turned out to be something completely different from what my parents wanted for me.” She swallowed. “They still think teaching is something unpleasant I’ll get over eventually. Like the flu.”
Matt started to say something. Tossed back his beer instead.
“What?”
He set down his empty glass. “You didn’t run off and join the circus. Or a cult. You didn’t get busted or pregnant. You’re a teacher, for God’s sake. Seems to me your parents should be proud of you.”
She hadn’t expected him to take her side. Ridiculous that his sticking up for her choices—even after the fact—could make her flush with pleasure. “Well,” she said, trying to be fair. “They were very disappointed in my brother. I suppose they count on me to provide them with bragging rights.”
“And grandchildren,” Matt said dryly.
She laughed. “Those, too. They really always just wanted to see me excel.”
“And what did you want?”
“What every child wants, I suppose.”
To be accepted. Loved.
Matt nodded. “To get away.”
Allison blinked. Not the answer she was expecting from him.
More personal experience?
“Is that what you wanted?” she asked.
“Maybe. Once. But I always knew I’d be back.” He turned his head to look out over the water, beautiful in profile, his eyes the same deep blue as the sea. “I’m a Marine brat. We moved around a lot, living in military housing. Spent some time with my mom’s folks in Chicago while my dad was overseas. He’d bring us here on vacations sometimes to visit my grandfather. This island was the first place, the only place, that felt like home to me. Guess you could say it’s in my blood.”
A wave of wistfulness hit her. She’d never felt that kind of connection anywhere with anyone. Maybe that’s what she’d come to Dare Island to find.
A place to belong.
And maybe the alcohol on an empty stomach was making her stupid.
“How old were you when you moved here?”
“Fifteen.”
“Almost Joshua’s age,” she observed.
He smiled wryly. “A long time ago.”
He was hardly ancient. Midthirties? Not that she was speculating about his age. Exactly.
“You said I should get to know the island. Why don’t you tell me about it?”
He regarded her for a long moment, while her heart pounded and the Shirelles sang “Mama Said” over the speakers.
Heat rose in her cheeks. The curse of the born blonde.
Matt smiled slowly. “Why don’t I show you instead?”
Before she could respond, their waitress reappeared. “Another beer?” she asked Matt.
He looked at Allison.
“Not for me,” she said.
“Just the check, thanks, Cynthie.”
“Sure. If you want anything, anything at all…” She scrawled on her pad and smiled. “You know where to find me.”
“All set?” Matt asked.
Allison collected her bag and her thoughts. “Yes. I’ve got that.” She reached for the bill.
And saw that the waitress had written her phone number beside the total.
“No.” He put his hand on the check.
“You can have her number,” Allison said when she was sure the waitress had moved out of earshot. “But I invited you. I pay.”
“Not when you’re with me.”
“This isn’t a date. Dating rules don’t apply.”
“Guy Rules,” Matt said. Standing, he anchored some bills under the saltshaker.
“The guys I know go Dutch.”
He met her gaze, that lazy smile in his eyes. “Maybe you know the wrong guys.”
He looked so good, solid and strong in the sunlight, that her breath evaporated.
Too much sun, she thought dizzily, and pushed back her chair.
“Well.” She took a deep breath and stuck out her hand. “Thank you. I appreciate your time and the beer.”
“I’m taking you home.”
“It’s not that far,” she said. “I can walk.”
“Sure you can,” he said patiently. “But I brought you here. I’ll take you home.”
She tilted her head. “Another Guy Rule?”
“Yep.”
The dog lurched from under the table. Matt stood back to let
Matt started to say something. Tossed back his beer instead.
“What?”
He set down his empty glass. “You didn’t run off and join the circus. Or a cult. You didn’t get busted or pregnant. You’re a teacher, for God’s sake. Seems to me your parents should be proud of you.”
She hadn’t expected him to take her side. Ridiculous that his sticking up for her choices—even after the fact—could make her flush with pleasure. “Well,” she said, trying to be fair. “They were very disappointed in my brother. I suppose they count on me to provide them with bragging rights.”
“And grandchildren,” Matt said dryly.
She laughed. “Those, too. They really always just wanted to see me excel.”
“And what did you want?”
“What every child wants, I suppose.”
To be accepted. Loved.
Matt nodded. “To get away.”
Allison blinked. Not the answer she was expecting from him.
More personal experience?
“Is that what you wanted?” she asked.
“Maybe. Once. But I always knew I’d be back.” He turned his head to look out over the water, beautiful in profile, his eyes the same deep blue as the sea. “I’m a Marine brat. We moved around a lot, living in military housing. Spent some time with my mom’s folks in Chicago while my dad was overseas. He’d bring us here on vacations sometimes to visit my grandfather. This island was the first place, the only place, that felt like home to me. Guess you could say it’s in my blood.”
A wave of wistfulness hit her. She’d never felt that kind of connection anywhere with anyone. Maybe that’s what she’d come to Dare Island to find.
A place to belong.
And maybe the alcohol on an empty stomach was making her stupid.
“How old were you when you moved here?”
“Fifteen.”
“Almost Joshua’s age,” she observed.
He smiled wryly. “A long time ago.”
He was hardly ancient. Midthirties? Not that she was speculating about his age. Exactly.
“You said I should get to know the island. Why don’t you tell me about it?”
He regarded her for a long moment, while her heart pounded and the Shirelles sang “Mama Said” over the speakers.
Heat rose in her cheeks. The curse of the born blonde.
Matt smiled slowly. “Why don’t I show you instead?”
Before she could respond, their waitress reappeared. “Another beer?” she asked Matt.
He looked at Allison.
“Not for me,” she said.
“Just the check, thanks, Cynthie.”
“Sure. If you want anything, anything at all…” She scrawled on her pad and smiled. “You know where to find me.”
“All set?” Matt asked.
Allison collected her bag and her thoughts. “Yes. I’ve got that.” She reached for the bill.
And saw that the waitress had written her phone number beside the total.
“No.” He put his hand on the check.
“You can have her number,” Allison said when she was sure the waitress had moved out of earshot. “But I invited you. I pay.”
“Not when you’re with me.”
“This isn’t a date. Dating rules don’t apply.”
“Guy Rules,” Matt said. Standing, he anchored some bills under the saltshaker.
“The guys I know go Dutch.”
He met her gaze, that lazy smile in his eyes. “Maybe you know the wrong guys.”
He looked so good, solid and strong in the sunlight, that her breath evaporated.
Too much sun, she thought dizzily, and pushed back her chair.
“Well.” She took a deep breath and stuck out her hand. “Thank you. I appreciate your time and the beer.”
“I’m taking you home.”
“It’s not that far,” she said. “I can walk.”
“Sure you can,” he said patiently. “But I brought you here. I’ll take you home.”
She tilted her head. “Another Guy Rule?”
“Yep.”
The dog lurched from under the table. Matt stood back to let
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