but sincere. It was enough to stop MJ mid-rant. Her mouth hung open for a second before she snapped it shut.

“I had just gotten into town and wanted to say hello to my grandfather. The girl at the front desk said a quick visit wouldn’t be a problem.” He stepped forward into her space, and I could feel everyone’s collective inhale. “Safe to say I was surprised to see a woman who looks like you having a candlelit dinner with my eighty-six-year-old grandfather.”

MJ’s fists were still clenched, but the fire in her eyes had dimmed to a smolder.

“You said your piece then.” Bug stepped beside MJ, placing a supportive hand between her shoulder blades. “You’ve disrupted our evening enough. Good night.”

Logan looked around, noticing the sea of wide eyeballs staring at him. His grin widened.

He raised his hand, his huge palm spread wide. “Hi.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Bye.”

A few of us waved back, stunned into a stupor.

Before he walked out the front door of the bookstore, Logan stopped and looked back at MJ. “Maybe I’ll see you around, Thunder.”

MJ rolled her eyes with a huff and turned her back to him, walking straight toward us. “I need a drink.”

We were absolutely salivating.

Lark was the first brave soul to speak up. “That was . . .” She blinked twice. “Interesting.”

MJ’s typically sweet face twisted into a scowl. “That man is certifiable. He followed me all the way from Haven Pines.”

“You went to work like that?” Lark gestured at MJ’s slinky dress. It was a far cry from her usual navy scrubs.

MJ pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s a long story. Can we please talk about something else?”

Kate said sure at the same time as Emily’s no and we folded on ourselves with pent-up laughter.

My fears, the stress I had been carrying, all of it seemed to evaporate as the Bluebird Book Club lifted my spirits.

For so long it had only been Olive and me, and after a while my travels meant I’d flown solo for a really long time. Too long.

Maybe Emily was right.

Looking around at my new friends, who felt more like family every day, I couldn’t help but feel like maybe the paternity test didn’t really matter as much as I’d made it seem after all.

I had no idea that the very next day I would find out how much it really did matter.