“Yep.” Alec pushed his chair back to get a better look at Rachel. Connor didn’t like the way his pupils dilated slightly.
“No. Impossible.” Rachel looked genuinely stunned. “Eden Bay, Maine?”
“The real deal. You know the town?”
“My best friend lives there!” she said incredulously, and the next moment, she sank into the empty chair next to Alec. “Maya McKenzie. Landscape gardener?”
“No! Stop it.” Alec’s face lit up. “Maya did my garden! I love Maya.”
Rachel laughed and picked up a cupcake. “Of course you do. She’s the sweetest person in the whole world. Isn’t that cool? Tell me, does everyone truly believe your lighthouse has magical powers? Maya claims it’s a huge deal, but come on: A magical love lighthouse?”
Alec laughed and explained that many people, including Maya and her firefighter husband, had been brought together by the lighthouse.
Maddie sighed and sank into the chair between Connor and Rachel. “Okay, looks like we’re on your team today after all.”
Yeah. Connor would burst into cheers once his lungs were working properly again.
Rachel acted normal.
That meant she was polite, smiled at him kindly when he knew the answer to a question, and, otherwise, barely looked at him.
Okay, that wasn’t normal at all. But if that was what she wanted, to bring some order to her chaotic life, he could handle it. He respected the boundaries she had set. He hated them, but he respected them. And he didn’t hate them nearly as much as the fact that…
“Wow, your brother and Rachel are really getting along,” Cian whispered when Tara brought Rachel a second Gin Buck. It was the quiz halftime break. Alec joked that the glass was so big, it should really be called a Gin Bucket.
“Hm,” Connor uttered, making an effort to loosen his grip on the pencil in his hand. Everyone got along well with Alec.
“Maddie’s in matchmaking mode, you see that?”
Connor’s gaze flicked to Rachel’s sister, who was sitting next to him and did have a certain sparkle in her eyes as she watched Rachel and Alec.
“What does that have to do with me?” he asked. Maddie’s phone rang and she rose to hand in her answer sheet.
“Man, Connor.” Cian looked at him, shaking his head. “You know, I thought you were only interested in her for sex, but the way you’re looking at her…youlikeher.”
“You take that back!”
Snorting, Cian leaned forward. “What’s wrong with liking her?”
“She’s not the right woman for me,” he whispered, lowering his gaze.
“Who decided that?”
“Cian, stop,” he growled.
“No. If you like Rachel, tell her you like her!”
“It’s complicated,” he whispered.
“Sure.” Cian shifted his jaw from side to side. “You know what, I’ll make it easy for you. Hey, Alec, you’re single, right?” Cian asked loudly the next moment.
Connor widened his eyes in alarm.
“Yep, but not out of conviction,” Alec announced. “Eden Bay is small and all the women seem to be taken.”
“Well, then you should sign up at Match Me!” Cian suggested innocently. “Rachel’s there too. If you’re compatible, there’s a chance you can date her.”
“Really?” Alec drawled, nodding contentedly before smiling at Rachel. “Now that’s a tempting special offer.”
