As I passed the estate, I noticed that there was a lot of activity inside. The lights were on in my grandmother’s wing, and I could see the staff, in their old-fashioned maid’s outfits – my grandma was a traditionalist - airing out the quilts and polishing the furniture.

  Great. Just what I needed; the matriarch was coming to town. As I passed the windows of the boathouse, I was happy to see that I looked the same. Although, my days of having a flat stomach were numbered and I wondered when I was going to start showing. Thelma still hadn’t spilled the secret ingredient to her cream, but I planned to hound her until she either made me some more or told me how to do it.

  The cool water felt good after my morning hike, and I let the sun dry me completely before I left the dock. Through the windows of the boathouse, I could see Calliope moored in her slip – thanks to Dylan. I smiled as I thought of him, but it turned to a sigh. What was I going to do? I had to talk to someone, but who? My mother was the worst choice out of everyone. My dad could be reasonable, but I didn’t know whether he cared more about money, or me. Tess was my friend, but she was also a gossip.

  I held my sandals as I walked barefoot to the bunkie. I couldn’t have brought Dylan home for two reasons – one my dad was in town, and two, Dylan would see the nursery.

  “Did you have a nice swim?” Lisa asked as I walked into the kitchen. She handed me a glass of sparkling water with freshly squeezed lemon.

  “It was great. I love to swim first thing in the morning.”

  “I’m sure it feels great.” Lisa started dropping frozen fruit and protein powder into the blender. “Any requests for a smoothie this morning?”

  “It looks perfect the way you’ve got it.” I pointed to the blender. “Make one for yourself too, while you’re at it.” I realized that sounded like an order. “If you’d like one,” I added with a nervous laugh. “Lisa. Do you want to swim here? I don’t mind if you go to the lake on your breaks.”

  “Thank you, Bronwyn. I will take the smoothie, but I’ll swim on my own time.”

  I realized that even though I treated her well, I treated her like the help – and I didn’t like that. “Here.” I took the blender from her hand and poured two glasses of the thick green sludge.

  “Where are the metal straws?” I asked.

  Lisa opened one of the drawers and dropped a reusable straw into each of the smoothies. I handed one to her and grabbed her free hand. “You’re on the clock. We’re drinking these on the dock.”

  “But…” she resisted.

  “No, buts. Lisa. Part of your job description now includes hanging out with me and being treated like a real person.”

  “But…” Her voice was quiet. “Would you order someone to hang out with you?”

  She was so right, and I felt my face flush red. “I’m so sorry. I’m not myself, Lisa. I would like it if you would join me to sit and enjoy these smoothies. It’s not an order and you don’t have to do it. But it would mean a lot to me if you would.”

  She smiled. “As long as I’m still on the clock.”

  “Sassy.” I gave her a little hip check. “I like this side of you.”

  “Be careful what you wish for, Miss Bronwyn.”

  I laughed and the two of us sat on the front porch. For the first couple of minutes, it was silent, and we listened to the loons. More of my grandmother’s staff arrived and soon the noise from the main building had drowned out the sounds of nature. “Do you know when my grandmother is scheduled to arrive?” I asked.

  “I don’t know exactly.” I’d have to check with the house manager. Lisa pointed to the main house with her straw. “But judging by the activity there, I wouldn’t be surprised if the private jet is already in the air.”

  The smoothie was thick and almost tasted good. “Did you add spirulina to this?” I asked and jabbed at some of the green bits.

  “I did. That stuff is pretty gross.” She smiled and there were bits of green on her teeth.

  “Does my mouth look like yours?” I bared my teeth at her.

  “Oh, God. I hope not,” she laughed and rubbed at her teeth with her finger. This moment with my housekeeper felt more real than any I’d had the entire summer I’d spent with Tess.

  “Lisa, can I ask you something?”

  “Of course, Bronwyn.” She slurped up the last of the smoothie and set the glass on the nautical-themed coaster.

  “Actually. I want to confess something, but I need you to promise to keep it a secret.”

  Lisa’s eyes grew wide. “Do you need me to sign something? I already signed an NDA about the pregnancy and nursery and stuff.”

  “No. I just need your word.”

  “You’ve got it, Miss Bronwyn. As long as you haven’t murdered someone.”

  This new side of Lisa was entertaining but caught me off guard so it took me a minute to reply.

  “You haven’t… murdered someone, have you?” she filled the dead air space.

  I almost spit my last sip of smoothie back into the cup. “No. At least not yet,” I laughed. “I do have a problem though, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

  Lisa turned to face me, resting her arm on the back of the wicker sofa. “And you want advice from me?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “I do.” Lisa seemed like one of the few level-headed people in my life – and she was a Laketownie. Maybe she could offer me a perspective I couldn’t see.

  “Okay then.” She rubbed my arm briefly and then waited for me to get up the nerve to speak.

  I took a deep breath. “Do you know Dylan Moss?”

  She nodded. “Everyone knows Dylan Moss.”

  Of course, they did.

  “Is he?” she pointed to my belly.

  I nodded. “He is.”

  “Oh, my God.” She put her hand to her mouth.

  “Don’t be so dramatic. You had to know that we’ve been fooling around over the years.”

  “There were rumors.” She gave a light shrug.

  “Well, there are going to be more rumors. We were photographed at the game last night.”

  “Bronwyn,” Lisa gasped. “Your parents. They’ll murder you.”

  “I know.” I set the glass down on a coaster and curled my legs up underneath me. “Lisa. I love him. I’m in love with Dylan Moss.” It felt good to say it to someone.

  “But your parents…”

  “I know. We have been seeing each other but keeping it a secret. Until last night. I decided…” my voice cracked. “I decided to give up all of this…” I gestured to the bunkie and the lake view. “My inheritance, for him.”

  “Wow.” Lisa folded her hands in her lap. “Does he know?”

  “Does he know that I have to give up my inheritance to be with him? Or does he know that I’m pregnant with his baby?”

  “I guess both?”

  I sighed. “He doesn’t know either of those things and Lisa, I don’t know if I can put all of that on him.”

  Her brow knitted. “Put all of what on him?”

  This was going to be the hard part. “What can I offer? I don’t have any skills, I spent all of my modeling money, my inheritance is the only thing I’ve got going for me. Dylan. He’s just scraping by. I can’t just dump a baby mama and a baby on a mechanic. That would ruin his life.” Tears welled in my eyes and Lisa got up and walked away.

  “Lisa?”

  She returned with a box of tissues and sat down. “I see,” she said. “Bronwyn, can I tell you what I honestly think? Without getting fired?”

  “Lisa, you can tell me that I’m the worst person you’ve ever met.”

  She smiled. “Well, you’re not the worst. That honor goes to your mother.”

  This wasn’t what I was expecting, and it made me laugh. “True enough. And, I promise, I won’t fire you.”

  She took a deep breath and pulled her brown hair into a loose bun. “I can’t tell you what to do, Bronwyn. I really can’t. But Dylan Moss. If you don’t tell him about that baby and he finds out… I mean, wouldn’t that be pretty shitty? That’s his baby in there.”

  “I know. But…”

  “Babies don’t ruin lives, Bronwyn. They make them better. At least from what I’ve seen. People make it work. Dylan will make it work. I don’t think he’ll resent you, or the baby. What he will resent, is if you don’t even give him the fucking option.”

  I jerked my head back and held up my hands. “Whoa, Lisa. I didn’t say anything about swearing at your boss.”

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  “I’m kidding.” I couldn’t help myself, I reached out and hugged her. “I needed that. I needed someone to stand up to me and tell me that I was being a jerk.”

  “Not a jerk.” Lisa pulled away from the hug. “You’re just a crazy pregnant lady.”

  “A crazy pregnant lady who needs another one of these. Maybe you can show me how to do it?” I asked.

  “Sure.” Lisa handed me the glasses. You can start by rinsing these.

  For the rest of the morning, Lisa and I worked together around the bunkie. I did things I’ve never done in my entire life – like work the washing machine. Lisa told me that I’d be doing laundry every day with the baby.

  While I was getting my crash course in keeping a house, I kept an eye on the time. Was Dylan going to call me about the fishing date, or was I supposed to call him? I couldn’t remember. By the time Lisa and I were preparing a salad for lunch I was exhausted.

  “Lisa. I think I need a nap.” I set down the peeler and took a bite of a half-peeled carrot.

  She laughed. “You’re going to have to work on your stamina, but I think you and Dylan and baby Moss are going to be just fine.”

  I gave her a thankful smile and retreated to my bedroom where I pulled out a notebook and started to compose a letter to my family. The letter I would hand to them after I told Dylan about the baby. Even though my mind was racing, my tired body won the fight and I fell asleep imagining how I would paint one of the bedrooms at Dylan’s house for the nursery. Everything was going to be okay. I didn’t need my family or their money. All I needed was Dylan, and as soon as I saw him again, I was going to tell him everything.

  Twenty

  Dylan

  Even though the days were getting shorter, and the tops of the maple trees were starting to show the first signs of fall, it was one of the hottest days of the summer. I pulled the bandana from the back pocket of my pants and wiped my forehead.

  The smell of grease hung heavy in the air, and I didn’t think I could eat, but the rest of the mechanics had gone for the special fish and chips at the food truck. I joined the crew, taking a seat at one of the picnic tables sheltered by a striped umbrella. I was able to get down a French fry but just poked at the chunk of battered pickerel. My stomach had been in knots since the morning visit from Mr. Yates.

  While the crew talked about engines and their families, my mind kept replaying the events of the morning, wishing it had gone differently. I had lost the sale of my boat and the approval of Bronwyn’s father. I hadn’t just lost his approval; I was pretty sure he downright hated me. There was always a divide between the Laketownies and the cottagers, but I had never witnessed it firsthand and never as harshly as that morning.

  “Moss.” Luke, one of the junior mechanics snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Whatcha thinking about?” He had a huge grin on his face.

  As the crew came into focus, I realized that they were all staring at me and each of them was wearing a shit-eating grin.

  “What?” I asked.

  Luke held out his phone. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a new girlfriend.”

  The image on the phone was a little blurry, but it was clear enough to see that a beautiful blond woman was wrapped in my arms – the number on my Otters’ jacket was in the foreground. There was no denying that it was me in the photo.

  I shrugged. “No big deal.”

  “It’s in the York Tattler.” Luke thrust the phone in my face again, like I hadn’t seen the image the first time. “Your little girlfriend is a billionaire.”

  “And the hottest chick on the lake.” Mark, another mechanic chimed in.

  “Come on, Mossy. Spill.” Luke elbowed me.

  I could feel the blood rushing to my face. One of the mechanics was going to get an old-school hockey beatdown if they kept talking about Bronwyn like that. “She’s my friend.” At least that part was true. The girlfriend part? After the confrontation with Peter Yates, I didn’t know anymore.

  “Sure. Sure.” Mark took a swig of his coffee and shoved a piece of fish into his mouth. “Friends who fuck.” He laughed.

  The other guys didn’t join in and avoided looking at me. I could feel my nostrils flaring and my hands were balled into fists under the picnic table. After a terrible morning, I couldn’t take any of this bullshit.

  But instead of hopping over the table and punching Mark in the face, I dabbed my mouth with the paper napkin and closed my take-out container. “I’m going back to work,” I growled.

  “Sorry, Moss,” Mark whispered. “Come on, you know I was joking – but seriously, the ass on that woman…”

  I dropped my food and slapped both hands on the table. I leaned across the table, so I was within head-butting distance of Mark. “You’re lucky I have a game tomorrow night, otherwise this fist would be through your face right now.”

  Mark gave himself a double chin as he tried to get his face as far away from mine as possible. He held his hands up in front of him. “Take it easy, Moss.”

  “Not good enough,” I seethed.

  “Sorry,” he muttered under his breath.

  “For what?” I was still seething.

  “For insulting your…”

  “Bronwyn.” I finished his sentence. “I’m sorry for insulting Bronwyn.”

  “I’m sorry for insulting Bronwyn.” He stared at the table as he spoke.

  “That’s better.” I picked up my lunch and threw it in the trash as I headed back to the marina. Even if Mr. Yates wasn’t going to buy my boat project, someone else would – and I needed to get it done. The bays of the marina were sweltering hot, and I slipped into Floyd’s office to get a glass of water before I started sanding Bronwyn’s fingerprint from the varnish.

  I was so focused on the task that I hadn’t noticed that someone was behind me until I felt the tap on my shoulder.

  “Looks good, Kid.” Floyd crossed his arms across his chest and leaned to inspect my work. “How did it go this morning?”

  I sighed and blew away the sanding dust. “Not great.”

  “Floyd?” Thelma’s voice echoed through the shop, interrupting our conversation.

  “Over here, sweetie,” he shouted. “Just talking to Dylan.”

  “Oh, good. Tell him line two is for him.”

  Floyd patted me on the shoulder. “Better luck with the next one. You heard the woman – line two.”

  Thankful for the interruption, I picked up the shop phone and pressed the flashing line two button. “Dylan Moss,” I said as the line connected.

  “Dylan Moss.” It was a woman’s voice on the other end of the line, but one that I didn’t recognize.

  “Can I help you?” It was pretty rare for me to speak directly to a customer; the calls typically went through the service desk.

  The cackle on the other end of the phone was so loud I had to hold the receiver away from my ear. “You think you’re good enough to be with my daughter?”

  I felt like the floor had turned into quicksand and I leaned against the wall to get my balance. “Mrs. Yates?”

  The evil laugh rang through the phone again. “Who else would it be? One of the other rich girls’ mommies?”

  I held the received out from my ear and looked at it, wondering if I could just hang up.

  “What do you want?” I asked quietly.

  “What do you s-s-shink I want?” Her voice was slurred, and I wondered if she was drunk. I glanced at my watch, and it wasn’t even noon, and I was seriously running low on patience. “Mrs. Yates, is there something I can do for you?” I was trying to keep calm. First Mr. Yates, then Mark, and now Mrs. Yates.

  “Yes!” she yelled into the phone. “Go find another rich girl. You’ll never weasel your way into our fortune.”

  “Weasel?” I spoke through clenched teeth. “Mrs. Yates, I love your daughter. I don’t care about the money.”

  Her laugh sounded almost maniacal. “Bull. Shit. A little Laketownie like you? You all dream of sinking your dirty little fingernails into a girl like Bronwyn.”

  “Mrs. Yates, it sounds like you’ve had a little too much to drink.”

  “Don’t you tell me what to do. Mr. Yates and I have decided that you need to go away.”

  “Excuse me?” The Yates were a powerful family. “Is that a threat?”

  “Of course not.” Her voice had taken on a sinister tone. “I will wire fifty thousand dollars to your bank account if you promise to never talk to Bronwyn ever again.”

  I knew that I had to get off the phone, but I couldn’t let her get away with speaking to me like I was a second-class citizen. “I love your daughter and she loves me. I don’t need your approval, but I will prove to you that I only have good intentions. And I will not stay away from Bronwyn.” I wasn’t going to let this drunk rich lady keep me from the woman that I loved.

  The line was silent. “You don’t know.” Her voice was low.

  “I don’t know what?” If I didn’t love Bronwyn the way I did, my potential mother-in-law being a deranged lunatic would’ve been enough to send me packing.

  “About the baby.”

  “What baby—”

  She laughed even louder. “Oh, honey. Didn’t you notice your precious girlfriend was getting a little fat?”

  I didn’t know what to say and there were at least two full seconds of silence before Mrs. Yates laughed again. “Oh, you poor little thing. Your perfect girl isn’t so perfect after all. Ask yourself how you could love someone who keeps a secret like that from you.”

  “Fuck. You. And fuck your fifty thousand dollars.” I hung up the phone.

  This couldn’t be happening to me.