A Nantucket Wedding(40)

“I understand what you’re saying, David, but this somehow leaves me caught in the middle. As long as Poppy thinks you’re leaving me more money than she thinks I should have, she’s going to dislike me for it, and my girls, too.”

To her shock, David put down his drink and paced the floor. “I should have seen this coming. Poppy is brilliant and ambitious, which makes her perfect for leading the company, but she’s conflated my will and our wedding. And I don’t like this. Not at all. She’s a clever girl, but not so clever she can manipulate me.”

    Alarmed by his tone, Alison stood up. “David, calm down. And really, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Poppy told you that whether or not her family and yours could be friends depends on how I write my will. Is that correct?” Sparks seemed to shoot from his eyes as he spoke.

“That’s correct,” she replied, keeping her voice soft.

“I’m going to have a talk with her about this.”

Alison reached out her hand. “David, please. I’ll feel terrible if this causes a quarrel between you and your daughter. Really, don’t change your will, it’s not necessary.”

“It’s absolutely necessary. You’re going to be my wife. I hope I live to a hale and hearty one hundred, but you are eight years younger than I am. You are only fifty-five, and I want to provide for you. It’s also important that Poppy understands she cannot now or ever tell me what to do.”

Alison started to argue, then thought better of it. “Sweetheart, please. Come to the breakfast room. I’ve made wonderful cold salads and garlic bread. We’ll feel better when we’ve eaten.”

That caught David’s attention. “A cold salad?”

Alison laughed when she saw his expression. David was not a salad kind of guy.

“It’s mostly chicken and olives and potatoes,” she told him. “It’s on a bed of lettuce, which you don’t have to eat if you don’t want to, and there are some marinated green beans. I know you like those.” She kissed his cheek and led him out of the study, relieved to move him away from his anger.



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It was a challenging day. The children didn’t want to play outside, but if they stayed in the air-conditioned house, they didn’t use up all their energy. They became crazy and silly, running through the house, accidentally knocking lamps over, spilling jigsaw puzzle pieces. When Felicity finally got them in their rooms and on their beds, if not asleep, it was almost ten o’clock. Noah still had not come home. Impatient, Felicity called Noah’s cell.

    “I’m almost home,” he said. “Pulling in the driveway now.”

Felicity tried to shake off her irritation.

“Hi, hon,” she greeted Noah when he came in. “Long day?”

“Long, but good. Really good. I think I’ve lined up another investor. A big one.”

“Great! Have you had dinner?”

Noah stood at the hall table, flipping through the mail. Preoccupied, he said, “Yeah. Ingrid and I went out to Giaconda’s.”

“You went out to dinner with Ingrid?”

Noah caught the tension in Felicity’s tone. “Yes, and I often go out to dinner with Ingrid. She’s my personal assistant. She knows about everything that’s going on. More, in some cases. We both have to eat sometime, so it only makes sense that we eat while we talk. Don’t look that way, Felicity. You know Ingrid’s an important part of the team. A crucial part, actually.”

Felicity struggled to restrain her anger. Forcing a smile, she said, “Could you use a nice cold drink? It’s been such a hot day.”

“I’ll take a beer, but I need a shower first.” Noah headed up the stairs.

“You need a shower?”

Noah stopped dead, glaring down at Felicity. “Because it’s hot—oh, come on, Felicity! You think I slept with Ingrid? For God’s sake, why can’t you get it, how hard I’m working? Ingrid is my colleague. Some things are more important than sex!” He stormed up the stairs.

While he showered, Felicity finished tidying the kitchen, a chore she usually enjoyed. No one bothered her there; she could be alone with her thoughts. She hadn’t known that Noah often ate dinner with Ingrid, and it upset her, even though she knew what Noah had said was true. Ingrid was a crucial part of the team. She had both the scientific laboratory knowledge and the skill to use this knowledge for writing grants.

    Still, a thread of worry wove through her thoughts. Felicity knew she had to keep her jealousy hidden.

By the time Noah came down, clean and relaxed, wearing only his boxer shorts, Felicity was smiling. Without speaking, they both headed to the den, the coolest room in the house.

“How were the kids today?” Noah asked.

“Insane,” Felicity told him. “Well, Alice was okay. She played house and dress-up. But poor Luke. He’s a ball of energy. It’s too hot for him to spend much time outside, although I did set up the sprinkler and the water play table in the backyard.”

“The forecast is for more of the same,” Noah said.

“I know,” Felicity said, moaning a little.



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