“You still didn’t answer my question about your grandmother’s house. Is it haunted?”
“Yep.”
“Get out.” She almost dropped her water glass at his response. Somehow it was easier to believe the guy across from her was a friend of superstar Nikki Charles than that he believed in ghosts. But that was so cool if it were true.
“It’s not so much the house as my gram. See the ghost is none other than Finn O’Malley, my granddad, and the last time he left her…well, he died. Now he only leaves her for short periods of time to torment the rest of his family.”
Her mouth hung open. She looked around and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her waist. “You mean like you?”
“Oh yeah. O’Malley loves to haunt me.” Ian shook his head, his deep laugh warming her chilled insides.
She glanced around the table without moving a muscle. “Is he here now?” She might think it was cool for a place to be haunted, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to meet a ghost.
“No worries. Gram forbade him to come along tonight.”
She watched him from the corner of her eye, as she looked around the restaurant to see if anyone was paying any attention to them. A chill ran down her back. He couldn’t be serious. Ghosts were tied to a location. They didn’t have freewill. Or did they?
“You’re joking with me, right?”
His face grew serious. The bright smile faded, as Ian sat straight back, arms at his sides, putting more distance between them than if he’d left the room. “No, but I understand if you don’t believe. My parents don’t. My sister didn’t until her fiancé and his team of paranormal investigators helped prove it to her.”
Wow, so not only were the rumors true, but the subject touched Ian deeply.
“Tell me about it, about him—your grandfather. Can you talk to him?”
The grin returned, albeit hesitantly. “Yeah, I can and it’s pretty cool. Most of the time.”
For the next hour or so, Ian filled her in on living life with the dead following you around, and with stories of Finnegan O’Malley. They laughed, a lot, and she cried a few times too.
“My grandparents lived in Naples when they first met. She worked in a flower shop and he did construction. Granddad said it was love at first sight. Gram would argue with him about everything. How could he resist?”
“A smart man knows a life with a woman who knows her own mind will never be boring,” she said, half in love with Finn O’Malley herself.
“He picked her up one Sunday, drove over the old wooden bridge to this very spot—”
“This very spot that we’re sitting on?” She couldn’t help but tease; he was so serious as he told the story.
“Well, if memory serves me correctly it was a little more down the beach toward a grove of trees. The point is, he brought her to this property where Casa Blanca now stands, laid out a romantic picnic lunch, and proposed.”
“Obviously your gram didn’t argue with him then.”
“No, she said yes, but they never married. He left the next day for boot camp. He had planned to come home when he finished and marry her before being shipped off, but he was sent straight to Vietnam. He died two months later.”
“Oh, that must have been hard for your gram. I mean, single and pregnant back then.” Tears threatened to fall. Caty laid her hand on top of Ian’s, just a soft touch to express her sympathies. She couldn’t even imagine loving someone so much and then losing them in an instant.
Ian threaded his fingers with hers and gave them a little squeeze. “It was, but Finn’s best friend and cousin, Mickey O’Malley, stepped up and married my gram. Mind you, it was no hardship for Mickey as he’d been in love with my gram all along and no one knew the baby wasn’t his.”
“Your grandmother is a lucky woman to have known two such amazing men, not to mention to have been loved by them.” Caty would be happy to find just one.
“They were and so were we. Mickey was a great father to my dad, and grandpa to Shay and me. He didn’t even mind Finn’s spirit hanging around. They’d watch baseball together, although Gram would have to act as interpreter between the two because Grandpa Mickey couldn’t hear O’Malley.”
She laughed. “You have an interesting family, Ian. But, you said you can see and hear your granddad?”
“Yep, and he thinks you’re a pretty lass.”
“What?” She jumped and looked around. “Is he here now?” she whispered.
“No, he was that first day we ran into each other, when we took the walk out on the beach.”
“Oh. Please, tell him thank you for me.”
“I will. Shall we order dessert or take a walk on the beach?” Ian’s eyes danced with interest, spiking her heart rate.
“How about both? I’ve been eyeing those desserts all night. We could ask them to box them up and we can enjoy them under the moonlight?”
“Sounds good.” The waitress arrived right about that time and he explained they’d like their desserts to go. “Which one would you like?” Ian asked.
“I’m tossed between the berry tiramisu and the black forest cake.”
“As the lady wishes.” He gave her a mock bow. “One of each, please.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes at him, but the smile she gave him was real and natural. Something she’d forgotten how to do for a while. With Ian it was all so easy, the conversation, the laughter, the smiles and flirting, it just happened without her having to think or to force any of it out of her. It was nice and she could see it would be so easy to fall for him. There were no pretenses, or none that she’d seen, and after her ex-husband and his group of colleagues she’d gotten pretty good at reading her BS meter. But it all seemed too soon.
Was she rebounding?
Was that even a real thing?
Maybe she should talk to Mandy? Her friend wasn’t even actually divorced when she’d reconnected with her now husband, Zeke. Caty could call her mom, but she didn’t want to ruin her parents’ trip and make them worry about her. They’d earned their freedom to just be them, no kids, no worries, just a crazy couple in love seeing the country.
“You look a million miles away,” Ian said. “Penny for your thoughts.”
She smiled and fussed with her napkin, wishing the waitress would hurry up. “Just thinking I need to give my parents a call and check in with them. I haven’t heard from them in a couple of days.”
“Where were they last time you talked?”
“Sedona, Arizona. Mom sounded like she might never come back. Dad was too busy on the golf course to talk. I think they were heading up to the Grand Canyon next.”
“Sounds like they’re having a great time.”
She made a noncommittal sound as the waitress arrived with a well-muscled man in a chef’s jacket following. The guy had long hair tied back, silvery eyes, and she could see the edges of a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt.
“Thank you, Jenni. I’ll take care of this.” His British accent turned all the words crisp and clean. “Ian, it’s good to see you here. How was your meal?”
Ian tried to stand, but the chef clasped his shoulder and told him to sit. Ian introduced the two of them. Chef Ian Browning didn’t fit what she’d pictured at all. Maybe undercover for MI6, but standing in a kitchen stirring a pot of cream sauce? Not in her wildest dreams. Thankfully reality was better, because the man could cook. Both she and Ian complimented the meal and she wondered how the two men knew each other.
“Dinner was delicious, Chef,” she said.
“Thank you, Caty. I see you’ve saved room for dessert, but you’re taking it to go?”
“We are. It’s a beautiful night for a walk on the beach,” Ian said.
Chef Browning clasped Ian’s shoulder again. “That it is. I hope you enjoy, and Ian, I wanted to let you know that the feedback from the guests on your desserts has been one hundred percent positive. Thank you. Tess also sends her thanks as it allowed me a little extra time at home with her and the children today.�
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The chef thanked them for coming, and left to return to the kitchen.
“Ian, why didn’t you tell me you made the desserts for Junonia?” What else was he not telling me?
~*~
It was a damn good question. Why had he kept the information from her? Was he afraid she’d think he was some kind of jerk, gobbling up all the island business? Yeah, he was afraid of that exact thing, but that wasn’t what he was trying to do. It wasn’t personal. It was just business.
They’d removed their shoes and Ian had rolled up his pants legs, and they strolled along the shoreline, just out of the gently rolling waves grasp.
“I didn’t bring up the desserts, because we weren’t talking about business tonight,” he said at last.
Although now was the perfect opening for him to bring up Caty coming to work for him. After the night they’d had, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. He’d had his doubts from the beginning. Not about Caty’s baking skills, he’d seen those in action. They’d had a great time together and he liked her. But working together, with him as her boss? It would change things. It always did.
They walked hand in hand, not saying anything as a warm breeze blew and the waves grew closer. When they’d reached the grove of sea hibiscus Caty dropped her shoes, and sank into the sand not seeming to worry about her dress.
“Sit, Doughboy, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.” She side-eyed him and he braced himself for her wraith. “You still should have told me they were your desserts. I get you didn’t want tonight to be about business, but it’s part of us. Keeping the information quiet comes across like you don’t trust me. If that’s the case, it’s going to be hard to be friends.”
He really needed to work on his issues, because yeah, she totally called him out.
“You’re right. I should have told you and I’m sorry. Think you can give me a second chance?”
Her smile was a beautiful as the summer sunset playing out before them. The sky was filled with smoky swaths of purple, bright streaks of red and orange, and slips of yellow-gold. About a quarter of the sun could still be seen on the horizon.
“I should say no, but that’s one of my issues to work on—being too nice. So, I’m going to say yes. You get one more chance on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You stop making me wait for dessert and pick yours.”
He laughed. “I thought you wanted both?”
“I do, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share.” She held out a spoonful of the berry tiramisu and Ian swallowed. He’d like to lick it off of something other than a plastic spoon.
“You’re really not upset about my having the Barefoot Brides and the Junonia contracts?” They were competitors, and he needed the business for his employees and his plans, but he didn’t want it to come between whatever was starting with Caty.
“Disappointed, as it messes up my business plans, but I’m happy for you.” She dug into his cake. “I knew that starting a bakery on Mimosa was risky what with The Sweet Spot already established, but it’s okay. I’ve got a backup plan. And no worries, it doesn’t involve me sneaking in during the middle of the night and sabotaging your dough.” She set the dessert aside and leaned back, closing her eyes.
“You know that wasn’t me during the contest, right?”
All of his warning bells were going off. During Clash of the Cupcakes, Caty’s batter had failed to rise and she’d sworn someone had tampered with it when she’d stepped away for an ingredient. All eyes had been on him, but he’d been on the other side of the room with witnesses to back his story.
Didn’t matter what she’d claimed, without proof, she’d lost. He’d won. End of story. Or was it?
“I know, Ian. If I ever implied that it was you, I’m sorry.” She blew out a deep breath and dropped all to way to her back. “Turns out it was my now-ex-husband. He wanted me to lose, so he sabotaged me.”
“That’s low.” His response was lame, but it had hit way too close to home. Lynsay had done the same to him when she thought he was going to branch out on his own in LA. She’d thought he was baking a cake to impress a potential backer. In reality, the movie producer was a potential client for Lynsay’s bakery and the disaster had lost them several thousands of dollars.
He lay back on the sand next to Caty. “What’s this plan of yours?”
“Nope. We’re not bringing up the B-word. Remember?” She rolled on to her side, resting her head in the palm of her hand. “But since you did, do you miss LA?”
Her hand was on his chest now, drawing little figure eights, as he tried to draw in a breath and remember her question. Something about California. He wanted her to unbutton his shirt so he could feel her hands on his skin. Too soon. Too fast, his brain argued.
“No. There’s nothing left for me there. Everything I need and want is right here.”
He captured her wrist and brought it to his mouth to kiss the delicate skin on the inner side. She leaned forward and Ian slipped his hand behind her head to pull her forward. Their lips met and he’d swear he saw stars.
He needed to get a grip because her skin was as silky as the finest chocolates, and the tastes of his desserts on her tongue drove him crazy. He pulled back because if he didn’t he’d be rolling her over and devouring her. He wanted more, to taste every inch of her sweet, creamy skin. He wanted to slip her pretty green dress off and look his fill of her lush, sexy curves. He already knew they fit together on the one level. Now, he wanted to find out if they fit together on a physical level, but on a beach a couple of hundred yards from busy resort was not the time or place.
He sat up, pulling Caty with him, dusting the sand off her arms and back before standing. If he’d continued cleaning her off, they’d be right back down where they started and history might be repeated in the O’Malley family—at least part of it.
“Come on, I should get you home. Five a.m. comes awfully early.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Caty’s face scrunched up before lighting up with a warm, playful smile. “I bought you worms.”
Chapter Six
“You bought me worms? What kind?” he asked as they drove back to Caty’s place.
“You’ll see.” She sat smug in her seat in his convertible Mustang, bouncing with excitement like a little kid. Ian drove a little faster, letting her energy flow over him.
He pulled up behind her Rav4 and parked. Before he could even unclip his seatbelt she was out of the car and halfway to the door. She stopped, turned around, laughed, and waved to him.
“Hurry up.” She turned back and ran the rest of the way to the door, unlocking it before Ian could reach her. She looked at him over her shoulder. “I can’t believe I forgot to give you this earlier. Well, in all fairness, I was a little nervous.”
She tossed her keys into a dish by the door and hung her purse up on a hook over a table.
“Why would you be nervous? It was just me.” Ian wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Should he sit down and wait? If he walked around would that look like he was impatient and ready to leave? Truth was, he was burning up with energy and it was taking everything he had not to follow her back to what he suspected was her bedroom.
She walked out carrying a large, colorful gift bag with balloons on the side like you’d see at a birthday party. “That’s exactly why I was nervous. I didn’t want you to be disappointed or bored.”
He looked at the silly bag and back up at the woman. Bored was the last thing he’d ever guess he’d be around Caty. “Do I get to unwrap my present now?”
She glanced down at the bag. Bit her lip, hesitated, then nodded before handing it over. It struck him in that moment—Caty was a pleaser, one of those people who loved to do things for others just because it made them happy. A few minutes ago she’d been thrilled to give him whatever was in the bag and now that it was time, she was worried he wouldn’t be happy with his gift. Which told him something else about her—somewhere along the line, some asshat had thrown
her kindness back in her face.
Ian walked over to the kitchen table and sat the bag down so he could properly inspect the contents. She’d taken care to wrap the item, or items, as it appeared, in bright, colorful tissue paper. He pulled out the first bundle of blue. Peeling off the paper, he stared at the package inside and laughed. He pulled out bundle after bundle, unwrapping each one until he hit the bottom, grinning the whole time.
The woman had bought him worms—gummi worms—and she hadn’t stopped there. Caty had also bought him bears, frogs, and sharks. He wouldn’t have to sneak into the Super Min for the next year to satisfy his cravings.
“Well?” She peeked up at him.
He grabbed her around the waist and spun her in a circle in the middle of her kitchen. “It’s the best thank-you gift I’ve received.”
They were both laughing, but as Ian sat Caty’s feet back on the floor the laughter died away and a pretty pink blush stole across her cheeks. He released the hold he had on her waist, and backed her against the kitchen counter.
She was so damn beautiful. Those whiskey-brown eyes of hers searched his before they dropped to his mouth and rose back up, but not before she bit down on those luscious lips of hers. All the blood in his head drained south, leaving him lightheaded. He wanted, no needed to taste Caty again, to see if she was as sweet the second time as she’d been the first. Or had that been his imagination?
He cupped her checks, sliding his hands along her soft skin. Her eyes opened up wider, as her smile grew. She wanted this as much as he did. He captured her mouth, and she opened up for him, as he delved in deep. His heart pounded in his ears, his breath fast and unsteady, and for a moment there, as he kissed Caty Kennedy in her kitchen, he was pretty sure his world turned upside down.
Damn. He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. Yeah, the world is spinning, he thought. That was a first for him and not what he’d been expecting. Their first kiss on the beach had affected him, sending all the blood straight to his groin and tempting him to take her right there. But this? Now, he wanted more. Yeah, sure he still wanted to sleep with Caty, but he knew one night would never be enough.
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