“Sounds like you’ve got your first customer.”
“It’ll be a large party. Twenty guests, buffet-style, but she wants it elegant with appetizers served ahead of time while the guests mingle. It’s going to be fantastic.” She paused. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”
“No, it’s great. I want to hear what you’ve planned.” He glanced around the house. “Since you’ve been eaten—almost literally—out of your home, how about I take you out to dinner?”
“But Aidan—”
“He’s out with Jack’s kids. I’ll let Jack know where we’re going, and he can bring Aidan by wherever we are when the kids are done cycling.”
“I’m sure I can scrounge up something for dinner.”
“You probably could. You’re a marvel in the kitchen, but I’d like to take you out to dinner.”
She stared up at him, her heart in her throat. “Are you asking me out?”
He nodded.
“On a date?”
He nodded again.
“I don’t know if I’m…too old for you.”
He laughed. “Are you getting hung up on the fact that you were seven years old when I was born?”
No, more on the fact that you’re twenty-five. The same age Peter was when he…when we screwed up. She managed a tight smile. “I just think you’re—”
“Young?” He raised his eyebrows. “Physically, yes, but I feel like I’ve lived through a great deal. I’m not young in here.” He touched his forehead. “Or here.” His hand went to his heart. “Besides, maybe I’m ready for a mature woman with little drama.”
Debra laughed. “Have you been sleepwalking through the past two weeks? My life is nothing but drama.”
“Good drama with happy endings.”
She tilted her head and stared at him. His words plucked at her heartstrings. “Happy endings?”
“Aidan’s birthday. The launch of your catering business. Those are happy endings, right?”
Her throat closed, stealing her breath. He was right. Those were happy endings. She and Aidan had happy endings, and Sean had played a large role in bringing them about. A smile crept over her face. “Okay. Can you give me five minutes to freshen up?”
“Sure.”
She hurried out of the room, sparing a quick glance back to see him sit on the couch and reach for a magazine. In her room, she dashed water over her face and reapplied her makeup. She was reaching for her lipstick when her cell phone rang. Peter.
She picked it up. “The party just ended.”
“Well, I’m not going to be able to make it. Something came up at the last minute. I hope Aidan wasn’t too disappointed.”
“He was, especially when the people he invited didn’t show up either. Sean brought all his friends though, so we had a full house.”
“Sean?” Peter’s voice lit with interest. “Who’s Sean?”
She did not bother to elaborate. “Will we see you next week?”
“You didn’t tell me, who’s Sean?”
“Why does it matter who Sean is? The only person who should matter to you is Aidan.”
“Are you dating?”
Debra released her breath in a sigh. “Let me know if you’re coming down next week to see Aidan.” She disconnected the call and set the phone down. It buzzed again. Peter. She ignored it as she reached for her lipstick and swiped it over her lips. A tired-looking woman stared back at her. A woman who wanted to put her feet up at the end of a long day, except that Sean was waiting for her.
A smile tugged at Debra’s lips. Her reflection transformed. The lines at the corners of her eyes deepened, but it was from a smile of delight. A tired and happy woman. For the first time in a long time, she knew the difference.
Debra and Sean had dinner at a tiny seafood bar, famous for its fresh clams and oysters. The soft murmur of conversation from surrounding tables flowed over the jazz music wafting from the speakers. The chefs created their masterpieces, drawing ingredients from the large trays of seafood displayed on beds of ice.
Debra knew some of the customers by sight—it was hard not to given the small size of Havre de Grace—but no one stared at them. No one seemed particularly surprised to see her with Sean. In a small town, Sean’s daily visits with Jewel might had been hot news two weeks ago, but the nosy folks had since moved on to more current gossip.
It seemed that the only person who was surprised was her.
Debra tried to relax. It was not a difficult task in Sean’s company; he was as he had always been—easy-going with a wry sense of humor. Their conversation ranged from Sean’s visit to Aidan’s school on fire safety day to the attractions of Havre de Grace and the surrounding towns.
“I’ve heard good things about St. Michaels, down by the Chesapeake,” Sean said.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Debra agreed. “I’ve been there only once, but the main street is charming. Just like pictures of Disneyland.”
“Have you been?”
“To Disneyland? No, but I’ve seen pictures.”
“Guess I’ll have to go to St. Michaels, then, and see if the pictures match up with my memories of Disneyland.”
Debra perched her elbow on the table and rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. “When were you at Disneyland?”
“About five years ago. I went with my older brother and his girlfriend. He’d just been recruited to play for the major leagues and it was supposed to be a celebration.” A muscle twitched in his cheek. An undercurrent of anger surged through his voice, masked beneath a thin layer of self-control.
Did she know him enough to ask? Debra took a deep breath. “What happened?”
“Long story. Resulted in my brother and I falling out. We haven’t spoken in five years.”
Debra’s eyebrows shot up. “Keep it up for another three years, and you’ll beat the record Holly and I set.”
“Right.” Sean chuckled. His mouth twisted into an ironic smirk. “Lately, I’ve been wondering if my brother might have been right after all.”
“It’s probably not too late to pick up the phone
