They drove in silence toward whatever Ben had planned, and Kate wondered if she'd ever know what she wanted, or if she'd spent so long being what everyone else needed that she'd lost herself completely.
The inn grew smaller in the side mirror, but Kate could still feel its pull, Pop and Amy, her brothers and their protection, Dani and her hopes, Lillian and her money, the weight of all those needs and expectations.
For one evening, she wanted to pretend she was just Kate. Not the responsible daughter, not the struggling innkeeper, not the woman everyone wanted to save.
Just Kate, having dinner with a man who thought he knew her but didn't.
Ben drove them out of town, past the tourist areas and summer homes, to a small restaurant in Cape Porpoise that Kate had never been to. It was the kind of place locals kept secret: weathered shingles, no sign, just soft light spilling from windows onto the empty March street.
“I’ve driven by this place but never went in. I assume you’ve been here before?” Kate asked as they parked.
“My grandfather brought me here for the first time when I was sixteen. Said every man should know at least one place where the food was honest. He loved this place because even though people knew him, they never bothered him while he was eating or clearly wanted to be left alone.” He came around to open her door. “Figured you could use a break from people bothering you.”
Kate wanted to be irritated by his presumption, but he was right. She was tired of being watched, analyzed, helped.
Inside, the restaurant was small and warm, maybe ten tables total. A fireplace crackled in the corner. The hostess, an older woman with silver hair, recognized Ben immediately.
“Benjamin! It's been too long.” She looked at Kate with interest. “And you've brought a friend.”
“This is Kate. Kate, this is Mrs. Fletcher. She owns the place.”
“Whaler’s Landing Kate?” Mrs. Fletcher asked. “I knew your mother.”
Of course she did. Everyone knew everyone in these small towns. Kate forced a smile.
They were seated in a corner booth, away from the few other diners. Ben ordered wine without asking what she wanted, another presumption, but it turned out to be exactly what she would have chosen.
“Lucky guess?” she asked, taking a sip.
“I've seen you drink wine at the inn. You always choose red, usually something dry.” He shrugged. “I pay attention.”
Too much attention,Kate thought.You've known me three weeks and you think these little observations mean something.
“So,” Ben said, settling back, “tell me something about you that isn't connected to the inn or your family.”
Kate blanked. When was the last time anyone had asked about just her? “I don't... There isn't much else.”
“There has to be. What did you want to be when you were a kid?”
“Before everything happened? I wanted to be a marine biologist.”
“Why didn't you pursue it?”
“You know why. Pop got sick, the inn needed me.”
“Before that. You would have been, what, twenty-eight when he started to show signs?”
Kate took another sip of wine, buying time. “I didn’t go directly to get my master’s after college.”
“You didn’t follow your dream?”
“I thought I’d be selfish to do that. Everything costs money… money we didn’t have.” The words came out harsher than intended.
“Maybe you should have continued with school.”
Kate looked at him sharply. “You don't understand. Family comes first.”
“Does it? Or is that just what you tell yourself to justify giving up what you wanted?”
