Chapter 9
“No, not at all,” Katie said. “I fell asleep and just woke up fifteen minutes ago. I’m so sorry I’m not ready.”
“No worries. Should I come back?”
“No, come in. Have a seat. I’ll be just a few more minutes.”
“Okay.” He followed her into the room where the only place to sit was the bed that was still rumpled from her nap.
The air in the room was humid and fragrant from her shower.
In the bathroom, the hair dryer went on.
With a few minutes to kill, he went to the window to look out at the water, where the sun was inching closer to the horizon. It was going to be an amazing sunset.
The encroaching sunset reminded him of the spectacular sunsets he and Courtney had seen on their honeymoon in the Bahamas.
And here, once again, that off-switch would come in handy.
Why was she creeping into his mind—again—when he had far better things to think about tonight? “Just leave me alone,” he whispered.
“Did you say something?”
He turned to find Katie, her hair dry, wearing a sexy orange dress as she affixed the back of an earring. “Talking to myself. A bad habit that comes from working alone most days.”
“Ahh, so I won’t cart you off to the loony bin just yet, then.”
Shane laughed. “Thanks for the second chance.”
“So sorry again for not being ready. I had all day and then ended up running late.”
“Not to worry. Our reservation isn’t for a while yet.”
“You made a reservation?”
“Only so we don’t have to wait two hours to eat. Sunday nights in the summer are busy around here.”
“Is it just me or do the crowds seem bigger than ever these days?”
“It’s not just you. This place is a madhouse from June through September.” He cleared his throat. “You, um, you look really nice.”
“Oh, thanks. I’m a little thrown together.”
“If that’s the case, I’d love to see what you’re capable of when you have more time.”
She smiled at his feeble attempt at charm.
“I’m just realizing that I should’ve borrowed my sister’s car.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I have a motorcycle, and you’re wearing a dress.”
“A motorcycle, huh? You don’t seem the biker type.”
“Because I don’t have tattoos and wear leather chaps?”
“Among other reasons,” she said, hiding a giggle behind her hand.
“I’m thoroughly insulted.” He lightened his words with a smile to let her know he was kidding. “The bike is easy when parking is tight, and it gets me where I need to go. We can take a cab over to Domenic’s if you’d like.”
“I don’t mind the bike if you have an extra helmet.”
“I have two.”
“Okay, then.”
“You’re sure?”
“Uh-huh.”
The thought of Katie Lawry wrapped around him on the bike had him trying to think of something else—anything else—to avoid a predictable reaction. “So, um, are you hungry?”
“Starving! I haven’t eaten since brunch.”
“I had lunch, and I’m still starving.” He held the door and gestured for her to go out ahead of him in a cloud of perfume and female fragrance that had him leaning in for a closer sniff. “I went fishing with my dad, uncles and cousins this afternoon.”
“How was it?”
“Great. I bagged an eighty-pound bluefin tuna.”
“Wow. Was that fun?”
“I don’t know that ‘fun’ is the word I’d use. It was one hell of a battle. My arms will be useless tomorrow.”
“You let a little ol’ fish put that much of a hurt on you?”
Shane’s ringing laughter echoed through the empty hallway as they headed for the stairs. “That ‘little ol’ fish’ was a monster. Took five of us to land him.”
“Did you throw him back after you caught him?”
“Nope. My aunt and uncle are serving him for dinner at the marina tonight. The whole family is going.”
“You didn’t want to go?”
“I’d rather go out with you. I can see them anytime.”
“But you can’t eat your eighty-pound badass tuna anytime.”
“It’s all right. I honestly don’t mind missing it.”
“I’d be fine with doing that, if you want to.”
“That’s really nice of you, but I’m not sure you’re ready for full immersion into the madness known as the McCarthy family.
” They cut through the lobby and into the kitchen, which led to the parking lot behind the Surf.
Since Stephanie’s Bistro was closed on Sunday nights, the kitchen was quiet and spotless.
“I met them all this weekend. They were super nice.”
“They were on best behavior for the wedding.”
“It doesn’t seem fair that you caught the fish but don’t get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I honestly don’t mind going if you want to.”
Shane hesitated. How to explain to her the way news and gossip flew with lightning speed through the Gansett Island pipeline?
“If you don’t want them to know we’re going out together, that’s fine, too,” she said.
“That is definitely not it. I’m thrilled to be going out with you. In fact, you have no idea how thrilled I am. But if we show up over there—together—the whole island will be talking about us long before we’re ready for that.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, so… Still want to go?” He watched her intently, looking for a hint as to what she was thinking.
“Yes, I think I do want to go. It would be very nice getting to know your family a little better, since they’re now also my brother’s family.”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll cancel the reservation. We can go to Domenic’s another time—that is, if you want to go out with me again after being exposed to my family.”
“I’m sure I’ll want to go out with you again even after being exposed to your family.”
Shane held the screen door for her, delighted they were already talking about a second date when the first one had just begun.
Katie absolutely loved the McCarthys. She couldn’t recall a more enjoyable evening than the one she spent with Shane and his family. He was an attentive date, making sure she had plenty to eat and drink and was surrounded by fun people.
Walking into the party already in progress had been a bit daunting, but she’d been given a warm welcome by Shane’s uncle, whom everyone called Big Mac.
He was one of those people who immediately felt like a friend, and he told her the full story of how Shane had managed to catch the biggest fish of the day.
“This impromptu party is all his doing,” Big Mac told her.
“And you hate impromptu parties,” Shane said sarcastically, earning a huge smile from his uncle.
“Wonder where your dad and Betsy are,” Big Mac said. “I left him a message earlier but haven’t heard from him.”
“I’m sure he’ll be here at some point. He knew you were cooking up the tuna.”
“Actually, Stephanie is doing the cooking,” Big Mac said sheepishly. “Turns out, Aunt Linda had no clue how to cook it. Fortunately, Stephanie and her chef from the Bistro know what to do.”
“So you’ve got them spending their night off working.”
“They were happy to do it.”
“Only because you were the one asking.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He winked and scooted off to welcome his son Adam and his fiancée, Abby.
“He’s full of beans, huh?” Katie asked, amused by Big Mac.
“That he is, but he’s also the best guy you’ll ever know. Well, second only to my own dad.”
“You’re so lucky to have them in your life,” Katie said wistfully. How might she have been different if she’d been born to a man like Mac or Frank McCarthy rather than the beast who’d fathered her?
“I know I’m lucky. I never take them for granted.”
His Aunt Linda came over to hug and kiss him and to welcome Katie. “So nice to have Owen’s sister joining the group. He’s one of our favorites.”
“I’m rather partial to him myself.”
“Are he and Evan playing tonight?” Shane asked.
“Of course they are. Wouldn’t be a party without them. Excuse me. I’ve got to help Stephanie in the kitchen.”
Linda ran off toward the kitchen, leaving Shane and Katie to the mayhem of a McCarthy family party. They’d taken over the entire marina restaurant as well as the picnic tables outside.
“A lot of business gets tended to at those tables,” Shane said of the picnic tables.
“What kind of business?”
“The solving of world problems and overall bullshitting every morning over coffee and doughnuts with my Uncle Mac presiding and my dad in attendance since he retired. The morning meeting is one of his favorite things about living here.”
“That’s so funny. I can picture it from the way you describe it. How long ago did your dad move here?”
“Earlier this summer. He retired after a long career as a superior court judge. My sister and I worried he’d be bored because his work was such a big part of his life, but he’s loving retirement.
He and Big Mac take off at least once a week to go fishing, and they’re always coming up with some other adventure.
They’re like two little boys back together again. ”
“That’s very sweet.”
“Their younger brother, my Uncle Kevin, is here for the weddings.”
“Plural?”
“My cousin Grant and Stephanie on Labor Day.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“Anyway, they’ve had poor Kevin hopping since he got here. He’ll need to go home to get a break from his vacation.”
“They sound like really fun guys.”
“They are. I hope to be just like them when I’m their age.”
“It’s good to know there are men and fathers like them in this world. It gives me hope.”
“I have to believe there are far more like them than there are like yours. I hope it’s okay to say that. I don’t mean any offense.”
“None taken, and I’d like to think you’re right about that.”
“The men in my family worship the women they love, Katie. We don’t know any other way to be after being raised by them.
Look at my cousin Mac.” He gestured to a table on the far side of the room where Mac was supervising two young children while his wife sat back and relaxed.
“The boy, Thomas… He’s Maddie’s son from a previous relationship, but Mac adopted him and gave him our name, and as far as he’s concerned, he’s the boy’s father—the only father he’ll ever have. ”
“That’s lovely.”