Nantucket Weddings

by Kelley, Pamela M.

  Mia was impressed. She knew from her introduction that Barbara had been married for almost thirty years and that her husband had died suddenly of a heart attack. If she could get through this and start over again with someone new, it gave Mia hope that she could get through it, too. She wasn’t thinking about dating, though. It still felt too soon for that.

  They spent the rest of the hour talking about what everyone had found worked best when they were having a bad day. By the time the meeting ended, Mia was glad that she went and felt hopeful that the weekly meetings would help.

  When the meeting broke up, Sam turned to her. “You must be Kate’s friend?”

  “And you’re Sam.” Mia immediately felt a little flustered. “I mean, Kate mentioned that you found the group helpful. Thank you for giving her the information.”

  “Of course.”

  “Sam, we’re heading to the Rose and Crown. Why don’t you invite this pretty new lady to join us?” Ken said.

  Sam smiled. “Thanks, Ken. I was just about to.” He turned to Mia. “A bunch of us usually head out for a quick bite to eat after the meetings. Why don’t you join us?”

  Mia saw Ken and Barbara and a few others, even Candy, waiting by the door. It had been a good night, and she wasn’t anxious to get home.

  “Sure, I’d love to.” Mia grabbed her coat and purse and they walked over to join the others. The Rose and Crown pub was just a few streets over, an easy five-minute walk from the yoga studio. It wasn’t busy, and they were quickly led to a big round table. The Rose and Crown was a restaurant bar, with lots of dark wood and a casual menu. There were six of them—Sam, Mia, Barbara, Ken, Candy and Janie.

  Everyone ordered a drink, except Janie, who had a hot tea. They ordered a few appetizers for the table—nachos, clam fritters and chicken wings. Sam and Ken both ordered burgers as well, and Janie got a bowl of chowder. They stayed for just about an hour, and Mia was surprised by the shift in mood. Everyone, except for Ken, had been so serious and sad at the meeting. But here, they were all joking and laughing, and it was a really fun time. She got a big kick out of Ken, who flirted shamelessly with the waitresses, but he was very sweet, and they seemed to adore him. When he spoke about his wife, which was often, it was clear that they’d been madly in love right up until the end.

  Mia knew that Sam had grown up on Nantucket, too, and went to school with Kate.

  “What’s it like moving home? Are many of your friends still here?” she asked.

  “It’s great being back, to be near my family, and the girls love it. Besides Kate and one or two others, though, most of the people I knew in school moved off-island after college and we’ve lost touch. There aren’t as many year-round opportunities here, and I think a lot of us wanted to stretch our wings and see what it was like to live where we don’t have to depend on a ferry or plane to get somewhere.”

  “That did take some getting used to,” Mia agreed. “I almost moved home about a year after living here, when my mother was sick, and I had to get back to the city fast. The weather was rough, and the boats weren’t running, and I almost didn’t get a flight, either. I made it on the last one out before they shut that down, too. But my mother was fine. And I realized if the boats stop running, I’d rather be here than there. This is home now for me. Though my mother hasn’t accepted that yet. She’s still hopeful that I’ll come to my senses and move back to Manhattan.”

  Sam laughed. “I don’t think I could ever live in a big city like that.”

  “My parents love it. They don’t understand how neither one of their children appreciates it. My sister Izzy lives here, too. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s just me, so my parents are pretty excited that I’ve moved back.”

  “Is it temporary? Or do you think you’ll stay?”

  “I’m planning to stay. It’s a good place to raise kids, and it’s hard to be a single parent. My mother has been a huge help.”

  “I bet she loves having you all here.”

  Sam smiled. “She does. It’s been good for all of us.”

  Mia turned her attention to Barbara as Janie asked, “So, Barbara, tell us more about your fiancé.”

  “And how come you never mentioned him before?” Ken added.

  Barbara smiled. “I never mentioned him because I was afraid it was too good to be true and that I might jinx it. After I met him walking my dog, we ran into each other a few more times and then he suggested lunch and I liked that. It didn’t seem as serious as dinner. I told him if he’d suggested dinner, I might have said no!”

  Mia smiled as she looked around the table. She liked these people, liked that they were all happy for each other and that they were going through similar struggles. When everyone was finished, they got the check and split it evenly. Ken made them laugh as they walked back to the yoga studio.

  “That waitress told me to friend her on Facebook. I have no idea what that means.”

  “How old is your granddaughter that taught you to cook?” Mia asked.

  “She’s about your age—early thirties, right?”

  Mia nodded. “Right. Why don’t you ask her to show you how Facebook works? It’s a great way to keep in touch with people and you can see pictures that your friends and family members are posting.”

  “And if she gets me on the Facebook, I can be that waitress’s friend?”

  Mia laughed. “Yes, you can send her a friend request.”

  “Okay, got it. Friend request.”

  Everyone said their goodbyes when they reached the parking lot.

  “It was nice meeting you, Mia. Will we see you again next week?” Sam asked.

  Mia didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I’ll be back.”

  Chapter 12

  “So, how was the bereavement group?” Izzy asked. It was Friday night and Mia, Mandy and Izzy were sipping chardonnay in the bar of the Club Car restaurant, which was right on Main Street. The food was good, and it was always a crowded after-work spot, especially on a Friday night. They’d just shared a few appetizers and were relaxing and people-watching.

  “It was better than I expected, actually.”

  “Oh, good. Does that mean you’ll be going back?” Izzy asked.

  “I will. They’re a nice bunch of people. It was helpful to talk to them. You were right.”

  Izzy smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “What is Rick up to tonight?” Mandy asked.

  “He’s out with a few friends.”

  “How are things going with him? Any leads on a new job?” Mia worried that no one would hire him after he’d been fired from his last two companies.

  “He started yesterday, actually. Another friend hooked him up. So, they’ll be working together, and they get along well, so fingers crossed that third time’s the charm. He is really good at what he does.”

  “That’s great news. Tell him I said congratulations,” Mia said.

  Izzy smiled. “I will. Thanks.” She turned to Mandy. “How’s everything with your new man?”

  Mandy blushed. “Fine. We’re taking things slow. We’re getting to know each other. He seems like a really nice guy.” Mandy was recently divorced after learning her husband was cheating. She wasn’t looking at all, but she had met a really nice guy that ran a boat business on Nantucket, like her grandfather did years ago. They hit it off right away.

  “I told him no, the first time he asked me out,” Mandy said. “Fortunately for me, he didn’t give up.”

  “Isn’t that your neighbor, Ben?” Izzy was looking at the far end of the bar where three tall guys wearing golf shirts and shorts were laughing and drinking draft beers. One of them was Ben.

  “That’s him.” A moment later, three women joined them, all young, and with perfect figures. Mia recognized one of them as the woman who’d been stumbling in the hallway on Mia’s first night at the inn.

  “Is that his girlfriend?” Izzy asked.

  “I don’t know. I’ve only seen her a
t the inn once before. Could be.”

  Ben looked around the room and smiled when he saw Mia. A minute later, he was heading their way.

  “Happy Friday, ladies.”

  “Hi, Ben. You know Izzy, and this is my friend Mandy.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Is that your girlfriend? I recognize her from when she was visiting.”

  Ben grinned. “The night we stumbled home, you mean? We used to date, but we’re mostly just friends now.”

  Mia raised her eyebrows at that, and Ben tried to convince her.

  “Really. She just crashed with me that night because neither one of us should have been driving. I took her home as soon as we got up the next day.”

  Mia laughed and changed the subject. “Are you all having dinner here? We just had some appetizers, and they were great.”

  Ben shook his head. “No, we already had a bite to eat at the club after our round of golf. We’re just here for a few drinks. I should probably get back over to them. Just wanted to say hello. Maybe I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”

  Mia smiled. “You think you’ll be up that early?”

  He laughed. “You’re right, it’s doubtful. See you all later.”

  They watched him head back to his friends and as soon as he reached them, the girl Mia recognized pulled Ben over and put her arm around his shoulders.

  “They look like more than friends to me,” Izzy said.

  “He’s very handsome. And rich. He’s your neighbor?” Mandy asked.

  Mia nodded. “Present and future. He’s at the inn, and he’s the owner of the unit next to mine.”

  “Interesting. He seems nice enough and possibly single. He might be fun for you to date.”

  Mia laughed. “Assuming we’re both interested in that. I’m not, and I doubt he is, either.”

  “He’d really be perfect though. You’re not looking for anything serious, probably not for a long time. He doesn’t strike me as the serious type, and I bet he’d be a lot of fun to do things with. Just keep it in mind. Maybe he could teach you to golf!”

  Mia laughed again. “You’re crazy.”

  “Have you ever been to that golf course? It’s gorgeous. Cory has a membership there. I used to like to go. Part of my divorce settlement is that I still have a membership. I’m a terrible golfer, but it’s fun to try anyway and they have a nice restaurant and bar. We should go sometime.”

  Mia had never been to the Nantucket Golf Club. It was relatively new, and very expensive. She remembered reading somewhere that the initiation fee to join was half a million dollars. That was a drop in the bucket for Mandy’s ex-husband, though. Cory Lawson ran a very successful hedge fund and made many millions every year.

  Places like that reminded her of the world she’d grown up in. Her parents belonged to a similar club in the Hamptons, and when she was younger, it had been fun to go to all the different events. But she preferred her more modest life on Nantucket. There were plenty of crazy rich people here, mostly in the summer, but Mia preferred the more laid-back, year-round crowd. She did really like Mandy, though, so if Mandy invited Mia to that fancy club, it probably would be a fun time.

  An hour or so later, when Mandy fought back a yawn and realized she had to get back for the sitter, they asked for their check. As they were leaving, Mia turned at the sound of loud laughter and saw that it was coming from Ben’s group. Ben was animated as he was telling a story and his friends were enjoying it immensely. Mandy smiled.

  “See, I told you he looks fun.”

  * * *

  As predicted, Ben didn’t make it down to breakfast. Mia slept in, too, and went down later than she normally did and missed eating with Lisa and the girls. She knew she’d be seeing them the next day, though, for Rhett’s birthday party. She had the room to herself and read the news on her phone while she drank her coffee and ate a banana nut muffin.

  On her way back to her room, she ran into Ben who was just coming down the stairs. He stopped when he saw her.

  “What are you doing right now?”

  “I was just heading back to my room and thinking about doing laundry. Why?”

  “Want to take a ride with me? I’m heading over to the condos to meet Will. We can see how things are progressing. Aren’t you curious?”

  “I am, actually. Sure, I’ll go with you.” She followed him to his car, a red Jeep Wrangler, and hopped in the passenger side.

  Ben seemed full of energy. Mia guessed it hadn’t been a late night. She never heard him come in, though. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  “Did you guys have fun last night?” she asked.

  “It was a good time. We left about a half hour after you did. We had an early start, after golfing. Do you golf?”

  “I never have. Someday I’ll try it.”

  “You really should. It’s a great game. We could go hit some balls sometime if you want? I can show you how to swing. That’s the most important thing. If you get that right, you’re good.”

  The offer took her by surprise. “That sounds fun. I don’t have any equipment, though.”

  “Okay, we’ll figure it out. I can borrow a few of Bethany’s clubs. You guys are about the same height. And her clubs are just collecting dust in the garage.”

  Mia was pretty sure that golf was the last thing on Bethany’s mind.

  A few minutes later, they reached the condos. Will was hard at work in Ben’s unit, along with two helpers. They had just finished laying the new flooring, which looked gorgeous. Ben had gone with a more common, lighter shade and the sun coming through the windows and the pretty wood floor made the room glow.

  “Oh, that looks gorgeous,” Mia said.

  “It does look pretty good,” Ben agreed.

  “Thanks. It’s not done yet,” Will said. “But it’s getting there. Hold on a sec, and I’ll get those samples.” He went into another room then returned with three polished wood samples for Ben to choose from for his office furniture. They were all lovely. Ben chose the color that was in the middle, a rich brown but not too dark or light.

  “So, timing-wise, I’d say two more weeks. You should be able to move in the weekend after Memorial Day.”

  “That’s fantastic,” Ben said.

  “Mia, do you want to take a peek at your place? Your floors are down, too, and they look beautiful. I still need to seal them, though.”

  Mia and Ben followed Will next door to Mia’s unit. He opened the door, and when they all stepped inside, Mia’s jaw dropped. Her eyes started to water, too, and she blinked quickly to chase the tears away. But they were happy tears. The hardwood floors looked gorgeous, so much prettier than the old carpeting. She could already picture her furniture and the new throw rugs she was going to buy.

  “They look wonderful, Will. Thank you.”

  “It did turn out pretty nice, if I do say so.” Will was proud of his work, as he should be.

  “So, plan on two weeks. I’ll text you a few days before I’m completely done.”

  They said goodbye to Will and hopped back in the Jeep. Ben started to head back toward the inn, but as they approached the road to his mother’s house he turned to Mia. “You said you have nothing important going on, right? Just laundry?”

  Mia nodded. “Right.”

  “Well, let’s go have that golf lesson now. We can swing by the house and grab the clubs. Mine are in the back of the jeep. We can go to the driving range and hit some balls. The weather couldn’t be more perfect for it. We should be outside, not home doing laundry.” He made a face and Mia laughed.

  “Sure. Let’s do it.”

  The only one home was Bethany. She was sitting in the sunroom, surrounded by wedding invitations and envelopes that needed addressing. She looked up in surprise when she saw the two of them walk in together.

  “Can we borrow a few of your golf clubs?” Ben asked her.

  Bethany laughed. “Sure, take them all if you want. I won’t be using them anytime soon.” She
looked at Mia. “Do you golf?”

  “Not yet. Your brother offered to show me how to hit.”

  “We’re going to the driving range. We’re neighbors now, you know. Neighbors do things like that.” He turned to go, and Bethany looked at Mia curiously. “My brother is a nut. Have fun, you two.”

  Ten minutes later, they reached the driving range. It wasn’t too crowded as Ben explained the weather was so good that most people were actually out golfing, not just hitting balls. He put her clubs in his bag and carried them to an open hitting tee.

  Mia watched as Ben carefully explained what he was doing and why. He demonstrated a few swings. Then handed her a club.

  “Okay, it’s your turn now. Remember what I said, keep your arms straight and your eyes on the ball.”

  Mia tried to focus and do what Ben had told her. She kept her arms straight, brought the club back, swung hard and missed.

  “Don’t worry about it. Try again. Stay down. You came up on your toes.”

  She did, taking a deep breath and staying down. She hit the ball, but it didn’t go where she thought she’d aimed. Instead, it veered sharply to the left.

  “That’s great!” Ben looked thrilled, but she shook her head.

  “That was not good.”

  “You hit the ball! That’s the first step. Keep going.”

  And she did. Mia hit ball after ball after ball. And after a while, they started going where she wanted them to. She hit one that made a really cool sound, a loud crack followed by a whoosh, and the ball sailed up and out and straight. It was her best shot by far, and it felt different from the others.

  Ben gave her a high five. “Now that was a golf shot. See if you can do it again.”

  But her next shot was horrible. It went to the left again and she couldn’t understand it. She thought she’d done everything exactly the same.

  Ben grinned. “Welcome to the mystifying, frustrating world of golf. It’s a mental game as much as a physical one. But the more you practice, the easier it gets. You tired yet? Or do you want to hit a few more?”