Page 8 of Second Chances

“My mother. She knows everything that goes on around here,” Sarah answered. “Her husband is your lawyer.”

He frowned and thought about it. “Your mom married Rory Sinclair?”

Sarah laughed. “She did. Almost two years ago now.” She motioned to an empty chair. “Join us?”

Just then the waitress walked over and handed him his card and the bill to sign, then gave him his to-go box.

“Thanks, but I’d better…” His eyes moved back over to Olivia and Simona, who were watching him closely. No husband, she’d said. Single mother. The pull that he felt towards the dark-haired woman was something he normally wouldn’t explore, but seeing Simona smile up at him had him sitting down.

“So, tell me everything you’ve been up to since I last saw you,” Sarah asked.

He chuckled. “Since we were nine? You really want to know everything?”

She laughed. “CliffsNotes.”

“Middle school, junior high, high school, Army Special Operations Forces, retirement, and now here.” He leaned back in the chair. Sarah smiled, and a quick glance at Olivia assured him that she was listening and smiling as well. “You? Besides marriage and two kids?”

Sarah smiled. “Pretty much the same. Only instead of Army, I worked at my father’s place.”

“The resort. Right?” He remembered that Sarah’s father had owned East Haven Resort, a swanky resort nestled on its own private island. Which is how he’d met Sarah in the first place. His parents had spent a great deal of time at that resort each summer, and he’d paid very close attention to a little blonde girl back then.

“A few years back, when my grandfather died, I inherited the place.”

“You? You own the resort now?” he asked.

“We.” She smiled at her husband, who was now holding the sleepy Luna in his arms. “And all of Elite International.”

He stopped for a moment. The name was very familiar. Then he whistled. “I didn’t know I was sitting at the table with some of the richest people in the state.”

Sarah laughed. “We try not to be.”

“How so?”

“My wife is very involved in charity work,” Ben broke in. “Let’s just say that she’s put her family’s money to work cleaning up this mess of a planet.”

“Good to hear that.” He glanced over at Olivia and smiled when he noticed Simona fast asleep in her mother’s arms. “Looks like she left the party anyway.”

Olivia glanced down at her daughter and smiled.

“You know, she told me that she was heading over to her grandmother’s place.” He frowned and tilted his head. “Which if I’m not mistaken was Holley Hall.”

“She calls my mother her grandmother,” Sarah explained. “Actually, most of these kids running around here think of my mother as their grandmother.”

“Where is your mother?” he asked, glancing around.

“Oh, she and Rory are in London this week. They’ve been doing a lot of traveling. They’re supposed to be back soon. She’s going to love seeing you again,” Sarah said.

He was a little overwhelmed at how much she remembered of him and his family. As if she’d read his mind, she laughed and said, “My mother and your mother were friends. They kept in contact over the years.”

He tensed for a split second. He was sure that Sarah didn’t sense it, but when his eyes locked with Olivia’s, he could tell that she’d noticed. Something told him that when she was paying attention, she noticed everything.

“I wasn’t really in contact with my mom after I joined the Army,” he admitted.

“Which is why my mother’s knowledge about you is vague.” Sarah tilted her head. “So, you’re back here for good or are you fixing the place up to sell?”

“I’m here for now.” He hadn’t really planned beyond getting the place ready and taking some time to himself. It wasn’t as if he needed to go out and look for a job, thanks to his inheritance.

“Well, if you need a hand up at the place,” Ben chimed in, “let me know. I can have a crew of workers over there for the cost of a case of beer.”