Love On Anchor Island: An Anchor Island Novel

added. “How long will you be here? An extended visit, maybe?”
“I’m not sure.”
Before Mia could fire another question, Mary Ann leapt onto her lap. As an artist, his friend visited the local daycare once a week to teach them different techniques and mediums. That made her a favorite with every little one on the island.
“Real nice,” Alex heard Roxie mumble, her face slightly turned his way.
“Excuse me?”
“Does your girlfriend know about that little stunt on the ferry?” she whispered.
He didn’t like what she was implying. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
She turned a hard gaze his way. “She’s sitting right there.”
“My friend is sitting right there,” Alex corrected. “You probably shouldn’t make assumptions about people you don’t know.”
“You mean like when someone says ‘I know your type’?”
Point to her. “You’re right. I apologize for that.”
Roxie’s expression went blank. “You what?”
“I apologize. I made assumptions I shouldn’t have, and then I accused you of doing the same.” Alex wasn’t above an apology when warranted, though he also wasn’t convinced his assessment had been wrong. “We’ll call it even.”
After a silent pause, she huffed. “Wow. That’s a first.”
“What is?”
“A man apologizing.”
Alex considered switching seats with Mia but found a doe-eyed sprite leaning against his side. “Hello, Ms. Daphne. How are you tonight?”
The child lifted her arms. “Up.”
“I’m sorry,” Beth said, stepping close to retrieve her child.
“I don’t mind, he said, and with little effort, lifted the girl into his lap. She immediately clenched a handful of his sweater while sticking her free thumb in her mouth.
“Are you sure?” her mother asked.
“It’s no problem.”
Beth returned to her seat as another huff came from Alex’s right. He looked over to see what Roxie’s problem was now, but to his surprise, she no longer looked annoyed. He arched his brows in silent query, and she reached for her menu.
“Did you say something?” he asked.
Eyes on the food options, she shook her head. “Nope.”
Daphne leaned too far to her left, forcing Alex to catch her. Once the child was secured, he glanced back to his neighbor and sensed an easing of tensions. Preferring a quiet truce to a silent war, he left her to choose her meal in peace.

Chapter Three
Some women began imagining their wedding day as early as elementary school. Others knew exactly how many children they wanted, how they would decorate their perfect suburban homes, and what kind of minivan they’d drive.
Roxie was not one of those women.
Her sister, Amanda, was. And Amanda now had everything she’d dreamed of down to the marble countertops and farm sink—or whatever that white monstrosity was called—and a ten-year-old mini-me who excelled at ballet, tap, and jazz. Chelsea was a good kid, if a bit of an ass-kisser. She didn’t pay much attention to her troublemaker aunt, which was fine with said aunt.
Roxie preferred to live in the moment. Children had never entered her radar beyond taking all precautions necessary not to have them. And then Dr. Goody-Two-Shoes picks up a chubby-cheeked toddler, and her ovaries squeal like a preteen at a boy band concert.
What. The. Hell?
“So…” said the woman across the table—Mia she thought it was— “did you leave a significant other behind?” Her eyes cut to Alex for a split second, and Roxie internally groaned. Not another matchmaker.
“I’m on a dating hiatus,” she replied.
The brunette’s smile faltered. “That’s a shame.”
Relieved she didn’t press the issue, Roxie reached for her water when a tiny hand clutched her jacket.
“Up,” said Daphne, though she was making more of a lateral move from Alex’s lap.
“You got her?” he asked, the first time he’d spoken since before the waitress had taken their orders.
Roxie secured the toddler on her lap, surprised by how natural the situation felt. “We’re good.”
“Do you need me to take her?” Beth asked.
Figuring her cousin didn’t get a break very often, she shook her head. “No, she’s okay right here.” Daphne settled into place, one cheek pressed against Roxie’s chest and the thumb back in her mouth.
Beth smoothed her daughter’s hair. “She might fall asleep on you. It’s been a busy day.”
No kidding. By the time they’d gotten the suitcases unpacked, the two girls had awoken from their naps and all hell broke loose. Within an hour, Roxie had gone from playing dolls, to excavating a mound of Legos with a Tonka truck, to enduring a game of tug-of-war with Dozer that sent Daphne into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Quite possibly the greatest sound Roxie had ever heard.
The little buggers were exhausting, and adding her nearly six-hour drive, Roxie was the one who might fall asleep.
As she reached for her water, a waft of cold air hit Roxie in the back as a family entered the restaurant. Her tablemates knew them, if the instant burst of greetings and chair legs scraping the floor were any indication. The man was tall and well dressed with a jawline suited for a GQ cover model. The young boy in his arms had the same blue-gray eyes as the man carrying him, presumably his father. The woman looked to be at least eleven months pregnant.
“We can add more chairs,” Lucas said as he waved the pair to Roxie’s end of the table. Seconds later, he slid a chair in on the other side of Alex, another next to Mia, and a high chair between them at the end. “What can I get you to drink?” he asked.
“If I drink anything, I’ll just pee it back out,” the woman said, dropping onto the chair beside Mia.
“Bring her a water,” the man ordered. “A juice for Connor, and I’ll have a Blue Moon.”
Connor cooperated as his dad slid him into the high chair, and the woman didn’t argue about the drink.
“How are you doing?” Alex asked, which seemed like a stupid question to Roxie. Anyone could see this poor woman was miserable.
“Same as before,” she replied, shifting her gaze to Roxie. “I’m Callie Edwards. You must be Beth’s cousin.”
“I’m sorry,” Beth cut in. “Yes, this is Roxie. She got in this morning.”
“Nice to meet