watched as Virginia’s eyes widened, but only for a moment. She appeared nervous.
“Uh, it’s Lily, right?”
“Yep! So, can I come with you?”
“Okay,” Virginia said, her voice shaking and her expression one of utter shock. Like a deer in headlights.
“That sounds great!” Lily took Virginia’s hand and Gavin took a step back, surprised by his niece’s familiarity with a perfect stranger. Gavin handed Lily some money and watched as Virginia guided her to a booth on the outskirts of the market. Virginia, though still looking stunned, handled it well.
They were in view the whole time, so there was nothing for Gavin to be worried about. He shook his head over Lily’s behavior. She wasn’t that open or friendly with strangers usually. Lily didn’t like change. She was a creature of habit, but here she was seemingly at ease with his boss and buying shrimp with her.
A tug on his shirt alerted him to the fact Rose needed his attention. “Yes?”
Rose nodded in the direction Lily had gone with Virginia and shrugged. Gavin chuckled and rumpled her hair. “Got me, kiddo.”
Gavin wandered closer to the stall. He watched in awe as the old Greek fishmonger doted on Lily. Virginia was so affable, laughing and totally at ease with his niece. There was a natural connection between Lily and Virginia. It made him a bit nervous. He didn’t want or need a relationship. He wasn’t looking for a mother for his nieces.
Aren’t you? a little voice niggled in the back of his mind.
It made his stomach knot.
This was not the life he’d planned, but it was what he’d been dealt.
A bag of shrimp was passed over, Lily handed the old man his money and they turned and headed back. Gavin looked away quickly, not wanting to be caught staring at them. Like he was studying them or something.
“Got the shrimp!” Lily announced triumphantly. Gavin set the cooler down and she placed the plastic bag in beside the clams and the container of scallops.
Virginia knelt down. “That’s quite a catch.”
“I don’t think it’ll be clam chowder any more,” Gavin said under his breath.
Virginia chuckled again and stood up. The scent of vanilla lingered and as she brushed her hair over her shoulder, he was hit with it again.
He loved the scent of vanilla. It reminded him of something homey. Something he’d always longed for as a child.
“I think you’re past the realms of a simple clam chowder and headed toward a seafood chowder or a bisque.” Virginia grinned.
“What’s the difference?” Lily asked.
“Bisque is puréed and chowder is chunky,” Virginia replied.
“Definitely chunky,” Lily said.
Gavin just shook his head and shut the cooler. “I guess we’re making seafood chowder.”
Virginia crossed her arms. “Have you ever made chowder before?”
“Does making it from a can count?”
Virginia cocked a finely arched brow. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Dang.” He grinned and was shocked by the next words that were suddenly spewing from his mouth. “Would you like to come over for dinner?”
Virginia was stunned.
Did he just ask me to dinner?
How was she going to respond? Well, she knew what she had to say. She had to say no, she was his boss.
“Please, come, Dr. Potter! Hey, maybe you could walk down to pier thirty-nine with us and watch the sea lions?” Lily was tugging on her hand, her blue eyes wide with excitement.
How can I say no to that?
She couldn’t, but she should.
“I’m not sure, Lily. How about I just walk down to the pier with you? Then I should go home and get these shrimp into the fridge.”
“Want to place them in my cooler?” Gavin asked, popping the lid.
Now she had no excuse to bolt. “Sure. Thanks.” Virginia set her bag in the cooler. They made their way through the crowd and onto the boardwalk, heading away from Fisherman’s Wharf and toward the loud barking sounds of San Francisco’s famous occupants.
Lily and Rose rushed forward and climbed up on the guard rail to watch the sea lions lounge on the docks, surrounded by sailboats lining the pier.
“I’ve been here six months and I haven’t come to see these guys yet. They’re pretty loud.”
“They are.” Virginia winced as the sea lions broke into another course of barking. Lily laughed outright, but Rose didn’t make a sound. She just beamed from ear to ear. Rose was such a little angel, or at least appeared to be. “How did your sister die?”
“Cancer,” Gavin answered.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” And she was. If anyone understood, it was her, but she didn’t share her own pain. She couldn’t.
“Thank you.” He gazed at her and butterflies erupted in her stomach. He looked so different today. The navy-blue fisherman’s sweater accented the color of his hair and brought out the deep emerald of his eyes. His hair was a bit of a mess from Rose’s handling, but the tousled look suited him.
It made her swoon just a bit.
Get a hold on yourself.
“Well, I’d better head back to my place.” She bent down, opened his cooler and pulled out her bag of shrimp, dropping it in her canvas carryall. “Good luck with the chowder.”
Virginia turned to leave, but Gavin reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. “I’d really like it if you came to dinner tonight.”
“Gavin…” She trailed off, trying to articulate one of the many excuses running through her brain.
I’m your boss.
Do you think it’s wise?
People are already talking.
Of course, all those excuses were lame. What did she have to lose? Yeah, she was technically Gavin’s boss, but it wasn’t like he was an intern or even a resident. He was an attending, the head of trauma surgery, so why couldn’t they be friends?
Who cares what other people think?
“Okay. Sure, I’d love to come to your place for dinner.” She pulled out an old business card and a pen. “Write down your address.”
Gavin
