Free Maid for Love (A Romantic Comedy) by Caroline Mickelson

to concentrate on much beyond you at the moment.”
    An equally flirtatious rejoinder sprang to Zoe’s mind but, before she could speak, her cell phone rang. She groaned when she saw that the caller was her mother.
    “Problem?” Michael asked.
    She shook her head. “It's my mother, who is persistent beyond reason. If I don’t answer, she’ll just keep calling.”
    “Go ahead.” He nodded in the direction of the lighthouse. “I’ll go check on the kids.”
    After he was out of sight, Zoe hit the talk button. “Mother?”
    “Will miracles never cease? You finally picked up.”
    Zoe immediately recognized her mother's tone of voice, it was one of righteous indignation mixed with urgency. Not a good combination under any circumstances, certainly not on a day like today. “It’s not a good time.”
    “Yes, I'd gathered that from the way you let my initial call go to voice mail.”
    Zoe sighed. “Some people would consider that a hint.”
    “We both know I’m not 'some people'.”
    Truer words had never been spoken. “I can’t talk now.” Zoe glanced around the grassy bluff. “I’m out of the office.”
    Her attempt to avoid a flat out lie amused her mother, judging by her laughter. “Yes, dear, I’d say Nantucket definitely qualifies as out of the office.”
    Equal parts admiration and annoyance shot through Zoe. “Okay, so you know where I am. Then you also know that I’m determined to spend this one last day with Michael. So that means you also should be able to understand that I want to take advantage of every moment we have together.”
    “Oh, Zoe.” Her mother wasn’t laughing any longer. Just the opposite. Her voice reflected a wistful regret. “You’ve got everything so wrong.”
    “I’m doing what I have to do,” Zoe protested. From the corner of her eye she saw Kathryn waving to her.  She waved back. “If you’re so sure I’m going to have my heart broken then let me do it and we can spend endless hours talking about it later.”
    Her mother didn’t miss a beat. “If I didn’t love you so much, Zoe, then I’d probably just stand back and let you dive head first into abject misery, seeing as you so badly seem to want to. But I’m not going to do that.”
    “Mother, please, not now.”
    “It's critically important that you let me tell you about a conversation that I had with your Aunt Matilda.”
    “No,” Zoe protested. “I mean it. Not now. I’m not hanging up on you but I’m going to lovingly and respectfully disconnect this call. I promise to call when I get back home.” She held the cell phone out and ignored the sound of her mother’s urgent but garbled words. “Goodbye.”
    She pushed the end button and then powered down the phone. She slid it into her pocket with equal parts guilt and relief as she headed up to the lighthouse to join Michael.
    ***
    "I think it's romantic."
    "I think it's crazy. But cool."
    Michael reached out and pulled his niece and nephew in for a quick hug. "It's probably all three," he said. "But it feels so right. I love Zoe and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
    He watched as they exchanged a quick but undecipherable glance. "What is it?"
    Josh kicked the ground with his toe and avoided looking at him. Not a good sign. He turned to his niece. "Kathryn?"
    "Well, it's like this, Uncle M, we like Zoe. We really do."
    "But?" Michael prompted her.
    "Can you trust her? I mean, really trust her?" Kathryn's expression was earnest, not judgmental. "I see that you love her, and that she loves you, which is good. But this whole pretending not to know you thing was a bit odd."
    He nodded. "Yes, it was. I'm not going to argue that point but keep in mind that I know Zoe. We have a history. And she's a really good person. Honest and caring. She just got scared by the way our feelings for each other got so deep so quickly."
    "I get that," Josh said. "I think you guys will make a great couple."
    Michael looked between them. "So you approve?"
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