Lilac Lane (Chesapeake Shores #14)(43)

“I’ve already ordered a cappuccino,” she said, her lips twitching as she tried to hold back a smile.

“Well, that’s all, then,” he said, then met her gaze. “Unless you’d like something to eat.”

“The coffee will do.”

“Sure thing,” the waitress said, leaving them alone.

“Was your mind wandering?” Kiera teased. “I have to wonder where it went. It must have been a pleasant place.”

“Nowhere worth following,” he assured her, then focused his attention on the boats chugging along on the bay in the morning sunlight. It was a tranquil picture, far more tranquil than his oddly chaotic thoughts.

It had suddenly occurred to him that he was actually on something that some people would consider a date. When he’d issued the impulsive invitation, he’d given it no thought beyond the momentary desire to have Kiera’s company for a little longer before their day started at the pub. They seemed to do better with each other away from that atmosphere. Now he was realizing it was a step, albeit a tiny one, toward a more complicated relationship, something he’d successfully avoided for years.

Because he and Melody had never divorced, he’d considered himself unavailable for anything more than the most casual encounters. He was always honest with the women he’d dated, making sure they understood he wasn’t looking for anything lasting. But trying to explain why he wasn’t interested in more was too personal to share, so he avoiding anything that might be leading toward that uncomfortable conversation. Was he actually willing to have that conversation with Kiera? He couldn’t quite envision it, which meant he needed to be very careful about any signals he sent to her.

“For a man who said his morning had gotten off to a good start not that long ago, you’re looking increasingly troubled,” Kiera said. “Have I said something to make you uneasy?”

“Not at all,” he said at once. “I’m just not used to doing things like this.”

She stared at him blankly. “Like what? Having coffee?”

He nodded, then chuckled. “Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?”

“We’ve had coffee before,” she reminded him. “Well, you’ve had coffee and I’ve had tea, but it’s the same sort of thing.”

“That was at the pub. This is entirely different. Can’t you see that?” Even as he spoke he knew that he was making way too much of an innocent hour at a sidewalk café.

Kiera simply looked puzzled, but before he could attempt an explanation, Mick O’Brien came striding down the street from the direction of his wife’s art gallery and spotted them. He paused at their table, then looked pointedly from Bryan to Kiera and back again. “Well, this is a surprise,” he said, grabbing a chair from a neighboring table and pulling it over without waiting for an invitation. “Imagine seeing the two of you here,” he said, then pointedly added, “together.”

Understanding of Mick’s assumption suddenly dawned on Kiera’s face, and she cast a frantic look in Bryan’s direction.

“We’re just taking a few minutes to bounce around some ideas for the pub,” Bryan told Mick quickly, hoping to take control of the situation. “Kiera has some thoughts for additions to the menu, isn’t that right, Kiera?”

She nodded. “Things that were popular in the pubs where I worked in Ireland,” she said at once. “You must have been in your share of pubs over there on your visits over the years, Mick. I imagine you have some thoughts as well about what could be added to the menu at O’Brien’s.”

“Oh, I shared a few with Luke when he first came up with his plan to open the pub,” Mick responded. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask Ma to join you,” he said, referring to Nell. “She takes a special interest in the pub’s menu. She has since Luke opened the place. Authenticity is very important to her, as you surely know, Bryan.”

Bryan laughed. “I do, indeed. It’s a word I was hearing on a daily basis for quite some time. Now Kiera has taken up the chant. She takes her title of Irish consultant quite seriously.”

“Well, certainly no offense to Nell is meant by our talking through a few things,” Kiera said hurriedly. “This is just a preliminary conversation. Of course, Nell would have the last word.”

“Of course,” Bryan said, finding himself vaguely amused by Kiera’s discomfort. It was rather nice no longer being alone with his stomach tied in knots. He doubted, though, that Kiera had any idea of where Mick’s matchmaking mind was now wandering. It had little to do with the pub’s menu or Nell’s proprietary interest in it. It was finding the two of them together at this early hour that clearly fascinated Mick. The conversation was nothing more than a diversion for him while he assessed their relationship so he could spread the word to the rest of the family. And he would spread it. Bryan had no doubt of that.

When the waitress brought their drinks, Mick ordered an American coffee for himself, obviously not planning to leave the two of them alone until he’d figured out what they were really doing. Heaven forbid, he observed any of the sparks that Bryan himself had been feeling when he least expected it.

“It wasn’t long ago that Luke was worried about the two of you coexisting at the pub,” Mick said innocently. “Obviously things have improved.”