Parker sat at the same table in the Golden Oar a little over a week later. He stopped his knee from bouncing nervously for the second time in the last five minutes as Iian looked at his laptop screen and scrolled his mouse through the images.

He was confident in his ideas. Positive they would enhance the restaurant. Of course, he’d taken lots of notes as Iian had described what he wanted for the place. Parker’s ideas had fallen closely in line with his, but still, he needed to make sure Iian liked everything.

He remained silent as Iian scanned the images he’d toiled over for the past week. Did the man know that both his business future and his future in Pride hung on what he thought? When Iian finally looked up, there was a smile on his lips.

“I love it,” he said.

Parker’s eyebrows shot up. “All of it?”

“Every detail. I wouldn’t change a thing.” He reached up and shut his laptop.

“Really?” He tried to cover up his insecurities by nodding. “Wonderful,” he finally said. “When are you thinking of having me start?”

“Well, can I let you in on a secret?” Iian leaned forward slightly.

“Sure.” He nodded and mimicked the man’s move.

“It’s our anniversary, my wife and mine, next week. I’m taking her on a month-long sabbatical to Europe. We’re going to do it all: Ireland, England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and ending up in Greece. Every place she’s ever wanted to go.” He leaned back and glanced around. “I was hoping to have the majority of it done by the time we get back. Which means I won’t be around to check in on the progress.”

Parker’s eyebrows had slowly gone up. If the man wasn’t going to be around the entire time he was working, that could cause some problems.

“Wow, congratulations. I’m sure your wife will enjoy the trip. Are you planning on leaving a manager in charge?” he asked.

Iian sighed. “Well, sort of. My niece has been slowly taking over when I’m not around, which has been happening more often lately. She’s been waiting for an opportunity like this to show me what she’s made of. Most of the dining hall will be closed off in sections, which means she’ll have her work cut out for her.”

Parker thought about the logistics of the situation. “Will you give her power to agree to any changes if issues should arise?”

“Some, but I’d like to stick as close to this as possible.” He tapped Parker’s laptop.

“I can do that.” He smiled and reached across to shake the man’s hand.

“Speak of the devil.” Iian chuckled and stood up. Parker glanced back to where Iian was looking and stilled.

There, walking into the bar area, was the sexy blonde he’d bumped into at the grocery store. Today, instead of tight yoga pants, she was wearing a short black skirt with a soft gray sweater. She had on ankle-high black boots with a slight heel and he noticed, just as in the store, she walked into the room like she had a mission.

“Uncle Iian,” the woman said as she walked into the man’s waiting arms. “I’m here. What did you need to see me about that was so important?” She signed along as she spoke.

As he stood up, her eyes traveled past her uncle and landed directly on him. Her entire demeanor changed, causing him to smile as he made his way towards her.

Bumping into the blonde had been the highlight of his time in Pride. Seeing the spark in her eyes when he’d tried to help her up off the floor had caused his heart rate to spike.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him, her tone making it clear he wasn’t welcome.

He was pretty sure she’d turned her back on her uncle so that he wouldn’t know what she’d said.

“Nice to meet you,” he held out his hand, making a point to speak clearly so Iian would understand. “I’m Parker Clark, Clark Construction. Your uncle has just hired me to handle the remodeling of the Golden Oar.”

“Remodeling?” Her voice pitched, and she turned on her uncle. Instead of speaking, she used sign language to, no doubt, voice her concerns to her uncle privately.

He didn’t understand what she was saying, but by the way she was throwing her hands and body around as she did it, he guessed that she wasn’t pleased with the new information.

“Why don’t we all sit down,” Iian finally said, putting his hands firmly on his niece’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get your full name,” Parker said after watching Iian practically push the woman into a chair.

Her eyes were still narrowed at him. “Sara Jordan,” she said quickly. “I don’t like you coming in here, pushing my uncle to—” Iian’s hand was back on her arm lightly.

“I called Parker here, after talking to Patty and seeing the excellent job he’d done at her place. It’s time this old building got some updates. We barely passed the last inspection.” He sighed and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “As it is, I’m afraid it might catch on fire once Parker starts work.”

Parker almost jumped in to assure Iian that he was always very careful, but the look the man gave him told him he wasn’t really concerned, but instead trying to persuade his niece of the importance.

There were a few items they had agreed on in their first meeting that needed to be dealt with to make sure the place was up to code, but nothing that was very threatening.

“Is it really that bad?” she asked, using sign language as well as speaking along.

“It could easily get that way. The old place has needed a makeover for years. This is my chance, since we’ll be out of town. Besides, to make things easier on you, I’m thinking of cutting back the hours to only dinner.”

A small gasp escaped Sara. “That’s drastic. So many people in Pride depend on this place for breakfast and lunch.”

“I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you on your first month alone,” Iian added.

“Month?” Sara’s eyebrows rose.

Iian filled his niece in on his plans. Parker could see the love and excitement in Sara’s eyes when he mentioned the surprise trip for his wife. He listened as they planned how to surprise Allison.

Slight jealousy surfaced from seeing how close the family was. He’d always dreamed of being part of something bigger. Not that his gran hadn’t showed him enough love, but his mother had always pulled in the opposite direction.

“We can finish this later,” Iian finally jumped in. “I’m sure Parker doesn’t need more of his time wasted.”

“I appreciate the chance.” He nodded.

“Can I see what it is exactly you have planned for the place?” Sara asked, her voice a little softer than before.

“I’m sure he’ll go over things with you.” Iian stood. “I have to make sure everything’s ready for the lunch rush.” Parker stood and shook his hand. “If you need anything, let me know. As it is, you can start work first thing Monday morning.”

“I’ll make all the preparations.” He watched the man leave, then turned back to Sara, who had remained seated and was watching him closely. Sitting back down, he opened his laptop and turned it around. “Here’s what we have.”

Much like her uncle, she was quiet as she scanned through the plans. However, instead of looking pleased, she had a slight frown on her lips. Lips that happened to be painted a soft pink. His eyes returned to them over and over.

“You’re taking out this wall?” She pointed to the screen. Since she was sitting opposite of him, he stood up and slid into the booth next to her. Seeing the screen, he smiled.

“Yes.” He looked up at the wall in question. “The flow of the room will be better without it. Besides, in cases of emergency, having this area open will make it a lot safer.”

“What about the fireplace?” she said after a moment of silence. “You don’t show it here.”

“Here.” He leaned closer and clicked the screen until the right image showed up. “It’s still there. We’ll remove the old cracked and outdated stones, put in some new tile and paint. With the color your uncle picked out for the walls, the tile should really pop.” In his mind, he could see the finished product.

He was so preoccupied with his daydreams, he didn’t realize how close he was to Sara until she shifted slightly and her leg brushed up against his, sending his mind in a different direction.

* * *

Sara could feel her entire body react to Parker’s closeness. Her heart skipped, the palms of her hands grew sweaty, and she nibbled her bottom lip nervously. All basic signs that the man had her libido skyrocketing.

Purposely leaning away from him, she jutted her chin up and took several breaths to clear him out of her system.

“What color?” she finally asked.

“Hmm?” Parker turned, and she found herself looking deep into those dark eyes of his.

“What color will the walls be?” Sara didn’t like change. The Golden Oar had been the same for as long as anyone could remember. Everyone in town loved it for what it was, a piece of history. She didn’t want the place to change.

Once, when she’d been in third grade, her parents had repainted her room. Even though she loved the soft pink color, it had taken her almost five years to stop complaining about it.

She still drove the same old clunker her father had purchased for her when she’d gotten her license. The old Jeep was in great shape but still had more issues than a newer car would.

“It’s called Amazing Gray.” He opened the binder sitting next to his laptop and there were several color samples.

She glanced through them and, even though she liked the color, she was still leery of the change.

Just then, she heard Parker’s stomach growl loudly. Her own stomach responded with its own softer sound.

“Why don’t we order some food, my treat?” He waved Carrie, one of the full-time waitresses, over. Carrie was easily one of the prettiest people in town. Her vibrant red hair was long, full, and curly, and her skin and makeup always looked perfect. Sara had always been jealous of the woman, even though they were close friends.

“Hi, Sara.” Carrie smiled, her eyes scanning over Parker like he was a chunk of meat and she was starving. Sara had heard that Carrie had just broken up with her on-again, off-again longtime boyfriend, Joshua. Rumor was that she was looking for a long-term relationship while Joshua wasn’t. “Hi,” she added for Parker’s benefit. By the way Carrie was eyeing Parker, she guessed that she’d moved on. “What can I do for you?” Carrie practically purred it.

“What’s good?” Parker turned to her.

“Everything.” She chuckled. “Carrie, I’ll have the fish and chips.”

“Make that two,” Parker jumped in. “And some ice tea.” He glanced over at her, his dark eyebrows up slightly.

“Sprite,” she said. Carrie’s hips swayed more than usual as she walked away, but Parker hadn’t been watching. His eyes were still on her.

“Iian is your uncle.” It wasn’t a question, but she waited for him to say more. “Tell me a little more about your family.”

He remained sitting next to her, instead of returning to his side of the booth, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“Yes, Iian is my uncle. My father—Todd—and Iian are brothers. They have a sister, Lacey. She used to run this place, but since she became the mayor of Pride, she only comes in once or twice a month, when she has time.”

“Your aunt is the mayor? That’s exciting.” He leaned back, his arm brushing up against hers. Suddenly, the booth felt smaller. “I met Riley last week. I guess she’s one of your cousins.”

“Yes, one of the twins.”

Parker’s eyebrows shot up. “She’s a twin?”

“Her brother Jacob wants to be a fireman.” She smiled and relaxed slightly. “They graduate next year.”

“Are they only children?”

“No, they have an older brother, Conner, who’s nineteen, no twenty now. He’s going to school in Portland.”

He nodded and remained silent for a moment. “What about you? Any brothers or sisters?”

“One of each. My older brother Matt works with my dad. Susannah, my younger sister, is in Portland for school.” She turned slightly to him, unsure of why she was suddenly so comfortable around him.

“You love them,” he said, as if answering her own internal question. “It shows in your eyes.” When he reached up and gently brushed a finger down her arm, she stilled. It was on the tip of her tongue to scold him for being so familiar with her, but just then, Carrie showed up with their drinks and salads.

“What about you?” she asked once they were along again. “Any siblings?”

“No, I wasn’t lucky enough,” he said between sips.

She chuckled. “Some days, I’d wished I’d been as lucky as you.”

“Why didn’t you head up to Portland?” he asked.

“I did for a while. My associate’s degree diploma is hanging in my father’s office collecting dust.”

“Not for you?”

“This is where I belong.” She looked around and smiled. For as long as she could remember, she’d dreamed of taking over here. She loved the hustle and bustle of the dinner rush, the calm of the times between rushes, managing the crew and staff. Not to mention the freedom that came with working with family and friends. “I’ve always wanted to manage this place.”

“Oh?”

“I could sit here all day and watch people I know and love come and go.” She nodded towards the dining room, which would be full of townspeople in less than half an hour. “What about you? What brought you to Pride?”

“Work,” he’d replied quickly. She could tell that there was something else.

“So, you came to the small town of Pride to start your own business? Because working in the city wasn’t a better prospect?”

He chuckled. “I’ve lived in cities. I like small towns better.”

“Why Pride?”

“Why not?” he responded.

“Are you being…” She didn’t get any further since Carrie walked over and set their food in front of them. Sara noticed the extra bright smile she gave Parker and tried to hide her chuckle as the woman walked away, hips swaying again.

“What?” Parker asked, looking at her sideways.

“Nothing.” She shook her head as she poured a massive amount of ketchup on her plate. He surprised her by nudging her leg and waiting. “It’s just… Carrie is recently back on the market.” She nodded to the waitress when he looked at her like he didn’t know who Carrie was.

Then his eyes moved across the room to where she stood at the bar, waiting for an order of drinks.

Sensing someone was looking at her, she glanced around and caught Parker’s eye. She smiled brightly.

“Oh.” Parker shrugged and stuck a French fry in his mouth.

“Oh?” She set the piece of fish down. “Just oh?”

“What more do you want me to say?” he asked, shoveling some more fries in.

“For starters, how about asking me for her number?”

“Why?” He frowned at her.

“You are straight, right?” she asked, feeling a little frustrated. “I mean…” She nodded to Carrie again, as if the pretty redhead was enough explanation herself.

“Is there something I’m missing? I mean, do I have to be automatically attracted to every pretty woman within five feet?”

She shrugged and tried to play it cool. “Pride is a small town.” She shifted and reached for her fish again. “You’ll understand once you’ve been here a while. Everyone expects…”

“What?” he asked when she stopped talking and shoved the fish into her mouth.

She figured she’d give the guy a chance to settle in before warning him about the matchmakers that made up half the town.

“Nothing,” she said, taking a sip of her soda. “I suppose everyone will ask, but you are single, right?”

Once again, his eyebrows shot up. “You?”

“We’re not talking about me,” she added, feeling her face heat slightly at his gaze.

“I am,” he answered, causing her face to flush even more as his eyes ran over her slowly.

“I’m not,” she answered and instantly kicked herself for lying. Aiden hadn’t even called her back after their last fiasco of a date. Besides, she’d told him more than a month ago that she needed space. Still, it had been a gut reaction to tell Parker that she wasn’t free.

“Interesting.” He wasn’t reacting the way she’d expected. Instead of pulling away, he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. “I think you’re lying.”

“What?” She almost choked on a fry.

“You don’t strike me as a woman in love.”

She swallowed some soda to clear her windpipe. “What has love got to do with being available?”

Hearing Parker laugh, really laugh, did something to her insides. The rich, smooth sound was like silk to her ears, causing her to smile along with him.

“You’ve obviously never been in love,” he answered.

“And you have?” she asked, pushing her half-empty plate away.

“Three times,” he answered more quickly than she expected.

“Three?” She chuckled and shifted to get a better look at him. “I can believe that. What happened?”

When his smile fell away, she wondered if she’d crossed a line.

“Not everything ends with ‘and they lived happily ever after.’” He pushed his own plate aside and she noticed a look of pain in his eyes.

Reaching over, she laid her hand over his. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have joked.”

“Why not?” She could tell he was trying to change the mood again. “I don’t regret one minute of my life. How about you?”

There was plenty she regretted. The time she’d chopped her bangs off in seventh grade. Wearing the white dress to prom and then slipping and falling on the ice on the way into the gym. Letting Rory Collins take her virginity. The list was long, but sitting next to Parker, looking into those brown eyes, the only thing that really stood out in her mind was regretting telling him she wasn’t available.