said, reaching across the table for Sydney’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
Grace felt bad that her question had reopened an old wound. “Me, too.”
“I’m doing much better these days, especially since the guy who hit them was sentenced to twenty-five years on each count last week. Since he’s in his fifties, I expect he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.”
Luke squeezed her other hand, and she sent him a grateful smile.
“Now that Luke has had surgery on his ankle, we’re hoping he’ll be back on his feet soon,” Sydney said, clearly anxious to change the subject. “He’s a co-owner of McCarthy’s Marina, and he’s itching to get back to work.”
“Fingers crossed,” Luke added.
“How did you hurt your ankle?” Grace asked.
“There was an accident at the marina earlier this summer,” Luke said.
“The one where Evan’s dad was hurt?” Grace asked.
“That’s the one,” Sydney said. “Luke jumped onto the boat to get the guy’s attention before he ran over Big Mac and Mac in the water. He saved their lives but did a number on his ankle. My hero.”
“Stop it,” Luke said, seeming embarrassed by the praise.
“At first we thought it was just a bad sprain,” Sydney continued, “but when it didn’t heal, we went to the mainland for an MRI. That showed a torn ligament, and he had surgery last week to fix it.”
“Evan was telling me how grateful they are for what you did,” Grace said.
“I hate to even think about that day,” Luke said with a slight shudder. “It was horrible.”
“I’m glad you’re on the mend,” Laura said.
“Let’s hope,” Luke said.
Laura leaned in closer to Luke and Sydney. “So are you guys going to tie the knot or what?”
Luke’s entire demeanor changed, and his face took on a blank expression. “The question has been asked.”
Sydney leaned into him. “I wasn’t ready to make that decision yet.”
“Oh, of course,” Laura said. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”
At that, Luke seemed to rally. “It’s not a sore subject. The offer is on the table for whenever she’s ready.”
Sydney sent him a warm smile that made Grace want to sigh. They were obviously madly in love and working hard to figure things out. The burst of yearning that surged through her nearly took her breath away. That was all she wanted—someone she could love madly while they figured things out together. Was that so much to ask for? Well, considering the recent disaster with Trey, maybe so.
Sydney turned her focus on Laura. “So you must be excited for your new job.” For Grace’s benefit, Sydney added, “She’s the new manager of the Sand & Surf Hotel in town.”
“Oh, that sounds like so much fun,” Grace said, thinking of her own business prospect on Gansett Island. When she hadn’t been daydreaming about Evan McCarthy this week, she’d been obsessing over Mrs. Gold’s desire to sell the island pharmacy.
“It needs a ton of work,” Laura said of the hotel, “but I’m excited to get started and get the place open for next summer. I talked my brother Shane into coming over to help me out for the winter, so I’m excited about that. He’s been through a rough time and needs a change, too.”
“Didn’t you get married earlier this year?” Luke asked.
Laura’s smile faded. “Yep. I got one of the dogs, unfortunately. He didn’t get the memo that when you get married, you’re supposed to quit dating.”
“Shut up!” Sydney said. “Are you
kidding
me?”
“I wish I was,” Laura said with a sigh. “It’s been a rough couple of months, but I’m looking forward to diving into a new life and a new challenge on Gansett. It’s just what we need.”
“We?” Syd said.
Laura patted her belly. “I’m three months pregnant. I was married just long enough.”
“Whoa,” Luke said. “Does he know?”
“Not yet. I figure I’ll tell him when I have to. Until then, it’s my little secret.”
Listening to them,
Grace felt bad that her question had reopened an old wound. “Me, too.”
“I’m doing much better these days, especially since the guy who hit them was sentenced to twenty-five years on each count last week. Since he’s in his fifties, I expect he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.”
Luke squeezed her other hand, and she sent him a grateful smile.
“Now that Luke has had surgery on his ankle, we’re hoping he’ll be back on his feet soon,” Sydney said, clearly anxious to change the subject. “He’s a co-owner of McCarthy’s Marina, and he’s itching to get back to work.”
“Fingers crossed,” Luke added.
“How did you hurt your ankle?” Grace asked.
“There was an accident at the marina earlier this summer,” Luke said.
“The one where Evan’s dad was hurt?” Grace asked.
“That’s the one,” Sydney said. “Luke jumped onto the boat to get the guy’s attention before he ran over Big Mac and Mac in the water. He saved their lives but did a number on his ankle. My hero.”
“Stop it,” Luke said, seeming embarrassed by the praise.
“At first we thought it was just a bad sprain,” Sydney continued, “but when it didn’t heal, we went to the mainland for an MRI. That showed a torn ligament, and he had surgery last week to fix it.”
“Evan was telling me how grateful they are for what you did,” Grace said.
“I hate to even think about that day,” Luke said with a slight shudder. “It was horrible.”
“I’m glad you’re on the mend,” Laura said.
“Let’s hope,” Luke said.
Laura leaned in closer to Luke and Sydney. “So are you guys going to tie the knot or what?”
Luke’s entire demeanor changed, and his face took on a blank expression. “The question has been asked.”
Sydney leaned into him. “I wasn’t ready to make that decision yet.”
“Oh, of course,” Laura said. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”
At that, Luke seemed to rally. “It’s not a sore subject. The offer is on the table for whenever she’s ready.”
Sydney sent him a warm smile that made Grace want to sigh. They were obviously madly in love and working hard to figure things out. The burst of yearning that surged through her nearly took her breath away. That was all she wanted—someone she could love madly while they figured things out together. Was that so much to ask for? Well, considering the recent disaster with Trey, maybe so.
Sydney turned her focus on Laura. “So you must be excited for your new job.” For Grace’s benefit, Sydney added, “She’s the new manager of the Sand & Surf Hotel in town.”
“Oh, that sounds like so much fun,” Grace said, thinking of her own business prospect on Gansett Island. When she hadn’t been daydreaming about Evan McCarthy this week, she’d been obsessing over Mrs. Gold’s desire to sell the island pharmacy.
“It needs a ton of work,” Laura said of the hotel, “but I’m excited to get started and get the place open for next summer. I talked my brother Shane into coming over to help me out for the winter, so I’m excited about that. He’s been through a rough time and needs a change, too.”
“Didn’t you get married earlier this year?” Luke asked.
Laura’s smile faded. “Yep. I got one of the dogs, unfortunately. He didn’t get the memo that when you get married, you’re supposed to quit dating.”
“Shut up!” Sydney said. “Are you
kidding
me?”
“I wish I was,” Laura said with a sigh. “It’s been a rough couple of months, but I’m looking forward to diving into a new life and a new challenge on Gansett. It’s just what we need.”
“We?” Syd said.
Laura patted her belly. “I’m three months pregnant. I was married just long enough.”
“Whoa,” Luke said. “Does he know?”
“Not yet. I figure I’ll tell him when I have to. Until then, it’s my little secret.”
Listening to them,
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