Duet in September (The Calendar Girls)

by Gina Ardito

  Was that only yesterday? It felt like eons ago. I grimaced. No wonder she sounded so upset with me. I’d ditched her twice in two days. “That’s her. My twin, Paige.”

  “Twin? There are two of you?”

  If I had a dime for every time I’d heard that line…

  “Yes and no. We’re fraternal twins, not identical. We don’t look anything alike.”

  “Do you have any other siblings?”

  “Nope. Just Paige and me.”

  A flush of color rose in his cheeks. “Now, I’m sorry.”

  “What on earth for?”

  “I made you blow off your only sister twice this weekend. When we finally meet, she’s going to hate me.”

  When they finally met? Oh, no. He and she would never meet. This was a weekend fling. Nothing more. My throat tightened, and I took another swig of water.

  Wait. We had another date for Friday. Okay, so maybe this was a few days more than a simple weekend fling. Still, this wasn’t a permanent relationship.

  An invisible fist punched me in the gut, and my knees buckled. Inside my chest, my heart cracked in half.

  God, help me, I’d fallen for him. Hard and fast. From the minute he’d first strolled into my shop, he’d been too tempting to ignore. Not that I’d really struggled against the attraction. Now I couldn’t imagine putting an end to our time together.

  I am the world’s biggest idiot.

  I sure could pick ‘em. Stupid me, I couldn’t fall in love with Iggy. Solid, dependable, local Iggy knew my secrets and cared about me anyway. No, I had to reach for the unattainable. Major league unattainable. On so many levels.

  Imagine Aidan introducing me, the daughter of the town floozy, to his mother, the contessa. Shivers danced over my flesh.

  And his father? Mr. Image Conscious? I bet Ogden Coffield would be thrilled to see the heir to his huge fortune involved with a woman whose social stature rose slightly above that of “homeless mutt.” No doubt even the Ogden family dog had a more prestigious lineage than mine.

  Why on earth did I continue to pursue a relationship of any kind with this man?

  “Is something wrong?”

  Aidan’s question, accompanied by a frown, shook me out of my self-analysis, but not the self-pity.

  “This was a mistake. I’m sorry.” I put my hands on his chest, intending to push him toward the door. “You should go. See the fireworks.”

  He stood his ground, bracing his feet apart, and I couldn’t budge him no matter how hard I tried. “Why? What’s wrong? What did I do?”

  “Nothing. Honestly. It’s me.” He had to go. Now.

  “What do you mean it’s you? What’s you?”

  “I can’t do this. Please just go.” Please. Before I break down into a puddle of tears.

  My persistence did not pay off. He folded his arms over his chest. “Nia, stop. If something’s wrong, tell me. Maybe I can help.”

  He would say that. Because he was my Prince Charming. A Prince Charming I couldn’t keep.

  I took a shaky breath, brought my growing panic under control. “No,” I said then forced a smile. “Really. It’s okay. I guess my conversation with Paige reminded me you wanted to see the fireworks, too. Instead, I’m boring you silly with my dumb hobby.”

  His thumb traced a line from my lower lip to my chin. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”

  As his mouth touched mine, I made myself a promise. Just tonight. I’d find a way to cancel our date on Friday. We’d say goodbye tonight, and I would never see him again.

  I could do this.

  Chapter 18

  Paige

  The Tuesday after Labor Day was what we locals called “Reality Day.” After the three-month stream of summer tourists, the crowds disappeared. Most of the kids went back to school, lifeguards no longer monitored the beaches, hotels reverted to off-peak rates, and life in Snug Harbor returned to some semblance of normal.

  For my something different on Day Six of Dara’s Thirty Day Challenge, I opted to skip coffee with Nia in favor of a morning workout at the gym. The bike ride with Sam on Saturday had shown me how out of shape I truly was. Since I paid a monthly fee to a place I’d yet to step foot inside, today I would put that money to good use and give my muscles a workout before going into the office.

  Besides, I was still ticked at Nia for standing me up. Again.

  I spent a good thirty minutes on the elliptical machine, all the while thinking about my sister. Two days in a row, she’d let me down, which was so atypical for her. Maybe the car accident had shaken up her brain.

  And Sam! There was another conundrum. What kind of game did he play last night? Letting Dom and Evan think we were dating? I like a joke as well as the next person, but that episode didn’t register so much as a snicker on my humor scale.

  Not to mention Evan’s comments about my troublemaking side. Me! I hadn’t broken a rule since that M&Ms incident thirty years ago. What did he mean that I needed a connection to law enforcement? For what?

  I certainly had a lot to think about while I burned up useless calories. With my mind buzzing, I pushed myself harder on the machine, hoping to sweat out my confusion. Eventually, I had to face the truth: my workout only made me more tired and frustrated. Where was that adrenaline high I’d felt on the bike the other day? Right now, I couldn’t even muster up the energy to smile.

  Maybe I was more an outdoor enthusiast than a gym rat. Maybe the artificial light didn’t give me the same euphoria as natural sunlight. As long as the weather stayed mild, I promised myself I’d perform my workouts in the fresh air and sunshine. Once winter came, I’d take advantage of my gym membership.

  Still, today’s activity counted as another way I’d broken out of my routine, and I’d learned a lesson about myself at the same time. Win/win. Thank you, Dara.

  The rest of the day passed without incident, which, to be honest, began to wear out my patience. Where was all the good fortune Dara’s Disciples had boasted about? When would it be my turn to experience life-altering, positive changes from the universe?

  On Wednesday morning, I called Nia and got her voicemail. I left a message that I was too busy to meet her and went to the Surf Deli on my side of town for my coffee before work.

  “Muffin crumb!” A basso voice shouted from behind me when I stood next on line.

  I barely turned around to identify the speaker before Lou Rugerman swept me into a bear hug. He picked me up high, leaving my feet dangling inches above the floor.

  “Mr. Rugerman,” I gasped.

  “Call me Lou, Paige.”

  I squirmed. “Lou, please. Put me down. It’s undignified to lift your accountant off her feet.”

  “Dignified, shmignified,” he growled, but at least he put me back on the floor. “A girl as pretty and smart as you doesn’t have to worry about looking bad.” His gaze skimmed me from my royal blue blouse, down past my white and blue floral skirt, to my bright yellow sandals. “You make my old heart feel twenty-five again. I will never understand why my son never went after you.”

  “Sure you do,” I replied with a saucy wink. “Because I’m not his type.”

  He shook his shaggy head. “Pathetic. If I were twenty years younger…” He sighed. “Oh, well. At least my son’s loss is Sam Dillon’s gain, huh?”

  I was checking out the basket of fat, golden muffins when he spoke, but that last comment snapped my head up to him fast. “I’m sorry. What?”

  “You and Sam. Evan told me he saw you two together at the fireworks show the other night.”

  “Oh, no.” I waved my hand. “We’re just friends.”

  Lou’s grin resembled the sharks he hunted in the Atlantic. “Yeah, that’s what Evan told me the first time he brought Dominic home for dinner.”

  “No, really,” I insisted. “There’s nothing romantic between Sam and me. You know how he likes to kid people. He just took it too far the other night.”

  “You don’t have to hide your feelings for my sake, muff
in. I’ve suspected Sam had a crush on you ever since I heard what happened before your senior prom years ago.” He wagged a sausage finger in my face. “That boy never took a swipe at anyone until that moron, Glen Bergen, shot off his foul mouth about you and your mother.”

  “Me and…?” His foul mouth? I blinked. Twice. If Lou wanted my full attention, that comment gave him the ammunition. What did he mean?

  Sure, Glen Bergen was supposed to be my prom date all those years ago. But a week before the big night, he called to cancel, saying something about having to go out of town to visit his grandparents. I’d always suspected he’d asked me to be his date on a dare or a bet or something equally as shaming, so my bruised pride hadn’t bothered to verify Glen’s story. In fact, I’d never told Nia—or my dad for that matter—but I was kinda relieved when he backed out. Still…Lou made it sound like Sam had somehow influenced Glen’s decision.

  I set my hands on my hips. “What exactly did Sam have to do with Glen and me?”

  Beneath his bushy black beard, Lou’s color rose pink in his weathered cheeks. “Nothing. What are you getting this morning?” He turned to the bulky bald man behind the counter. “Her order’s on me today, Mike.”

  “Oh, thanks, Lou,” I said, “but—”

  “No buts. Place your order, muffin crumb.”

  I had been considering one of the giant orange cranberry muffins displayed in the wicker basket near the cash register, but Muffin Crumb was not about to order a muffin. It sounded almost cannibalistic. “Just a coffee, please,” I told Mike. “Light and sweet.”

  “You gotta eat, Paige,” Lou said, parental concern sharpening his tone. “Get a bagel, too. Mike, give her one of those French toast bagels with some hand-whipped cream cheese.”

  French toast bagel? My steely will power softened at the very idea. I knew there was a reason I missed living here. Good luck finding a decent bagel anywhere in Albany, much less a bagel flavored like French toast.

  Minutes later, Mike handed over my coffee and the bag that held my bagel, a bag that distinctly smelled of maple syrup. My stomach growled in anticipation.

  “Here you go,” Mike said. “Have a good day.”

  “Thanks.” I turned to Lou. “Thanks for breakfast.”

  “Someone’s gotta look out for you. And if Sam isn’t doing the job properly, you tell him I will.”

  I surrendered. Why argue? Soon enough, Sam and Nia would realize they were meant for each other—with a little help from moi. Then even Lou would have to admit the truth and lop off my part in the so-called love triangle.

  Two more days. The village clambake was just two days away now. This time, I wouldn’t let my sister squirm away. Nothing would keep me from pushing her into the arms of the man who loved her. Not even me.

  ~~~~

  Nia

  Paige blew me off for coffee on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Not that I could blame her, but I really wanted to talk to her. That comment she’d made Monday night about setting me up haunted me. Had she meant setting me up with a guy? Why?

  Had she found out about Aidan? I couldn’t see how. The only people who’d come close to catching us together were the Bergens, and even if they’d seen me with him, the last person they’d gossip to was Paige. So why set me up? Unless she thought I needed someone in my life. Someone besides her. Why? Did she worry I couldn’t handle life on my own? Why would it matter?

  Unless she wanted to go back to Albany…

  The thought had hovered in my head for weeks. When I heard her talk about Sam being at her barbecue, about how she’d had to put up with him because she wanted to prove something to me, a bomb went off that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe I was wrong about my sister. Maybe she really didn’t belong here. Somehow I had to find a way to talk to her about possibly returning to Albany, where she had room to grow, to be someone.

  In Snug Harbor, she’d stagnate. Like me.

  In addition to my concerns about Paige, my feelings for Aidan kept me twisted. I still hadn’t backed out of tomorrow’s vineyard trip. Oh, I’d tried. I’d picked up the phone at least ten times and dialed the first two digits of his phone number. Then my throat would close up, my palms would dampen with sweat, and I’d disconnect. To be honest, I really didn’t want to cancel the date. I behaved like an addict, constantly craving my drug in secret while masking my need on a regular basis.

  I needed to talk to someone, someone who’d understand and not judge—which, of course, left out my sister. Paige would berate me big time for getting taken in by Aidan’s looks and charm. Honestly, though, he had a lot more to recommend him. I wasn’t that shallow, and neither was he.

  No, Aidan Coffield was handsome and charming, but he was also generous, compassionate, encouraging, and all the things I’d hoped to find in my soul mate one day. And I was crazy about him—which should be a good thing, right? But it wasn’t a good thing at all. Because Aidan had that fancy last name, that pedigree that would make any kind of future between us impossible. God, how I wanted to curl up into a ball and hide until my heart healed itself.

  I needed a friend, someone who could talk me through my feelings without making me feel like an idiot. With Paige a no-go, only one other person came to mind.

  I decided to call Francesca and ask her to meet me at her convenience. With her emergency room schedule, there was a possibility I’d wind up meeting her at two in the morning, but desperation drove me to consider any time if she could help put my mind at ease.

  I dialed her cell, expecting to connect to her voicemail, but I was pleasantly surprised when I actually got her on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Francesca? It’s Nia. Hi.”

  “Hey. What’s up?”

  Although Paige sometimes found her brusque, I understood her “all business” mien was a byproduct of the inordinate stress in her job. Today, I appreciated that attitude. I didn’t want to be coddled. I needed cool logic. Emergency room doctor kind of cool logic.

  “Can you and I get together at all today? I need to talk to you. Name the time and place. Whatever works for you.”

  “God, Nia, I’m sorry, but I’m swamped. I’m going on vacation tomorrow and I’ve got a thousand things to do before I leave. I haven’t even packed yet. Is it crucial?”

  My love life? Crucial? Hardly.

  “No.” I swallowed my sigh of disappointment. “I’m sorry to bother you. I should have remembered you were leaving tomorrow.”

  For her first vacation since she’d planned her aborted honeymoon, Francesca had decided on a wild and indulgent tour of Costa Rica. The first half of her week would include hiking the rainforest, horseback riding in the jungle, and climbing a volcano. Days four through eight would pamper her with spa treatments, soaks in natural springs, and a beachfront villa. A best of both worlds scenario. Then again, that pretty much described Francesca, who never did anything halfway.

  “Have a great time, safe flight, and all that. We’ll talk when you get back.” I hung up and stared at the phone in consternation.

  Now what? Maybe I should try talking to Paige. Maybe she wouldn’t be so harsh if she understood how I truly felt about Aidan.

  I should call her. Or better yet, show up at her office. Take her by surprise.

  Yes. Much better. If she balked, I could tell her my visit was my “something different” for today. In fact, since she’d picked up lunch for me the other day, today was my turn. I made another quick call, this time to The Hearth, a homey luncheonette on the strip. I ordered two buffalo chicken wraps with extra bleu cheese dressing, and of course, diet soda for irony.

  Purse and keys in hand, I called to Iggy. “I’m out to lunch for an hour or so. Think you can hold down the fort ‘til I get back?”

  He stepped into the doorway from the storeroom and indicated the lack of shoppers with one broad arm sweep. “I’ll try to keep the crowds from rioting. Meanwhile, Lassie, you get help.”

  “Arf, arf,” I retorted.

  He mim
ed tossing a ball toward the exit, and I took the hint to get out.

  Chapter 19

  Paige

  I was on the phone when a shadow crossed my desk. Someone had entered my office.

  “Yes, of course,” I told the caller, Georgia Chambliss, a widow in Florida. “The rate of return is a lot higher, but so are the risks.”

  Anytime an investor wanted to move large sums from safe annuities to the personal bank account of a starving artist, my antennae went into overdrive. I rolled my eyes, and I caught sight of Nia, who stood near my desk, a large brown bag in hand.

  “Lunch time,” she mouthed.

  On the other end of the phone, Mrs. Chambliss continued squawking about her money. “You can’t stop me from diversifying, Paige.”

  I flashed Nia two fingers, the amount of minutes I hoped I’d need to get the widow Chambliss calm and conservative again. “No, but your late husband set up the trust to protect your financial security.”

  “Felix set up the trust with Donald Wainwright, not you. What makes you think you know what my late husband wanted for me?”

  Oh, I don’t know. Maybe…my degree and CPA license?

  “You never even met him,” she insisted.

  I didn’t have to meet him. I hadn’t met Georgia Chambliss either, but I had a pretty good idea what kind of woman she was. “I didn’t meet your late husband personally, but he left us very detailed instructions for the dispensation of his estate.” Daddy had even scrawled in pencil in the margin, crazy clown car clause, which told me plenty as well. I didn’t need a cryptographer to figure out what he meant. At the circus, the clowns always piled into or out of one teeny car. It was an image my father always used when referring to a client whose problems snowballed due to poor judgment.

  One phone conversation, and I knew what both Felix Chambliss and Daddy had feared. Given enough matches, Felix’s widow would blaze through all the money, particularly on bad investments. Investments like this modern artist she wanted to sponsor, who just happened to be thirty years her junior and her latest escort around Palm Beach. The woman was self-indulgent, self-important, and self-absorbed. Too bad she wasn’t self-reliant. A little online digging gave me a clear idea about this lothario’s true nature. Clearly, Mrs. Chambliss didn’t do her homework. But at least I could prevent her from destroying her financial future over a few honeyed words from a handsome, young conman.