Page 9 of An Island Summer
He sucked in a breath that made his shoulders rise and his pecs show through his shirt. She forced herself to focus on his face.
“It’s my grandfather’s birthday tomorrow and I need to find him a gift.” He opened the door to the old souvenir shop for Meghan and Tess, letting them enter first.
The store hadn’t changed at all. Old Coke signs and vintage advertisements lined the walls, and the tiled floor was full of artfully displayed tables of unique wares—anything from brightly painted metal fish to old books.
“How old will he be?” Meghan asked.
Toby picked up an hourglass, turning it over and setting it on the table, the white sand sliding effortlessly in a single stream to the bottom, his thoughts clearly full, judging by the downward pull of his brows. “Ninety-eight,” he replied. “He’s obsessed with old movies from the forties and fifties.”
Meghan smiled, warmed by the thought.
“How about this one?Madness and Magic.” Tess held up a DVD, her gaze on the back cover. “It was made in 1957… ‘A crime reporter uses all his tricks and a little magic to get the girl he loves.’” She held it out to him proudly.
Toby studied it, turning it over. “Thank you,” he said, “but he already has this one.” He handed it back to her.
Tess looked back down at the front cover. “Meghan, is there a DVD player in your pappy’s cottage?” she asked.
“I think we have one,” Meghan replied, putting a table between her and Toby to give him some space. She looked over at him and his gaze fluttered toward her just before he turned away.
“We could have a movie night tonight after we finish cleaning the living room—my treat.” Tess waved the DVD in the air, coming over to her.
Meghan couldn’t think of a better way to spend the night than escaping with a movie. Perhaps she’d get so wrapped up in it that she’d watch until she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Then she’d fall asleep without thinking about anything going on in her life. “That would be fun.”
Tess dropped it into her basket happily. “It has Paul Newman in it. He’s so handsome.”
Lifting a book from one of the tables, Toby turned it around to view the back, giving Meghan a glimpse at it:Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Meghan could only imagine what he went through every day, taking care of his grandfather, and she was in awe of the fact that he did so day in and day out.
“What are you doing?” Tess asked, coming into the small living room at Pappy’s after the two of them had finished mopping the hardwoods and shaking out all the rugs before running a vacuum over them. She shook her wet hair, toweling it off.
Taking a break, Meghan had pulled out her laptop and settled next to Charlie while Tess had been in the shower, looking for anything that would take her mind off the fact that she was sitting on Pappy’s sofa, trying not to let her mind drift back to the days after school when he’d plop down beside her and stretch his arm around the back, listening to her talk about her day.
“Looking for jobs between here and the town of Manteo.”
“Anything good?” Tess asked, pulling at her shirt, the old air conditioner no match for the heat outside.
“Nah.” Meghan set the computer on the coffee table, trying not to get discouraged.
Tess wadded her soaking hair on top of her head and fanned herself. “It’s scorching tonight.”
“Want to take Charlie out on the beach?” Meghan asked, to which the dog popped up and stood at attention, his entire focus on his master. “There are lawn chairs in the shed out back and the breeze will cool us off.”
“That sounds so much better,” Tess said. “I’ll get us each a glass of wine.”
Meghan hoisted herself off the sofa and retrieved Charlie’s ball, wedging it into her pocket while Tess got their drinks. “Okay, boy. You ready?”
Charlie barked, running over to the front of the cottage, his paws tapping on the floor in excitement. Meghan slipped on her flip-flops and opened the door, the dog rushing out ahead of them and barreling along the wooden path that wound through the tall seagrass down to the beach. Meghan went over to the shed and grabbed two chairs, slipping the metal end over her arm to carry them down to the beach.
“I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed,” Tess said, striding along beside Meghan, handing her a glass of chardonnay.
Meghan looked over at her friend, shielding her eyes from the blazing sun to get a good look at her. “Why?”
“You haven’t cooked us a single thing since we’ve been here, and I was hoping to be spoiled for the entire trip.”
Meghan grinned, hiding that familiar feeling of doubt, the guilt of letting Pappy down that kept creeping in whenever she thought about her failed culinary career. The chairs clinked against each other as they dangled from her arm and she shifted to reposition them.
“I quit my job for your dinners, you know,” Tess teased. But then she said, “You haven’t even mentioned cooking since Vinnie didn’t give you the chef’s job.”
