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Back out by the boat, he said, “How about eight for dinner?”
“That works.”
“Shall I pick you up in the boat, or will you drive?”
“I can handle the drive over.”
He winked. “See you then, love.”
I stood and watched as he turned on the boat and made his way back across the bay to his house. As he disappeared into the distance, a little panic set in. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. I wanted to tell it to quiet down, to not get its hopes up about a man it couldn’t have. But I knew I had little control over what caused it to beat in such a way. It would probably beat harder the more I tried to stop it.
My legs felt wobbly as I made my way back into the house, my body still used to being on the choppy boat, apparently. Or maybe this insane attraction to Leo caused the weakness in my legs.
Mrs. Angelini came downstairs when she heard me enter.
“Well, you were certainly gone long enough.”
“Yeah. We got a ton of clams. I’m going over to their house tonight for dinner.”
“Good.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’re letting go a little.”
I had no clue what to wear. Bailey and I were supposed to go shopping soon, but we hadn’t had a chance yet.
“Mrs. Angelini?”
She turned around. “Yeah?”
“I need your help. I want to look nice for this dinner tonight, but I have nothing but jeans and T-shirts in my closet. I don’t want to wear the same long skirt I did when I went over there last time. His cousin called me Mary Poppins…”
“He what?” She laughed.
“Yeah. But I kind of deserved it.” I shrugged. “Anyway, I want to wear something nice—not too dressy, but not as frumpy as jeans and a T-shirt.”
“I would let you borrow something of mine, but I’m far too portly.” She looked over at the clock. “I have a better idea. My friend Helena owns the boutique in town. It closes pretty early. We don’t have much time, but I bet she’d keep it open a little later for us. We’ll make sure we get you something that accentuates your beauty but isn’t over the top.”
I never asked her for much, but when I did, Mrs. Angelini always came through. I tried to block the emotions that bubbled inside of me right now, because her coming to my rescue yet again reminded me of exactly something a mother would do.
* * *
Leo
Track 5: “The Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh
Carrying the heavy bucket into the house, I said, “Please tell me you know how to cook clams.”
Sigmund narrowed his eyes. “What in God’s name did you bring back here?”
“Felicity and I took my boat out to dig for these.”
“Your boat?”
“Yeah. Have a look outside. It arrived while you were out earlier. A rental, of course.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Maybe.” I smiled. “Yeah.”
“When have you ever touched a boat in your life, aside from stepping onto your father’s yacht?”
“This time here in Narragansett is all about exploring new things, Sigmund.”
“And I’m sure exploring the water was exactly what you were aiming for with this boat today, eh?”
“We had a nice time.”
“I was sort of hoping you’d forget about her after she dumped that fish on your crotch and made a mockery of our date last night.”
“The only mockery about that date was the brain-dead conversation.”
“Okay, so now what? I’m roped into Operation Woo Carrot Top by having to learn how to cook these things?”
“You’re the cook. It’s what you do. Figure something out that won’t embarrass me.”
“You’re going to owe me big time for this.”
I arched my brow. “I suppose footing the bill for this entire trip counts for nothing, then?”
“Solid point.”
“I also told her we were having lobster.”
“So I’m supposed to make an entire seafood feast for you both?”
“I’ll head out and get the lobsters. You figure out what to do with these clams.”
After jetting to the shop and picking up three, one-pound lobsters, I returned to the house to find Sigmund had removed some of the clams from their shells and was cutting them into tiny pieces. He’d texted me to pick up some Portuguese sausage as well.
“What are you doing slicing them? I thought we were supposed to crack them open and eat them that way?”
“Is that what you’d like to do to the redhead? Split her wide open and eat her?” He snickered.
“Can you please stop?”
“Why are my innuendos suddenly bothering you so much?”
“Because my attraction to her has nothing to do with sex.” That was partly a lie. “I mean, I am sexually attracted to her, but it’s not all about that.” I wiped sweat off my forehead. “Anyway, answer my question. What the hell are you doing to those clams? Why aren’t they in the shells? You’d better not be ruining them.”
