It didn’t seem like the thing to ask when she was all excited over this.

  Guess her telling him that she liked to walk the beach when she wasn’t working was enough for him to realize that she found some comfort there. She hoped it was that and he wasn’t playing her.

  No, Duke wasn’t anything like Eddie.

  He wasn’t charming, he wasn’t a bull crapper, and he wasn’t someone to take advantage of another person.

  She’d seen all of that already and had to keep reminding herself to put one foot in front of the other and go in with an open mind.

  No comparisons with her ex, but she was never going to let herself get into a situation like that ever again.

  After some debate, she put a sundress on knowing that it’d be comfortable and make her feel a bit more womanly.

  She got in her car and drove to Duke’s.

  Before she could get to the front door, his garage door opened and she turned to go that way.

  “You look nice,” he said to her.

  “Thanks.” He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. He looked great to her in anything. “So do you.”

  He rolled his eyes at her with a grin, but she got in his SUV. He’d put a basket in the back. “I’ve got everything we need. Drinks and a blanket to sit on.”

  “Sounds like it’s going to be perfect. Are we going to a public beach?”

  “No,” he said. “We are going to my parents’ beach.”

  “Oh. They don’t care?”

  “They aren’t here. They are both in Boston. I didn’t know until this morning and decided this would be better. You don’t have to worry about someone seeing us.”

  Now she felt bad about that. “I don’t care if people see us. I just don’t want your employees to know.”

  “It’s a small island,” he said. “It’s bound to get back to people fast. We can keep it between us for now.”

  She was happy he said that and decided to do this. She’d rather have the time to spend with him and talk more anyway.

  “Thank you for that,” she said.

  “It’s fine. It works for us both.”

  They drove for about five minutes and then pulled down a long road that brought them to the water facing Plymouth. “You grew up there?”

  “I lived here for all but the four years we were in Boston for high school when I was a kid. During college I lived on campus but came back here when school was out. After college I lived in Boston for a few years getting experience. The reason we went to Boston for high school was that Kelsey and I were playing sports. Kelsey was a swimmer. She came out here and swam in the bay all the time. She ended up swimming in college, but she needed to do it on a good high school team to even get to the college level and be noticed.”

  “That was nice of your parents to do,” she said.

  “We had the means and not many do,” he said, shrugging and getting out of the SUV.

  “I bet even if they didn’t have the means or jobs to make it happen, they would have still found a way to do it.”

  “Most likely. I’m sure your parents would have done that for you too.”

  “They would have,” she said. “Not leaving their jobs or buying a new home or anything. But they would have figured something out a different way. I didn’t play sports or anything though.”

  She was more into clubs and that was fine. That put her with people that had the same interests as her.

  “What did you do? I know you said you weren’t into cliques.”

  “I had friends. I was in social clubs. Things in the community. There were business clubs and marketing ones. Clubs for planning dances and events. Things like that.”

  “Makes sense with what you went to school for,” he said.

  She grabbed the blanket he had from the back and he got the basket. Then she followed him past the house and around back to the water.

  “This is beautiful.”

  “And private,” he said. “Plus we can use the bathroom here if we need it and not the public one at the beach.”

  “A plus,” she said. “My place is so tiny, but it’s free so it’s fine.”

  “Staying with your parents, right?” he asked.

  “In the little unit in the back. It works for me, but they see me coming and going.”

  Her parents didn’t see her leave because she wasn’t sure where they were. She hadn’t seen her father’s car, which told her they were out, but they’d come home and see hers gone. They might think she just worked a long shift. That was her hope at least.

  “Finding a place to live on the island is harder than affording one.”

  “So I’ve heard,” she said. “I guess I got lucky. I’m too old to actually live with my parents.”

  She spread the blanket out on the beach by a fire pit. There were chairs around so they didn’t need to, but she wanted the romantic feel to what he’d set up for her.

  She wasn’t sure any man had done something this sweet for her before and she was going to savor it all along with the yummy food he’d put together for her.

  He opened the basket and pulled out a bottle of wine. “I took a guess here, but if you don’t like it or want it, I’ve got water.”

  “I’m not fussy when it comes to wine. A glass will go down well,” she said.

  He opened the bottle and she poured them both a glass, which he’d included too. “I’ve got a bunch of finger foods. A few plates, but we don’t need them either.”

  She smiled at him. “You thought of it all, didn’t you?”

  “I figured out of everyone I’ve ever gone on a date with, you might appreciate this more than most.”

  She wasn’t sure how to take that statement but then told herself she didn’t care. “I really do. It means a lot to me. I wish you’d let me do something for you though. This is the third time you’ve cooked for me. I almost don’t feel right offering to do it for you. It won’t be as good.”

  “How about next time you bring the dessert.”

  “I will,” she said. She wanted to this time, but he’d told her he had it covered.

  And when they were done snacking on the variety of foods that he’d made, he pulled out fruit and cream. Easy and sweet to clean the palate after the spread he’d laid out.

  Once the food was picked up, they sat there looking at the water and some boats in the distance. He pulled her close and put his arm around her when she shivered some since they were in the shade.

  “Do you want a jacket?”

  “I’m fine. Getting a lot of body heat from you.”

  He turned and lifted her chin, his mouth dropping to hers. “I wouldn’t have done this on the public beach either.”

  “It’s more romantic like this,” she said, turning and leaning into his body.

  Somehow she ended up on her back, him on top of her but not squishing her. Just making her feel completely like a woman with a hot guy that wanted her.

  And she knew he did because she could feel it against her body.

  She wasn’t giving in to anything more than kissing, but he didn’t seem like the type to pressure her either.

  After a few minutes he rolled over and they lay on the soft sand and looked out at the water and didn’t talk much at all. It was so peaceful. Something she hadn’t had in a long time.

  When the sun started to set, Duke drove her back to his place, they kissed one more time and she took her leave. She supposed as first dates went it might be one of the best ever.

  She’d said she’d talk to him soon. They both had to work tomorrow. Him at Duke’s so she wouldn’t see him. But it’s not like she saw him daily anyway.

  She pulled into the driveway and saw her father’s car there, both of her parents on the deck. There was no way to avoid them seeing her and coming in before what would be a normal shift.

  “Hi, Hadley,” her mother said, standing up. “You look pretty. I thought you might be working, but I guess not. Were you out with someone?”

  “I was,” she said. She wouldn’t lie to them. “I had a date.”

  “That’s nice,” her mother said.

  “Don’t you think it’s too soon?” her father asked.

  “One date, Dad. That’s it. Nothing more.”

  “Stan, leave Hadley alone. She has to start somewhere. I’m happy she is getting out and doing something and not just working or sitting home alone.”

  “Is it anyone we would know?” her father asked. This was where the no lying came into effect.

  “Yes,” she said but didn’t say more.

  “Who is it?” her father asked.

  She sighed. “It was Duke.”

  “Your boss?” her mother asked. “Is that smart?”

  “It’s a date,” she repeated. “We’ve been talking more with work and we have a lot in common. We aren’t idiots and talked it out.”

  Her father looked at her mother and neither of them said a word. “You know what you’re doing.”

  “That’s right, I do. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Hadley walked away after that. She wasn’t in the mood to let anything bring down the most wonderful night she’d had in...forever.

  16

  Need To Know

  Duke was surprised when Stan asked if he could meet two days later, but of course would make it work. No reason not to.

  What he found odd though was that Stan didn’t want to meet at Southside but rather at Duke’s.

  He was opening the door and going in to flip the lights at nine. He’d be here all day anyway and getting ready to order for the weekend. He had multiple food deliveries a week since it was bigger and busier than Southside.

  It wasn’t five minutes before the front door opened and Stan walked in.

  “Morning,” he said.

  “Same to you,” Stan said. “The place looks different empty.”

  “It’s only empty when it’s not open.”

  “It seems like Southside is getting close to that too,” Stan said. “You’ve made it shine in such a short period of time and Louisa and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

  “It’s good for the island as well as me and you.” He was wondering if Stan was going to try to negotiate the sale of the pub when it came since it was doing so much better.

  No, he couldn’t do that. Hailey made sure of it in the contract. Duke needed to make sure he could get the pub to thrive before he gave in to the purchase.

  “It is,” Stan said. “It’s good for Hadley too.”

  “She seems to enjoy the work. She does a great job with everything she touches. From the baking to the front end and even the advertising. The brunch special last Sunday was a huge hit. It wouldn’t have been that way if it wasn’t for the work that Hadley put into it.”

  Stan nodded his head and moved over to one of the barstools and sat. Duke was standing behind the bar. “I’m sure you are wondering why I wanted to meet you here and not Southside? Or even talk on the phone?”

  “I am and I’m sure you are going to tell me in time.” There was part of him that wondered if it was actually the date he and Hadley had gone on two days ago.

  He hadn’t seen her since, but they did talk last night for a few minutes when he was in his office and on break. Otherwise he was working and so was she and they’d send a few texts.

  He wanted to see her again, but this weekend didn’t seem as if it was going to work out.

  She was working days; he was working nights like he always did.

  Maybe Sunday they could work something out in the morning for a few hours, as she was scheduled to go in at noon.

  “I know you went on a date with Hadley a few days ago,” Stan said.

  Which was what he figured though he had to admit he was surprised Hadley would tell her father. “Last I knew she was an adult,” he said.

  “She is. She’s always been very private about her life. If Louisa and I weren’t sitting on the deck when she returned wearing a dress, then we wouldn’t have realized it.”

  “You asked her?” he asked.

  “Louisa said she looked pretty. She did. She looks very healthy. Physically and mentally. More so than she did when she returned a month ago.”

  “Was she sick?” he asked, frowning.

  “No. But she’s had a very difficult year and my guess is you don’t know anything about it.”

  “She mentioned an ex,” he said. “But again, we just had one date. Nothing more. We have an agreement. Nothing is going to affect her job, she knows that. But I know this isn’t what she is looking to do long term anyway.”

  “No,” Stan said. “It’s not. She needs to get back to what she went to school for.”

  He kept his mouth shut. It appeared to him that Hadley was happier doing a mixture of things than when she sat in an office, but since he only knew her for a month he wasn’t an authority on it either.

  “I think that is up to Hadley to make that decision,” he said.

  “It is,” Stan said. “But since I know she is private you need to know what she has gone through. If she won’t tell you, then I’m going to. A parent always watches out for their children and maybe we felt we didn’t do it enough since she wasn’t around.”

  “If you think telling me will upset Hadley, then maybe it’s best you don’t,” he said. Though he did want to know, the last thing he wanted to do was get in the middle of a family dispute.

  “It will upset her, but I don’t care. You need to know. I’m not positive her dating right now is the best thing for her. Maybe it’s not the best thing for you.”

  There was a lot he wanted to say to that comment but chose not to. “If you feel you must, then tell me. I doubt anything you tell me is going to change my mind on how I feel about your daughter.”

  Stan didn’t say anything and only looked at him. “You said it was one date. Now it’s how you feel?”

  “A figure of speech,” he said.

  “Hadley’s last boyfriend, Eddie, passed away a few months ago. It’s not an ex. Not like you might think. He’d gotten seriously hurt in an accident early into their relationship and then she cared for him for months. After everything they’d gone through, he died when his life was just getting back on track. I guess she didn’t tell you that.”

  “No,” he said. “She never said a word.”

  “It wasn’t just a physical and emotional caring she did, but financially too. We had no idea. She didn’t tell us. She never would ask for help from us or anyone. Eddie got better, but the bills were piling up. Then he passed away suddenly when he was out with friends one night.”

  “Oh,” he said. Not only was she grieving the loss of the man she must have loved, to care for him as she had and stay by his side, but it sounded like she put herself into debt doing it.

  “Anything Eddie had went to his family after his death. Nothing to Hadley. She was left alone and in debt and barely keeping her head above water. She needed to leave and had enough and came home. I just want you to know there is more going on than an ex. I’m happy to see her getting her life together, but the last thing we want is for her to be dragged back down emotionally.”

  “I’m not dragging anyone down,” he said. But he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be any kind of rebound for someone either.

  Though he had to remind himself that it was only one date. There was no way to know how anything was going to turn out.

  He wasn’t even thinking along the lines of anything other than another date.

  But now he had to figure out if maybe it wasn’t the right time for Hadley.

  Could she just be trying to move on with someone else before she had time to grieve?

  “I’m not saying you are. It’s more like Hadley might not know what she wants right now.”

  “Your daughter comes across as someone who knows what she wants in life. Just like she won’t ask for help or tell you what is going on.”

  Stan sighed. “She’s always been headstrong like that. Too bad she couldn’t stand up for herself more though. She’s tender and nice and sweet and gets walked over and taken advantage of all the time.”

  “I’m not that way,” he said firmly.

  “I know you’re not,” Stan said. “Our business dealings have been more than fair on your end. We have enjoyed working with your sister also.”

  “I’m not sure if you are here to warn me or what?”

  “I don’t even know myself what I’m doing other than you need to know. Hadley has to come first for me. I can’t see her like she was when she came home a month ago. Getting in a relationship with someone, whether it’s one date or not, might not be the best thing for her, as I said already.”

  “Are you going to tell her that?” he asked. “Or are you asking me to back away?” He wasn’t about to do that.

  “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Good,” he said. “Because I’m not. I think Hadley would be livid if she thought I was doing that. Why hurt her? If things don’t work out I’ll be honest with your daughter.”

  “Meaning I should be honest and let her know I told you what I did?” Stan asked.

  “That is up to you,” he said.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” Stan said.

  “I’m not keeping it a secret if you think to ask me that,” he said. “It’s not how I operate.”

  “Then I guess I’ve got no choice but to tell Hadley that you are aware of Eddie.”

  “I guess you don’t.”

  Stan left a few minutes later and Duke stood behind his bar wondering what the hell he was getting himself into.

  What he found out though did explain a lot about Hadley.

  But he still wasn’t going to back away unless she wanted him to.

  He hoped she didn’t, but then wondered what he was setting himself up for, knowing the last person she was with wasn’t a bad break up like he thought, but that she’d loved him and he’d died.

  17

  The Whole Story

  Hadley was looking forward to going and seeing Duke. Not just because she kept fantasizing about the kiss they’d shared days ago but also because she wanted more of it.