Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
C onnor was certain that Brooklyn had tied her shoe ten times this morning, insisting that he watch her each and every time. Not that he really minded. The kid’s enthusiasm was catching, and he found himself smiling at her infectious energy.
Megan came out of the back bedroom, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “Wow, you let me sleep in. Thanks.” She stifled a yawn, her voice thick with sleepiness.
“I got up quiet as a mouse, Momma. Didn’t I, Uncle Connor?”
“Yep, you did.” He’d been up early enjoying a cup of coffee when she came racing out to see him, full of energy.
“Why are mice quiet?” Brooklyn’s forehead crinkled.
“Not sure, Princess. Probably so people won’t know they’re there.” How did she come up with all these questions?
Megan walked over to the coffeepot and poured herself a cup, leaning against the counter. “So, what are the plans for today? You know, after I get some coffee in me and feel a bit more human.”
“I want breakfast.” Brooklyn set her hands on her hips. “I think I’m gonna starve if I don’t get food soon.”
He considered her request, glancing around the kitchen. “I’ve got some cereal in the pantry. Or toast?” He wasn’t exactly sure what he had. He’d planned to go shopping with Megan today to buy all the kid-friendly food needed for their weekend stay. He wasn’t exactly certain what Brooklyn liked to eat these days. Seemed like it was always changing. He’d stocked up on strawberries for their last visit—her favorite, he was certain—and she refused to even take a bite of them.
“Let’s go out to eat breakfast like big people do.”
“I could make pancakes,” Megan offered, peeking into the fridge. “Except that Uncle Connor doesn’t have any eggs.”
“Hey, I thought we’d go grocery shop this morning. Get things Brooklyn likes. And I don’t have pancake mix either.”
“No strawberries,” Brooklyn insisted.
“Right, got that, kiddo.”
“We could go out to breakfast. That’s a good idea. Then we’ll go to the market afterward.” Megan took her last sip of her coffee and then set the cup in the sink.
“Or we could go to the market and then come back here and cook breakfast.” He tried to counter them both, already sensing a losing battle.
“I’d starve by then.” Brooklyn frowned at him, shaking her head, her curls bouncing wildly.
“Okay, okay.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Out for breakfast, it is.” He could never refuse a thing his niece asked for.
Megan grinned, amusement flickering in her eyes. “No use fighting it, is there?”
“We’re going to walk though.” He hoped that might use up some of Brooklyn’s endless energy.
“I like walking.” Brooklyn bobbed her head. “We can walk everywhere here. It’s fun. Not like at home where we have to get in Momma’s car to go anywhere.”
They headed out into the sunshine and crossed over to the boardwalk, the fresh sea breeze tousling Brooklyn’s curls this way and that. She skipped ahead, then turned and raced back toward them. “Let’s eat there.” She flung out her arm, pointing to a nearby building. “The one with the coffee cup sign. Momma needs her coffee. She always tells me that.”
“Is it a good place for breakfast?” Megan tilted her head, questioning him.
“Never been,” he said flatly.
“Really? It’s not like there are many places to choose from here on the island.”
“I don’t eat out.”
Megan rolled her eyes. “Of course, you don’t. You might—you know—see a person or two or something.”
He glared at her. “I’m perfectly fine eating at home. I prefer it.”
“You gotta get out more, brother dear. See what’s happening around you.”
“Yep, Momma says you spend too much time in your workshop and not enough out in the world.” Brooklyn skipped again, twirled, and turned around. “Did you know the world was round?”
“I’ve heard that,” he chuckled.
“Round like a ball. I have a ball at home that’s red. Red is my favorite color.”
Megan grinned at him. “How’d you like to face that energy every morning?”
“You’re actually a lucky woman, Megs.”
“I know I am.” She nodded. “But I don’t mind sharing her energy with you for a few days.”
He opened the door to Coastal Coffee and Brooklyn skipped inside. He and Megan followed her in. Then he froze, feeling the air sucked out of him. There, sitting right in the front by a big picture window, was Amanda. The light streamed in, casting a warm glow on her shoulder-length brown hair. Her skin had a bit of tan now, not the pale color like when she’d first arrived on the island.
And why was he noticing all this now, anyway?
“Look, Momma. Miss Amanda is here.” She raced over to Amanda’s table. “Miss Amanda, hi, remember me? Brooklyn. I’m staying next door with Uncle Connor.”
Amanda’s brown eyes locked with his. Brown eyes tinged with specks of honey? How had he not noticed before this? Her cheeks flushed as she turned her gaze from him.
Amanda widened her eyes in shock. As far as she knew, Connor never came to Coastal Coffee. She pulled her attention from Connor to Brooklyn. “Hey, there. Of course, I remember you. So you guys came for breakfast, too, huh?”
Connor and Megan came over to her table. “Morning, Amanda,” Megan greeted her with a warm smile. “I see you had the same idea as we did. Breakfast out.”
She put down her notebook where she’d been scribbling notes since Tori left.
“It was wonderful. I’d suggest the blueberry muffins. Or the pecan waffles are always good.”
“I want waffles without pecans,” Brooklyn insisted.
Connor remained silent. Fine. She didn’t care.
“Hope we’re not interrupting your work.” Megan nodded toward the notebook.
“Just making some notes about the festival. We’re running a bit short of funding and Beverly—she’s the owner of the cafe—offered to set up a small fundraising area here. We’re looking for donations.”
Megan touched Connor’s arm. “Hey, you should donate one of your wood carvings.”
He shot her a glare. “No, I don’t think so.”
“But—”
He cut her off with a brusque shake of his head.
Of course he wouldn’t donate to help raise funds. He wanted nothing to do with her or the festival, or the town for that matter.
“I wanna go to a festival.” Brooklyn danced from foot to foot. “Momma, can we?”
“When is it?” Megan asked.
“In a few weeks.”
“We could probably come back for it.” She turned to Connor. “If that’s okay with you.”
“I wasn’t planning on going.”
“Please, Uncle Connor. Please. Can we go? Please.” Brooklyn looked up at her uncle with pleading eyes.
She saw the exact moment he crumbled against her relentless pleas. With a sigh, he ruffled Brooklyn’s hair. “Of course we can, Princess.” But when he looked over Brooklyn at his sister, his expression showed a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
Megan ignored his look and turned to her. “Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? I’m going to make spaghetti.”
“You are?” Connor’s eyes lit up with surprise, but she wasn’t sure if it was because his sister was cooking spaghetti or the fact that she’d asked her over for dinner.
“Yes, I am. And there will be plenty.”
“Miss Amanda, come to dinner. Please, please, please.” Now Brooklyn turned those pleading eyes on her.
She glanced at Connor’s stony face but couldn’t say no to Brooklyn just to please him. “Yes, I’ll come. What can I bring?” She turned from Connor’s glare to Megan.
“Nothing. Just yourself. About six?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Yay!” Brooklyn twirled around.
“Brookie, be careful.” Megan stopped her daughter’s spinning. “We should get a table. See you tonight.”
“See you then.”
The three of them walked toward an open table in the back. Brooklyn skipped through the tables as Megan tried to keep up with her. Connor trailed behind, his shoulders set. He slid onto his chair and gave her one last frosty glare.
Connor had a nice sister and a cute niece, but the man himself was impossible.