He smiled, looking so much like Matthew. “It started as Parkinson’s and morphed into Alzheimer’s. It’s been a challenge, but we’re making it work. I hope I wasn’t disturbing you. I just needed a bit of a break.” He nodded toward Brigid, still deep in conversation with Matthew. “They have some case going on and that’s all they talk about.”
She smiled. “Brigid can be pretty intense and driven regarding her goals.”
“She has more lists that anyone I’ve ever met. I think she has a list for everything.”
“That sounds like Brigid. Even in college, she had her schedule all mapped out, her assignments and days planned out for the entire semester. I think her whole life was planned by the time she could read.”
“But who planned it—her or her family?” he countered, almost under his breath.
Delaney arched her brow. “An astute observation. How well do you know Brigid?”
He glanced away. “I’ve spent some time with her, as a fourth with Caroline and Matthew.”
Delaney laughed, then paused. “Oh, my God. Caroline is setting you up with Brigid.”
He colored. “What? No, I mean, I am walking down the aisle with her, but that’s it.”
For the first time since she’d arrived, she relaxed and felt a genuine smile cross her face. “Don’t worry about it. As the week goes on, she’ll get preoccupied with the wedding and forget all about her matchmaking ideas.”
“I hope so.” He shifted uncomfortably. “Besides, I won’t be here that much. I’m renovating a cottage on the island and I have to finish this week.”
“Caroline allowed you to work this week?”
He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Caroline doesn’t know it, but her father asked me to fix up a place for her and Matthew. I’m just putting the finishing touches on it.”
“Caroline will love that! She always loved the island. I can’t wait to see it.”
He grinned. “It’s not as big or nice as this one, but it’s cozy and I think she’ll love it. Her father said it was a place she mentioned often.”
Charmed by his easygoing attitude, she relaxed her shoulders, the tension flowing out of them for the first time all day. “I’ll bet it’s the old Hanson place. Adorable cottage, but it needed a lot of work the last time I saw it. I can’t imagine how much it needed now.”
As they chatted about the renovations and the island, a heated stare settled on her from across the stone patio. Ethan slouched in a chair, a glass of whiskey in his hands, eyes burning with intensity as he watched her and Grady with no expression on his face. Occasionally, he replied to Wyatt and Anna, but his gaze never wavered from her. Delaney studiously ignored him and concentrated on Grady, enjoying the relaxing conversation, no ties from the past strangling her, but Ethan continued to pull her attention. A slow burn simmered, a reminder of their shared almost kiss earlier that day, and she resisted getting up and walking over to him and taking up where they left off.
“So, what’s the deal with you and Ethan?” The question was casual but there were undertones of curiosity there.
The question pulled her attention back to Grady completely. “You don’t know?”
He shrugged. “I guess there’s some history. All of you have some sort of history with each other, but I’m new here. Blank slate and all that.”
She mulled his words over for a moment, remembering her mother saying something very similar about wanting to move somewhere where no one knew her, her history, or the sordid details of the scandal. It was an attractive idea, being somewhere and someone completely unknown. If she moved somewhere else, she could be anonymous and maybe find someone nice and have a new life.
She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Ethan stood and gestured with his glass toward her. She shook her head at the unspoken question. Another drink was definitely not what she needed, not as she was having visions of seducing Ethan under the moonlight, in the one place where her life had been pretty perfect. She longed to return to that time, when life was simpler and she knew her path.
“Delaney?” Grady’s voice interrupted her reverie.
“Sorry, thinking about the past.” She took a deep breath. “Ethan and I were engaged and broke up five years ago.”
He nodded. “Doesn’t seem like it’s over. Not with the dagger looks he’s been sending me all night.”
She followed his look over at Ethan, who watched them while pouring more whiskey. She shook her head. “No, that’s in the past.”
He stood up. “Doesn’t look that way to me. Can I refresh your drink?”
She eyed Ethan hovering over the drink cart. “I think I’ll pass.” She stood. “In fact, I think I’ll take a walk on the beach. It’s been a while since I’ve felt the sand between my toes.”
“At the risk of angering your ex-fiancé, do you want company?” He flashed another charming smile.
She smiled and shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ve got this.”