Driftwood Lane (Nantucket #4)(67)

When the sink was full, Wyatt shut off the water, washed a glass, then rinsed it. “When are you coming back to work?”

“When I’m finished at Summer Place. Shouldn’t be too much longer, a month maybe.”

“It’s getting pretty busy.” He handed Jake the glass.

“Meridith’s fiancé came to the island Saturday.”

“Bummer.”

“Stayed out of their way all weekend, and I’m glad I did.”

“Because . . .”

Jake set the glass in the cabinet. “It’s over between them.”

“Seriously?”

Jake shrugged. “She didn’t give me the details, but the ring’s gone, and she said it was over.”

“Is she upset?”

“Doesn’t seem to be.” That was good, right?

“Hmm.” Wyatt handed him a plate. “You gonna make your move now?”

Jake elbowed Wyatt in the ribs. “She just broke her engagement.”

“Or he did.”

Jake frowned. “I prefer to think of it the other way.”

Wyatt shrugged. “Just saying. She doesn’t sound too distressed. Hey, maybe she broke up because she has the hots for you.”

“Shut up.” The thought was too ludicrous to entertain. Meridith might be attracted to him, but that was a far cry from what Wyatt suggested.

“It’s about the kids,” Jake said. “I’m sure of it. They spent the day together yesterday, and Max told me that Ben puked on Stephen.”

Wyatt laughed. “Classic!”

“Yeah, I enjoyed that little tidbit.” He was surprised the man hadn’t gone running home the day before. From what Max said, Stephen hadn’t been very friendly.

They washed and dried in silence for a minute, and Jake’s thoughts turned to Meridith. She’d told him the engagement was broken so matter-of-factly. How could she love the guy and react so calmly?

“You know,” Wyatt said, pulling him from his thoughts. “It’s pretty remarkable, what she’s doing. Not every chick would take on three kids at the expense of her engagement.”

Wyatt was right, and it only deepened his feelings for Meridith. He hated that she was planning to take the children away, but there was no doubt she cared about them. And his suspicions about the bipolar illness had all but disappeared. He’d found no medications, seen no symptoms.

“You guys would make a cute couple,” Wyatt said. “You could get married and have a ready-made family.”

“You’re forgetting one little detail.”

“Ah, yeah. You’re the uncle she called—what was it—self-absorbed and irresponsible?”

Jake scowled and grabbed the plate from Wyatt.

“So tell her the truth.”

“Yeah, right. That’ll go over well.” She’d be furious. She’d kick him from Summer Place and might not let him see the kids anymore. His gut clenched.

“Gotta tell her eventually.”

“When the house is finished.”

“The longer you wait, the worse it’ll be.”

“Maybe not.” Maybe he could change her mind about staying. Maybe he could make her see that he cared for her. Maybe they really could be a family.





Thirty-five

May arrived, bringing bright sunlight, clear skies, and colorful clusters of tulips. The warm temperatures drew people from their winter homes like bears from hibernation. Flags ascended poles, floral cushions appeared on patio furniture, and children flip-flopped around the neighborhood with pasty skin and freshly scabbed knees.

As the weeks passed, Meridith was surprised how little she missed Stephen’s calls. While her finger felt bare at first, after a few days it seemed as if a ring had never graced the spot.

Jake continued to make improvements on Summer Place, and she was pleased with the progress. Island life grew more familiar, and Meridith began to wonder if it was feasible to stay, began to wonder if she could somehow keep Summer Place for the children. She scoured the business records—what there were of them—and calculated the income and expenditures.

It didn’t take long to see that an additional income was needed to keep the place afloat. T. J.’s boat repair jobs and gallery sales had offset the cost of owning the place. Meridith wished she could make it work, wished she could keep the children on the island now that there was no future with Stephen. She even considered selling Summer Place and buying a smaller house, but real estate was outrageously priced. Even if she found a job, she’d never be able to support three children here on her income.

That notion extinguished, she reluctantly called the Goldmans. After several conversations they agreed on a purchase price, and Meridith hired an attorney to draw up papers. She was relieved to have it settled, but every time her thoughts turned to leaving, she felt a pang. She’d miss Rita and the people she’d met at church. And as much as she wanted to deny it, she’d miss Jake. And most of all, she hated taking the children from their home.

At times she’d think it was silly to return to St. Louis, when all that awaited her was an empty house, but then Jake would accidentally touch her in passing, and she’d remember how he stirred unwanted feelings in her. The kind of feelings she’d spent her adulthood avoiding. Or she’d come across a photo of her dad while assembling the albums and remember that he’d chosen this place instead of her.