Chapter 2 #2
Evan smiled at her. “I’m shocked to hear that language coming from such a sweet face,” he said with mock dismay.
Damn if that didn’t make her blush. “I’m sorry. Swearing is one of my character flaws.”
“Is that so? What’re some of the others?”
“Inappropriate laughter.”
“Seriously? Give me an example.”
“At my aunt’s wake, my holy roller cousin gets up and acts like a priest, leading us all in prayer. My other cousin, who is truly evil, makes a face at me, and the next thing I know, I’m bent in half, sweating from the effort to contain the laughter.”
“I’d like to see that,” he said, seeming delighted by her confession.
“Weddings, funerals, bat mitzvahs. You name it, I’ve had a laughter incident. I’m sort of known for it in my family.”
“Well, it’s better than being known as a drunk or a drug addict or something like that.”
“I suppose that’s true, but drunks and addicts can go off on benders by themselves, and the whole family doesn’t have to witness their misbehavior.” Nothing like being the fat girl with a laughter problem, she thought but didn’t say.
“There is that.”
“What are some of your character flaws?”
He seemed taken aback by the question. “Who says I have any?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Get real.”
“Gee, let’s see. It’s actually a rather long list.”
“The first boat doesn’t leave until eight,” she reminded him.
Laughing, he turned around to walk backward in front of her as they made their way up the hill. “First, there’s ambition. I’m told I have too much of it.”
“That’s not always a bad thing.”
“See? That’s what I think, too. But I’ve been told, by people, that my ambition tends to run my life.”
“Well, since you’ve got an album coming from an actual record company, it looks like all that ambition is finally paying off.”
“Yes, it is,” he said, seeming pleased by what she’d said.
“I’ve been rather single-minded the last few years.
That’s why it’s good to be home for a while.
I’ve got nothing to do but wait until late November when my album drops.
Since I’ll be touring all next summer, I won’t get back here for a while, so I’m trying to enjoy it while I can. ”
“Under normal circumstances, that include having clothes, money and a place to stay, I’d imagine this is a rather lovely place to be stuck for a while.”
He nodded in agreement. “My brothers and I used to spend hours plotting and scheming to get the hell out of here. It became rather confining as we got older. Lost a lot of its charm. But now, when I come back after a long stretch away . . .”
“It’s home.”
“Yes.”
“You said ambition was one of your vices. What’re some of the others?”
“I enjoy beer. A lot. I like women. A lot. I’m not a big fan of commitment or anything that makes me feel confined, thus my issues with living on an island for eighteen years.”
“That’s quite a list, and I’m very impressed to discover you’re so flawed. But I’m sorry to inform you that none of your stuff can top the inappropriate laughter.”
“Oh, come on! Doesn’t my womanizing or commitment-phobia count for anything?”
“I’m afraid that just makes you a typical man.”
“Ouch. That hurt.” He rested his hand on his chest. “I’m wounded.”
“Sure you are,” she said, amused. “So your parents really won’t mind an unexpected houseguest?”
“They really won’t mind. They have five kids. They’re used to rolling with it.”
“Wow, five kids. Where’re they all now?”
“Despite our confinement issues, two of my brothers are here. Mac, the one who runs the marina, is married to Maddie. He adopted her son, Thomas, who’s three, and they had a daughter, Hailey, during the tropical storm.”
“I love that they named their daughter for a tropical storm. They’re sort of hexing themselves for the teenage years.”
Evan laughed. “I doubt they considered that. My brother Grant is a screenwriter who used to live in LA until he chased his ex-girlfriend Abby back to the island—after she got engaged to someone else. Turns out Abby really digs the other guy, and Grant is now with Stephanie, who runs the marina restaurant. My sister Janey, who dated David for thirteen years, married Mac’s best friend, Joe, on the day she was supposed to marry David.
The newlyweds are due back tomorrow from Aruba, where they went on their honeymoon.
They’ll grab their pets and head for Columbus, Ohio, where she’s in vet school at Ohio State. ”
Grace listened to his recitation with fascination. “What happened with David? Thirteen years is a long time.”
“She caught him in bed with someone else.”
“Ouch.”
“As strange as it may sound, I think she’s grateful now that it happened. She and Joe truly belong together. He’d been in love with her for years, but she never knew.”
“That’s very sweet.”
“They seem really happy.”
“So that’s two brothers and a sister accounted for.”
“My brother Adam lives in New York City where he’s a co-owner of a tech company. He’s a computer whiz. We joke that all he needs to put a man on the moon is a laptop and an Internet connection.”
“Is he married?”
“Hell, no. He’s got the same commitment phobia I’m afflicted with. Owen has it, too. The three of us are united in our plan to stay single as long as possible.”
“I wish you well with that.”
“What about you? Tell me you aren’t going to let what happened tonight sour you on men. You had the misfortune to connect with one asshole. Doesn’t mean we all are.”
“I know,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll take a week or two to lick my wounds, and then it’s back on the horse.”
“That’s my girl.”