Seaview Inn (8 page)

Her grandmother gave a nod of satisfaction. “Tell Jack I said hello.”

“I never said I was going to The Fish Tale.”

Grandma Jenny shrugged. “You’re a fool if you don’t, and I don’t think we raised any fools in this house.”

“You just finished telling me I made a foolish choice when it came to picking a husband,” Hannah reminded her.

“You were young. It was a mistake. Now you have a second chance to do things right.”

“Why are you so sure Luke would be right? You don’t know anything about his life since he left here.”

“I know enough,” she replied. “And I’ve seen that look in his eyes before. He’s seen his share of sorrows. A man who feels things that deeply has strength of character.”

“If you say so,” Hannah said doubtfully. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and fix dinner?”

“I already told you I want some time alone with my great-granddaughter.”

Dismissed, Hannah put away the cleaning supplies, washed her face and hands and brushed on a light coating of lipstick. As she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed that her cheeks had some much-needed color in them. Her hair, usually tamed with spray, was windblown from her earlier walk on the beach and had more curl than she was accustomed to. She looked almost carefree and relaxed. Which was a lie, given everything she had on her mind, but maybe for a few hours she could pretend that all was right in her world.

And her grandmother was correct about one thing: Luke was the most intriguing male distraction to cross her path in eons. She’d enjoyed talking to him on the porch last night. She’d enjoyed testing her out-of-practice flirting skills on him. If that was as far as things
ever went between them, it would be enough to remind her that, cancer or not, her life wasn’t over yet. She needed to live every moment that remained as if it might be her last.

Hannah strolled through town, assuring herself that The Fish Tale didn’t have to be her destination. She could explore for an hour or so and go home. Luke would never have to know that she’d gone out intending to track him down.

She shook her head. She was acting like a teenager with her first crush. How many times had she and Abby plotted to run into Luke “accidentally on purpose”? More times than she could count. None of those encounters had had the desired result, though. It had taken something far more dramatic to finally catch Luke’s attention. Abby had nearly drowned and Luke had saved her. Afterward, he’d finally taken notice. From then on three of them had been inseparable. The situation had tortured Hannah, who’d developed her own crush on Luke but kept silent about it, especially after Luke had chosen Abby. Girlfriends didn’t poach. Luke was as off limits to her as if he and Abby had had rings on their fingers.

When she reached The Fish Tale, she stood outside the door debating whether to go inside.

“The food’s really good,” a chipper voice announced behind her. “I can vouch for it. My family owns the place.”

Hannah whirled around, a smile spreading. “Lesley Ann?”

“Oh, my gosh, Hannah! I can’t believe it,” Lesley Ann said, enveloping her in a hug made awkward by the size of her belly.

“You’re having a baby,” Hannah said, standing back to look at her. “And you’re absolutely glowing.”

“My third,” Lesley Ann told her. “He’s due any minute, so I’m not even supposed to be here, but I like to come down and check on Dad about this time every day. Since my mom died, he works too hard, but getting him to slow down is like talking to a wall. I imagine you’re having the same problem with Jenny.”

“Oh, yeah,” Hannah confirmed.

“Come on, let’s go in. I’ll treat you to dinner on the house,” Lesley Ann offered.

Hannah nodded, relieved not to be walking in alone.

Lesley Ann pulled open the door and stepped inside. “Hey, Dad, look who I found lurking on the sidewalk.”

Just as she spoke, Luke slowly swiveled around on his seat at the bar and met Hannah’s gaze. His lips quirked into a smile, though Hannah wasn’t sure if it was meant for her or Lesley Ann.

“And look who turned up here earlier,” Jack called back to his daughter, gesturing toward Luke. “Why don’t you three find yourselves a table and catch up? I’ll bring over some drinks. Hannah, what can I get you? A beer? Soda? Something to eat?”

“A beer and a fish sandwich,” she said at once.

“Just some water for me, Dad,” Lesley Ann said, then wove her way between the tables. “Let’s take that empty table by the window, instead of a booth,” she added, rubbing a hand protectively over her stomach. “This tummy of mine doesn’t fit in the booths so well at the moment.”

She led the way toward a table and pulled out a chair before Luke could get to it. He shrugged and gestured for Hannah to sit in the one he’d pulled out.

“Same old independent streak,” he said to Lesley Ann.

“My mother taught me well,” she retorted. “Now, tell
me everything about yourselves. Hannah, you’re living in New York, right?”

“Yes, and working in public relations.”

“That sounds so exciting. Do you love it?”

“I do. It’s everything I ever wanted,” she claimed, then wondered why, if that was true, she wasn’t happier these days. It had to be because of all the pressure she was under lately, not any dissatisfaction with her life.

“Luke, how about you?” Lesley Ann asked. “I haven’t heard anything about you since your folks moved away while you were still in college.”

“There’s not that much to tell,” he said tightly. His expression shut down momentarily, then turned to relief when Jack came over with their drinks and Hannah’s sandwich.

Hannah took her first bite, then sighed. “It’s every bit as good as I remembered.”

Luke grinned. “I said the same thing.”

“Well, of course it is,” Lesley Ann said indignantly. “It was Mama’s recipe and we don’t let anyone mess with it.”

“I hear you’re going to take over one of these days,” Luke said.

“I am, that is, if I can ever talk Dad into retiring.” She glanced toward the bar where Jack was once more chatting with a customer. “How can I push it, though, when this place is all that keeps him going now that Mama’s gone? You must know what I mean, Hannah. It must be like that for your grandmother since your mom died. Seaview Inn must mean more to her than ever.”

Hannah nodded slowly, hating to admit that Lesley Ann was right. “But I don’t see how she can keep up with it at her age.”

“Hire someone to help her,” Lesley Ann said matter-of-factly. “Or come back here yourself. I know you two were
both anxious to get away from Seaview. I suppose we all were back then. But I have to tell you, I appreciate it now. It’s been a great place to raise kids and the slow pace is just right for me. Tourist season is a madhouse, but the rest of the year there’s plenty of time to catch my breath.”

Hannah didn’t want to cast a damper on her enthusiasm, but it was already the height of the tourist season, and by her standards, Seaview was as slow-paced and boring as ever. Sure, business was hopping here at The Fish Tale, but what else was there to do in town?

“I’m afraid I’d lose my mind living here,” she admitted. “I’m used to going to the theater and concerts, to going out for any kind of ethnic food I want, and to spending an afternoon at a museum or an art gallery when I have the time.”

Luke studied her intently as she spoke, then asked, “When was the last time you had the time? According to your grandmother, you’re a workaholic.”

Hannah winced but saw little reason to deny it. “Okay, yes, I am, but it’s all there if I want to go,” she said.

“It’s wasted if you don’t take advantage of it,” he said.

There had been a time when she had, she remembered. She’d studied the endless list of gallery openings in the paper and chosen the ones she wanted to attend. She’d gone to free concerts practically every weekend, scraped up money for a balcony seat at the ballet or the latest Broadway musical. Even with money tight, she’d seen to it that Kelsey was exposed to every bit of culture that New York had to offer. When had that changed? Now she had enough money and sufficient contacts to sit front row center at just about anything in the city and she rarely took the time to go anywhere.

“Where do you live?” she asked Luke. “I’ll bet it’s not
anyplace like Seaview. I’ll bet it’s a big city that’s bustling with things to do.”

“I was living in Atlanta,” he said, suddenly looking distant again.

“Was?” she repeated, studying his expression for some clue about why he’d phrased it like that. “Aren’t you going back there?”

“Maybe,” he said, then shrugged. “Probably.”

“Why so noncommittal?” Lesley Ann asked.

“Long story,” he said succinctly. “And it’s getting late. I need to get some rest if I’m going to start painting in the morning.”

Hannah frowned. “You don’t have to paint the inn, Luke. We can hire someone to do it.”

“That was the deal I made with your grandmother,” he countered. “She let me come even though the inn is closed if I would help with some of the renovations.”

“I don’t know what it is with you two,” Hannah grumbled. “She lets you move in even though we’re not taking reservations and you let her talk you into buying that awful turquoise paint.”

“It’s not awful,” Luke protested, though his lips were twitching as he fought amusement. “It’s cheery and colorful.”

Hannah turned to Lesley Ann and rolled her eyes. “See what I mean? The two of them are in cahoots.”

“I think it’s sweet that Luke wants to help out,” Lesley Ann said. “And the color does sound like fun. Let me know when it’s finished and I’ll bring Dad over to take a look. I’ve been pleading with him to let me paint this place a pretty shade of coral. I keep telling him it will make it look more beachy.”

“It must be something in the air,” Hannah muttered.

Luke laughed. “Could be. You walking back now?”

“I suppose so, as long as you don’t try to sell me on that paint color while we walk.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he claimed, though his eyes were dancing with mischief. “I thought I’d fill you in on the color she wants to use in the dining room.”

Hannah gazed at him with dismay. “What color?”

“I’ll tell you on the way,” he promised, giving Lesley Ann a wink. “Good night. We’ll be back again, I’m sure.”

“Good night, you two. Don’t be strangers. It’s good to have you home again.”

As they left and stepped outside, Hannah shuddered slightly, drawing an odd look from Luke.

“Cold?” he asked.

“No, I was just thinking about what Lesley Ann said. I haven’t thought of Seaview as home in years.”

“You can’t deny where you came from,” he said. “Like it or not, this is home.”

“No, it’s where I grew up,” she said emphatically. “Home is New York.”

“Other than people you work with, tell me half a dozen people in New York who know your name, much less your likes and dislikes,” he challenged.

She was determined to rise to the bait, but it was harder than she’d expected. “The man in the bagel shop knows I like plain with extra cream cheese,” she retorted finally.

“And his name is?”

She searched her mind, then came up with it. “Raul,” she said triumphantly, then faltered. “Or is it Rafael?”

“You’re obviously close,” Luke commented dryly.

“Okay, I have a best friend I’ve known for years and lots of acquaintances. Are you telling me that it’s any better in Atlanta? Is your life brimming with close friends?”

“No, but that’s my point. There’s something nice about being in a community where you can walk into a restaurant and the owners know you and your history and your family. Come on, admit it, Hannah. It felt comfortable being at The Fish Tale, seeing Jack and Lesley Ann again.”

“Well, sure, for one night, it was good to catch up a little,” she conceded. “But do you really think either one of us has a thing in common with them anymore?”

“We have a shared past, a ton of memories, friends in common. And they’re not as isolated as we were when we were kids. The tourists who come through here now are from all walks of life and come from all over the world. I imagine Jack and Lesley Ann could carry on a lively conversation about just about anything. Talking to the customers is a necessary skill in a place like that.”

“I think you’ve seriously overdosed on nostalgia,” she said. “You’d be just as sick of this place in a month as I would be.”

He turned and met her gaze. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“You can’t seriously be thinking about staying here,” she said, stunned. “You have a life in Atlanta. Not ten minutes ago you said you’d be going back there.”

“I said I’d
probably
be going back and I
had
a life in Atlanta,” he said. “I’m not sure how much of it can be salvaged.”

“Do you want to explain that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. He’d sounded every bit as sad as her grandmother had claimed.

He shook his head. “One of these days, but not tonight. Let’s just walk along the beach and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

“There is no peace and quiet,” she grumbled. “Have you ever listened to the waves?”

Beside her, Luke reached for her hand. “Hush, Hannah. You’re making more noise than the waves.”

She quieted at once, trying to decide how she felt about having her hand wrapped in his, his fingers entwined with hers. Twenty years ago, she would have given anything for a moment like this on a night like this with stars in the sky and a tiny sliver of a moon reflected on the water. Her heart would have filled to bursting if Luke had shown her even this much attention.

Tonight, though, with his declaration that he might stay in Seaview Key hanging in the air, the contact and the spark it stirred in her scared her to death. She could not fall for Luke Stevens a second time, only to have her heart broken again. If something was actually kindled between them this time, how could she possibly survive walking away? And walking away was inevitable because the life she wanted was in New York.

Then Luke lifted their hands to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. And in that second, it felt as if her world began and ended right here on this stretch of sand.