“So you really like it?”

It was the fifth time he’d asked her opinion about the house since the night before. Gretchen merely smiled and poured Delaney her bowl of Cheerios. “Yes, Simon, I think it’s been very nicely renovated and has a ton of charm. I don’t think you could find a better house anywhere in town. And I love the back staircase. I know exactly why you love it, too. The house reminds you where you grew up.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“It’s obvious you’re looking for a home, a permanent one where you can finally settle down after all those years spent on foreign soil. I think it’s perfect.”

Simon kissed her cheek. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

“Aren’t you gonna ask me what I thought about Gilly?”

“I was working up to it.”

“Not only is she gorgeous, but I watched her with her boy. Gilly’s a good mother, a strong single mom who’s working ungodly hours. That kind of spirit and determination keeps her going. Kind of like someone else I know.”

“And what did you think of Connie?”

“Well-intentioned, but a little too judgmental for my taste. She mentioned four times while we went through the house that she didn’t think you could afford the place. Four times.”

Simon shook his head. “I’m not sure I care what she thinks anymore. She seems to think Jayden has problems. I don’t like it.”

“I noticed that. What I saw was a sweet little boy who’s loud and active and loves an audience. But it’s something else Connie seems to be fixated on and it annoys Gilly.”

“Exactly. She’s brought it up several times. She hoped her mother’s attitude had something to do with her medical condition. I’m not so sure.”

“There’s tension there. So where are you taking this spirited, beautiful woman tonight for dinner?”

“I made reservations at The Pointe, got a table looking out over the water. Romantic, right?”

“That’s my boy, knows how to treat a woman right.”

He grinned and held up his car keys. “You and Delaney gonna be okay? I’ve gotta get going. Silas wants that northwest corner cleared today. All of it. You’ve got the truck if you want to explore.”

Gretchen waved him away. “We’ll be fine. I’m taking my granddaughter to the park where she can take in some sunshine without getting dust all over her. When do you close on that house?”

Simon lifted a shoulder. “Two weeks. But I haven’t heard from Nick yet as to when I sign the papers. Why?”

“I wish it could happen while I’m here. I’d like to be able to see you two settled before I head back east.”

“We’ll be fine, Mom. In case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of people to help.” He kissed his daughter’s head and headed out the door.

Gretchen looked at Delaney. “He just doesn’t get it, does he? A mother likes to be around to see her child…” She stopped short. “Oh, baby, your mother will never be able to check up on you, will she? You’ll never know her. You’ll grow up without having that bond. Which means it’s that much more important for your daddy to find that very special person to share his life with. Is Gilly the one? I don’t know, sweetie. Let’s go test the waters a bit and find out.”

Gretchen was definitely sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. But if she wanted to have peace of mind back in Rhode Island, it was the only way.

Phillips Park was in the middle of downtown, between Main Street and Tradewinds Drive. She already knew Connie lived down the street.

She unloaded Delaney’s borrowed stroller from the pickup and set out to meander through the neighborhood. It was good exercise on a beautiful day with soft breezes coming off the ocean. Her goal was to walk back and forth until she either caught a glimpse of Connie in her yard or Gilly in hers. She gave it forty-five minutes. And when that didn’t work, she simply marched up to Connie’s door and rang the bell.

“Hi there,” Gretchen began. “How about having lunch with me today? We could invite Gilly and Jayden.”

“Oh, lord, no. Gilly’s getting ready for her big date tonight and Jayden’s such a handful when you take him out to eat I don’t bother with that.”

“Are you babysitting him tonight?”

“No, thank goodness. Emma Colter volunteered to keep him overnight.”

“I would’ve done it.”

“Why don’t you come on in and we can have lunch here. I was just sitting down to a tuna fish sandwich. There’s plenty.”

“Okay. I’ll leave the stroller out here on the porch. Are you sure having Delaney here won’t upset your peace and quiet?”

“She seems to be well-behaved enough.”

Gretchen wasn’t sure how to respond to that and wondered if she should keep Delaney sitting on her lap. But the child wanted down. “All kids are a handful sometimes, aren’t they?”

“I suppose. But Jayden throws things and runs around like a little heathen at times. He won’t sit still long enough to watch a cartoon. I keep telling Gillian she should put the boy on medication to calm him down, but she refuses.”

Good for Gilly, Gretchen thought, but kept her mouth firmly shut and her teeth clenched in a jaw-tightened lockdown.

“Want some lemonade with your sandwich? Or maybe some tea?”

“Lemonade’s fine,” Gretchen replied, trying to make sure Delaney didn’t break anything as she toddled around the living room, a room filled with knickknacks on every table. Gretchen wanted to point out that those little figurines sitting around, and well within a child’s reach, were mighty tempting to a toddler. To them, the collectibles could easily be mistaken for toys.

Gretchen realized then and there she didn’t have a chance in hell of changing Connie Grant’s mind about Simon, nor her habits or her long-held beliefs. It didn’t even seem to Gretchen as if Connie liked her own grandson very much. Gretchen couldn’t fathom the notion of that.

After an awkward beginning, the meal could only be described as tense and unrewarding. She sat through it on pins and needles, mostly because she was afraid Delaney might knock over one of those precious mementos that Connie seemed so fond of displaying. Which was her right to do so, Gretchen realized. But since she favored having a clutter-free zone when it came to letting toddlers move around without worry, there didn’t seem to be any point to bringing it up.

At the first opportunity after she swallowed the last bite, she and Delaney got out of there, practically scooting down the street and back to where she’d parked Simon’s truck.

Just as she started to lift Delaney out of the stroller, she heard a voice ask, “Need some help there?”

She turned to see a lanky man her age with a crop of dark-colored hair graying at the temples, standing a few feet away. He was dressed in jogging attire with earbuds hanging around his neck like he’d been listening to music. He had the most endearing brown eyes she’d ever seen. “I think I’ve got it, but thanks for the offer.”

“No problem. I’m John Dickinson. You’re new in town?”

“I’m just visiting my new grandbaby and my son. Simon Bremmer. You might know him.”

“The guy who owns the Sea Dragon? Sure. You’re his mother? You don’t look old enough to have a boy that age.”

Gretchen laughed and introduced herself. “And this is Delaney.”

He bent down to shake her little hand. “My daughter is principal at the elementary school. I bet she’ll be meeting you one day soon.” John straightened up and turned to Gretchen again. “Her name’s Julianne, last name’s McLachlan now. I moved here last June after retiring and selling off my contractor business in Santa Cruz. Love it here. And I get to be closer to my only daughter.”

“That’s what matters, isn’t it? Family. My son lives so far away now. This is my first visit here since he moved. But now that he has Delaney…”

“My guess is, that grandbaby will get you out here a lot more often.”

“You’re probably right.”

“How long are you in town?”

“I leave next Thursday. Six more days.” She told him about her sister with Alzheimer’s. “It’s tough getting away and leaving her in the care of strangers.”

“If you’d like to have coffee before you go back, maybe someone to talk to about it, we could meet at the Diner,” John said. “Max makes a mean cinnamon roll.”

Gretchen scooped up Delaney and almost stumbled over her own feet at the offer. “You’re asking me to have coffee with you? How do you know I’m not married?”

John grinned and held up his hands. “I’m not psychic. I went out with Simon on the Sea Dragon last summer to go fishing. He mentioned his dad died two years back. And it’s just a cup of coffee. It’s not like we’re sneaking out to meet at midnight.”

That brought a chuckle out of Gretchen. “I haven’t been out at midnight in a long time. I might turn into a pumpkin.”

“We wouldn’t want that. So how about it? I’ll buy Simon’s mom a cup of coffee as a thank you for having such a great guy for a son. I caught twelve striped bass the day we went out on the boat.”

“It’s a nice, friendly gesture by one of the locals. Okay, let’s do it. Let’s meet up for coffee. How about Monday morning? I’ll have to bring Delaney because Simon has a tour leaving at seven.”

“That’s fine. Bring her along. Is nine okay?”

“It’s fine.”

“Got your phone with you?”

“Sure,” she said and couldn’t believe she was setting up a date. It felt weird handing off the device to someone else, especially a man.

John keyed in his phone number and handed it back. “There. You call me if you chicken out.”

“I won’t.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

And on the drive back to the farm, she wasn’t just sure, she was intrigued. Imagine, a man asking her out for the first time in…decades, and she’d said yes. Coffee or not, it was a first for her since Lowell died. She looked in the rearview mirror and muttered to Delaney, “Has Nana still got it or what?”

Delaney answered with a series of baby babble that summed up Gretchen’s mood. She didn’t want to turn out like Connie Grant. Having coffee with John Dickinson was a first step in doing something about it.

 

 

It had been a long time since Simon had gone out on a date, let alone dressed up for one. He put on a charcoal gray suit that made him feel like he was headed to the prom or a wedding or maybe a funeral. The tie began to feel like it was choking him before he ever left the house.

“Stop fidgeting,” Gretchen scolded, as she straightened his tie. “You’re like a schoolboy who won’t stand still. Oh jeez, I sound like Connie complaining about poor Jayden.”

“She’s rough on that kid, isn’t she?”

Gretchen wasn’t about to cop to her earlier meddling. “Connie’s an odd duck, that’s for sure. She mentioned Jayden is staying with someone else tonight.”

“That’s almost a relief,” Simon noted, looking over at his own daughter who was straddling Merlin like a horse. “Come on, honey. Let’s get you into your pajamas.”

“I’ll do that. You go on. My time’s short here and I want to be the one who gets her ready for bed. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re stalling.”

“I’m not. I’m just…I feel stupid in this suit.”

“You look handsome. Now go. Get out of here and enjoy yourself.”

His nervousness lasted right up to Gilly’s house. But once she opened the door, that all fell away. “Wow! You look…fantastic.”

She wore an off-the-shoulder skater dress in burgundy and heels in the same color that showed off her legs.

“I do?”

He whistled. “You do.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself. Although I can tell you’re not comfortable wearing that tie. Why not ditch it?”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Silly. Of course not. Come on in.” She dragged him inside. “I just have to get my purse.”

He loosened the knot on the tie and pulled it from around his neck. “It’s certainly quiet around here without Jayden.”

“I wondered which one of us would mention the kids first. I should’ve known it’d be you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you’re just that kind of guy.”

“I made reservations at The Pointe.”

“Nice. I’ve never eaten there before.”

“I’ve gotten take out, a steak to-go.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her and twirled her around for a kiss.

“You start that, and we won’t make it out the door,” she assured him.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“Thirty minutes ago, I would’ve agreed with you. But since I look too gorgeous to stay at home, I want the full treatment. Wine and dine me, Bremmer.” Her eyes glinted with mischief.

“Tease.”

“Yep, that’s me.”

“You’re almost dressed too fancy to ride in a truck,” he stated as they finally headed out the door.

“See? You say the sweetest things.”

He pulled up to the red-brick building with its faint white lettering on the side and waited for the valet to open Gilly’s door.

Perry Altman had taken a rundown old fish hatchery near the wharf and turned it into a five-star restaurant complete with upscale atmosphere that included all the elegance one would expect for the prices. Anniversaries were celebrated here the same as special moments like birthdays or first dates. With live classical piano music playing in the background, candles flickering on the tabletops that were draped in fine white linen, and some of the best seafood within fifty miles served on stylish china, The Pointe offered its clientele first-rate service. Waiters dressed in formal black and white buzzed around the tables, flitting back and forth, filling water glasses or tipping fine wine into a glass.

Perky hostess Jolene Sanders greeted them with all the flair she’d mustered over the years. Though she didn’t work for tips, she knew her boss expected her to receive everyone like they were old friends. “That’s a reservation for Bremmer, right?”

“That’s us,” Simon said cheerily. “By the window.”

Jolene gathered two menus and showed them to their table.

They settled in with a bayside view and began to peruse the choices.

“I’m having steak,” Simon announced. “With a baked potato and everything on it.”

“I lost two pounds this week and I’m not about to ruin it by splurging on carbs. I’m sticking with the spinach salad and the baked halibut.”

Simon frowned. “I thought you didn’t like fish?”

“I don’t but I like being able to fit into this dress.”

“What are you, a size 4?”

“Good guess, but I’d like to be…” She held up a hand. “Let’s not ruin this moment arguing about it. I know you think I’m making a big deal out of this, but…women know their ideal weight and constantly fight to be five pounds lighter.”

“Why?” He linked her fingers with his. “You’re beautiful just the way you are.”

She let out a flustered breath. “Look, maybe I’m going through a phase that reeks lack of self-confidence.”

“Have you…?” His question was interrupted by the waiter who asked for their drink order. “How about a bottle of your best chardonnay?”

The young waiter nodded. “We have a very nice 2013 from the Sonoma Valley that integrates rich oak with honeysuckle and melon.”

Simon looked at Gilly. “You’re more the wine expert. How does that sound? Because I’m not even sure what it means.”

Gilly’s lips curved. “That sounds great.” After the waiter left, she leaned in, “I bet it tastes better than the cheap stuff I usually buy. Why didn’t you order a beer?”

“Because tonight’s special. It warrants more than a pint.” He glanced around at the other diners. “They all look like they know their wine on a personal level.”

She giggled. “That’s probably true. What was it you wanted to say before the waiter came?”

“Have you ever experienced a lack of self-confidence before now?”

“Not really.”

“Then why now, with me?”

Gilly bit her lip. “Good question. Maybe because you’re this put-together military guy who clearly succeeded…”

Simon shifted in his chair. “Former military guy,” he corrected. “And succeeding meant…I don’t want to talk about this. I’m not sure what that has to do with your obsession about losing weight.”

“I just wanted to look…perfect for you,” she finally admitted.

“You couldn’t be any more perfect if I’d conjured you up in a dream. You’re beautiful, a great mother, a caring daughter. You knocked me off my feet that night I walked into the hospital with a bawling baby and I haven’t been the same since.”

Her cheeks blushed at the praise, so he added, “Not to mention your fried chicken is out of this world.”

That brought out another belly laugh. “You like my cooking?”

“All except the spaghetti sauce you torched that first night.”

“That was your fault.”

“Hey, I was trying to play referee and keep your son from pummeling my daughter.”

“They act a lot like siblings, don’t they? Maybe they’ll be best friends one of these days.”

“Like you used to be with Wally Pierce?”

“Maybe. Wally was my first major crush.”

The waiter brought over their bottle of wine, uncorked it, and filled their glasses. “What can I get you this evening for dinner?”

“Gilly?”

She traded looks with Simon and changed her order. “I’ll have the filet, cooked medium, with a plain baked potato. No sense going overboard, right?”

“I’ll take the same. But I want the works on the potato. And could you bring the lady a salad?”

“Absolutely. What type of dressing?”

Gilly leaned back in her chair and sipped her wine. “Any type of vinaigrette is fine.”

The waiter marched off and Gilly tilted her head in Simon’s direction. “You don’t like salad?”

“Not with vinaigrette. I like watching your eyes change color when you shift topics, though. Sometimes they look amber, sometimes they glisten green, and sometimes they’re somewhere in between. Like now, in the candlelight they’re golden. And you’re blushing.”

“I am not. I don’t blush.”

“You are. I love it.” He cracked a mischievous grin. “In fact, you have golden fire in your eyes right now.”

“Stop it. I do not.”

“You don’t take compliments very well, do you? I hadn’t noticed that before tonight.”

She shifted in her seat. “You know very well why I’m nervous. Don’t pretend otherwise.”

He did, but he wanted her to spell it out. “Do tell.”

She took the bait. “I’m hoping tonight…after dropping me back home…you won’t leave right away.” Just getting that statement out there felt like she’d run a marathon. “Whew! Now you think I’m forward, but you should know, I bought new lingerie.” She couldn’t seem to stop her mouth from moving. “Too much information, huh?”

“Are you serious? Watch me scarf down my dinner in record time. I want to see what you bought.”

“The wait for food here is notoriously long,” she pointed out.

“Maybe I’m not hungry anymore.”

Gilly cut her eyes to the waiter, who picked that moment to plop down a huge tray with their plates on it.

They dug in just to get the meal out of the way, anticipation humming between them with each bite. They even guzzled down Sonoma County’s finest without bothering to enjoy the aroma or the flavor.

Before the waiter could hand out the bill, Simon handed his credit card off to Jolene. “Will you take this to our waiter. We’re in kind of a hurry.”

“Sure. I’ll take care of it for you.”

“They are obliging here,” Simon uttered. “We’ll have to try it again sometime when we’re not…”

 “So eager?” she finished.

“Exactly.”

After signing the receipt on the way out the door, he watched her stride in those heels to the truck. For the first time he wished he drove something sleeker, something spiffy that was worthy of her outfit.

“Oh, by the way, do you know what’s playing tonight at the Driftwood?”

“Hmm. That would be no.”

She looped an arm through his. “Princess Bride.”

“How did you manage that?”

“Me? Whatever do you mean? It’s a coincidence.” She leaned in and whispered, “I actually thought we’d be heading to the movies tonight instead of heading back to my place.”

“Do you have Jayden covered for the night or do we need to go pick him up?”

If she’d had any reservations about sleeping with him this soon into their relationship, his concern for her baby erased all doubt. And he’d used the word “we.” Her heart swooned a little bit like it had in ninth grade with Wally Pierce. She poked him in the ribs. “Emma Colter is more than happy to keep him until morning.”

He brought her into his chest. “Then let’s make the most of our time without the kids.”