an instant turnoff for her. Anxious to change the subject, she said, “Some friends of mine are playing at the Tiki Bar at McCarthy’s Marina. How do you feel about live music?”
“I love it, especially when Evan and Owen are playing together. I was going to ask if you wanted to go.”
“Great,” Jenny said, excited to continue the date and see their mutual friends.
He paid the check and casually reached for her hand on the way out of the restaurant.
Jenny curled her fingers around his much bigger hand, marveling at the strange twenty-four hours she’d had. Last night Alex had been arriving at the lighthouse right around this time, and… Well, there was no need to go over all that again.
And here she was tonight, holding hands with Linc Mercier during what was turning out to be one of the better dates she’d had since Toby died. As much as she liked Linc, though, he didn’t inspire the same level of edgy, gut-wrenching desire she’d experienced with Alex.
Oh for God’s sake! Give the guy a chance, will you? She admonished herself all the way back to the car, where Linc once again held the door for her and waited until she was safely settled before he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
On the drive from South Harbor to the marina in North Harbor, it occurred to her that she’d already known Linc for longer than she’d known Alex, and still, she wasn’t climbing all over him the way she had Alex.
That thought made her mad—at Alex. If she’d never met him, she wouldn’t be sitting here comparing him to Linc, who was exactly the kind of guy she needed in her life. Unlike Alex’s man-of-mystery act, Linc was straightforward, forthcoming and handsome as hell. Not that Alex wasn’t handsome… That was hardly an issue where he was concerned.
Determined to push all thoughts of him to the far corners of her mind, she recommitted to enjoying her evening with Linc.
He reached across the center console for her hand. When they pulled into a parking space near the marina, he turned off the car but didn’t let go of her hand. Sitting in the waning daylight a couple of blocks from the marina, she was acutely aware of him and the fact that he intended to kiss her.
If he made the move, she decided, she would let him. She glanced over to find him watching her.
“You’re incredibly beautiful, but you probably hear that all the time.”
What might’ve been a cheesy line from another guy actually sounded sincere coming from him. “No, I don’t.”
“Well, someone should tell you that every day, because it’s true.”
Once upon a time, a wonderful young man had told her she was beautiful every day.
“Did I say something to upset you?”
Jenny shook off the moment of melancholy. “Not at all.”
Turning toward her, he raised his hand to her face and leaned in to kiss her. While it was happening, Jenny felt removed from the situation, as if she were watching someone else kiss the sexy Coast Guard officer. The kiss was nice. He moved slowly and didn’t go for broke at the first sign of interest from her. He showed restraint that she appreciated.
And when he pulled away and smiled at her, she smiled back.
Walking hand in hand with him to the Tiki Bar, it occurred to her that she’d felt absolutely nothing during that perfectly lovely kiss.
That, too, was Alex’s fault.
Chapter 7
Mac, Maddie, Abby, Adam, Luke, Sydney, Grant, Stephanie, Tiffany, Blaine, Grace and Laura had commandeered a large table at the Tiki Bar.
Laura nudged Jenny’s arm as she sat down next to her. “Having a good time?”
“Very good.”
“Oh yay.”
“Shush,” Jenny said. “Don’t let him hear you.”
They introduced Linc to Grant’s friend Dan Torrington and his girlfriend, Kara Ballard, when they joined the group.
Evan and Owen were playing “Home” by Phillip Phillips. The combination of the awesome music, the glorious sunset over the Salt Pond, the table full of
“I love it, especially when Evan and Owen are playing together. I was going to ask if you wanted to go.”
“Great,” Jenny said, excited to continue the date and see their mutual friends.
He paid the check and casually reached for her hand on the way out of the restaurant.
Jenny curled her fingers around his much bigger hand, marveling at the strange twenty-four hours she’d had. Last night Alex had been arriving at the lighthouse right around this time, and… Well, there was no need to go over all that again.
And here she was tonight, holding hands with Linc Mercier during what was turning out to be one of the better dates she’d had since Toby died. As much as she liked Linc, though, he didn’t inspire the same level of edgy, gut-wrenching desire she’d experienced with Alex.
Oh for God’s sake! Give the guy a chance, will you? She admonished herself all the way back to the car, where Linc once again held the door for her and waited until she was safely settled before he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
On the drive from South Harbor to the marina in North Harbor, it occurred to her that she’d already known Linc for longer than she’d known Alex, and still, she wasn’t climbing all over him the way she had Alex.
That thought made her mad—at Alex. If she’d never met him, she wouldn’t be sitting here comparing him to Linc, who was exactly the kind of guy she needed in her life. Unlike Alex’s man-of-mystery act, Linc was straightforward, forthcoming and handsome as hell. Not that Alex wasn’t handsome… That was hardly an issue where he was concerned.
Determined to push all thoughts of him to the far corners of her mind, she recommitted to enjoying her evening with Linc.
He reached across the center console for her hand. When they pulled into a parking space near the marina, he turned off the car but didn’t let go of her hand. Sitting in the waning daylight a couple of blocks from the marina, she was acutely aware of him and the fact that he intended to kiss her.
If he made the move, she decided, she would let him. She glanced over to find him watching her.
“You’re incredibly beautiful, but you probably hear that all the time.”
What might’ve been a cheesy line from another guy actually sounded sincere coming from him. “No, I don’t.”
“Well, someone should tell you that every day, because it’s true.”
Once upon a time, a wonderful young man had told her she was beautiful every day.
“Did I say something to upset you?”
Jenny shook off the moment of melancholy. “Not at all.”
Turning toward her, he raised his hand to her face and leaned in to kiss her. While it was happening, Jenny felt removed from the situation, as if she were watching someone else kiss the sexy Coast Guard officer. The kiss was nice. He moved slowly and didn’t go for broke at the first sign of interest from her. He showed restraint that she appreciated.
And when he pulled away and smiled at her, she smiled back.
Walking hand in hand with him to the Tiki Bar, it occurred to her that she’d felt absolutely nothing during that perfectly lovely kiss.
That, too, was Alex’s fault.
Chapter 7
Mac, Maddie, Abby, Adam, Luke, Sydney, Grant, Stephanie, Tiffany, Blaine, Grace and Laura had commandeered a large table at the Tiki Bar.
Laura nudged Jenny’s arm as she sat down next to her. “Having a good time?”
“Very good.”
“Oh yay.”
“Shush,” Jenny said. “Don’t let him hear you.”
They introduced Linc to Grant’s friend Dan Torrington and his girlfriend, Kara Ballard, when they joined the group.
Evan and Owen were playing “Home” by Phillip Phillips. The combination of the awesome music, the glorious sunset over the Salt Pond, the table full of
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