“I’d never let that happen if you worked for me,” Dad told Caterina while he poured my mother another glass of wine. I agreed to let him pay without a struggle, and, after he’d ordered a $300 vintage bottle of Merlot, I wouldn’t have been inclined to fight him that hard this time. “Time for yourself is important. I’ve seen the best employees get burned out because they think the world will end if they take a day off.”
“Well,” Caterina set down her fork, “I haven’t told Joe this yet, but I’ve actually extended my vacation until Wednesday. I may have to work a little Monday, but…” she turned to me, her eyes bright and a hint of a smile curving her lips. It was all I could do not to leap out of my seat and crash my mouth into hers. I had her until Wednesday. It was only three extra days, but I’d gladly take every second I could get, thatwecould get.
A slow smile curved my lips, and I spied her shoulders relax. More time with her was all I wanted, and I was fucking thrilled to get even a little more of it.
“You can work in my office as much as you need to.”
“I know, but I don’t want to get in your way.” She nodded a thank you to my father when he refilled her glass. “If you get really busy—”
“You areneverin my way, and I think you should know that.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed, oblivious to the fact we weren’t alone. We were grasping at every second we could get. This pull between us took over everything, including logic. But right now, I got to keep her for longer, and that was all that mattered.
Sensing my parents’ stare from across the table, when Caterina peeked at her phone screen, I turned to their identical dopey smiles as they looked between us. Their eyes literally twinkled as they regarded me with both elation and relief. My mother and I had the same conversation over and over again about how unhealthy it was to be so focused on my business. She constantly worried I’d gotten too used to being alone. Every phone call ended with my reassurance to her that I was fine, and I didn’t have room in my life for anything other than running the restaurant. To my shock, one week had changed all of that. I was still dedicated to making The Beach Pub a success and keeping it that way, but I wished Caterina could be a real part of all of that, not just someone I’d get to see once a month if I was lucky.
“I’m so sorry. This is my boss, probably wondering if I’ve been kidnapped since I asked for more time off. Please excuse me.” She rose from the table and rushed to the patio outside.
When I was sure she was out of earshot, I drew back in my chair and crossed my arms.
“Go on. I know the both of you are on the verge of exploding, so ask me what you want to ask me.”
“She’s beautiful and a sweetheart. I’m thrilled for you, Joey.” My mother reached over the table with a watery gaze to squeeze my arm.
I smiled back, despite myself. “Well, she’s going back to Brooklyn, eventually. I don’t know what’s going to happen after that.” My voice was small as my eyes landed on Caterina, leaning against the patio door outside. Sometimes, the air whooshed right out of my lungs when I looked at her. I wasn’t sure if it was the urge to grab her by the ankles so she wouldn’t leave, or that I couldn’t process how amazing she was, or how great we were together, andwould betogether if she didn’t have to go back home.
“I see the way you’re looking at her now and how you’ve looked at her all evening.” Dad’s gaze darted between Caterina and me. “You’re a smart guy. I think you’ll find a way. Have faith, Joey.”
If only I was smart enough to close the distance between Brooklyn and Ocean Cove.
“I’m glad to see you doing so well. The restaurant was packed when we stopped by. Is this your busiest summer?” Dad asked, and I braced myself on instinct. The honest question came with a sincere compliment, but, for some reason, I went on auto-defense as usual. Trying to remember what Caterina said about self-awareness, I nodded and willed myself to relax.
“Actually, yes. I think it is. Customers like sitting on the patio in the back near the beach since we opened it this year. We had a successful event last night and a few more planned this summer and early fall. Caterina has been showing me how to better use social media to my advantage, and it seems to be helping.”
“That’s great.” Dad beamed before he took a sip of wine. “Maybe I could be an investor, too, one of these days.”
My stomach dropped as my body stiffened. “What do you mean by investor?”
He shrugged. “Like Owen is. If you want to keep things going in the fall, more revenue can only help, right?”
Mom draped her hand over her eyes and shook her head, and it wasn’t hard to figure out why. I was sure Bella finally mentioned Owen’s loan to my parents, and my father couldn’t help digging into why I’d asked.
“Owen isn’t an investor. Or he wasn’t supposed to be.” My eyes narrowed as I fell into the same awful pattern with my father. The question had no intended malice, but like always once my guard went up, I couldn’t go back. “He gave me a loan early on that he refuses to let me pay back, so he likes to call himself an investor instead. And he was supposed to be aprivateinvestor, but, as usual, my sister can’t keep anything quiet when it comes to you.” I drained the wine in my glass with one gulp.
“And it was easier to go to Owen than to me. Like everything else. Right?” Dad’s icy glare matched my own. We really did appear to be identical twins, but looks and sense of humor were the extent of it. I wasn’t the great Lucas Hunter and never would be. Even though I was happy with who I was, the bratty kid in me always wanted to be more for his sake.
“Sorry about that.” Caterina breezed back to the table and settled next to me. “Good news, I get to stay until Wednesday with no issues at all!” Her grin faded once her gaze stumbled onto mine. Squeezing her hand, I jerked my head slightly to the other end of the table so she’d know my change in demeanor didn’t have anything to do with her staying and everything to do with my insecurities getting the best of me once again.
Caterina and I had more in common than I realized. We worked our fingers to the bone in a chase for a perceived unattainable validation that only exhausted us. I’d fought hard for the life and livelihood I had, but lately, all I could focus on was what it cost me in the long run. I had what I thought I wanted, but didn’t realize how miserable I’d be in the end.
26
Joe
The restof dinner was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Caterina and my mother had hit it off in a big way, but my father and I didn’t utter a word to each other than a tense goodbye in the parking lot. I didn’t even ask how long they were in town for before we parted ways. I was angry—mostly at myself—and ashamed for how I acted.
My stomach turned at Caterina seeing me at my worst. At least, she hadn’t been there when Dad and I had actual words, but I wasn’t acting like the guy she’d known for the past week.
I pulled into my spot in the driveway and climbed up the inside steps to my apartment with Caterina following behind me. If not for my childish outburst that ruined what had been a nice night, the both of us would have come back here thrilled and probably naked already. I’d fucked that up, too.
“Hey,” Caterina whispered as she dropped a hand on my forearm. “Feel like sitting outside for a little while?” She nodded to my tiny patio that I never used since I was rarely home.
