Her Hometown Redemption. Rachel Brimble

“Follow me. I have the perfect table for one.”

      Ignoring her unwittingly poured salt as it stung his wound, Liam followed Caroline back toward the entrance.

      She waved toward the table in front of them. “Here you go.”

      The minuscule table might have had a seat on either side, but Liam imagined two plates would have to be touching to fit on its surface. He forced a smile. “Thanks, this is great.”

      “You’re welcome. Have a look at the menu and I’ll grab you a glass of wine. Usual?”

      He nodded. “Perfect.”

      She walked away and Liam put his jacket on the back of the chair and sat. He scanned the room and lifted a hand to Marian and George Cohen sitting a few tables away, steadfastly ignoring the way Marian looked pointedly at the vacant chair opposite him. Damn if the woman didn’t have a knack for saying something about everything without uttering a single word.

      As the town’s matriarch and surrogate mother to anyone under the age of forty-five, Marian was a force to be reckoned with. The only person who had a hell’s chance of keeping her behavior marginally civilized was George, her long-suffering, yet entirely devoted, husband.

      Liam snatched up the menu and made a resigned effort to show Marian her clear observation hadn’t bothered him. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the Seascape’s array of renowned fresh-fish dishes. Today’s success called for the sea bass. Just thinking about it falling apart on his plate kicked Liam’s annoyance to the curb and he snapped the menu shut, decision made.

      “Here you go. One large glass of cabernet.” Caroline placed his drink on the table and smiled. “You have the expression of a man who knows what he wants and how he wants it.”

      “I do.” He passed her the menu. “I’m going for the sea bass.”

      “No problem.” She took the menu and hugged it to her chest. “Things must be going pretty great for you, considering how often you’re in here.”

      Liam smiled. “They are. Haven’t lost a case in over a year. Long may it continue.”

      “Absolutely.” Caroline lifted an eyebrow. “But as a concerned friend of yours...”

      “Yes?”

      “It would be nice to see a woman in here with you from time to time, you know.”

      Liam shook his head. “Hey, we might have been friends for over ten years, but that doesn’t mean you get to inch in on my love life. I’ll start calling you Marian Junior if you’re not careful.”

      Caroline laughed. “Do you want fries or steamed potatoes with your sea bass?”

      “Pota—” The word lodged in his throat upon sight of the woman who walked into the restaurant. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

      “What’s wrong?” Caroline turned. “Is that... It can’t be.”

      Liam’s gut dropped to the floor and his heart picked up speed. “Is that Tanya?” He shot his gaze to Caroline. “Is it?”

      Her cheeks flushed. “I think it might be.”

      He clenched his jaw as a mix of shock, euphoria, anger and disbelief battled inside him. “For the love of God. Just when I decide it’s time to get my ass into gear for some serious dating, Tanya strolls back into town as though it’s the most natural thing in the world.”

      Caroline raised her eyebrows. “This was her home for over twenty years.”

      “What am I supposed to say to her? The last time I saw her she was my girlfriend, for crying out loud.”

      Caroline glanced over her shoulder toward the bar where Tanya had slid onto a stool. “You need to be cool, calm and collected.” She faced him. “Don’t you go over there making a fool of yourself. You’re better than that. For all she knows, you could be married, have kids...”

      He dragged his gaze from Tanya’s long brown hair and rounded butt. “Yeah, and so could she.”

      Caroline grimaced. “True, but still, you need—”

      “I can’t just sit here.” He stood. “I have to know why she’s back.”

      Caroline reached up and dug her nails into his shoulder, her wide green eyes bright with determination. “Sit. I’ll go talk to her.”

      Liam looked from her to Tanya and back again, adrenaline pumping through him. He clenched his jaw and sat. “Fine.”

      Caroline gave a curt nod. “I’ve got this, okay?”

      “What are you going to do?”

      “I’ll go serve her and get the lay of the land. You stay here.”

      Caroline walked away and Liam stared at Tanya once more. She’d finally come home.

      He picked up his glass and drank a third of his wine in a single gulp.

       CHAPTER TWO

      TANYA FACED THE bar and fought to keep her feet still as nerves tumbled inside her despite her resolve that she had as much right to be in the Seascape as the next person. The dulcet tones of Enrique Iglesias thumped a sexy salsa beat from the speakers dotted around the restaurant, the air heavy with heat and the prospect of a good weekend. She’d chosen Friday to arrive at the Cove so she would have the entire weekend to settle in at her sister’s vacant apartment and be free to start on her brand-new office, come Monday.

      Now the decision seemed foolish. Maybe arriving on Monday would’ve been more sensible so people wouldn’t have such a buoyant mood about them.

      Tanya exhaled. Who was she kidding? The people in Templeton were buoyant Monday through Sunday. Wasn’t that part of what had annoyed her about the place? Wasn’t that what her mother always said, that the people here were fake? Well, whatever was true, the one thing Tanya could be sure of was, sooner or later, she would have no choice but to face questions.

      “Well, this is a surprise.”

      Tanya turned and smiled. Here goes nothing. “Hi, Caroline.”

      Caroline’s gaze was wary, her strained smile not quite reaching her eyes. “You’re back.”

      Foreboding knotted Tanya’s stomach, but she lifted her chin. “I am. How are you?”

      “Better than you, by the look of it.” Caroline frowned. “You’ve lost a lot of weight since we last saw you.”

      Tanya glanced down at her shirt. “I’ve...been working out.”

      “Well, don’t let Marian see you. She’ll be stuffing you with pastries from now until Christmas.”

      Tanya smiled. “Ah, the famous Marian.”

      Caroline grinned. “That’s right. She wasn’t in the Cove when you were, was she?” She leaned forward. “Well, she’s sitting right over there and curious as hell who you are.”

      Tanya turned and met the narrowed gaze of a woman she guessed to be in her midsixties. Unease lifted the hairs at her nape and Tanya swallowed. Sasha had warned her...but still the determination in Marian’s gaze couldn’t be denied.

      Tanya swiveled around. “Uh-oh.”

      Caroline glanced toward the restaurant doors. “Are you visiting? You do know your sister’s moved away, don’t you?”

      “Of course. I’m here for me, not Sasha.”

      Caroline raised an eyebrow. Said nothing.

      Tanya cleared her throat and battled the urge to walk out of the restaurant. Caroline’s expression was clear. She still considered Tanya the same selfish, egotistical person she was before.