Girls of Summer(20)

“True.”

   They stared at each other for a moment, caught in a web of attraction.

“So,” Mack said. “How do we do this? You tell me your favorite book and I tell you my favorite song?”

Lisa smiled. “Sounds like you’ve been on some dating apps.”

The waitress brought their drinks. Mack waited until she left to answer.

“I admit it, I have. I haven’t met anyone, though. I’ve been so busy with work. I’m glad Beth’s got her degrees, but college costs money.”

“I know. Fortunately, part of the divorce deal was that Erich would pay for the children’s college tuition. And both of them worked in the summer to help with expenses.”

“So,” Mack said, directing his gaze into his glass, “tell me about how you came to have your shop.”

A warm rush of satisfaction sped through Lisa. She leaned back against the booth, and smiled. “It’s a dream come true. Really. I’m like a child with a box full of toys.”

“A very smart child,” Mack said. “It’s quite impressive that you’ve run the shop for so long, managing to pay the crushing Main Street rent and still make a profit.”

“I took business administration in college,” Lisa told him. “I worked for Vesta Mahone and learned a lot from her. I grew up here. I know the cycle of the seasons.” Shrugging lightly, she added, “And my kids have lived their own lives for several years now. I’m not distracted from my focus on my shop.”

After a moment, Mack asked, “And you never married again?”

Lisa laughed. “I never even dated again!”

The waitress arrived with their appetizers. They both ordered another drink.

“You’ve been single all this time?” Mack asked.

Lisa felt herself blush. “I was so busy. It was hard, raising two children alone. Also, when they were both in school, I worked at Vestments part-time. And then full-time. And then I had my own shop and it seemed I worked twenty-four hours a day.” She paused. “I think I shouldn’t have worked full-time, ever, but especially when the kids were adolescents. I should have, could have, maybe, restrained Theo more. But they seemed to need less of me. They certainly seemed to want less of me. And we needed extra money. Teenagers are expensive. Although, to give them credit, they both worked in the summer from fourteen on.”

   Mack asked, with a frown, “Seriously, you never dated since then?”

Lisa laughed. “I was asked out a few times. Sometimes I’d go with a divorced father to see our kids in a play and the four of us would have celebratory ice cream sundaes. But no, I never dated as such. This town…this town is so small. I knew I couldn’t have a romantic relationship without everyone knowing it, and I didn’t want the kids teased in school.”

“But the kids are grown. They live off-island now.”

“True. They’ve lived off-island for years.” Lisa shrugged. “I suppose I’ve simply fallen into the habit of living alone and liking it. I’m busy. I like my life. Maybe I like my solitude. Maybe I like…not being bothered by a man.”

“We’ll see about that,” Mack said.

Lisa felt her cheeks burn as electricity shivered through her body. The truth was, she’d lived so many years without being the object of scrutiny by anyone, male or female, except her family physician, that this experience of growing closer with Mack, knowing he was now suggesting becoming intimate—well, it was frightening, a little. Or not frightening, but uncomfortable. It wasn’t just the physical stuff, an image of herself naked before a younger man’s eyes. It was, well, all of it.

Being judged. Not pretty enough, not fascinating enough, and certainly not accomplished enough in the art of lovemaking. Until now, until this date, she’d enjoyed the mild flirting. It had meant something to her, something flattering and fun, but as she sat at this table in public with Mack with his gaze fastened on her face and her face certainly bright red, could she tolerate all this? She could back out now. She could tell him simply and firmly that she had no interest in any intimate relationship. She didn’t have to do this. Whatever it was they were going to do.

   But she wanted to do this.

Another thought, and this one she spoke aloud: “Tell me about you.”

Mack paused, gathering his thoughts. “I was born here. Grew up here. My dad was a carpenter, so I learned from him. I like the old houses around here. I respect them. The width and length of some of the boards in the older houses, well, they’re two hundred years old. Three hundred. They’re treasures. So many contractors tear down old houses and ruin the boards, take them to the dump, and build mansions that look like they belong in Vegas. Sorry, don’t mean to lecture you.”

“No, I like hearing about this.”

Mack looked Lisa in the eyes as if he was studying her. “You know, I think you do.”

Lisa felt a rush of lust sweep through her. She had to look away. But she wanted to know…she needed to know. “What about your personal life?”

“Huh.” He set his eyes on his silverware, turning the spoon over and over. “Okay. My personal life, well, it’s shrunk down to two people, me and Beth.” Flushing, he concentrated on the spoon as if it was fascinating, and said, “I never really dated. I never brought another woman into the house. I never introduced Beth to another woman. But…I didn’t go without female companionship.”