Page 287 of Out of Left Field

“It’s perfect, Everett. We’ll have big Cooper-Anson family dinners in here or backyard barbecues on the porch. The office is big enough for me to work out of.”

I pulled her into my chest and held her tight. “You’re sure?” We could always find an office at the marina or somewhere else on the island.

“I like working out of the house. I want to be near you and our kids.”

“Anything you want to tell me?”

She laughed again. “Not yet.”

I wasn’t upset that we hadn’t gotten pregnant right away. It would happen or it wouldn’t. Either way we were closer than ever and enjoying sex no matter what. “I talked to Ned Parcell.”

“You’re going to help at the high school?”

“In the off season until we move back here permanently. Then I think I might let him talk me into being his assistant coach.” As much pride as my baseball career brought me, I was looking forward to the next chapter, whenever it happened. It was comforting to know the marina would be mine to manage when I came back and that I could still have baseball in my life. “That is, when I’m not following you around the world.”

She beamed up at me, then glared at the windows. “But first, we have to get rid of those miniblinds.” She grimaced at the ancient plastic slats covering the windows.

“How much work is this house? Be honest.” I spun her once and then pulled her flush against me.

“More than I’d like, but not too bad. The kitchen was what I was most worried about.”

“That was the only thing I took care of.” The ancient stove and dark cabinets gave me the creeps. I liked a nice bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Everything else blurred together.

“I’ve got the rest. Don’t you worry. I can tackle the office, living room, and dining room all at the same time.”

The four spare bedrooms didn’t need attention unless something happened in the baby-making department.

I dipped her low, looking deep into her eyes. “We’re also on vacation. Promise we’ll have fun.”

She grinned, cupping my face with both her hands, trusting me to hold her. “Oh, we’ll have fun.” Then she gave my beard a gentle tug. “In fact, we need to test out that bed of yours. Make sure it can handle two.”

I lifted her back to her feet. “I’ll follow you anywhere, babe. Lead the way.”

“You see, that’s the thing,” Harry, one of the island’s older residents was talking Willa’s ear off while we waited for our food, “this island is some glamorous tourist trap, but it wasn’t always like that. This island was home to the nobodies. The poor. The riff-raff!”

“Harry, I don’t think anyone says riff-raff anymore.” His granddaughter rolled her eyes with a sigh.

“What happened?” Willa was completely transfixed. In full storyteller mode.

“They built that damn bridge!”

Clint nodded at me, holding up the takeaway bags with our food. I touched Willa’s shoulder so she’d know I was stepping away. “Thanks for fitting us in, Clint.”

“I always take care of my friends.” He laughed. “Sometimes it involves sneaking food away from Jonas, but as long as he doesn’t see it happen, the secret is ours.”

“Appreciate it.”

When I got back to Willa, Harry had moved onto complaining about the coffee club meddling in the decorative lawn ornaments of certain neighbors. “If they keep this up I’m ordering a hundred plastic flamingos. The ugliest I can find and I’m covering my whole yard. Lining the street!” He folded his arms over his chest and slumped back in his seat.

I missed this everyday banter. Maybe not Harry’s, but all the little bits of it combined. The gossip that always spilled out of the ice cream parlor, the secrets at the hardware store, and eavesdropping at the coffee shop. “Got our food.”

Harry glared as Willa stood up. “I ordered before you.”

“Maybe you should be nicer to Clint.” I teased him.

His face fell. “Maybe I should tell your wife about the time I caught you running naked down the street.”

Willa’s eyes bulged.