A Mom's New Start (Love Inspired) Read online

  “Who’s that woman with Cody? His sister?” She didn’t like how her stomach clenched at the sight of the beautiful blonde who could be no more than twenty-three. Surely it was his sister.

  “Yes. She came to stay with him, so naturally Zane invited her, too.”

  The young woman moved the bag she was carrying, and Maggie saw her rounded stomach. “She’s pregnant.”

  “Yes, and that’s all I know. Cody hasn’t said much about why she’s here. He wasn’t going to join us today because of her, but Zane talked him into it.” Kim mounted the steps to the enclosed cabin, taking her straw purse and stack of towels inside.

  Maggie peered from brother to sister. Other than the blue eyes, they didn’t look like family. But then her younger brother didn’t look anything like her. Or at least he hadn’t ten years ago when he’d left Hope to see the world not long after her parents had retired in Sedona. Occasionally she’d get an email from Eli, letting her know he was still alive but not much more than that. She wished Brady had a chance to know his uncle Eli. But to her brother, family didn’t mean much.

  When Cody boarded the Blue Runner, his gaze caught Maggie’s. A smile reached his eyes, then he murmured something to his sister who glanced at Maggie. The heat of a blush touched her cheeks. What had he said? And why did she care?

  Maggie shifted around to help Zane with the provisions, taking a box from him and heading for the cabin. As she balanced the box on her hip to open the door, Cody scooted around her and pushed it open.

  “Thanks.” Warmth still blazed her cheeks as she entered the cabin. Inside she found Kim as she placed the box on the counter. “Did you clean out your kitchen or something?”

  “Or something,” Kim said as she brought out doughnuts.

  Maggie plucked one up, her mouth watering at the delight she was about to enjoy. “The best doughnuts on the Gulf Coast are from Rhonda’s Bakery.” She took a bite. “Mmm.”

  “You’re drooling,” Cody whispered close to her ear and reached around her to snatch a doughnut. “I can’t let you do it alone.”

  She watched him bring Rhonda’s signature pastry to his lips.

  He sank his teeth into the sweet treat, his eyes closing. “I’m going to miss this when I leave.”

  The reminder of Hope being only a temporary stop for Cody sobered Maggie. She quickly began shoring up her defenses. He’s just a friend. No, an acquaintance only. Remember that. Too many people she’d loved in her life had left her—Robbie, her parents and her brother. “That’s one of many things this town has to offer.” She swiveled around and went back outside to see if there was anything else she could bring into the cabin.

  Don’t get involved. I’ve got everything I need here. I’ve been through one life-changing relationship that left me brokenhearted. That’s enough.

  Chapter Three

  Cody didn’t have to be versed in reading people’s emotions to know that Maggie was upset about something. Since he was a young child, he’d learned to read others while keeping himself emotionally closed off. That was the only way he could survive moving from one place to another all the time, like early on when he had had to say goodbye to his best friend, a boy who lived two houses down from him on base. They had liked the same things and they had played for hours every day. But he had to move. Before long he’d learned to cultivate lots of casual friends but never one who it would hurt to leave.

  “What did you say to her?” Hannah asked him as she eased down on a seat in the air-conditioned cabin.

  “How much I love Rhonda’s doughnuts.” He lifted his shoulder in a shrug, not sure what else he’d said.

  Hannah tried one of the sweets. “Oh, these are good. Too good. I may be eating for three, but I still have to watch what kinds of foods I eat.”

  Kim opened a carton of orange juice and poured some into a paper cup. “I’m glad we only do this occasionally. These are like potato chips. I can’t just eat one.” Taking a doughnut, she slid in next to Hannah on the padded bench.

  With his sister occupied talking with Kim, Cody slipped outside just as Zane and Keith untied the ropes from the piling. He found Maggie sitting in one of the fishing chairs. Sunglasses perched on his nose, Cody went to stand against the railing near her.

  As Zane eased the Blue Runner out of its slip at the pier, Cody looked at Maggie. The breeze picked up strands of her long hair and whipped them in the air about her face. “Zane said something about going deep-sea fishing first.”

  She swung her head toward him, her dark brown eyes hidden by her sunglasses. “Brady loves to go fishing. I’m hoping he’ll get into it today.”

  “He didn’t want to be here?”

  “No, I had to practically drag him out of bed this morning.”

  “Up late?”

  “No, he went to sleep early last night. I hope he isn’t coming down with something. He’s been sleeping a lot lately whereas I,” one corner of her mouth lifted up, “have only gotten about half of what he has. Is it possible to borrow hours from another?”

  “When you figure out how, let me know.”

  “You’re having trouble, too?”

  “Yeah, since Hannah showed up on my doorstep.”

  “Is there a problem? You haven’t talked much about your sister. In fact, until the other day, I didn’t even know you had one.”

  Taking the chair next to Maggie, Cody glanced toward the cabin and spied Hannah laughing at something Keith had said to her. “She’s pregnant and on her own.”

  “Oh.”

  Although he couldn’t see Maggie’s eyes, he felt the walls going up between them. He hastened to say, “I’ll support her any way I can. But the problem is I don’t know exactly what to do for Hannah.”

  The tense set to Maggie’s shoulders relaxed. “Be there for her. She’ll need it. Is the father out of the picture totally?”

  “It sounds like it. The minute he realized she was pregnant he left her.”

  “Leaving her to handle it by herself. How chivalrous of him.”

  “Aaron’s armor was definitely rusted.”

  “Were they planning on getting married?”

  “In Hannah’s mind, yes. I doubt it ever crossed Aaron’s.”

  “If she needs someone to talk to, I’ve been through what’s happening to her. I’ll be glad to talk to her.”

  “Brady’s father left you?”

  “We were planning to get married until he was deployed earlier than he was supposed to be. He was killed in action.” A defensive tone sounded in her voice.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. That had to be hard on you.”

  “Brady needs a father. A mother isn’t the same thing, especially right now. Uncle Keith has helped, but I can see that he doesn’t always understand what Brady is going through. Growing up fifty years ago is a lot different from growing up today. Kids have challenges he didn’t have back then.”

  Early on Cody had discovered the key to getting to know someone was to let them talk and to listen. It had certainly helped him in his job. “Yeah, kids back then were less likely to face challenges like drugs and being bombarded with sex and violence everywhere they go. Also, kids today want instant gratification. When you can press a button and change the channel in less than a second, waiting around for even a slow computer to load can be exasperating to them.”

  “Actually to me, too.” Her laugh sprinkled the air with her merriment. “We have been spoiled by everything becoming faster and faster.”

  “Life is flying past us.” It wasn’t that long ago his sister had been in high school and living with him. Now she would be a mother.

  “That’s what my boss keeps saying to me. I need to slow down and actually taste the food I cook. I told Ruth she needed to give me an hour for lunch. And she did. Now I don’t have an excuse for wolfing down my food. Except it’s a habit.”

  The overhang from the top deck threw the stern into the shade. Maggie took off her sunglasses, removing a barrier between them. Cody did lik
ewise, feeling a subtle change in their relationship.

  “I confess a habit I can’t break is rushing out the front door without eating breakfast. I pick up coffee on the way to work. That’s it until lunch. Except for that doughnut this morning. I just can’t get myself up and going as quickly as I should.”

  “When you have children, they will cure you of that.”

  His lifestyle wasn’t conducive to having children. Some of the places he was sent to were struggling and primitive. He wouldn’t want to raise a baby in that kind of environment. So what was he going to do about his sister?

  “Hannah is going to have twins.”

  Maggie whistled. “All her problems will be doubled. How about making the father financially support his children?”

  Cody shook his head. “She doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. If he doesn’t want his children, then she’ll make it somehow. Of course, she doesn’t have insurance or a job.”

  “What does she do?”

  “She’s an electrician.”

  Maggie’s eyes widened. “Look on the bright side. This is a good place to come. We’re in need of electricians. She needs to talk with Zane. He’s expanding again—forming another crew.”

  “Have you taken a close look at her? She’s not even five months pregnant yet, but she looks much more than that. It won’t be long before she’ll have problems performing that job.”

  She reached out and clasped his lower arm. “I’ll help. I grew up with Zane. He’s a problem solver, and he’ll have a solution. And I meant it when I said I can talk to her. I’m willing to help her any way I can. Someone helped me. I want to return the favor.”

  “Having you as a friend will be a good start for Hannah in Hope.” Maybe then he’d be able to leave her and feel all right with it when the time came. He didn’t want to drag Hannah and her kids around the world. He was used to it, but she’d made an effort to put down roots when she had turned eighteen and declared she didn’t like moving. Yet, that didn’t feel right to him. Hannah was his only family.

  “Good. Consider it done. After we fish, we’ll have some downtime on the island to picnic and swim. I’ll talk to her then and get things started.”

  Rising, she slipped on her sunglasses. “If you want any more doughnuts, you’d better stake your claim now. Uncle Keith keeps coming back to the counter and grabbing more. I’ve seen him eat half a dozen in no time.”

  “I will,” he said as she started for the cabin door. He wished she hadn’t put on her sunglasses. He enjoyed watching her emotions dance in her eyes.

  * * *

  Anna giggled as she reeled in a wiggling red snapper. “We’ll get to eat it tonight.”

  “Probably not tonight because of the Fourth of July picnic at Broussard Park.” Standing at the side of the boat, Maggie leaned over and grabbed the line to bring the catch onto the deck. “This is a big one.”

  The little girl stuck the rod in the holder in the chair and clapped her hands.

  Maggie loved hearing her cousin’s enthusiasm. Her gaze strayed to her son, slouched in his seat, barely holding his pole. Brady hadn’t even wanted to fish, but finally agreed more because she had encouraged him than because he desired to. Next time she wouldn’t. If he did catch something, the rod would probably fly out of his hands and end up in the sea.

  Zane bent over the railing above. “Is that enough? Are y’all ready to go to the island and eat lunch?”

  “Yes.” Anna pumped her arm in the air. “I’m starved.”

  Not a word from Brady. He did sit up straight and reel in his line. Maggie put the red snapper into the large cooler with the others they’d caught that morning. Making her way into the cabin, she washed her hands, the scent of fish wafting to her. She wrinkled her nose and scrubbed her skin. She hated that smell. It was Uncle Keith who had instilled the love of fishing in her son, not her.

  When she finished, Cody passed her a paper towel. “I haven’t been fishing in years. It was fun, but don’t tell anyone I caught the smallest one.”

  “Not a word. But I can’t guarantee Anna won’t spread the word she brought in the biggest fish.”

  One corner of his mouth hiked up. “You’re relishing this, aren’t you?”

  “Yep. My bonito was the second biggest.” She shined her fingernails against her T-shirt.

  He nodded toward the back. “I thought Brady loved to fish.”

  “He does—did. I guess he’s still pouting because I made him come today. Which is a first. Usually he’s out in the car waiting to go fishing.”

  “So what’s changed lately?”

  “Maybe he’s bored because it’s summer and hot. But that’s never been a problem in the past.”

  “How was he after the hurricane? I’ve dealt with kids who’ve had problems in Hope.”

  “He seemed okay afterward. He helped where he could. You think this could be because of the storm? It was eight months ago.”

  “Some people have suppressed their fears, but eventually they come out. For many, the hurricane made them realize how temporary everything is. That’s scary, especially for children. I can talk to him if you want.”

  “Several weeks ago I suggested he talk with our pastor. He got so angry at me. Said he was fine and stormed off. He didn’t come out of his room the rest of the day, even for dinner. Which is most unusual.”

  “We could do it in a more casual way.”

  “Like what Kim had you do for Keith at the beginning before he acknowledged he had a problem?”

  “Yes.”

  “It probably wouldn’t work because Brady knows what Kim did.”

  “I’m around the family now socially some. We could make it more and see if that will break down any barriers.”

  “Do more of what we’re doing today?” The prospects of seeing Cody more revved her heartbeat to a faster tempo.

  “Yes. Sometimes that can be the best way to go.”

  “Isn’t that more time-consuming?” She would be spending extra time with Cody. That was certainly not a bad thing. But then she remembered their talk earlier. Although he wore sunglasses and she couldn’t read much in his expression, when he took them off later, he was still closed off to her. She had a feeling he didn’t share much of himself with others. Was that because he had to listen to so many people’s problems?

  “Yes, but if it’ll help, I don’t mind. You’re going to help me with my sister, so why shouldn’t I return the favor?”

  “Ah, I scratch your back and you scratch mine.” Her disappointment crept into her voice. A friend helping a friend. Why did that bother her? She knew anything with Cody wouldn’t go anywhere. Their goals were too different. She hated change. His life was a constant series of changes.

  “Brady will require subtlety,” she warned. “It sounds like we’re planning a campaign.”

  “Sometimes when a person is reluctant to get help, you have to go at it in a different way. But also I want you to have his doctor examine him to make sure there isn’t a physical cause behind this behavior change,” Cody said.

  “Good suggestion. I will.”

  The cabin door opened, and Brady entered and plopped into a seat next to Ruth. His frown and hunched shoulders attested to his mood and invaded the upbeat atmosphere. The light teasing from Anna and Kim stopped. Quiet fell over the group.

  Uncle Keith came inside. “Zane said we’re almost there and to pack up everything we want to take on the island.”

  No one moved right away.

  Uncle Keith glanced from one to the other, waving his hand. “Let’s hop to it. Cody, you can help me tie the boat to the pier. Brady, you’re in charge of the chairs. Anna, you can take the two umbrellas for the shade lovers. Kim and Maggie, the food. We can’t forget that.” His gaze paused on his bride, and he smiled. “Ruth, you and Hannah can bring the towels, sunscreen and anything else you can think of.”

  “Dad is back to one hundred percent, giving orders like he used to.” Kim rose and began gatheri
ng the supplies.

  “I better get moving. I’ve got my marching orders.” Cody started past Maggie.

  She clasped his arm. “I think your plan is the only one that has a chance of working at the moment. I’m in.”

  He bent toward her and whispered, “Hopefully I’ll be able to establish a connection with him. Even in a formal counseling session that’s important.” His hand cupped hers still on his arm.

  She hadn’t realize she was still touching him. Slipping her hand away, she said, “I hope so, too. Maybe we can plan something with both Brady and Hannah. Let me think on it. Maybe something after the Ultimate Garage Sale. I figure we’ll all be attending.”

  “I hear you’re a great cook. Anytime you want to cook for us will be appreciated.”

  Her pulse pounding through her body, she stepped back. “I’ll take that under consideration. I made the potato salad and the fried chicken today. Also, I baked the bars that taste like pecan pie. Not as messy as cutting a pie.” He hadn’t needed a list of what she had cooked, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say. He rattled her.

  “I’m glad we’re eating lunch before swimming. That doughnut wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy my hunger pangs.” He smiled at her before making his way toward the back to help dock the boat.

  “See, now you understand why having a good breakfast is so important,” Maggie called. “If you do, you aren’t ravenous before noon.”

  Maggie watched him a moment, then realized she was staring at Cody. She averted her gaze but discovered that Kim was studying her from across the cabin. Her cousin raised her eyebrows, a smirk on her face. Oh, great. She’d never hear the end of it now.

  Kim was out to fix up all single people in Hope. Maggie swung her attention to Ruth and caught her looking at her, too. Matchmaking was contagious obviously. Double whammy. She could see the wheels turning in both women’s minds. It might be a long afternoon.

  * * *

  “So what were you and Cody talking about in the cabin earlier?” Kim splashed through the shallow water on the south side of the island in a protected cove where the waves were smaller than the other areas on the beach.