“Sure. That works for me.”
“Great, see you there at six.”
Izzy ended the call and saw the concern in Mia’s eyes.
“You’re going out to dinner with Rick? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Izzy sighed. “No. But I agreed weeks ago to meet him after the holidays, to talk. I think it’s only fair to hear what he has to say.”
“Hmm. Well, you know how I feel about that. Be careful, Izzy.”
Chapter 3
Kate finally relaxed when she glanced out the window of the small plane and saw Nantucket straight ahead. The sight of the island always calmed her. It had been a wonderful trip, but she was happy to be almost home. She caught her husband Jack’s eyes as she settled back in her chair. He gave her hand a squeeze, and she sensed he was thinking the same thing. Jack was even more of a homebody than she was. They’d both been born and brought up on Nantucket, but Kate had left for a while, for college and then to work at a magazine in Boston.
Though, like many of those who left the island, Kate found her way back eventually. It seemed like almost another lifetime since she’d lived in Boston. And now she couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than Nantucket again. Everyone she cared about was there. Her friends, her family, and Jack. And soon their new family member would arrive.
“Do you think you’re ready to dive back into your story, now that we’re back?” Jack asked.
Kate was a full-time mystery writer now. And while she loved writing mysteries and knew it was what she was meant to do—it didn’t always go smoothly. There were lots of fits and starts when she’d hit bumps along the way and just get stuck, not sure where the story needed to go next. She’d hit one of those bumps in a big way before the honeymoon and decided to leave her laptop at home and take a full week off from writing, something she hadn’t done since she moved home.
But it was what her mind needed. She found that she got some of her best story ideas when she wasn’t writing but was instead doing something completely unrelated, like driving or taking a shower. Or relaxing on a Cayman Islands beach and snorkeling. The snorkeling had been amazing. And one afternoon while they were on a harbor cruise and Jack was drinking a rum punch and she was sipping fruit juice, she stared through the boat’s clear glass floor at the sea creatures swimming below and her mind unlocked, sending a rush of ideas.
When she got back to the hotel room that day, she jotted some of them down, so she wouldn’t forget. She was excited about her story again, and eager to open her laptop and get going.
“Yes, I’m ready. More than ready. Especially if the storm is as bad as Mom said it might be. We could be snowed in with no TV or internet…nothing to do but write.”
Jack laughed. “Hopefully it won’t be that bad. Or if it is, it won’t be out for long.”
“I’m just glad to be home. I don’t mind if we get a storm and have to hunker down a bit. It will be fun.”
“I don’t know if fun is the word I’d use,” Jack said as the small plane smoothly touched down on the runway of the Nantucket airport. “But it is good to be home.”
Once they landed and found their luggage they called an Uber, which quickly arrived and fifteen minutes later, they walked through their front door. Kate realized that traveling all day had caught up with her and she was utterly exhausted. She yawned as she slowly made her way into the kitchen. Jack grabbed her suitcase along with his and brought them into their bedroom, while Kate heated up some water for a cup of tea. She thought it might wake her up a bit as she was suddenly struggling to keep her eyes open.
Jack came into the kitchen and watched her closely for a moment.
“Why don’t you go take a nap? You look like you’re about to fall over. Do you feel okay?” She could hear the worry in his voice.
“I’m fine. I just might take a short nap, though. After I have my tea.”
“Take as long as you need. I’m going to run to the store and stock up on a few things. I think we need batteries for the flashlights and I’ll grab some snack stuff in case we lose power.”
“Okay. Thanks, honey. I’ll see you when you get back.” Jack left and Kate took her cup of tea into her bedroom. She changed into her most comfy sweats and crawled into bed. After having a few sips of tea, she snuggled into her pillow and a moment later was out cold.
Chapter 4
“Marley, please join me.” Lisa smiled at her only guest, who had just filled her plate with a slice of spinach and artichoke quiche and some fresh cantaloupe and was glancing around the empty dining room. Marley had arrived the night before, exhausted from a long day of traveling. Lisa had welcomed her, settled her into her room and made sure she knew to come for breakfast the next day.
Marley smiled as she settled into the seat across from Lisa.
“I hope you slept okay last night?” Lisa asked as she lifted her coffee mug.
“Like a log. They cancelled the fast ferry reservation I’d initially booked because the winds were too strong, and I wasn’t sure when they’d reopen. But they died down thankfully and I only had to wait a little over an hour.”
“You’re lucky. Sometimes they just shut totally and people are stuck until the next day. I’m glad you made it.” Lisa was curious to know more about Marley. It was unusual for someone to stay for a month, especially in the middle of winter. She guessed that the other woman was about her age, mid-fifties and noticed that she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.
“I’m glad too. I would have just gotten a hotel by the ferry, there are several along the water. But I was anxious to get here and get settled. Especially as I hear there is another storm coming this weekend.”
Lisa nodded. “It might be a big one, with high winds that could knock out the power. That might put a damper on getting into town and going to restaurants. But we have a full-house generator here, so if the power goes out we should be fine for several days—and it rarely stays out longer than that.”
“Oh, that’s good to know. I’m going to head into town soon to stock up on some snacks and soups, things I can heat up in my room.”
“If we’re snowed in, we’ll make sure you have plenty of food. You won’t go hungry here,” Lisa assured her.
Marley smiled. “Thank you. Have you lived here very long?”
“Over thirty years now.” Lisa told her about her four children and her new husband, Rhett.
“He was my first guest here. I tease him that he is the guest that never left. But we both feel very blessed.”
Marley nodded and was quiet for a moment. She took a sip of coffee and a bite of quiche before speaking again.
“My divorce was finalized a little over a month ago. Frank and I were married for almost thirty years and have two children, both in their late twenties. Sophie lives in Los Angeles and is a production assistant for a sitcom. My son Nate is a software engineer at a startup in Silicon Valley. Frank and I owned a business together in San Jose, a retail e-commerce site. Maybe you’ve heard of it—The Attic?”
Lisa was impressed. “Yes, of course. My girls love The Attic. They’ve bought some gorgeous pillows and throws from there, and clothes too, I think?”
“Yes. We started that business together. It was Frank’s idea, but I helped and learned a lot. We grew apart over the years and had different ideas on what we wanted The Attic to focus on. Ultimately Frank felt like it was his baby, so I allowed him to buy me out.” She smiled sadly. “So, I suppose I’m retired. But I feel too young to retire.” She sounded a bit adrift and Lisa’s heart went out to her.
“You’re definitely too young to retire, but I imagine there are all kinds of interesting things you could do now. Possibly start another business?”
“Maybe. It has crossed my mind. I just don’t know what the right thing would be. I am going to take some time off. Just relax and see if any ideas come to me.”
“That’s smart. What brings you to Nantucket? Especially this time of year? I love it here in the winter, when it’s
quiet and peaceful, but most people prefer the summer months which are more lively.”
“We used to vacation here, when the kids were young. We both had normal jobs then. Once we started The Attic, it kind of took over our lives and it was impossible to take more than a day or two off to go anywhere, especially clear across the country to Nantucket. Now that the divorce is final and there’s nowhere I have to be, I thought it might be nice to get away. I thought I could get a feel for what it would be like this time of year if I stayed for a month or so. To see if I could see myself staying for longer than a vacation.”
“That’s a wonderful idea. I think it’s good to spend time somewhere before buying a place. You can see how you like it, and if you enjoy the solitude of our winter. Even if you buy a place though, you could always just come for the summer if you find it too quiet this time of year. Many people do that.” Lisa had always thought it was a shame that so many beautiful homes on Nantucket sat empty for the better part of the year, but it was very common.
“There’s another reason I decided to come here too.” A mischievous gleam came into Marley’s eyes and Lisa leaned forward, curious to hear her reason.
“So, it’s kind of silly, but my birthday was about six weeks ago, and my daughter got me a psychic reading. I don’t usually put much stock in those kinds of things, but they are fun.”
“They are. My girls love that too. Kate once had a group of us over one night for a tarot card reading. What did yours say?”
“Well, it was a lot of what you’d expect. Sometimes the readings are so general they could apply to almost anyone. She talked about new beginnings and letting go of the past. But then she got very specific and said she saw me traveling to an island on the east coast. I asked if she meant for a vacation and she shook her head and said it felt like it might be more permanent than that.”
“And that’s when you decided to book a trip here?” Lisa asked.
Marley shook her head. “No, not yet. It planted the idea, but I was still feeling kind of stuck and not ready to go anywhere or do anything yet. It wasn’t until my friend Audrey had a night like your daughter Kate. She invited a bunch of her girlfriends over for cocktails and had a tarot reader that was recommended as the ‘best’ and he gave each of us a reading.”
“Was it similar to the other one?”
“You could say that.” Marley laughed. “But he was even more specific, and said, ‘I see you in a big house — it’s white or light gray. I see the ocean in front of it and a ferry in the distance. I think it’s Nantucket. Have you ever been there? I was stunned of course and just nodded. He was quiet for a moment and then looked into my eyes intently and said it was important that I go as soon as possible.”
“Did he see you moving to Nantucket?” Lisa was intrigued by Marley’s story.
“He didn’t say. Just that it was important for me to come here and that I would find what I need. Whatever that means. I was shaken and still hesitant, but Audrey convinced me to come. She searched online and found the Beach Plum Cove Inn, and here I am.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. And I hope your visit is a good one. You’ll see a side of Nantucket that most people never see.”
“I’m looking forward to the peace and calm.” A moment later, she added, “I thought I might teach myself how to knit. It’s something I’ve always wanted to try and never made time for. I noticed there’s a yarn shop downtown. I thought I might stop there today, too.”
“That’s a great idea. And the owner, Eloise, has beginner classes in the shop on either Monday or Tuesday mornings. You might enjoy that.”
“I might. Thank you.” Marley took the last sip of her coffee and stood. “It’s been lovely chatting with you. I think I am going to venture off and explore a bit.”
“Have fun. Please let me know if you need anything.” Lisa smiled as Rhett walked into the room and decided to have a second cup of coffee with him before heading into town herself to run some errands.
Chapter 5
Izzy changed outfits several times before settling on what felt like the right thing to wear to meet Rick. She didn’t want to look like she was making too much of an effort, but she still wanted to look nice and she couldn’t understand why she was feeling butterflies at the thought of seeing him in person. Her feelings for Rick were complicated and she couldn’t just turn them off completely.
She twirled and checked her appearance in the mirror. The pale blue long cashmere sweater was one of her favorites and flattered her long, wavy blonde hair. She wore her pregnancy jeans, the ones with the soft elastic front that was much more comfortable over her growing stomach. She knew that most people wouldn’t have any idea that she was pregnant, as she didn’t have a baby bump yet, just a thickening that, so far, she was able to easily hide with long sweaters. But her regular jeans were too tight around the waist now.
She added a swipe of pink lip gloss and ran a brush through her hair, smoothing out her flyaway curls. She’d been taking pregnancy vitamins and her hair had never looked so good. It was glossy and thick, and the curls behaved better. For the first time, she stopped wishing for her sister’s straight hair.
Penny jumped off the sofa and ran to her when Izzy walked into the living room. Mia was due home any moment, but Penny’s wagging tail meant she was ready for a walk.
“Come on, let’s go.” Izzy clipped on Penny’s harness, grabbed hold of her leash and they set out for a quick walk around the boat basin, the marina area where Mia’s condo overlooked the harbor. They walked down along the wharf, which was quiet. Most of the boats were tucked away in storage for the winter, so there were few people out and about.
As they walked, Izzy thought about her relationship with Rick. They’d met at the Club Car, a popular restaurant downtown. Izzy had gone there to meet Mia for after-work drinks on a Friday. But Mia had called just as Izzy walked through the door. She was in a meeting with a particularly demanding and fussy bride and was going to be delayed for at least a half hour. She felt terrible, but Izzy had told her not to worry. Izzy was perfectly capable of having a drink by herself at the bar.
So, she’d ordered a glass of chardonnay and sipped it slowly, while she relaxed and people-watched from her bar seat. It was a summer night, and the Club Car was busy with tourists and the usual end-of-week, Friday night crowd. Izzy noticed a few familiar faces—people she knew were locals from seeing them around town.
So when Rick had walked over and took the seat next to her, she recognized him as a year-round resident, from seeing him driving his truck with the ladder in the back. She figured he did something in construction. He smiled when he asked if the seat was available, and since she knew Mia wasn’t going to be there for at least a half hour, she’d simply nodded. He’d said he was waiting for his friends too and they got to chatting. The spark between them had been electric and immediate. So when Rick asked if she wanted to go out sometime, she didn’t hesitate.
It was fast and intense with them from the beginning. Izzy had never been so physically attracted to someone. When Rick looked her way, it was like his dark eyes saw through to her soul. Mia had been a little worried that they’d gotten serious so fast and regretted that she’d been late that day. Izzy might never have met Rick if she’d been on time. But Izzy knew that everything happened for a reason.
Life with Rick had been wonderful at first, and she’d moved in with him after just a few months, which Mia had never thought was a good idea. But by that point, they were both in love. And at first, it had been exciting, but the honeymoon phase soon wore off as Rick grew more comfortable with their relationship and she began to see a side of him that she didn’t like quite as much.
Rick didn’t have a lot of patience and he was quick-tempered, moody and unpredictable. Izzy thought she’d seen him at his worst though, and he was always apologetic after they’d fought. He’d never been violent towards her, not really. Just the one time he grabbed her arm to try to get her to leave a party because he was je
alous that she was talking to her friend Will.
She knew he’d been under a lot of stress and it had carried into his work. He’d lost two jobs due to losing his temper. But he’d managed to hold on to his most recent job, which came through a friend. And when Izzy had had enough and ended things, Rick finally realized that he had a problem.
He enrolled in an anger management course, a twelve-week program, when he discovered she was pregnant. She’d dreaded telling him, because she knew he’d try to talk her into getting back together. And he had tried. He’d never wanted to end things. He swore that he was a changed man, that the anger management course had helped. She hoped that was true, for his sake. But she didn’t think it was a good idea for her to try again with him. She doubted that he could change so much that it would make a difference. But she needed to hear what he had to say. He’d wanted to meet sooner, but she’d pushed him off until after the holidays.
It grew darker as she and Penny walked, and colder. After about ten minutes, they were both ready to go home. And a quick glance at her phone told her it was time to leave for Millie’s.
About twelve minutes later, Izzy pulled into the parking lot at Millie’s restaurant, which was on the other side of the island, by the beach. Rick’s truck was already there. She went inside and upstairs to the bar and found Rick sitting at a high-top table, drinking a beer that was still full. So, he’d arrived just a few minutes earlier. He stood when he saw her and smiled, and her heart skipped a beat.
Rick’s smile with those craggy laugh lines around the corners of his mouth and eyes still had a powerful, physical effect on her. His smile reached his eyes and she could see that he was genuinely glad to see her and was also a bit nervous. She seldom saw the vulnerable side of Rick. He was usually pretty sure of himself, but things between them were uncertain at best. He pulled her in for a hug.
Nantucket Threads (Nantucket Beach Plum Cove Book 6) Page 2