Read Online Chasing Julia (Rhode Island Romance #2) by Sophia Renny - Free Book Online
Authors: Sophia Renny
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Although she’d moved into her own place by then,
she’d made a point to visit the Rossetti clan on a weekly basis, joining them,
along with her parents, for family cookouts and celebrations.
Tony had been
there, too, usually with one attractive girl or another—his flavor of the
month, Julia had teased. She and Tony had eased into a friendship that
consisted of playful banter, good-natured ribbing, and mock flirtatiousness. He
was the life of the party, whatever the occasion, and he doled out his charm to
every woman who happened to be in the room.
But she’d
laughingly reminded him that his charm was wasted on her. Her heart was set on
Joe; Tony would just have to find some other bird to lure down from the tree…
“What are you
thinking about?” he asked her now, tugging her from her reverie.
She shook her head
out of the clouds and sat up straighter in her seat. “Nothing in particular.”
“Looked like some
deep thoughts were going on in there,” he fished.
“Just thinking
about work. Oh! I meant to tell you. Your friend Audrey came by my office
yesterday afternoon.”
“Audrey King?” He
sounded startled. “What did she want?”
“She’s launching a
new jewelry line. She’s asked me to plan a party to kick things off.”
“Really? Well,
that’s great.” He gave her a quick look before returning his focus to the road.
“Tell me about it.”
She outlined the
details, her enthusiasm growing as she shared her preliminary ideas of
transforming Audrey’s factory in Pawtucket into an underwater world, in keeping
with Audrey’s ocean-themed designs.
Tony beamed at her.
“That sounds amazing, Julia. You always have the coolest ideas.”
She glowed.
“Thanks! It helps that I’ll have a decent budget to work with. Audrey isn’t
sparing any costs.”
“Will you need help
with anything?”
“Maybe. She suggested
you might come with me to take a look at the space. She’s thinking of having
some display counters put in.”
“She did, huh?”
There was something curious in his tone, but his next words were casual. “Yeah,
I could do that. I think I have next Wednesday afternoon free if that works for
you.”
“I’ll check my
calendar when we get back to my place.”
Her stomach
growled, startling them both.
He laughed softly. “Hungry?”
“Famished. I only
had a piece of toast for breakfast before you yanked me out the door.”
He smirked. “Hang
tight. We’ll get you fed soon.”
She hadn’t been
paying attention to where they were going. “Did we just pass North Kingstown?”
“Yep.”
“Are we going to
Narragansett Beach?”
“Nope.”
“Scarborough Beach?”
“Nope.”
She continued the
guessing game as he drove along, even when she realized where they were headed.
When he pulled into a parking lot off Sand Hill Cove Road, she gave him a happy
smile. “I haven’t been here since last summer. What a perfect idea!”
He’d taken them to
Galilee, a fishing village on Point Judith and the site of the Block Island
Ferry. She and her parents had come here at least once every summer when she
was growing up. Last year, she and Hannah had taken the ferry over to Block
Island for a girls’ weekend.
“I haven’t either,”
he said, sharing her smile. “I like it better after the summer crowds have
gone.”
They exited the
truck and stood together in the unpaved parking area, looking around. He
pointed across the street to Champlin’s, a fresh seafood market with a
restaurant on the second floor. “How about there? It’s still a little before
noon. We’ll beat the rush.”
“Sounds good to
me.”
She ambled
alongside him towards the gray shingled building. As they walked up the outer
stairs to the restaurant, she felt his palm settle against the small of her
back. Something quickened inside of her. She didn’t pull away, letting him
guide her as they approached the order window. They studied the menu affixed to
the wall.
“Think I’ll go for a
lobster
she’d made a point to visit the Rossetti clan on a weekly basis, joining them,
along with her parents, for family cookouts and celebrations.
Tony had been
there, too, usually with one attractive girl or another—his flavor of the
month, Julia had teased. She and Tony had eased into a friendship that
consisted of playful banter, good-natured ribbing, and mock flirtatiousness. He
was the life of the party, whatever the occasion, and he doled out his charm to
every woman who happened to be in the room.
But she’d
laughingly reminded him that his charm was wasted on her. Her heart was set on
Joe; Tony would just have to find some other bird to lure down from the tree…
“What are you
thinking about?” he asked her now, tugging her from her reverie.
She shook her head
out of the clouds and sat up straighter in her seat. “Nothing in particular.”
“Looked like some
deep thoughts were going on in there,” he fished.
“Just thinking
about work. Oh! I meant to tell you. Your friend Audrey came by my office
yesterday afternoon.”
“Audrey King?” He
sounded startled. “What did she want?”
“She’s launching a
new jewelry line. She’s asked me to plan a party to kick things off.”
“Really? Well,
that’s great.” He gave her a quick look before returning his focus to the road.
“Tell me about it.”
She outlined the
details, her enthusiasm growing as she shared her preliminary ideas of
transforming Audrey’s factory in Pawtucket into an underwater world, in keeping
with Audrey’s ocean-themed designs.
Tony beamed at her.
“That sounds amazing, Julia. You always have the coolest ideas.”
She glowed.
“Thanks! It helps that I’ll have a decent budget to work with. Audrey isn’t
sparing any costs.”
“Will you need help
with anything?”
“Maybe. She suggested
you might come with me to take a look at the space. She’s thinking of having
some display counters put in.”
“She did, huh?”
There was something curious in his tone, but his next words were casual. “Yeah,
I could do that. I think I have next Wednesday afternoon free if that works for
you.”
“I’ll check my
calendar when we get back to my place.”
Her stomach
growled, startling them both.
He laughed softly. “Hungry?”
“Famished. I only
had a piece of toast for breakfast before you yanked me out the door.”
He smirked. “Hang
tight. We’ll get you fed soon.”
She hadn’t been
paying attention to where they were going. “Did we just pass North Kingstown?”
“Yep.”
“Are we going to
Narragansett Beach?”
“Nope.”
“Scarborough Beach?”
“Nope.”
She continued the
guessing game as he drove along, even when she realized where they were headed.
When he pulled into a parking lot off Sand Hill Cove Road, she gave him a happy
smile. “I haven’t been here since last summer. What a perfect idea!”
He’d taken them to
Galilee, a fishing village on Point Judith and the site of the Block Island
Ferry. She and her parents had come here at least once every summer when she
was growing up. Last year, she and Hannah had taken the ferry over to Block
Island for a girls’ weekend.
“I haven’t either,”
he said, sharing her smile. “I like it better after the summer crowds have
gone.”
They exited the
truck and stood together in the unpaved parking area, looking around. He
pointed across the street to Champlin’s, a fresh seafood market with a
restaurant on the second floor. “How about there? It’s still a little before
noon. We’ll beat the rush.”
“Sounds good to
me.”
She ambled
alongside him towards the gray shingled building. As they walked up the outer
stairs to the restaurant, she felt his palm settle against the small of her
back. Something quickened inside of her. She didn’t pull away, letting him
guide her as they approached the order window. They studied the menu affixed to
the wall.
“Think I’ll go for a
lobster
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