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17
MEET ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS
“How come you’re here alone?”
Grace fully expected that question almost two weeks later when she walked into Duke’s for her cousin’s wedding. She didn’t expect it from her brother though, as it was the first time she’d seen him since she started to date Lincoln.
She wasn’t surprised Duke shut his restaurant down to the public and had it transformed for his ceremony and reception afterward.
There were all sorts of places in the family the wedding could be held, but there were times in life when you had to do what felt right to you.
This was in Duke’s heart and Hadley understood that.
Wasn’t that what everyone wanted to find? Someone who understood them.
“Because it’s not as if I’ve been dating Lincoln long. He has to work. He’s covering for Egan who is here today. And how did you find out?”
“A lot of people know,” Skyler said. “But Mom told me a few weeks ago. How come you didn’t?”
“Do you tell me everyone you’re dating?” she asked.
“No,” Skyler said, grinning. “But I haven’t dated anyone seriously in a long time.”
“Which breaks your mother’s heart,” her father said. “Both of you are more focused on your careers.”
She knew Skyler was just out trying to make his mark in the world too.
If any of them might have felt slighted over not getting part of The Retreat, she was sure it was Skyler.
Roark and Emma went their own route, with the law and being an author. Roark followed in his father’s footsteps, Emma in her mother’s.
Hailey went into law, Hunter had The Retreat, and Grace was passionate about food.
Skyler owned a few bed and breakfasts on the island, had multiple rental properties all over the island, Cape Cod and Boston and even bought her grandfather out of his half of a hotel in Cape Cod that Duke’s father, Kyle Raymond, co-owned.
As close as she was with her grandfather, Skyler was equally because he had that love of tourism that their grandfather had.
And speaking of her grandfather, he moved over and joined them at the table. She wondered who the fifth person was as they were at a smaller table.
“There is my girl,” her grandfather said. “What is this I hear from your mother that you’ve got a boyfriend and he’s not here?”
She coughed on the water she was drinking. She wasn’t sure she’d call Lincoln her boyfriend.
Though he did meet all the qualifications of it in her eyes.
They’d spent both Monday and Tuesday together again this week. Both sets of shelves were stained and installed, there were pots and herbs inside for the moment. She’d put some outside when the weather got a bit nicer. She’d grow her collection in time.
“As I was just telling my brother, Lincoln is working. You’d have to take it up with his boss.”
She said it loud enough and turned her head to catch Egan laughing at her. He was two tables over and stood up to join them.
That was what she got for opening her mouth.
“I wasn’t aware Lincoln wanted to come,” Egan said.
“He told me he had to work and I didn’t bother to ask him to rearrange things, knowing you’d be here.”
She’d let Lincoln and Egan work that out on their end.
