Love On Anchor Island: An Anchor Island Novel

kitchen counter.
“Let’s play another round of cards,” she offered.
Ice-blue eyes narrowed. “You’re a nice person, Roxie. I’d hate to have to throw you out the window.”
Sensing she might actually do it, Roxie racked her brain for some way to appease the expectant mother. She considered a walk to the mailbox, but if someone saw them outside and tattled, Beth would have her head. Pacing the room, Roxie reached the window and took in the view.
“What about sitting by the water? It’s pretty much your backyard, and you’d still be resting, but not cooped up in here.”
Connor was at preschool, so there was no reason they couldn’t leave the house.
Lips pursed, Callie tilted her head. “It’s cold outside.”
“Do you want to be warm, or do you want to be out of here?”
“The babies must need fresh air, right?” she replied.
“Right.” Roxie gathered the thick blanket off the foot of the bed. “You put on some warm clothes while I carry two chairs out to the sand. So long as we keep you bundled up, we should be fine.”
She didn’t know that for sure, but if Callie could walk to the kitchen, surely she could take a few more steps out the back door. Roxie was down the stairs and into the living room with an armful of blanket when the front door burst open.
“Never fear. Henri is here!” A slender woman with a shock of short, platinum blond hair whisked into the house, dropped a duffel bag beside the couch, and glanced around.
“Oh, no,” came a voice from the corner.
“I love you, too, Cecil.”
The parrot cackled in response. Roxie had yet to get used to the talking bird.
“Can I help you?” she said.
The stranger offered a hand. “I’m Callie’s cousin, Henri. I hear she’s the size of a blimp, and the doc has sentenced her to bed rest hell.”
“I’m bigger than a blimp.” The homeowner took the stairs one at a time, hand gripped tightly on the railing. “And you were supposed to be here four days ago.”
“I had a signing I couldn’t get out of.” Once Callie reached the bottom, her cousin threw her arms around her neck. “You look adorable. How are Zane and Gray doing?”
Were these more talking pets Roxie didn’t know about?
“I’ve told you. I am not naming the twins Zane and Gray.”
“How about Ralph and Waldo?”
“How about you go screw yourself?”
The newcomer glanced Roxie’s way, brows arched high. “Someone is not herself these days.” Helping Callie to the couch, Henri said, “Who is our cute friend over here?”
As the miserable woman lowered onto the couch with a moan, she said, “Henri, Roxie. Roxie, Henri.”
“We were just going to sit outside,” Roxie explained, hoping the change of scenery would perk up her charge. “I was going to move some chairs down to the beach.”
“I’ll help,” Henri said with a smile and followed Roxie onto the back deck. Once outside, the lightheartedness disappeared. “How is she?”
Surprised by the change in tone, Roxie’s brain took a second to catch up. “Okay, I guess, but she’s going stir-crazy, and I don’t blame her. She’s been stuck in this house for two weeks.”
“We talked about this when she found out it was twins. She’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect those babies, but I know my cousin. She hates to sit still.”
Happy to have an ally, Roxie whispered, “An hour ago, I caught her trying to move furniture.”
“Damn.” Henri pointed to the chairs around them. “Which ones are we taking?”
Unsure, she said, “Which one do you think she’ll be more comfortable in?”
Henri snorted. “Comfortable is off the table at this point, don’t you think? Let’s take the two Adirondack, and we’ll put Cal on the lounger.”
They put the plan into motion and minutes later returned to the house.
“We’re ready,” Roxie said, gathering pillows off the couch to prop around Callie. “Take your time and be careful on the steps off the deck.”
“I don’t want to get up,” Callie said with a pout. Henri and Roxie exchanged an exasperated look. “Can someone move the stool over here and help me lift my feet?”
“I can do that.” Henri lifted her feet while Roxie put the pillows back where they were, and then tossed the blanket over Callie’s legs.
“Thank you,” Callie mumbled before her head dropped back. “I just need to sit here for a minute.”
Seconds later, soft snores filled the silence.
“I guess we aren’t going outside.” Henri removed the flannel she wore over a gray hoodie and plopped down in a blue chair next to the fireplace. “We might as well get comfortable, too.”
Roxie hadn’t had a second to breathe since arriving four hours ago and gladly took the suggestion. “Did you say you had a signing?”
“Yep. I write romance novels.”
Not the answer she expected. “Really? I’ve never met a writer before.”
“That’s probably for the best. We’re awkward, neurotic creatures.” The author ran a hand through her pixie cut. “Are you new to the island?”
“I am. Beth Chandler… I mean Beth Dempsey is my cousin.” The name change still threw her. “Technically, we’re second cousins since our grandmothers were sisters, but we were close as kids.”
“So you’re here on vacation?”
She wished. “A working vacation of sorts. I came to help with the hurricane cleanup.”
Henri kicked her feet up on the coffee table. “How did you end up babysitting my cousin?”
“Beth took pity on me. After two weeks of working my ass off, I could barely move last night.”
“Your ass looks good to me.”
The remark took Roxie by surprise, but she quickly caught on. “Thanks for the compliment. My last boyfriend said something similar.”
The blonde didn’t miss a beat. “That might be the smoothest I’ve ever been let down.”
“I doubt that,” she said with a grin.
Throwing an arm across the back of the chair, Henri grinned back. “You’re probably right. So last boyfriend. No current one?”
“Nope.” And Roxie liked it that way.
“Any interesting candidates here on Anchor?” She looked to the ceiling in thought. “Last I recall, there are only a few single men under