herself it didn’t matter that there were no cars in the driveway. If they weren’t home, she could always come back again later. As she walked through the white-picket gate, the aroma of roses greeted her, reminding her of the previous weekend when Evan had ushered her through his mother’s garden.
Grace rang the doorbell and waited a long time before she rang it again. When no one came, the staggering disappointment forced her to own up to how much she’d been looking forward to seeing Evan again. Which was ridiculous in light of his philosophies on women and relationships.
She felt like a wilted rose as she returned to her car. The marina seemed like the logical next place to check, so she drove down the hill, taking in the glorious views of North Harbor. “What a beautiful place,” she said with a sigh. “Imagine living here and getting to see this every day.”
Not that the views in Mystic were anything to sneeze at, but this… This was something else altogether. An open parking space caught her eye, and she grabbed it even though it was still a ways from the marina. Walking toward the pier, she started to regret parking so far away and worried about being all sweaty the first time she saw Evan again—if he was even there. The day was unusually warm for September, which meant the pier was bustling with people and bikes and dogs on leashes.
She ducked into the marina restaurant, relieved to be out of the sun, and wiped the dampness from her brow. As visions of sweaty pigs danced in her mind, she looked up to find Evan staring at her, and he didn’t look at all pleased to see her. Great. Grace took a deep breath before she walked over to him.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” He’d been speaking with another man who sort of resembled him and a woman with short, spiky red hair. The other guy turned his blue eyes on her, and Grace nearly gasped. How was it possible for two men to have the market cornered on insane hotness? Now that she’d gotten a look at his dazzling eyes, Grace had no doubt he was Evan’s brother.
“Grace.” She didn’t miss the slight stammer in Evan’s voice. “What’re you doing here?”
He wore a yellow Bob Marley T-shirt with board shorts and flip-flops. His hair was mussed and his face sunburned, as if he’d spent the day at the beach. Of course, he had to be the most breathtakingly gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. Apparently, it was her lot in life to have a thing for unattainable men.
“I, um, well, I owe you some money, and I wanted to pay you back.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.” She glanced at the other couple, who stared at her with unveiled interest.
“Oh, sorry,” Evan said. “Grace, this is my brother Grant and his girlfriend Stephanie.”
“Oh,” Stephanie said with a knowing look on her face. “I’ve heard about you.”
Evan’s mouth fell open. “What did you hear?”
Stephanie flashed him a saucy grin. “I’ll never tell.” She came around the counter and took Grace by the arm. “Come, sit. Have some of our famous chowder.” Stephanie ushered Grace into a chair at one of the tables. “How about some clam cakes, too?”
Amused by the way Stephanie had taken over, Grace looked up at her. “I’d love some chowder, please.”
Stephanie winked at Evan and gave Grant a hip check as she went behind the takeout counter to serve up the chowder. Watching her in action, Grace decided Stephanie was also the kind of fearless woman she’d love to have as a friend. Old Grace had gravitated to safe friends who didn’t take risks. New Grace was interested in meeting people who didn’t always bow to convention. With her spiky hair, pierced tongue and impertinent way of managing the McCarthy brothers, Stephanie intrigued her.
Grant’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself to take the call.
While she waited for Stephanie to return, Grace cast a nervous glance at Evan. “I’m sorry if I took you by
Grace rang the doorbell and waited a long time before she rang it again. When no one came, the staggering disappointment forced her to own up to how much she’d been looking forward to seeing Evan again. Which was ridiculous in light of his philosophies on women and relationships.
She felt like a wilted rose as she returned to her car. The marina seemed like the logical next place to check, so she drove down the hill, taking in the glorious views of North Harbor. “What a beautiful place,” she said with a sigh. “Imagine living here and getting to see this every day.”
Not that the views in Mystic were anything to sneeze at, but this… This was something else altogether. An open parking space caught her eye, and she grabbed it even though it was still a ways from the marina. Walking toward the pier, she started to regret parking so far away and worried about being all sweaty the first time she saw Evan again—if he was even there. The day was unusually warm for September, which meant the pier was bustling with people and bikes and dogs on leashes.
She ducked into the marina restaurant, relieved to be out of the sun, and wiped the dampness from her brow. As visions of sweaty pigs danced in her mind, she looked up to find Evan staring at her, and he didn’t look at all pleased to see her. Great. Grace took a deep breath before she walked over to him.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” He’d been speaking with another man who sort of resembled him and a woman with short, spiky red hair. The other guy turned his blue eyes on her, and Grace nearly gasped. How was it possible for two men to have the market cornered on insane hotness? Now that she’d gotten a look at his dazzling eyes, Grace had no doubt he was Evan’s brother.
“Grace.” She didn’t miss the slight stammer in Evan’s voice. “What’re you doing here?”
He wore a yellow Bob Marley T-shirt with board shorts and flip-flops. His hair was mussed and his face sunburned, as if he’d spent the day at the beach. Of course, he had to be the most breathtakingly gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. Apparently, it was her lot in life to have a thing for unattainable men.
“I, um, well, I owe you some money, and I wanted to pay you back.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.” She glanced at the other couple, who stared at her with unveiled interest.
“Oh, sorry,” Evan said. “Grace, this is my brother Grant and his girlfriend Stephanie.”
“Oh,” Stephanie said with a knowing look on her face. “I’ve heard about you.”
Evan’s mouth fell open. “What did you hear?”
Stephanie flashed him a saucy grin. “I’ll never tell.” She came around the counter and took Grace by the arm. “Come, sit. Have some of our famous chowder.” Stephanie ushered Grace into a chair at one of the tables. “How about some clam cakes, too?”
Amused by the way Stephanie had taken over, Grace looked up at her. “I’d love some chowder, please.”
Stephanie winked at Evan and gave Grant a hip check as she went behind the takeout counter to serve up the chowder. Watching her in action, Grace decided Stephanie was also the kind of fearless woman she’d love to have as a friend. Old Grace had gravitated to safe friends who didn’t take risks. New Grace was interested in meeting people who didn’t always bow to convention. With her spiky hair, pierced tongue and impertinent way of managing the McCarthy brothers, Stephanie intrigued her.
Grant’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself to take the call.
While she waited for Stephanie to return, Grace cast a nervous glance at Evan. “I’m sorry if I took you by
Similar Books
