He could ask Lexie to fill in, but she already had her hands full with classes and babysitting. If he pulled her away from Tara, he’d have a grouchy sister on his hands. He’d bought the restaurant. This was his responsibility.
He thought of Maddy next door and summoned the energy for a scowl. He’d forgotten she managed a restaurant. But he couldn’t imagine why she would agree to help him when she couldn’t seem to stand the sight of him. She also had a job on her hands already and a life to get back to.
Still . . .
She obviously had the expertise to get him through this crisis.
Connor woke with a start. His eyes fastened on the steering wheel as he became aware of the crick in his neck. He straightened from the car door, rubbing his neck.
The sun was just coming up, hiding behind a bank of clouds. If he weren’t so achy and chilled he might’ve appreciated the swaths of pink and periwinkle on the horizon, heralding a new day. But the thought of another day only made him want to sink back into the oblivion of sleep.
What time was it? He winced as he shifted upright, feeling the pull of angry back muscles. He had to get a shower and get over to the marina. He opened the door and stepped out into the crisp morning air. His leg nearly buckled under him as his limb prickled with the fresh flow of blood.
He limped toward the porch, but on his way a movement caught his eye. On the back deck next door Maddy stood at the railing in a white robe. She stared off into the sunrise, a mug in her hand, her dark hair fluttering at her shoulders.
He remembered the restaurant crisis and his last weary thoughts before he’d fallen asleep in his car. Before he could reason with himself he changed his direction.
* * *
Maddy took a sip of her warm coffee, savoring the deep roasted flavor. There was a slight chill in the air, but the mere appearance of the sun on the horizon warmed her. She watched its slow ascent behind the clouds, enjoying the golden morning light. She’d come to appreciate these quiet moments before her sisters stirred.
She hadn’t slept well last night. The tension between Nora and Emma had gotten worse after their words in the attic. They talked to Maddy but not to each other. She was tired of being caught in the middle and tired of rooting up memories she’d just as soon leave buried.
If only she could make her sisters behave like the adults they were. It was true that Nora’s betrayal had been inexcusable, but it was so long ago. They were sisters, and everything had worked out after all. Hadn’t it?
She drew in a deep breath of fresh morning air and let it out. In the distance a sea gull hopped along the beach and another soared overhead. The muted rhythmic sound of waves crashing the shore lulled her mind.
How many hours had she spent out on that strip of beach, searching for shells in low tide or building sand castles, complete with turrets and moats? With no other children living nearby, her imagination had been her best companion. Her mom or Emma would join her sometimes, offering ideas, helping in the construction.
Her daddy, always her biggest fan, would brag over her efforts. But no matter how wonderful her castles turned out, no matter how proud she was of her latest effort, it would be gone the next morning, flattened by the relentless tide.
Such was life.
She’d been close to her dad. All three of them were. He was affectionate, engaging, and—if Maddy were honest—had probably spoiled them a bit too much. Mama was the taskmaster who made sure they got their homework done and scrubbed behind their ears.
Daddy traveled for his job and was gone as many days as he was home. One might think the girls would’ve been closer to their mother, since she was such a staple in their daily lives; however, that old adage about absence making the heart grow fonder was true where their dad was concerned. When she was little she’d waited for him by the front window, anticipating his return.
Her parents’ marriage had eventually failed, but she didn’t blame her dad for that. Her mom was always the one harping on him to find a new job. She’d hated that he was gone all the time. Couldn’t she see he was only trying to take care of them? He’d been such a good father. A good provider.
And knowing that had been making Maddy wonder lately why she’d had so much trouble finding a good man herself. No doubt the demise of her parents’ marriage had had a negative effect on her view of love. But her dad had been such a good role model. How could a daughter of his end up with someone like Nick?
She thought of Nick now, imagining him lying in bed on this Sunday morning, sleeping in. He’d go to the late service at his church and then what? They’d always spent Sunday afternoons together, as it was the only day the restaurant was closed. Would he be spending it with Evangeline today? Maddy sighed. Did she even care anymore?
“Morning.”
The male voice startled her, and her coffee sloshed over the rim onto her white robe.
She angled a look at Connor. His clothes were rumpled, his hair disheveled. He looked as though he was just getting home.
“Sorry.” He came up the deck stairs wearing a penitent look. “Didn’t mean to give you a fright.”
She fished a Kleenex from her robe pocket and dabbed at the coffee stain, suddenly conscious of the fact that her face was bare of makeup, her hair snarled.
“No problem.”
“You’re up early.”
“So are you—or are you just getting in?”
He gave her a long, steady look she couldn’t quite decipher. In the golden light, his skin was tanned and flawless, interrupted only by a few days’ stubble. And then there were those fathomless gray eyes.
“I’ve never seen such gray eyes.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud or in that tone.
His eyes tightened at the corners. “You make it sound like a character flaw.”
“Not at all.” She took a sip of her coffee.
He sighed. “Look, Maddy. I know you don’t like me, and that suits me fine. You don’t have to. But I have a proposition for you, and I’d appreciate it if you’d hear me out.”
Maddy got caught for a long moment in those gray tide pools. She pulled the lapels of her robe together and resisted the urge to run her fingers through her hair.
“Will you do that?” he asked. “Will you just hear me out?”
She hitched a shoulder. “I suppose.”
He looked out at the horizon and scrubbed his hand over his face. “As you know, I own a restaurant and a marina. A week ago my restaurant manager had to take a sudden leave of absence—family emergency. Since then I’ve been trying to run the marina and restaurant both. It’s not working too well.
“The restaurant really isn’t my area of specialty. I won’t get into all that, but suffice it to say, I’m desperate for help. I can’t find anyone qualified to manage it, and to be honest, the place is falling apart.”
Maddy watched as he leaned on the deck rail. His body seemed to sink wearily into it. So that’s why he’d been out till all hours. He hadn’t been running around with women—although there was still Miss Yoga Pants to consider. And the doodly-heart package left on her porch.
And now he was coming to her for help.
“I know you have things to do here and a life to get back to, but I was wondering if you’d consider stepping into the position—temporarily, of course.”
The thought of working for him held no appeal. She pictured the restaurant—it had been aptly named the Crab Shack before—and imagined a loosey-goosey operation with untrained staff, sloppy service, and an uninspired menu.
She opened her mouth to respond, but he stopped her with a raised hand.
“I know the Landing is below your pay grade, but I’m willing to be generous. You could still help your sisters with the house during the day, and I’d take whatever you were willing to give in the evenings, for as long you’re willing to give it.”
He paused, looking at her with hope and a hint of desperation.
She actually felt a little bad about having to say no. “L
isten, Connor. I’m sorry you’re struggling to find help, but I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
“What are your concerns?”
She chuckled uncomfortably. “So many . . .”
“Just throw them at me.”
She squeezed the collar of her robe. “Well, we haven’t exactly hit it off. I hardly think we’ll be on the same page when it comes to running a restaurant.”
“I’ll give you complete control.”
“Complete control? You don’t even know me—or like me. How do you know I won’t run your restaurant into the ground?”
“I know you manage a very nice restaurant, and I’m sure you could handle the Landing quite competently.”
Such high praise. She raised a brow. “Did that hurt?”
The corner of his lip tucked in. “Little bit.”
Hmm. A sense of humor. She took a sip of her coffee, which had grown tepid. The sun was now hovering over the horizon, still shielded by low-hanging clouds.
She allowed herself to consider what it might be like, running the restaurant for a week or two. It was true she missed the hustle and bustle of restaurant life. She could even admit to missing that feeling of control—heaven knew she was in control of nothing here, with her sisters at each other’s throats.
And that was another thing she wouldn’t miss. Escaping the cloud of tension in the house was the most appealing reason to say yes.
“What are your other concerns?” he asked.
She paced a few feet away and settled on one of the wide steps leading out to the beach. “How will your staff respond to a new manager? Change of leadership can be very disruptive. Sometimes people quit.”
“Trust me, they’ll be relieved to have someone who knows what she’s doing. I’m maybe not the most humble man, but I know when I’m in over my head. I’m drowning here.” He moved toward her and lowered himself to the step beside her. “Name your price, Maddy.”
“That’s a very dangerous thing to say to someone.”
“I’m desperate.”
“I’m getting that. How long will your manager be gone?”
“I’m not sure exactly. But I’ll take you for as long as I can get you. It’ll at least give me time to find someone qualified. Cheryl’s done a great job managing the place. When she’s there the place runs like clockwork. We’ve earned a good reputation around here, and I’m undoing all her hard work. I’ve already lost our sous chef. Cheryl’s going to come back, and I’ll have run the place into the ground.”
“How in the world did you end up owning a restaurant?”
He gave a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Long story. It’s been two years, and it has been a great investment. I just need to get over this hump.”
She pondered all he’d said. The man clearly had no business running a restaurant, but that wasn’t her concern. She had money set back—she wasn’t a spendthrift. But with no new job on the horizon, adding to her savings was appealing. The bills back home hadn’t stopped just because she’d come to Seahaven.
She gave him a sideways look. “And I’d be in charge? You wouldn’t micromanage me or undermine me with your staff?”
He turned her way, and as their gazes connected a strange humming began inside. As if a live wire connected the two of them. She thought of what Emma had said about sexual tension and just as quickly shook the thought away.
“Why would I undermine you?” he asked. “If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past week it’s that I know nothing about managing a restaurant. And if you don’t feel I’m holding up my end of the bargain, there’s nothing stopping you from quitting.”
Was she really going to do this? She liked the idea of a challenge. She was good at what she did, and he was clearly desperate. Her sisters might not like it, but maybe if she wasn’t around to assist in the communication they’d find a way to talk to each other. Maybe she was actually in the way.
Plus, there was the money. She turned to Connor and named a fair weekly salary.
He froze in place, his lips parting and hope lighting his eyes. “You’ll do it?”
Maybe she was crazy. Maybe she was in denial. But returning to work suddenly held a lot of appeal.
She gave a nod. “I’m willing to give it a try.”
Chapter 11
Sullivan’s Landing was a bit of a mess, Maddy found when she arrived the next morning. Although Connor had asked her to cover dinner hours, she felt she could head off some potential troubles by arriving early enough to meet the staff and scope things out.
Her sisters hadn’t been happy about Maddy’s decision. More likely they weren’t happy about being holed up at the house without their buffer. Well, it was high time they got over that.
Connor introduced her around and showed her the layout of the place before heading to the marina. She spent an hour acclimating herself to the menu and the delivery schedule that Cheryl had left behind.
The most immediate need was a sous chef. But after talking to the chef, Maddy agreed that one of the line chefs sounded promising. She called him in for an interview, and he seemed eager to prove himself. She offered him the position.
The hostess called in sick, and Maddy spent the afternoon filling in for her and generally getting a feel for the staff and customers and the lay of the land.
It was a casual place, she’d been right about that. But the menu was surprisingly original, the food unexpectedly tasty. Someone had taken a lot of care with it, and a steady flow of customers filled the harbor tables from lunch to midafternoon.
She couldn’t be here from open to close every day, though, and she needed someone to lead the front of house through lunch hour. After a day of observation, she honed in on Amber, who worked the register. She had a good rapport with the customers and staff alike and seemed underutilized in her current position.
Amber jumped at the opportunity. Maddy gave her a crash course in her new duties during the slower afternoon hours and found the girl to be a quick study.
By the time dinner hour rolled around she had a full staff. As she helped set up the harbor tables she took a moment to appreciate the view. The bay was blue and calm today, the surface glittering in the sunlight. A sailboat moved through the channel and out into the open sea, its sails billowing with wind.
It was hot today, near ninety degrees, but the roof over the deck offered shade, and white fans spun lazily, moving the warm air. The deck jutted out toward the marina, where boats came and went throughout the day. True to his word, Connor had left her to her own devices, stopping in only once to ask if she needed anything.
Speak of the devil. She caught sight of him on a pier, unmistakable in his white baseball cap and white shirt. He was talking with a young woman with dark-brown hair. As Maddy watched, the woman tucked her short hair behind her ears and laughed at something Connor said. He reached down and swept her into a long, familiar hug.
Maddy turned away. She was here to run this restaurant, and that’s exactly what she was going to do.
By the time Maddy got home it was almost one in the morning. She’d put in a long day, and all in all she was happy with how things had gone. The Landing staff seemed relieved to have her there. She saw areas that could be improved. The menu could be a little more original, and the staff was in need of better training. Just because it was a casual establishment didn’t mean it couldn’t be excellent. Though she doubted she’d be there long enough to rectify either situation.
She closed the bathroom door quietly and let down her bun. Her scalp practically purred in relief. As she removed her small loop earrings, she fumbled and dropped one. The earring clinked onto the counter, then onto the floor.
She bent over, perusing the area, then concluded it must’ve dropped into the trash can. Great. It was nearly full, of course.
She rooted through the tissues, finding an empty Visine box (Nora’s), a Diet Pepsi bottle and gum wrapper (Emma’s). She didn’t know who the empty Oreo package belonged t
o. Okay, it was hers.
And there was the silver earring, way at the bottom. As Maddy reached for it, her eyes connected with another object, uncovered in her fumbling foray through the trash.
An oblong stick that had a tiny window containing a pink plus sign.
Chapter 12
By the time Maddy got up the next morning, Emma was knitting on the deck, Pippy curled at her feet. Maddy filled a mug and joined her sister.
“Morning,” Emma said from one of the Adirondack chairs.
“Good morning.” She’d hoped to sleep later, having gotten in so late, but her internal clock hadn’t allowed it. “What are you making?”
“An afghan.”
Gram had taught them all how to knit, but Emma was the only one who’d taken to it. “Already thinking about winter?”
“It’s for a charity. They distribute blankets to homeless shelters. Plus, knitting keeps my hands busy so I don’t eat too much.”
“You always did worry about your weight.”
“When you’re five four you have to. I swear a single pound is enough to make my pants tight.”
“You look great. Men like curves, you know.”
Emma made a sound that could’ve been agreement—or not.
Maddy thought of the pregnancy test she’d found in the trash can the night before. It was likely Emma’s. Years ago she and Ethan had decided not to have children, but that could’ve changed. It seemed more likely than Nora and Jonathan deciding to start over in their forties after they’d just reached the empty nest phase.
Maddy had lain in bed until almost two thinking about it. She hadn’t yet heard Emma on the phone with Ethan. Or Nora with Jonathan for that matter, but Jonathan had always been such a workaholic.
“How’d it go at the restaurant yesterday?” Emma asked.
“Pretty good. The staff is competent enough, and I filled a couple holes. The menu is better than I expected. Someone put some thought into it. You’ll have to come in and sample the lobster bisque. It’s divine.”
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