Chapter 9 #2
Maybe she’d be relegated to the role of aunt since her sister claimed she knew how to find the perfect man, and the perfect life, one that included a boy and a girl, in that order.
Maybe a dog. She even knew the dog would be a Yorkshire Terrier, a female she’d name Fiona.
Norah still didn’t understand life was not that simple, and plans didn’t always work out like you thought they would.
When Ava asked Katie to join her at O’Reilly’s for chicken avocado sliders and a chat regarding the holiday display she and Law wanted to create for her soups, Katie couldn’t resist. Who didn’t love those sliders?
And the hot chicken wings? Tasty with just the right amount of spice.
Mouthwatering. Must have. The wine was very good as well, and while newcomers wondered how a bar could offer such quality, the residents knew all about Nick and Delilah Borado.
Delilah might be from Magdalena, but she’d made a name in the entertainment industry while Nick was heir to a men’s clothing dynasty.
They’d met years ago, were torn apart but found their way back to each other…
and now they were expecting their first child.
That was pure love. That was destiny and meant-to-be.
It really did exist for some people…just not everyone.
Katie pulled into O’Reilly’s and spotted Ava getting out of her SUV.
The woman wasn’t always the most punctual, and there’d been a few occasions where Katie adjusted meeting times with a fifteen-minute cushion, but Ava was getting better.
Seemed like that always-fifteen-minutes-early husband of hers had worn off on her.
Katie parked the car, stepped out, and waved. “Perfect timing.”
Ava’s laugh reached her from across the parking lot. “How about that? On time and not a minute late!” Another laugh. “I hope you’re hungry because I told Delilah we were coming.”
“Starved!” Katie had a lot of friends in this town, people who really cared about her and wanted to see Katie’s Soups succeed.
Since she’d landed the national contract, they’d all been so supportive.
The men enjoyed sampling the different varieties of soups as well as new recipes, while the women liked to chat and get more personal.
They wanted to find a meant-to-be for Katie even though she’d told them she wasn’t interested.
There’d been dates, short-term boyfriends, and a nanosecond fiancé who’d been a huge mistake.
How could she marry a man who didn’t own her heart?
“Thanks for getting away tonight.” Ava gave Katie a quick hug, her dark eyes sparkling.
“Just because I’m a wife and mother doesn’t mean I can’t meet up with my friends.
Besides, Law’s got it all under control.
” Her voice spilled emotion. “You should hear him at bedtime. The first time I caught him singing, he was so embarrassed. But then I told him how beautiful it was to watch him with our baby. Now he sings all the time.” She paused, her voice dipping as though she might be overheard.
“Please don’t tell anybody about the singing.
He wouldn’t like it.” A faint smile, a whisper.
“He’s got that tough-guy image to protect. ”
Law Carlisle, reformed bad boy. If a person weren’t watching them together, they might consider Law and Ava an odd couple.
Ava, with her girl-next-door looks, and Law, with his tattoos and long hair, were not an obvious matchup.
However, once you saw them together, saw the way they looked at each other, talked about one another?
There was no denying it was true love. Soul-deep. Forever. Meant-to-be.
“So…I might have another reason for inviting you to the bar.”
“Like?” This better not be another matchmaker attempt. Ava had tried twice, and both had been disasters. Just because a guy knew how to use a food processor and follow a recipe did not make him a match.
“It’s not another Andrew Wellington.” An eye roll and then, “How was I to know his mother still did his laundry and screened his dates?”
Ugh, that had been horrible. The woman had actually possessed a page of questions, including her stance on working mothers, fat-free food, and the type of vehicle she considered safest for transporting her grandchildren—even though there were currently no grandchildren.
There hadn’t been a second date, and Katie vowed she’d never let Ava match her up again.
Until her friend approached her one day and insisted, this was the one.
Franklin Blusdell, a cardiologist from Boston who’d moved to Renova.
What Ava forgot to mention was the man might be divorced, but he was still in love with his wife.
Talk about missing the mark! He’d been a decent guy, and Katie had enjoyed the linguine and clam dinner and listening to his plan on how to win the ex-wife back. Stranger things had happened…
But she was not going to sit through an interrogation on children or hear about ex-wives, or anything else. In fact, she’d begun inventing boyfriends so people would leave her alone. She didn’t want a special someone…didn’t need one… “Ava–”
“Just listen for a second, okay? The main purpose of our get-together is to talk about the displays and other options for your soups. However—” she raised a brow, tapped her cheek, “—there’s a new guy in town…
not like your oddball fiancé or the two guys I tried to fix you up with that were wrong for you.
This one’s not your usual type, but maybe he’s exactly what you need. ”
Oh, no. Katie was not interested. She didn’t need a “new guy”. Jackson had been her fiancé, but that ended five months ago when she realized they were better business associates than life partners. Why hadn’t she been sad about the breakup? Why had she been almost relieved and–
“There’s something mysterious about him.
I have to warn you, he’s definitely not your usual type.
There’s no suit, tie, or designer clothes.
And his hair? It’s longer than yours…and he’s got a full beard and tattoos.
” She trailed a hand along her right arm.
“Lots of tattoos, but who cares? I’m sure there’s a story behind each one. ”
“I see.” But she didn’t see, not even a tiny bit.
“Just keep an open mind and if there’s a spark, why not see if it turns into a fire?”
The whole town knew Ava Carlisle loved playing matchmaker. What was it about this town that made them think everyone needed a special someone? Why couldn’t that someone be a friend or a niece or nephew. Or a dog? Why did it have to be a forever partner?
“Ava, I really do appreciate your efforts, but I’m not interested. I don’t care who the guy is or what he looks like… I don’t even care if one look from him freezes me in place. I am not interested.”
“Okay.” The shrug and half smile said Katie would change her mind once she saw the new guy.
“Fine, let’s get this over with so we can order our sliders and drink some wine.”
“And talk about the upcoming displays.”
Katie clutched her handbag and followed Ava inside.
O’Reilly’s was a fun, laid-back gathering place where you could hang out with friends, drink if you wanted to, and sample chicken avocado sliders, hummus, and wings.
She spotted Nick Borado carrying a tray of drinks, and when he saw them, he headed their way.
“Hello, ladies. Have a seat wherever you like, and I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Nick Borado was one of the kindest, sweetest men she’d ever known.
Apparently, he wasn’t always that way. Hard to imagine him as a wandering playboy with a questionable past. The story of how he’d loved and lost Delilah and all the years in between that led them back to each other was straight-up romance-book stuff.
And now Delilah was pregnant. Could it get any sweeter?
Not everybody got a happy ending. Sometimes, it just wasn’t meant to be…
She followed Ava to a booth, shrugged out of her coat, and glanced toward the bar.
Her gaze caught the tall ponytailed man in an O’Reilly’s T-shirt and faded jeans.
Long hair, bushy beard, lots of tattoos.
Why would Ava think she’d be interested in this guy?
Ava favored tattoos, probably because Law had them, and maybe that was the attraction to this stranger.
But what did she know about him? How about a name?
He looked like a Judd, or a Jedd…maybe a Justin.
Why would a guy like that land in their small town unless he had a story, or a past he wanted to keep secret?
Ava always meant well, but she’d definitely been off with this guy.
Katie ignored the tattooed bartender and grabbed a menu.
“Do you want to split the chicken avocado sliders and a side of roasted red pepper hummus? And maybe…” The music had shifted to an instrumental song.
What was the title of this one? And the artist? She should know…
As she tried to recall the information, laughter burst through her brain, snuffed out the music, leaving only the sound of that laugh. Deep, full, unforgettable.
Katie’s head shot up, and she homed in on the direction of the laugh she hadn’t heard in years—ten to be exact. Her gaze landed on the ponytailed bartender; the broad shoulders, the tall frame, the lean body…and the hair color? It seemed darker, but it was difficult to tell from this distance…
“Katie?” Ava touched her hand. “What’s wrong?”
She opened her mouth, pushed out the words. “The bartender. What’s his name?”
“Ah, so you do want to know more about him.” Her expression softened, her lips pulled into a smile. “I knew you would.”
It was at that exact moment that the man glanced up.
Ian Finnegan was back in Magdalena.