Barncastle.”
“Oh, of the inn with the same name, the holidays anytime place. Nice to meet you. I don't recall seeing you before.” The older woman wore a dubious expression.
“I've recently moved in with my cousin and family.”
“Okay, so you must be Rob Barncastle's daughter.”
She nodded. Another glance in Peter's direction.
“Table or booth, Peter?” Mrs. Mancini grabbed a pair of menus from the hostess stand.
“Booth please.”
He hadn't explained to everyone about Kate. He thought his parents would have told the Mancinis, old friends from his growing-up days. Not thirty minutes ago, he'd been kissing Sadie. Here, it seemed as though an unseen third person had joined them on their dinner date. Which wasn't a date.
Mrs. Mancini led them to a booth. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it. She set the menus on the table. “Tina, your server, will be here in a moment.”
“Well, that was a tad awkward,” Sadie observed, her voice low as Mrs. Mancini departed.
“Yes, uh. I'm sorry about that. I didn't think—”
She held up her hand. “It's okay. I'm sure it's happened before.”
“It has, but there's one difference.”
“What's that?”
“I've never been, er, out with anyone since Kate.”
“Ah.” Sadie nodded slowly. She glanced up. A young woman in black pants and white shirt topped with a green apron stopped at their table. She took their drink orders and left.
Peter waited until no one was close by. “I...this is new for me. About earlier, the kiss...”
“I need to be honest with you.”
“It wasn't any good? I mean, it's been a long time.”
Her cheeks bloomed a pink shade, evident in the low light from the lamp that hung above their table. “It was more than good, Peter. I—I...before you came to the store, I was talking to my friend Jessica back ho—back in Mass., and she's trying to find me a job out there.”
The air thinned inside the booth space between them. “Of course, I know you miss your life in Boston. But you just opened a store, and there's you and me...”
“You and me,” she repeated. “Part of me can see it, and part of me...it's all so sudden. I wasn't expecting, or looking for this...”
He reached for her hands. “Neither was I. ” Her hands felt soft, smooth. Her fingers bore a few calluses, probably from her work refurbishing furniture.
“What I'm trying to say is, Jayne and Luke both know if a job opportunity comes for me sometime this spring, I'll take it. They're fine with that. I promised them this spring, long enough to give the store good momentum until they can hire a manager.” Then she sighed as she squeezed his hands. “Like I said, I didn't expect to meet you. The time that we've spent together is...”
“Special. Something new.”
“Yes. So I don't know what to think now—”
“Here's your drinks.” Waitress Tina had appeared, holding a glass of ice water with lemon for her and a soda for him. “Are you ready to order?”
“Sure are.” Peter nodded, but his taste buds had lost the craving for a juicy burger smothered with sautéed onions and mushrooms. He smiled wryly. Onions? No more kisses tonight. But that was probably just as
“Oh, of the inn with the same name, the holidays anytime place. Nice to meet you. I don't recall seeing you before.” The older woman wore a dubious expression.
“I've recently moved in with my cousin and family.”
“Okay, so you must be Rob Barncastle's daughter.”
She nodded. Another glance in Peter's direction.
“Table or booth, Peter?” Mrs. Mancini grabbed a pair of menus from the hostess stand.
“Booth please.”
He hadn't explained to everyone about Kate. He thought his parents would have told the Mancinis, old friends from his growing-up days. Not thirty minutes ago, he'd been kissing Sadie. Here, it seemed as though an unseen third person had joined them on their dinner date. Which wasn't a date.
Mrs. Mancini led them to a booth. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it. She set the menus on the table. “Tina, your server, will be here in a moment.”
“Well, that was a tad awkward,” Sadie observed, her voice low as Mrs. Mancini departed.
“Yes, uh. I'm sorry about that. I didn't think—”
She held up her hand. “It's okay. I'm sure it's happened before.”
“It has, but there's one difference.”
“What's that?”
“I've never been, er, out with anyone since Kate.”
“Ah.” Sadie nodded slowly. She glanced up. A young woman in black pants and white shirt topped with a green apron stopped at their table. She took their drink orders and left.
Peter waited until no one was close by. “I...this is new for me. About earlier, the kiss...”
“I need to be honest with you.”
“It wasn't any good? I mean, it's been a long time.”
Her cheeks bloomed a pink shade, evident in the low light from the lamp that hung above their table. “It was more than good, Peter. I—I...before you came to the store, I was talking to my friend Jessica back ho—back in Mass., and she's trying to find me a job out there.”
The air thinned inside the booth space between them. “Of course, I know you miss your life in Boston. But you just opened a store, and there's you and me...”
“You and me,” she repeated. “Part of me can see it, and part of me...it's all so sudden. I wasn't expecting, or looking for this...”
He reached for her hands. “Neither was I. ” Her hands felt soft, smooth. Her fingers bore a few calluses, probably from her work refurbishing furniture.
“What I'm trying to say is, Jayne and Luke both know if a job opportunity comes for me sometime this spring, I'll take it. They're fine with that. I promised them this spring, long enough to give the store good momentum until they can hire a manager.” Then she sighed as she squeezed his hands. “Like I said, I didn't expect to meet you. The time that we've spent together is...”
“Special. Something new.”
“Yes. So I don't know what to think now—”
“Here's your drinks.” Waitress Tina had appeared, holding a glass of ice water with lemon for her and a soda for him. “Are you ready to order?”
“Sure are.” Peter nodded, but his taste buds had lost the craving for a juicy burger smothered with sautéed onions and mushrooms. He smiled wryly. Onions? No more kisses tonight. But that was probably just as
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