for heaven’s sake. He’d been in a war. He was tough, dammit! It might be smart to keep reminding himself of that.
He glanced past Jess and saw that several tables had been set up along the wall in the café area. They were laden with tempting hors d’oeuvres and cookies.
“Nice spread,” he commented.
“And you’re not to touch it till after the customers have seen how beautiful it looks,” she warned him. “This kind of event is great advertising for the inn’s catering services. I bet I’ll pick up half a dozen parties because of this.”
“Good for you.” He hesitated, then asked, “Jess, how did you know the inn was the perfect career for you?”
“You mean after all the other jobs I held for a nanosecond and quit?”
He nodded.
“When I saw the For Sale sign on that property, I remembered how much I’d loved it and thought about owning it, even when I was a kid. I just knew it was what I’d been waiting for.” She studied him thoughtfully. “Is this about the charter fishing boat idea I mentioned to you?”
“Yeah, at least I think that’s why I’m asking.”
“You’re still not sure it’s the right fit?”
“I’m not sure anything’s the right fit,” he admitted. “But I have to do something, and I want to be as excited about it as you are about the inn. Bree has the flower shop and her writing. Abby’s passionate about all that Wall Street financial stuff. Connor loves practicing law. I don’t have anything I feel that way about, not since…”
“Not since you ruled out being a paramedic again,” she said. “Have you even been down to Harbor Lights? Maybeif you spent some time looking at the boats the marina has for sale, the pieces would start to fall into place.”
“Good idea,” he said. It was another of those steps that Gram had been encouraging him to take. Just one step forward. He didn’t have to buy a boat. He just had to look at them. Maybe take a couple out to sea to get the feel of them, then sign up for the training to become certified as a charter boat captain. Even after taking the course and becoming licensed, he never had to actually start a fishing charter.
“Thanks, Jess,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “Now let me man my station at the cappuccino machine, because I think the doors are about to open.”
His sister gave him a hard hug. “I think it’s great that you came to help out.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” he said defensively.
She grinned at him. “Did I suggest otherwise?”
“No, but—” He cut himself off in midsentence. Protesting would only convince her, convince the entire family, of the exact opposite. Better to drop this and stay as far away from both his family and Shanna as possible for the rest of the day.
Shanna had never expected a turnout like this. The store was so packed and sales so brisk, she’d barely been able to leave the cash register since she’d unlocked the front door at 10 a.m. At least that hadn’t given her a single second to worry about what Laurie might be up to with Kevin. She’d warned her to leave the man alone, but a stern warning had never stopped her friend from doing exactly as she pleased, especially when she was worried.
And Laurie was worried, even more so now that she’d met Kevin. She’d had plenty to say once he’d walked outof the back room. The only thing that had saved Shanna from hearing every single one of her concerns was Jess’s timely arrival announcing that the food was set up and it was 10 a.m. After that, everything had been a blur.
Everyone in Chesapeake Shores, it seemed, had been starving for reading material. Stacks of paperbacks and children’s books had flown out the door. She’d even sold every single one of her deluxe Scrabble sets, the ones on a turntable. Jigsaw puzzles were selling well, too. Apparently the summer people loved keeping a supply of things like that on hand for rainy days and visiting grandkids.
Bree had been
He glanced past Jess and saw that several tables had been set up along the wall in the café area. They were laden with tempting hors d’oeuvres and cookies.
“Nice spread,” he commented.
“And you’re not to touch it till after the customers have seen how beautiful it looks,” she warned him. “This kind of event is great advertising for the inn’s catering services. I bet I’ll pick up half a dozen parties because of this.”
“Good for you.” He hesitated, then asked, “Jess, how did you know the inn was the perfect career for you?”
“You mean after all the other jobs I held for a nanosecond and quit?”
He nodded.
“When I saw the For Sale sign on that property, I remembered how much I’d loved it and thought about owning it, even when I was a kid. I just knew it was what I’d been waiting for.” She studied him thoughtfully. “Is this about the charter fishing boat idea I mentioned to you?”
“Yeah, at least I think that’s why I’m asking.”
“You’re still not sure it’s the right fit?”
“I’m not sure anything’s the right fit,” he admitted. “But I have to do something, and I want to be as excited about it as you are about the inn. Bree has the flower shop and her writing. Abby’s passionate about all that Wall Street financial stuff. Connor loves practicing law. I don’t have anything I feel that way about, not since…”
“Not since you ruled out being a paramedic again,” she said. “Have you even been down to Harbor Lights? Maybeif you spent some time looking at the boats the marina has for sale, the pieces would start to fall into place.”
“Good idea,” he said. It was another of those steps that Gram had been encouraging him to take. Just one step forward. He didn’t have to buy a boat. He just had to look at them. Maybe take a couple out to sea to get the feel of them, then sign up for the training to become certified as a charter boat captain. Even after taking the course and becoming licensed, he never had to actually start a fishing charter.
“Thanks, Jess,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “Now let me man my station at the cappuccino machine, because I think the doors are about to open.”
His sister gave him a hard hug. “I think it’s great that you came to help out.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” he said defensively.
She grinned at him. “Did I suggest otherwise?”
“No, but—” He cut himself off in midsentence. Protesting would only convince her, convince the entire family, of the exact opposite. Better to drop this and stay as far away from both his family and Shanna as possible for the rest of the day.
Shanna had never expected a turnout like this. The store was so packed and sales so brisk, she’d barely been able to leave the cash register since she’d unlocked the front door at 10 a.m. At least that hadn’t given her a single second to worry about what Laurie might be up to with Kevin. She’d warned her to leave the man alone, but a stern warning had never stopped her friend from doing exactly as she pleased, especially when she was worried.
And Laurie was worried, even more so now that she’d met Kevin. She’d had plenty to say once he’d walked outof the back room. The only thing that had saved Shanna from hearing every single one of her concerns was Jess’s timely arrival announcing that the food was set up and it was 10 a.m. After that, everything had been a blur.
Everyone in Chesapeake Shores, it seemed, had been starving for reading material. Stacks of paperbacks and children’s books had flown out the door. She’d even sold every single one of her deluxe Scrabble sets, the ones on a turntable. Jigsaw puzzles were selling well, too. Apparently the summer people loved keeping a supply of things like that on hand for rainy days and visiting grandkids.
Bree had been
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