Her hand stilled over the pan, the spatula hanging in midair, as though she was thinking about whether to let him in deep enough to give him an honest answer.
At last, she raised her eyes to his. “Most of the time, I am happy.” It was the first time she’d let her defenses down around him, and her honesty stole his breath away. “And those times when I’m not…well, I just try to remind myself that I have so much to be grateful for and so many people who love me that I love back just as much.”
There.
Then.
It was the moment Duncan fell. Not just for Lola’s beautiful face and stunning smile. Not just for her immense talent.
But for her heart.
Duncan couldn’t think of anyone he knew who loved with their whole heart. Truly loved with everything they were.
Not until now.
Until Lola.
CHAPTER THREE
Lola’s gaze held his, and for a moment, he thought he might not be the only one falling. But then she broke the intense connection and said, in a purely conversational tone, “Anyway, back to my family. My sister Cassie is a wizard with candy. You wouldn’t believe the things she can make with sugar. Honestly, I’m not the one you should be talking to about investors. Cassie and Rory are far better candidates.”
Before he could reply, she looked down at the stovetop as if she’d only just remembered that she was cooking. “I’ve been waxing on so much about my family that I almost burned our meal.” She took the pan off the heat. “Although I still need to tell you about Cassie’s fiancé, Flynn, and his little girl, Ruby. Flynn is a brilliant screenwriter, but what’s more important is that he’s an amazing dad. Ruby is the cutest kid in the entire world, apart from my sister Ashley’s son, Kevin. And even though I know no one wants to see pictures of other people’s nieces and nephews, I’m still going to show you some while we eat.”
Lola plated their food, which they took to a small yellow table with matching yellow chairs under the shade of a leafy tree behind the café. Though they couldn’t see the harbor from their seats, the sounds and smells of the waterfront wafted through the air.
They dove into their meals, and as the flavors hit his tongue, he was blown away all over again. “I had no idea steak and potatoes could taste this good. You’re a wizard at everything you touch, aren’t you?”
Most women would eat up his compliments. But Lola gave him a small, slightly wary smile. Almost as though she thought he was simply telling her what he thought she wanted to hear. He had to wonder how many men over the years had told her whatever they thought would get her to fall for them, even if it was a lie.
Duncan sensed it wouldn’t be easy to earn her trust. At the same time, he could imagine just how good it would feel to know that Lola trusted him.
And to be able to trust her with everything he’d kept inside for so long, all his dark secrets…
“Irish steak with potato scones is my one and only specialty,” she told him. “My mom makes everything else better. But I’m glad you like it.” She took another bite and made her own sound of satisfaction. “I love teaching, but at the same time it’s pretty exhausting. This was exactly what I needed to get my energy back.”
They ate in greedy silence for a few minutes. Finally, he was replete enough to say, “You’ve told me about four older siblings so far. Are you the fifth?”
“Nope. My brother Turner is eighteen months older than me. He’s an animator who’s worked on a ton of movies. I’m sure you’ve seen at least one of them, but suffice it to say he’s really good at what he does. He’s also the mellowest of all seven of us. Although,” she added with a sparkle to her eyes, “there’s a part of me that wouldn’t be surprised to find out he has a secret life none of us knows anything about.” He was glad to see that talking about her family had made her relax again. “I was born next. And then last, but not at all least, is Ashley. We’re a little more than a year apart, so we’re super close. Her son, Kevin, is eleven, and I adore him to bits. His father, however, who was barely more than a sperm donor, is a total waste of space.” She whipped out her phone to show Duncan the promised pictures of Ruby and Kevin, who were both cute kids. “And that,” she said with a flourish as she put away her phone, “is the long and winding list of my immediate family.” She pointed her fork at him. “Your turn. Do you have any siblings?”
“One brother who’s ten years older.” He worked to keep his expression and tone even. “His name is Alastair. He also lives in Boston.”
Duncan had never told anyone about how everything he’d once believed to be true about his brother had turned out to be a lie. No one except the lawyers, who had ended up being as dirty as his brother. But Duncan was surprised to find he wanted to talk to Lola about it.
He’d met her only this morning. And yet, he felt such a strong connection with her. Of course he was attracted to her. What red-blooded man wouldn’t be? But what she made him feel went so much further than just desire.
“What about your parents?” she asked, probably wondering why he wasn’t already offering up the information. “Cousins? Aunts and uncles?”
He shook his head. “My parents died in a small plane crash when I was six. I have no other living family on either side. It’s just me and my brother.”
“Oh, Duncan.” Her face was wreathed in sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t really remember my mother and father.” His father had been too busy with his illustrious career to pay much attention to his second son, and according to his brother, their mother had been little more than a trophy wife. All Duncan remembered about her was that she hadn’t been warm and sunny like Beth Sullivan. “My brother raised me. He also brought me into the family business after I graduated from college.”
“Wow, he sounds amazing.”
Duncan tensed in his seat despite trying to stay at ease. “He did a lot for me.” That much was indisputable, given that Alastair had made sure neither of them ended up in foster care. He’d also taught Duncan how to ride a bike, and swim, and sail a boat. But after his brother had twisted up everything with his crimes, Duncan hadn’t been certain if his good memories were actually even true. “We don’t work together anymore. I left his company five years ago to start my own.” But Duncan wasn’t here to moan and groan about his life. And no matter how much he wished otherwise, this meal they were having together wasn’t a date. He took the opportunity to say, “I’d love to hear more about your business. When did you first become interested in textile design?”
Though her eyebrows rose at his abrupt change of subject, she didn’t push him for more information about his brother. “I majored in art and design in college. There wasn’t a specific major for textile design, but my professors were happy to help me craft one. I created my first fabric line as part of my senior thesis project. Fortunately, I had also taken a few classes at the business school on marketing and sales, so by the time I graduated, I was ready to roll with my own company. I’ve dabbled a little bit in fashion design, but textiles are where my true passion lies, so that’s where I’ve decided to keep my focus from now on. My sales and retail contracts have grown in a slow and steady way, and though I don’t have anyone on payroll, I work with a handful of freelance contractors.”