10. Chapter Ten #2
Instead, he focused his attention on the roadway. Bluestar was at the height of its tourist season, and then there was the added congestion from spectators that had arrived early for the grand prix. The race was turning out to be a big boon for the island.
He noticed how quiet Maxine was on the way to the Lighthouse Cafe. He worried that she'd changed her mind about having dinner with him.
He glanced at her before focusing back on the roadway. "If you changed your mind about grabbing something to eat, I can take you back to your aunt's."
"Uh. No. I'm fine. And if I go back now, Aunt Bonnie will be all upset."
"Why?" It took him a second to figure out what she was referring to. “Oh. You mean because she thinks we’re on a date?”
“Don’t worry. I made it abundantly clear that this was in no way a date. She heard me, but she still had this glint of hope in her eyes."
He smiled at the way Maxine got all flustered. "Well, we wouldn't want to take you back early and disappoint her."
He was surprised by the number of carts lining both sides of the street. A glance at the cafe let him know they were crowded. They'd be lucky to get a table. But they were there now, and he didn't want their evening to end so abruptly.
He could just imagine if he took her back to her aunt’s without even buying her dinner. The gossip around town would be that he was a jerk. His reputation would be run through the wringer. He didn’t want that.
He drove past the cafe and headed farther down the road before he came across the first available parking spot. It was a warm evening, and they'd taken no more than a few steps when he heard someone call out his name. He glanced up in time to see Becky Pardi headed toward them.
When she drew close, she said, "Hey, I heard about next weekend." Her smile broadened as she reached out to run a hand down his bicep. "I'll make sure to bid on you."
He didn’t smile. In fact, he didn’t say anything. He just kept walking.
When he chanced a glance in Maxine’s direction, he noticed she gave him a quizzical glance.
He knew he should explain what Becky was referring to, but he really didn't want to get into the subject of the bachelor auction.
Just the mere thought of it put him in a sour mood. It was a subject best left alone.
Needing to break the silence, he asked, "How long are you on the island?"
"Just until the race on Saturday. Well, that was my plan before the accident. Now, I don't know. If I start working on the car and find the repairs are too extensive, I might as well pack up and leave early."
"You'd just give up?" He glanced over at her in time to see her shrug as a frown pulled at her rosy lips. He wondered what she was thinking.
"I’m a good mechanic, but I’m not a miracle worker. In that case, my time would be better spent heading to Virginia..."
"Virginia, huh? I was wondering where you were from." The more he learned about her, the more he wanted to know about her. "And what is waiting for you in Virginia?"
She shook her head. "Nothing interesting."
"Do you have family there?"
"Not anymore. My father passed last year."
"I'm sorry to hear that." He felt there were a lot of layers to her and that if he was gentle, he might be able to peel back a few more of those layers to get to know the real Maxine—the part of her that she hid from the world. "So, there's just you and your aunt?"
Maxi nodded. "She's been a constant in my life since my mother died when I was a teenager."
"You're lucky to have such a special aunt. Not everyone does."
This time she gave him a curious look. "You don't have someone like that in your life?"
He let out a laugh. “It’s quite the opposite. My life is crowded with family. I have a few aunts of my own, including my aunt Carol."
"The one who recently got married?"
He nodded. "Yes, that's the wedding where we first met."
"I remember." A bit of color crept into her cheeks.
Just then they reached the cafe. Before he could reach for the door handle, the door flew open, and a group of boisterous people exited. He held the door, allowing Maxine to enter first.
When they entered the building, he glanced into the dining room. It was packed, and people were waiting for a table. He knew the Lighthouse Cafe was a popular destination, but it wasn't usually this busy.
He glanced at Maxine. "Do you want to wait?"
"Do you think it'll be long?"
"Let me find out." As he made his way farther into the restaurant, he found that Maxine was right behind him.
He wondered what she thought of The Lighthouse Cafe with its beachy blue walls decorated with ocean murals. To him, the place had a quaint feel to it. Of course, it had looked this way his whole life. The owner wasn’t much into redecorating.
He continued toward the back of the restaurant, all the while glancing around for a vacant table. They were all filled. Maybe there were a couple of available stools at the long Formica counter lining the back of the café.
His gaze skimmed along the counter, which held a selection of pies that were displayed individually under glass domes.
There was apple, cherry, coconut cream, banana cream, and a berry pie.
He had to admit they all looked delicious.
But to his disappointment, there were no spaces available at the counter either.
He paused and glanced around for one of the wait staff. They were all busy. As his gaze took in the room, he noticed his sister, Josie, waving at him.
He inwardly groaned. When he pretended he hadn’t seen her, Josie stood up. "Owen, over here."
Maxine lightly elbowed him. "I think that lady over there is trying to get your attention."
"That lady is my sister." He knew he wasn't going to get out of this uncomfortable situation without speaking to his sister; his only choice was to see what his sister wanted. He braced himself for his sister’s probing questions about him being here with Maxine.
He looked at Maxine. "You don't have to go over."
"Why?" Her gaze searched his. "Are you embarrassed about being seen with me?"
"What?" He couldn't believe she'd think that. "Of course not." When she still looked at him with disbelief in her eyes, he said, "If I was embarrassed, do you think I'd bring you to the most popular restaurant on the island?"
She opened her mouth to rebut his statement, but in the next heartbeat, she wordlessly closed her mouth.
He sent her a reassuring smile. "Shall we go before my sister comes over here?"
When she nodded, he gestured for Maxine to take the lead. He was trying to act like a gentleman, just as his mother had taught him as a kid.
When they reached the table, he said to his sister, "Hey, Josie."
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" His sister's eyes gleamed with mischief.
He inwardly groaned. That was the very last thing he wanted to do because this past Christmas, his sister had revealed herself to be Bluestar's latest matchmaker. He'd been trying to stay off her radar…until now. He felt as though he'd just stepped into her spider's web, and now he was trapped.