Ready To Love Again (13 page)

Could he be any more adorable?

“Why?” she asked, curious about what he had planned.

“We’re going to dinner, but that’s all I’m telling you. Just wear something warm.” All she could do was nod. Every thought left her the minute his blinding smile was directed at her.

Katie watched him jog onto the field, and she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. Even though Chase had been a widower for three years, she worried he might not be ready for their date. She noticed he still wore his wedding ring, but no matter how many times she considered canceling, her desire to get to know him wouldn’t allow it. He
did
respond to her flirting, and his little slip up on the phone had her hoping he thought about her in a way that was more than platonic.

While Shawn and Katie drove home, she decided she’d better have a talk with him about what happened at practice and make sure he was okay with her upcoming date.

“Shawn?”

“Yeah, Mom?”

“I know Coach talked to you about what happened, but I need you to understand that I won’t tolerate you getting back at Cody.”

Shawn’s eyes dropped to his lap, a sure sign he had already made plans.

“I mean it. What Cody did was wrong, but I expect you not to stoop to his level, okay?”

He shifted in his seat and contemplated what she said. Katie rolled it over in her mind, making sure she hadn’t left any loopholes.

She prodded again when he didn’t answer. “Shawn? Okay?”
 

“Fine,” he muttered.

Katie hoped that was the last she would hear of the incident, but knowing him, he’d find another way to accomplish his goal.

“I also wanted to talk to you about Coach.”

“What about him?”

She gnawed on the inside of her lip for a moment, contemplating the best way to broach the subject, until she realized being straightforward was the best approach.

“How would you feel if I went out on a date with Coach?”

Katie glanced in the rearview mirror and caught Shawn’s contemplative look before he shrugged. “I’m okay with it as long as I get to stay at Tony’s, and Gina is there and not that kidsitter.”

Katie chuckled. He hated being babysat. “Do you have a problem with Tiffany?”

“Yeah, she’s dumb. All she wanted to do was talk on the phone and do Liz’s hair. When Tony and I tried to get her to play with George—”

Katie interrupted. “Who’s George?”

Shawn sighed. “He was Tony’s new caterpillar, but Liz and Tiffany were grossed out and made us put him back in the garden. How can anyone be grossed out by a caterpillar? They’re furry and cute. Gina liked his brother when we brought him in to show her today.”

Katie laughed and shook her head. The poor O’Donnells had no idea that their house would soon become a safe haven for critters if Shawn had anything to say about it.
 

~*~

The rest of the week flew by without any more problems at practice, and as the workweek came to a close, Katie’s anticipation built. She went straight home and jumped in the shower, thinking about the items in her closet while she washed her hair and scrubbed down, trying to erase the smell of squid from her body.

After spending too much time rummaging in her closet, she decided on a thick pair of black slacks and tight fitted turtleneck with a loose-weaved gray sweater over the top. She slipped on her favorite pair of black suede boots with a sexy spiked heel and then glanced in the mirror. Katie wondered for a moment if she should wear something a little more feminine but then remembered Chase had said to dress warmly. She assumed they’d be outside for part of their date, and that piqued her curiosity even more.

Katie had finished blow-drying her hair when she heard a knock at the front door. When she answered it, her jaw almost hit the ground. In a pair of dark wash jeans with a black shirt and sports coat, Chase was more irresistible than ever.

“Hey,” he said. “You look great.”

“Thanks. So do you,” she answered, grabbing her purse and following him out to the car.

He opened the car door for her, and she slid in.
 

“So are you going to fill me in on the plans for the evening?”

He bit his bottom lip before he shook his head and closed her door. When he climbed into the car, he smiled. “I think I’ll keep it a surprise. I hope you like Italian food, though.”

“I do, very much.”

“I have to warn you that Giovanni is a big flirt and will probably try to get you to accompany him to the back room.”

“Well, I hope you’ll defend my honor.” Katie smirked, and Chase smiled back at her with a sparkle in his eye.

He did most of the talking while they made their way into Pacific Grove, telling her about pitching practice and how excited the boys were to have a sleepover. She hoped Gina could keep them under control, and when she expressed her concerns, Chase gave her an odd look and laughed.

“I think it’s the boys who’ll need to keep Gina under control. She had the whole night planned out.”

Large banners hung from the lampposts when they drove down Lighthouse Avenue, reminding tourists and locals alike about the Good Old Days. They arrived at a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Pacific Grove. Chase parked, and Katie waited for him to come around and open her door. An eccentric woman in a bright-purple hat, who had to be in her nineties, was pushing a cart down the sidewalk. An orange tabby cat perched on top of her grocery items. The woman stopped Chase before he made it to Katie’s door, pointing to a spot on her hip and waving her hands around with dramatic emphasis. Chase gave Katie an apologetic smile before he gave the woman his full attention while she continued to speak. Katie held back her giggle and opened the door before Chase addressed the woman in a very patient tone.

“No, Mrs. Candlestine, I doubt, by what you’ve just told me, it’s your appendix. But if you’re concerned, you should call your primary physician.”

“Thank you, Dr. O’Doodle,” she said, patting his cheek as if he were a child. “I’ll make sure to do that in the morning.”

Katie almost choked at Mrs. Candlestine’s comment. Chase sighed heavily after she walked away, giving Katie an embarrassed smile.

“Well, Dr. O’Doodle, it was very kind of you to give medical advice on your day off.”

He chuckled as he took her arm and led her toward the restaurant. “She’s a regular at the hospital. She swears she should have died years ago, so she finds little ailments to confirm her theory.”

“How old is she?”

“She’ll be ninety-two next week,” he said with an affectionate smile.

Chase opened the door to the restaurant, which boasted a red awning and bay window seats on either side of the door. The décor had a romantic Mediterranean feel, and candles flickered on the tables, setting off a warm glow. The walls were honey-colored, with grapevines painted along the crown molding. Wrought iron sconces and paintings of the Italian countryside made the restaurant feel like it belonged to another time and place. There were only ten tables, with an oyster bar in the back toward the kitchen. Katie and Chase stood in the doorway until a gentleman in his mid-thirties with dark hair and a goatee held up his hand to let them know he’d be with them in a minute.

Chase’s hand rested on her shoulder, and he leaned in to talk softly next to her ear. She shivered when his warm breath hit her neck.

“That’s Angelo, the owner’s son. He’s also a distant step-cousin of mine, three times removed or something like that, according to my mother.”

“Chase.” Angelo took his hand and then turned toward Katie. “And who is this lovely lady?” His smooth voice carried a hint of an Italian accent.

“Angelo, I’d like you to meet Katie,” Chase said while he followed Angelo to their table.

“It’s nice to meet you, Katie.” Angelo gave her a wink, then turned his attention back to Chase. “I’ll let the old man know you’re here.”

A few minutes later, a stout, middle-age man with a white apron came out from the kitchen. “Chase!” he cried from across the room, raising his hands in the air. Chase smiled and stood to embrace the man. A loud
mwah
echoed through the restaurant when Giovanni planted a kiss on Chase’s cheek and slapped the other side in greeting.

“How are the kids and that sweet little sister of yours? Is she married yet? I keep telling her that Angelo is available.” He pointed at his son, who was serving other guests their dinner. Katie giggled when she caught Angelo rolling his eyes at his father’s comment.

“The kids are great, and Gina is finally getting married.”

Giovanni frowned and then hollered something at Angelo in Italian, which earned him a glare from his son. He pulled out the chair next to Katie and sat down, ignoring Chase and focusing all his attention on her.

“Giovanni, this is Katie,” Chase said with a chuckle.
 

The older man murmured something in Italian and took her hand in his. Katie smiled when he kept her hand in his and turned to talk to Chase.

“
È bellissima,
Chase.
Era ora che trovassi una bella ragazza. È meglio che tu stia attento, prima che io te la porti via
!” Giovanni said.

Chase chuckled at this. “
Mi preoccuperò quando saprai reggere il confronto con me, vecchio sporcaccione
.” His velvety, smooth voice sent a shiver down Katie’s spine when the beautiful language slipped off his tongue.

“Excuse us,
bellezza
,” Giovanni said, turning his attention back to her. “I tell Chase that it’s about time he find a nice girl, but he shouldn’t have brought such a
donna straordinariamente bella
here. I’m sure you’re ready to give up this boy and let a full-blooded Italian show you the meaning of
amore
.” Giovanni wiggled his bushy eyebrows at her, and she smiled.

Chase cleared his throat. “Do I need to go get Marietta and tell her you’re out here flirting while she’s slaving in the kitchen?”

Giovanni sobered and released Katie’s hand, grumbling under his breath. He stood and kissed her cheek. “It was a pleasure meeting you, beautiful Katie. Don’t forget—my offer still stands.” He gave her another wink and turned back toward Chase with a smile. “Make sure you say goodbye before you leave.”

Chase nodded, and Katie watched as Giovanni made his way back into the kitchen.

“He’s sweet,” she commented when Angelo brought a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“Sweet like a toothache,” Angelo mumbled under his breath, earning a chuckle from both Chase and Katie before he moved on to another table.

“I’m impressed you know Italian. Do you speak any other languages?”

Chase shrugged. “Spanish and a little bit of French. My mother is full-blooded Italian, and we spent part of our summers in Italy when I was young.”

“I’m assuming from your last name that your father is Irish.”

“Yeah, he’s fourth-generation American. We didn’t grow up with much Irish heritage since it had been watered down over the generations. My mother was barely off the boat when she met my father, so we were raised with more Italian culture than anything else.”

“So Giovanni told me what he said, but what did you say back to him?” Katie asked.

“Uh . . . I told him I wasn’t worried about the competition and then called him a dirty old man.”

Katie laughed.

The food was spectacular, but the company was even better. There was no awkwardness between them like there had been at their first dinner together, and he seemed a little less guarded. After Chase had taken care of the bill, Angelo brought out a chilled bottle of wine and a bag with two food containers inside. When Katie asked Chase what they were, he said, “For later.”

Giovanni shuffled out of the kitchen as they were leaving and said his goodbyes, telling Katie to come back when she lost the stiff. She grinned and let him pull her into a hug and kiss her cheek one last time. Chase hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side.

“The Italian act only goes so far before it’s considered creepy,” Chase said with mock annoyance.

Katie felt a small thrill when he took her hand and led her back to the car. He released it when she was settled in, but when he slid into his seat, he picked it back up and rested their entwined fingers on the console between them. The gesture made her heart thump in her chest while a smile played at her lips.

They were back in Carmel in fifteen minutes, and Chase weaved through the side streets until Katie was lost in a blur of cottages and cypress trees. He parked beside a fence made of grape stakes in a densely wooded residential area before helping her out of the car. From his trunk, he pulled a picnic basket, slipping the bottle of wine and food containers into it. He grabbed two blankets and threw them over his arm before he closed the trunk. Chase winked at Katie when he took her hand again and led her down a large driveway that turned into a small parking lot.

“Where are we?”

“You’ll see,” he said.

A small ticket booth came into view when they crossed the lot, but they continued past it until they came to a gate with a sign that read FOREST THEATER.

“We’re seeing a movie?”