He stifled a snarky laugh. “Spiderwebs make you smile?”
She grasped his forearm as if yanking him back to the topic at hand. “The point is, Gus was far from a failure. Everyone loved him.” Her hand slid down to cover his, her touch satin-soft. “And you’re not a failure either.”
It would take a lot more than a pretty woman’s kind words to make him believe that. “My last few business ventures tanked. But Gus’s place is my chance to break the curse, to prove them wrong.”
“Who, your family?”
“Yeah.” Chuckling, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You’d think by my age I’d be over it, but their pity really gets under my skin. It’s a shitty feeling, knowing they’ll always see me through that lens.”
She scooted closer on their shared bench and—God help him—squeezed his knee, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “I’m sorry you’re going through that, Xander. You’re a good man. You deserve better.”
Face aflame, he ripped off a hunk of his bread bowl and dipped it into the soup. “How do you know?”
“I’ve got a sense for these things.” Grinning, she tapped her nose. “A nose for news, my grandpa called it. And my intuition tells me you’re going to make it this time. Trappers Cove is the right place for you. Now, tell me about your plans for Souvenir Planet.”
“Nice try, newsie.” He lifted his spoon. “Like I said, when I’m sure about my plans, I’ll let you know.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying.” She took another giant bite of her sandwich. “A little advice. Take it or leave it.”
“Shoot.”
“Don’t spoil a good thing just for the sake of change. Trappers Cove is a quirky town. We’re…” she twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “Authentic. Not like more upscale beach towns where the whole main drag looks the same. Tourists love our funky vibe. That’s why they come back year after year.”
Upscale beach towns? He filed that thought away for further research. “Sounds like I need a better understanding of what makes Trappers Cove tick.” He bumped her knee with his. “Teach me quirky ways?”
One corner of her mouth ticked upward, then the other. Damn, what a gorgeous smile.
“Okay, when you can carve out a couple hours, I’ll introduce you to the other Main Street business owners.”
“I’d like that very much.” Visions of strolling along Main Street hand in hand with Hannah warmed him down to his icy toes.
“After the celebration of life, of course.”
That grim reminder popped his rosy bubble. He had one week to prepare for a horde of Anagnoses. And if Hannah wasn’t overstating Gus’s popularity, he’d better expect most of Trappers Cove as well.
“Don’t worry, the Saint Sebastian’s ladies’ guild will handle the flowers. The Sons of Italy will bring tables and folding chairs, and everyone will bring food. We take good care of our own here. All you have to do is open your doors, say a few words, then sit back and listen to the speeches.”
A smile stretched his lips. “You’re kind of my guardian angel, aren’t you, Hannah?”
“Oh, I’ll get something out of it.” A flicker of emotion passed across her face and was gone before he could get a read on it. Playful smile back in place, she held up the unbitten end of her sandwich. “Now, shut up and try these clams before they get soggy.”
Interesting. He’d do well to remember that Hannah was in the news business and always angling for a story.
But right now, the sparkle of challenge in her eyes was irresistible, and so was that sandwich. He bit into fluffy brioche bun, tangy tartar sauce, and crunchy breading around tender clams so heavenly he let out a noisy groan.
The couple across the firepit table poked each other and giggled.
“Right?” Hannah took another big bite. “Are you starting to understand the TC vibe? Simple, but good.”
Already, he was pretty sure that, whatever form the new and improved Souvenir Planet took, Hannah would not approve. But for now, why not avail himself of her institutional knowledge?
And her mischievous smile. And sparkling eyes. And soft touch, and…
He sucked in a deep breath.Eyes on the prize, Anagnos.
Chapter Seven
ThefollowingSaturday,dressedin a simple black shift dress and blazer, Hannah once again made her way through the packed parking lot and entered Souvenir Planet, transformed for the day into a makeshift chapel and reception hall. With the help of the handyman she’d recommended, Xander had removed the cute plywood aliens and fiberglass UFOs from the façade, but the cement T-Rex still stood vigil out front, and some smart-ass had attached a bunch of ‘Rest in Peace’balloons to its tiny forelegs.
