A Nantucket Affair (Nantucket Beach Plum Cove #4)(37)

He’d done it before, and he knew he could do it again. As long as he just didn’t take the first drink again, he’d be fine. He envied Kristen and all his other friends who could have one drink and call it a day. His off button was missing, so the only option was to never turn it on.



Andrew picked Kristen up and they drove onto the slow boat, which was the only option for taking a vehicle off Nantucket. Once they landed in Hyannis, they drove another forty minutes or so to Falmouth. Kristen didn’t really know what to expect, maybe more of a hospital setting. But when they arrived, it was actually a large, Victorian house with lots of land around it that was nicely landscaped.

They met Tyler in a sitting area full of sofas and comfy chairs. He looked good. His hair was getting a little long, but she’d always liked it best right before he got it cut, when the waves touched his collar bone. He was freshly shaved and his face had more color than it usually did.

“You look good,” Andrew said immediately. “Have you been outside much?”

“Yeah, I’ve been running with a few of the guys and playing some pickup basketball in the afternoons when the weather is good.” That explained his rosy cheeks. Normally, Tyler was holed up inside and didn’t have the best eating habits, especially when on a writing—or a drinking—binge.

“You guys look great, too. Is that a new sweater?” Tyler glanced at the periwinkle blue soft sweater Kristen had actually bought just a few days before.

“Yeah, it is new. I’m glad you like it.”

They chatted about easy stuff, mostly. Tyler told them all about the place and what his days were like. Kristen hadn’t realized it was so structured and with so many kinds of counseling.

“It sounds like you’re too busy to get much writing done.”

He smiled. “Oddly enough, I’m more productive this past week than I was before I came here. I’ve had to fit the writing in, so I’ve been getting up earlier and getting the words in first thing. They seem to come easier when I’m not fully awake, and then I’m mostly done for the day.”

“Oh, that sounds good then.” She paused and then asked the question she and Andrew really wanted to know. “How are you feeling? Will you be ready to come home in two weeks, do you think?”

He nodded. “I will be. This has been really good for me. Just talking to the counselors and the other guys, too. Everyone is going through different stuff, but it’s helpful to just talk it out. I have lots of good reasons to stay sober, and I don’t want to mess that up again.

“I’m sorry that I drank around you. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

But Tyler grabbed her hand and looked her in the eye.

“I don’t want you to do that. You having a glass of wine has nothing to do with me being here. I’m totally okay around other people that are drinking. It’s my issue, not theirs. The only reason I didn’t want to go to that dinner party was because I was already drinking—when I’m sober, it’s not a problem. I can have a non-alcoholic beer or just soda water.”

“Okay. Well, we won’t worry about that then.” But Kristen was going to cut back when she was around Tyler, at least until she was really sure that he was fine and not likely to relapse again.”

A little while later, Andrew excused himself to use the rest room. Kristen guessed he wanted to give the two of them a little privacy.

“I miss you,” Kristen said simply. “I’m glad that it’s going well here, though.”

“You have no idea how much I miss you. I worried that I might have lost you. That this was all too much.” He looked away for a moment, then added, “I wouldn’t blame you if it was. It’s a lot.” By the frown lines on his forehead, Kristen sensed that he’d been worrying about this a lot and she tried to reassure him.

“I’m not going anywhere. We can get through this. You getting better is the most important thing. And you have a good support system, between your brother, me, my whole family and your sponsor.” Scotty sounded like a good guy. Kristen hadn’t met him yet, but Tyler obviously thought highly of him.

“Scotty’s the best. I know I’m lucky to have all of you on my side. It really is going well. I feel better and stronger each day. I’m working through some stuff in the counseling sessions. It’s all helping. Hopefully, you’ll never have to come here again.”

Kristen grinned. “Well, we are bringing you home in two weeks, so I will be back then.”

He laughed. “That’s different.”

“We’ll get through this,” Kristen said again, to emphasize that she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Thank you.” Tyler looked up as Andrew returned and sat down again. “Thanks to both of you for coming, and for just being there. It means a lot. It really does.”

They chatted a little while longer and then it was time to leave to catch the ferry back home. Andrew hugged Tyler goodbye and then Kristen wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. “I’m proud of you for coming here and doing the work to get better,” she said softly. “And I can’t wait to see you in two weeks and bring you home.”

He kissed her softly, a quick peck that spoke volumes. “Thank you, for everything.”

Once Kristen and Andrew were back in his car and heading toward the boat, Kristen asked what was on her mind.