Duet in September (The Calendar Girls)

by Gina Ardito

  “Sez you,” I retorted and stuck out my tongue.

  “There’s the proof right there,” he said, pointing a finger at my face.

  “Oh, please, Dr. Freud. Who died and made you my analyst?”

  “I have a degree in psychology, Paige. It helps to understand people in my line of work.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s hope that psych degree works better at solving crime than it does on me. You couldn’t be more wrong about my grown up tendencies.”

  “Ya think?”

  “I know, pal. Think about this. I mean, you may be onto something with Nia. Look at what she does for a living. She runs a gift shop. In her spare time, she makes little glass knick-knacks. I’m the one with the CPA license. I’ve got a very grown up job, thankyouverymuch. I handle other people’s money.” Guilt washed over me, hot and itchy, at the way I belittled my sister’s career choice, but I wanted to prove my point.

  “Tell me something, Paige. What was Nia’s favorite subject in third grade?”

  “Art,” I replied without hesitation. “That was always her favorite subject.”

  “And you won the Mathalympics that year, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but…” I let my argument trail off. Honestly, I couldn’t deny his theory. He’d pegged us both. I considered my options. I still had to do my something different today, and suddenly, I knew what it was. I leaned toward him, a plea creasing my face. “Will you help me tell Nia about Mom?”

  His hand on mine squeezed my fingers, reassured me. “If you need me, I’m here for you. Whenever you need me.” He rose then, releasing my hand. “I should go. Are you going to the clambake tonight?”

  Warm and fuzzy from this interlude and his promise, I murmured dreamily, “Most definitely.”

  “Good. I’ll see you there.” He leaned forward across my desk, brushed his lips against mine, soft and sweet.

  Long after he strolled out of my office, I stared at the empty chair, my mouth tingling and my imagination creating fantasies of Sam and me.

  Wait. Sam and Nia. I was just the future sister-in-law. That realization jolted me back to earth, exploding my dream bubble with the sharp stab of reality.

  Chapter 22

  Nia

  The day passed in a blur of laughter and hard work. Most women probably would have preferred a short walking tour, maybe a sample tasting of different wines, and then a lunch of lobster thermidor or chilled shrimp salad at some open-air restaurant. Very classy and dignified: two things we’ve already established I’m not. Nor did I expect that kind of afternoon.

  Instead, I dug in the dirt, checked out the root stock, picked scads of grapes, and learned how to use the destemmer and crusher. I even climbed into the driver’s seat of the monstrous harvester, a tractor-style machine that rode over the rows of grapes and picked the vines clean without a casualty. I didn’t actually use the machine, but Aidan did turn it on so I could get the full effect. Between the noise of the engine and the violent vibrations of the blades beneath me, I felt like I was riding a dragon. Back in the storage area, I designed and printed a personalized label, the way a couple might for wedding favors. Not that I made a wedding label. I chose to stencil my first name in a pink curlicue script. I resisted the urge to add Aidan’s name and a big, goofy heart. Not easy, trust me. Instead, I opted for my birthdate, month and day only. Through it all, I offered my honest opinions and made some recommendations to enhance the guests’ enjoyment at next month’s grand opening.

  Time flew by. I couldn’t remember when I’d had so much fun—definitely not since childhood.

  Afterwards, for lunch, Aidan grilled two marinated salmon steaks and roasted vegetables on a barbecue. We sat on the back terrace, an outdoor courtyard, which was only accessible from the house’s interior. Vineyard visitors would never see the slate patio with colorful beds of impatiens, begonias, and early mums. This, he told me, was his private domain, a place for him to relax after a long day of toiling in the sun. I was flattered he’d share his utopia with me. The moment I stepped outside, the artistry of the site called to me. Sunlight dappled the area through the canopy of leafy trees. A miniature waterfall babbled over a rock formation.

  Halfway through the meal, I glanced at the solar clock on the marble wall. After two o’clock already! I’d soon have to say goodbye and head home. My good mood dissipated. I didn’t want to go. The more time I spent with Aidan, the more time I wanted to spend with him.

  “Did you enjoy yourself today?” His question jolted me out of my doldrums.

  Joy returned. “Are you kidding? I had a blast. I can’t thank you enough.”

  He smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I’m glad to hear you say that because I’d like to see you for dinner later, maybe review some of your ideas then. Are you free?”

  “Tonight?” I’d promised Paige I’d attend that dopey clambake tonight. “Oh, gee, umm…I can’t. I have plans with my sister.”

  “Again with your sister?” On a dramatic sigh, he ducked his head. “Okay. This time, I guess I should back down. I’ve rearranged your plans with her three times already this week. I just hope she appreciates my sacrifice. Where are you two going anyway?”

  I answered before I thought of the consequences. “The village clambake. It’s totally stupid, I know, but—”

  “You’re going to that?” He sat up, his face aglow in the late afternoon sun. “Perfect. I can meet you there. This’ll be great. You can introduce me to your twin.”

  Introduce him? As what?

  Panic gripped my brain and cut off all routes to logic. Introduce him? To not only Paige, but the entire town? So they could all whisper behind my back, compare me to my mother, renew the gossip that had weakened my family? The biggest problem with being Ogden Coffield’s son is that nothing in my private life is very private.

  Including, I’d imagine, intimate details about his girlfriend. What if someone dug into my personal life now because I was seen with Aidan? What if they discovered the truth about my father? I could hear the jeers now. Mocking laughter rang in my ears. Good God, what was I doing? I no more belonged in this paradise than a mosquito. Did I have to face public ridicule before I’d accept the truth? A cold sweat broke out on my nape and down my back.

  I looked at the clock again as if noticing the hour for the first time. I didn’t have to fake a horrified expression. My panic had reached a fever pitch. “Ohmigod, I hadn’t realized how late it is. I have to go.” I shot to my feet. “Could you grab my purse from your office? I really have to fly. I’m so sorry. Everything was wonderful. Really.”

  Confusion etched lines in his brow, but he rose gracefully. “Of course. Come on.”

  I followed him back into the house, the gorgeous house where the walls now seemed to pen me in. Ninety minutes ago, I’d gawked at the clean lines of the beamed ceiling and marveled at the dream kitchen. Now all I wanted was to flee. Fast. My heart pounded against my rib cage, echoing thunder in my ears.

  He led me into the office outside the storage room. Keys in hand, he unlocked the lowest drawer of the metal desk and pulled out my white leather satchel purse. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” I didn’t kiss him, barely waved as I pulled my bag against my chest and took off at a run.

  When I neared the rental car, I fumbled inside my purse for the key ring lying in the bottom. After yanking the keys out of the dark interior, I pushed the unlock button on the fob. The resounding click reassured me, and I dove into the safety of the driver’s seat and slammed the door. My breath came out ragged, uneven, and my hands shook violently, but I managed to start the engine. As I gripped the steering wheel, I reached for my talisman, only to touch bare skin. Aidan hadn’t returned my charm bracelet from the bottom of the desk drawer. No help for it. I’d have to write off the loss. I couldn’t go back. Not now. I slid the gear into drive. My tires probably spat gravel when I hit the gas. I didn’t care. All I knew was I had to get out of there.

  I reached my street in record t
ime. Thank God, no cop had clocked my speed. The roof of my house drew closer as I turned into the driveway. I yearned for the comfort of home, and I planned to fall apart the minute I locked the front door behind me. Already, tears filled my eyes, waiting to spill. Once I parked, I unclipped my seatbelt and stumbled out of the car. House key at the ready, I clambered up the stairs, my gaze focused on the doorknob that, with one simple twist, would bring me peace. There, I could come unglued, shatter into pieces, and then reassemble myself. Tomorrow, I’d find a way to go back to my normal life—the life I’d known before the day Aidan Coffield had strolled into my store and taken up residence in my heart.

  On the top step, I stopped short. A woman sat in the rocking chair on my porch. She rose slowly, her arms outstretched toward me. Her blond hair was cut in a different style than I remembered, but the face had changed very little. She’d haunted my dreams for decades. I blinked, but she still stood there, a memory come back to life.

  No. It couldn’t be.

  “Hello, Nia,” my mother said. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  The world spun, and I jerked my head past the railing in time to vomit my lunch all over my rock garden.

  ~~~~

  Paige

  I still hadn’t heard from Nia when the time came to attend the town clambake. I dialed both her house and her cell and connected to voicemail yet again.

  I even called the store, but Iggy insisted he hadn’t seen her since yesterday. “She was pretty upset when she came back from lunch,” he told me. “But she wouldn’t tell me what happened.”

  Yeah, well, no need for me to fill him in on that sorry episode. “Did she mention if she had plans today?” I asked.

  “No, but that’s not unusual. I mean, this is Nia we’re talking about. Her days off are usually spent in that studio of hers. Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll show up here and there’ll be half a dozen new glass pieces on the sale shelf.”

  “Yeah, probably. Thanks, Iggy.” I hung up.

  Where on earth could she be? Even if she’d locked herself in her studio, she would have answered one of the two phones. Okay. Enough. I’d have to drive over and drag her out of the house by her hair.

  I climbed into my Jeep, prepared for the ride to the south side of town.

  Honestly, what did Sam see in my sister? Lately, she’d been acting so weird: forgetting meetings we’d set up, blowing me off, and that whole episode in my office yesterday. None of which made my matchmaking task easy, let me tell you.

  After all the trouble I’d gone to in bringing her and Sam together, Nia had better have me as maid of honor at their wedding. And godmother of their first kid.

  Yeah, I know. I’d spun one-eighty on my opinion of Sam Dillon. I admit, I’d allowed my teenage angst to color my adult opinion. He definitely wasn’t the same jerk I’d known in high school. I can’t say with any certainty that I owed my change of heart to Dara’s thirty-day challenge, but I couldn’t deny that if not for some things I’d done differently over the last week or so, I wouldn’t have spent time with Sam and drawn this new conclusion. I mean, I honestly liked the guy now. I could see a future with him at Christmases and birthdays, quiet dinners on cold, winter nights.

  If you need me, I’m here for you…

  He really was a prince.

  Nia sure was a lucky girl. I gripped the steering wheel tight enough to whiten my knuckles as an unfamiliar feeling crept into my psyche. Once again, I realized I envied my sister. How could I have never seen the wonderful man who lurked beneath the surface?

  Finders keepers. Nia had seen the real Sam, and I wasn’t about to stand in the way of true love because I’d finally woken up.

  Thanks to the road block for tonight’s clambake, I had to detour off Surf Lane. Guess who stood at the corner, directing traffic? Sam, of course. I slowed to a stop beside him and rolled down my window.

  “Can’t talk, sweetheart,” he said. “Park on the grass, and I’ll catch up with you later.”

  I wanted to tell him I was on my way to Nia’s, but my mouth came out with something entirely different. “Thanks, Sam. I’ll keep a cold beer waiting for you.”

  “Make it a cold water. I’ll be off duty in a half hour, but still in uniform. Now, go.”

  As if to punctuate his order, the car behind me blared its horn. On a screech, I hit the gas, lurching my Jeep forward and onto the grass. Decision made. My sister was on her own.

  When did I become Nia’s babysitter anyway? She was a big girl. If she wanted to show up, she knew how to get here. A car pulled up beside me, blocking me into my spot. No changing my mind now—even if I wanted to.

  Maybe she wouldn’t come. Okay with me. In fact, I kinda hoped she’d stay home. I didn’t plan to discuss Mom’s arrival in the midst of a crowd. And after all my frantic messages today, she’d demand answers. If she didn’t show up tonight, I could meet her at the store before she opened for the day tomorrow, talk to her then. I’d even bring coffee. Yes, that would be so much better. I still didn’t know what I’d say, and I really hoped I could get Sam to stop by to help me find the right words, but somehow, I’d muddle through, with or without him.

  I climbed out of my car, joined the cluster of people heading toward the path that led down to the shore. The night was clear with a soft breeze and starlit plum skies.

  On the beach, a large white tent hung over three rows of wooden picnic tables. Running in an L shape around the perimeter, a line-up of banquet tables draped in white cloths held Sterno racks with covered foil trays nestled inside. Angelo Rosado, the local deejay, had set up his booth against the dunes, his multi-colored van parked on the sand for the power to keep the music pumping. While people arrived, he played soft, instrumental jazz, perfect to allow greetings and conversation.

  Another table, draped in red, held flyers and business cards for all the various area businesses. As I dropped a pile of my own promotional paperwork there, I perused some of the other services for possible new clients. I found a brochure for a local aerial advertiser, the cover photo showing a small plane flying over a crowded beach with a banner trailing behind it that read Picture Your Ad Here! Hmm…that might be an interesting way to drum up some business. I took one and stuffed it into my purse.

  “Paige!”

  I turned when I heard someone call my name, then stifled a groan. Terri strolled toward me, a large red plastic cup in her hand. Oh, boy. I was so not in the mood to deal with a drunken scene tonight.

  My expression must have given away my disappointment, because she offered a self-deprecating smile and hoisted the cup higher. “No worries. It’s diet soda.” She leaned close to whisper. “I’m checking into rehab tomorrow.”

  “You are? Really?” At her enthusiastic nod, I threw my arm around her shoulders and hugged her tighter than a vise. “Oh, God, Terri, I’m so proud of you!”

  She hugged me back, albeit with less fervor, thanks to the soft drink in her hand. “Yeah, well, this has been a long time coming. You and I both know that. Dr. Florentino hooked me up with a place in the Adirondacks, a mountain retreat sort of thing. She says they have the best results of any place in the area. I’m terrified, but excited at the same time.”

  “Can I do anything for you? Water your plants or something?”

  “No. Everything’s good. Is Nia here? I wanted to tell her, too.”

  I scanned the throngs of people milling in small groups around the tents. “I don’t think so.” A flush of guilt crept up my throat, but I quickly gulped it down. “Not yet. She’s supposed to meet me here, but I didn’t see her car when I parked. I’ve been calling her cell, but…” I shrugged and let Terri draw her own conclusion.

  “Oh.” Frowning, she sipped her drink, swallowed. “Well, if I don’t get a chance to tell her, would you let her know I’m sorry and that I’ll talk to her again in ten weeks? Totally sober for the first time since I was fourteen.” She crossed her fingers. “I hope.”

  “Will do,” I told her and hugged her once
more. “We’re all pulling for you, Terri. Go get well, and we’ll have a great big party when you come back. We’ll celebrate with chocolate and cheesecake and mani-pedis.”

  “Perfect!” Her laughter tickled my ear. “Thanks, Paige.”

  We broke apart and Terri strolled away, flagging down another person. This time, she’d stopped Gary, the scary bartender from The Lookout. I guessed she felt she had to make amends to some of us before she left Snug Harbor. I shuddered, thinking of how that overgrown ogre might react to Terri’s approach. Not that I was much in the line of muscle, but I hovered nearby in case she needed back-up. She must have offered him the prettiest apology ever. Wonder of wonders, he not only hugged her, but then he kissed her cheek!

  Imagine. Terri sober, Gary sweet, and Nia irresponsible. I stared up at the moon, expecting to see it change from white to blue, or a flock of pigs flying by. Nope. Totally normal night. Maybe something in the sea air brought out new personality facets in people I’d known for decades. Now, if Sam came up to me and told me he’d secretly loved me for years, the night would be perfect. Totally backwards, but perfect, nonetheless.

  Was it wrong to wish Sam had fallen for me instead of my sister? No need to answer that. I still had a fully functioning conscience. I also had the hots for Sam. In a big way. The weight of my guilt turned my legs to buckets of wet cement, and I sank down onto the bench of the nearest picnic table. With my elbow propped, I rested my overtaxed head in my hand.

  I must have sat that way for a while, my eyes staring out at the crowd, seeing no one, registering nothing. I came aware when I spotted Evan Rugerman talking to some tall, good-looking guy and pointing in my direction. At me?

  No. Maybe someone near me. I looked around and when I turned back, Mr. Tall, Dark and Dreamy was heading toward me. Who was this guy? I kept my gaze pinned on him, waiting for the moment he’d veer off-course and approach someone else. As he drew nearer, the only thing that changed was his smile, which grew wider and warmer.