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“Yeah, we’ll be fine for that I’ll just have to clean it later, see what’s going on” He glances at me, then stands aside “Here Want to be captain for a day?”

We’re already away froled in the propellers, so I’ ainst hi on my head

“Do you like lobstering?” I ask

“Sure,” he says

“Tough life, though”

“Great life, too” He sot some porpoises about three o’clock”

“You knohat, Malone?” I ask as atch the silvery-white flashing of the porpoises

“What’s that?” he says

“This is the best day I’ve had in a long time” I turn away from the wheel to kiss his cheek

“Watch out there,” he says as the boat veers suddenly He reaches around ” He swings us back around “Me, too, by the way”

When we get back to the dock, it’s near dinner ti skills, Malone? Since you’ve sampled my other skills already?” I s

He straightens up “I’er before ly job”

“Oh Okay”

I’hy and reaches up to help me, and before I know it, we’re back at the dock Billy Botto for home, but aside from him, no one seems to be around

“Well, okay Thanks, Malone It was, urow hot as we stand there, looking at each other The old uncertainty about the two of us has returned

“See you soon,” he says He pinches my chin When? I want to ask, but I can tell his mind is on his boat

“Thanks again Bye” I scurry up the gangplank to solid ground and walk home

There are fourfor me?Christy, Jonah, Chantal and Father Ti, if I want coht, I think I want to be alone The sadness I feel over the loss ofsweetness, and I want a night to indulge in both of those feelings I put a frozen pizza in the oven and then pack up Colonel’s things in a box, letting et another dog, but there will never be a friend like Colonel But I do have a new friend?Malone When I needed it h

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

IN A SHOCKING NEW DEVELOPMENT to our relationship, Malone actually picks up the phone and callsto grow irritated Jonah had o down to Bar Harbor for a part, so I had granted hi out And I miss him, I realize with a bit of a shock

When the phone finally rings around five on Thursday night, I aets so dirty when I am the only one who lives here I actually expect it to be Father Ti bake sale

“Maggie,” coruff voice

“Malone! My God! You’re using a phone!” I can’t help the smile that has burst over my face

“Very funny,” he says There’s a pause, then, “How are you?”

“Fine How are you?”

“Fine So Are you busy tonight?”

“You cut right to the chase, don’t you, Malone?” I grin

“Answer the question,” he growls

“Sorry, pal I’ht”

“That right?”

“Yup”

He sighs “All right, then What about tomorrow?”

My grin fades a bit “Well, actually, tomorrow I’m supposed to have dinner with, um, a friend With Father Tim A bunch of us, actually Church people You know” It’s an appreciation dinner Father Ti he asks “How about Saturday?”

He doesn’t answer for a minute “Sure Saturday’s fine Seven?”

“Seven o’clock Um, do you want me to cook you dinner?”

“No, Maggie,” he says, his voice dropping to a scraping bottom note “Don’t cook for me” My body reacts as if he’d said he’d like to just rip off my clothes and take me on the floor

“Okay,” I answer in a strangled whisper, suddenly needing to sag against the counter “No cooking”

CHRISTY IS ALL DRESSED UP in a long, pretty skirt and filmy blouse, and Will looks preppy and handsome as always, blue blazer and Dockers

“Bye, Snooky,”Violet in kisses and a cloud of Eternity “Mommy loves you! Yes she does! Mommy loves Violet! Aaaah…bwah!” She si someone

“Okay, that’s enough,” I say, prying my niece out of Christy’s ar drink Bye, Will”

“Bye, Mags Thanks, as always”

“Thank you, actually Violet, honey, it’s Auntie time!”

Violet grabs chunks of lee

For the next hour, we play Far around on the floor, ?while Violet chortles and throws plastic toys for me to fetch

“Mooo,” I say, retrieving the yellow ring

“Oooo,” she echoes

“You’re a genius,” I tell her “Smart baby Violet is a very smart baby”

“Banuck,” she agrees

As I hover over her crib, watching her sleep a little while later, I indulge, very briefly, in a do it on for size, I tellthe baby sleep Malone, standing in the doorway The baby has black hair like her daddy, gray eyes like me

Then, eo into the kitchen to see what Christy’s left me to eat She may not pay me to babysit, but she does feed me well Ooh Tuna casserole, ourour mom refuses to cook, and chocolate chip cookies Good sissy

I’ TV when they couys,” I coaze away fro it in the car?”