Nantucket Weddings

by Kelley, Pamela M.

  Nantucket Weddings

  Pamela M. Kelley

  Copyright © 2020 by Pamela M. Kelley

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This story is dedicated in memory of my grandfather, Ken Ford, who was also a writer and a poet and the inspiration for the character Ken in this story.

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Introduction

  Mia Maxwell used to have her dream job. She is a sought after wedding planner on Nantucket, with no shortage of business. But she is struggling a bit to get back to loving her job. It has been bittersweet to plan other people's weddings--ever since her own fiance died two weeks before their wedding.

  That was a year ago and she was just starting to feel better, when she came back from a vacation to find her house burned down. So she will be staying with Lisa at the Beach Plum Cove Inn for a while, until her house is renovated.

  Mia's also worried about her younger sister and best friend Izzy--she has a serious boyfriend who has grown more controlling over the past year.

  As it turns out, there are several member of the Hodges family that may be in need of Mia's services--she'll be planning not one but two weddings. There are a few road bumps along the way however.

  Lisa has another long-term guest that she eagerly introduces to Mia. She finds this temporary neighbor equally intriguing and frustrating and she makes it clear that she's not even close to ready to date. She's not sure if she ever will be.

  Chapter 1

  Spring was Lisa Hodge’s favorite season on Nantucket. It was warm enough to take long walks on the beach, and to smell the salty air and to pick some gorgeous tulips. She put them in a pretty vase when she went into her kitchen and set them in the dining room so her guests would be able to enjoy them.

  It was Saturday morning and as usual, Lisa was up early. She’d already baked a ham and asparagus quiche and walked along the beach for about a half hour, while the quiche was in the oven. Only half of the rooms were rented as it was still early in the season. When the quiche was ready, she brought it into the dining room and set it on a heated plate. Cut fruit, bagels and cream cheese followed.

  The girls, her twin thirty-something daughters, Kristen and Kate, arrived a few minutes apart, as Lisa was bringing a hot thermos of coffee and a basket of creamers into the dining room. Her youngest, Abby, was the last to arrive, with Lisa’s granddaughter, Natalie, in a stroller. Every Saturday, whenever possible, the girls came for breakfast with Lisa.

  Lisa’s live-in fiancé, Rhett, joined them as well, but as usual, he just had coffee to start, while everyone else loaded their plates with quiche and a bit of everything else.

  As they ate, talk turned to local gossip, as it always did.

  “How is your friend, Mia, doing?” Lisa asked Kate. She’d read about the condo fire at the pier. It was a blessing that Mia had been out of town, and that no one was hurt.

  “She’s hanging in there. This past year has been rough, and now the fire. I don’t think she’s loving living with her sister, though. She said she’s been looking around to find a short-term rental for a month or two.”

  Lisa thought about that for a minute. She liked Mia. She was quiet and hard-working. And she was doing a wonderful job planning Kate’s upcoming wedding.

  “Have her give me a call. I should be able to give her a room if she’s interested.”

  Kate looked surprised and pleased. “Really? That would be great.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “she has a dog, though. Penny is a Pomeranian. She’s adorable and tiny, but I’m not sure what your thoughts are on that?”

  Lisa considered it, then smiled. “I think that would be okay. As long as she behaves herself. Those are usually good dogs.”

  * * *

  Mia Maxwell had lost count of how many people had assured her that the first year was the hardest. And that it would get easier after that.

  She knew they meant well. But she was still waiting. They were right that the first year was hard, but she’d sort of expected the fog to lift on the one-year mark. Instead, her feelings were still murky, cloudy, foggy as ever.

  The vacation was supposed to help. And it did, briefly. She went to Charleston, one of her favorite places in the world, to visit one of her favorite people, her college roommate, Alicia. The weather was wonderful, the food amazing—she ate shrimp and grits everywhere.

  And she had felt well-rested as she glanced out the airport window waiting to board the small Cape Air plane—the nine-seater that shuttled passengers from Boston to Nantucket. Spring in Nantucket was always a season of hope—tulips and daffodils blooming, pink blossoms on cherry trees and retail shops opening for the summer season.

  She’d been looking forward to relaxing in her condo—her oasis of calm. The two-bedroom townhouse on the pier was an easy walk everywhere downtown. She’d redecorated over the past year, as a way to focus on something other than the premature death of Mark Anderson, her fiancé. Her sister, Izzy, was the creative one in the family and helped her choose the colors. They went with soft creams, and misty sea tones of pale green and blue.

  Shortly before she boarded the flight, Izzy had called, hysterical, to tell her about the fire. They still weren’t sure how it had started. Electrical was the best guess, but Mia’s end unit and the one next to it suffered the most damage. So, instead of hunkering down at home, on her soft ivory-colored sofa, under a cuddly fleece throw, she and her beloved dog, Penny, moved into Izzy’s guest bedroom.

  And that wasn’t working out so well. Mia was grateful that Izzy had insisted she stay with her and her boyfriend of almost a year, Rick Savage. But after three days, Mia knew for the sake of her sanity and her relationship with her sister that she had to find her own place. The renovation could last several months, and her insurance would cover alternate housing. Izzy’s place was just too small. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. If it was just Izzy, it would have been fine. Mia just couldn’t handle Rick, and the way he treated Izzy. It was eye-opening and disturbing. She’d seen a side of him that he’d kept hidden. And Mia didn’t want to be around it.

  So, she started looking for another option and wasn’t having any luck until her friend Kate called. She’d mentioned to Kate that she was looking for something and was surprised when Kate called to suggest her mother’s inn. Lisa Hodges had converted her waterfront home into an inn, since she no longer needed five extra bedrooms and she did need a source of income. Mia tried not to get too excited, as she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to afford a room there.

  But when Mia called, the rate that Lisa quoted was reasonable and she explained that for monthly rentals she was able to go a little below the market rate. It fit into what Mia’s insurance would cover, and she assured Lisa that her dog would behav
e. Penny was almost nine years old, and she was a good girl. Mia took a drive by Lisa’s house and knew that Penny would love walking on that beach. And Mia knew the walking would do her good, too.

  Now, she just had to figure out the best way to explain to her sister why she didn’t want to stay there any longer and why she thought her sister should leave, too. But she knew that part of the conversation was for another day.

  Chapter 2

  Izzy was cooking something that smelled delicious when Mia walked through the door. It had been a long day with two particularly fussy brides, and she was eager to kick her shoes off and relax. She looked around the room and didn’t see Rick, so that was a relief. But then she heard a cough and realized he was just down the hall in their office. Izzy looked up when she saw her sister and smiled.

  “Hope you’re hungry. I made a ton of food.”

  “I’m starving. What is that? It smells amazing.”

  “Just something I threw together—pasta with lots of garlic, white wine, sliced chicken and grilled artichokes out of a can from Trader Joe’s. That’s the secret ingredient.”

  Mia felt her stomach rumble. “Sounds great. Do you feel like a glass of wine? I’m going to have one.” Izzy nodded, and Mia opened a bottle and poured a glass for each of them. “Do you think Rick will want one?”

  “What will Rick want?” Mia almost jumped at the deep voice that was suddenly behind her. She hadn’t heard him walk over.

  “Cabernet.”

  “Sure, I’ll take a glass. Why not?”

  She handed him a glass of wine, and he took it and settled at the kitchen table, waiting for dinner to be served.

  “Can I do anything to help?” Mia offered.

  “No, go sit and relax. I’m just going to plate this up.” Izzy filled two large bowls with pasta for Mia and Rick and set them on the table, then returned with one for herself and a big loaf of bread on a cutting board. Mia jumped up and grabbed the butter, then settled back down again. The food was delicious and as they ate, Izzy chattered away telling them about her day. She owned a small shop on Main Street, and Mia was so proud of how well she’d done. Izzy had always had a flair for fashion, and the ability to pull simple pieces together in a way that looked stylish and unique.

  Her shop was an eclectic mix of high-end one-of-a-kind pieces and less expensive pretty tops and dresses, as well as some Nantucket basics like well-made sweatshirts with Nantucket stamped across the front. Izzy often lamented that there were plenty of days where the sweatshirts were her top sellers as her shop was near the pier and people often wandered in after arriving on the ferries.

  “I think I had as many dogs in the shop today as I did customers. I think just about everyone that comes to the island these days brings their dog,” Izzy said.

  “I can’t believe you let them in the shop. Seems like you’re asking for trouble,” Rick said as he reached for a slice of bread.

  But Izzy just laughed. “The dogs are never a problem. They’re generally better behaved than their owners.”

  They all had second helpings of the pasta and as they were almost done eating, Mia took a deep breath and broke the news.

  “So, I’ll be out of your hair soon. Tomorrow, actually. Kate Hodges put me in touch with her mother, Lisa, who runs the Beach Plum Cove Inn and she has a room for me, at a rate that works for my insurance.”

  Izzy immediately looked dismayed and set her fork down. “You don’t have to do that. I love having you here.”

  “It looks like the renovation work could take longer than we initially thought. It could go for several months. I can’t impose on you guys that long. And insurance covers it.”

  “I hate to see you stay in an inn, when you could be here with us,” Izzy said.

  “Maybe Mia wants her space,” Rick said. “I can’t say that I blame her. This place is kind of small for three people.” Izzy shot a warning look at Rick, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  “You’ll have to come visit. Lisa said they have breakfast every morning. It’s right on the water. We can go for a walk on the beach.”

  “Well, if you’re sure that’s what you want to do?”

  “I think it’s the best thing.” Mia couldn’t wait to move out. She would miss her sister, but Rick was right. The place felt crowded with the three of them.

  Mia helped Izzy clear the table, while Rick went through a stack of mail on the counter. He’d been in a relatively good mood during dinner. But Mia felt a shift in the air as he opened a bill and stared at it a bit too long.

  “Izzy, I thought you said you paid the electric?” There was an edge to his voice that Mia recognized, and she glanced at her sister.

  Izzy turned off the water and smiled. “I thought I did.”

  “This says otherwise. It’s past due and scheduled for shutoff on Tuesday.”

  Izzy bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I could have sworn I paid that. I meant to.” Mia didn’t doubt that Izzy meant to, but she knew her sister was prone to forget things like that. She’d never been very good about paying bills on time, even when she had the money for them.

  Rick pulled a checkbook from a drawer and angrily ripped off a check. He filled out it out and stuffed it in his wallet.

  “It’s taken care of now. I’ll drop it off tomorrow on my way to work.”

  “Thank you, Rick.” Izzy’s voice was soft, and Mia knew she was embarrassed.

  He stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment before finally having the last word. “It’s really pathetic, you know. It’s a good thing our power didn’t get shut off.”

  Izzy didn’t say anything, while Mia glared at Rick. He topped off his glass with more wine, then smiled as if he hadn’t just been a complete jerk. “I’m going to watch the game in the other room.”

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Mia refilled both her and Izzy’s glasses and brought them into the living room. They settled on the sofa and Penny jumped up between them, flopped down and looked at Mia expectantly. Mia reached over and petted her while Izzy clicked on the TV.

  “I don’t like the way he talks to you,” Mia said softly. She didn’t want to get into a big discussion with her sister, as she knew Rick could walk back into the room at any moment. But she had to say something.

  Izzy sighed. “He has his moments, but he’s been under a lot of stress lately. I think things are tough at work right now.” Rick had recently started a new job, as an electrician with a local company. He’d been laid off from his prior employer, and Mia couldn’t help but wonder if he was difficult to work with.

  “Well, if you ever want a break, you’re welcome to stay with me. Anytime.”

  Izzy smiled. “Thanks. It might be fun to have a girls’ night sometime.”

  “Let’s plan on it.”

  Chapter 3

  “Nantucket Weddings. This is Mia.” Her phone rang just as Mia reached The Beach Plum Cove Inn the next morning.

  “Mia, it’s Bethany Billings. I ran into your mother at the Met Gala last week and she said I had to call you. I just got engaged and we want to get married on Nantucket. Our family has a summer cottage there.”

  Mia smiled. She’d gone to the Spence School, an exclusive private school on the Upper East Side in New York City with Bethany. The Billings’ family ‘cottage’ was a sprawling seaside mansion. Mia had known Bethany, but they hadn’t been close friends and it had been years since she’d talked to her.

  “That’s wonderful. Congratulations. I’d be happy to help. Have you set a date?”

  “Three months from now. August fifteenth. I know that’s soon, but we really don’t want to wait. We’ve been dating forever.”

  “Well, a late summer wedding on Nantucket will be lovely. We can make it happen.”

  “Thank goodness.” Bethany sounded relieved. “I did try for something in the city at first, but then we decided on Nantucket.” Mia knew it would be impossible to put on the kind of wedding Bethany’s family would want in the city on such short notice.


  “Are you free around eleven tomorrow morning? I can stop by and we can go over everything.”

  “Perfect.” Mia jotted down her address, parked and told Penny she’d be right back. She wanted to get the key to her room before bringing Penny and her bags inside.

  Lisa answered the door a moment after Mia knocked.

  “Hi, Mia.” Lisa opened the door wide and Mia followed her in.

  She’d met Lisa for the first time a few months back when she and Kate met to discuss Kate’s wedding. Mia had been struck then by the resemblance to her friend, Kate. Lisa had the same color hair, big eyes and friendly smile. Lisa’s hair fell in a long bob just to her shoulders and was tucked behind her ears for an overall preppy look that was common on Nantucket.

  “I’m so sorry about the fire. Do they know what caused it?” Lisa asked once they reached the kitchen.

  “They are still investigating, but it sounds like it may have been an accident. Something to do with work being done. I’m not really sure.”

  “Well, at least no one was hurt. I think I read that the unit next to yours was empty at the time, too?”

  Mia nodded. “It was actually just sold, but the new owners hadn’t moved in yet.”

  “Oh, no! How awful for them.”

  Mia hadn’t thought much about it as she’d been so wrapped up in her own problems, but Lisa was right. A fire would be a terrible thing to have happen to a home you hadn’t even moved into yet. She was just grateful that Penny hadn’t been there at the time. She’d debated whether to have her sister stop by to feed Penny while she was gone and was glad that Izzy had insisted on bringing Penny to stay with her. She knew Penny would be less lonely and as it turned out she was much safer, too. Mia handed Lisa a check for the first month’s rent and she tucked it into a kitchen drawer.