having an affair, I can tell him he’s one hundred percent correct?”
Maddie snorted with laughter, which jarred the baby. “Sorry, honey.” Maddie smoothed a hand over her daughter’s head to calm her. “So let me get this straight—the only reason you want to
do
our sexy police chief is to get back at Jim?”
“Of course it is.”
“You’re such a liar.”
“I wish I could whack you with a pillow right now.”
“Don’t you dare,” Maddie said. “So would
you
dare?”
“To do what?”
“To do
Blaine
.”
“Come on. Be serious. I’m married. I can’t even think about it.”
“Tiff, honey, he moved out of your house and took all your stuff. I don’t think you’re married anymore.”
Tiffany knew that, of course, but hearing her sister say it made it real. “I’m not ready to give up on Jim yet. It wasn’t what you have, but it wasn’t always like this.”
“Maybe a hot night with the hot police chief is what you need right now. It’d be good for your ego
and
it would get Jim’s attention.”
The thought of spending time with Blaine Taylor made Tiffany tingle in places she hadn’t tingled in for far too long. “What’s his story anyway?” She was careful not to show too much interest.
“I don’t know that much about him except he grew up with Mac here on the island, which is why we didn’t really know him—they were older than us. He was gone for a long time but came back recently when the police chief’s job opened up. Mac was thrilled when Blaine got the job, because they were good friends growing up.”
“He’s got that whole bottled-up, angry-bad-boy thing going on.”
No one raised an eyebrow quite like her big sister. “Is that so?”
“It’s kinda hot.”
“Just kinda?”
“Have you always been this annoying, or am I only noticing it for the first time?”
“I’ve always wanted what’s best for you.”
“I know.”
“You’re probably going to need a lawyer at some point, sweetie.”
“Who do you suggest I hire when my husband is the island’s only attorney?”
“Don’t say you heard this from me, but Grant’s friend Dan Torrington is coming over soon to help out with Stephanie’s stepfather’s case.”
“Dan Torrington? Like
the
Dan Torrington?”
“The one and only. Grant knows him from his Hollywood days. Apparently, Stephanie’s stepdad is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Grant asked Dan to look into it. They offered to meet him in Providence, but he was curious about the island.”
“I’m sure one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the country would be all for taking on a piddling divorce case—if it even comes to that.”
“All you’d need is to let Jim
think
Dan Torrington is taking your case.”
“That’s very devious, Madeline. I’m shocked and appalled to discover this evil side of you.”
“It’s been there all along.” Maddie shifted the baby to her shoulder for burping. “I only save it for the most critical moments.”
“Does Mac know about this unsavory side of you?”
Maddie hooted with laughter. “He’s my favorite victim.”
Grace took the noon ferry to Gansett Island on the Saturday after Labor Day weekend. The boat was all but empty except for an animated threesome at the table next to her. She’d hoped for a quiet passage to calm her churning mind. When she’d told her parents about her weekend plans, they’d been disdainful of her desire to return to the island. Not that she was surprised. They were rarely ever supportive of her.
Thinking of them made her sad. They were both extremely overweight and unhealthy, which made them unhappy. Not that they would ever admit it. They’d been adamantly opposed to her having the surgery and unsupportive in the aftermath. She’d realized over time that they’d been threatened by her efforts to better herself. It had become increasingly clear that she needed to get away from their negativity if she had any prayer of a life of her
Maddie snorted with laughter, which jarred the baby. “Sorry, honey.” Maddie smoothed a hand over her daughter’s head to calm her. “So let me get this straight—the only reason you want to
do
our sexy police chief is to get back at Jim?”
“Of course it is.”
“You’re such a liar.”
“I wish I could whack you with a pillow right now.”
“Don’t you dare,” Maddie said. “So would
you
dare?”
“To do what?”
“To do
Blaine
.”
“Come on. Be serious. I’m married. I can’t even think about it.”
“Tiff, honey, he moved out of your house and took all your stuff. I don’t think you’re married anymore.”
Tiffany knew that, of course, but hearing her sister say it made it real. “I’m not ready to give up on Jim yet. It wasn’t what you have, but it wasn’t always like this.”
“Maybe a hot night with the hot police chief is what you need right now. It’d be good for your ego
and
it would get Jim’s attention.”
The thought of spending time with Blaine Taylor made Tiffany tingle in places she hadn’t tingled in for far too long. “What’s his story anyway?” She was careful not to show too much interest.
“I don’t know that much about him except he grew up with Mac here on the island, which is why we didn’t really know him—they were older than us. He was gone for a long time but came back recently when the police chief’s job opened up. Mac was thrilled when Blaine got the job, because they were good friends growing up.”
“He’s got that whole bottled-up, angry-bad-boy thing going on.”
No one raised an eyebrow quite like her big sister. “Is that so?”
“It’s kinda hot.”
“Just kinda?”
“Have you always been this annoying, or am I only noticing it for the first time?”
“I’ve always wanted what’s best for you.”
“I know.”
“You’re probably going to need a lawyer at some point, sweetie.”
“Who do you suggest I hire when my husband is the island’s only attorney?”
“Don’t say you heard this from me, but Grant’s friend Dan Torrington is coming over soon to help out with Stephanie’s stepfather’s case.”
“Dan Torrington? Like
the
Dan Torrington?”
“The one and only. Grant knows him from his Hollywood days. Apparently, Stephanie’s stepdad is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Grant asked Dan to look into it. They offered to meet him in Providence, but he was curious about the island.”
“I’m sure one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the country would be all for taking on a piddling divorce case—if it even comes to that.”
“All you’d need is to let Jim
think
Dan Torrington is taking your case.”
“That’s very devious, Madeline. I’m shocked and appalled to discover this evil side of you.”
“It’s been there all along.” Maddie shifted the baby to her shoulder for burping. “I only save it for the most critical moments.”
“Does Mac know about this unsavory side of you?”
Maddie hooted with laughter. “He’s my favorite victim.”
Grace took the noon ferry to Gansett Island on the Saturday after Labor Day weekend. The boat was all but empty except for an animated threesome at the table next to her. She’d hoped for a quiet passage to calm her churning mind. When she’d told her parents about her weekend plans, they’d been disdainful of her desire to return to the island. Not that she was surprised. They were rarely ever supportive of her.
Thinking of them made her sad. They were both extremely overweight and unhealthy, which made them unhappy. Not that they would ever admit it. They’d been adamantly opposed to her having the surgery and unsupportive in the aftermath. She’d realized over time that they’d been threatened by her efforts to better herself. It had become increasingly clear that she needed to get away from their negativity if she had any prayer of a life of her
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