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He shrugged. “You were already upset. I didn’t want to make it worse.”
It was simple, nothing really, but the fact that a stranger cared enough not to upset her more squeezed at her heart. She held his gaze, wondering about the mysterious Shane and what he was doing in her hometown.
First time visiting our lovely town?” Milo’s voice cut through the moment, and Olivia dropped her gaze, leaning back in her seat.
Shane nodded. “First time on the east coast actually.”
Milo put his blinker on and turned out of the parking lot. “Let me guess… a Cali guy?”
Shane’s head tilted toward his solid navy-blue tee and tan shorts as if he was trying to figure out how Milo guessed correctly. Olivia was curious herself. She didn’t see any insignia on Shane’s clothes, then again, she spent an entire train ride with him and didn’t notice his brown eyes also had a pretty shade of green.
“Good guess,” Shane said, and Olivia eyed the back of Milo’s head.
Milo shot Shane an amused look. “The LAX tag on your luggage kind of gave it away.”
Shane sighed. “For a second there I thought maybe you were psychic.”
“Psycho maybe,” Olivia chimed in. “Oh!” She tapped on the window as they made a turn. “This is Main Street. Most of the local businesses can be found here. At the four corners you can find the McConnell Pharmacy and the McConnell Pub. Next to the pharmacy is the McConnell Market and next to the pub is—”
“I’m guessing another McConnell place,” Shane said.
“You sure you haven’t been here?” she asked, her cheeks warming as he looked over his shoulder and caught her eye between the seat and the door.
“Maybe he’s psychic,” Milo said.
“Keep your eyes on the road.” She turned to the window then glanced at Shane. “It’s McConnell Hardware. There are not many places left that the McConnell’s don’t own in this town. There’s this silly rule in the town that’s been around since the beginning that states you can only buy a house here if you’re a descendant of an original town founder. Patrick McConnell has taken advantage of that rule and scoops up property faster than it can go on the market then rents it out. He’s been trying to build a big fancy hotel down by the beach for years, but luckily the mayor won’t let him.”
“Isn’t the mayor—”
“His son,” Olivia finished for him. “Yup. Looks like you’ve done your research.”
“A little.”
“I bet holidays are a blast in that big house on the bay,” Milo said as he brought the car to a stop at a stop sign.
“With as much money as they have, I’m sure they’re all just fine,” Olivia said. Based on her current predicament, she was living proof that money didn’t buy happiness, but for a while it had brought her security and a freedom that she would no longer have. No, money didn’t buy her happiness, but at least she could drown herself in the racks at Saks. Now all she had was her old bedroom in her parents’ house while she tried to figure out how to pick up the pieces.
Milo hitched a thumb in Olivia’s direction. “Liv over here is a little obsessed with the McConnell’s.”
“Am not.”
“She’s basically trying to become one. Between the fancy boyfriend, living in a penthouse in Manhattan, visiting us peasants on her way home from a gala in the Hamptons… Bayview, the McConnell family estate, is her dream home. She used to talk for hours about how one day she’d live in a house just like that.” Olivia flicked Milo’s ear, and his head retracted like a turtle going into his shell. “Ouch. What was that for?”
“You talk too much.” She sunk in her seat. “The house is beautiful is all,” Olivia said. “Anybody would want to live there.”
She didn’t want Shane to think she was shallow. She wasn’t. Not at all. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the finer things and living a life she’d always dreamed of. Not that it mattered anymore. That life was in the rearview mirror. She couldn’t afford rent on a studio apartment let alone a waterfront estate.
She wasn’t ready to think about it, so when Milo slowed down in front of Bay’s Bagels Olivia went back into tour guide mode.
“Bay’s Bagels have the best bacon, egg and cheese on the island. I dream about them when I’m not home. They’re that good. McConnell’s Pub has karaoke on Thursday nights, but Mrs. Littleton usually dominates the stage with ballad after ballad, so most people avoid it, unless they want to grab their half off apps and special drink menu. Sometimes it’s almost worth it. Sometimes.”
Milo continued at a snail pace, letting Olivia point out all the places to Shane. “Here before Morcant Circle is Aunt Greta’s diner, home of the best pancakes you’ll ever eat, and I can’t forget their vanilla milkshakes. They are the best I’ve ever had, and I have had a lot of milkshakes in my life.”
“I’ll have to stop by. Vanilla milkshakes are my favorite.”
“Mine too.” Warmth spread through Olivia’s cheeks when Shane looked at her. “Maybe we can grab one together sometime.”
What the hell was she doing? She was newly single—definitely not looking for a date.
