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“I had to do a speech at one of my mother’s charity events. I’ve found a way to avoid it for years but not this year.”
“I’m sure you did great,” he said.
“Why do you say that?” she asked. He turned his head and she was mesmerized by his deep dark eyes and brown hair. Short on the sides and a little longer on top.
He had a full beard that needed a trim. He didn’t always have one. This might be the fullest she’d seen it, but it had a sexy mysterious vibe going on too that she liked.
He had jeans on that were fitted to his body but with enough stretch to show he had some muscles going on. His Bond Charter long-sleeved shirt wasn’t baggy either, tighter on his arms. Yeah, he had more muscles than she realized.
“Because everything about you screams confidence. Even if you don’t feel it, you won’t let anyone else see that. So you would have practiced and made sure you did a good job. No, not a good job. A great job.”
Twice now she’d been told complimentary things.
Things to push her to do what she’d been sitting on for longer than she cared to admit.
“How would you like to get that drink with me?”
“What?” he asked, turning to look at her again.
“I asked if you wanted to get that drink with me. Or if you have an early day, which you probably do with Egan out, then maybe another time.”
“I can do a drink,” he said, smiling. “It beats having a beer alone.”
“Great,” she said. “Oh. I forgot. Is there a baby yet?”
“Not yet,” he said. “But I’m sure it’s going to be soon.”
“Then maybe I’ll be the first to know in my family it if happens while we get that drink.”
It was now or never.
She put it out there. He accepted.
Man up and find out what his thoughts were once and for all.
Then she could move on.
She just hoped it wasn’t her moving on alone.
4
ZEN SPOT
“What do you want to drink?” Lincoln asked when they got to a small bar that he came to often. It was off the beaten path and had more regulars than not. Back in the day he thought this was someone’s house that changed over to a small cafe and then a bar.
Grace looked around at the place. She didn’t wrinkle her nose at the stained paint on the walls, the old scarred wood floors, or the stools at the bar that looked like they belonged more in a diner than a bar.
“Whiskey,” she said. “Neat.”
He laughed. He shouldn’t be surprised. He’d thought she’d be the type to throw a beer back with the men, but whiskey was even better.
“You heard the lady,” he told Jason the bartender. The old man was missing a few teeth and had a crooked grin when he did smile. In the summer you could see the old faded tattoos showing off his years in the service. “Make it two.”
Lincoln waited until the drinks were on the bar, then picked them up and nodded to a booth in the corner.
Grace followed along. “I didn’t know this place existed,” she said. “I know most of the places on the island.”
“I’m sure you do,” he said. “This is my personal Zen spot.”
