A Haven on the Bay - Nicole Ellis Page 0,2

the electric tingles from early in their relationship had faded away after the first few weeks. When they reached her car, he broke away from her and waited next to the passenger side for her to unlock the door.

Theo didn’t want to remain tethered to any one spot, so the only vehicle he owned was his boat. While Meg didn’t mind always being the driver, it did leave her wondering if he’d ever settle down in one place, or if he intended to always be a wanderer. When she’d lived in Portland, she’d enjoyed her freedom, but had also greatly missed her family. Being constantly on the move like Theo would be fun for a while, but not for the long-term.

The drive to Finnerton’s took thirty minutes. By the time they arrived and parked, Theo’s light banter had eased some of Meg’s troubles. Before they entered the restaurant, she stopped and appraised the exterior, wanting to take in every minute detail.

Finnerton’s was located on the river that ran through the center of Everton. The entrance from the parking lot wasn’t terribly memorable. A few concrete steps led up to a wide front door, offset from the center of a façade plastered with dark cedar shingles. The name of the restaurant had been hand-lettered on an unassuming sign next to the door. However, the parking lot was almost full—always a good sign in the restaurant business.

“Are you ready?” Theo asked, coming up beside her and offering her a hand. “You kind of look like you’re casing the joint.”

Meg laughed and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “I am, in a way.”

He raised his eyebrows, but then just grinned and shook his head. “I’m not even going to ask.”

Inside the restaurant, she gave her name to the hostess, who informed them they’d need to wait a few minutes for their table. They sat down on a long bench to the right of the front door, giving Meg a prime view of the wait staff as they exited and entered the kitchen carrying circular trays of food, drink, or used dishes. She’d worked in the industry for so long that observing the inner workings of a restaurant as an outsider felt oddly voyeuristic. She couldn’t take her eyes off of them, fascinated by their well-choreographed movements as they wove around patrons and co-workers alike.

She looked over at Theo, suddenly realizing that she’d been ignoring him for several minutes. He was engrossed in his phone, so she returned to people-watching. In the kitchen, something metal clanged to the floor and she winced. The telltale crash of glass or metal objects anywhere in a restaurant were never good, but even that interruption didn’t faze the staff.

“Briggs, party of two,” the hostess called out. Meg tore her attention away from the kitchen with reluctance.

Theo slipped the cell phone into the pocket of his pants. “Ready?”

She nodded, and they followed the hostess to a table on the outside deck.

“This is nice.” Theo pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit.

“Thanks.” She flashed him a smile. It had surprised her the first time Theo had helped her into her seat at a restaurant, but now she appreciated his thoughtfulness. She sat, then looked around. He was right. The restaurant hadn’t looked like much from the parking lot, but the massive cedar deck overlooking the river was impressive.

Planter boxes interspersed along the railing contained flowers that lightly scented the air. Wrought iron tables shaded by red canvas umbrellas dotted the deck’s surface. Below, the river bubbled softly as it made its way out to Puget Sound. The overall effect was enchanting. She turned back to face Theo. “Wow. I like this a lot.”

“Me too,” he said absentmindedly, as he reached for one of the menus the hostess had left with them and turned his attention to the food selections.

He didn’t seem nearly as impressed with the restaurant as she was, but then again, he was there for the food, not a reconnaissance mission. She surveyed the seating area. Almost all of the patrons were talking and laughing as they ate. No wonder this place received so many positive online reviews. She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. It wouldn’t be easy to achieve the same thing when they opened the restaurant at the Inn.

Theo placed his menu on the table and sipped from the glass of wine that had appeared only a few minutes after he’d ordered it, right after they’d been greeted by their