own.
That made what she was about to do so wildly out of character. But when she thought about the proposal she planned to submit to Mr. and Mrs. Gold, a waterfall of tingles attacked her spine, filling her with excitement and anticipation. Other than the surgery, this was the most audacious thing she’d ever done, and she couldn’t wait to get things moving.
“So who’s running McCarthy’s?” the blonde woman sitting next to her asked.
“Grant is still helping out even though Mac is back to work this week,” the man said. “Evan has been helping, too. He’s also been playing at the Tiki Bar with Owen.”
Before she could take a minute to contemplate whether it was totally rude to butt into their conversation, she was spinning around to face them. “Sorry to interrupt, but are you guys talking about Evan McCarthy?”
A pretty woman with long red hair smiled at her. “Yes, we are. Do you know him?”
“I met him last weekend when he helped me out of a major jam.”
“Come join us,” the blonde woman said, waving her over.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” the man said. He had dark hair and eyes. His foot was resting on a pillow, and crutches were propped next to him.
Grace slid into the booth next to the blonde, careful to avoid the injured man’s foot between them. “I’m Grace Ryan.”
“Sydney Donovan.” The redhead extended her hand to Grace. “This is Luke Harris and Laura McCarthy, Evan’s cousin.”
“It’s great to meet you all.”
“So tell us everything.” Laura, the blonde, propped her chin on her hand. “How did you meet Evan?”
Grace relayed the story about Trey abandoning her on the island—leaving out the about-to-have-sex and the nasty-wager-with-his-friend parts, both of which became a “big fight” in the retelling—and how Evan had come to her rescue.
“Wow,” Luke said. “The guy just
left
you there?”
“Yep.” Grace had gone from being infuriated to enjoying the reaction people had at hearing what a jerk Trey had been. Rather than being devastated over what he’d done, she’d decided she was damned glad she’d seen his true colors before their relationship progressed any further.
“Did you get your stuff back?” Sydney asked.
“Under threat of police action, which was Evan’s idea. Trey delivered it all to a mutual friend’s house the next day. Good riddance.”
“What’s with men these days?” Laura asked indignantly. “Are they all dogs or what?”
Sydney linked her arm with Luke’s. “Not all of them.”
Luke flashed her a sexy grin that made Sydney blush.
“I agree with Sydney,” Grace said. “Evan restored my faith by coming to my rescue.”
“What brings you back to the island?” Luke asked.
“I owe Evan some money, and I wanted to pay him back.”
“Hmm,” Laura said with a knowing grin. “And that’s
all
it is?”
“Of course,” Grace said, even though she suspected the rush of heat to her cheeks gave her away. Evan McCarthy had played a prominent role in her daydreams over the last week, and she was anxious to see him again, even if she knew nothing could come of the slight crush she’d developed. What girl wouldn’t be crushing on a guy who’d been so nice to her? Anxious to get the focus off her, she gestured to Luke and Sydney. “So how did you guys meet?”
“That is a very long story,” Sydney said.
“We’ve got time,” Laura said. To Grace, she said, “I’ve never heard it, either.”
“Well,” Syd said, “we dated for a few summers back in high school.” With a hesitant look at Luke, she continued. “We went our separate ways in college. I was married to someone else, and after I was widowed, I came back to the island and reconnected with Luke earlier this summer.”
“I’m sorry about your husband,” Grace said.
“Thank you. He and our children were killed by a drunk driver a year and a half ago.”
“My uncle told me about your terrible loss,” Laura
That made what she was about to do so wildly out of character. But when she thought about the proposal she planned to submit to Mr. and Mrs. Gold, a waterfall of tingles attacked her spine, filling her with excitement and anticipation. Other than the surgery, this was the most audacious thing she’d ever done, and she couldn’t wait to get things moving.
“So who’s running McCarthy’s?” the blonde woman sitting next to her asked.
“Grant is still helping out even though Mac is back to work this week,” the man said. “Evan has been helping, too. He’s also been playing at the Tiki Bar with Owen.”
Before she could take a minute to contemplate whether it was totally rude to butt into their conversation, she was spinning around to face them. “Sorry to interrupt, but are you guys talking about Evan McCarthy?”
A pretty woman with long red hair smiled at her. “Yes, we are. Do you know him?”
“I met him last weekend when he helped me out of a major jam.”
“Come join us,” the blonde woman said, waving her over.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” the man said. He had dark hair and eyes. His foot was resting on a pillow, and crutches were propped next to him.
Grace slid into the booth next to the blonde, careful to avoid the injured man’s foot between them. “I’m Grace Ryan.”
“Sydney Donovan.” The redhead extended her hand to Grace. “This is Luke Harris and Laura McCarthy, Evan’s cousin.”
“It’s great to meet you all.”
“So tell us everything.” Laura, the blonde, propped her chin on her hand. “How did you meet Evan?”
Grace relayed the story about Trey abandoning her on the island—leaving out the about-to-have-sex and the nasty-wager-with-his-friend parts, both of which became a “big fight” in the retelling—and how Evan had come to her rescue.
“Wow,” Luke said. “The guy just
left
you there?”
“Yep.” Grace had gone from being infuriated to enjoying the reaction people had at hearing what a jerk Trey had been. Rather than being devastated over what he’d done, she’d decided she was damned glad she’d seen his true colors before their relationship progressed any further.
“Did you get your stuff back?” Sydney asked.
“Under threat of police action, which was Evan’s idea. Trey delivered it all to a mutual friend’s house the next day. Good riddance.”
“What’s with men these days?” Laura asked indignantly. “Are they all dogs or what?”
Sydney linked her arm with Luke’s. “Not all of them.”
Luke flashed her a sexy grin that made Sydney blush.
“I agree with Sydney,” Grace said. “Evan restored my faith by coming to my rescue.”
“What brings you back to the island?” Luke asked.
“I owe Evan some money, and I wanted to pay him back.”
“Hmm,” Laura said with a knowing grin. “And that’s
all
it is?”
“Of course,” Grace said, even though she suspected the rush of heat to her cheeks gave her away. Evan McCarthy had played a prominent role in her daydreams over the last week, and she was anxious to see him again, even if she knew nothing could come of the slight crush she’d developed. What girl wouldn’t be crushing on a guy who’d been so nice to her? Anxious to get the focus off her, she gestured to Luke and Sydney. “So how did you guys meet?”
“That is a very long story,” Sydney said.
“We’ve got time,” Laura said. To Grace, she said, “I’ve never heard it, either.”
“Well,” Syd said, “we dated for a few summers back in high school.” With a hesitant look at Luke, she continued. “We went our separate ways in college. I was married to someone else, and after I was widowed, I came back to the island and reconnected with Luke earlier this summer.”
“I’m sorry about your husband,” Grace said.
“Thank you. He and our children were killed by a drunk driver a year and a half ago.”
“My uncle told me about your terrible loss,” Laura
Similar Books
