Christmas at the Restaurant (The Nantucket Restaurant #2)(15)

Mandy looked sympathetic. “I’ve been in her shoes. It’s not always easy taking small children to restaurants. We didn’t do it very often when the kids were that little. It’s too stressful wondering if they are going to have a meltdown and then embarrassing when they do.”

“You were always good though,” Emma said. “You’d take them right outside until they calmed down. Some parents don’t do that.”

“I don’t know how they can just ignore it,” Jill said. “It seems like they just scream louder until the parent finally pays attention to them. And you wonder why I’m not in a hurry to have kids,” she joked. But when she glanced Billy’s way, he wasn’t laughing.

“It’s different when it’s your own,” Mandy assured her. “You find your own rhythm. Some kids are better about going out than others. Finding a good baby-sitter is a blessing.”

“Oh, that reminds me. Did you see the Hodges sisters? Kate and Abby stopped at the bar to get some drinks and invited us all to their mom’s open house. It’s next Sunday at the Beach Plum Cove Inn and we’re all invited.

Mandy smiled. “I didn’t make it last year, but when she’s had her open houses in prior years, I’ve often stopped in. Lisa Hodges knows how to throw a party. The food is always really good.”





Chapter 6





“Are you sure you don’t mind that I’m going out with Matt tonight? He said you two are welcome to join us. I wish you would.” Mandy felt like a terrible hostess abandoning her houseguest and sister to go out for a romantic dinner.

But Jill laughed. “Don’t be silly. I insist. We’ll have plenty of time to see Matt too, and we don’t have to do everything together. You guys need a date night, with just the two of you.”

“Okay, well there’s plenty of food in the fridge or you can always get takeout.”

“Billy will probably want pizza. We have pizza at least twice a week. But I like it too, so it works for us.”

Matt arrived a little before seven, and they headed off to one of their favorite Monday night restaurants, Crosswinds at the airport. It was a favorite spot for locals, had a cozy pub feel and the menu featured good comfort food. Matt ordered his usual local beer, Cisco’s Shark Tracker, and Mandy had a glass of Bread and Butter cabernet, which was her new favorite. Matt got the meatloaf, and Mandy went for the roast chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. She rarely ordered chicken at restaurants, but she liked how they did it here and it was so cold and raw outside that it sounded good.

The restaurant was busy but not too crowded. Monday nights typically were one of the slowest and many restaurants took it as a day off and closed completely. But Crosswinds never closed. Mandy guessed it was partly because they were at the airport and people would need somewhere to go while waiting for flights. She was glad they were open. It was a cheery and welcoming place and they were decorated for Christmas too with a tree in the corner and garlands and lights pinned around the room.

Nancy, the older waitress that often served them and always remembered their order, brought a basket of rolls out and not too long after, delivered their meals, which were delicious, as usual.

As they ate, Matt told her that as long as the weather stayed cold, he was planning on taking Billy ice-fishing on Sunday.

“There’s a group of us going. It should be a good time.”

“Ice-fishing. So you’ll literally stand over a hole in the ice hoping to catch a fish?” It did not sound at all fun to Mandy.

But Matt seemed excited about it. “Yes, pretty much. We’ll have a cooler of beer and food, so it will be a good time.”

She smiled. “I’m sure Billy will love it.”

“He’ll fit right in.”

“Hi, Matt! I thought that was you.”

Mandy and Matt looked up to see a bubbly blonde woman approach their table. She was wearing a snug, low-cut sweater that showed off her ample cleavage and jeans that looked poured onto her. She was also wearing leather boots with ridiculously high heels. Mandy wondered how she could walk in them—they looked painful. Her hair was a chin-length mass of fluffy layers and her lipstick was very red.

“Amy, nice to see you. Do you know my girlfriend, Mandy Lawson? Mandy, Amy works next door to my office.”

Amy glanced her way and nodded. “Nice to meet you. I’m the building office manager.” She turned to Matt. “Did you like the present I left for you?”

Matt laughed. “Yes, I ate every crumb. That was unnecessary but kind of you. Thanks again.”

“Well, I’m off to meet my friends. You two have fun.”

Amy walked off and Mandy raised her eyebrows. “She made you a present?”

“She likes to bake. She made lemon cakes for all the guys at the boat basin.”

“Isn’t that nice.” Mandy wondered how old Amy was. “Is she single?”

“I don’t really know. Maybe? She goes out with her friends a lot. Seems like everywhere I go, Amy is there.”

“Interesting.” Mandy thought it was likely that Amy was single and looking for her next boyfriend and maybe had her eyes on Matt. He was a catch and at forty-four, he was plenty young enough to start a new family with someone. She thought of Cory and his very pregnant young girlfriend and lost her appetite. She picked at her dinner, while Matt inhaled the rest of his. He noticed that she wasn’t eating much.