A Nantucket Affair (Nantucket Beach Plum Cove #4)(11)

There was always some kind of roast for Sunday dinner. Today it was roast beef with mashed potatoes, gravy, glazed carrots and popovers that were light as air and served with honey butter. Sue could have easily eaten a second popover, but it wasn’t worth the look her mother was sure to send her way.

They chatted about anything and everything as they ate. Her mother caught her up on all the goings on at Dover Falls, and apparently there was a lot of drama. One of her friends had broken up with her boyfriend and was already dating a new resident that had just arrived two weeks ago. It was evidently quite the scandal.

Dessert was a chocolate mousse that her mother daintily picked at, while Sue inhaled hers. As her mother sipped her coffee, she turned her attention back to Sue and Curt.

“I don’t want to suggest that anything is improper, but in my experience, when a man suddenly loses weight and takes extra care with his appearance…such as tanning, which is so ridiculous that I hardly have words, it’s a red flag. Have you considered the possibility that there might be someone else he is looking to impress?”

Sue set her coffee cup down so hard that a few drops splashed onto the snowy white linen table cloth.

“No, that never entered my mind. It’s Curt.” They’d been married for over thirty years and had two kids together. “I know him, Mom.”

“Hm. Right. Well, the wife is often the last to know, or the last to admit what is right in front of her.”

Sue shook her head. The very idea her mother was suggesting was ridiculous. Yes, she’d been annoyed with Curt from time to time, but their marriage was solid compared to a lot of people she knew. Surely, she’d sense if something was going on.

“I think you’re just being paranoid. My life is boring. Nothing like the soap opera that you are living in here.” Sue chuckled.

“You’re probably right, dear. I always did have a vivid imagination. It keeps things interesting. Where is Curt today? You didn’t mention why he couldn’t make it.”

“He’s at the office with Brandi and a few others on the committee for A Nantucket Affair.”

“Oh, that’s right. He’s in charge of that event. I always liked that one. And Brandi, she’s the new girl you hired a while back?”

“She is. She’s doing a great job and just landed us a new, big client. She’s Curt’s co-chair on the committee.”

Her mother added a bit of sugar to her coffee, gave it a stir, then took a slow sip. “Well, isn’t that nice of her? How old is she?”

“Mid-thirties, thirty-five or thirty-six. I don’t remember which.”

Her mother nodded. “And she’s a pretty girl? Is she married?”

“Very pretty. Long blonde hair and a figure I’d kill for, not an ounce of fat on her.” Sue smiled. “And she’s not married. I suspect she’ll find someone pretty quickly. At least I hope she will, otherwise I don’t imagine she’ll stick around very long.”

Her mother looked thoughtful. “Yes, for your sake. I hope she does find the right person soon. It sounds like she might be hard to replace.”

Sue was always surprised by her mother. For someone who had never worked, she had always had a good head for business, and Sue had often run things by her over the years.

“Yes, that’s very true. It will probably be hard to find another Brandi.”





Chapter 7





Lisa met her other best friend, Paige, for a late lunch, early dinner on Sunday at the Club Car. Rhett was going to be at his restaurant all day and into the evening, so when Paige suggested getting together, she didn’t hesitate. Normally, they would have included Sue, too, but Lisa knew she was having lunch with her mother. She always did the first Sunday of every month. more often, too, but always the first Sunday, without fail.

Paige spent her winters in Florida, but cut it a little short this year because she was anxious to get back to Nantucket to see Peter. He owned Bradford’s Liquors, and the two of them had been friends for years until they were both surprised when it took a romantic turn over the holidays. Lisa was pretty sure the two of them were madly in love, though Paige was being quite calm about it all. Lisa suspected she was afraid to jinx it, as things were going so well and Paige had been single for a long time. The two of them were thick as thieves, though, and though Paige had been back from Florida for almost two months, Lisa’d only seen her twice.

“So, things are still going well with Peter, I take it?” Lisa asked once they were settled and had each ordered a glass of wine.

Paige smiled and her eyes lit up as she talked about Peter. “I can’t believe it’s been over six months now since we started dating. It feels longer and yet like it just started at the same time, if that makes any sense.”

Lisa nodded. It meant her friend was head over heels for Peter. She was glad to see it. Paige was one of her dearest friends, and Peter was a nice guy. He’d lost his wife of many years to cancer a few years back and had been slow to consider dating anyone again until he and Paige got to chatting one day when she stopped into the store and asked for a wine recommendation.

“He went to see you in Florida?”

“Yes. He took a whole week off in February and came to see me. Said it was the first time he’d taken a real vacation in years.”