was something she had no right to feel, and she knew it.
CHAPTER SEVEN
CODY DIDN’T WANT TO SIT across the table from Louisa and smile and eat lobster rolls and pretend everything was fine.
But here he was.
Maggie bustled around the table the same way he always remembered her doing. It seemed impossible for the woman to sit still. She poured drinks. She fetched extra napkins. She piled freshly made potato chips onto their plates even though nobody was asking for seconds. She mothered. It was what she did.
Maybe that’s why his insides had twisted into a tight knot. He didn’t want to be mothered. Not by his own mother and certainly not by Maggie. Cody had become the one who took care of things. That was his role. He didn’t need anyone else looking after him.
Louisa’s hair had darkened to a deep auburn, a color you didn’t see often and one that only made her blue eyes look bluer. If he sat here too long, he’d get lost in them and convince himself everything really could go back to the way it used to be, back when he was young and foolish and impulsive.
He’d been so stupid.
Maggie prattled on about who knows what and Cody choked down what ended up being the best lobster roll he’d ever eaten, not that he could enjoy it. Halfway through the meal, he realized the three women were staring at him, and once again he’d missed whatever question had been tossed his way.
“Jackson Wirth?” Maggie swallowed a bite, still focused on him. “You really didn’t hear the story?”
Cody took his napkin from his lap and pressed it against his mouth, mostly because he needed something to do with his hands. “No, ma’am. I think I was supposed to be briefed this morning, but then—” He glanced at Louisa, whose eyes widened for a split second and then found her hands in her lap. “If it’s important, I’m sure they’ll fill me in tomorrow.”
“They brought in a new master chief, right?” Maggie asked.
The old woman knew everything that went on around the island—she always had. People told her things. She heard things. She observed things. Regardless of how she came upon her information, if there was anything happening in Nantucket, Maggie Fisher knew about it.
“Duncan McGreery,” Cody said. “He’s a good guy.”
“He’s got a big job ahead of him,” Maggie said. “Though I’m guessing your heroics today will make things a little easier.”
Cody wished women would just say what they meant. They had this way of skirting an issue, forcing a person to ask questions, like leaving a trail of bread crumbs. It was exhausting. He preferred straightforward, which was how he remembered Maggie. Maybe she was determined to entice him into a conversation, and this was her tactic.
Louisa had always been straightforward. He wondered if she still was. Did her mouth still get her in trouble? Did she still say whatever popped into her head? He glanced at her. She looked tired, drained. What was on her mind right now? Was she okay?
“I’m not sure I follow,” Cody said, aware that he wasn’t going to get the whole story if he didn’t engage.
This was how gossip worked, he supposed. He really wanted no part of the island rumor mill. He preferred to get his information from the source. But Maggie’s insider information could prove to be useful, especially since Duncan had hinted that the crew needed a morale boost but had failed to elaborate.
“Maggie’s trying to tell you that the Coast Guard got a bad reputation around here last year,” Louisa said.
“It got blown out of proportion,” Ally said.
Louisa frowned. “Not really.”
“Aaron wasn’t wrong,” Ally said.
“He shouldn’t have said what he said.” Louisa again.
Maggie set her fork down with a clang. “Ladies, let’s bicker about this later. We have a guest.”
“A very confused guest,” Cody said. He looked at his plate. His food was gone, so he picked up his iced tea and took a drink.
“Jackson Wirth and a few of the other boys were out surfing one night last fall,” Maggie said.
“In the dark,” Ally added.
“Yes, Alyssa, ‘one night’ implies that it was dark out.” The exasperated look on Maggie’s face made Cody smile inwardly. Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
Cody had to admit he still loved the old bird. Maggie’s no-nonsense approach to everything had always been refreshing.
“The boys got caught in some pretty choppy waves, something our girl here can relate to.”
Louisa rolled her eyes.
“The current carried them out pretty far, and Jackson