LITMIR.BIZ

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      “I could tell that when there wasn’t the slightest spark of interest in his eyes when you mentioned protecting the bay.”

      She couldn’t deny that. Still, she felt compelled to say, “I think you might be a bit biased when it comes to the bay. Not everyone is as passionate about what you do as you are.”

      He held her gaze. “You are,” he said quietly. “Can you honestly tell me you’d be seriously interested in a man who doesn’t care about his surroundings?”

      “Probably not, but you don’t get to decide that,” she replied.

      “I did you a favor,” he said stubbornly.

      She sighed. She could tell she wasn’t going to win this argument. To be honest, she wasn’t all that unhappy about what he’d done, not if it gave the two of them more time together. She wasn’t sure she liked what that said about her state of mind, but there it was, the honest-to-God truth.

      “Let’s say I accept that you thought you were doing me a favor,” she said. “I drove all this way to have lunch. Does that mean you’re treating me now?”

      His expression brightened and his booming laugh drew smiles from those at nearby tables. “I think it’s the least I can do,” he agreed readily.

      “And what about those plans we supposedly have for next weekend?” she asked, suddenly feeling daring in a way she hadn’t in a very long time.

      “Dinner at Brady’s on Saturday night?” he suggested.

      Despite the little zing of anticipation that rushed through her at the suggestion, Connie hesitated. “Brady’s? Are you sure about that?”

      “O’Brien turf?” he asked, proving he understood exactly what her concerns were.

      “Pretty much.”

      “Well, I can’t very well ask you to drive back to Annapolis, can I? We’ll just have to find someplace down there that my family hasn’t discovered. Chesapeake Shores isn’t the only town with restaurants. Leave it to me.”

      “Okay,” she said, her hands suddenly shaking so badly she had to set her menu back on the table. Just to be sure she wasn’t misinterpreting what was going on here, she forced herself to meet his gaze.

      “Is this a date, Thomas? Or a business meeting? I want to be clear.”

      He didn’t answer immediately. In fact, it looked as if he was struggling to decide. “The smart answer would be to call it a business meeting, wouldn’t it?” he said, regret in his voice.

      “It would probably be wise,” she agreed, not even trying to disguise her own disappointment. Then she reminded herself that she was over forty, not some shy little teenage wallflower. Thomas O’Brien was the first man in years who’d captured her attention. Why shouldn’t she throw caution to the wind? She looked him directly in the eyes then, and added, “But I’d really hoped it was a date.”

      His expression immediately lit up in a thoroughly gratifying way. “Then a date it is!” He hesitated, then said, “But—”

      “You don’t have to say it, Thomas. The family doesn’t need to know about any of this.”

      “Not that I think there’s anything wrong with the two of us going on a date,” he was quick to say.

      Connie laughed. “Believe me, I get it. Once unleashed, the meddling O’Briens are hard to contain.”

      “Exactly.” He picked up his menu. “Suddenly I’m starving. I think I’ll have the seafood platter. How about you?”

      Connie was pretty sure she wasn’t going to be able to eat a single bite. “A small house salad for me.”

      “Nonsense. You need some protein before you have to drive home. At least have the crabcakes. They’re excellent here.”

      She gave in because it made no sense to fight him. She knew she’d be regretting that salad halfway home when her stomach started growling. Still, she couldn’t let him have his way about it entirely. It would set a bad precedent with a man as strong-willed as he obviously was.

      “A crabcake sandwich, then,” she compromised.

      “Excellent!”

      She looked into his blue, blue eyes, sparkling with mirth, and thought she hadn’t been captivated by anyone like this as far back as she could remember, not even Jenny’s father. As much as she’d thought she loved Sam, he’d lacked strength, maturity, passion and compassion, all qualities Thomas personified.

      She was smitten, all right. If only the situation didn’t have the potential for heartbreak written all over it.

      3

      Ever since she’d found out that Lunch by the Bay was, indeed, Will’s new enterprise, Jess had been feeling more restless and out of sorts than usual. She’d been avoiding Laila’s calls as well, not sure she wanted to hear about how wonderful the date with Will had been. Jess knew, though, that she couldn’t put her friend off forever. In fact, it was childish that she’d done it this long.

      She walked into the inn’s kitchen, where Gail was preparing food for the picnic baskets that several of the guests had requested.

      “I’m going to take off for an hour or so,” Jess told her chef. “Call me on my cell phone if you need me.”

      “Who’s working out front?”

      “Ronnie’s got it.”

      Gail regarded her with surprise. “Boy, you must be anxious to get out of here. I thought you didn’t trust Ronnie to handle the desk.”

      Ronnie Forrest was in his early twenties, but he had the maturity of a preteen. His father, a friend of Mick’s, had despaired of Ronnie ever getting a responsible job and holding on to it. Jess had been willing to take a chance on him, but so far the only task he handled without bungling was carrying bags for the guests. More often than not, he could be found in the main lounge watching TV, rather than doing any of the other chores assigned to him.

      As frustrating as his malingering was, on some level Jess could identify with him. She’d wondered more than once if he didn’t have an undiagnosed case of the same ADD that had plagued her life.

      Jess beamed at Gail. “Which is why you’re going to supervise him while I’m gone. You’re much tougher than I am. Maybe you can get him to take this job seriously.”

      Gail didn’t deny her toughness. However, with a lifted brow, she inquired, “And just how am I supposed to keep an eye on him from here in the kitchen?”

      “Transfer the calls to your line, if you want to, and bring him in here and assign him to peel onions,” Jess suggested. “Maybe he’ll start to figure out that my threats to fire him if he doesn’t shape up aren’t idle ones.”

      Gail regarded her with surprise. “You’ve actually told him his job’s on the line?”

      Jess nodded. “Last week. I had no choice after three people complained that no one had answered when they called to make reservations and I found him watching reruns of Law and Order.”

      “What’s your father going to say?”

      “I’ll tell him if he wants to give the guy a break, then he should hire him,” Jess said. “It might be best all around. Dad doesn’t tolerate anyone who doesn’t pull their weight on a job. Maybe he’ll even tell Ronnie’s father to get him tested for ADD, which is what I suspect is going on.”

      Gail studied her with surprise. “Seriously?”

      Jess nodded.

      “And that’s why you keep cutting him slack, despite the tough talk?”

      “More than likely,” Jess conceded with a sigh. “Meantime, he’s all

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