Meet Me at the Beach (Seashell Bay) (26 page)

“Are you sure that’s the smart thing to do right now?” she whispered.

“Don’t worry. I’ll meet you back here, or at your place.”

Lily stretched up and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Please, please be safe.”

“Always, babe.”

As he and Bram turned toward the parking lot, a rusted-out Voyager minivan screeched to a stop right in front of them. Kevin Butler—Ryan’s father and a veteran lobsterman—jumped out, leaving his engine running.

“I’m glad I found you boys,” Butler said in a grim voice. “I went to Bram’s first, but then I figured you might both be down here.”

“What’s going on, Mr. Butler?” Bram asked.

“I’m worried about your dad. I was heading to O’Hanlon’s to get some gear off my boat when I saw Sean casting off in
Irish Lady
. He didn’t look real steady on his feet so I yelled to ask him where he was going at this time of night.”

Fuck.
“What did he say?” Aiden said. “How long ago was this?”

“Ten minutes. Fifteen, tops. He yelled back that he was going straight to hell,” Butler said. “At first I thought he was just being Sean—you know how he likes to yank your chain—so I told him he should be extra careful out there, but I’m not sure he even heard me.” Then Butler grimaced. “And it took me a few minutes to register it, but I saw a trap perched on his stern rail. Just the one. That’s when I figured I’d best go find Bram quick.”

“Christ!” Bram cried. “Didn’t you think to go out after him instead? You of all people know that a drunk shouldn’t be out in a boat, especially at night.”

Butler looked stricken. “You’d better believe I’d have gone after him, son, but my boat’s at O’Hanlon’s for repairs. It can’t go anywhere right now.”

Bram started to apologize, but Aiden cut him off. “We need to get to O’Hanlon’s.”

“That trap on the rail… just one trap… and nobody’s used
Irish Lady
for fishing for a long time, so…” Butler didn’t have to finish his sentence. Everyone there was surely thinking the same horrifying thought.

Aiden barely heard him as he glanced at Lily, who’d moved quietly up beside him. “I’ll call you.” He turned to follow Bram, who had already started for his truck.

Lily grabbed his wrist. “And do what when you get to the boatyard? He’s already in his boat, Aiden. On the water.”

She was right. He wasn’t thinking straight. He needed a boat, and he needed it now.

Lily read his thoughts. “We can go out in my skiff. If he’s not in the channel, then we can head to
Miss Annie
and start to search farther out.”

Aiden knew they had no time to debate options.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Thanks, Mr. Butler. We owe you.” He grabbed for Lily’s hand but she was already racing to her Jeep. He took off after her and yelled at Bram to meet them at the dock.

“I’ll go inside and get some of the boys to get their boats out,” Butler shouted from behind them. “You’ll need the lights.”

Aiden stopped and turned. “And call out the fire rescue boat. We might need it.”

“Aiden, there’s a floating lantern in the storage box under Bram’s seat,” Lily shouted over the roar of her outboard. She had the throttle twisted to full power now that they’d cleared the boats in the harbor. “And some rope.”

Lily prayed they wouldn’t need the rope.

Aiden reached down and pulled out the gear, turning on the lantern and shining it across the still waters of the channel ahead of them. He handed it to Bram and then rummaged around, digging out the six-inch sheathed knife from Lily’s emergency kit.

“We might need this too,” Aiden said as he shoved the knife into his belt.

“I bet he’s gone to Wreckhouse Point,” Bram said, his voice wavering a little. “He used to say he wanted his ashes scattered there off the point. Back in the day, he loved to watch the sun rise behind the lighthouse.”

Aiden frowned as he grabbed the lantern back. “Scatter his ashes? What about the cemetery plot beside Mom?”

Bram squeezed his eyes shut for a moment or two. “He told me once he didn’t deserve to be buried at her side. I thought that was just the booze talking, but…” He trailed off.

Lily made a straight course for the point, paralleling the shoreline. Sean had at least a fifteen-minute head start on them, probably more, so if he was hell-bent on doing something stupid, they might already be too late. But was Sean really desperate enough to kill himself over a development deal? She felt sick just thinking about it and the effect it would have on Aiden. As much as he’d fought with his father, Aiden might see that horrible outcome as blood on his hands, and maybe on hers too.

She prayed to every saint she knew that Bram was right about Wreckhouse Point. Otherwise, they were going to be searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack, with a whole lot of water to cover inshore, much less farther out in the ocean.

“There!” Aiden said, beaming the lantern at an area about eighty feet off the tip of the point.

Lily saw it too—the outline of a boat that looked like
Irish Lady
. Her heart rate kicked up a notch as she quickly closed the gap between them. The other boat wasn’t moving.

“Dad!” Aiden shouted over the gap between the boats.

“It’s us, Dad!” his brother yelled.

No answer.

Aiden crouched, his shoulders hiked and tight with tension. He gripped the lantern in one hand and the side of the skiff in the other. “Dad!” he shouted again. “Jesus, no!”

Lily saw it a split second after Aiden. The lantern beam washed over the side of
Irish Lady
to reveal Sean sitting on the starboard rail, his feet in the water and the lobster trap perched on his thighs. One hand clutched the trap while the other tilted a bottle toward his mouth. She could just make out a rope looped through the trap’s becket and
dangling down his leg to disappear beneath the water. She had little doubt that the other end of the rope was tied to Sean’s ankle. If he went into the water, the fifty-or sixty-pound trap would drag him to the bottom in seconds.

Mother of God, he’s really going to do it.

Lily had the throttle wide open, coaxing every ounce of power out of the straining outboard. If she could cut power on her approach as late as possible, there was a chance the skiff could block Sean from jumping. Better yet, Aiden or Bram might be able to push their father backward into the boat as they passed.

But Sean wasn’t waiting. A couple of seconds later, he cocked his arm and threw the bottle at them. The missile fell well short of the skiff.

“Stay still, Dad! We’re coming to you!” Bram yelled as Lily throttled back.

She thought she saw an eerie smile on Sean’s face. Clutching the trap to his chest, he slid off the rail and into the black water.

Aiden’s instincts took over. His shoes already off, he yanked the knife from his belt as he dove over the side of the skiff. The sudden shock of the cold water robbed him of breath, but he ignored it, stroking down hard in a vertical line.

He knew the water was fairly shallow off the point, and he thanked God his father hadn’t gone farther offshore. Still, the water seemed endlessly deep as he kicked with every ounce of strength in his legs through the murky depths. He’d seen exactly where Sean went under and knew the weighted trap would have pulled him straight to the bottom. Aiden was pretty sure he’d be coming down
almost right on top of his father, but would he be able to hack through the line and haul the old man back to the surface before he drowned?

Light from Lily’s lantern on the surface penetrated the deep just enough for Aiden to catch a glimpse of his father below him. He wasn’t exactly sure what he’d expected to see, but it wasn’t the desperate scene that was unfolding. His father wasn’t floating downward peacefully, submitting to the cold, unforgiving Atlantic waters. No, Aiden could see him jerking around, apparently fighting a desperate battle to get loose from the trap.

Aiden powered down to the bottom and switched the knife to his right hand before grabbing hold of the becket with his left. Sean made a half-hearted grab at him but, a heartbeat later, his arm fell away and his body seemed to collapse in on itself. Aiden’s chest squeezed tight, his lungs starting to burn from lack of oxygen.

A moment later, he was shocked to see Bram knife down through the water and grab their father by the shoulders. A shot of adrenaline coursed through him, and Aiden pulled the rope taut against the becket and started sawing away with desperate strokes.

But the fucking pot warp was tough as old boots. Aiden hacked at the line with everything he had, but it took precious seconds for the strands to finally break and separate the rope from the trap. Finally, the line broke free, and Aiden let the knife fall away. Bram was already kicking upward, lugging their father in his grip. Aiden kicked up hard too, and easily caught up to them, since Bram was holding all the old man’s weight. He grabbed Sean’s belt and clawed upward, pulling desperately toward the surface.

When they broke through, Aiden sucked in great, painful breaths and tossed his head to clear the saltwater from his eyes. They’d surfaced only about ten feet from
Irish Lady.
Lily had boarded her and now stood at the starboard rail with the boat’s powerful lantern in one hand and a ring buoy in the other. Another brilliant light from a boat closing at high speed bathed them in its white wash.

“Help him aboard,” Aiden choked out to Lily, as they dragged Sean between them.

He and Bram pushed up on their father’s legs and waist, managing to lift his torso from the water. Lily dropped the lantern and buoy and hooked her hands under Sean’s armpits, heaving him into the boat with a strength born of endless hours of hauling lobster traps.

By the time Aiden clambered over the rail, Lily had her fingers on Sean’s neck, checking for a pulse. “You know CPR?” he gasped.

She gave a quick nod, already starting compressions on Sean’s chest. Her face tight, she pushed down again and again and then tilted his father’s head back and blew into his mouth twice before resuming the compressions. A minute or two later—though it seemed like an hour to Aiden—the fire rescue boat pulled alongside and a pair of EMTs climbed aboard—Brett Clayton and Jessie Jameson. Jessie elbowed him out of the way while Brett knelt and moved Lily aside.

“We got this now, Lil,” Brett said.

Only when Aiden pulled himself to his feet did he register that his heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to hammer its way through his rib cage. As he watched the paramedics work, he sucked in slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down.

Breathe, Dad. Please just fucking start breathing.

After what seemed an eternity, Sean finally choked and spewed water as Jessie turned his head to the side.

Bram had been leaning against the wheel, looking scared to death, but let out a relieved string of curses when Sean started to moan. Aiden forced a smile and bumped fists with his brother before pulling him into a fierce embrace.

“That was too damn close,” his brother said, clutching at him like he used to do when he was scared as a little kid.

Aiden patted his back. “I hear you, bro. And we’re going to make sure it never happens again.”

A
iden finally emerged from the ER’s treatment area into the waiting room, haggard looking but calm. Lily rushed to meet him. Hugging him fiercely, she silently vowed to be with him wherever he went, no matter how far away it might be.

“He’s going to be fine, right?” she said against his shoulder. “That’s what Bram said.”

Bram had come out earlier and told Lily that Aiden wanted some time alone with their father. Since Bram was practically dead on his feet, Lily had put him in a taxi and sent him to the ferry terminal to catch a boat back to the island. She’d already decided to wait for Aiden and take him back to Seashell Bay on
Miss Annie
. After rescuing Sean, Lily had dropped Aiden and Bram at the dock so they could go home and quickly change into dry clothes while she retrieved the boat from its mooring for the trip into Portland.

Aiden relaxed his grip. “They want to keep him a few days to assess his mental state, but the doctor said there’s no cause to worry about his physical health.”

“That’s good, especially since he’s already scared us all half to death,” she said, holding back the crazy urge to burst into tears. Lily had spent most of her life loathing Sean Flynn, but now she knew how much she wanted him to make it—for Aiden’s and Bram’s sakes, as well as his own.

Lily slipped her hand into Aiden’s as they left the ER. She started to head for a taxi parked just past the entrance.

“I’d rather walk back to the boat if that’s okay with you,” Aiden said.

It was about a mile to the wharf where she’d docked
Miss Annie
, but Lily wasn’t about to argue. If he wanted to walk, they would walk.

When she shivered a bit at the cool night air, Aiden took off his fleece jacket and slipped it around her shoulders. They made their way to Congress Street and headed east. It was late, and the streets were mostly empty. A peaceful hush settled around them. After the trauma and the challenges of the day, it felt like a blessing to be strolling quietly with Aiden by her side.

“When Bram and I finally got to see Dad, he broke down,” Aiden said after a few minutes of silence. “I mean completely broke down. I never thought I’d see something like that in my life. The old man’s always been as tough as a cheap steak, like anger was his only emotion.”

Lily squeezed his hand but remained silent.

“Bram and I just stood there staring at each other. No clue what to say or do. Finally, after he calmed down, he told us he knew the second he hit the water that he’d made a mistake and that he didn’t want to die. That’s why he was struggling so hard when I found him.”

Lily could barely imagine it. Getting dragged to the
bottom by a lobster trap was every fisherman’s worst nightmare. “I gather that’s a pretty common reaction with people who try suicide,” she said.

“It’s so weird, but he said he’d always thought dying would free him. That it was the only thing that could free him. He’d just never had the guts to do it until today.”

“I’m so sorry, Aiden,” Lily said. “But what he did isn’t your fault.”

“I get it, but you can imagine how Bram and I felt,” Aiden said in a somber voice. “And here’s the kicker—Dad couldn’t believe the three of us came out to save him. He said he was sure we’d be happy to be rid of him. Then he said he couldn’t blame us.” He shook his head. “Hearing that was almost worse than anything.”

Oh, man, Sean Flynn so needed help. Lily hoped that tonight would prove to be some kind of tipping point, making him finally do something to change his life.

“What did you say to that?” she asked softly.

“I told him that he’d been a complete asshole over the years, but I’d been wrong to give up on him. And to give up on my home. It made sense when I was younger and didn’t understand, but when I was old enough to try and figure it out…” He tightened his grip on her hand and glanced down at her. “Because you should never give up on family or the people you love, no matter what, right?”

Lily almost choked on a rush of emotion. “No, never,” she said, squeezing his hand back.

“I told him that I was going to do everything I could to help him. That I’d make sure he got a good price for his land, and that I’d be here to help him with anything he’d need from now on.”

Her pace faltered. “You’ll be here? In Seashell Bay?”

He’d told her he was retiring, and she’d hoped that meant he might come back here for good. Maybe that’s what he’d been trying to tell her while they were waiting for the vote count. But now that the moment of truth was here, she was almost afraid to ask.

Aiden stopped under a street lamp on a quiet corner, took her by the shoulders, and turned her toward him. He leaned in to plant a swift, soft kiss on her mouth. “I’ll be in Seashell Bay for as long as you are, Lily.”

She gaped up at him as her brain went sort of fuzzy. A guy like Aiden wouldn’t give up on a career—and vow to stay on the island—unless he loved her, right? That’s what it had to mean.

Only one way to find out.

Saying a quick prayer for courage, she let out the words she’d held behind a self-imposed wall for fourteen long years. “I love you, Aiden. And just to be clear, that means I’m
in love
with you. Totally and completely.”

Aiden pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I hear you loud and clear, Lily-girl. And I love you that much too. I’ll never leave you again, not for anything. I promise.”

When he tipped her face up to claim her mouth in a deep and passionate kiss, Lily’s legs went wobbly. But the joyful energy that surged through her at that moment blasted away her fatigue and worry, leaving in their wake a profound sense of wonder and gratitude that she and Aiden had finally found their way to each other. It had to count as a miracle, as far as she was concerned.

All too soon, he broke away and held her at arm’s length. “You know, I think we can make the ecoresort work, and I’ve even got a plan for getting Bram involved
so he doesn’t spend his life just sitting around drinking and gambling.”

“Bram was amazing tonight,” Lily said, resting her palms on his chest. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack when you dived in, but you both were heroes.”

Aiden shook his head, as if he still couldn’t believe it. “When he came down and grabbed Dad, I felt like I… like I truly had my brother back.”

“So what have you got in mind for him to do?”

“Well, if we get the resort off the ground, I’m hoping he might be willing to take over the tour operations. Do the excursion planning and act as guide on some trips. Bram knows these islands better than anybody, and nobody’s more comfortable on the water than he is. Colton Booth told me he could help train him on the organizational stuff.”

“I think that’s a fantastic idea,” Lily said. If Sean could somehow get himself together, and if Bram discovered a new purpose in his life, the chances of Aiden finding lasting happiness in Seashell Bay would be so much better.

She snuggled against him, sinking into his heat and strength.

Aiden’s arms locked around her. “I’ve been saving one last piece of good news till the end.”

She looked up and gave him a puzzled smile. “Holding out on me again, are you?”

“I’m retiring, and I’m not leaving Seashell Bay, so let’s be clear on both those things.” He moved a hand up to rest on the back of her neck. “But I’m not leaving baseball either.”

That gave her a bit of a jolt. “You’re not?”

“No. I’m not going to be playing, but baseball is still
going to be my job. I’ve been offered an assistant coaching position here at USM, Lily, and I’m taking it.”

Lily stared at him, her mouth dropping open. She didn’t know much about college baseball, but she did know that Aiden could easily commute to the Portland campus every day. “Holy crap. I mean, that’s… wonderful, but… but are you sure that’s what you want?” She swallowed, nervous all over again, but she had to say it. “Are you sure you won’t regret passing on the opportunity in Oakland?”

Aiden frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I would follow you, you know,” she blurted out. “I know you thought I’d never leave the island, but I would if I had to, Aiden. For you. I know I should have told you that before. I’m so sorry I chickened out this morning, but the day just seemed to get away from me.”

“Now you tell me.” But then he grinned, and Lily knew everything was going to be all right.

“I’m glad you told me that, but it doesn’t matter,” he added. “I’m sure this is the right decision for me. For us. You’d be miserable if you left Seashell Bay, and I’d be miserable if I left without you. So let’s not get into any second-guessing or regrets. It’s all good. In fact, it’s perfect. I love you, and we’re going to be happy together, right on our goofy, little island.” He shook his head. “God help me, I never thought I’d say that.” Then he laughed again.

Grinning like an idiot, Lily gave him a poke in the ribs. “For that cheap shot, Aiden Flynn, I’m going to make you haul a hundred extra traps tomorrow.”

Aiden leaned down and kissed her. “Aye, aye, Captain.”