Page 44 of Moonlit Harbor Nights

“They’re for you,” Alexis sang out. “From Alan!”

Vivian blushed a deeper shade of pink and smiled warmly, looking pleased. Terrence had to fight a scowl. Although he had been unsure of whether or not Alan was pursuing Vivian romantically, he couldn’t doubt it anymore.

Vivian glanced at Terrence and coughed gently. For a moment, all three of them seemed to be tongue-tied.

“I shouldn’t keep you standing there with those heavy bags, I’m so sorry, Terrence,” Vivian said, reaching over and patting his arm. “Let’s finish taking these to storage.”

Terrence and Vivian finished bringing the rest of the supplies to the storage closet. They didn’t talk as they worked, since Vivian seemed blissfully distracted about the flowers, and Terrence was busy grumbling silently to himself. He wished he’d thought of sending her flowers first.

I hope she sees that I’m here helping her and he’s not,he thought.It’s one thing to send a fancy bouquet of flowers, and another thing to be willing to get my hands dirty for her.

He had to repress a sigh. He had a feeling that the flowers were still the better gesture, since they more clearly expressed romantic interest. So far, he had only pursued Vivian throughcompliments and friendly gestures. He hadn’t come right out and told her how he felt.

When they’d put the last of the bags away, they returned to the kitchen to find Alexis smiling at the bouquet and munching on a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos.

“Alan called to let us know he was dropping off the bouquet,” Alexis said, smiling. “That’s why I wanted to get here when I did. He was hoping you would be here too, Mom, but he said he couldn’t wait because he was going to meet Judd McCormick at the golf course.” She made a face. “Too bad his taste in friends isn’t as good as his taste in flowers.”

“Judd McCormick, really?” Vivian rolled her shoulders back. “I’m surprised someone as nice as Alan would be friends with that man.”

For a moment, Terrence hoped that Vivian’s opinion of Alan was becoming less rosy, but then Alexis said, “He probably has no idea what Judd has done to us. He really does seem like a sweet guy. And he said that he’s coming back here later. He mentioned specifically that he wants to get a sandwich with the aioli sauce that you told him you’re reviving from the family recipe archives.”

“He did?” Vivian flushed, looking pleased. “I haven’t actually made that yet, but I’ll whip some up now. I want to make sure it’s ready when he gets here. He loves the regular secret sauce so much, I hope he loves the aioli just as much.”

Alarm bells went off in Terrence’s head. He thought about when he’d overheard Alan going on and on about how much he loved the secret sauce that went on the Monte Cristo sandwich. He’d kept asking what was in it. Why was Alan so intent on tasting all of the pub’s signature sauces?

And then there’s that thing about being pals with Judd,Terrence thought.I don’t see how he could be friends with Juddand not realize that man has a terrible grudge against The Lighthouse Grill.

“Thank you again for your help, Terrence,” Vivian said, rousing him from his thoughts. She waltzed over to the bouquet as if she’d forgotten all about Terrence and picked it up eagerly. “I should put these in the office. Right by the window, where all these beautiful petals will catch the light.”

“Sounds perfect,” Alexis said, and licked red Cheeto dust off her fingers.

Vivian carried the bouquet out of the kitchen, and Terrence watched her go, feeling a little like a lost puppy.

“Bye, Terrence!” Alexis smiled at him warmly. “You’re a good friend of the pub, that’s for sure.”

She didn’t seem to have any inkling that he was crushing on her mother, he thought. He sighed internally, wishing that he’d been as obvious as Alan had been. He smiled back at Alexis as she went into the dining room.

He knew it was time for him to leave, but he lingered in the kitchen for a moment, feeling torn. He couldn’t rid himself of a distinctly unsettled feeling. He wanted to warn Vivian that Alan really was good friends with Judd, and he felt that there was something suspicious about the car salesman’s keen interest in the pub’s secret sauces.

But was it his place to warn her? After all, Alan was his romantic rival. Maybe he was reading too far into things, hoping there was something wrong with the man when there really wasn’t. And would Vivian realize that Terrence was jealous of Alan? He didn’t want to appear petty in the eyes of the woman he was interested in.

He heard loud laughter coming from the dining room, and realized he should get out of the kitchen of a very busy restaurant when he hadn’t been invited to linger there. Heglanced at the doorway that led to Vivian’s office, considering going through it and asking to speak with her.

After another moment of hesitation, he decided against it. He turned and left The Lighthouse Grill, and it wasn’t until he reached his car that he realized he was going to be late for his first appointment.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Dean glanced at Noelle as they walked along the sidewalk together. Even though it wasn’t a particularly cold day, her cheeks were flushed and there was an energetic luminosity to her eyes. She was wearing a pink hat and matching mittens, and he felt an ache of happiness in his chest when he looked at her. He was certain she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

“How are you feeling?” she asked him, smiling warmly at him. She’d already asked him that question over texting earlier that morning, but he appreciated her asking it again.

“I feel great.” He grinned at her. “I think this new plan of the two of us going on dates earlier in the day is a very good one.”

“Perfect.” She tugged on his coat sleeve, slowing him down, and then pulled him into a kiss.

Grinning, he slipped his hand around hers as they began to walk again. “I haven’t been to Ocean Breeze Café for lunch in a minute. I hope they still have that grilled cheese with the blackberries in it. That stuff was insane.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Blackberries, really?”

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