Nantucket News Page 3

  Chapter 4

  Taylor woke the next morning feeling like a new person. She’d gone to bed early, after a hot shower and a pizza delivered from one of the places Lisa had suggested. An hour or so of television and then she’d crashed hard. She eased out of bed and walked over to the window. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and she decided to venture out and take a walk on the beach before breakfast.

  It wasn’t as warm as it looked, though, and she was glad that she’d added an extra layer and a hat. She thought that she’d have the beach to herself since it wasn’t quite seven, but there were already a few people out walking. She smiled as an excited golden retriever darted into the water and then quickly jumped out from the cold. It would be several months before it would be warm enough for swimming.

  She walked down to the lighthouse and back, which took about an hour. A good walk. She’d worked up an appetite too—her stomach growled as she reached the dining room and smelled the hot food. Lisa was there already with her husband Rhett. She smiled when she saw Taylor.

  “Good morning. Help yourself. There’s a bacon and cheddar quiche today and some slow-cooker steel oats with peaches and brown sugar. I recommend a little of both if you can manage it. Please come join us.”

  Taylor helped herself to coffee, a sliver of the quiche, a few pieces of cantaloupe and a cup of the oatmeal, then brought everything over to the big round table where Lisa and Rhett were sitting.

  “You remember my husband, Rhett?”

  “Of course, how are you?”

  Rhett nodded. “Nice to see you again.”

  They were joined a few minutes later by an older couple, Edith and Warren Douglas, who were there for their fortieth wedding anniversary.

  “A trip to Nantucket has been on my bucket list and it’s even lovelier than I’d imagined,” Edith said. She explained that they’d just arrived two days ago and had been having a ball sight-seeing and shopping.

  “We went to the Whaling Museum yesterday. That was really something,” Warren said.

  “What do you have planned for today?” Lisa asked.

  Edith smiled. “This is our spoil ourselves day. We have massages booked downtown. We’re going to catch a matinee and the popcorn will be our lunch. Because tonight we have reservations at The Whitley and are doing their tasting menu.”

  “Oh, that sounds wonderful,” Taylor said. “I haven’t eaten there, but it is supposed to be amazing.”

  Lisa smiled. “It is. Rhett and I went there a few months ago for my birthday and had the tasting menu. It’s great for a special occasion. You’ll love it.”

  “I can’t wait,” Edith said. She glanced at Rhett. “Lisa mentioned that you own a restaurant here too?”

  “I do. Rhett’s is right around the corner from here. It’s not as fancy as The Whitley, but our food is good. It’s typical New England, lots of fresh seafood, a few steaks and whatever else the chef feels like making.”

  Edith glanced at her husband. “Well, we’ll have to make sure to go there one night, too.”

  “What are you up to today, Taylor? I think you mentioned you’re seeing Abby and the girls tonight?” Lisa asked.

  Taylor had chatted briefly with Abby the night before and was excited to see her and her sisters later that evening.

  “Yes. I am going to head off and explore a bit and do a little shopping. I might pick up a dessert and some wine to bring to Abby’s tonight, too.”

  “The supermarket here, Stop and Shop, has a pretty good bakery. And I’d stop by Bradford Liquors. The owner, Peter, is usually working, and he’s great at helping with wine suggestions.”

  “Great, I’ll be sure to stop by.”

  “Did Abby take you to Nantucket Threads when you visited?” Lisa asked.

  “No, that doesn’t sound familiar.”

  “It’s a cute shop down by the wharf. The owner, Izzy, is a lovely girl. Her sister, Mia, stayed here for a few months when there was a fire at her condo. Marley, the woman that helped me with my online marketing, worked with Izzy too, to get an online store up for her shop. She has all kinds of gorgeous clothes and shoes.”

  Taylor grinned. “Sounds like that might need to be my first stop.”

  After breakfast, Taylor showered and changed, then headed downtown. Even though it was mid-morning on a Sunday, there were still a lot of people shopping and walking along Main Street. Taylor found a spot on a side street and set off to explore. When she reached Main Street and looked to her left, she saw Nantucket Threads a few doors down and made her way over to it. She stopped to check out the display window, which had several mannequins dressed in very cute outfits, pretty sweaters, floaty floral tops, dressy jeans and cowboy boots in a gorgeous caramel shade. An oatmeal-colored fisherman knit sweater caught her eye. It looked so New England and she didn’t own anything like it.

  She stepped inside and looked around the store. Lisa was right. It had many really cute things. She browsed for a bit, looking over some of the tops and the shoes, but found herself drawn to the sweater area and the fisherman knit style that she’d seen in the window. When Taylor first walked in, a woman behind the counter smiled at her as she rang up a customer.

  Taylor picked up one of the sweaters and held it up to her in the mirror to check the size.

  “Those run true to size. You could probably do either a medium or a large depending how roomy you like it.”

  Taylor turned around, and it was the woman from the register. “If you’d like to try both sizes on, there’s a fitting room in the back if you want to follow me.”

  “Thank you. Are you Izzy, by any chance? I’m staying at The Beach Plum Cove Inn and Lisa Hodges told me about your shop.”

  “Yes! That’s me. That’s so nice of Lisa.”

  Taylor grabbed two of the sweaters and followed Izzy to the fitting room.

  “If you need an opinion, just holler,” Izzy said.

  Taylor tried the sweaters on and loved them both but went with the large as she did like them big and roomy. It was cold enough out that she could wear her new sweater to Abby’s tonight.

  As Izzy rang her up, she asked if Taylor was on vacation.

  “No, I’ve actually just moved here. Lisa’s daughter Abby was my college roommate and told me about a job here at the newspaper. I’m just staying at the inn until my rental is ready.”

  “Oh, welcome to Nantucket, then! I’m friends with Abby and her sisters, too. I’m sure I’ll see you again, soon. Thanks for coming in.”

  “So where are you and your brother off to, tonight?” Abby asked her husband, Jeff. She’d just fed their daughter, Natalie, and settled her in her playpen, where Abby could keep an eye on her while she worked in the kitchen, getting dinner ready. The girls would be coming over in about an hour. Jeff had just come into the kitchen and was dressed and ready to go. He’d babysat the day before when Abby visited her mother and went shopping with her sister, and now it was his turn to head out. It was her suggestion, as she knew he had no interest in a girl’s night.

  “I think we’ll just head to the Rose and Crown for a beer and a bite and maybe watch a game at the bar. We’ll see.”

  She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. “Have fun. I’ll see you later.”

  As soon as Jeff left, she turned her attention back to the kitchen. Kate was bringing an appetizer, Kristen was making a salad and Taylor had said she’d pick up something for dessert, so Abby’s focus was their main entrée. She was trying a new recipe that Jeff’s mother had given her after Abby raved about it the last time they had dinner with his parents. It was a simple dish and Abby was hopeful that she wouldn’t mess it up too badly. She knew the fish itself would be great. She got the striped bass from Trattel’s Seafood, which Kate’s husband Jack’s family owned and operated.

  The topping looked simple enough, just crushed cracker crumbs mixed with a little beer, salt, pepper, and dill. Then the recipe said to spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the fish and pat the stuffing on top, squeeze some lemon over it and bake until lightly browned.

  It looked good when she slid it into the oven and she breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that Abby didn’t like to cook, she just didn’t have the same love for it that her sisters did. They could just throw things together and it would be amazing. She needed a clear recipe to follow.

  She kept a close eye on the fish and when she took it out of the oven, she covered it with tin foil to keep it warm. It looked and smelled delicious. The girls would be arriving any minute, so she opened a bottle of chardonnay and poured herself a glass. She was excited to see her college roommate, Taylor, and thrilled that she’d actually taken a job on the island.

  As much as she loved her sisters, Taylor was her best friend, and she hoped that the move would be a long-term one. She has a feeling it might be. Usually once people made the move to Nantucket, and fell in love with the lifestyle, they stayed.

  Abby checked on Natalie, who was yawning already. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she’d be out for the evening. Just as she was about to take her first sip of wine, there was a knock on the door and she heard laughter.

  She opened the door and both of her sisters and Taylor stood on her doorstep.

  “We all arrived at the same time,” Kate said.

  “Well, perfect then. Come on in. I just poured some wine.”

  They came in and Kate set her platter in the middle of the kitchen island and took off the foil covering.

  “You made your bruschetta!” It was Abby’s favorite appetizer. Thinly sliced toasted baguettes topped with Boursin cheese and a mix of diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar.

  “Peter said this would go well with the fish.” Taylor handed her a bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. “And I hop
e everyone likes brownies.” She set a box of them on the kitchen counter.

  “Thank you. The brownies look great. I’ve had this wine before and it’s very good.” She put it in the fridge to keep it chilled.

  Kristen set her salad on the table and joined them at the island. Abby handed them each a glass of wine and they snacked on the bruschetta while they enjoyed their wine.

  “Kate, I just saw the announcement online about your book being made into a TV series. Congrats, that’s exciting,” Taylor said.

  “Thank you! I wasn’t sure if we’d ever actually get it made. It was a brother-sister team that optioned it and it took forever before a studio actually gave it the green light. But Netflix is doing it as a ten-episode series, with the potential for a second season if it goes well,” Kate said.

  Abby was so proud of her sister. She’d moved home to Nantucket a few years ago after getting laid off from a Boston magazine and freelanced while writing her first mystery novel, which had always been a dream. She now had two books out and was working on a third.

  Abby put the fish back in the oven for a few minutes to warm up, along with a casserole dish with mashed potatoes. Once everything was hot, they moved to the kitchen table and spent the next few hours eating and drinking and laughing. When they were totally full and nibbling on the brownies that Taylor brought, the conversation turned to Taylor’s new job.

  “So, Abby said you start at the paper tomorrow. Are you excited or nervous?” Kristen asked.

  Taylor laughed. “Both. The job sounds perfect and I love that it’s here on Nantucket.” She glanced at Abby. “Your mother mentioned that you told her another girl just started too. I didn’t realize they were hiring two people. Do you know her?”

  “I know of her. Victoria is a local girl, a few years younger than us. I only just heard about this yesterday and mentioned it to my mother at breakfast. I heard she was working in Boston, but got engaged and moved home to Nantucket and in with her boyfriend. He does something here in real estate.”

  “What is she like?” Taylor looked a little nervous, and that was why Abby hadn’t mentioned it. Victoria wasn’t the warm, fuzzy type. She’d been head of the debate team and competitive in everything that she did—sports, and academics. Abby didn’t think she and Taylor were likely to be close friends. But maybe she was wrong and Victoria had mellowed out since high school.

  “She was a good student, captain of the field hockey team. I didn’t really know her, though,” Abby said.

  Taylor took a bite of her brownie and looked thoughtful. “Well, business must be good if they hired both of us, right?”

  “I’m sure it is.” As far as Abby knew, the newspaper was doing well. And it probably was a good sign that they were able to hire two new people. Abby really didn’t think it was anything to worry about.

  “You don’t like your steak?”

  Marley snapped her attention back to the dinner she was sharing with Mark. It was Sunday night, and he’d called mid-day and invited her to his house for dinner. Usually, they either went out to one of the many great restaurants downtown, or Marley cooked in. She loved to cook and since he never let her pay when they went out, she enjoyed cooking for him. But now and then, he liked to have her over for dinner and cook on his grill. She glanced down at the perfectly cooked sirloin strip steak on her plate. She’d taken one bite, and it was delicious, but then her thoughts had drifted. Which was rude of her.

  “I’m sorry. It’s wonderful.”

  He looked at her closely. “Something on your mind? You looked a million miles away.”

  Marley sighed. She didn’t want Mark to think there was anything to worry about with her ex. But she didn’t want to not tell him and have him see a picture of the two of them at The Whitley event or elsewhere if she agreed to meet with him. She’d been thinking about the best way to do that and decided that going to any of the restaurants downtown was out of the question. They were both too high-profile, especially Frank, as he was still running the company that they’d built together.

  The Attic was a public company, very well-known and one of the more volatile stocks due to the company’s status as a front-runner in its e-commerce space. And unlike Marley, who had always hated media attention, Frank loved it. So, he wouldn’t exactly mind if the media created a story if they saw the two of them together. In fact, the more she thought about it, if he wanted her back, he’d be all for it.

  “Frank is in town for an e-commerce conference at The Whitley. He wants to meet for a drink.”

  Mark’s eyes narrowed. “He wants you back?” He didn’t seem at all surprised.

  Marley nodded. “He says he does. I’m sure there’s something driving this. His very young girlfriend probably dumped him.”

  “And he really thinks you might want to try again? Why would he think that?”

  “Because he’s a bit of a narcissist?” She smiled. “He’s really not a bad guy. Our divorce wasn’t because he cheated. We just grew apart. It was a mutual decision.”

  Mark took a sip of his scotch. There was a long moment of silence before he spoke again. “Have you ever thought about taking him back”

  “Of course I have. The day I received the divorce papers, I wondered if we were making a mistake. But the feeling passed quickly. We both wanted this and we’ve both moved on. At least I have.”

  “So why meet with him, then?”

  “I think it might help give him closure—for it to sink in that it’s really over. He might be sad now if a relationship ended, but running back to me isn’t the answer.”

  Mark looked satisfied with that. “Good. I like what we’ve started, Marley. I’m not in any hurry to see it end.”

  She smiled. “I’m not either. I love spending time with you.” Meeting Mark had taken Marley completely by surprise. He was just a year older than her and also divorced. When he’d been referred to her for help selling his photos online, she’d initially been intrigued by what he was looking to do. As she got to know him, she found they had a lot in common. He had a dry sense of humor that she appreciated and he was easy to be around.

  At first, she’d thought it was just a nice new friendship, as the last thing on her radar was romance. But it snuck up on both of them and one night when they were watching live music at a bar by the beach, his hand had brushed against hers and her reaction had surprised her. He’d felt it too, and they’d had their first kiss that night. They’d been spending lots of time together ever since.

  “So, he’s just in town for a few days, for the conference, and then he’ll be gone?”

  “Yes, the conference ends on Thursday and he should fly back after that, I would think.”

  “Okay, enough about him. Save some room for dessert. My mother dropped off one of her homemade apple pies today. Unless you’re too full?”

  She laughed. “There’s always room for pie.” She was glad she’d told him about Frank. She didn’t want there to be any secrets between them.

  * * *

  Chapter 5

  “Taylor, this is Victoria Carson. She’s new here too, just started a week ago.”

  Blake was showing Taylor around the office, and they stopped in the newsroom first. The only other person there was a girl about Taylor’s age. She was sitting at a desk and had a long blonde ponytail and a cellphone glued to her ear.

  Victoria glanced her way and nodded. “Nice to meet you,” she said quickly before turning her attention back to her phone. It looked like she’d been on hold and suddenly was chatting away, setting up a time to interview someone.

  Blake chuckled as he continued leading Taylor around the office. “Victoria is a dynamo. I wish I had half her energy. She can be a little intense—don’t let her intimidate you.” He grinned, and Taylor wasn’t sure if he was serious or joking.

  So, she just smiled back and said nothing. He introduced her to a few others in the office. Mary, the front desk receptionist, was a warm and friendly woman in her sixties, Taylor guessed. Bill and Ernie, in the typesetting and graphic design area, looked to be in their early forties and both welcomed her. Their last stop was the ad sales department. Emily, Jason, and Franny were all on the phone and just waved hello as Blake and Taylor walked by.