The Nantucket Inn

by Pamela M. Kelley

  “How did the opening go?” Lisa asked.

  Gina answered before Rhett could say a word. “It was fantastic. I knew it would be. Rhett has the magic touch…when it comes to restaurants. He always did.”

  “Thanks, Gina.” Rhett turned to Lisa. “It went about as well as could be expected. There are always issues the first night, and we had a minor hiccup where the fry station power didn’t want to work, so it looked like we weren’t going to be able to do any fried food. But Henry James of James electric got us up and running before it got busy.”

  “That’s a relief.” Lisa knew that fried seafood would be a popular and expected item on the menu. It was something people always wanted on Nantucket.

  “So, if you have a craving for a fried fisherman’s platter tonight, we can hook you up.” Rhett winked, and she laughed.

  “It’s been a long time since I ordered one of those. What do you recommend?” She looked at Gina and Michelle. “What did you both have?”

  “I had the shrimp and scallop scampi. It was good and lemony.”

  “I had a stuffed lobster. I knew it would be good because the one at his New York restaurant is to die for. It’s a seafood stuffing, scallops, shrimp, crab and Ritz crackers.”

  Lisa smiled. “The secret ingredient.” Many of the restaurants on the Cape and Islands used the buttery cracker crumbs in their stuffing.

  “We do a lazy lobster casserole, that’s nice if you don’t want to do any work. The swordfish is my favorite though. It’s an inch and a half thick, lightly dusted with crumbs and broiled in butter.”

  “It all sounds good to me. Are you staying through the weekend?” she asked Michelle, who looked up from spreading peanut butter on her bagel.

  “No, I’m heading back today, actually. I’m meeting friends in Boston for the weekend, then taking the train back to New York on Sunday.”

  “Jillian and I are going to try to come in again tonight. We’ll sit at the bar.” She smiled sweetly at Lisa who had to fight the urge to kick her under the table. “The bar is sleek, black and gray granite with black leather stools. In a big semi-circle. Gives it a cozy feel.”

  “I stole that idea from Keeper’s. Adjusted the design after we had dinner at the bar. Mine’s about four times the size though.”

  He looked at Gina. “If you want to sit at the bar, I’d advise you to come early. I won’t be able to hold the seats there, and I have no idea what to expect tonight. I’m hoping we will be very busy. We have an encouraging amount of reservations already.”

  “I’m not worried about it,” Gina said blithely. Lisa was annoyed that the woman was going again, two nights in a row. She didn’t stay long at breakfast though. She only had coffee and as soon as Michelle was done with her bagel, she wanted to leave and dragged Gina with her.

  “She’s making me go shopping,” Gina complained.

  Rhett laughed. “You poor thing. Have fun.” He waited until they were gone and then said, “I have plans for us tomorrow afternoon, if you can sneak away for a few hours.”

  Lisa was intrigued. “I’m free. What are we doing?”

  “We’re going to be in a parade.”

  Chapter 17

  The restaurant already looked busy when Lisa, Sue, Kate and Kristen arrived Friday night around six. The outside of the building looked very Nantucket with its new blue-gray wood shingles, white trim and flower boxes that were spilling over with wildflowers. Lisa smiled at the sight of Rhett’s Jaguar parked on the grass out front, with a sign that said to come to the parade on Saturday.

  Rhett was by the hostess stand when they walked in and was looking over the reservations book. The restaurant was already three-quarters full and there wasn’t a single empty seat at the bar. To Lisa’s dismay, Gina and her friend Jillian were already firmly ensconced in their seats. Rhett smiled when he saw them.

  “Jamie, my guests of honor are here. I’ll show them to the Captain’s table.” He grabbed a stack of leather-bound menus. “I’m so glad you could all make it. Right this way.”

  “Captain’s table, how fancy.” Sue whispered as they followed Rhett to the table. It was a big, round table that could comfortably seat up to six people and it had a good view of the open kitchen.

  Rhett handed them all menus. “Sandy will be right over to tell you the specials and get your drinks order. I’ll be back to visit in a bit.”

  They all settled into their seats and a moment later, a cheerful young waitress with long red hair tied up in a ponytail, a face full of freckles and big blue eyes, came to the table and told them the specials and took their drink order. They all chose different wines except for Kristen who ordered a vodka and soda with a splash of cranberry juice.

  When Sandy delivered their drinks, they put their orders in. Sue got the baked stuffed lobster, and Lisa and the girls all went with one of the specials, grilled swordfish. Lisa remembered that Rhett had said it was one of his favorites.

  A basket of freshly baked rolls arrived a moment later with butter that was whipped with something sweet, maybe honey. It was delicious, and Lisa reached for a second roll as Sandy returned to the table holding a platter of Oysters Rockefeller. She set the steaming appetizer it the middle of the table.

  “Compliments of the chef, and Rhett,” she said. “Your salads will be along in a few minutes.”

  “Wasn’t that nice of him?” Sue looked impressed as she reached for an oyster. Lisa agree and did the same. It was a thoughtful gesture and appreciated by all of them.

  The oysters were cooked perfectly, tender and sweet and topped with a mix of spinach, breadcrumbs, and a creamy cheesy sauce laced with Pernod which gave it a faintly licorice flavor. Lisa had mentioned during one of their evenings out that it was one of her favorite appetizers. She was touched that he remembered. Kate was already on her second one, and even Kristen, her picky eater, seemed to like them.

  “I didn’t think I’d like oysters Rockefeller, but these are really good,” she said happily.

  “Are you excited for your show tomorrow night? Your mother and I are planning to stop in,” Sue said.

  “Oh, good. Thank you. I’m excited but also a bit terrified. Because of the weekend it’s probably going be busy and crowded and maybe a little intimidating.” Lisa knew that Kristen sometimes felt overwhelmed around big groups of people. She was such an introvert, and Lisa knew that after an event like that, they probably wouldn’t see or hear from her for a few days. It was almost like being around so many people drained her and she had to go off and re-charge. Lisa reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

  “You’ll do great. Just remember, they’re coming to see you, your work.”

  “But what if no one buys anything? I’ll feel terrible for Andrew.”

  Lisa smiled. Kristen really didn’t understand how talented she was.

  “Andrew wouldn’t have chosen you for such a busy weekend if he didn’t think it would go well. He knows what he’s doing.”

  “I suppose. I’m just a little worried about the prices. They’re much higher than usual for me. And the one piece he’s auctioning off has a minimum bid that is a little shocking.”

  Lisa was intrigued. “Really? That’s exciting. I can’t wait to see it. It must be really special.”

  Kristen relaxed a little. “You always know what to say. I do think it’s my best work that piece. It kind of poured out of me. I wish they were all like that.”

  “Kate, are you coming with us? We were thinking of heading over around seven,” Lisa said.

  “I’ll see you there. Jack mentioned that he wanted to go, so we’re going together. He’s a big fan of Kristen. He bought one of your smaller paintings a few years ago.”

  “Really? How nice.” She looked happy to hear it. Lisa thought it was interesting news that Jack and Kate were going together.

  “How did the quiche turn out?” she asked. Kate had told her how Jack had stopped by with a big bag of lobster. Maybe he was just being neighborly, but Lisa wondered if the
re could be some mutual interest there. Kate and Jack didn’t socialize much in high school, and Kate moved off-island right after college, but they were about the same age. And Jack came from a good family.

  “It turned out great. Your recipe is perfect. I couldn’t screw it up. Jack loved it. I sent him home with most of the leftovers.”

  “Good, I’m glad. How’s his father doing?” Lisa knew about the heart attack and hoped he was doing better.

  “Jack said he’s good. He’s been home for a few weeks now and is grouchy because no one will let him do anything. He can’t go back to work for another month or so and even then, he’ll be limited to office work, nothing physical.”

  A bus boy cleared away their empty salad plates and a few minutes later, Sandy brought out their entrees. Rhett stopped by to check on them, and they all assured him that everything was delicious. Sue’s baked stuffed lobster looked decadent, and Lisa’s swordfish was cooked perfectly, nice and juicy with steamed asparagus and fluffy whipped potatoes on the side.

  “I was hoping to have more time to chat with you ladies, but we’re busier than I anticipated. Which is a very good thing. I’ll stop back by in a bit.”

  Lisa watched him go and realized that she was seeing a different side of him. Rhett was a natural extrovert. He was charming and had a way of making everyone feel as though his attention was solely focused on them. She saw him stopping at table after table, chatting and laughing, yet always keeping one eye on the whole room so he didn’t miss a thing.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gina wave him over to the bar where she and Jillian were sipping martini’s. Jillian had a sleek platinum blonde bob and was laughing at something the older man next to her was saying. Gina smiled wide as Rhett approached and put her hand on his arm and leaned in to whisper something to him. He laughed and chatted with her for a few moments.

  “Earth to Mom…” Lisa snapped her attention back to the table and to Kate who was asking her something.

  “I’m sorry I missed that, what did you say?”

  “I asked about the parade tomorrow. Did you say that you and Rhett are going to it?”

  “We’re actually in it. Rhett’s driving his car. We leave at noon and drive out to Siasconset and then we’ll tailgate.”

  “Oh, how fancy. What are you making?” Kristen asked.

  “Rhett said he’s taking care of all the food. I thought I’d bring a bottle of champagne.”

  “That seems appropriate. Get the Veuve,” Kate suggested. “You know how over the top some of those tailgates can be.”

  Lisa chuckled. “Yes, first time I went, we were shocked to see that one group had their own butler pouring drinks.”

  “What will you wear?” Kristen asked.

  “I’m not entirely sure. Rhett said something that looks 1920ish. I have that dress I wore a few years ago that kind of looks like a flapper dress but with long sleeves. Maybe that with a double-long strand of pearls and a cute hat. I think I have one somewhere that could work.”

  “I have a hat you can borrow, that would be perfect,” Sue offered.

  “Good, thanks. I’ll swing over in the morning to get it. One less thing to worry about.”

  When they finished eating, they all ordered coffee but passed on dessert. Rhett came back to the table as Lisa took her first sip of steaming coffee. He set a plate with a slice of rich looking chocolate cake in the center of the table, along with four forks.

  “I know you think you’re too full for dessert. But you have to try this, at least have a few bites. There’s a woman on the island that makes these for us, and they’re out of this world. That’s homemade chocolate cream filling in there and fresh whipped cream on top.”

  They all groaned, but eagerly reached for a fork to take a taste. By the time Sandy returned with the leather check holder, there wasn’t a crumb left on the plate. Lisa reached for the check and was shocked to see that the folder was empty, except for a handwritten note from Rhett. “Dinner’s on me. Thanks for coming in.”

  “He shouldn’t have done that. I expected to pay,” Lisa muttered. She’d been planning to pick up the check. It hadn’t crossed her mind that Rhett wouldn’t give her one.

  “That was really nice of him,” Kristen said.

  “It was. I think we might like him,” Kate said with a smile.

  “Impressive,” Sue agreed.

  Lisa left a generous cash tip for Sandy, and they gathered up their bags and to-go boxes with leftovers and made their way toward the door. Lisa wanted to stop and thank Rhett, but he was deep in conversation with an older couple. She managed to catch his eye and mouthed ‘thank you.’ He winked and waved and then laughed at something the little old lady he was talking with said.

  Lisa noticed that Gina and Jillian were still holding court at the bar, surrounded now by older men who were laughing and hanging on their every word. As they walked out, she saw Gina wave Rhett over, and he went and joined the conversation, laughing and smiling with the others.

  Sue’s hat was the perfect final touch. Lisa surveyed her outfit the next day and felt like she’d stepped into the Great Gatsby era. Her long dress was a rich plum shade with a boat neck and it was slimming. She wore long white dinner gloves, strappy heels, long strands of pearls and the charcoal black hat. It was a warm day for April, so she’d be fine without a jacket. The sun was shining, and she’d picked up a bottle of the champagne that Kate had suggested.

  Rhett knocked at her door at a quarter to twelve and she caught her breath when she opened the door. He was wearing a top hat and tails, and his shoes were so polished that they glistened.

  “You look incredible. Shall we?” He held out his hand, and she took it and followed him outside to where the Jaguar was waiting. The top was down and there was no breeze but still, Lisa had pinned her hat into place so it wouldn’t blow away.

  She climbed in and fifteen minutes later, they were at the gathering spot and got in line with the other cars. There was a long line of gorgeous old cars, all lovingly maintained. Slowly, they made their way along the parade route and to the final destination in Siasconset or ‘Sconset as most people called it. When they reached the last stretch, Lisa marveled at all the people who had shown up to tailgate and make an event of it. They parked in their appointed spot and Rhett got the hamper out of the trunk. He handed Lisa a huge red blanket that she spread on the grass.

  He opened the hamper and took out an impressive spread, an array of tasty snacks, cheeses, crusty baguettes, pate, olives, cold cooked shrimp, potato salad, sliced rare roast beef, horseradish sauce and some grapes. Lisa opened the champagne and poured a glass for each of them.

  “Just one glass for me. I have to head into work later,” Rhett said.

  They ate their fill and sipped champagne as they people watched. Once they were done eating, they packed up the food, then took their glasses of champagne and went for a walk, checking out the various tail-gates. Lisa had been to Daffodil weekend tailgates before, but it had been years since she’d been, and they’d definitely gotten more extravagant over the years.

  Some people had fancy grills set up, elaborate sushi spreads, and even a butler or two. People’s outfits ranged from Great Gatsbyish to Nantucket preppy with bright colors like pink, green, blue, Nantucket red, and pants and dresses covered with whales.

  “I wish I could join you at the art show tonight. Please give Kristen my best wishes,” Rhett said as they strolled along.

  “I will. She’s nervous. She doesn’t do many events like this, but I think it could be really good for her. She’s already building a following and having a show this weekend is incredibly good timing. She got lucky when she ran into Andrew Everly. Literally.” She told Rhett the story of Kristen’s fender bender that resulted in a new friend and art show.

  “Timing is everything. That’s really something.”

  “That was nice of your daughter to drive your car here. Sounds like she and Gina had a good time at the restaurant last night to
o.”

  “They did. She’s a good kid. It was nice to see her. Gina has been pretty well-behaved too. As soon as she realized I was serious about not giving in to a fling with her. I think Gina may even approve of you.”

  “What?” Lisa stopped short and looked at Rhett in surprise. “She really said that?”

  “She did. She’s noticed how close you are to your kids and said that must mean you’re a decent person. I assured her that you are.”

  “Hmm.” Lisa was pretty much speechless.

  “I think she also picked up on the fact that I talk about you constantly, and I don’t have any plans to leave the island anytime soon.”

  “I did wonder about that. How long you might plan to stay. You do have other restaurants to attend to?”

  “I have good management in place. They almost run themselves, and we have weekly online Skype meetings. It seems to work well enough. I’m not in any hurry to leave. I could see myself possibly staying here. I’ll reevaluate after the season ends. We’re off to a good start now, hopefully it will continue.”

  It was only April. The season didn’t typically end on Nantucket until after labor day, and for many restaurants, October’s Columbus day weekend was the final hurrah. And Lisa had seen other restaurants open with a splash and then fizzle out and close after just one season. She didn’t think that was likely with Rhett’s place as it was clear he knew what he was doing, but the location was a little out of the way, so you never knew. She hoped he’d stick around, but she knew that she couldn’t count on it. She’d just have to enjoy the time that they did have and take it one day at a time.

  They settled back on their blanket, snacked on some grapes and basked in the warmth of the sun while they continued to people watch. Finally, around two-thirty, Rhett stretched and reluctantly suggested that they should head back.

  “I wish I could stay longer, but I need to get into the restaurant early. Tonight being a Saturday, it’s possible that we’re even busier than we were last night. I think we’re ready for it.”