Page 23 of Last Wish Wedding

“We should get him home,” Mac said, standing.

Mac bustled around the deck, preparing for the return journey. Kelsey tucked another blanket around the sleeping grandfather.

The ride back to shore was silent except for Mr. Costigan’s soft snores. Mac navigated carefully through the darkness, the Nereid’s running lights casting a gentle glow across the water. When they docked, it took both of them to help the sleepy old man to his feet.

“Come on, Grandad,” Mac murmured. “Just a few steps to the car.”

“I wasn’t sleeping,” Mr. Costigan protested drowsily. “Just resting my eyes.”

Kelsey supported him from the other side as they made their way slowly up the dock. The night air had grown crisp, their breath visible in small clouds.

The drive to the Costigan house was short. Rita, the overnight aide, was waiting at the door when they arrived.

“Did you see the lights, Mr. C?” Rita asked, helping guide him inside.

“Beautiful as angels dancing,” he mumbled.

Kelsey helped Rita get him settled in his bedroom after Mac turned down the bed. There was an ease to their teamwork.

“Goodnight, Grandad,” Mac said softly, but Mr. Costigan was already asleep.

The drive to Kelsey’s cottage was quiet. Mac pulled into her driveway and cut the engine. The cottage was covered in shadows from the surrounding pines. “It’s really dark here. Let me walk you to your door.”

Their footsteps crunched on the gravel path. At the door, Kelsey turned to thank him, but the words died in her throat at the scowl on his face. It was the same scowl he’d had when inviting her out on the sunset cruise. The same scowl he’s worn when she’d thanked him. It wasn’t an angry scowl—or maybe there was some anger, but it wasn’t directed at Kesley. Instead, it seemed to be directed at himself. As if he thought whatever he was doing was a silly idea but he couldn’t stop himself from doing it anyway.

His hand came up to cup her cheek, thumb brushing across her skin. She held still. A breath in the space between them, the warmth of his skin on hers, and her eyes fluttered closed. A heartbeat, then another, another—slow, steady, and strong pulsed against her ribs.

Suddenly, Mac stepped back, breaking contact. He turned the doorknob behind her, pushed her inside the cottage, and closed the door between them. Through the entry window, she watched him stride to his car without looking back, then pressed her fingers to her tingling cheek as his taillights disappeared into the darkness.

Chapter 9

The shrill ring of her phone jolted Kelsey awake. Her heart leaped into her throat as she fumbled for it on the nightstand, Noah’s name flashing through her mind. The display showed Mac instead.

“Hello, Mac? Everything all right?” Her voice was still raspy with sleep.

“Still sleeping?” Mac’s voice was also rough, but it didn’t sound sleepy. “I guess I didn’t realize how early it was.”

Kelsey glanced at her bedside clock: 7:15 a.m. Through her window, morning sun sparkled on the water of the cove. “No, it’s fine. I was just…” She trailed off, memories of last night flooding back—his hand on her cheek, the way he’d pushed her inside and walked away. Such memories made his next words all the more confusing.

“You probably have better things to do today”—he paused—“but weather’s perfect for sailing and I need to practice sailing her on my own, I was going to run some errands in Portland. And I have a meeting with my attorney. I thought with Noah gone and all, you might like to come along?”

Her pulse quickened. “I don’t know, Mac...”

“A day on the water would be a good distraction.”

A gull cried outside her window. She could smell salt air drifting in through the screen, feel the ghost of his touch on her skin. “What time?”

“Could you come over in about an hour? Bring whatever you’d like to read or work on, as there won’t be any entertainment. We can grab lunch in Portland.”

She should say no. Should keep her distance after last night, should stay out of his hot and cold game. But... “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Something in his voice lightened.

“Yes.” She pressed her fingers to her temple.

After they hung up, Kelsey sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach at the thought of spending a whole day with him on the boat.

“Helloooo!” Amy’s voice rang through the cottage, followed by the bang of the screen door. “I brought those apple cinnamon muffins you love!”