Just an Ordinary Family

coming in.” His tone oozed the disappointment of a kid whose kite kept slamming into the ground instead of soaring high and free.
These days, few things made Libby truly happy and despite Nick’s reassurances that he was “all good,” perhaps he wasn’t doing as well as he professed to be either. The ache intensified and she fought it with a sudden desire to give Nick what he wanted. If he was happy, perhaps she would be too. “Okay, let’s be spontaneous. Sailing’s on.”
“Yes!” He snaked an arm around her, pulling her in close before lowering his mouth to hers. His kiss overflowed with excitement, enthusiasm and optimism—just like his kisses of old. It was innocent of the heavy weight life had dropped on them two and a half years earlier. A weight that was too slow in relieving its pressure.
“If I get the girls sorted, can you do the food? I’ve got plenty of drinks on Freedom so we only need bread and sausages, some fruit and a packet of Tim Tams. We can go to Bunga Arm and barbecue on the beach.” Nick winked at her. “Shame we can’t stay the night, tesoro mio.”
Libby remembered the first night they’d slept on the beach. It was the third time she’d been out on Andiamo but the first time without the added company of Nick’s mate, Will Azzopardi. They’d dropped anchor and swum off the yacht, but when it was time to return home, the wind had dropped. Nick had tried starting the motor but despite his legendary skills with an engine, it had failed to turn over. All these years later, Libby still didn’t know if it had been a ploy of Nick’s to deliberately maroon them on an isolated beach on a star-filled night or if it was just serendipity. Either way, they’d been together ever since.
Libby pressed her palm flat on Nick’s chest. “Even if we didn’t have to show up at work in the morning, I’m not sure sharing the beach with the girls, Jess and Leo would exactly recreate that night.”
“I thought it was just us and the girls?”
“It can be next time, but I can’t dump Jess for sailing at such short notice.”
Nick crossed his arms. “She can’t come.”
“Wait? What? Why?”
“Leo is why. He’s thirteen months and can barely walk on land.”
Libby didn’t understand. They’d taken the girls out on Freedom plenty of times when they were babies. “But you just said it’s a divine evening and smooth sailing. We’ll stick Leo in a lifejacket and put the girls’ old harness on him. He’ll be fine.”
Nick’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket, read the text, then swore. “Looks like it’s a moot point anyway. I have to go back to work.”
Libby didn’t ask why—she didn’t need to. Whatever the minute details, the big picture was always the same: it involved a tourist. It was a common occurrence for them both in January. “I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”
He nodded, gave her a distracted kiss and grabbed his keys.
“Nick.”
“Yeah?”
“The next perfect sailing Wednesday, I promise it’s a family date. Or better yet, we can get Alice or Jess to mind the girls and go to Bunga Arm alone.”
“Sure.”
But the light in his eyes had extinguished and Libby got a sense of having literally missed the boat.

Chapter Two
Jess filled Libby’s wine glass. “Here’s to my favorite time of day: when our children are fast asleep.”
Libby clinked her glass against Jess’s. “Amen to that but don’t get too comfortable. The kitchen’s a disaster.”
Jess sat back on Libby’s generously wide couch, settling comfortably into her usual spot with Monty the Jack Russell curled up next to her. She’d cooked the barbecue and made the salads so the last thing she wanted to do was rouse herself to do the dishes. “Won’t Nick weave his usual magic when he gets back, you spoilt and pampered woman?”
Libby rolled her eyes. “You make it sound like I never wash up.”
“I don’t see you do it very often.”
“That’s because whenever you’re over Nick treats us.”
“Well, I’m over, so problem solved.”
“He got called back to work tonight so it’s not fair to expect him to do the dishes.”
Jess wasn’t certain Libby really knew all that much about fair. “Work? You’re always saying Nick gets paid to do what he loves most, which is mucking about in boats. It’s us who’ve been wrangling hot and tired kids.”
“And Nick’s dealing with a disgruntled customer who can easily have a tanty on TripAdvisor. Those sorts of reviews hurt the business.”
“Sure, I get it. Someone stuffed up and it’s a pain that Nick’s got to sort it, but don’t feel too sorry for him. This morning, Leo and I were walking along the pier just as he was sailing out. You should have seen the huge wave he gave us. We both know grumpy men don’t do that. Judging by the Snapchat he sent you half an hour ago, he looks far from stressed.”
“You think so?”
“I do.” Jess stroked Monty’s ears and he rested his head on her lap. “Why do you sound so surprised? Are you worried about him? I thought you said things were better?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like even though Nick’s standing next to me, he’s very far away.”
“You know that’s just the normal January crazy. If I had to call it today, I’d say your husband’s content.”
The worried look vanished from Libby’s eyes. “He really did look happy, didn’t he? Thanks for talking me down.”
“Any time. It’s what friends do.”
“And I really appreciate it. You do so much for me and I don’t just mean cooking Thursday night dinner or being our emergency backstop with the girls.”
“Oh, stop,” Jess joked and then sobered. “You know I feel the same way, right? Without your help, I couldn’t have come back to the bay.”
Monty made a gurgling sound that was pure doggie delight. “I swear he loves you more than Nick or me.”
“If you