9. More Confidence
MORE CONFIDENCE
Luca was trying to figure out why the hell he’d agreed to this lunch.
Why he put himself out there when he hadn’t in years.
Not the two years he’d been single.
Not the years prior to Zoe.
Hell, his wife had approached him.
In a gym, just like today.
He scrubbed his hand across his face.
Why hadn’t that occurred to him before?
It was too late now. It wasn’t that big of a deal.
He needed to know more about the place he was calling home anyway.
He threw his dirty gym clothes in his bag, grabbed it, headed out to his car, then drove the few minutes to the grocery store.
It didn’t take him long to get food, then bring it home to put away. He looked at his watch, saw it was close to eleven, and went back to the town square where he’d seen a barbershop. Might as well try it.
He wasn’t the least bit surprised when he walked in and saw mostly retired men in there getting a cut, but there was one person who was at least in his thirties or thereabout.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a trim,” he said. Might as well start out that way than a full-on cut when he let his hair get away from him in the past.
Those days of forgetting the simple, normal routines of life had to be long gone.
He had to move on. He had to put one foot in front of the other and not just do it in his job.
His mother was right. He was too young to lock himself away from the world.
“If you’re not waiting for Patrick, I can take you now.”
Patrick had to be the owner who everyone was waiting for by the name on the front. Here he thought he’d be waiting for an hour by the looks of it.
And since Patrick could be his father’s age, and the guy who greeted him was much younger, he might luck out.
“Sure,” he said.
“I’m Dean.” He followed the younger man to the back.
“Luca,” he said, then took a seat. “Just need the back and sides cleaned up, maybe a bit off the top.”
Dean laughed. “Testing things out without a major change. I get it.”
There was no reason to say more.
Twenty minutes later, Dean did a pretty damn good job. “Thanks. It’s good.”
“Some of the older clientele only like the owner. Makes it harder to start out,” Dean said quietly when he finished.
“It takes time to prove yourself. I think we’ve all been there at some point in our lives.”
He paid, handed over a good tip, then pulled his phone out to text Gabriela. He had a bit more confidence now going in.
Something he’d been lacking for years.
At least outside of his career.
Maybe it was because they worked together, and this was just an extension of that. He was the one who offered lunch, not her. She just was going to chat about the island, but they both had to eat.
Not even a minute later, she replied and offered a cafe to meet at.
He plugged the name into his phone, then hit directions and had it spitting out the information in his car.
Surprisingly, she pulled in the same time he did. Guess it didn’t take long to get around this side of the island. Or she lived close by.
Didn’t she say she was only five minutes from the hospital? Made sense she’d pick a place close by there.
“Hey,” she said. “I should have asked how long it’d take you. I figured I’d get here first.”
“I wasn’t far away.”
“And you got you hairs cut.”
“Hairs?”
“Well, I’m positive it was more than one hair, so that would be plural. It always bothers me it’s not called hairs cut.”
“I never put much thought into it.”
“Oh, trust me, I’ve probably put more thought into it than most.”
He pulled the door open for her. “Do you come here often?”
She burst out laughing. “That sounds like a cheesy pickup line and something tells me you’ve never had one of them in your life.”
“You’d be right,” he said. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Hey, Sandy. Can we get a booth in the back?”
“Sure can. Go take a seat.”
Since the name of the place was Sandy’s Cafe, he assumed that was the owner. And this was a place Gabriela came to a lot.
“That answers my question if you come here often.”
“Her daughter was a patient of my father’s when I was a kid. I used to go to the hospital a lot, talk to the kids, do some rounds with him. I was there volunteering more than anything.”
“That was nice.”
“Yeah. You know he’s the head of oncology, right?”
“I do. Your brother is an oncologist on the island now, full time.”
“He is. My father comes here now and again, but mostly it’s Garrett and two other doctors who are here a few days a week.
Anyway,” she waved her hand dramatically.
It seemed like everything she did was over the top.
“Sandy knew me and has had this cafe on the island for decades. Kind of a staple here. They roast their own turkey, ham and roast beef. None of that deli meat shit here.”
“Good to know. Do they do takeout?”
“Yep. That’s why they know me so well. I’m always grabbing food while I’m here. Well, now I’m here more, so they see me more.”
Sandy came back to their table, filled their water glasses and set down their menus.
He picked the menu up, saw just about every sandwich, club, or wrap imaginable, sides with it, soups and salads.
He put it back down. “I’m keeping it simple. Turkey club.”
“Ha,” she said. “I was going to get that. Okay, I’ll do a roast beef wrap so you can see that option also.”
“Wraps aren’t my thing. I don’t want to eat paper.”
She angled her head. “You sound like my brother now. Maybe it’s a chick thing.
Low carbs. But after my workout, I’m going to put it on a hard roll.
She gets them from the bakery around the corner.
It’s hard to get stuff off the island timely, so there are a few businesses that do great supplying other businesses. ”
“What’s the name of that bakery?” he asked, pulling his phone out. “And do they make sweets?”
“Some, but mainly breakfast things. Muffins, croissants, things like that. It’s really more bread and rolls.
They are open to the public, but like I said, they are really a big supplier to all the restaurants on the island, even hotels or bed and breakfasts.
Which is more than you can imagine. Though this time of year many are much slower. ”
“How slow does the island get in the off season?” he asked. “Which I’m sure affects the ER.”
“It does. I’d say after Labor Day the weekly businesses really slow down, but weekends are still pretty steady. After the holiday though, for January and February, even the weekends are slow for tourists, unless they are going to the casino. That’s normally busy. Are you a gambler?”
“Some might say that with my life change. But if you’re asking if I throw money on the table and watch it be taken? Not really.”
“The same. I can have fun pulling the slot arms, but not much else. But for entertainment, it’s always a good time.
My distant cousin Eli Bond owns it. He’s got comedians, musicians, other things as well.
There are always events attracting people.
In a few weeks it’s the Annual Bond Fundraiser. That’s big on the island.”
“Tell me about it,” he said. “It’s your family, so I’m assuming you’re required to attend.”
She laughed. “I’m not required, but it’s encouraged.
It’s a good time and I’m not working, so I’ll be there.
I don’t think you’re working either. Why don’t you come with me?
I can introduce you around. Lots of family members with young kids on this island might want to meet another pediatrician they could be seeing. ”
He grinned over the wiggle of her eyebrows. “Why not?” he said. “What exactly are they raising money for?”
“Everything. The money stays on this island and is funneled into a trust. There are members on the trust board from every branch. My Uncle Michael is on it from our branch right now. That is Carson, Hudson, and Ava’s father.
My father’s brother. Uncle Michael is a surgeon, kind of semi-retired at this stage.
He’s on the island working maybe five days a month, then another ten days in Boston.
But when he’s here, he’ll be on call if needed for emergencies. ”
“And that money that is raised? This group decides where it goes?”
“Yep. You should know those things as a new resident of the island. Police, fire, schools, roads. Development. Lots of things. There are applications and so much dispersed. Our family might have built this island, but we still want to see it thrive. We get a big draw from Boston for the event.”
“Even though those people don’t live on the island?”
“You’d be surprised how many have weekend homes or rental properties. Or just like coming over to get away and want to see the island continue to grow.”
“Or to rub elbows with some of the wealthier Bonds?” he asked.
She pointed her finger. “That’s it exactly. It happens a lot and that’s life.”
“I should go and meet some people,” he said.
“It will be fun.”
Not really a date, but getting out there to socialize again. He knew he had to force himself to do it.
“Something I haven’t had in a while.”
“Aww,” she said. “I know that feeling. Living here, I can say it’s not that much fun, but back in Boston, it’s frustrating.”
“How’s that?”
“How much time do you have?” she asked. “Because the stories I can tell you about the single life there compared to here…”
“I’ve got all the time you want to give me,” he said before he could ask himself why he was still putting himself out there.