“You weren’t a fool,” her father said. “Though I feel like one talking to Duke now.”

  “As you should,” her mother said. “You needed to stay out of it.”

  “That’s right, Dad. I appreciate everything you two have done. I really do. But you’ve got to let me live my life, please. If I need help, I’ll ask. I promise. But I can’t be someone I’m not.”

  “No one is asking you to,” her father said.

  “I think you are. I think you always have,” she said softly. “You want me to be stronger and stand up for myself. I should. I know it. But I’ve got to do it my way.”

  “You were strong and stood up for yourself by coming here to talk to us. Right, Stan?” her mother asked.

  “Yes,” her father said. “We know you don’t like conflict. I’m sure you were embarrassed by what I said to Duke. Did you tell him what you told us?”

  “I did. He knew Eddie was an ex. People don’t always talk about their exes right away. It wasn’t a big deal. I would have told him more as it came about. He knew I had some debt when I moved here, but I didn’t tell him how or why. That part wasn’t his business.”

  It did embarrass her to say those things to Duke, but she was going to fix her own problems like she’d done most of her life.

  “I’m sorry I said what I had to him,” her father said. “But if you’d told us the truth I wouldn’t have.”

  “You shouldn’t have anyway. Please stay out of it. I’m able to take care of myself.”

  Her mother moved into the kitchen. “I’ll get you a plate of food. Would you like a milkshake with it?”

  Hadley couldn’t help but laugh. Her mother always made her a chocolate milkshake when she was upset or felt pressure as a kid. “I’m not sure that will go with steak and potato salad,” she said.

  “How about one for dessert?” her mother asked. “Then you can tell us how your cake business is going. I know you’ve got a cake to make soon.”

  She knew this was their way of ending the conversation. They did this often and she wasn’t sure why she wasn’t able to end it on her terms, but it was best to let it go for now.

  “I do have one to make and am excited. I’ve gotten a few more calls for children’s parties. Those cakes are easy to make. Duke is great about working my schedule around the delivery of the cake too. Luckily I can make the cakes the night before and keep them in the fridge and then decorate the day of.”

  “You don’t need to burn yourself out,” her father said.

  “I’m not. I’m enjoying everything right now. I really am. Just like I’m going to enjoy my dinner,” she said when her mother put the plate in front of her.

  Her parents went back to talking about the news that was on and giving her peace. It was better than nothing, she supposed.

  20

  Best Out Of Them

  “Another wedding,” Kelsey said to him the following Saturday. They were in Boston for the day for Hailey Bond’s wedding to Rex Knight.

  If Duke thought it was odd she wasn’t having it at The Retreat that her family owned and one of the most beautiful wedding venues on the Northeast, he kept that to himself.

  He supposed it made sense it was in Boston where Hailey had lived her whole life and had her firm. She had a lot of clients that would be in attendance, the same with Rex and his investment firm.

  Both Rex and Hailey had satellite offices on the island, but he knew it would be harder to get more people to the island for the wedding, on the ferry, and staying the night, than to Boston when most of his family had homes in both locations anyway.

  He and Kelsey didn’t, but their parents' home was where they’d both stay tonight.

  “Yep,” he said. “And another Saturday I’m not working.”

  “Get over it,” Kelsey said. “You don’t need to work seven days a week.”

  “I don’t,” he argued. “I take Wednesdays off.”

  “Wow. One day,” Kelsey said.

  They were waiting for their parents to leave for the church. He and Kelsey were riding together, but they’d leave the same time.

  “Are you two fighting again?” his mother asked.

  “No. We don’t fight,” Kelsey said. “We bicker. I was telling Duke he should take more than one day off a week.”

  “Your brother knows what he is doing. I’m sure he might work fewer hours than you in a week.”

  He grinned over that. “I’m not so sure.”

  “You cook fewer hours than I sit at a desk,” Kelsey said. “But we know running the business, well, now two businesses, is what is taking up more time.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “There is more to it, as you know. I’m thrilled someone else is dealing with the marketing now.”

  “You’re welcome for the suggestion months ago,” Kelsey said. “It’s showing in your profits too.”

  He knew that. He didn’t need his sister to tell him when he could see how busy it was.

  “You think you know it all,” he said.

  “Because I do,” Kelsey said.

  “Let’s go, children,” his father said.

  They left and drove to the church. He sat there through Hailey’s wedding looking around at all his other cousins that were hooking up with people. He’d recently found out that Roark was seeing someone. It’s like they were falling left and right around him.

  Marriages. Pregnancies. Engagements. Babies. The Bond family was moving on and he and Kelsey seemed to be the pigs stuck in the mud.

  That was wrong. He was dating someone, but no one knew.

  When they got to the reception later on and were waiting for their food to come out, Kelsey asked him, “How is Hadley doing? Aside from the marketing. How are the two of you?”

  He should have figured his sister would do this and he decided there was no reason to not fill them in, but he was going to make sure no one else knew. He didn’t want it making the rounds at this wedding. Roark could have that honor.

  “We’ve had a few dates,” he said.

  “Dates?” his mother asked. “Really?”

  “It’s new and we are both busy. I work a lot, as you all know, and then on top of that Hadley works and she is getting her cake business going.”

  “Which I think is wonderful,” Kelsey said. “How is that going?”

  He looked at his sister’s smirk. She was good at that. Throwing him under the bus and then getting behind the wheel, pumping the brakes and putting the signal on to turn the corner to something else.

  “It seems to be good. She has a wedding coming up and then a few children’s birthday parties. She has a flyer on the board at Southside and some business cards there. She said the cards have to be replaced a few times a week.”

  “Wonderful,” his father said. “This island can always benefit from competition.”

  Duke snorted. “Yes and no. This is more like options. We know there aren’t a lot of choices around for cakes. One bakery and then what is in the grocery store. Otherwise you are going off island and a lot of people don’t want to do that.”

  “I think it’s a great thing you are doing,” his mother said. “Letting her put her cards at the pub and then telling customers about her desserts too. You’ve always been one to encourage others and find ways to bring the best out of them.”

  “He’s Jell-O like that,” Kelsey said. “All squishy and jiggly with people even when he’s big and tough on the outside.”

  He wanted to snarl at his sister’s laughter. He’d been told he was a hard boss more than once in his life. He didn’t think he was hard as much as he demanded perfection.

  Most that worked for him stayed. They wanted to learn and they liked the money. If you want the best you’ve got to hire the best.

  He was getting there with Southside and had a lot more changes he’d like to make in his mind but was holding back. No reason to do that until he actually owned the place.

  He could bump up the timeline and buy now, but why? He wanted the full summer and into the early fall to see if this was just a trend because he was the new person running it, or he could maintain it in the long run.

  Did he think it’d stay this busy all year round? Absolutely not. Most places didn’t.

  Duke’s was always busy but not as much as during the late spring and summer. As long as Southside was making money and holding its own, he’d be fine. He could continue to build it, he was sure.

  But he’d never been one to jump fast and wasn’t going to now.

  Just like his relationship with Hadley.

  They’d spent a few hours together on Sunday last weekend, ended up in his bed and then they’d both gone to work.

  She’d texted him later that night that she’d talked to her parents. That it was hard for her to do it, but she felt she needed to be honest with them. Her father was annoyed that he’d confronted Duke, but as he’d told Hadley, she couldn’t control that.

  What he didn’t like was the fact that they let her say what she wanted but cut her off and changed the topic after. It was almost like they were babying her or still watching out for her. He wasn’t sure which one it was, but he’d be annoyed if his parents did that to him.

  The last thing he was going to do was say that though. He wouldn’t get involved. No reason to. She knew how to handle her parents, or so he assumed. It wasn’t his place to say otherwise or get involved.

  “Don’t be an ass,” he said to Kelsey.

  “Duke,” his mother said. “That isn’t nice and it’s the truth.”

  He rolled his eyes and looked at his father who only grinned at him. “Sorry. They are right. You do tend to be one of those do-gooders but don’t like other people to know.”

  “I’d hardly say that,” he said.

  “Women don’t think it,” Kelsey said. “At least not women you’ve dated because you put work first. But maybe dating someone you work with will make a difference. She can see the best of both worlds with you.”

  “Now I’ve got two good worlds?” he asked his twin.

  “I didn’t say good worlds. Just the best of those two worlds,” Kelsey said, winking at him.

  “Whatever,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with trying to bring the best out of people. More so if you want to be surrounded by them. You all own and run businesses so you understand.”

  “We do,” his mother said. “Your sister is only picking on you as she loves to do.”

  “Tell me about it,” he said.

  A few of his cousins came over to the table to talk at that point and they ended it. He didn’t want anyone else to know about Hadley and hoped his family kept it that way.

  Hours later, the wedding was winding down and he and Kelsey decided to take their leave. They’d spent most of the wedding socializing with family that came to talk to them. He’d get up and move some, but why bother when so many were with dates or walking around too.

  “How come you didn’t ask Hadley to come with you today?” Kelsey asked when they were in his SUV. His jacket and tie had been removed a long time ago and he tossed them in the backseat now.

  “Why would I?” he asked. “We’ve had a few dates and I rsvp’d to the wedding months ago.”

  “So?” Kelsey said. “You could have added another person within the last two weeks or so.”

  “I could have but wouldn’t have,” he said. “We aren’t making this public. It’s been a few dates. Nothing more. I’m not in the habit of bringing a date for the hell of it to a family event. Neither are you.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Kelsey said.

  “You know I am. Why are you even asking this?”

  Kelsey shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I have this feeling there could be more to it with you two. Or I’m hoping.”

  He wasn’t even going to bother to address that statement and just started the SUV and pulled out to leave. He’d done enough talking about his personal life tonight in his eyes.

  21

  Independent And Proud

  “Thank you for scheduling me off today,” Hadley said. She didn’t normally have Wednesday off, but rather Tuesday. Duke had Wednesday off and she hoped he’d done it so they could have the day together.

  “I thought it might be a good way to spend some time outside of work,” he said. “Are you sure you’re good with going off the island for it?”

  “Always,” she said. “The weather is nice and I can’t wait to do something other than work or walk the beach.”

  “Now you get to hopefully see a whale. You haven’t, I’m assuming?”

  “No,” she said. She was getting excited as they boarded the ferry at Juliet Port. They were going to Provincetown and getting on a whale-watching boat for several hours. “I’ve always wanted to do this, but when I came to visit there just didn’t seem to be time. My parents did it once years ago and loved it.”

  “Then I’m glad we could do this and hope you see one. It’s not guaranteed, but there is a good chance.”

  “Just having the day off the island and not working is more than enough.”

  Even on her day off she was usually still doing some kind of work. Whether it was testing recipes, working on the marketing for the two restaurants or doing stuff around her little place she was calling home.

  This was going to be a day with nothing but fun. The night too since she was staying at Duke’s. She’d told her mother to not expect her home. She hated that she had to do that but didn’t want to worry them either. It was easier to say it to her mother than her father.

  “I’m sorry you are working so much,” he said. “You don’t need to.”

  “I know. It keeps me busy,” she said.

  Duke was scheduling her for five days at Southside, but then she was using the sixth day to work on the marketing for several hours. Or she’d take an extra shift if she could. But she’d cut that back if she got more orders with her cakes.

  Not that she thought she’d get a cake a week, but if she did, it’d be nice to spend time doing that and making money rather than being on her feet for hours too.

  “You’ll be able to relax on this boat trip. There isn’t much to do other than listen to them talk about the whales they see and document. There is a lot of research involved on each trip.”

  “I like how that is part of what they do and selling tickets allows them to keep the funding going. I think that is why my mother was so interested. Before she was a principal, she was a science teacher.”

  “I haven’t been on one of these boats since I was a kid,” he said.

  “Really? That is sweet you wanted to do it today.”

  It’d been his idea. She knew he was trying to come up with a way they could have a date and move around freely. And he was asking her things she liked to do, not just picking things that he wanted to do.

  She wasn’t going to take offense to the fact they weren’t on the island. She was the one that wanted this to be quiet more than anyone else. At least right now. A few dates weren’t enough for her to be out running around and letting others know.

  “It will be fun,” he said. “I guess I could use a day for not doing much too. It just stinks going from one boat to the next.”

  “I don’t get sick or anything,” she said.

  “I got thinking. Since your stuff is in the SUV anyway, what do you think about getting a hotel there and staying the night rather than my place? We don’t have to, but we could just play tourist after the boat and not rush to get the ferry back. There’d be time to get on the first one in the morning before you have to be to Southside.”

  She hadn’t thought he’d offer that. She was supposed to be at Southside at nine. Their first ferry was at seven so it would give her time to get home and change. Duke was working at Southside tomorrow too. He’d planned it that way, he’d said, as Zeke had Thursday off and another chef was coming in later in the day.

  “I don’t have a problem with that,” she said. “I mean if we miss the ferry and I’m late, the boss is already aware.”

  He laughed and reached his hand over and laid it on her thigh. “There is that too.”

  Over an hour later they were on Cape Cod and boarding the boat for their whale-watching trip. Duke had left his hair down and the wind had blown it around some on the ferry ride over when they got out of his SUV. She was sure it was going to happen here too.

  She’d tied hers back and put on a sweatshirt. Though it was going to be in the low eighties today, it hadn’t reached it yet and it was cooler out on the water.

  Once they were settled on the boat, and everyone else had found seats, she relaxed and listened to the crew talk about their research and the family of whales they’d been tracking for years. There were breaks where they could get some food and drink, or use the restroom.

  The water was rougher than she thought it’d be and she was thrilled she wasn’t one of those people that were looking green on the trip.

  “I think there is something out there,” Duke said.

  She picked up her binoculars and looked where he was pointing. The crew was talking too and telling them to look. They were actually close enough to see without needing the binoculars, but she wanted an up-close view.

  They watched for a few minutes as the whale jumped out of the water to come up for air, diving back down, its tail remaining. Then another one came up, a smaller one, then a third.

  “That was so cool,” she said. “I guess that is it, right?”

  “There is only about an hour left in the trip anyway and they will turn around and go back in about thirty minutes,” he said. “I’m not sure if another one will come up then, but it’s nice and relaxing, don’t you think?”

  Her hand went to his much larger one, their fingers touching, the heat in his palm feeling nice against hers.

  It’d been a long time since she’d held a man’s hand. Maybe college. It wasn’t something she did much as an adult.

  Maybe it was time for her to feel like she could just let go again in her life.

  “It is,” she said. “Thank you again.”