CHAPTER 3
Six weeks later
Josh Collins grabbed a still-warm oatmeal muffin from the plate and ate a third of it in his first bite on the way to the coffeepot. His mug was already sitting on the countertop waiting, a sickly grayish ceramic one with “World’s Best Skipper” painted on it in bright blue. Another one of his sister Sarah’s craft classes gone wrong. Why Jess had gotten all the handicraft genes and Sarah had none was beyond Josh. Sarah was always signing up for Jess’s classes at her store, Treasures, claiming they were fun and not all about artistic talent. Personally Josh thought Jess’s evenings above her store were more about the gossip and wine than about crafts, but he’d never be stupid enough to say that to either of his sisters. Besides, what Sarah lacked in artistic talent she more than made up for in the kitchen. She was a tremendous cook.
“Fog’s in again,” Sarah said, wrinkling her brow and gazing out the kitchen window at the harbor. Sarah tended to mother them all. She’d let up on Jess recently since Jess had gotten married. That only left Josh. He let Sarah hover because he understood. She was a nurturer, and she didn’t know how else to help him. Poor, poor widower Josh. He was fine. Had been for some time, really. But she did make great coffee and muffins, so the morning ritual was one he enjoyed. Most of the time.
“The fog will burn off well before lunch,” he answered easily.
“You’re going out today, then?”
“Not today. I’ll be at the office.”
She seemed relieved to know he wouldn’t be out on the water, even though it was just some fog and not a storm. “I thought it was your day off.”
Josh had thought so, too, and had looked forward to taking out the boat, doing some fishing, not to mention peace and quiet. “Not anymore. Charlie‘s replacement is starting work today and I’m going to show her around.”
Sarah’s brow knit into a frown. “But Susan has a checkup today. Besides, Charlie isn’t due for a few months yet.”
“Well, Dr. Howard was available and Charlie said she’d like to have some time before the baby arrived. It doesn’t matter to me, really, so I agreed. Today you’ll be seeing the new doc.”
Sarah didn’t look appeased. One thing he’d realized about his sister—she liked things a certain way. She didn’t like leaving things to chance or change. He rather suspected it had been that way since their father had died at sea. One morning their dad had been eating breakfast at the kitchen table, and hours later he was just gone, leaving Josh as the man of the house.
He was familiar enough with grief to know that it changed people in small but important ways. Sarah’s need for control was one. Her urge to nurture was another.
So he poured her a cup of coffee and put it on the table before her. “Look, I trust Charlie. If she says Dr. Howard’s a fine doctor, I believe her.” He smiled. “I’m pretty sure Susan doesn’t want her uncle giving her a checkup. But if there’s a problem, we’ll set you up with my friend in Portland, okay?”
She nodded. “Yes, okay.” She let out a sigh and raised her mug, taking a test sip of coffee. “I’m sorry, Josh. I don’t mean to be difficult.”
He smiled, jostled her free elbow. “You’re not. I know you worry about me. I’m fine, Sarah. I’ve been home over a year now and I’m happy. Truly. I’ve got a great practice, I’m around my family, and I’ve got a brand-new boat and fishing rod. Life’s good.”
And so what if he was alone? Even during his marriage he’d felt alone. At least this way it was stress-free.
He turned away, focused on pouring his own coffee. It wasn’t just his family who was concerned about him. The whole damn town worried, for that matter. He clenched his teeth. He was fine. Absolutely fine. He wasn’t going to break.
“You want some eggs?” he asked. “I’ll cook.”
“Oh,” she replied, jumping up. “I forgot you haven’t eaten.”
“Sit down, Sarah. I’ll get it. By now I know your kitchen as well as my own.” Josh went to the fridge, taking out eggs and butter.
Sometimes his family’s concern got claustrophobic. He could have stayed at his own place this morning, he supposed, as he melted butter in the pan and broke eggs into a bowl. But they’d settled into this pattern months ago, ever since he’d returned to Jewell Cove. To ignore the routine now would mean worried phone calls from his sisters, a lecture from his mother, and fancy tap dancing around everyone. The last thing he wanted to do was upset the family applecart, so it was easier just to show up a few times a week, have breakfast, and keep everything on an even keel.
Not that he could blame his sister entirely. He put up with the hovering because she’d been the one to pick him up when he’d damned near had a breakdown after Erin’s death. Dealing with the repatriation and the funeral … it had stretched him to the limit. Grief and guilt were not a good combination.
Then there’d been Erin’s parents to deal with. They’d absolutely hated that their precious Erin had gone into the Army as a medic. Erin had always felt like a disappointment to them. Their expectations had run much higher. He’d often had the thought that they’d only tolerated her “mild rebellion” because their future plans had been for Josh to go into practice with her dad and they’d be one big happy family. Afterwards, trying to work day in and day out with Erin’s father … it was too much. And it had been time to come home.
He stirred the eggs and put some bread in the toaster. Butter and jam followed, plunked unceremoniously in the middle of the table.
Sarah’s face finally cleared of its worry as she grinned. “I still can’t believe you’re in the medical profession with a bedside manner like that,” she groused, teasing. “Thank God you were never a waiter.”
He scooped eggs onto a plate, added toast, and put it before her before filling a plate of his own. For a few minutes they ate in easy silence. He was glad she seemed to be out of her doldrums. The last year had been a rough one, and he didn’t want to add to that.
And even though he knew the Collins women tried to mother him, Josh had never been able to shake the protective feeling he had for his sisters. Part of the reason he kept up with the day-to-day charade was because he worried about them as much as they worried about him.
“I’m gonna run,” he said, getting up and going to Sarah’s side. “I’ve got to catch Tom before he heads to work, and then hit the office.”
“There’s a lunch for you in the fridge,” she replied as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Say hi to Tom. Tell him not to forget the big picnic on the Fourth. We’re all supposed to be at Jess’s by six.”