“It was a shock. I’d never lost someone that close to me, and as far as I’d known he hadn’t had any health problems. He was active and wasn’t overweight.” His brow furrowed as he took a bite of coleslaw. “The next week I found out he’d willed the marina to me.”
Maddy’s jaw went slack. “Wow. That was very generous.”
The corner of his lip tucked in. “He never said a word. But that was just like him.”
“And you’ve been running it ever since. And expanding...”
“I’m not sure buying the restaurant was the wisest thing I’ve ever done, but Lexie can be very persuasive. And as long as Cheryl’s running things, I’ll keep it.” He took a long drink from his water bottle. “Your turn. Why the restaurant business?”
She felt a smile tugging at her lips. “Because it’s like hosting a perpetual party—and I get to run the show. I guess I’ve always been industrious. When I was little my parents sometimes invited their friends over for dinner, and I’d run around getting drinks for everyone and waiting on them. The adults thought it was cute, so I got a lot of attention. I tried the same thing when my sisters had friends over, but they mostly just wanted me out of their hair.
“The restaurant industry was a natural fit for me. When I was sixteen I got a job as a server at Waffle House. After I graduated I went to Virginia Tech and got my hospitality degree. I thought I might end up in hotel management, but I got an opportunity to intern at a four-star restaurant in Roanoke and fell in love with the restaurant industry.” She held up the last bite of her sandwich. “And it doesn’t hurt that I love great food.”
“It feels good to find where you fit.”
“It does. Of course I’m at loose ends at the moment, but—”
“You’ll find a place. You’re very good at what you do, Maddy.”
Her face warmed at his appraisal. “Thank you. I’m sure it’ll all work out. It just feels very uncertain at the moment.”
“What do your sisters do? Emma runs a bakery, doesn’t she?”
“Yes, in Denver. Food again—maybe my family has issues,” she said dryly.
He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. “Don’t we all.”
“Nora’s from Boston, a stay-at-home mom—or she was when her daughter was younger. Chloe’s in college now, and Nora fills her time with charities and such. Her husband, Jonathan, is a mortgage broker, self-employed, and they do quite well.”
“I gathered as much from the Mercedes.”
She thought of that baby on the way and wondered if Jonathan knew yet and how he was taking the news. How would Chloe feel about having a sibling who was so much younger?
“We both have big age gaps with our siblings,” Connor said. “Were your sisters like second mothers to you growing up?”
“Sometimes. More so Emma than Nora. But neither of them wanted me hanging around their friends.”
“I’m afraid I was guilty of that too. They were little pests. I didn’t really appreciate them until I was out of the house and came back to visit.”
“You seem pretty close now.”
“We are. But when they were young I was often stuck babysitting, and I resented it. I used to swear up and down I’d never have children.” A grin tugged at his lips.
“Do you still feel that way?”
He looked away. A shadow fell over his eyes, and his smile gave way to gravity. Maddy wondered if she’d brought up a bad subject. He and his wife had been married ten years, after all. Plenty of time to start a family.
He blinked and the look was gone. “Nah, I’d like to have kids someday. Until then I’ll just enjoy my niece and nephew.”
Maddy took a bite of strawberry and savored the sweet flavor. “So how did things end up with your date? Did you have to let her down easy?”
“Johanna? No, thank God. She texted me after the date, but things just kind of fell off after that. Lexie told me she’d had a good time and would be agreeable to another date. But I think my sister could tell I just wasn’t into her.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t try to talk you into giving her another chance.”
He chuckled. “Oh, she did. But I can put my foot down when I need to.”
“Yeah, you don’t strike me as a pushover.”
