“I’ve had no reason. I’ve talked to Hunter a few times since I transferred. He does his banking at the branch at this end of the island, but we met one day there. I do spot checks at the other branches but not often. Not unless it’s needed. They’ve got branch managers running the show there.”
“But when it comes to bigger businesses you’re the man,” she said, laughing.
“I guess so.”
They moved past the luxury lobby and toward the back where the restaurant was. “Ava.”
“Hey, Hunter,” she said to her cousin. She looked at him in shorts and a T-shirt. “Not working, I see.”
“No. Not officially, but I’m always unofficially working. I came down to see what the specials were tonight and thought I’d do a quick pass of the place. If I’m dressed like this no one knows who I am and I can hear things more freely.”
“You mean hear what guests are saying?” she asked.
“Yes. Staff know me obviously. Getting some dinner? Good to see you, Seth,” Hunter said, putting his hand out to shake.
“Same here,” Seth said. “I have to say this place is beautiful.”
Hunter was eying the two of them. She was positive her cousin knew she was dating Seth. And her problems with the stolen identity. At this point most of the family knew, as she was fine with it not being that big of a secret. And her and Seth’s relationship had never been one either.
“We are. I thought I’d give Seth a treat with Grace’s cooking tonight. We had Duke’s a few months ago.”
“Grace has some great things on the menu. Enjoy.”
“Grace?” Seth asked when they got to the hostess.
“Mills for two,” she told the hostess. When they were walking to their table, she said, “Grace Stone is a Bond family member. She is Hunter’s first cousin on Charlie Bond’s side.”
“Hunter’s father,” Seth said. “I’ve talked to him a few times.”
“Yes. Charlie has two sisters that are married. Last names Stone and French if you hear them.”
“Guess this family just goes on and on,” he said.
“You don’t know the half of it. My father has a brother that lives in Boston and he’s got two kids too. They have a summer home here. Not everyone ends up on the island.”
“Are you close with them?” Seth asked.
“When I was younger I was closer to Gabriella, but she is younger than me by a few years. Garrett is only a year older than me, but he was closer to Hudson and Carson.”
“And my next question...are they doctors?”
“Of course they are,” she said, laughing. “Well, Gabriella is finishing up and will be practicing soon. She went for pediatrics. Garrett oncology like his father.”
“Touchy field,” Seth said.
“Very. And no more family talk or history lessons. It’s about us tonight and I want to focus on that too.”
“We can do that,” he said.
But thirty minutes later when they were halfway through their meal, Grace came out to say hi. She knew darn well Hunter went and told her. Her family was going to be nosy and she should get used to this living on the island now. Though there were relatives in Plymouth, it wasn’t as bad as the small island.
“She is tiny,” Seth said when Grace left.
“She is. She’s a pistol like Hailey. We joke that she is as strong as her last name.”
“Well, her food is fabulous. I get the feeling she was here feeling me out,” he said, winking at her.
“That is family for you. Maybe I shouldn’t have designed our date night around places where the chances of running into them were greater.”
He reached his hand over and laid it on hers. “It’s all good,” he said. “Aside from my mother and brother, my family has never been close. We aren’t close with my father’s family either and even less when he moved out West to start his new life.”
“You don’t talk to him at all?” she asked.
“No. A few times a year doesn’t count in my eyes. He sends gifts for birthdays and holidays and I do the same. Not much more.”
And she knew he didn’t have much of a relationship with Ellen’s family either. “I want to say I’m sorry for that, but considering how meddling my family can be, maybe it’s not a bad thing to have some distance.”
“Depends the situation, I’m sure. I’m fine with it and have been for years.”
They finished up their dinner, not talking about family anymore and then drove across the island to the casino. There was a comedy show tonight and she felt like she needed the laughs in her life.
Especially when she was walking in and there was Eli. And he was dressed almost exactly like Seth. “We are twinning I see,” Eli said with a big grin on his face, shaking hands with Seth.
“So it seems,” Seth said.
She noticed Griffin standing not too far away across the room and lifted her hand to wave at him. He nodded back and moved forward with a smile on his face. Normally he didn’t smile much, but she was starting to learn he did it around Eli’s family now.
“Catching the show?” Eli asked.
“We are,” she said. “Checking out the security?”
“We’ve got men here, but Griffin is making sure it’s all running smoothly. I’m doing some rounds to say hi to those coming in for it, then I’ll be back in the casino.”
“He’s got to put his nose in everything,” Griffin said.
“Seems like that is part of his job that he does so well,” she said. “And we should go get our seats. Have a good night, boys.”
They moved into the large theater area and found their table toward the middle. “Sorry it’s not better seats. I would have preferred the second floor looking over, but it was last minute and we got a table in the middle.”
“This is fine,” he said. “Being too close they tend to pick on you and I’d rather stay low profile,” he said.
“Me too. And if they do pick on us
