He ran his garage well because he only talked about what needed to get done and didn’t care about much else.

  “It’s nice to see more business owners here,” Mason said.

  Mason was related to him somewhere along the lines by marriage. He had no clue how close though at this point. Mason had married Sophia Nadar who was from Patricia’s side of the family. Carter was from William’s side. The poor side. The troublemaker Bonds. At least generations ago.

  They’d made a better name for themselves in the past fifty or so years though. At least he liked to think so. Even if what he did for a living was looked down on by many. Nothing wrong with an honest day’s work in his eyes. Someone had to do it and it paid damn well to him.

  “I doubt many of the hotel owners will be here,” Carter said.

  Which meant Mason’s daughters, Penelope and Emily, who owned Atlantic Rise. There was also the Bond Casino and The Retreat among many rental properties and bed and breakfasts that members of the Bond family owned.

  Not him. Not his immediate family either.

  The only homes they owned were their personal homes and nothing like the other branches of the family.

  “Probably not,” Mason said. “This is more about services that are needed on the island. We need to hear everyone’s voice.”

  “We always need things here,” Carter said. “The problem is finding people to start the business. Most can’t afford to move here unless they already have a house here.”

  “That is problem number one,” Mason said. “Number two is finding property for a business.”

  “Always going to be an issue,” he said, moving toward the meeting room. There were more small business owners coming in along with members of the community.

  The business owners would get to talk first about the things that would help them or they’d need and then the residents would go next.

  It didn’t take long for the place to fill up and the meeting to start.

  Once the agenda items were ticked down, business owners could go up one by one to the microphone and talk about what they’d like to see on the island to help improve business and tourism.

  There were some good ideas and some ridiculous ones, but he waited until the businesses were done and then got in line with the residents.

  He was the second one there, wanted to say his part and then leave. He’d already been in here an hour and it was testing his patience more than he’d thought it would.

  “Carter, you’re up next.”

  “We need a full-time veterinary hospital or clinic on the island.”

  There were a lot of murmurs and head nodding around him. “It’s something that we’ve tried for years,” one of the members of the board said. He didn’t know her name. He should have probably been paying more attention, but she was newer to the island. Someone he’d seen a few times, maybe once in his garage, definitely here at meetings.

  “I know,” he said. “It’s hard to convince someone to come here. The part-time clinic we have now is small and needs work done to it, but it’s a start. Why can’t we offer tax breaks for a year or so if they can find another property? The town owns the clinic, right, and charges rent?”

  He remembered that. His father had been one of the few that pushed for this twenty years ago. The island had let a building be used and only rent was paid, not even a lot. But the building was small and in need of repair at this point.

  “It does,” Mason said. “I think we might be able to put some thought into this if it helps to get someone here.”

  “I had to bring my dog to Boston last week on the ferry for emergency surgery,” someone in the room said. “I almost lost him. It’s always a hardship to get animals on and off the island. More so if they are big dogs.”

  Carter knew that better than anyone but was thankful his St. Bernard, Dopey, was so well behaved. He’d be bringing home another pup in a few weeks, and as much as he wanted the second dog, he knew getting the vet appointments were going to be hard with having a vet on the island only once a week at best.

  “It would bring a few jobs to the island too,” he said. “They’d need staff.”

  “Staff that is hard to find,” someone else on the board said. He didn’t know their name either and knew he should as he’d worked on the guy’s car not that long ago.

  The names of auto parts stuck in his brain more than names with faces.

  “It is,” Carter said. “But we won’t know until we try. Maybe there are some businesses on the island that can offer services free or at a discount. Even residents to help get things cleaned up or fixed at the clinic. I’ll offer my time. I’m sure I can talk some of my family members into it.”

  “With the last name of Bond they should be throwing money at it at the very least,” someone in the room said. He didn’t bother to look around. There were always going to be people who thought the Bonds should pay for everything.

  He wasn’t one of those people and it could be because he didn’t have that kind of money to his name, but he wasn’t doing badly either.

  “We’ll put it on the list,” Mason said. “And we’ll see what we can do. Who is up next?”

  Carter left after that. No reason to stick around any longer. He said what he needed to say, and if nothing got done, he’d try another approach.

  The small clinic wasn’t that far from a home that Bond Realty owned. Maybe he’d see if Drew or Bode would consider helping if the place would be available. Which would be the bigger long shot.

  When he got home, Dopey was waiting for him, his big body moving slowly from room to room. Dopey was only four. Not really old. Just lazy.

  Carter sat on the couch, Dopey moving over and sitting on the floor so that his big furry head was resting under Carter’s hand for his nightly pet.

  “I tried, Dopey,” he said. “We’ll see if it gets us anywhere.”

  Dopey barked once. His dog hated the ferry almost as much as Carter hated to get him on it.

  He picked up the remote to find the baseball game and kill some time before he went to bed. His phone rang five minutes later and he saw it was his father.

  “How did it go?” Joe Bond asked.

  “About how I expected. They are going to look into it. I thought maybe I’d see if Drew or Bode would be willing to rent a place they’ve got close by if it’s available. We need to get a vet here full time.”

  “We do,” his father said. “I’ve said it for years, but it’s hard to find the right person.”

  “The clinic could be cleaned up nice. I’ll put some sweat labor into it. I know I can get a few others to do it.”

  “I’ll help out,” his father said. “Your mother is talking about wanting another cat. But going back and forth to the mainland for appointments isn’t easy. You know that. I’m sure that is what pushed this with your new pup coming.”

  “It was,” he said. “Or is. But it’s a great need on the island and you know it.”

  “I’ve known it for years. Your mother is proud of you for speaking up. She knows how hard that is for you.”

  Carter was the quiet one of his siblings. Grayson was only a year younger than him and much more vocal. Their baby sister, Natalie, worked for The Retreat and he’d consider her average as being sociable went. Not quiet but not loud either.

  “Someone had to do it and it might as well be me,” he said. “Everyone knows about Dopey.”

  “It’s hard not to know about your dog. What do you think Dopey is going to do when the new puppy gets there soon?”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine. I got a girl, as I read it’s better to do opposite sexes.”

  “Do you have a name picked out yet?”

  “I’ll know when I pick her up,” he said.

  “I’ll let you go watch the Sox beat the Yankees.”

  “Sounds like the best part of my night,” he said and hung up. He’d call his cousins another night. No reason to bother if he couldn’t get the town board to even listen to his suggestions.

  If that didn’t work, he’d have to figure out another plan.

  2

  All For It

  Two Months Later

  “What do you think of your new room, Josie?” Avery asked after they dropped their bags and moved into the rented house on Amore Island.

  Hard to believe almost one year ago her life had changed forever. In a few weeks, it would be a year and it was best to start it over in a new place.

  “It’s okay,” Josie said. “Smaller than my other room.”

  She wasn’t sure what room Josie was talking about. The one she had with Colleen or the one at Avery’s old house that was under contract to sell next week. It was best to move and get here now. She’d be starting at the practice next Monday, but she knew she’d need this week to get her and Josie settled and finding their way around the island.

  “The whole house is smaller,” Avery said. “But we are going to make do for now. Once we get settled and decide the best place to be on the island, I’ll start to look for a house of our own.”

  “So we are staying here?” Josie asked. “Not going back to Danbury?”

  “No, honey. I know you had friends there, but you’ll make some here. There are so many sad memories there, even you said it’s hard.”

  Josie started to sniffle a little. Avery was going to see if she could find a counselor on this island. She should have thought of that before, but life hadn’t been kind in the past year.

  Telling Josie about her mother had been heartbreaking. The services more so. They all barely got through.

  She’d taken a month off of work to move Josie into her house and get Colleen’s affairs in order. Though she was named Josie’s guardian, there were still legal issues to square away.

  Not to mention time to heal for them both. Counseling for them both too.

  “It is,” Josie said. “But then I can’t visit Mom either.”

  She knew this was going to be part of it. They went to the cemetery weekly to talk and tell Colleen about their life.

  She had it covered though.

  “You know Mommy is watching out for you no matter where you are, right? That you can talk to her right now and she’ll hear you. Remember what I said, that the cemetery was a formal place for it?”

  “Yes,” Josie said. “But there isn’t a formal place now.”

  The rented house they were in two down from the clinic had three bedrooms and two baths. The main bedroom was on the first floor with a bath across the hall and shared by guests. The second floor was more of a loft. Probably an attic that had been converted, but she was giving the whole space to Josie.

  Though each of the two rooms was smaller than her other bedrooms, she had the whole space to herself and she was going to let Josie know that. They’d been told they could paint it any color they wanted and she planned on doing that this week too.

  Josie was creative and loved to draw. Why not draw on the walls? She’d cleared a blackboard wall with the owners of the house. Drew Bond had been overly nice and said the island had waited long enough for a full-time vet.

  She knew the history somewhat of Amore Island. She figured she better read up on it since she’d be living here.

  Her friend from college, Laine Connors, was on the town board and called her months ago when this subject was brought up.

  Sometimes things in life happened at the right time when you least expect it.

  “I know this room is smaller than your old room, but we are only going to put your bed and dresser in here when the movers come. Your desk can go in this room.”

  She pulled Josie along. “Really?”

  “Yes,” Avery said. “And this can be your formal room for your mom. That little alcove there with the window is the perfect place to put a picture of you and your mom and that can be your designated place to talk. It doesn’t even have to be once a week. It can be any time you want.”

  Josie walked over and looked out the window. “You can see the water from here.”

  “Can you?” she asked, moving closer. They were about a mile from the water, close to the middle of the island but nearer to the Romeo port. But since they were higher up in elevation with nothing blocking them, Josie was right—in the distance you could see the water to the left.

  “Your mother loved the water,” she said.

  “Yes,” Josie said, turning to hug her. That was one thing she’d been thankful for, that Josie still hugged her all the time like she had her mother. One of these days, maybe Josie would call her Mom, but she’d never push it.

  There was no replacing Colleen in their lives, but she wanted what was best for Josie too and never wanted the little girl to feel as if she had no parent in her life.

  “Then I think this is where we put a picture of you and your mother. I had one blown up and framed. I actually have a whole collage of them as a surprise.”

  “Really?” Josie asked.

  “I know you love looking at pictures of your mother and what better way than this,” she said. “But I’ve got another surprise for you.”

  “What?” Josie asked. Her long brown hair was falling out of her ponytail and Josie kept pushing it behind her ear. The ferry ride had blown it around because they’d stood on the deck as they watched Boston fade into the distance after the almost three-hour ride to get there.

  “The owners of the home that we are renting from said we can paint our bedrooms any color we want.”

  “Yay,” Josie said. “The white is boring.”

  “It is. So after the movers get here and set everything up for us, we’ll figure out what colors to paint and go buy it tomorrow and get started. We need food and have to unpack some boxes, but we’ll hold off doing most of it in your room until it’s painted.”

  “I want to paint my room mint green,” Josie said.

  “Then we’ll find a mint green for you. But in here, I thought this wall over here could be a chalkboard. They’ve got paint for that and then you can draw all over the wall whenever you want. We can put all your craft and art supplies in here for you too.”

  “Can I paint on this wall over here like a forest with flowers?”

  “You mean like your own mural?” she asked. She hadn’t thought of that.

  “Yes,” Josie said.

  “Sure,” she said. When they moved out she’d just put layers of primer over it if she had to. Anything to make Josie happy.

  “I need to draw it on paper first to decide,” Josie said. “I won’t know tomorrow.”

  “I didn’t think you would, but you tell me what color you want this room and we’ll leave that wall white for now.”

  “Avery,” Josie said.

  “What, honey?”

  “I want to paint all three walls with murals. Can I?”

  She laughed. If being creative helped Josie, she was all for it.

  “You can do whatever you want. So we’ll get paint for your bedroom, then for your chalkboard wall and paint them tomorrow.”

  “What color are you painting your room?” Josie asked.

  “You know what?” she said. “I think I’m going to keep it white. I’ll order a pretty bedspread and curtains and artwork instead. Maybe you can paint me a picture and I’ll frame it and put it on the wall.”

  “I can do that,” Josie said. “You like the water too. Can we go to the beach and I can draw a picture there or take a picture and then I can paint it for you?”

  At eight, Josie had such an organized mature mind for her craft. Avery was going to do her best to hone it and that was part of the reason moving closer to Laine would help. She’d get Josie some private lessons for sure.

  “I think that sounds like a lovely thing to put in my room,” she said. She heard some commotion outside. “I bet you the movers are here. Why don’t we let them in to do their thing.”

  They went down the stairs and prepared for the next few hours of chaos. She pointed out where things should go, where the beds would be set up and TVs hung.

  She could have done all of that, but there was so much more to focus on and it was easier this way.

  She and Josie unpacked the kitchen items and made a list of all the food they needed to buy. Tons since she didn’t pack much. Anything in her pantry at home, she packed to have some staples, but nothing else. So that meant a cartful today to get them through the next few days and then she’d go back a few more times this week.

  When the movers left, she knew Josie was hungry. It was past lunchtime and the most the two of them had was a granola bar and some chips that she’d unpacked. They’d gotten up early and had breakfast, but that was so long ago.

  “Can we go out to lunch?” Josie asked. “I’m hungry.”

  “We can,” she said. “Because grocery shopping on an empty stomach means more pennies out of my wallet.”

  Josie laughed. “Are we going to be okay? You’ve got a new job. You own it, right? Krissy at daycare said that new practices take time and that we won’t have any money.”

  Just another reason to get out of Danbury. Too much gossip around them and words said to a little girl that shouldn’t be.

  “We have plenty of money,” she said.

  No reason to tell Josie about the lawsuit that was settled out of court. She’d originally had no intention of suing the company of the truck driver that ran a red light and killed her friend. There were life insurance policies and social security funds that would go into an account for Josie and build for years for her future. But when she’d found out the driver had several DWI’s and the company was aware and he was drunk again, she felt she had no choice but to get some form of justice for her best friend’s daughter.

  Part of the reason she knew these things was because of Colleen’s job at the City of Danbury. Many pushed her to pursue the lawsuit. She didn’t have the energy, physically or mentally, to go through with it but had been told it’d settle out of court easily enough.

  It had after five months of going back and forth and Josie netted over five million dollars. As Josie’s guardian, she had control of those funds but had no intention of touching them.