“You do realize you’re going to show all of us up with this grand gesture of yours,” Kevin said. “Our wives will never let us hear the end of it.”
“And you’re setting the bar real high for Mack, here,” Jake teased. “Susie’s going to expect something spectacular.”
“I’m pretty sure my cousin would be satisfied with an actual invitation to dinner that includes the option of sex after,” Connor said.
“You don’t know a blasted thing about what Susie needs,” Mack retorted.
“I’m just saying—”
“Well, don’t,” Mack said, putting an end to the topic. “I’ll see you all on Sunday. What time, Will?”
“Two o’clock?” Will suggested. “After Sunday dinner.”
“Works for me,” Connor said.
With the others in agreement, Mack took off, slamming the door behind him.
Connor winced. “Was it something I said?” he asked dryly.
“Yes,” the others replied in unison.
“I think the subject of Susie is a touchy one these days,” Will said. “Maybe you should leave it alone.”
“He’s never gotten all bent out of shape before,” Connor protested.
“Well, he did today,” Jake said, his expression worried. “Will’s right. We need to leave it alone. Whatever’s going on with those two, they need to figure it out for themselves.”
“Suits me,” Kevin said. “Is there some kind of a game on? All this talk about relationships and romance is getting to me. I need a dose of testosterone.”
“Done,” Will said, flipping on the TV and finding a basketball game.
Not that he was able to concentrate on it. All he could think about was what might—or might not—happen just a few days from now when he asked Jess to marry him.
One by one on Sunday, Jake, Will, Connor and Kevin made their excuses and left the O’Brien house. Jess stared after them.
“Something’s up with those guys,” she said, looking to her sisters-in-law for confirmation. Bree, Heather and Shanna merely shrugged.
“I have no idea what’s going on in Connor’s head half the time,” Heather said.
“Ditto,” Shanna said of Kevin. “The man keeps everything to himself until I pry it out of him.”
“Then you really don’t know what they’re up to?” Jess asked.
“Not a clue,” Heather assured her. “Do you have plans with Will later? Maybe he’ll fill you in.”
“I guess I do,” Jess said. “He mentioned he’d stop by the inn around six, but who knows? Sometimes things come up. Especially lately. The few dates he’s made, he’s broken at the last minute. He says it’s because of the Lunch by the Bay situation.”
Bree studied her knowingly. “How are you handling that?”
“I panic, of course,” Jess admitted. “But I’m getting better. Most of the time Will does exactly what he says he’s going to do. And when he can’t, he calls at least, so I’m not waiting and wondering.”
“Why don’t you hang out here with us this afternoon?” Bree suggested. “It’s been ages since we’ve all gotten together for some good, old-fashioned girl talk.” She glanced up just then and spotted Megan in the doorway. “Mom, how about it? Want to sit around and gossip?”
Megan’s gaze went straight to Jess. “I thought you had things to do at the inn.”
“I do, but if I head over there now, I’ll just be worrying about whether or not Will’s going to show up. I might as well hang out here.”
Megan shook her head. “I think you need to be there.”
Jess regarded her mother with suspicion. “Mom, do you know something the rest of us don’t?”
“Not really,” Megan said, but the flush in her cheeks said otherwise.
“Spill it,” Jess commanded.
Megan chuckled. “I can’t do that. Trust me, though, you need to go home. And don’t you dare stay here just to be stubborn.”
Jess reluctantly stood. “Nothing like getting kicked out of my own home.”
“Your home is at the inn,” Megan reminded her. “At least that’s what you’ve always told me whenever I’ve suggested you move back in here with your father and me.”
“Uh-oh, she’s got you there,” Heather said. “Now run along. Something tells me that once you’re out of the room, we can get your mother to blab to us about whatever’s going on with the guys.”
“I’ve been known to eavesdrop,” Jess threatened.
“Do you really want to spoil the surprise, if there is one?” Bree asked. “Just go home, sweetie.”
Jess didn’t like it, but she went, muttering all the way back to the inn. She hated being left out of the loop, especially with her own family.
Determined not to dwell on whatever it might be that her mother hadn’t told her, she changed into old jeans and a baggy sweater and went up to the attic. Mick had been making good progress. The large, open room that would eventually be here was taking shape. The windows had already been installed, giving her a sweeping view of the bay and the town.
Though she’d planned on cleaning up some of the construction debris just to keep busy, she found herself instead sitting by the window gazing out at the reflection of the sunset. Though the sun set behind the inn, it still turned the water into a shimmering, fiery spectacle.
That’s where she was sitting when she saw Kevin’s boat, the one he’d donated to Uncle Thomas’s foundation, pull up to the dock. To her surprise, it was Will who leapt onto the dock and secured it.
She started down the stairs and heard him call her name as he came through the front door.
“On my way down,” she said. As she rounded the landing, she said, “Why do you have Kevin’s boat?”
“We’re taking it out,” he said.
She stared at him. “Are you crazy? It’s freezing out there. It’s not a night to be on the water.”
“Which is why you need to run back upstairs and dress warmly,” he said, his expression unrelenting. “I have a surprise for you.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about a surprise that
