Read Online Kingdom by the Sea (Romantic Suspense) by Jill Winters - Free Book Online
Authors: Jill Winters
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fixing
these steps here.” He motioned downward. “Slate on the side is coming up.”
“Oh, really?
Actually, I do remember Hazel Baker mentioned something about the railing being
loose.”
“You know Hazel?”
“We just met,”
Nicole said. She left out what an utter joy it had been. “Actually, I'll be
helping Hazel with a display for the Harvest Parade.”
“So you're
planning to stay in town till then, huh? That's good, that's real good.
Parade's a big deal around here.”
“Have you lived
in Chatham a long time?”
she asked.
“Longer than
anyone has a right to, I suppose,” he said. With that folksy humility and
unassuming manner, there was something likable about Herman MacDonald, but
there was also something a bit cryptic. He seemed less than comfortable around
her—almost as if at any moment he was on the verge of either emotion or
queasiness. “Anyhow I'd really like to finish fixing the stoop, if I could—no
charge, of course—for your aunt.”
What could she
say? It was hard to decline someone with an almost wounded look in his eye,
wanting to do something good. She wondered: why did he look so
implacably sad?
“If you want to,
I'd definitely appreciate that,” Nicole assured him.
“Thanks, I sure
would. Glad you'll be staying for a while,” he added before turning to go.
“By the way, is
it true that people call you 'The Hermster'?” she said.
At that, Herman
MacDonald actually chuckled and turned back. “Yup. It's true,” he admitted.
“But you can call me Mac.”
Chapter Eleven
That
night Nicole divided her time unequally between what was necessary and what was
incidental. She had begun going through the contents of the hallway closet on
the second floor, but allowed herself to get distracted—emailing Cameron,
returning her mom's call, and making brownies. Earlier, she’d packed up a tin
with six brownies to give to Michael, and another tin to give to Ginger
Bloomingdale.
Earlier,
she had received a voicemail from Linda, apologizing for the way she had acted
the other day. “Sorry, I've just been moody lately,” Linda explained. “It's
not you...hey, if you want, I could come down there some time and help you go
through Nina's stuff. I’ll give you a call later this week.”
Now
she was sitting in the kitchen with her laptop in front of her; her wireless
card had picked up the signal of a nearby network called “deepseafisher.”
It
was hard to believe that she had only been in Chatham for four days.
In her short time there, she had already had met several people. There were
the sisters next-door, Ginger and Hazel. There was Zack Hyat the Coast Guard
officer, and Herman MacDonald—or “Mac”—the local handyman. Not to mention,
flirtatious innkeeper Vickie Finn and her surly companion, Danny Keegan.
As
she clicked over to her favorite used books website, she found her mind
drifting, and she wondered what Michael was doing right now.
***
For a
boat that appeared placid on the water, this one was plagued by irritating
phone calls. As Michael stepped into the cabin, he dug his phone out of his
pocket. He felt almost watched, the way Craig Lucius seemed to time his
calls. Michael hadn’t seen him since the staged attack on the beach the night
before, but the annoying guy had called three times already.
“Where
are you hiding this whole time, by the way?” Michael asked him now.
“Don't
worry about it,” Lucius evaded. “Hey—did you have to hit me so hard,
asshole?”
With
a short, derisive laugh, Michael replied, “What, afraid I'm going to mess up
that gorgeous face?”
“Screw
you, Corso.”
“You
wanted it to look real didn't you?” Michael said rather blandly and switched on
the dim light in the cabin.
“You
didn't have to bust my mouth! You knocked a fucking tooth loose.” Lucius
sounded like quite a baby all of a sudden.
“Well
keep that as a
these steps here.” He motioned downward. “Slate on the side is coming up.”
“Oh, really?
Actually, I do remember Hazel Baker mentioned something about the railing being
loose.”
“You know Hazel?”
“We just met,”
Nicole said. She left out what an utter joy it had been. “Actually, I'll be
helping Hazel with a display for the Harvest Parade.”
“So you're
planning to stay in town till then, huh? That's good, that's real good.
Parade's a big deal around here.”
“Have you lived
in Chatham a long time?”
she asked.
“Longer than
anyone has a right to, I suppose,” he said. With that folksy humility and
unassuming manner, there was something likable about Herman MacDonald, but
there was also something a bit cryptic. He seemed less than comfortable around
her—almost as if at any moment he was on the verge of either emotion or
queasiness. “Anyhow I'd really like to finish fixing the stoop, if I could—no
charge, of course—for your aunt.”
What could she
say? It was hard to decline someone with an almost wounded look in his eye,
wanting to do something good. She wondered: why did he look so
implacably sad?
“If you want to,
I'd definitely appreciate that,” Nicole assured him.
“Thanks, I sure
would. Glad you'll be staying for a while,” he added before turning to go.
“By the way, is
it true that people call you 'The Hermster'?” she said.
At that, Herman
MacDonald actually chuckled and turned back. “Yup. It's true,” he admitted.
“But you can call me Mac.”
Chapter Eleven
That
night Nicole divided her time unequally between what was necessary and what was
incidental. She had begun going through the contents of the hallway closet on
the second floor, but allowed herself to get distracted—emailing Cameron,
returning her mom's call, and making brownies. Earlier, she’d packed up a tin
with six brownies to give to Michael, and another tin to give to Ginger
Bloomingdale.
Earlier,
she had received a voicemail from Linda, apologizing for the way she had acted
the other day. “Sorry, I've just been moody lately,” Linda explained. “It's
not you...hey, if you want, I could come down there some time and help you go
through Nina's stuff. I’ll give you a call later this week.”
Now
she was sitting in the kitchen with her laptop in front of her; her wireless
card had picked up the signal of a nearby network called “deepseafisher.”
It
was hard to believe that she had only been in Chatham for four days.
In her short time there, she had already had met several people. There were
the sisters next-door, Ginger and Hazel. There was Zack Hyat the Coast Guard
officer, and Herman MacDonald—or “Mac”—the local handyman. Not to mention,
flirtatious innkeeper Vickie Finn and her surly companion, Danny Keegan.
As
she clicked over to her favorite used books website, she found her mind
drifting, and she wondered what Michael was doing right now.
***
For a
boat that appeared placid on the water, this one was plagued by irritating
phone calls. As Michael stepped into the cabin, he dug his phone out of his
pocket. He felt almost watched, the way Craig Lucius seemed to time his
calls. Michael hadn’t seen him since the staged attack on the beach the night
before, but the annoying guy had called three times already.
“Where
are you hiding this whole time, by the way?” Michael asked him now.
“Don't
worry about it,” Lucius evaded. “Hey—did you have to hit me so hard,
asshole?”
With
a short, derisive laugh, Michael replied, “What, afraid I'm going to mess up
that gorgeous face?”
“Screw
you, Corso.”
“You
wanted it to look real didn't you?” Michael said rather blandly and switched on
the dim light in the cabin.
“You
didn't have to bust my mouth! You knocked a fucking tooth loose.” Lucius
sounded like quite a baby all of a sudden.
“Well
keep that as a
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