“What, am I interrupting your big Friday-night plans? Have you even eaten supper yet?”
“As a matter of fact, I have. I warmed up Tara’s stew.”
She gave him a sideways look. “Any left?”
He rolled his eyes, going back to his caulking. “Help yourself.”
But instead of going into the house she settled back in the chair, watching him.
He fixed a bump in the caulk and continued smoothing it, wiping his finger on his shirt when he was done.
“We stopped by the restaurant yesterday and met your friend Maddy.”
He made a noncommittal sound, focused on his task.
“She’s nice—and very pretty.”
Connor pressed his lips together. “Don’t you be getting any ideas. She doesn’t even like me.”
“Funny... She said the same thing about you.”
He gave her a long look. “What’d you say to her? If you screw up this restaurant thing I’m not going to be happy. She’s been a godsend, and if I have to go back to running it, I’m putting you in charge.”
“Relax, we were just checking her out. You’d mentioned her a few times—”
“My first mistake.”
“—so we thought we’d see what all the fuss was about.”
“There’s no fuss. She works for me. Not interested. Period.”
Lexie studied him until he felt heat crawling up his neck. A small part of him admitted that maybe that wasn’t entirely true. Maybe she did intrigue him a little. But that was all.
“If you say so,” Lexie said.
“I do.” He grabbed the putty knife and scraped off a white flake of old paint he’d missed.
“Okay, so you’re ‘not interested’ in Maddy”—she air-quoted the ‘not interested’ part. “That brings us back to my friend—the one with all theverys,” she clarified before he could feign confusion. “I can give you her number, and I happen to know she’s free this weekend and very eager to meet you.”
He winced. Why had he agreed to go out with the woman? Maybe he could put it off yet again. He hated the thought of a blind date. So awkward.
“Don’t try and get out of it,” Lexie said. “I already told her you agreed to a date, and you’ll hurt her feelings if you back out now. She’s a very nice woman, and she doesn’t deserve that.”
Doggone it. Lexie was right. Anyway, wasn’t he just thinking he needed to get on with his life?
Sometimes when his sisters were annoying, like now, he thought there were more than enough women in his life. Other times he remembered Annie and felt a hollow space inside he despaired of ever filling.
He wasn’t a happy man—could hardly remember the last time he’d really laughed. He’d gotten accustomed to this gray existence. He’d been settling for a lesser life. But what if there was something better for him? What if it was out there just waiting for him to wake up and reach for it?
An image of Maddy rose to his mind. The way she’d been a couple nights ago, darting around the restaurant, leading by example. Stopping to help a busboy when he got overwhelmed. When she’d caught sight of Connor at a table, her back stiffened a little. She gave him a tight smile and a little wave, but he was close enough he could see her eyes spark with irritation. No doubt she’d thought he was checking up on her. But he’d only been there for supper.
Those eyes hadn’t been sparking on Tuesday when she’d stopped by the marina. They’d been soft and searching, and for the first time he’d noticed intriguing flecks of gold and green in them. He had the feeling there was much more about Maddy that he hadn’t yet noticed.
He pushed away the thought. The woman didn’t even like him. It bummed him out a little, but it was a fact. She wasn’t his type anyway. Where Annie had been warm and carefree, Maddy was guarded and judgmental. He doubted he could find two more different women.
Lily babbled loudly, breaking into his thoughts.
“So will you call her?” Lexie said. “I kind of told her you might.”
