The return of the waitress with their food gave Reece enough time to be envious of Wade’s good fortune and then feel guilty about it. “That’s great.”
“I’m planning to take Robin to Savannah this weekend to meet Mom. I was hoping I could talk you into going, too. You know how excitable my mom can get. It won’t seem so much like an inquisition if you’re there to act as a buffer.”
Reece had never been in this situation himself, but he remembered the grilling his brother-in-law endured when Addison brought Clayton home to meet Aunt Leigh and his father the first time.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Maxine might view my presence more in the nature of an intrusion.”
Wade reached for the bottle of ketchup. “Leave that to me. I’ll work it so the invitation comes from her.”
This was the sort of family drama Reece preferred to avoid. On the other hand, he was curious to see the woman who’d managed to catch his stepbrother’s eye. Wade’s job as a marine biologist kept him on a research vessel for weeks at a time. When he wasn’t leading expeditions, he was a popular presenter on the university lecture circuit.
“Where did you meet Robin?”
“At the dry cleaners, of all places. She was in line ahead of me. After I dropped off some shirts, I noticed a pair of sunglasses on the counter. I figured they had to be hers. I caught up with her in the parking lot. She’d just realized she left them behind and was on her way back. We got to talking, and the next thing I knew I was asking for her number.”
“Did she give it to you?” Reece asked, smiling a little.
“No, but she did suggest we meet for coffee the following day.”
Reece silently applauded the unknown Robin’s handling of the situation. Poise and discernment were qualities he admired. “I like her style.”
“Don’t go getting any ideas,” Wade said, pointing his fork in Reece’s direction. “If you turn on the charm, Robin might decide to throw me over for you.”
“I doubt it. According to Sylvie, my reputation for playing fast and loose with women’s hearts precedes me. Unless I mend my ways, I’m destined to remain a lonely bachelor.”
“I’ve heard some of the rumors. You’re click-bait, Reece. Everything you do gets talked about. That’s what comes with being in the top one percent.”
“I have no problem taking the heat for things I’ve done. It’s getting raked over the coals for everything else that bothers me.”
“Some of that will go away once you get married. At that point, you’ll cease to be interesting.”
“I can only hope, right?”
The two men parted outside the restaurant. Reece didn’t immediately head back to Sawgrass. The social worker who’d first made him aware of the dire need for pilots to assist with medical flights was recovering from a ruptured spleen. Sylvie had sent flowers, but Reece felt this warranted a visit to the hospital.
It had been two years since Diamond Jet began offering free non-emergency air travel. Angel Flights started out as a way to give back to the community. It had quickly become a personal mission with Reece. The demand for such services still outpaced supply, but the gap was slowly closing. It was trend he wanted to see continue.
As he turned into the parking garage of Baptist Medical, he got a call from Addison. She and her husband Clayton were living proof that opposites attract. They lived in Crystal River, a place known for its spring-fed waterways and large manatee population.
“How would you like some company weekend after next?” she asked.
“You’re welcome anytime. What’s bringing you to town?”
“There’s a baby expo at the Jacksonville convention center.”
It took a few seconds for her words to sink in. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
“It does. You’re going to be an uncle.”
He didn’t need to hear the excitement in her voice to know how much this meant to her. Addison and Clayton had been trying to start their family for several years. “I’m happy for you, Addie. Have you told the rest of the gang?”
“Dad’s next on the list. I just got off the phone with Aunt Leigh. Did she tell you about the headaches she’s been having?”
“She mentioned being tired from her trip to Boca Raton last week.”
“I think it’s more than that. Today she talked about having tingling and numbness in her fingers.”
“Those symptoms could be nothing, but they shouldn’t be ignored. She needs to see a doctor and find out what’s going on.”
Addison grunted. “You know how she feels about doctors and medicine. This is a woman who won’t take Tylenol for a headache.”
“If she won’t go on her own, then I’ll take her myself.”
“Let’s not use a steamroller when a rolling pin will do.”
“I’m a steamroller, huh?”
“Yep. Tact and subtlety aren’t in your DNA.”
Reece chuckled. “Well, Wade thinks I’m good for something. He’s taking his girlfriend to meet his mother this weekend. He asked me to come along for moral support. What do you think of that?”
“In Wade’s shoes, I’d be doing the same thing. On the protective mama scale, Maxine scores very high.”
“That’s not unusual given the situation. She lost her husband when Wade was seven. It was just the two of them until she married Dad last year.”
“Even so, I feel sorry for the woman Wade tries to put in his mother’s place.”
“I’m not sure Maxine’s influence over him extends that far.”
“You’ll know more about that after this weekend.”
He supposed he would. Reece hoped he wasn’t going to regret his involvement in what could turn out to be a sticky situation.
* * * * *
Robin was replying to an email when she heard the toot of a car horn. She looked up in time to see Kait’s maroon car pull in next to hers. They’d come to Baptist Medical Center to see one of their favorite customers. Dr. Laramie was a retired college professor who’d recently undergone knee surgery. His wife had passed away years ago, and his children and grandchildren were spread out all over the country. Robin suspected that his frequent visits to Truly Scrumptious were as much for the company as for the baked items in their display cases.
Before getting out of the car, she grabbed the box containing a generous slice of the maple walnut coffee cake she’d brought for him.
“Sorry I’m late,” Kait said as she joined Robin. Her long, brown hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Gold loop earrings dangled from her ears. The usual sparkle of good humor was visible in her gray eyes. “The traffic coming from Macclenny was terrible.”
“It’s the first wave of spring breakers heading to the beach. How was your brother’s wedding?”
“Lovely. It made someone as hardhearted as me get a little misty-eyed.”
Kait’s heart wasn’t hard at all. It had been shattered when she caught her boyfriend making out with another woman last New Year’s Eve. She said she was over it, but the fact that she hadn’t dated anyone since told a different story.
“And the cake?” Robin asked. “Did it measure up to our high standards?”