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Chapter Eighteen
Holly sippedat her steaming coffee. She wanted more than anything to just chug the entire mug in the hopes it might make her headache go away, but she knew if she did that, she would just end up burning her mouth and throat.
"It looks like I'm not the only one who needs some bed rest," Nelly remarked. She sat on the opposite side of the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in front of her alongside the eggs and bacon Holly had cooked up for breakfast.
She still looked quite weak and frail, but there was more life in her eyes than Holly had seen since she had returned to the Keys. The depression meds really seemed to be helping with her mother's energy levels, which in turn was helping with everything else.
As long as she kept on this path, Holly was confident her mother really would make a full recovery. It would no doubt take time, but that was the one thing they seemed to have in abundance right then.
A thudding sound on the stairs caught both their attention. Holly winced as her mother turned in the direction of the stairs, worry evident in her eyes. Last night, she had barely managed to get Randy up to his old bedroom before she had gone to her room to collapse.
And so far this morning, she hadn't had the chance to tell their mother about what had happened last night. So when Randy appeared in the doorway, looking very much like he'd been run over by a truck, Nelly squealed in surprise.
The woman moved faster than she should've been able to in her condition. She rushed over to wrap her arms around her only son. Randy stared in surprise for a moment and then carefully hugged her back.
"Oh, my God!" Nelly squealed loud enough they could hear her back at the inn. "I can't believe you're here! Oh, Randy! It's been so long since I've seen you. And I swear you've somehow managed to grow since then!"
Randy forced out a laugh. He locked eyes with Holly for a moment as if trying to reassure himself that this wasn't a dream. "Still the same height, Mom," he said carefully. "Haven't grown an inch since I was eighteen."
"Then, I must be shrinking!" Nelly stated. Finally, she pried herself away from her son just long enough to take his hand and guide him over to the table. Even though she was supposed to be the one resting and being taken care of, she busied herself getting Randy a cup of coffee and a plate of food before Holly could say anything.
Randy had a look of shock on his face like he wasn't sure this was all really happening. Holly couldn't blame him. He probably didn't remember a single thing from the previous night. All he knew was he'd randomly woken up in his childhood bed. And now, the woman he had been so sure had hated him, was doting on him like he was her favorite child.
It really must have been like he was in a dream.
Holly smirked as she sipped at her coffee and watched the scene in front of her. Nelly didn't once ask why Randy was there or when he'd gotten there. No doubt, she had taken one look at him and decided she didn't want to know, which was just fine with Holly.
Nelly didn't need that stress right now. Once they were alone, Holly would talk to her brother, try to get him back on the right path. If she could do that, then Nelly would never need to know about his monumental mistake.
Once she finished her coffee, Holly left the two of them to catch up while she went to do the rounds and check up on the staff. Most of them had been working at the inn for ages, so they knew how to do their jobs without her having to hover over their shoulders. But she still liked to check in regularly and make sure no new crisis had popped up.
By the time she returned to the Archer House, Randy was sitting out on the porch on one of the small swings that overlooked the water. He looked a bit more put together than he had that morning, but his eyes were still bloodshot, and he looked more than a little lost.
Holly stood on the stairs leading up the porch and the two of them locked eyes. Randy at least looked sheepish, knowing Holly had bailed him out the night before. She could also see gratitude in his gaze. Whether it was from her helping him out or from her not spilling everything to their mother, she wasn't sure.
Not that it really mattered. When it came to things they needed to talk about, that was probably near the bottom.
She nodded toward the pier, not far from the house. A single boat was tethered there, bobbing up and down on the gentle waves. "I checked out Dad's boat the other day. It's still in pretty good shape. Why don't we get out on the water for a bit?"
Randy frowned but nodded. When he stood from the bench, Holly noticed how slowly he moved. No doubt, he was still nursing that hangover and would be for at least the day. But hey, a hangover was probably the easiest of the potential consequences.
Their dad's old boat wasn't anything special. A twenty-four-foot center console he had bought used and restored himself. It had just barely fit the six of them, though as they'd gotten older, rarely did all of them ever go out at the same time.
Right then, it would be perfect for the two of them to get away from everything and just talk.
Randy took control of the moment they stepped on board. And, in minutes, they were out on the crystal blue ocean, the shore getting farther and farther away with each passing moment. Neither of them spoke until the beach was only barely visible in the distance.
"You're an idiot; you know that?" Holly told him. She wasn't angry this time, but she wasn't going to lie to him either. What he had done last night was beyond stupid, and he needed to understand that.
Randy winced, but he nodded. Chewing on his bottom lip, he stared out over the water. "I'm guessing by the fact my truck isn't here that I didn't drive here on my own."
Holly snorted and shook her head. Just as she thought, he didn't remember any of the previous night. "Not even close, though you were on your way down here when Jake pulled you over, drunk as a skunk."
Again, Randy winced. He didn't look over at Holly. He may have been prone to making stupid mistakes, but he wasn't dumb. Randy knew what he had done last night was irresponsible and foolish. And he knew what the potential consequences could have been.
"You're right, I am an idiot," he said at last.
Holly sighed and then went to sit next to him. He had been lucky. No one had gotten hurt, and it had been Jake who had caught him. That meant this wasn't a life-ending mistake. It was one he could learn from, provided he never made it again.
