you two wereboth 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 notanyplace 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
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 notanyplace 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
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