Page 75 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

“F the curse.”

“Eva Maria!”

“Maybe we’re the curse, Ma. Maybe it’s our stubbornness and pride. Maybe it’s fear of getting hurt that keeps us from letting the right person in. Or maybe the Rosettis just have really crappy luck and crappy taste in men. I don’t know if the curse is real or not, but I do know that if you don’t fight for Bruno, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” She pulled in front of the restaurant. “And Ma, I don’t know if I’ll be able to forgive you if you let him go.”

Her mother nodded. “I shouldn’t have fired him. I’ll give him his job back,” she said, and got out of the car.

“He doesn’t want his job, Ma. He wants you,” Eva said. She started to drive away and then called after her mother, “Hey, old lady, Bruno and Ana are in there now.” She got a look at her mother’s face in the rearview mirror and smiled. “Go kick someculo, Carmen.”

Upon arriving at Windemere, Eva walked through the reception area. She saw David leaning on the bar, talking to Sam. Eva had always liked the young woman, who reminded her a little of herself. She was carefree and passionate, a little wild and a lot flirtatious. She was flirting with David, and he seemed to be enjoying it. Eva hadn’t seen him smile or heard him laugh like that before. When he did, she could see what had first attracted her daughter.

“Hello, David,” Eva said, arching an eyebrow at Sam. The girl had the good grace to blush. “Sam, long time no see. You look like you’re enjoying your job here.”

Sam glanced from David to Eva, giving her a tentative smile. “I am.”

“Good. I’m glad.” Eva looped her arm through David’s and patted his hand. “I heard you threw my future son-in-law a shower. That was very nice of you. My daughter tells me you were enjoying yourself, David. She was glad you’ve made friends. Although, darling, you should respond to her texts in a more timely fashion. She’s expecting your baby, after all. Congratulations, by the way. We’re all very excited to welcome a new baby to the family.”

So she didn’t know David and Lila were expecting, Eva thought, as Sam’s startled gaze went to David. Eva didn’t believe their relationship went any further than some innocent flirtation. She was a good judge of a man’s character and trusted that David wouldn’t cheat on her daughter. But she also didn’t believe that Lila and David would be happy together. They were too much alike. And she could also understand why David would need a little distraction. Working under his father’s thumb wasn’t easy for him.

“Thank you.” His cheeks flushed, David glanced at Sam, who’d moved away to serve a customer. “Nothing happened, Eva. I love Lila. I’d never cheat on her. We were just having a little fun.” He lifted a shoulder. “It hasn’t been easy, and I needed to blow off some steam. I didn’t see Lila’s text until I got back to Windemere. I texted her right away, called her too, but she didn’t answer until this morning. She sounded okay. Nothing’s wrong, is it?” The panic in his voice sounded genuine. Yes, Eva thought, David loved her daughter. There was no denying it.

“She’s fine. You should drop by the restaurant. She’s helping us with the reno.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? With the paint fumes and all?”

“You know her father. He bought her a gas mask,” she said, rolling her eyes.

David smiled. “He’s a bit over the top when it comes to protecting his daughters.”

“He is, and I have a feeling you’ll be the same with your baby whether it’s a boy or a girl.” She looked around. “I’m glad I ran into you and we got a chance to have a little chat, but I’m here to see your mother. She was supposed to help us with the reno, and I wanted to make sure she was all right.”

He pushed his glasses up his nose with his forefinger. “About that, my, uh, father wasn’t on board with it. He thinks it’s some kind of conflict of interest.”

“And what do you think? Or, more to the point, what does your mother think?”

David sighed. “I was fine with it, and my mother was excited about it. She’s really talented, but my father’s old school. He doesn’t want her to work.”

“Or does he just like keeping her under his thumb?” she murmured, and then turned to the man who might very well become her son-in-law and the father of her grandchild. “David, I’ve heard some of your ideas and your mother’s for Windemere. They were wonderful, and I hope the two of you will follow through with them. I think you and your mother would work beautifully together.”

“Thanks, Eva, I do too. It’s just that my father has other ideas.”

“Then perhaps he should buy himself another inn and run it himself. He hired you as his manager for a reason. Don’t let him undermine your confidence. I have it on good authority that you’re excellent at your job. Lila and James both say so. And take my advice as someone who’s dealt with her fair share of bullies, you have to stand up to them and set your boundaries. And if your father continues crossing them and making you feel small, then you tell him what he can do with his job and walk away.”

“But I really like my job, and I’m good at it. I know I can make something of this place.”

“I believe you, and if you stand up for yourself, your father will believe you can too.” She patted his cheek. “Now, where is your mother?”

“Out on the patio,” David said with a resigned sigh.

Behind the bar, Sam was grinning and gave Eva a thumbs-up. Eva winked and walked out to the patio. “I knew I’d find you here,” she said to Jennifer. The woman looked miserable. “Come on, princess. You have a job to do.”

“My wife has more important things to do than play decorator for you people.”

“Gavin!” Jennifer turned to Eva, her eyes pleading. “I’m sorry. I can’t come today.”

Eva cocked her head. “But you were looking forward to it, and so were we. What changed your mind?”

“I did,” Gavin said, wiping eggs Benedict from his mouth. “My wife isn’t your hired help.”

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