Dean nearly fell from bed in his haste to answer the doorbell. It wasn’t even 8 o’clock in the morning. Something had to be wrong at Shannon’s. He stubbed his toe on the bedroom doorframe and slid down the first three stairs. His heart knocked at his chest as loudly as the banging on the door. Who was hurt this time?
“Dino! ’Bout damned time. Did I wake you?” The chuckle that followed suggested his dear friend, and former bandmate, was quite pleased with himself.
“Jax? What the hell are you doing here?”
Dean dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and blew out a noisy sigh of frustration. The fear Dean had felt upon waking had pulled his nerves taut. Now, as they relaxed, he was left totally wrung out.
“Dude, you went off the radar. Everyone’s asking about you.”
He didn’t even bother to hide the snort that particular news elicited. Leading the way into the kitchen at the back of the house, Dean gestured to a stool at the granite counter. He filled the carafe with water and played thumb war with the coffee filters. Knowing Jax didn’t like his coffee strong, Dean threw an extra scoop into the basket, his humor somewhat restored.
“So … what? You take the red eye in?”
“Surprise.” Jax leaned in and snagged an apple out of the wire basket in the center of the island. He took a huge bite and grinned around the mouthful.
“I told you guys I wanted some time. We’ll have the house warming to end all house warmings, but …” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
The coffee finished brewing and Dean doctored his, leaving Jax to fend for himself. He stepped out onto the deck and stood at the railing. His eyes were drawn to the patio table, where he and Shannon had begun to have a “moment.”
Then, because she felt that her son’s fall from the tree was actually her fault, she had erected this ridiculous wall. Even crazier was the fact that this frustrated and disappointed him to no end. He was supposed to be hiding out from all things female. Women were trouble. Women were paternity suits and settlements, headaches and … And yet, Shannon was none of that.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Jax leaned a hip against the rail and grimaced as he took a slug of coffee.
“How complicated life can be.” Dean closed his eyes and breathed deep, the now familiar scents of the Atlantic coastline a soothing balm.
“What’s her name?”
“Shannon. Hey!” He glared over the rim of his coffee mug.
“You came here to get away from the estrogen set and things got even more messed up, huh?”
“In a nutshell.”
Jax swirled the liquid around in his cup, his grin having finally disappeared. He stared intently at the tree line. Dean groaned inwardly. Oh, he knew that look. He was being ambushed. Well, it didn’t matter. His answer was no.
“Out with it.” Dean wheeled on his friend and pinned him with a pointed look.
“This reality show contacted Jordie. They want to get the whole band in for interviews. Do some ‘where are they now?’ type stuff, ya know?”
“Have fun with that. I’ll pass.” He flung the dregs of his mug over the railing. Whether to fertilize or kill the lawn below, time would tell.
“It just means a quick trip back, Dino. Then you and Shannon can unravel whatever is making things complicated.” Jax sat down in a patio chair, stretching out his long legs.
“Ha!” Dean’s laugh was curt. “Stop calling me Dino. It’s Dean now. It’s been Dean for a long time now. I’m done with that life. It was fun while it lasted, but I’m done.” He started pacing, frowning when he tried to shove his hands into his jeans pockets, only to remember he was wearing sweats. “And this thing with Shannon? It’s being ‘Dino’ that is making it complicated!”
“Is she star-struck? After your millions? Has she asked you to introduce her to anyone yet?” Jax was every bit as familiar with the downside of dating when you were a celebrity as Dean was.
“She doesn’t know,” he spoke very softly.
“She doesn’t know how much you’re worth?” Jax stood up and stalked closer, a hand on his shoulder stopping Dean from wearing a path on the cedar planks.
“Shannon doesn’t know I’m Dino Valentine. She doesn’t know I used to be in a boy band. She doesn’t know she’s living next door to a celebrity has-been, or that I’m running away from yet another fake paternity suit.” That’s what was complicated.
• • •
The sun had already pushed its way through the early morning fog. The day was shaping up to be a hot one. Shannon finished wiping down the kitchen counters and tossed the sponge into the sink. Her little slug-a-beds had only just stumbled out for some Cheerios and juice. The usual morning chatter was replaced by yawns and bored sighs. Everyone picked listlessly at their breakfast. Time to shake things up a bit.
“Supposed to be a hot one today.” This was met with groans. “It would probably be a little cooler by the shore.” Wait for it …
“Yeah! We’re going to the beach!” Brian scrambled from his chair, sloshing milk on the table in his hurry to take his cereal bowl to the sink.
“Can we invite Drake and Danny to come with us? I still haven’t showed them my cast.” Brady visibly vibrated with excitement.
“Let’s see if they have any plans for today. Tumble Tots is closed.”
The kids raced off to put on swim trunks and a bathing suit. Shannon called her friend to invite her and the twins to the beach. Between Memorial Weekend and Labor Day Weekend, parking anywhere near the beach was challenging, to say the least. The early bird got the parking spot, and woe betide anyone forgetting to pack quarters. Oh, how the town relied on tourist season!
Leaving the triplets to figure out what sand toys, floats, and other essential toys to bring to the beach, Shannon packed a cooler. Ah, the first beach day of the season. She reached for the peanut butter but then remembered that little Danny was allergic to peanuts. Knowing her children’s penchant for sharing, that wasn’t a chance she was willing to take. Jam sandwiches it would be, then.
Shannon quickly sliced up a bunch of strawberries and slipped them in a baggie, looking forward to later in the summer when the blueberries would be ripe. She snagged a package of goldfish crackers out of the pantry, deciding to bring the whole bag, just to be on the safe side. She had already retrieved the beach cooler from the garage of the big house, hoping a great day would present itself soon.
She carried the heavy cooler, loaded down with food, drinks, and all the ice packs she could fit. Brenna stumbled out of the house in her Hello Kitty one-piece, swim goggles covering her eyes and a bright pink swim ring around her waist. Brian and Brady, using his one good arm, dragged a huge LL Bean tote bag full of every shovel, pail and sand mold they owned. Shannon suspected that, were she to look, the backyard sandbox would be completely devoid of toys.
Everyone scrambled up into their booster seats while Shannon loaded their beach-going supplies in the back of the minivan. Before she closed the trunk, she stopped and listened. There was the excited noise—the chatter and the giggling that had been missing this morning. She paused and looked over at the house next door.
Strange, but she almost felt guilty not asking Dean along. He’d probably say no, anyway. He didn’t seem to mind spending time with her little brood in the safety of their two houses, but the guy still wigged out over going into town. Shrugging, she hopped in the van and hoped the parking space gods were looking out for her.
The public lot was full, not a big surprise. Shannon drove through the meandering one-way street that looped around one of the three major beach areas. It wasn’t the closest to home, but with a zoo, amusement park, shops, and restaurants lining every square inch of space, it was definitely the most fun. She found a lone parking spot in a small lot that belonged to a fruit stand. They had a ton of foot traffic, so they probably wouldn’t begrudge her the space. Bonus points that she didn’t have to plug a parking meter!
Shannon’s monster cooler had wheels and a long, wide handle that could be collapsed when not in use. Those features sure came in handy now. She loaded all their beach-going supplies on the lid of the cooler. Taking the hand of the nearest triplet, she checked to make sure they were making their chain. As they’d gotten older, transporting these three had gotten much easier. Shannon no longer felt like she was trapped in her little cottage.
They met up with Talia and her boys on the boardwalk in front of the arcade. The kids were torn between wanting to rush right for the surf and wanting to play endless games of nickel skeeball. Shannon promised them a roll of nickels later in the afternoon. Satisfied, they jumped off the boardwalk and raced to find some rocks to anchor their beach blanket. Shannon and Talia followed, each loaded down with a day’s worth of fun.
“How ya holding up?” Talia adjusted the brim of her large sunhat and leaned back against her beach chair.
“I’m fine. What are you talking about?” Absently, she dug in the wet sand at her feet with a stick.
“I know you, Shan. And we aren’t that different. Brady got hurt on your watch. You’re bound to feel all kinds of guilty right now. Spill.”
Shannon shaded her eyes, watching a pleasure boat cruise by. She could barely make out the occupants, all of them young and scantily clad. Not a care in the world. They could flirt all they wanted. They could lose themselves in the moment, live life just for them.
“I forgot myself. I started to feel. I started to think I could have it all.” She was speaking softly, shame squeezing her throat as she forced the words through.
“Oh, crap—you were having a moment!” Talia clamped her hands down on her chair and angled it to face Shannon more directly. “Now listen to me. The timing sucked. I’ll give you that. But don’t think for a second that Brady got hurt because you were getting to know your hottie neighbor.”
“I’m not stupid. I know he would have climbed that tree regardless of whether he knew I was watching or not.”
“But you’re his mom and you can’t resist beating yourself up about it.”
“Bingo.”
Shannon leaned out of her chair and snagged a bottle of water from the cooler. She ran the cold plastic across her overheated forehead before twisting the cap and taking a long drink. She focused on the castle taking shape a few feet away. All five kids were working as a team.
“Remember a few months ago, when Danny had to have five stitches in his chin? Jeff made me swear not to tell anyone the whole story … but you need to hear this.”
Shannon capped her water and gave Talia her full attention. Her friend took a deep breath, bright pink dotting her high cheekbones.
“It wasn’t naptime for the boys yet. But Jeff was horny. So we put them in their room and told them to read books. We’d have a quickie and then go get them, right?”
Shaking her head in commiseration, Shannon grimaced. She remembered that incident … well, the part she had been told about. Drake had opened his dresser drawers like stairs, climbed up and jumped from the top of the dresser. He landed on his brother, Danny, who fell against the corner of the toy chest. He’d split open his chin.
“It happens to all of us. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. We’re all human.” Talia covered Shannon’s hand with one of her own. “Putting your own needs first is healthy. It’s not selfish. Bottling them up until they’re out of control? That’s not good for anyone.”
“Says the mother who had to take her son in for stitches because she was putting her needs first.”
“Oh, you want to talk mommy guilt? That kid got a new toy every day for almost two weeks.” Shannon laughed at that. Her heart felt lighter than it had since Brady’s accident. She would get through this.