Page 30 of Whispers at Seaside
“No, but Mira does.” He paused, letting the idea sink in.
It might not be fair, throwing Mira into the mix, but the more Matt thought about it, the more he didn’t want his father’s business to perish. He was proud of what his father had built, and always had been, even if his aspirations had led him in a different direction. But now that he was back on the Cape, he couldn’t imagine walking through Orleans and not seeing his father’s store. Matt had seen fierce determination in Mira’s eyes, had heard excitement in her voice as she’d outlined her business plan for the co-op. Technically, Mira wasn’t family, but it was clear how much she adored his father and liked working at the store—He’s like a surrogate grandfather, and selfishly, I don’t want Hagen to lose that connection.
“Mira is invested in the business and the community. She’s like family. I know you feel that way. Why hold on to the business just to let it—and her—go? Why not let us try to save it? To build it into something more, something she can dig her fingers into and make you proud of?” He paused again, allowing his father time to think about the scenario he’d just laid out. “If you won’t consider it for yourself, consider it for her.”
His father wiped his hands on the towel. He leaned his palms on the counter and his chin fell to his chest. “Mira,” he whispered.
“You’re here for only a few months, Matt. If you break her heart, she might leave the business anyway.”
And if I don’t, your dream of keeping it in the family just might come true.
Chapter Eleven
WEDNESDAY EVENING MATT picked up Mira and Hagen to go shopping for camping supplies, looking dangerously handsome in a short-sleeved white linen button-down and khaki shorts.
“Matt!” Hagen ran to the door, and Matt crouched to hug him, melting a little more of Mira’s heart.
“How’s it going, big guy?”
“Good! I brought my robot to camp and my friends loved it. My teacher said I’m going to make a great scientist one day.”
“You’ll be great at whatever you want to be when you grow up.” He pulled a Princeton baseball cap from behind his back and put it on Hagen’s head. “To keep ticks out of your hair while you’re camping.”
Hagen beamed at Mira. “Look, Mom!”
“That’s a pretty sharp-looking hat.”
“Hello there, gorgeous.” He leaned in for a kiss on the cheek, and his masculine scent consumed her. “I’d have brought you one, but I thought you’d rather have this.” He handed her a small envelope and held a finger up to his lips, then glanced at Hagen, who was going up on his toes to look at his new hat in the hallway mirror.
“What have you done?” She opened the envelope and read the handwritten note.Sunshine, I would be honored if you’d join me on Nantucket for a weekend of pampering and relaxation. I promise to bring you home sexually sated (if you’d like) and rejuvenated for another week of mommying. Yours, M.
Her hand covered her heart. She opened her mouth to thank him, but all that came out was, “Matt…?”
“Too presumptive?” He wrapped a hand around her waist and whispered, “We don’t have to fool around. I just want to be with you.”
She shook her head and pressed her lips together in an effort to calm her rampant emotions. “It’s not that. It’s just soromantic. Nantucket? I’ve never been there.”
“I’m ready to go!” Hagen dashed out the front door with his robot under his arm.
“On our way,” Matt called after him, then he gazed into Mira’s eyes and said, “We’ll leave Friday after you finish working. You deserve romance, and I want to be the man who gives it to you.”
“I want that, too.” It was a small admission, but it felt enormous, because she meant it ineverypossible way.
Mira’s head was in the clouds the whole way down to Hyannis, where they enjoyed dinner at a waterfront restaurant. Hagen, refusing to take off his special hat, fed the seabirds pieces of bread, while Matt and Mira took pictures and snuck kisses. Mira made a mental list of what she needed for the weekend—sexy lingerie, condoms.Ohmygosh. Condoms.She pondered the Nair hidden in her bathroom. Matt didn’t seem to care about what he’d feltdown therethe other night, but they’d been so hot and bothered, maybe he just hadn’t noticed.
“I talked to my father, and I think it’s safe to start working on the co-op,” Matt said quietly.
She was glad he inherently understood that some topics weren’t meant for Hagen’s ears. She had a much harder time keeping her excitement over the prospect of the co-op contained. “He agreed?”
Matt wiggled his hand, indicatingnot so much. “But he’s getting there. He won’t fight us on it. I think we can move forward.”
“Really?” She felt her eyes widen. “Matt, this ishuge,” she said in a hushed whisper. “But I’d like to talk to him about it, just to be sure. I would hate for him to think I was doing anything without his approval.”
“Absolutely.”
On the way to the mall, Mira began making another mental list—for the co-op. Could this day getanybetter?
They held hands walking into the mall, and when Hagen noticed, he moved around Mira to Matt’s other side and took his hand. “You’re Mom’s boyfriend,” he said matter-of-factly.
