A Nantucket Affair (Nantucket Beach Plum Cove #4)(10)

“Thank you. Has Tyler been having you come twice a week lately?” she asked as Angela handed her the slip of paper with the handwritten recipe.

Angela smiled. “Yes. He’s needed it, too. He apologizes for the mess each time I come, but says it’s because the story is consuming him.” The same expression Kristen had noticed earlier flashed across her face again, but was instantly gone as Angela looked down for a moment. Kristen felt a sense of unease, and a worry that she was missing something with Tyler.

“Have you noticed anything different lately when you’ve cleaned?” Kristen wasn’t really sure what she was asking, but something seemed off with Tyler unless this was just him going through the stages of grief, his own way.

Angela hesitated and looked like she was debating whether to say anything. Finally, she just smiled. “He’s messier than usual. I do think maybe he’s still having a hard time with something. I mean with his mother’s death, obviously. I would definitely try to get him to talk to someone. That helped a good friend of mine in San Francisco, when he was…” She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “When he was going through a hard time.”

“Okay, thanks. I was planning to keep on him. I don’t want to be too much of a nag, but I think it’s important.”

Angela gave her a hug. “I think you’re right to be concerned. I hope that he gets the help that he needs.”





Chapter 6





Sue slept in Sunday morning and when she rolled out of bed a little before nine, she was surprised to see that Curt was already up and dressed. She was half-awake as she padded downstairs to the kitchen, made her first cup of coffee and raised an eyebrow as Curt gathered his briefcase and coat.

“Where are you off to? We have lunch with Mom today.”

“I’m heading to the office to meet Brandi and a few others on the committee for A Nantucket Affair. It’s the only day that worked for everyone and we have a lot to do. I thought I mentioned this to you last week.”

He might have. Sue didn’t pay close attention to all the different charity things that Curt was involved with. She was happy to write the checks for them, as she knew they were all for good causes and good PR for the agency. But Curt loved getting involved and A Nantucket Affair was his baby. He’d chaired the committee for the past few years, and Sue had to admit that he and his team always did a great job. The event was held in the middle of July, a catered affair on the beach, with music, usually a celebrity guest or two and a silent auction.

“I’m sure you did, and I just forgot.”

Curt smiled and his dimples popped as laugh lines danced around his eyes and mouth. “Give Mom a kiss from me.”

“I’ll tell her you said hello. Have fun.”

“You, too,” he said as he walked out the front door.

Sue sighed. Lunch with her mother was usually anything but fun.



Her mother was waiting on the front porch of Dover Falls, the high-end retirement community. She was dressed in her Sunday best, one of her many Talbots outfits—gray tweed skirt, matching jacket and a cream-colored silk blouse, the pearls that she always wore and a gold Nantucket basket brooch pinned to her lapel. Her one casual concession was her favorite pink sneakers instead of the patent leather pumps she usually wore. Sue knew that meant that her feet were bothering her again. She was prone to painful bunions. Sue felt her mother’s pale blue eyes assessing her as she approached the porch steps. She gave her a quick hug and sat in the empty chair next to her.

It was a lovely retirement home, and her mother was on the assisted living side. She didn’t need a lot of help, but stairs gave her difficulty. Two of her friends lived there and had enticed her to join them.

“You look like you’ve put on a few pounds.”

Sue sighed. “Hello to you, too, Mom, and I’m the same weight I’ve been for the last few years. Curt sends his love. He couldn’t make it today.”

“Hm. Well, you look a little soft, dear. Do you still go to that fancy gym?”

“I haven’t been in ages,” Sue admitted. “I’ve been meaning to get back there. Curt has been going. He’s lost over twenty pounds.” Although it was frustrating that it seemed so easy for him, she was proud that he’d done it.

“Really? Twenty pounds? That’s interesting.”

Sue laughed. “And he’s been using the tanning bed, too. He’s become even more vain with how he looks.” Curt had always been a sharp dresser, and was a handsome and charismatic man. Even though he’d been annoying her lately, she still recognized that most people found him quite charming.

Her mother looked like she was about to say something, then turned her head and looked out over the tops of the trees, to the sliver of ocean visible on the horizon. Slowly, she lifted herself from her chair.

“Let’s go into the dining room.”

Sue followed her inside. Her mother had a lovely villa that had everything she needed, including a small kitchen, but like most of the others, she took all her meals in the main house dining room. And Sue didn’t blame her. Why cook if she didn’t have to, and the food was unusually good. The chef had worked at some top restaurants on the island and Dover Falls had recruited him to run the kitchen. Sue had thought it interesting that a chef at that level would be interested. He’d even once run the ultra-exclusive new country club kitchen for a few years. But he once told her mother and her friends that this was pretty much his dream job now. He had free rein to make whatever he wanted and his hours were much better—instead of being at a popular restaurant until midnight or later, he mostly worked a regular day shift and as soon as the evening meal was served, his day was done.