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Ian didn't look at me, but it felt as if a gust of desolation passed through him.
“I loved your mom. She was awesome,” I said softly.
He cast me a quick smile, the warmth in his eyes evident. “She was. She passed on, and a few years later, all that stuff went down with our dad. What a mess.”
We were quiet for a few minutes as he drove. I recalled the news stories about their father. Dallas and Noah both worked for the FBI. Dallas had been investigating financial irregularities in some high-end investment companies, but he'd had to remove himself from the case when he realized their father was involved. As a result, their family had lost just about everything. According to Thea, Ian had worked hard to repay everything their father had owed. Meanwhile, Dallas sold off most of their family’s assets to contribute, saving only the old family home.
“I'm sorry,” I offered quietly.
I felt his shrug, catching the tail end of his shoulder lifting when I glanced over. “Thank you. We're fine.”
“Do you talk to your father?” My question surprised me, but I was curious.
“Occasionally. He was an asshole before.”
He paused, and I tried to think of the right thing to say, landing only on, “I’m sorry.”
He let out a sharp breath. “Enough of this depressing conversation. I had an awesome mom and have three amazing siblings. My dad’s a criminal and an asshole. Could’ve been worse.”
“It’s good to count your blessings when you can,” I said lightly.
“Tell me about you. Your parents are well, I hope?”
I nodded. “They’re retired and finally ready to sell the home here. They both have a few health issues. My father’s stroke limited his mobility, but otherwise, he’s pretty good.”
“He’s okay?” Ian prompted, his tone sincere, reminding me he was a legitimately nice guy.
“He is. It’s nothing they can't manage.”
“So, your job is to come up here and get the house ready for the market?”
“That's the plan. They still have some things stored here. Well, not really stored, just never moved.”
“It’s a good location. Real estate values are strong these days.”
I made a noise of agreement and looked out the window as we lapsed into quiet. Silence didn't feel uncomfortable with him, except for the fact that I couldn't seem to quell my body's awareness of him.
His presence was too potent, but it was more than that. He was handsome and sexy, and there was this underlying vibration. He exuded this easy confidence with a hint of arrogance, which should have annoyed me but didn't. Restless, I shifted my legs, crossing and uncrossing them before lacing my fingers together in my lap a little too tightly.
“So, they've updated the menu at Emile’s?” I asked because I had to say something.
It wasn’t the silence that was getting to me. It was the subtle vibration circling through my body. The air felt weighted with a charge about to go off.
“Sherry and Emile still work there but not as much. One of their daughters went to culinary school and revamped the whole thing when she came back. They have the old favorites and a lot of new high-end stuff. She usually has good specials. They do the whole farm-to-table thing during the growing season.”
I felt my lips curling into a smile. “I'm glad Sherry and Emile are still here and doing well.”
“I'm pretty sure they'll both live forever,” Ian offered with a confident nod as we approached the town green.
Haven’s Bay was a typical New England town. The town had been built around the green when it was established a few centuries ago. The rectangular park in the middle of downtown had shops lining all four sides of it with houses mingled amongst them.
Ian slowed, his blinker loud again inside his SUV as we approached Emile’s. Sherry and Emile owned this restaurant, along with the main grocery store in town and a few other businesses. They were quite wealthy, although you wouldn't know it. They lived in the very home they’d inherited from Emile’s parents. They were one of the many longtime French-Canadian families who lived in Maine.
“Oh, they've even renovated the building,” I commented as he parked toward the back.
“I called in a reservation,” he offered with a quick glance sideways.
“Is that necessary?”
