Canyon recalled only one other person on the Eastern Shore originally from Richmond. “Any relation to Weston Clark? The ex-Coast Guard commander who remodeled the old lighthouse on the Neck?”
“He’s my brother.”
Canyon noted the likeness then. Weston Clark had been married for not quite a year to one of the Duer girls—Caroline. Those girls had been a few years behind Canyon in high school. Closer to Beech’s age.
The thought of his brother put Canyon’s stomach in knots. He didn’t have time for this altercation with Kristina Montgomery. He still had a ton of stuff to get done before he met Jade and the social worker at the bus depot in Exmore.
He crimped the brim of his cap. “I can’t allow you to work here without your mom’s permission.”
Gray sputtered. “B-but she’s being unfair.”
Canyon shook his head. “Nevertheless, she’s your mother, and she gets to call the shots.”
“I have an appointment in Kiptohanock.” Kristina Montgomery swept a curtain of blond hair out of her face. “And I meant what I said, Gray. Go home.”
The boy’s countenance fell. “But—”
“Do what your mother says, Gray.”
Gray threw his mother and Canyon an angry look before he stomped toward the wooded path. Kristina Montgomery remained rooted in place, watching her son.
“I run a clean, safe enterprise, Mrs. Montgomery. Let me take you on a short flight and give you a bird’s eye view of the Shore.”
Canyon bit the inside of his cheek. Where had that come from?
Her forehead creased. Gray’s mother didn’t appear to smile much. Maybe she hadn’t had a reason to smile in a long while.
“Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t trust airplanes.” She moved to follow her son.
“Nor pilots, either, from the sound of it.”
She stopped.
“One word of advice, Mrs. Montgomery?”
She crossed her arms but waited to hear him out.
“If you refuse to let Gray pursue an interest he obviously loves, you might be the one risking everything.”
Her mouth flattened. “What are you talking about, Mr. Collier?”
“My name’s Canyon. And I’m talking about risking your relationship with your son. You could lose him for good.”
She tilted her head. “And you, I assume, are an expert on parenting? Why do you care?”
“Just being neighborly, ma’am.”
Which was so not true. He must be lonelier than he’d believed. Though after Jade arrived today, loneliness was sure to be less of a factor.
“Let me give you a piece of advice, Canyon Collier.” She jabbed her index finger in the space between them. “Mind your own business.”
Exactly what he thought he’d been doing. Until a certain blonde widow walked into the path of his incoming plane.
Pivoting on her heel, she trudged toward the woods without giving him a backward glance. And, discomfited, Canyon couldn’t for the life of him figure what had gotten into him.
The tangy scent of sea salt filled Kristina’s nostrils as she rolled down the car window. In the sky above the rocky point of the lighthouse beach, a gull screeched and performed an acrobatic figure eight.
Weston emerged from the keeper’s cottage and sauntered to the car. “Hey, big sis. How’s life treating you?”
His elder by a mere eighteen months, her mouth quirked. “Where’s your beautiful wife?”
As if on cue, the door opened. Caroline and ten-year-old Izzie spilled out into the milky sunshine of the late February morning.
Married life looked good on her brother. After a disastrous first marriage to a woman who deserted her brother and baby Izzie, Weston had found a new life and love on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Kristina fought a stab of envy. She’d never begrudge her brother his hard-won happiness, but that didn’t stop her from longing for a new life of her own. As for love?
She’d buried her chance for love when they lowered Pax’s coffin into the earth at Arlington National Cemetery.
Weston propped his elbows on the window. “Thanks for taking Caroline into Kiptohanock. The completion of the marine animal rescue center is at a critical juncture, and with her car on the fritz...”
“No problem. Opening day still set for May?”
He grinned. “If my beloved aquatic veterinarian wife has anything to say about it, then yes.”
Redheaded Izzie launched herself at the open window. “Hey, Aunt Kristina.”
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite niece.” Kristina winked. “Hey, yourself.”
Izzie giggled. “I’m your only niece, Aunt Kristina.”
Auburn-haired Caroline nudged aside her husband with her hip. “I hate to further impose, but could we drop off Izz at my sister Amelia’s house? With today being a teacher workday...”
Weston made a face. “And I’m on deadline with an engineering project for a Baltimore client.”
Kristina held up her hand. “Say no more. Gray’s moping at my house, too.”
Of course, he hadn’t moped until she grounded him for sneaking over to the airfield.
“You need me to bring them home, Wes?”
Weston rapped a beat with his palms on the car door. “I’ll finish in time to bring my girls home.”
His girls. Kristina bit back a sigh. She’d been loved like that once.
Izzie hugged her dad goodbye. “Maybe Gray could come play with Max and me.”
Max—Caroline’s nephew and all-around Kiptohanock mischief maker. Gray would consider being left with a bunch of ten-year-olds nothing short of babysitting.
Caroline smoothed a strand of Izzie’s hair. “I’m sure Gray has high school stuff to do, ladybug.”
The little girl chattered nonstop until they dropped her off at the Dutch-roof farmhouse Max’s dad, Braeden Scott—commander of the Kiptohanock Coast Guard station—had recently purchased for his growing family.
Kristina’s hands tightened on the wheel. With Gray usually at school, time moved in slow motion for her. Too often leaving her feeling without purpose and alone.
She cleared her throat. “You’ve made my brother and Izzie so happy, Caroline. Thank you.”
“My pleasure entirely.” A sweet smile curved Caroline’s lips. “They’ve made me so happy.”
Happiness seemed forever out of reach for Kristina.
“There’ve been adjustments.” Caroline stashed her purse on the floorboard beside her foot. “A good marriage requires work.” She raised her gaze to meet Kristina’s. “You know how it is. Letting go of the past with its fears and building something new together. Hard, but good work.”
Letting go of the fear... Kristina’s problem in a clamshell.
She slowed the car as they approached the town limits of oceanside Kiptohanock. “Including throwing my lovable but high-energy niece into