Harbour Lights

“The only knights around here are in the children’s storybooks,” she snapped. “Leave the man alone.”

Despite himself, Kevin chuckled. “I’ll go check on that coffee now, okay?”

“Please do,” Shanna said.

As he left the room, he could hear her whispering something to Laurie in an urgent undertone. He had a hunch she wasn’t asking her to help him with the coffee. If anything, she might be sending her all the way to Baltimore to get some hard-to-find-but-vital something or other for today’s event. That was probably the only way she’d keep her friend from asking him all the questions that were so clearly on her mind. From Kevin’s perspective, Siberia would be the better destination.

He turned to find Jess standing in his path, beaming at him. “Well, don’t you look handsome! Did you get all dressed up to impress Shanna?”

“I got all dressed up because Gram made me,” he said, then chuckled at how ridiculous that sounded. He really was pitiful if he was letting a bunch of women run his life.

This, more than anything else that had happened lately, suggested it was past time for him to get his act together. Otherwise he’d lose all respect for himself as the testosterone-driven man he’d once been. He’d served in the army, for heaven’s sake. He’d been in a war. He was tough, dammit! It might be smart to keep reminding himself of that.

He glanced past Jess and saw that several tables had been set up along the wall in the café area. They were laden with tempting hors d’oeuvres and cookies.

“Nice spread,” he commented.

“And you’re not to touch it till after the customers have seen how beautiful it looks,” she warned him. “This kind of event is great advertising for the inn’s catering services. I bet I’ll pick up half a dozen parties because of this.”

“Good for you.” He hesitated, then asked, “Jess, how did you know the inn was the perfect career for you?”

“You mean after all the other jobs I held for a nanosecond and quit?”

He nodded.

“When I saw the For Sale sign on that property, I remembered how much I’d loved it and thought about owning it, even when I was a kid. I just knew it was what I’d been waiting for.” She studied him thoughtfully. “Is this about the charter fishing boat idea I mentioned to you?”

“Yeah, at least I think that’s why I’m asking.”

“You’re still not sure it’s the right fit?”

“I’m not sure anything’s the right fit,” he admitted. “But I have to do something, and I want to be as excited about it as you are about the inn. Bree has the flower shop and her writing. Abby’s passionate about all that Wall Street financial stuff. Connor loves practicing law. I don’t have anything I feel that way about, not since …”