I’m fine. Staying with a friend. We’ll talk later.
She didn’t want him to know about the cottage yet because she didn’t want him coming over. This was her retreat, her safe space. The place where she could be the real Maxi, the one that had been hidden all these years because she’d always done what James wanted. Always worn the outfits he’d approved of, hosted the executive dinners, and frequented the classier establishments instead of wearing colorful flowing skirts, attending art shows, and hanging out at the artsy bohemian bars and coffee shops that appealed to her.
Sure, she’d have to let him know about the cottage eventually, and they’d have to have a discussion at some point, but right now, it was too raw. She needed time to think.
Outside, the moonlight danced along the waves, and the surf crashed on the beach. She’d already set her easel up out on the patio. Tomorrow she’d start painting as soon as the sun came up.
She uncorked a bottle of wine and poured a glass. Then, picking Rembrandt up in one hand and the wine glass in the other, she stepped out onto the patio, where the ocean breeze and sound of the surf were amplified.
Two chairs were placed at the edge of the patio, and she sat in one. Rembrandt curled up in her lap.
She held the wine glass up and looked down at the cat, who was looking up with trusting eyes. “Here’s to a new start for both of us.”
Chapter Four
Andie woke up to a ray of sunlight across her eyes. It took her a moment to remember where she was, since the sun was never so bright in New York City. She wasn’t in New York, though. She was in Lobster Bay. She was home.
She rolled over to look out at the ocean. A hint of ocean breeze snuck in from the cracked window. She kept the window open a little at the bottom and the shade up just for that reason.
A feeling of contentment washed over her as she kicked off the crisp sheets, sat up, and stretched. Nothing like waking up to an ocean sunrise. Except the sun had risen a few hours ago, and she’d better get a move on if she wanted to catch her mother at Tall Pines before she took her after-breakfast nap.
Her phone rang with the old-fashioned telephone sound she preferred. It was Susie from work.
“Hey, Susie. How are things going?”
“Eh, okay. We got a few estates in, but Elise seems to be getting all the good projects.”
Of course she was. Elise was the new appraiser who apparently had replaced Andie both in status at Christies and also in Doug’s personal life. Surprisingly, this last part didn’t bother Andie in the least. She was over him.
“You must be learning a lot. I hope it’s not too much of a workload.” Andie had been training Susie before she left for Lobster Bay on a temporary leave to help get her mother settled at Tall Pines. The younger woman had been coming along, a bit slow but steady. She did feel a little guilty about being absent for so long. It meant the others had to put in more hours.
“I am actually. You’d be proud of me. But I was wondering... when are you coming back?” Susie’s voice had taken on a pleading tone. “Elise isn’t as nice as you when I have a question.”
More guilt as Andie thought about the answer. Prior trips to Lobster Bay had been short, as she’d always wanted to get right back to work. But something had changed. Maybe it was being over fifty now, or maybe it was the peaceful setting, but Andie’s interest in going back to Christies was waning with each passing day.
“I’m not exactly sure about that.”
“Oh, well, I hope you’re having a good time. Things here are a little weird. I’m mostly on my own, since Elise spends most of her time with Doug.”
“She does? Huh, well, look on the bright side. You don’t have her nagging at you all day.” Elise could act a bit superior, and she was bossy.
Susie laughed. “I know, right? Hey, did you know that Chandler Vanbeck is opening an art gallery in Lobster Bay? I ran into him the other day, and he mentioned it.”
“He is? Actually, he was staying here at my family inn last week, and he said he was scouting locations. Guess he must have found one.” Andie made a mental note to tell Maxi.
When Chandler had been at the inn, he’d seen one of Maxi’s sketches and expressed an interest. He’d even given Andie a card to pass on to Maxi. If he was opening an art gallery here in town, he’d need local artists. This could be just the thing Maxi needed to make a positive change. And after what Maxi had told her yesterday, it sounded to Andie like she was going to need something hopeful to focus on.
“Yeah, he’s opening pretty soon too,” Susie said. “Well, I guess I’ll talk to you later. I just wanted to catch up and see if you had a return date yet.”
“Nothing yet, sorry.”
“Then I suppose I’ll carry on on my own.”
Andie hung up and quickly got dressed. The smell of bacon had started to creep into the room, and she wanted to get some while it was still hot and crisp.
Andie detoured through the dining room on her way to the kitchen. They’d had to repair some of the original crown molding, and she wanted to see how the work was coming along. Sally was standing on a ladder, fitting one of the pieces in. She turned as Andie poked her head in.
“Are you looking for Shane?” Sally snorted then turned back to her work. “He’s on another job.”
“No! I wasn’t looking for him.” She really wasn’t. Why would she? “I wanted to see how the crown molding came out. Looks great.”
Andie hurried on to the kitchen.
“Breakfast smells amazing!” She snatched a piece of bacon from the plate Brenda, the cook, was piling slices onto. She broke a small piece off and tossed it to Cooper, who was sitting by the back door, before taking her own bite. It was delicious, crispy and salty.
“Help yourself,” Brenda said half sarcastically. “I have plenty for the few guests we have. I can’t wait until there’s a full house to cook for.”
“You won’t have to wait long. Wedding guests will start to arrive soon.” Jane sounded stressed instead of happy.
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Andie said as she grabbed a piece of toast and folded it around another piece of bacon.
Jane sighed. “I suppose it is. It’s just all that checking in and dealing with their complaints. I think this wedding is testing my limits with people.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll help with the people part.”
Jane’s face lit up. “I appreciate that so much, but don’t you need to get back to your job?”
Andie frowned. Was that a hint? “Not right away. I want to help out.”
“You have no idea how grateful I am. And for helping out with Mom too. It really takes a load off.”
Andie checked her watch. “Speaking of Mom, I’m on my way to visit her this morning. You don’t need me to do anything for the pictures of the centerpieces you’re sending to the bride before I go, do you?” She and Maxi had finalized the design and made up a sample centerpiece for Jane to send to the bride and her mother for approval.
“No. Claire and Maxi are coming in a few minutes to work on the pillows, and Claire’s bringing a sample of her sandcastle cake so we can compare the frosting to the swatch, if you want to wait around.”
This was the first time Jane had included Andie in her plans with her friends. It felt silly and high-schoolish to care about that, but for some reason Andie did. “Darn! I wish I could, but I want to get to Tall Pines before Mom goes in for her nap. You know how tired she gets after breakfast.”
“Yep. Right about now I could agree with her.”
Woof!
They turned to see Mike Henderson at the back door. Cooper always got excited when he saw Mike. The dog had originally belonged to Mike’s grandfather, who now resided in Tall Pines. Cooper had bonded with Jane and ended up at Tides when Mike couldn't keep him in his rental.
“Hi, Mike.” Andie motioned for him to come in. “You seem to be a regular here at breakfast. Maybe you should just book a room and move in.” Andie couldn’t help but tease.
Mike and Jane had become more than friends. They thought they were hiding their feelings from everyone, but it was blatantly obvious.
Andie shoved the last bite of bacon and toast into her mouth. Seeing that both Jane’s and Mike’s faces had turned beet red, now was probably a good time to make her exit. “Gotta run. I want to have some time with Mom before nap time.”
Andie ran into Maxi in the foyer.
“Hi, I’m glad I ran into you.” Andie paused. Maxi had dark circles under her eyes and looked stressed. “Are you okay?”
Maxi took a deep breath, her eyes misting. “Yes, I suppose. I had it out with James last night.”
“Oh no. Did it not go well?”
“It went as expected. Truth is, once I got on a roll, I did most of the talking. I was proud of myself that I didn’t buy into his excuses or let him talk me into staying.”
“Staying?”
“Yeah, I’ve moved into that cottage I rented from Hailey’s grandfather.”
Andie had to give Maxi credit. She didn’t waste any time. “Oh, do you want to talk about it?”
Maxi glanced at the key fob in Andie’s hand. “It looks like you’re heading out.”
“I was going to see my mom, but if you need to talk...”
“No, you go ahead. We can catch up later. I’m supposed to meet Jane and Claire anyway.” Maxi managed a smile. “Was there something you wanted to tell me, though?”
Of course Maxi would want to unburden herself with her best friends, not Andie. “Do you remember Chandler Vanbeck?”
Maxi’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head. “The art appraiser that was staying here?”
“Yep. He’s opening an art gallery here in Lobster Bay soon. Do you still have his card?”
Maxi nodded, a spark of interest in her eyes.
“It might not be a bad idea to give him a call. He could be looking for local talent, and it might give you something positive to focus on.” Andie reached out and squeezed Maxi’s arm. “I’m here whenever you want to talk.”
Maxi nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
They headed their separate ways with Andie feeling a little bit lighter knowing that she could help out a friend in need.
“And he didn’t deny having an affair?” Jane looked up from her comparison of the swatch next to Claire’s sandcastle cake sample. They were sitting on the back deck at Tides, the three of them at one of the tables and Cooper lying next to the wide stairs that led to the sandy beach. Maxi had just finished filling them in on the events of the previous evening.
Maxi saw concern, compassion, and even a little hint of pity in both her friends’ eyes. It had been hard to tell them about her confrontation with James, but now that it was out, she felt relieved. Besides, she needed the support of her friends now more than ever.
“Nope.” Well, that wasn’t totally true. She hadn’t exactly mentioned that she suspected an affair. “I didn’t come right out and accuse him. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. But I know he lied about pretending not to see me downtown.”
Claire clucked in sympathy. She, more than anyone, would know how it felt because Peter had done the same to her. “I understand. It’s hard to accuse them. Such a betrayal. Don’t worry. I know what you are going through and will help you every step of the way.”
“We both will,” Jane added.
“Thanks.” Maxi’s throat was too tight to say more. She cleared it and pointed at the cake sample. “Well, I say we cut this thing up and try it out.”
Claire made a face. “Might as well. The color doesn’t match the swatch enough. Don’t you both agree?”
Maxi and Jane nodded. “Sorry, but it’s off by quite a few shades.”
Claire cut the small sample into three pieces and handed them out, licking frosting from her thumb. “I’ll just have to try again. We may be eating a lot of sample cakes in the future.”
Cooper raised his head and looked over.
“Not you,” Jane said. “Cake isn’t good for dogs.”
Cooper put his head back on his paws.
Claire mashed the last of the cake crumbs onto the back of her fork. “How was it sleeping alone in the cottage?”
“A bit scary but also freeing. It’s great being right on the beach.”
“When do we get to see it?” Claire asked.
Maxi wanted to show her friends the cottage but not until she’d made it a little more presentable. She didn’t mind springing for a few minor repairs, especially since it would help Henry out, but mostly she planned to spruce it up with some new decor. And since she was known for her decorating skills, she didn’t want her friends to see it until she’d had that chance. “I still have some finishing touches to do on the cottage, You know it’s sort of run-down, right?”
“We don’t care about that!”
“I know, but I want your first impression to be a good one, so give me a couple of days.”
“Of course we will,” Jane said. “Let us know when you’re ready.”
“So what will you do now?” Claire asked. “Are you going to do more painting?”
“Funny you should ask. I need advice on that. I ran into Andie on the way out, and she told me that Chandler Vanbeck, the art appraiser that was here last week, is opening an art gallery in town.” Maxi appreciated Andie seeking her out to tell her and her offer to talk about things. She made a mental note to fill Andie in later on everything that had happened with James. She didn’t want Andie to think she was brushing her off.
“He was impressed with your work. I bet he’d want to put some of it in a show,” Jane said.
Maxi laughed. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that...”
“Didn’t he leave a card for you when he left?” Claire asked. “I think that shows he might be interested.”
“You should at least call him,” Jane suggested. “What have you got to lose?”
Maxi felt a nervous flutter of excitement. Her life-long dream was to be an artist, to have her work in a gallery. But it was all happening too fast. Too much was going on. Still... she’d be a fool to let this opportunity pass, wouldn’t she? “Maybe I will give him a call. We’ll see.”
“Sounds like we might have a lot to catch up on tonight.” Jane picked up the swatch and compared it to the ribbon on the centerpiece again. “How about we meet at Splash? We can find out how Bridezilla liked the centerpieces, and Maxi can update us on her call with Chandler Vanbeck.”
Chapter Five
Andie was getting used to Tall Pines, the memory care facility her mother, Addie, now resided in. It was a nice place, set up to look more like a giant home than an institution. Addie's room had been decorated to resemble the way her room at Tides had always looked. It was clean, comfortable, and since it faced south, always bright with sunshine.
Andie had to admit she was surprised at how well her mother had adjusted. Addie was always happy and interacted with the residents, and just like when she ran Tides, she seemed to keep busy. At Tides it was with guest registration and overseeing the cleaning. Here it was with playing cards and word search. It was a huge relief.
Today Addie had been working on a small puzzle at the table under the window when Andie came in. She turned and smiled, recognition lighting her face. She was having one of her lucid moments, which Andie was learning to treasure more and more. Who knew when those would start to become few and far between?
“Are all the guests at breakfast?” Addie asked. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t totally lucid. It wasn’t unusual for Addie to think that she was still at Tides, though Andie wondered if that didn’t have a lot to do with the fact that they’d replicated her room.
Andie took her hand, frail with skin like parchment. “Jane has everything under control. Don’t worry.”
“Jane’s a good girl. You need to help her.”
“I’m trying, Mom.”
Addie chuckled. “She is a bit stubborn, I know. But she’ll come around. After all, everyone should be able to do wh
at they love.”
“And Jane loves running Tides?” Andie doubted that, given the way her sister hated dealing with the guests.
“Oh sure, who wouldn’t? But I run Tides. Jane is just helping.” Addie turned curious eyes on Andie. “And what about you? You love Tides, too, don’t you?”
Andie pressed her lips together. She did love the old place. It held most of her fondest childhood memories. Her work on restoring the garden at Tides had been invigorating. She’d loved gardening with her mother as a kid but had gotten away from it with being in the city. She’d forgotten how much she loved plants and flowers. And being back here had changed her. It had made her see that maybe some things she’d thought were important really weren’t.
“I do love Tides, but I also really love antiques. Antiques are my passion. There’s something exciting about digging around in old trunks and attics, anticipating an important find.” Andie sighed and patted her mother’s hand. “But all the good antiques are in the city, so if I want to work in that field, I can’t stay in Lobster Bay.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. These old New England towns have the best finds,” a voice boomed from the doorway. Andie turned to see a woman in a wheelchair. She had curly gray hair and looked to be ninety if she was a day.
“Oh, Sheila, this is my sister Bridget,” Addie said. Addie often thought Andie was her younger sister Bridget, so the mis-introduction didn’t bother Andie much.
Apparently it didn’t bother the woman either. She winked at Andie then wheeled into the room and extended her hand. “Rita Duvalle.”
“Andie Miller.” Andie shook her hand then lowered her voice. “Addie’s daughter.”
Rita smiled and nodded. “I live here at Tall Pines in the independent living section. I like to come over to the memory care unit and help out with the activities. My body might not work so good anymore, but the brain needs to stay active.” She tapped the side of her head with a gnarled finger.
“Rita is very good at painting too,” Addie said, glancing at the paint-splotched paper hanging on her wall. It was one of Addie’s creations, which she was very proud of.
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