she decided right then and there. She desperately needed a change, and going out to dinner with Shane would signal the start of a new phase in her life, one in which she wouldn’t spend so much time being afraid.
Everyone who mattered to her had endorsed him as a good guy, and he’d shown her that himself with the way he’d come to her rescue the day before, not to mention the tender way he treated his nephew. It mattered greatly that her mother and Owen thought highly of him. Somehow that had to be enough. There’d never been a more ideal circumstance for wading into the dating pool than a night out with Shane McCarthy.
Sarah took hold of Katie’s hand. “I’m so glad you’ll be staying awhile. I’ve missed you so much.”
For the first time in a long time, Katie felt excited about something. “Me, too.”
Chapter 6
Shortly after the astonishing exchange with Katie, Shane took a call from his cousin Mac, who invited him to join other family members on a fishing trip for the afternoon.
“I’ve got something I have to do at seven,” Shane told Mac. “Will we be back in time?” No way was he going to be late for his date with Katie, not when it had taken all his courage to ask her and seemingly all of hers to accept.
“Oh yeah, we’ll be back long before seven.”
“Sounds good, then.”
“Come on over to the marina as soon as you can.”
“I’ll be there in ten.” Shane changed into swim trunks and a T-shirt, and tossed sunscreen and a bucket hat into a backpack. On the way downstairs, he met up with Laura and Owen, who were on their way up with Holden asleep on Owen’s shoulder.
“Where’re you off to?” Laura asked.
“Going fishing with Mac and some other guys.” To Owen, he said, “Want to come?”
“Not this time.” Owen glanced at Laura. “But thanks for the invite.”
“He’s on his honeymoon,” Laura added. “It’s the stay-cation kind of honeymoon.”
“Spare me the details,” Shane said with a grimace. “I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun,” Laura called after him.
“Thanks!” Shane went out through the kitchen to the parking lot behind the hotel where he kept the motorcycle he’d bought from an elderly island resident who couldn’t use it anymore. The bike was perfect for getting around the island in the summer, but he planned to invest in a truck before winter set in.
He strapped on the helmet his father had made him promise to wear every time he used the bike. Frank McCarthy, who’d been both father and mother to him and Laura since their mother died, was still overprotective.
Shane would never admit to his father that he barely remembered his mother. Losing her was something he didn’t like to think about too much. His memories of her were tied up in photographs more than reality. He remembered her being sick for a long time before she died. He remembered the fear of knowing something bad was happening and watching the adults in his life carefully for signs of trouble.
His Aunt Linda and Uncle Mac had come to Providence from their home on Gansett frequently during the winter his mother died, and the following summer, Shane and Laura had come to stay with them on the island, which was something Shane vividly remembered. The time with his cousins, aunt and uncle had been therapeutic for him and for Laura, who’d taken the loss of their mother even harder than he had.
Shane remembered being numb for a long time after his mother died, sort of the same way he’d felt after his marriage imploded. Today, when Katie had come to his door—her eyes crackling with emotion that might’ve been anger at her sister who had obviously been goading her—Shane had felt anything but numb. He’d felt alive for the first time in two years.
It wasn’t wise, he knew, to get too excited about one date, but that one date was a major step forward for him after having been stuck on pause for two long years. Maybe nothing would come of it other than an enjoyable
Everyone who mattered to her had endorsed him as a good guy, and he’d shown her that himself with the way he’d come to her rescue the day before, not to mention the tender way he treated his nephew. It mattered greatly that her mother and Owen thought highly of him. Somehow that had to be enough. There’d never been a more ideal circumstance for wading into the dating pool than a night out with Shane McCarthy.
Sarah took hold of Katie’s hand. “I’m so glad you’ll be staying awhile. I’ve missed you so much.”
For the first time in a long time, Katie felt excited about something. “Me, too.”
Chapter 6
Shortly after the astonishing exchange with Katie, Shane took a call from his cousin Mac, who invited him to join other family members on a fishing trip for the afternoon.
“I’ve got something I have to do at seven,” Shane told Mac. “Will we be back in time?” No way was he going to be late for his date with Katie, not when it had taken all his courage to ask her and seemingly all of hers to accept.
“Oh yeah, we’ll be back long before seven.”
“Sounds good, then.”
“Come on over to the marina as soon as you can.”
“I’ll be there in ten.” Shane changed into swim trunks and a T-shirt, and tossed sunscreen and a bucket hat into a backpack. On the way downstairs, he met up with Laura and Owen, who were on their way up with Holden asleep on Owen’s shoulder.
“Where’re you off to?” Laura asked.
“Going fishing with Mac and some other guys.” To Owen, he said, “Want to come?”
“Not this time.” Owen glanced at Laura. “But thanks for the invite.”
“He’s on his honeymoon,” Laura added. “It’s the stay-cation kind of honeymoon.”
“Spare me the details,” Shane said with a grimace. “I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun,” Laura called after him.
“Thanks!” Shane went out through the kitchen to the parking lot behind the hotel where he kept the motorcycle he’d bought from an elderly island resident who couldn’t use it anymore. The bike was perfect for getting around the island in the summer, but he planned to invest in a truck before winter set in.
He strapped on the helmet his father had made him promise to wear every time he used the bike. Frank McCarthy, who’d been both father and mother to him and Laura since their mother died, was still overprotective.
Shane would never admit to his father that he barely remembered his mother. Losing her was something he didn’t like to think about too much. His memories of her were tied up in photographs more than reality. He remembered her being sick for a long time before she died. He remembered the fear of knowing something bad was happening and watching the adults in his life carefully for signs of trouble.
His Aunt Linda and Uncle Mac had come to Providence from their home on Gansett frequently during the winter his mother died, and the following summer, Shane and Laura had come to stay with them on the island, which was something Shane vividly remembered. The time with his cousins, aunt and uncle had been therapeutic for him and for Laura, who’d taken the loss of their mother even harder than he had.
Shane remembered being numb for a long time after his mother died, sort of the same way he’d felt after his marriage imploded. Today, when Katie had come to his door—her eyes crackling with emotion that might’ve been anger at her sister who had obviously been goading her—Shane had felt anything but numb. He’d felt alive for the first time in two years.
It wasn’t wise, he knew, to get too excited about one date, but that one date was a major step forward for him after having been stuck on pause for two long years. Maybe nothing would come of it other than an enjoyable
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