“Your secret’s safe with me.” She nudged his arm. He reached for her hand and, when she nestled into his soft grip, interwove his fingers with hers. That simple touch thrilled her nearly as much as last night’s breathless kiss. What was his secret? Must be some powerful Italian sex juju.
With the tourists still snoozing in their motels, RVs, and rental cabins, Main Street was as quiet as an abandoned movie set. They passed a candy shop boasting “The Best Fudge in the Universe,” a custom T-shirt vendor, and Souvenir Galaxy, all closed up tight. Callie’s Coastal Café was still dark, but the tempting scents of bacon and coffee beckoned. Matteo tugged her down an alley to a back door propped open with a brick. “After you, my lady.”
A narrow hallway led past the kitchen to a small dining room filled with chatting, munching customers.
Matteo pulled out a chair at the last empty table. “In summer, Callie saves this room for locals. Otherwise, we’d never get a seat.”
A gum-cracking older woman with a welcoming smile stepped up to their table, an order pad at the ready. “Morning, gorgeous. Who’s your friend?”
“Callie, meet Danielle, an old friend of Uncle Sal’s.”
Callie looked her up and down, then nodded her approval. “Glad to meet you, hon. What’ll you have?”
Matteo leaned in close and lifted a single eyebrow. “You trust me, bella?”
“Absolutely.”
He grinned up at Callie. “We’ll have garden frittata, sausage, sourdough toast, and—coffee?”
Danielle nodded.
The frittata was a revelation: fluffy, cheesy eggs studded with onion, peppers, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, and swirled with garlicky pesto. The sausage was Italian, spicy and scented with fennel seed. The toast was crisp, the coffee strong.
While they ate, Matteo waved and nodded to the other diners. “Hal’s the mayor. That’s his son, a teacher at the elementary school.” He gestured over his shoulder. “Janice owns an art gallery and does those paint-and-wine parties. Out of season, she runs an art program for kids.” A nod toward the corner. “Marquetta, the librarian, and her wife Zora—she runs the crystal shop. Pretty good fortune-teller. Told me I’d find fulfillment here in Trappers Cove.”
“And have you?”
He quirked a mischievous smile. “Not yet, but things are looking up.”
A thrill of anticipation skittered down her spine, right to her long-neglected lady parts.
After breakfast, he asked, “You mind a walk? Next stop’s about a mile away.”
She glanced down at her flat espadrilles, glad she hadn’t chosen cuter, taller shoes. “A walk would be great.”
They strolled through town toward the paved promenade, separated from the beach by grass-covered dunes. Only a few figures dotted the wide, flat beach at this early hour: old folks taking their daily constitutional, damp dogs galumphing after thrown sticks, and a few hopeful fishermen gazing seaward. The surf whooshed softly in and out, sheening the packed sand like a mirror.
“Nice to get out before the crowds,” he commented as they strolled. “Summer keeps us so busy, I almost forget how beautiful it is.”
She stopped at a bench to extract a pebble from her shoe, then laced her hands behind her head and leaned back on a sigh. “How does the song go?” She hummed a line, then softly sang, “Mother, Mother Ocean…” Of course, Matteo was too young to appreciate Jimmy Buffett.
But it seemed he wasn’t too young to appreciate her, judging by his soft smile as his gaze drank her in from head to toe.
How long had it been since an attractive man noticed her, much less caressed her with his eyes? Flushed with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment, she directed her gaze to the shimmering horizon. “So peaceful. If I lived here, I’d never let a day go by without visiting the beach.”
“Why don’t you?” Matteo sat beside her, his shoulder warm and firm against her bare skin.
“Why don’t I what?”
“Live here.”
Reality, that merciless bitch, jabbed her ribs.
“My kids. They’re pretty rooted in Tacoma.” The family counselor she’d consulted during the divorce stressed the importance of keeping the kids’ lives as normal as possible. Their needs trumped her fantasies of a fresh start.
Matteo nodded. “Well then, you should visit more often.” Extending his hand, he pulled her to her feet with a sturdy tug that knocked her off-balance.
She landed with her palm against his broad, warm chest. Heat infused her face as she stumbled back. “Um, yeah, I’d like to. But between my work and the kids’ lessons and sports, it’s hard to find the time.”
