“Lisa, this is amazing, as usual. And Paige, Peter was so right about this wine. It goes perfectly with it.” When she’d stopped by Bradford’s liquors and told Peter what they were having, he instantly recommended a wine that Marley wasn’t familiar with, an Italian Amarone.
Everyone agreed that both the wine and veal were delicious, and they laughed and caught up with each other as they ate. Marley knew that Paige and Sue had been Lisa’s best friends for many years, and she was grateful that they were including her in their circle.
She and Lisa had clicked when they first met, and it was like they’d known each other forever. They were all about the same age, in their mid-fifties, and Marley felt that she had more of a community here on Nantucket than she’d ever had in California.
She’d been so busy raising her kids and growing what turned into a massively huge e-commerce business with her now ex-husband that she never had enough time to visit with friends. She’d thought Nantucket was just going to be a temporary stop and instead it turned into her forever home.
“Marley, how are things going with Mark? Paige asked.
Marley’s second client, after Lisa, was Mark, a local photographer that was looking to see if he could sell some of his most admired prints online. She helped him set up a store and some marketing for it and in the weeks she spent consulting with him, they developed a friendship that recently had surprised both of them by turning into a romance. It was still very new, and Marley was cautious of getting too serious too soon. After the divorce, dating hadn’t been on her radar at all. Until she met Mark.
“He’s great. We’re really enjoying each other’s company. I did have a strange phone call though, right before I left to come over here.” Marley had been so surprised by the call and debated whether to share with the girls, but decided she needed their input.
“So, out of the blue, Frank called me. I haven’t talked to him in months. No reason to, now that the divorce is final. Apparently, he saw a picture of me and Mark online. Some of the photos from that charity gala we went to last week got picked up by the national news and someone brought it to his attention.”
“That was a really good picture of you,” Sue said.
“Thank you.” Marley usually hated the way she looked in photos as she was always carrying an extra fifteen pounds or so, but she’d recently lost ten pounds and had been doing weight training so that she’d lost some inches and was down several sizes. She’d bought a new dress for the occasion, a rich royal blue, and it was very flattering.
Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me he’s jealous and wants you back?”
Marley laughed. “It’s so ridiculous. But yes, he says that seeing my picture made him realize how much he misses me and that we never should have gotten divorced and he’s an idiot and had a mid-life crisis.”
“I agree with the idiot part,” Lisa said dryly.
Sue lifted her wine glass and leaned forward. “Would you ever want to reconcile?”
Marley immediately made a face. “Absolutely not. I think he’s lost his mind and just felt nostalgic and yes, probably a pang of jealousy when he saw me happy with someone else.”
“A very handsome, nice someone else,” Lisa added.
“So, you told him no, then?” Paige asked.
Marley nodded. “I did. I told him it was too late, and we’d both moved on and that I was happy. But he said he’s coming to Nantucket next week and wants to meet for dinner, for old times’ sake.”
“You told him no, I hope?” Lisa said.
Marley hesitated. “I told him I’d think about it and he could call me when he got here. He’s actually coming for some e-commerce conference at The Whitley. I’m going to it as well.”
“You could just chat with him there, then?” Paige suggested.
“No. I told him I don’t want to do that. If people see us there together, the media will be all over it. I don’t want that. It might be easier to just see him briefly, have the conversation, and let him know it’s totally not an option. I want to close that door firmly.”
Sue topped off her wine glass and took a sip before glancing at Marley. “You’re curious to hear him out, see what he has to say. I would be too. Doesn’t hurt to listen. And then tell him no with satisfaction.”
Marley laughed. “That is sort of what I’m thinking. It is a nice boost for the ego. And I’m just glad that things are going well with Mark, so I’m not even remotely tempted.”
Lisa lifted her glass. “Good! Let’s drink to that.”
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.”