The Hotel

by Pamela Kelley

  She enjoyed Bella’s company. She was more down to earth than Andrea would have imagined for a movie star, and it was fun seeing Nantucket through her eyes. Bella had a sense of wonder about everything and Andrea could tell she loved Nantucket. It deepened Andrea’s appreciation for the island she’d grown up on. It was a beautiful place and when she thought about it, the idea of moving off-island was too sad to really deal with. But eventually she would have to. Just like Bella, who would have to end her extended vacation and head back to L.A. She also worried a bit about her cousin Nick. She could see that he was growing closer to Bella and was likely dreading when she’d have to leave as well.

  Andrea decided to head to the driving range and hit a basket of balls, so she wouldn’t be as rusty when she saw Ben the next day. She wasn’t due to her parents’ house for Sunday dinner until five. It was only three and she felt too restless to sit around, even though there were plenty of things she could do, like laundry or cleaning.

  She went and practiced her golf swing for about an hour. The first half hour was frustrating as it felt like she was starting over and her balls were going all over the place. But after a while, it got better. Her balls went higher, longer and straighter. By the time she left, she felt as though she might not totally embarrass herself the next day, and she’d gotten a little bit of a workout and burned off some nervous energy.

  She made it home and to her parents’ house with minutes to spare. And she’d worked up an appetite as well.

  “What are we having? Something smells great,” Andrea said as she walked in the house.

  Her mother looked up from the stove where she was stirring a big pot of red sauce.

  “Just meatballs and sauce. Oh, and your sister made garlic bread.”

  “Yum. I brought a bottle of merlot. Shall I open it?”

  “Yes. I’ll take a glass and your sister and Aunt Vivian probably will, too, but check with them.”

  Andrea could hear her aunt laughing in the living room. She poked her head in the other room and saw Hallie and her aunt deep in conversation.

  “So, your Uncle Freddy said he’s ready to come home now. I asked him where he planned to stay, and he got mad. He flies in tomorrow, evidently. I told him there might be room at The Whitley.”

  “You’re terrible,” Hallie said. “You wouldn’t really make him stay in a hotel, would you?”

  Her aunt chuckled. “No, probably not. It is fun torturing him a little, though. He has some apologizing to do when he gets home.”

  “Do you two want some merlot? I’m about to open a bottle.”

  They both said yes at the same time, so Andrea went and poured wine for all of them.

  “Do you need help with anything?” Her mother was chopping cucumbers for a salad.

  “No, go ahead in the other room and relax. We’re still waiting for your father to get home. Everything else is done.”

  Andrea handed glasses of wine to her sister and aunt and settled on a comfy chair opposite from the sofa where they were sitting.

  “So, what’s new with you?” Aunt Vivian asked.

  “Not too much. I was just out at the driving range, hitting some balls.”

  “You’ve taken up golf?” Her aunt was surprised.

  “Well, I needed to practice because I have a golf date tomorrow. I met a cute guy, Ben, at a cookout, and he gave me a golf lesson and tomorrow we’re playing a round at his country club.”

  Hallie frowned. “Is that the same Ben that Lucy’s been dating?”

  Now it was Andrea’s turn to be confused. “I thought he was dating Paula?”

  “Not as far as I know. Lucy met him at the cookout, too, and they’ve gone out a few times. Paula told me that she gave him Lucy’s number when they were chatting, and he expressed interest.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize that. Are they still dating?” Andrea didn’t want to screw things up for Lucy if she was interested in Ben. She’d never had an issue with Lucy.

  “I haven’t heard otherwise.” Hallie looked at her sister carefully. “You didn’t seem concerned when you thought he was dating Paula. Is it different now that you know it’s Lucy?”

  Andrea sighed. “Yes. Lucy didn’t steal my job.” Both her sister and aunt looked at her with disapproval.

  “That’s not how I heard it went,” her aunt finally said.

  “Well. You haven’t been around until recently. I still think Paula manipulated Grandfather into making this switch.”

  “You couldn’t be more wrong,” Hallie said. “Paula was even more shocked than you were. She never asked for this. Never wanted it.”

  “That didn’t stop her from taking it, though, did it?” For the first time, though, Andrea felt a little niggling of doubt. Was she being too hard on her cousin?

  “Okay, your father’s home, come fix your plates,” her mother called from the kitchen.

  Chapter 25

  Andrea had a blast playing golf with Ben the next day. It was just the two of them, so they weren’t slowing down the foursome behind them and Ben was able to give her lots of pointers as they played.

  “I can see why people get addicted to this game,” she said after an unusually good shot.

  Ben grinned. “It is fun. It can be frustrating at times, though. It’s so much a mental game and sometimes you’re in the zone and other times, not so much.”

  He made her laugh as they played. She liked his sense of humor and carefree attitude. When they finished, he suggested getting a bite to eat at the club. Because it was a Monday night, it wasn’t as busy as usual, so the outside area wasn’t crowded at all. They sat at the bar and ordered a round of drinks and a few appetizers to share. Neither one of them felt like a big meal.

  Several times people stopped by to say hello and Andrea was impressed that he seemed to know so many people.

  “You’re like the mayor here,” she teased him.

  He grinned. “It’s really because of my parents. They were one of the first members and a lot of the people I know here, I know through them and from being in Manhattan. There’s a lot of us that go back and forth. Lots of families like mine where the husband is in the city during the week and flies to Nantucket on the weekends.”

  “Does your mother work?”

  “No. My dad always worked long hours in the investment world, and she stayed home with us. She keeps busy, though, with lots of different groups and charity stuff.”

  Andrea thought back to his sister’s wedding the prior year at The Whitley. It had been one the biggest she’d seen in her years of working there. It was amazing to her what some people spent on weddings. Ben came from a very wealthy family. Andrea wasn’t normally impressed by that, but it was intriguing as he was also so normal and down-to-earth.

  She liked that he split his time between Manhattan and Nantucket. If she did end up going to the Alexandria Hotel, it would be nice to know someone in the city. And like he said, his father regularly flew to the island on his days off. She could do the same. Especially in the summer months. For the first time, the idea of taking that job wasn’t completely depressing.

  “So, I have a secret. But you can’t tell anyone,” she began.

  His eyes lit up. “I like a good secret.”

  “I’m a final candidate for a job at a hotel in Manhattan, The Alexandria. Do you know it?”

  “Sure. They have a great restaurant/bar there. We go for drinks sometimes before seeing a show on Broadway. Are you seriously thinking about moving there?”

  She nodded. “I haven’t made any decisions yet and I still need to see if they even make an offer, but it’s something I’m considering.”

  “You don’t like Nantucket?”

  “I love it here. But The Whitley is a family business and if I’m going to keep growing my career, I need to broaden my experience. Working at a Manhattan property could be very good for my resume.”

  “I suppose so. If you do decide to make the move, when I’m back in the city, I’d be happy to show yo
u some of my favorite spots and introduce you to some people.”

  “I’d love that. I don’t know a soul there.”

  He grinned. “Well, you know me. And like you said, I know a lot of people. It could be fun.”

  “It could be. I go back in two weeks for my final interview. It’s between me and one other person. No one else knows, though.”

  “Good luck. I won’t tell anyone. In the meantime, any interest in going to dinner at The Gaslight this weekend? They always have good live music, too.”

  “I love The Gaslight.” She was quiet for a moment, still feeling a little guilty about Lucy. “I have to ask. Are you still dating my cousin, Lucy? I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, if you are.”

  “I appreciate that. No. Lucy’s awesome. We went out a few times, but on our last date it was clear to both of us that the romantic connection isn’t there. We don’t really have much in common. She’s a great girl, though.”

  Andrea smiled. “I would agree with that. You’re not her usual type. And yes, I’d love to go to The Gaslight with you this weekend.”

  Chapter 26

  David went to his parents’ house for dinner Sunday night. They ordered his mother’s favorite pizza as she wasn’t cooking much these days and she’d never allowed her father in the kitchen, so his skills were minimal. But he had their favorite pizza place on speed dial. After they ate, David’s mother wanted to watch TV and he and his father went out to the front porch to sit for a bit. They each had a can of beer and sat in the two rockers that faced the street. In the far distance, there was a sliver of an ocean view.

  It was nice to just sit outside and enjoy the cooler night air. His mother was having a good day, but she grew tired after she ate, and her eyes were probably already heavy as she watched TV. She didn’t have the energy to make conversation, so she’d suggested they go off and talk.

  His father took a sip of beer and they were both quiet for a bit. Finally, his father spoke. “It’s been good having you home. I know you have to head back soon, though. When does your assignment end?”

  “It’s been great being back. They actually just extended me a few more weeks. Alvin Whitley asked if I could stay on through the Taste of the Town event. So, I’ll be here until mid-July.”

  His father nodded. “And then back to New York City?”

  “Briefly, and then I’m on to a new engagement in Kansas City.”

  “Kansas City. Do you still enjoy all this traveling?”

  Did he? “Most of the time I don’t mind it so much. I wouldn’t mind doing less. Sometimes there are assignments where I can do a lot of the work remotely and then I’m able to work out of the New York office.”

  His father smiled sadly. “Too bad they don’t have a Nantucket office.”

  David laughed. “That would be awesome. It might be a hard sell for my boss, though.”

  “Oh, well. Too bad.”

  David was glad his time was extended as he wasn’t ready to leave Nantucket yet. It had been a long time since he’d spent more than a few days there and now that he had, he knew it was going to be hard to leave. He thought about what his father said and wished there was a way he could spend more time there.

  Monday night a little after six, David walked into The Club Car restaurant and saw that Missy was already seated at the bar chatting with two older men sitting next to her. They seemed to be hanging on her every word. She was still beautiful with her long blonde hair, and those big blue eyes. Missy used to be into yoga, and it looked like she kept that up over the years. She was wearing a pink and blue sleeveless dress that showed off tanned and toned arms. She glanced toward the door and smiled when she saw David. When they’d exchanged emails about the Taste of the Town event, Missy had reminded him that they needed to have a drink to catch up and she suggested meeting at The Club Car, a popular spot for after work cocktails.

  He made his way over to the bar and slid into the seat next to her. She leaned in to give him a hug hello.

  “Don’t you look handsome in your sharp suit.” Missy smiled and batted her eyelashes, and for a moment David felt like he was back in high school. When they’d first met, she’d turned those blue eyes on him, and he’d been a goner. They’d dated for all of senior year and then a week before he left for college, she dumped him for a local boy. Missy never had any desire to go to college. She married that year and had two kids right away.

  It had stung when she dumped him, but he knew a long-distance relationship would have been hard to keep up while he was at school. He saw her a few times over the years when he was home for summers. But once he moved off-island, he didn’t run in to her again until just recently, when he was with Paula.

  “You look very nice, too,” he said. “What are you drinking?”

  “I’ll have a Cosmopolitan.”

  David ordered her drink and a draft beer for himself.

  When the bartender set their drinks down, Missy lifted her glass and tapped it against his. “Cheers! To new beginnings.” She smiled and held his gaze for a moment before taking a sip.

  She was flirting with him. That was unexpected. He’d agreed to the drink because he thought it might be fun to catch up with an old friend. But he had no intention of rekindling things with Missy. He wondered if she thought he was staying on the island.

  “I’m sorry about your divorce,” he said.

  “It happens. As my mother likes to say, ‘everything happens for a reason’.” Missy had married into one of the most prominent, wealthy families on the island. They developed and owned real estate and her ex, Bill Cooper, had inherited the business from his father.

  David had never cared for Bill in high school. He was in their year, too, and thought he was better than everyone else. He’d rubbed it in David’s face when he ran into him that he and Missy were engaged. At that point, David really didn’t care, but Bill was eager to pour salt in the perceived wound. Just because he could.

  “How are your kids?”

  “Tommy goes off to college next year and Samantha is a year behind him. They’re great kids. I’m lucky.”

  “Off to college, how did that happen?”

  She laughed. “I know, right? The years went by so fast. I was only eighteen when I had Tommy. Another lifetime ago.”

  He nodded. It was hard for him to imagine having children that age. He hadn’t even thought about marriage, let alone kids, yet. Though at thirty-six, he knew he probably should think about it at some point.

  “He cheated with his secretary,” Missy said bitterly. “Such a cliché, right?”

  David wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just nodded again.

  “And it’s true what they say. If they do it once, they’ll do it again. They married six months ago, and I’ve already heard some rumors that he’s up to his old tricks again.”

  “That’s too bad. Maybe you dodged a bullet, then. Better to find out sooner rather than later.”

  “That’s true. And it’s not like I’ve had any shortage of dates. There are quite a few eligible men on this island.” She glanced at the man next to her who looked to be in his mid-fifties. He wasn’t a bad looking guy for his age and if his Rolex was an indicator, he was well off, too.

  “I’m surprised you’re not off the market already,” David said.

  She looked pleased to hear it. “I could be, but I’m being really picky this time. I want to make sure I choose well.”

  “That’s smart.”

  “Enough about me. Tell me everything about you. What you’ve been up to and how long you’re here for. Are you moving back?”

  He shook his head. “I wish. But it’s just not possible with my job.”

  She leaned forward and looked fascinated. “And what is your job?”

  He told her about it and explained what he was doing at The Whitley.

  “So, you’re there to train Paula. You’re not dating her?”

  “No, I’m not dating Paula.”

  “That’s a relief.
She’s not good enough for you. She’s always been so mousy. I’m surprised they made her general manager.”

  That irritated him. “You don’t know Paula. I’m not surprised at all. She’s doing a great job. She’s smart and a hard worker.” And she never would have talked about someone the way that Missy was. Paula was a kind person. She was easy to be around and he realized he was going to miss working with her.

  “That’s all well and good, but I’m just saying it makes sense that you’re not dating her. She’s not your type at all.”

  “Oh, and what is my type?”

  She smiled and lightly ran her hand along his arm.

  “Well, at one point, I was.”

  He pulled his arm away. “We’re not kids anymore.”

  “No, we’re adults.” She grinned. “It could be much more fun now!”

  He thought for a moment of how to nicely get it across that this wasn’t going to happen. “Missy, I’m only here for a few more weeks. I’ll be heading back to New York soon.”

  “Well, you have weekends off, right? Plenty of people fly back here on the weekends.”

  She was right. They did. But he’d never been one of those people. He tried a different tactic.

  “Honestly, I’m not really looking for a relationship right now. It’s too hard with all the traveling I do.”

  But she brushed that off, too. “Everyone wants a relationship. It just has to be the right one.” She smiled and tried again. “Why don’t you come with me to a charity thing at my country club? It’s a fundraiser for the library and there’s a silent auction with some great items up for bid. Philippe Gaston, the bestselling thriller writer, lives here on the island, and he’s donated tickets to a private screening of his new film and a dinner at his house catered by his private chef. It should be amazing.”

  “When is it?” Hopefully on a date he was unavailable.