“We don’t know anything about your job,” Shawn reminds him. “But if it’s making you miserable, and this is where you want to live full-time, it’s not the wrong thing to do.”
“I agree.”
“Are you doing this for Mary Margaret?” Kane asks as he watches his best friend thoughtfully.
“Partially,” Cam admits. “But even if she told me to fuck right off, which she does on the regular, I’d still want this. I’m too old to spend every night in a different country, worried it might be the day I’m assassinated.”
“Fucking Christ,” I mutter.
“Then do it,” Kane says. “Coming home is never the wrong answer. If you hate it, you can always go back.”
“No,” Cam says, shaking his head. “That’s not how it works.”
“Come home,” Shawn says.
“This is where you belong, mate” I agree. “Always has been, always will be. We have your back.”
He nods and then grins. “I’m going to need a place to live.”
“We have Maeve for that,” Kane says. “If you need a place to crash in the meantime, you can stay here.”
“With the screaming baby?” Cam asks, just as we hear the baby crying upstairs. “I’m sure I can find a place.”
“There’s always the cabin,” Shawn says. “I know it’s far away, but it’s there if you want it.”
“I’ll grab a rental here on the island,” Cam replies. “It won’t be a problem. I’m not going to stay with my dad, that’s for sure. And the hotel I usually use is fucking expensive. Anyway, thank you. I needed to talk it out. To make sure I wasn’t out of my mind.”
“I don’t think you are. Well, not over this.” I pat him on the shoulder.
“I have to catch a flight to D.C.,” Cam says and stands up.
“I have some writing to do while the story is fresh in my head,” Shawn adds.
“I’m going to stay behind and talk with Kane.”
We say our goodbyes to the other two, and then Kane and I take our coffee out to the sunporch.
“Izzy starts her new job tomorrow,” I say as we stare out at the ocean beyond.
“And we’re ready,” Kane replies. “It’s going to be a hell of a party.”
“Izzy has no idea. It’s perfect. Thanks for hosting.”
“It’s our pleasure. Stasia isn’t feeling up to going out too much yet, so it works out well for us. What’s on your mind, Keegan?”
I set my coffee aside and run my hand through my hair. “Have you given any more thought to selling the property we looked at?”
“I have. Have you decided that you want it, then?”
“I do.” I turn to my brother now, the person I trust most in the world. “I want to build a house on it. I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
His lips tip up in a smile. “I’m happy for you, brother.”
“I never expected this turn of events, and that’s the truth. But I can’t see myself without her. And she deserves better than the tiny flat above the pub.”
“Has she complained?”
“Not once. But Christ, Kane, I don’t know how our parents raised us all up there for as long as they did. It’s tight with just Izzy and me. And I want to give her a pretty house that she can fuss over.”
“Of course, you do. Da wanted that for Ma, as well. That’s why he bought her the house as soon as he could. If you can afford to give her more, why would you stay at the pub?”
“Well, that’s the sticky part. Let’s talk price.”
“I’m not going to sell the land to you, Keegan. For a couple of reasons. First, you couldn’t afford it. Oceanfront property on this island goes for a million an acre, easy. And secondly, you’re my brother. I love you.”
“You won’t sell me the land because you love me?”
“That’s right. I’ll gift two acres to you.”
“No.” I stand, but Kane stands with me and lays his hand on my shoulder.
“Hear me out. I’ll gift it to you, and I’ll never buy you another birthday or Christmas gift again, if that’s the way you want it. I won’t pay for the house to be built, that’s on you.”
“I don’t want you to pay for any of it, Kane. I said before, you don’t pay my way. I don’t give a rat’s ass that you have more money than God himself.”
“What am I going to do with all of it if I can’t bless me family with it, as well?” he counters, his Irish up. “It means nothing if I can’t share it with the people I love. If it’s two measly acres you want, out of the twenty I own—which is more than I need—you can bloody well have them! Because you’ll be nearby with your family, and it’ll bring joy to you and to me at the same time.”
I sit back down and stare out at the ocean. How am I supposed to argue with that?
“I’d like to bring her out here to make sure she likes the property before we make it legal and I hire someone to draw up the plans.”
“Of course,” Kane says.
“Are you going to be a pain in the arse neighbor?”
My brother laughs and drinks the last of his coffee. “Hell yes, I am.”
“The Emerald City is going to enjoy these nice warm temperatures for the next few days, but then this low-pressure system that’s currently sitting up here off the coast of Alaska will head our way, bringing us some cool air and dropping us down into the forties for the weekend. Sorry, folks, I’m just the messenger. Now, I want you to stay safe around the water as we’re calling for high waves with that wind…”
“She’s so damn good,” Maeve says. We’re all gathered at Kane’s house to watch Izzy’s debut on television.
What we’re watching now is the repeat. This particular station runs the morning news twice. Live from five to seven in the morning, and then again from seven to nine.
It was too damn early to ask everyone to meet at five.
But no one balked at coming to watch the seven-o’clock show.
Of course, I was pinned to the TV at the flat at five, and I didn’t miss a minute of Izzy’s weather report.
“That red dress is smoking hot on her,” Maggie says.
I couldn’t agree more.
The dress fits her like a glove. Her makeup is heavier than I’m used to seeing on her, and her long, blond hair is down around her shoulders and teased into long waves.
“Izzy, isn’t there something you can do about that weekend forecast?” the weekend anchor, Chuck, asks her.
Izzy chuckles and shrugs her shoulders in apology. “I’m sorry, Chuck, but the good news is, once this bout of cooler weather subsides, we’ll be back in the sixties with some nice sunshine for several days.”
“That is good news. Thank you, Izzy, and welcome again. We’re happy to have you.”
“Thank you, Chuck.”
The anchor bids everyone farewell for the day, and I get a text on my phone.
Izzy: Just getting off the ferry. Should be home soon.
I grin and reply.