His Love (5 page)

They drove down Park Avenue, passing several beach clubs on the right, to what seemed to be the end of the strip. But it led into a smaller neighborhood of smaller houses, and she explained they were actually in a different town now, called Point Lookout. The houses were set very close together; it kind of reminded Gavin of where he’d grown up.

“There’s a lot of Irish folks in this little town,” Toni said, as if hearing his thoughts. “American Irish, of course. Not the real thing like you and Anna.”

“Ah, any Irish folk are the real thing, lass,” Gavin said, overexaggerating his brogue. He got the big smile from her that he’d hoped for.

She made a left onto a side street, then down another street that looked to be by a body of water. “That’s the bay,” she said. “The towns of Long Beach, Lido Beach, and Point Lookout are all sandwiched by the ocean on one side, and the bay on the other.” She slowed the car as she searched for a parking spot. “Which is nice, but it’s also why this area got slammed so hard when Hurricane Sandy hit.” She glanced his way. “Do you know about that?”

“Aye, Anna told me. Sounded terrible. She said the whole West End was a pure disaster.”

“It was. So much was just completely destroyed. The first floor of our house was flooded, they had to rip out and redo the floors, the basement… it was chaos. You can’t imagine… it was one of the worst times of my life.” She found a spot to park, maneuvered her car in, cut the engine, then turned to him with a huge, determined smile. “But, thankfully, most have recovered. And tonight, we’re here to have a good time. So I’m changing the subject now.”

They got out of the car and a strong, warm breeze blew, lifting her curly hair with invisible fingertips. She grabbed at it with a wry laugh. “It’s always windier by the water. I should’ve brought a ponytail holder; I’ll end up eating my hair if I’m not careful.”

“Doesn’t sound too appetizing.” He grinned.

“No, it doesn’t.”

He followed her up the block to what looked like a large white house, with both stairs and a ramp for handicapped access. The line of people was long, and she tugged him along to stand at the back of it.

“Be right back,” she said, and walked away.

He noticed he was more dressed than most of the others, many of whom looked like they’d come straight off the beach, still in their swimsuits or with T-shirts thrown over them. Buckets of brightly colored flowers hung from unseen hooks, adding splashes of color against the plain white wood. The small, white plastic tables and chairs on the front wooden deck were all already filled with customers, eating what looked to be delicious food on paper plates, and using plastic utensils. It was definitely casual, as he’d requested. The air hummed with the quiet chatter of patrons and old time swing music that played softly from a hidden sound system.

Toni returned to his side within a minute.

“Crowded,” he remarked. “Don’t know that we’ll find a seat.”

“There’s a big deck out back,” she said. “Right on the bay. If we’re lucky, we’ll find a table there.” She handed him a folded piece of pink paper. “This is the menu. The line moves pretty fast, so you can decide what you want beforehand. We order it up at the window—” she pointed to the front of the line, where two girls were taking orders—“then we wait ’til our number is called and they give us our food.”

“Got it.”

“It’s not fancy here,” she said, sweeping her curls back from her face, “but it’s got some of the best seafood around, I swear. And eating outside is just nice.”

“I trust you.” He smiled, and scanned over the paper in his hands. “Wow,” he said. “They’ve got good choices.”

“Yup.” She edged closer to him to peek at the menu. Her shoulder pressed against his arm lightly, and her nearness made his skin heat. Then he caught her scent, light and floral, and his blood started to hum and pulse through his veins. She made his head swim with longing and plain old lust.

“Do you like baked clams, or fried calamari, or shrimp cocktail?” she asked, looking up at him with no idea that her closeness was unleashing chaos in his body. “We could split that as an appetizer, if you wanted, then each order our own dinner.”

Clearing his dry throat, he managed, “I like ’em all. You pick.”

Twenty minutes later, they were seated at a tiny table by the railing of the back deck, sharing a shrimp cocktail. The shrimp were fresh, and Gavin noted the high quality of the food for such a small, casual place. Before Toni was a plate of grilled salmon with rice; Gavin had gone for the fried combo platter. Fried shrimp, clams, scallops, and flounder sat atop a bed of French fries.

“This is amazing,” he said as he ate. “The food is delicious, and being right out on the water like this… it’s grand. Thanks for bringing me.”

“Glad you like the food. I cooked all day,” she joked. She lifted her large plastic cup full of Sam Adams and tapped it to his. “To a nice evening.”

He blinked, then smiled softly. God, she was lovely. He lifted his cup. “Sláinte mhaith,” he said before sipping.

“Means ‘good health’, right?” she said. “I’ve heard your sister say it many times.”

“She’s a good girl,” he grinned.

“I know there are eight of you.” Toni picked up her napkin, wiped her fingers, then took her plastic fork and knife to her salmon. “That had to be wild growing up.”

“Aye, it was.” Gavin grinned wryly as he set down his beer. “I’m the sixth of the eight. Four boys, four girls. Pure chaos.”

“But interesting, I’ll bet.” She took a bite of salmon.

“Aye, true enough.” He laughed low. “We all survived. There were tough times, sure, but a lot of love there.”

“Your mother should be commended,” Toni remarked.

“My mother should be sainted!” Gavin laughed. “You have any siblings?”

“I do,” Toni said. “One older sister. Belle.”

“Whoa,” he said, studying her.

“What?” she asked, unsure.

“You. You should’ve seen the look on your face just now.” His eyebrows lifted. “That was a scowl if I’ve ever seen one. Don’t get on well, I take it?”

Toni snorted out a laugh. “No. No, we don’t. We never have. We try, but we’re just… oil and water, you know? Very different. We’re not friends. Not like you and Anna are. You’re lucky, you know.”

“Yes, I do know. I’m good with most of my siblings. It’s nice.” Gavin nodded and reached for his beer. “So what are you, if ya don’t mind my asking? Your people?” His eyes scanned her features. “I’ve been trying to guess, but I can’t.”

“My father’s family was English,” she started, “with some German in there, too.”

“Hence the last name,” he said.

“Yeah. He’s great,” she smiled. “So sweet, always so supportive. He’s an orthopedic surgeon. I’m proud of him.”

“That’s grand. You should be.”

“You’re a doctor, too,” Toni realized. “Where’d you go to college? Medical school?”

“Ehm… it’s not like it is here in the States,” he said. “We start straight out of secondary school. Went to medical school at Trinity College, by the way. Dublin.”

“I know where Trinity College is,” she said, rolling her eyes at him.

“Sorry,” he grinned, blushing a bit. “So aye, I’m a doctor. I’ve been practicing for a few years already. General family practice.”

“Really.” She leaned in, resting her chin on one hand. “Tell me more?”

*

As they ate,
he told her about the process of becoming a doctor in Ireland, which was quite different than in America. She listened intently, genuinely interested, asking questions… and loving hearing him speak. She hated to think she was one of those women who was a sucker for a foreign accent, and God knew she’d heard plenty in the gallery. Patrons from all over the world came there. But something about Gavin’s voice—not just the brogue that made his words sound musical, but the deep, warm timber of it… all combined, it was devastating. At least, it was to her. She could listen to him talk all day.

He went around to the front of the restaurant to get them another round of drinks, and she sat there thinking over what he’d told her about his schooling and training. A quick look on her phone showed that only the top percentage of applicants in Ireland even got in to medical school, much less became doctors. Toni was beyond impressed. Anna had mentioned Gavin was smart, but had obviously downplayed it. To do what he’d done meant he was brilliant. And that turned her on as much as his handsome face and sexy voice.

When he reappeared, she watched as he walked towards their table. Sunlight glinted in his hair, turning it gold. As he made eye contact with her, a slow smile lifted the corners of his mouth. A wave of warmth flooded through her limbs, settling low in her belly and making her heart pick up speed.

“So now let me ask you something,” he said as he set two new plastic cups of beer on the table. Retaking his seat, he continued, “I’m curious. Your name, Toni. Bit unusual. Is it short for something?”

“Yup,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “Ugh, really? Okay.”

He laughed and said, “Oh c’mon, it can’t be that bad!”

“Yes it can. My mother’s Italian. Very Italian.” She took a heaping bite of rice. “And very traditional.”

“Go on.”

“My name is very traditional Italian. And I kind of hate it.”

“Oh, now you
have
to tell me.” His eyes sparkled as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting. “I’m a patient man. I’ll wear ya down.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “I bet you would! Fine, I’ll just tell you. It’s Antonella. Antonella Josefina Westmore.”

“Wow.” His eyes softened as he said, “I think that’s beautiful.”

She stared at him in wonder. “You do? I think it’s way too much.” She speared another forkful of salmon. “Then again, my sister Belle’s full name is Isabella Carlotta, so I can’t really complain, I guess.”

“Sorry, but I disagree. Your mother was right, it’s a beautiful name. And it suits you.” His eyes lingered for a long beat before he went back to his meal. “So. Ever been to Ireland? Or anywhere in the UK?”

“I haven’t been to Ireland,” she said, wiping her fingers on a paper napkin. “Or Scotland. I want to see both. But I’ve been to England three times. Twice to London, once to the Lake District.”

“Ah, that’s stunning country there,” he said.

“Yes, it really was.” She smiled, remembering its beauty. “That was purely a leisure trip. The London trips usually centered around museums. Tours through town to look at the architecture. That sort of thing. Same with Paris, and Rome, and Venice.”

His eyebrows lifted. “You’re well-traveled, then.”

“I was lucky.” She nodded, shoving around the rice on her plate with restless flicks of her fork. “My dad always encouraged my love of art. So, throughout my growing up, we took trips. Two trips a year; a cultural one, and a beach one. Mom would get her Caribbean islands and time on the beach, and that was nice, too. But the other trips… we’d split up when necessary. Dad would spend all day at a museum with me, while my mom and sister spent their day shopping.”

Gavin smiled warmly. “He sounds like a good man. And a great dad.”

“He is.” She snuck in a forkful of rice before continuing. “Also, I did a semester abroad, my junior year. Four months in Florence. That was incredible.”

Again, his brows arched in surprise. “I’d no idea you were such a jetsetter.”

She snorted. “I’m not, really.”

“Sure you are. And good for you. What’d you think of Florence?”

They talked while finishing their meal. She told him stories of her time there, and he asked questions that showed he was truly interested.

“Well, you should go to Ireland someday,” he said off-handedly, munching on his food. “Beautiful country. Not bad art and architecture there.”

“Oh, I want to, believe me! Not just for the art, though. The culture in general, the food, the people… there’s so much of the world I haven’t seen.” Toni’s voice trailed off as she looked out over the bay. Seagulls swooped down, barely skimming the surface of the water before flying back up into the air. The sky wasn’t as bright anymore, slowly turning to dusky colors. “So, have you traveled a lot?”

“Not nearly as much as I’d like,” Gavin admitted. “And certainly not nearly as much as you, it seems. We didn’t have family holidays like that when I was growing up. Eight kids, no money, you know how that goes. Then I was busy with medical school, work… I didn’t take my first trip off the Isle until I was eighteen! Went to France with some friends from university.” He flashed a grin. “As an adult, I’ve traveled some. I’ve been to Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece…”

“That’s more than some!” Her eyes widened. “Greece! I’m jealous.”

A wry grin tugged at his lips. “Yeah, well, those were mostly trips with my ex-girlfriend. She loved to travel, so we took holidays together. Extravagant ones.”

“The one Anna mentioned earlier?” Toni asked carefully. “Siobhan, was it?”

The little crease between his brows returned, the one she noticed appeared when he didn’t like something. “Yeah.”

“Were you together long?”

“Almost four years.” His gaze focused on his plate. “We broke up last year. Or, I should say, she broke up with me. About nine months ago.”