by Marie Force
“Evan was telling me how grateful they are for what you did,” Grace said.
“I hate to even think about that day,” Luke said with a slight shudder. “It was horrible.”
“I’m glad you’re on the mend,” Laura said.
“Let’s hope,” Luke said.
Laura leaned in closer to Luke and Sydney. “So are you guys going to tie the knot or what?”
Luke’s entire demeanor changed, and his face took on a blank expression. “The question has been asked.”
Sydney leaned into him. “I wasn’t ready to make that decision yet.”
“Oh, of course,” Laura said. “I didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.”
At that, Luke seemed to rally. “It’s not a sore subject. The offer is on the table for whenever she’s ready.”
Sydney sent him a warm smile that made Grace want to sigh. They were obviously madly in love and working hard to figure things out. The burst of yearning that surged through her nearly took her breath away. That was all she wanted—someone she could love madly while they figured things out together. Was that so much to ask for? Well, considering the recent disaster with Trey, maybe so.
Sydney turned her focus on Laura. “So you must be excited for your new job.” For Grace’s benefit, Sydney added, “She’s the new manager of the Sand & Surf Hotel in town.”
“Oh, that sounds like so much fun,” Grace said, thinking of her own business prospect on Gansett Island. When she hadn’t been daydreaming about Evan McCarthy this week, she’d been obsessing over Mrs. Gold’s desire to sell the island pharmacy.
“It needs a ton of work,” Laura said of the hotel, “but I’m excited to get started and get the place open for next summer. I talked my brother Shane into coming over to help me out for the winter, so I’m excited about that. He’s been through a rough time and needs a change, too.”
“Didn’t you get married earlier this year?” Luke asked.
Laura’s smile faded. “Yep. I got one of the dogs, unfortunately. He didn’t get the memo that when you get married, you’re supposed to quit dating.”
“Shut up!” Sydney said. “Are you kidding me?”
“I wish I was,” Laura said with a sigh. “It’s been a rough couple of months, but I’m looking forward to diving into a new life and a new challenge on Gansett. It’s just what we need.”
“We?” Syd said.
Laura patted her belly. “I’m three months pregnant. I was married just long enough.”
“Whoa,” Luke said. “Does he know?”
“Not yet. I figure I’ll tell him when I have to. Until then, it’s my little secret.”
Listening to them, Grace yearned for friends like these women. They were gutsy and brave. They were survivors. She wanted to be like them. She was so tired of getting in her own way and letting self-doubt derail her dreams. Those days were over, she decided as the bluffs on the island’s northern coast appeared in the distance.
Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to get to Gansett and set the next phase of her life into motion.
Chapter 6
Grace drove her car off the ferry and eyed the Beachcomber as she drove past. This time she’d left nothing to chance and had weekend reservations at the iconic South Harbor hotel. She also had a reservation for her car on the last boat back to the mainland Monday night. Hopefully, that trip would be a quick stay at home to pack up her old life before her new life on Gansett began.
The pharmacy was located on the main road, halfway between South and North Harbors. Grace had done her homework and found Gold’s to be a solid business with an outstanding reputation. The island’s only pharmacy had a built-in clientele that all but guaranteed a safe investment. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so excited about anything, but she remained cautiously optimistic. A lot could change in a week. Maybe the Golds had already found a buyer. Maybe they wouldn’t go for her proposal. Maybe—
“Okay, cut it out,” New Grace said to Old Grace. “Stop with the self-defeatist thing. We don’t do that anymore, remember?”
She pulled into the parking lot and stared at the two-story weathered shingle building for a long time before she was able to force herself out of the car. Whatever happened, she’d be fine. Because she was so determined to shake things up, she’d already given notice at her job in Mystic. No matter what happened this weekend, it was time to snap out of the rut she’d been in for years.
As she pushed open the door and heard the delicate tingle of the bell that announced her presence, Grace smiled as the sweetly scented air filled her senses. The place smelled the way a pharmacy should. She wandered toward the back of the store, hoping to run into Mrs. Gold. At the counter, Grace asked for her.
“She just left to do some errands,” the pharmacist said. The older man was balding, with a warm smile and wire-framed glasses. “Is there something I might help you with?”
“Oh, um, well, do you happen to know if she’s found a buyer for the pharmacy yet?” Grace held her breath as she awaited his reply.
His smile faded a bit. “Not yet. We keep hoping. One of these days, maybe.” He took off his glasses and wiped them on the white coat he wore over a shirt and tie.
“Are you Mr. Gold?”
“Yes indeed.”
Grace extended a hand over the counter. “I’m Grace Ryan—”
“You’re the pharmacist who was here last weekend. My missus told me about you!” He took a long, measuring look at her. “Are you going to make my day, my month and my year, young lady?”
“Quite possibly.”
“Oh, happy day! Pamela, take over here for a bit,” he said to the woman who was working with him behind the counter. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, Mr. Gold,” Pamela said, casting a wary glance at Grace.
“Right this way, Miss Ryan.” He ushered Grace through double doors into a cramped office. When they were settled, he folded his hands on the desktop. “Now, let’s talk turkey.”
Grace appreciated his direct approach. “The truth of it is, I can’t afford to buy your pharmacy.”
His face fell with disappointment. “But I thought…”
Grace held up a hand to stop him. “This is what I propose. I’ve been out of college and working for close to seven years while living at home, but I don’t have the credit history or collateral to get a loan. However, I could make a sizeable down payment. If you and Mrs. Gold hold the mortgage on the remaining portion, you’d have a guaranteed monthly income.” By the time she finished speaking, Grace had begun to sweat. All week she’d kept telling herself it was a long shot, but as she laid out her plan to Mr. Gold, she realized how badly she wanted him to say yes.
He ran a hand over his face as he pondered her plan. “It’s not what we were hoping for, but it’s not a bad idea.”
Grace let out a sigh of relief that he hadn’t rejected her outright.
“I’d need to talk it over with my missus, of course.”
“Of course.”
“How long are you here?”
“I’ve got my car booked on the five o’clock boat on Monday.”
His brows furrowed. “Have you thought about what it’d be like to be here during the winter?”
That was the part Grace had wrestled with the most as she contemplated her life-changing plan. “I have, and while I know it will be very different from what I’m accustomed to, I’d become involved in the community and keep busy running the business.”
“Did my missus tell you about the apartment upstairs?”
Grace’s heart did a happy dance at that news. Finding a place to live in case the deal went through had been one of her other priorities for the weekend. “No, she didn’t.”
“Would you like to see it?”
“I’d love to.”
He gestured for her to lead the way out of the office. “After you, my dear.”
On her way through the store, she made a few mental notes of things she would change, but for the
most part, the store seemed clean, orderly, well stocked and, most important, busy. The two registers at the front of the store had at least four people in each line, which made Grace smile.
Mr. Gold led her around to the back of the building, where a sturdy set of wooden stairs led to a deck that overlooked South Harbor in one direction and the town beach in the other. There were colorful pots filled with cheerful blooms, as well as tomato plants tied to stakes.
He gestured her through the sliding door into a spacious living and dining room. The kitchen was against the far wall and at first glance seemed to be in need of updating. She looked up to find a loft that served as the bedroom.
“Full bathroom upstairs and a half bath down here as well as a wood-burning fireplace,” Mr. Gold said. “It’s not much, but it’s worked well for us.”
“It would work for me, too,” Grace said, her heart racing with excitement as she pondered paint colors and furniture and what she might need to buy. She could so see herself living here—close enough to her parents for an occasional visit but far enough away that they couldn’t pop in and insert themselves into her life without invitation.
Mr. Gold handed her a pad stamped with the logo of a well-known drug manufacturer. “Write down your number, and I’ll give you a call as soon as we’ve had a chance to talk it over.”
Grace took the pen and wrote down her cell number. She handed it back to him and extended her hand. “Whatever you decide, I appreciate your consideration of my offer.”
Mr. Gold put the pad on a table and folded her hand between both of his. “My missus and I are very anxious to live near our grandbabies, so I hope we can work something out.”
“I hope so, too. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”
Filled with excitement and anticipation, Grace skipped down the stairs to her car. She hoped her next stop went as well as the first one. As she drove to the McCarthys’ home, she was hit by a bout of nerves that nearly undid her. Why should she be so nervous about seeing a man she barely knew? What was the big deal?
She’d pay him back the money she owed him and then go check into her room at the Beachcomber. This weekend was her chance to explore the island and get to know the place she might be calling home before too much longer.
At some point, she’d have to break the news to her parents that she was moving, but that wasn’t happening until everything was signed, sealed and delivered so there was no chance for them to try to talk her out of it.
She pulled up to the McCarthys’ big white house and told herself it didn’t matter that there were no cars in the driveway. If they weren’t home, she could always come back again later. As she walked through the white-picket gate, the aroma of roses greeted her, reminding her of the previous weekend when Evan had ushered her through his mother’s garden.
Grace rang the doorbell and waited a long time before she rang it again. When no one came, the staggering disappointment forced her to own up to how much she’d been looking forward to seeing Evan again. Which was ridiculous in light of his philosophies on women and relationships.
She felt like a wilted rose as she returned to her car. The marina seemed like the logical next place to check, so she drove down the hill, taking in the glorious views of North Harbor. “What a beautiful place,” she said with a sigh. “Imagine living here and getting to see this every day.”
Not that the views in Mystic were anything to sneeze at, but this… This was something else altogether. An open parking space caught her eye, and she grabbed it even though it was still a ways from the marina. Walking toward the pier, she started to regret parking so far away and worried about being all sweaty the first time she saw Evan again—if he was even there. The day was unusually warm for September, which meant the pier was bustling with people and bikes and dogs on leashes.
She ducked into the marina restaurant, relieved to be out of the sun, and wiped the dampness from her brow. As visions of sweaty pigs danced in her mind, she looked up to find Evan staring at her, and he didn’t look at all pleased to see her. Great. Grace took a deep breath before she walked over to him.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” He’d been speaking with another man who sort of resembled him and a woman with short, spiky red hair. The other guy turned his blue eyes on her, and Grace nearly gasped. How was it possible for two men to have the market cornered on insane hotness? Now that she’d gotten a look at his dazzling eyes, Grace had no doubt he was Evan’s brother.
“Grace.” She didn’t miss the slight stammer in Evan’s voice. “What’re you doing here?”
He wore a yellow Bob Marley T-shirt with board shorts and flip-flops. His hair was mussed and his face sunburned, as if he’d spent the day at the beach. Of course, he had to be the most breathtakingly gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. Apparently, it was her lot in life to have a thing for unattainable men.
“I, um, well, I owe you some money, and I wanted to pay you back.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to.” She glanced at the other couple, who stared at her with unveiled interest.
“Oh, sorry,” Evan said. “Grace, this is my brother Grant and his girlfriend Stephanie.”
“Oh,” Stephanie said with a knowing look on her face. “I’ve heard about you.”
Evan’s mouth fell open. “What did you hear?”
Stephanie flashed him a saucy grin. “I’ll never tell.” She came around the counter and took Grace by the arm. “Come, sit. Have some of our famous chowder.” Stephanie ushered Grace into a chair at one of the tables. “How about some clam cakes, too?”
Amused by the way Stephanie had taken over, Grace looked up at her. “I’d love some chowder, please.”
Stephanie winked at Evan and gave Grant a hip check as she went behind the takeout counter to serve up the chowder. Watching her in action, Grace decided Stephanie was also the kind of fearless woman she’d love to have as a friend. Old Grace had gravitated to safe friends who didn’t take risks. New Grace was interested in meeting people who didn’t always bow to convention. With her spiky hair, pierced tongue and impertinent way of managing the McCarthy brothers, Stephanie intrigued her.
Grant’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself to take the call.
While she waited for Stephanie to return, Grace cast a nervous glance at Evan. “I’m sorry if I took you by surprise.”
“It’s no problem.” Though he said what he thought she wanted to hear, everything about his body language told her this visit was a big problem for him. He sat and stretched out his long, tanned legs. “I really don’t expect you to pay me back. I was happy to help you out.”
She forced her gaze off his muscular legs and onto his face. Her entire body was hot with embarrassment fueled by the awkward vibe he was putting out. “It’s important to me that I reimburse you.”
He tilted his head and scowled playfully, which made her heart race and her palms sweat. “I’d say this puts us at a significant impasse.”
Grace raised an eyebrow and set her chin mulishly to let him know she had no plans to back down.
Laughing, he shook his head at her impudence.
Grace was dumbstruck by those damned dimples.
“Here we go.” Stephanie returned with chowder, silverware and crackers. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Water would be great.” Grace stared at the huge bowl of chowder, knowing she’d be able to eat only a fraction of it and wondering how she’d leave the rest without appearing rude or ungrateful.
Stephanie put a glass of ice water with lemon on the table and sat down to join them.
Grant ended his phone call and took the fourth seat.
Grace felt like a monkey during feeding time at the zoo with all eyes on her. She took a taste of the chowder and nearly moaned when the flavor exploded on her tongue. “Amazing.”
Stephanie flushed with pleasure. “It’s Linda’s recipe. I just doctored it a bit.”
“You’d better not let yo
ur pal Linda hear you say that, babe,” Grant said as he reached for Stephanie’s hand. “That’s an ancient family recipe you’re messing with.”
Stephanie stuck her tongue out at Grant, which made his eyes heat with lust.
Grace wondered if Evan’s eyes looked like that when he was aroused. Stop it! You’re being ridiculous. What business is it of yours what his eyes look like when he’s turned on? As she forced another taste of the savory soup past the growing lump in her throat, she noticed that Evan continued to stare at her while feigning interest in what Grant and Stephanie were saying.
“How long are you here?” Stephanie asked.
Grace watched Evan perk up with interest as he awaited her reply. “Only until Monday.” Did he look relieved, or was that her imagination?
“We’ll have to go out or something,” Grant said. “Show you around the island.”
Evan sent his brother a stricken look.
As she blotted her mouth with a napkin, it became clear that Evan didn’t want her around, and she could certainly take a hint. “That’s really nice of you, Grant, and the chowder was delicious.” Withdrawing the hundred-dollar bill she owed Evan from her purse, she placed it on the table and put the peppershaker on top of it. “Thank you again for your kindness, Evan. It was great to meet you all.”
Grace got up and walked out of the restaurant, reminding herself that she was beginning what she hoped would be a grand adventure. She didn’t need Evan McCarthy’s friendship to make her happy or complete. Pep talk aside, it was disappointing that he wasn’t who she’d thought, which shouldn’t surprise her in light of her recent experience with men. She’d nearly talked herself out of liking him in the first place when she heard him calling her name.
“Grace! Wait! Hang on a second.”
She turned to find him running up behind her.
“What do you need, Evan?”
He reached for her hand, put the bill in it and curled her fingers around it. “I don’t want that.”
She grabbed his hand and pressed the bill into it. “Neither do I.”
