time.
Stephanie left the marina and drove a little too fast on the way into town. Lately she was perpetually rushed, jetting from one job to the other with hardly any time for anything other than work. She’d known it would be chaotic opening her own restaurant while continuing to work for the McCarthys, but the boat accident had added a layer of stress she hadn’t planned on.
While she wanted to put Grant first, her schedule would be beastly until Race Week concluded and the crowds subsided a bit until Memorial Day Weekend, when the season began in earnest. If she could just get through the next few days, she’d be able to focus on Grant and trying to get him to talk to her about whatever was troubling him.
Rather than stop at home, she placed a call to him from the car.
“Hey, babe,” he said as he always did.
She could tell he was making an effort to keep things normal between them, but nothing had been normal since that horrible day last week when she’d spent eight hours thinking about how she’d ever live without him. “Hi, there. How’re you feeling today?”
“Fine.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t find you.”
“Oh, sorry. I was awake, so I took a walk. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I seem to be worried about you all the time.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine. Really.”
“Grant—”
“Everything okay at the restaurant?”
Frustrated that he refused to talk to her about what was bothering him, she gripped the wheel a little tighter. “Yes.”
“Will you be home for dinner?”
“By eight or so. I need to make sure we get through the rush, and then I’ll be home. Want me to bring something from the restaurant?”
“Sure, that sounds good. My folks are doing a dinner for Adam, so I might stop by there for a bit, but I’ll be home by eight. See you then.”
As the phone line went dead, Stephanie tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter that he hadn’t said he loved her, the way he usually did. She was still thinking about that when she rushed into the Sand & Surf and nearly ran right into Grant’s cousin, Laura McCarthy.
“Whoa, what’s on fire?” Laura asked, steadying Stephanie.
“Sorry. I’m always in a rush these days.”
“How long can you continue to manage McCarthy’s and run your own place, too?”
“I love working at the marina. Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy have been so good to me, and now they’re going to be my in-laws. I can’t leave them in the lurch right as the season is starting.”
“I’m sure they’d understand that you’ve got your own business to run.”
“My goal is to get through this year and then see where things stand.”
“See if you can do it without running yourself ragged, huh?”
“I’ll try.”
As they were about to part company, the main door to the Surf opened, and in walked Grant’s ex-girlfriend, Abby Callahan. This day got better and better.
“Abby!” Laura said. “What’re you doing here?”
Abby eyed Stephanie with trepidation that added to Stephanie’s anxiety. “It seems I’m going to be living here again.”
Stephanie bit back a gasp. Living here?
“Is that good news or bad news?” Laura asked.
“Some of both,” Abby said grimly. “Cal and I have broken it off. Janey mentioned you might be looking for someone to manage the gift shop, so I figured I’d check to see if I could help you out.”
“Oh, that would be awesome,” Laura said, shooting Stephanie a glance.
For her part, Stephanie felt like she’d been electrocuted. Grant’s ex was back on the island, single again and possibly going to work thirty feet from her in the same hotel? Shoot me now, please . “It’s, ah, nice to see you home, Abby, but I’m sorry to hear about Cal. I have to get to work.” Stephanie gestured to the restaurant. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
“Congratulations on the engagement and the restaurant,” Abby said with a sweet, genuine smile. “I’m so happy for you—and
Stephanie left the marina and drove a little too fast on the way into town. Lately she was perpetually rushed, jetting from one job to the other with hardly any time for anything other than work. She’d known it would be chaotic opening her own restaurant while continuing to work for the McCarthys, but the boat accident had added a layer of stress she hadn’t planned on.
While she wanted to put Grant first, her schedule would be beastly until Race Week concluded and the crowds subsided a bit until Memorial Day Weekend, when the season began in earnest. If she could just get through the next few days, she’d be able to focus on Grant and trying to get him to talk to her about whatever was troubling him.
Rather than stop at home, she placed a call to him from the car.
“Hey, babe,” he said as he always did.
She could tell he was making an effort to keep things normal between them, but nothing had been normal since that horrible day last week when she’d spent eight hours thinking about how she’d ever live without him. “Hi, there. How’re you feeling today?”
“Fine.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t find you.”
“Oh, sorry. I was awake, so I took a walk. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I seem to be worried about you all the time.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine. Really.”
“Grant—”
“Everything okay at the restaurant?”
Frustrated that he refused to talk to her about what was bothering him, she gripped the wheel a little tighter. “Yes.”
“Will you be home for dinner?”
“By eight or so. I need to make sure we get through the rush, and then I’ll be home. Want me to bring something from the restaurant?”
“Sure, that sounds good. My folks are doing a dinner for Adam, so I might stop by there for a bit, but I’ll be home by eight. See you then.”
As the phone line went dead, Stephanie tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter that he hadn’t said he loved her, the way he usually did. She was still thinking about that when she rushed into the Sand & Surf and nearly ran right into Grant’s cousin, Laura McCarthy.
“Whoa, what’s on fire?” Laura asked, steadying Stephanie.
“Sorry. I’m always in a rush these days.”
“How long can you continue to manage McCarthy’s and run your own place, too?”
“I love working at the marina. Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy have been so good to me, and now they’re going to be my in-laws. I can’t leave them in the lurch right as the season is starting.”
“I’m sure they’d understand that you’ve got your own business to run.”
“My goal is to get through this year and then see where things stand.”
“See if you can do it without running yourself ragged, huh?”
“I’ll try.”
As they were about to part company, the main door to the Surf opened, and in walked Grant’s ex-girlfriend, Abby Callahan. This day got better and better.
“Abby!” Laura said. “What’re you doing here?”
Abby eyed Stephanie with trepidation that added to Stephanie’s anxiety. “It seems I’m going to be living here again.”
Stephanie bit back a gasp. Living here?
“Is that good news or bad news?” Laura asked.
“Some of both,” Abby said grimly. “Cal and I have broken it off. Janey mentioned you might be looking for someone to manage the gift shop, so I figured I’d check to see if I could help you out.”
“Oh, that would be awesome,” Laura said, shooting Stephanie a glance.
For her part, Stephanie felt like she’d been electrocuted. Grant’s ex was back on the island, single again and possibly going to work thirty feet from her in the same hotel? Shoot me now, please . “It’s, ah, nice to see you home, Abby, but I’m sorry to hear about Cal. I have to get to work.” Stephanie gestured to the restaurant. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
“Congratulations on the engagement and the restaurant,” Abby said with a sweet, genuine smile. “I’m so happy for you—and
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