skin, dark eyes that glittered beneath Iris’s ceiling lights, high cheekbones, and a rugged, angular jawline. His dark hair had been shaved into a fade, accentuating the masculine angles of his face. Standing at least six feet with strong shoulders and a narrow waist, Sebastian Mercier was handsome with a capital H.
Like clockwork, my cheeks grew hot as we greeted one another.
Iris noted the blush and grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
Dammit.
Not long later, we were seated around the Greens’ dining table, and I was taken aback by Sebastian’s warmth and friendliness. Between not reaching out to the town upon his arrival, and the fact that he was this fancy chef from Boston, I’d expected him to be a little aloof. Silly of me, of all people, to assume such a thing.
“My family used to vacation here when I was a boy.” Sebastian answered Iris’s question about why he’d chosen Hartwell to open a restaurant. “My family owned a French restaurant in Essex, and my mother didn’t like to leave it unattended. My father could only convince her to vacation here since it was close enough to hurry back if they needed to. It was the only time we had our parents’ entire focus for a full week. I have a lot of fond memories here.”
“And are you married, Sebastian?” Iris asked.
Ivy rolled her eyes and I hid my smile in a forkful of pasta.
“I am not. Running a restaurant is literally a full-time job. There isn’t much time for dating.” He took a bite of food and once he’d swallowed, he commented, “This is delicious. I can see why Antonio’s is always busy.”
It was the right thing to say. Ivy and I shared a grin as the Greens preened beneath the praise.
“I’m sorry if I haven’t introduced myself to all the business owners on the boardwalk.” Sebastian cut me an apologetic look. “There just always seems to be something to do at the restaurant and time gets away from me.”
“Oh, that’s understandable.” Iris waved off his apology as if she hadn’t been complaining about his “lack of manners” for months.
“So, you’re single, then?” Ira pulled the conversation back to Sebastian’s personal life. “And looking?”
Oh my God. Ivy groaned under her breath.
Sebastian’s lips twitched. “Not right this second. I have the restaurant to focus on. Plus, I have a teenage daughter. She’s with her mom in Boston, but she’ll be joining me for a few weeks before summer’s out. I try to make sure she has all my attention when she’s with me. Although she doesn’t seem to enjoy spending that much time with either of her parents at the moment.”
“You look a little young to have a teenage daughter,” Ivy said.
“Thank you. She’s fifteen. Her mother and I had her when I was twenty-five.”
“You’re forty?” I blurted out in disbelief. He looked ten years younger than that.
He grinned at me. “Is that old?”
“No, no.” Now I was blushing. “You just … you look about thirty.”
His grin turned flirtatious. “Well, thank you.”
“Those are some good genes,” Ivy added.
Sebastian laughed, and it sounded a little embarrassed now. “If I’d known I would spend the meal being complimented by beautiful women, I would have arrived earlier.”
“Oh, I like him,” Iris decided, making us laugh.
My laughter was cut off, however, when a wave of nausea rolled through me.
Oh no.
I took a breath, trying not to be obvious about it … but the tide rose anyway.
“Excuse me.” I shot from the table and hurried to the back hall to the Greens’ powder room. Seconds later I was on my knees, throwing up my meal in the toilet bowl.
Groaning, I wiped my mouth with toilet paper and then flushed it all away.
“Emery?”
I looked up from the floor to find Iris in the doorway.
“I think I ate something bad yesterday,” I promptly lied.
She nodded. “I knew you were looking pale.”
“I’m sorry, Iris. I need to go home.”
“Ira will take you.”
“No, I brought my car. I don’t want to have to come back for it.”
“Ira will get it to you.”
“Iris, I can drive myself home.”
Her eyebrows rose.
I’d never used that tone with her. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I like you assertive.”
I smirked and pushed to my feet.
Once I’d said goodbye to the concerned Greens and Sebastian Mercier, I felt guilty for feeling so relieved about getting into my car. But I just wanted to be alone.
Feeling exhausted and looking forward to curling up in bed, the last thing I expected when I