It was her own fault. She shouldn’t have to ask a stranger about her aunt. She should have just taken a few days off from work and come out here to visit once she knew Elizabeth was sick.
But it hadn’t seemed that serious. And there always seemed to be some crisis in the office that she couldn’t abandon. And then her marriage had blown up, right in her face. Like a balloon that looked so pretty and harmless one minute, then shocked you with a big bang.
And she was still picking up the pieces of that mess.
Elizabeth had promised it wasn’t serious and she would be better by the time spring came. That’s what her aunt had told her. But Elizabeth must have known something. She just didn’t want to be a bother. Liza should have realized.
Liza suddenly felt she might cry. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and blew her nose.
“I think I’ll have some more tea. I must be coming down with something.” She stood up and carried her plate to the sink, then ran some water and filled the tea kettle. “Can I make some more for you, Claire?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.”
Liza set the kettle on the stove and sat down again at the table. She felt Claire gazing at her but didn’t dare look up to meet her eyes.
“It must be hard for you, coming back here after all this time,” Claire said quietly.
Liza nodded. “It is hard,” she admitted.
“I would like to help you, Liza. Any way I can. Just let me know whatever it is you’d like me to do. I promised your aunt Elizabeth that I would. So you must let me,” Claire added, as if there were some argument.
“Thank you . . . I appreciate that. I’m going to need your help sorting this place out,” Liza said honestly.
Claire smiled mildly and nodded at her, looking pleased that they had come to this agreement. “If you don’t mind me saying, you ought to get a good night’s sleep. Things might look a little bit better tomorrow.” She rose from the table, her movements economical and surprisingly graceful. “If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll head on home. I made up the room on the second floor for you. Third room down on the right.”
The third room down? Liza wasn’t sure if she remembered correctly after all this time, but she was pretty sure that had always been her favorite room in the whole inn.
She remembered it with sky blue walls and white curtains, and wondered if the decor had changed in all this time. It had a big bay window with an ocean view and a padded window seat.
It was not the room she used to stay in, though. It was always reserved for guests. Though she did sometimes sneak in, when it was vacated, and stretch out on the bed and pretend it was her room. Her aunt would laugh and never got mad at her.
Odd that Claire had picked that room out of so many, Liza thought. Maybe she thought Liza would enjoy the view. But all the rooms on that side of the building had good views.
“Do you know the room?” Claire’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Does it suit you?”
“Sounds fine.” Liza was almost tempted to ask Claire how she had made that choice.
Then the kettle whistled. Liza stood up and shut off the flame, then fixed herself more tea. Claire walked into the foyer and put on a thick parka and gloves, definitely dressing for protection from the elements, not fashion.
She briefly waved to Liza from the front door. “Good night, Liza. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Liza waved back and watched her step out the door. “Good night, Claire.”
The heavy door closed, and Liza felt a sudden stunning silence close in around her. She sipped her tea, conscious of the creaking sounds in the walls and of the wind rattling the windows.
Had she ever been totally alone here? She wasn’t sure about that. She certainly had never spent an entire night alone in the inn. It was a bit . . . unsettling. Especially since she’d been away from the place for so long. It was familiar, yet strange.
Liza finished her tea, then went out to her SUV and brought in the rest of her bags. She carried the essentials upstairs and soon found her room. Claire had turned on a small lamp that stood on a table near the bay window.
The room looked cozy and warm, still decorated in the same blue and white color scheme, though the paint, curtains, and quilt had definitely been updated since Liza’s childhood summers.
Liza put down her bags and gazed around. The room looked the same as the rest of the house—clean but worn out, in need of fresh paint and wallpaper, new rugs and furnishings. It would be a project to update this place, especially at the cost of things these days. Liza couldn’t imagine taking it on and wondered what daring soul would. But there were people out there dying to run a bed-and-breakfast, who were saving their money and taking courses on just how it should be done. People who would see this house as a great opportunity, not the broken-down burden Liza saw.
She sat on the bed, giving a quick test to the bounce, then immediately pulled out her BlackBerry to check messages. There were several voice mails and half a dozen new e-mails. The e-mails were all from the office.
She checked the phone messages first. Her brother’s voice came on the line. “Liza, it’s me, Peter. I’m sorry, but I can’t leave Tucson tomorrow. Something’s come up. I’m going to be stuck here a few more days. Sorry, but I’ll explain when we talk. Call me when you can.”
Liza sat back on the bed. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She needed Peter here to figure things out with her, but obviously, she would have to start without him.
The next message was from the real estate agent Liza had been speaking with, Fran Tulley at Bowman Realty. Her voice was cheerful, as usual. “Just checking in, Liza. I have you down for a meeting tomorrow at the inn at twelve. Call me if there’s any change. I have some possible clients lined up who want to see the place. But let’s talk first.”
Another more familiar phone number came up, and Liza almost deleted the message without listening. Then at the last second, she couldn’t resist.
“It’s me, Liza,” her ex-husband, Jeff, said. “I remembered that you were going out to the island tonight, and I hope you made it okay in the rain. I know it’s got to be a rough trip for you. I hope you’re not alone out there.”
And what if I am? Will you run out and protect me from the creaky boards and worn-out wallpaper? From all the sweet and sad memories?
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be around tonight. Well, all week actually. I don’t have any plans. Just call my cell.”
He didn’t have any plans? What did that mean? Just like Jeff to toss out a tantalizing tidbit and leave her guessing.
Liza sighed. She wished she didn’t care what Jeff was doing every night of the week or whom he was dating these days. But sometimes, she still did. He could be so sweet and thoughtful, and they had known each other so long. It was tempting to turn to him. Especially on a night like tonight.
But Liza forced herself not to cave in and call him back. She and Jeff were officially divorced. The last legal documents had been signed, sealed, and delivered. Funny how he was the one who had dragged it out when it was his infidelity that had broken up their marriage. An affair with one of his coworkers, a new hire in the law firm who had been assigned to his department and turned his head. How trite was that?
Liza wouldn’t have known a thing if she hadn’t come home unexpectedly early from a business trip—and found them together, about to enjoy a candlelit dinner that her husband had prepared.
He was quite a good cook; Liza had to hand him that. Good at cooking up excuses, too. But she had eyes in her head. She could see what was going on, though part of her still wanted to believe Jeff’s spin on the cozy scene—that the relationship didn’t mean anything to him and he still loved Liza.
The larger part of her felt hurt and betrayed. She had demanded a divorce, and Jeff had finally agreed, dragging his heels all the way. About two weeks ago, they had both received the final decree. But Jeff kept calling. She clicked off the phone before she let herself listen to his
message a second time. She could feel his charm and tender concern wearing her down, making her confused, even at this late date. Here she was, once again, wondering if she had done the right thing after all by ending their marriage.
Liza washed up and put on her nightgown. Then she put a few of her things away, hanging up clothes in the empty closet. She found her notebook computer and a stack of client files and climbed into bed, making a mini-office of the space.
She was tired but wound up. Work was always the perfect distraction from too much emotion. She needed to tie up some loose ends and answer a few e-mails, especially the messages she had noticed from her boss and clients, before she went to sleep.
Angel Island might feel like a world away from Boston, but Liza knew she would be returning soon enough. She had to keep her eye on the ball and keep things running smoothly in her real life, even at this distance.
Chapter Two
LIZA woke to the sound of her BlackBerry, buzzing like an electronic insect trapped in a jar.
Groggily, she reached around the covers and nearly rolled over on her laptop before locating the device. She picked it up and squinted at the message. An e-mail from her assistant, Sara, marked “Urgent.”
Was Sara in the office already? Liza checked the time.
Nine forty-five? She quickly sat up in bed. How had that happened? She barely slept past seven most mornings and rarely needed an alarm.
The room was pitch-black for one thing, the heavy shades and curtains blocking the light, except for a slim crack of sun that showed under the fringed edge. She had been in a deep sleep, tired from the drive in the rain, exhausted enough to sleep late, and already there was some emergency going on.
She quickly opened the e-mail, bracing herself. It was not good news. Liza’s boss, Eve, wanted the sketches of the new logo that was part of a pitch for a new account. For some reason, which was not explained, Eve needed the sketches by one o’clock that afternoon.
The account hadn’t signed on yet at the agency, and there was a call for all hands on deck to bring this one in. Liza was once again pitted against Charlie Reiger in a contest to see who had the best logo ideas.
Eve had originally said the sketches weren’t due until next week, but it seemed she had changed her mind. Now Liza had to scramble. At least she had brought the sketches with her, though they weren’t quite finished.
Knowing Charlie, he had probably given his ideas to the art department and already had four-color samples with complete, finished graphics ready to submit.
Liza jumped out of bed and pulled open the package of artwork she had brought along. She found the sketches easily, but her heart dropped when she looked them over. They were rougher than she remembered. She wondered if there was some sort of quickie graphics place or print shop she could find around here. Not on the island, of course, but back in Cape Light?
No, there wasn’t time. It was nearly ten o’clock. She would never find a place, get the work done, and get the material faxed in by one o’clock. It simply wasn’t possible.
She stared at the sketches again, then began to rummage through the art supplies she had packed. Quickly, Liza grabbed a pencil and some markers and added a few polishing touches. Hardly perfect, but better, she thought. They would have to do. She had to send them in and hope Eve would use a bit of imagination when she reviewed them. Well . . . more than a bit.
Liza hurriedly got dressed, placed the sketches in a large envelope, and ran downstairs. She wished now she had brought her printer along. She could have scanned the sketches and e-mailed them to the office in about two minutes. It had been dumb to forget the printer of all things. Now she had to find someplace where she could make a copy and send a fax.
She checked the kitchen, but it seemed that Claire had not arrived yet. The housekeeper probably wouldn’t be able to help her anyway, Liza reasoned.
She grabbed her coat and purse and headed outside, having no real idea of where she was going. She got in her car and decided to try the General Store first. If they couldn’t help her, then she would head into town.
The ride to the small village center was brief but scenic. The ocean stretched out on the left side of the road, and there were rolling meadows on the right. The inn had few neighbors, though there were some large old houses built around the turn of the century nearby—some, but not all, in better condition than the inn, Liza noticed.
There was also some farmland. There had always been a farm here on the island, but it seemed the ownership had changed hands since her last visit. What was once a nondescript farm was now an herb farm where she saw a flock of goats grazing. “Gilroy Goat Farm,” a sign read. “Organic herbs, goat cheese, fudge, soaps & lavender.” There was a barn and several small outbuildings, one painted light purple, where she guessed the lavender was sold. Liza made a note to stop there when she had more time.
She drove on a bit farther, passing a few cottages and lots of open land, then finally came to the small commercial center of the island, the place where the two main roads met. There was an open area and space for cars to park around a small square with benches and a fountain. The fountain was not running at this time of year, but in the summer it was a nice place to sit, shaded by a large tree and edged with flowers.
Liza parked and ran inside. The store was wide and low, and she was immediately transported to the past by the very distinct scent of the place—a mix of wooden floorboards, fresh-brewed coffee, soap powders, produce, and who knew what else.
For a small space, the store held an amazing variety of stock, just about everything a person might need, from motor oil to mayonnaise, dog biscuits to diapers, tea bags to tent pegs.
She wondered if Walter and Marion Doyle still owned the place. Liza recalled seeing them at her aunt’s memorial service, but that didn’t mean they still lived out here and ran the store.
Liza glanced around and soon spotted Walter behind the deli counter, packing up an order for a big, burly man wearing high rubber fishing boots.
Marion was closer, stocking a shelf with boxes of throat lozenges. Liza walked over and caught her glance. “Hi. I’m looking for a fax machine. Do you have one here?”
“A fax machine?” Marion shook her head. “We don’t have one of those. We have express mail delivery, though. Your package might get delivered by tomorrow, depending on the zip code.”
Liza remembered now. The General Store on the island also served as the post office, with a section of PO boxes right past the deli counter. Marion Doyle had always been the postmistress, selling stamps and weighing packages. Now she had express mail to offer. But tomorrow was too late. An hour from now was too late.
“That’s all right. I need to have some sketches at an office in Boston by one o’clock . . .” Liza glanced at her watch. It was already a few minutes past eleven.
Marion straightened up and frowned a moment. “Let me see . . . I think there is one around here. I just can’t remember where . . .” She turned to her husband. “Walter? This lady is—”
“Doesn’t Daisy have one? I don’t think she uses it much,” he added. “It might not even be hooked up.”
“That’s right.” Marion nodded. “You can try her.”
“Daisy?” Liza knew she was grasping at straws now. “Does she live somewhere on the island?”
Marion laughed. “Daisy Winkler runs the tea shop across the square. Just knock on the door. She’s usually in there, even if the place isn’t officially open . . . Hey, aren’t you Liza Martin, Elizabeth Dunne’s niece?”
“Yes, I am. I didn’t think you’d recognize me after all this time, so I didn’t introduce myself,” Liza explained, feeling a bit embarrassed at the lapse. She had easily recognized Marion and Walter, who had not changed very much since her childhood. Her explanation was partly true, but Liza had also wanted to avoid getting bogged down in small talk. Now she couldn’t avoid it.
“It’s good to see you, dear. I heard you were coming back for a visit,” Marion confide
d. “Claire North mentioned it when she was in here shopping yesterday.”
For the chowder ingredients, Liza realized. That figured.
“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Marion admitted. “You’ve changed so much since I saw you last.”
Liza wasn’t sure when that was. Or what to say. Was that a compliment or a comment on how little she’d been around to visit her aunt?
“It’s been a while,” Liza replied vaguely. “This place looks the same though, exactly the way I remember it.”
Marion smiled widely. “Seems to work for us. If it ain’t broke—”
“Don’t break it,” her husband finished with a laugh. Something about that was wrong, but Liza wasn’t about to take the time to figure it out. “How long are you staying?” he asked.
“Are you going to open the inn this summer?” Marion added, before Liza could answer the first question.
They both looked at her expectantly. Liza was put on the spot. All she wanted was a fax machine. How had she gotten into this conversation?
“Actually, my brother and I are putting the place up for sale.”
“Really?” Marion seemed shocked.
Walter wiped down the counter with a paper towel. “There’ll be a lot of that going on pretty soon. Can’t say I’m surprised.”
With all the improvements on the north side of the island going on, he meant. But Liza didn’t want to start in on that topic either. She had lost enough time and had to get back to the hunt.
“Well, guess I’ll try Daisy. Thanks for your help,” Liza said.
“I don’t know that we helped you very much.” Marion sounded genuinely concerned. It was very kind, considering that they were practically strangers.
“Good luck.” Walter’s expression made her heart sink.
Liza sighed out loud. Her head was pounding, maybe because she hadn’t eaten a bite or even had a sip of coffee. Caffeine deprivation could be ugly. “May I have a pack of those pain tablets, please?” she asked, pointing to the brand she wanted.
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