“Hmm, that’s a possibility. A good one, I’d say. We’ll probably never know for sure though.”
“No, probably not,” Lisa agreed. They changed the subject and for the next twenty minutes or so exchanged the latest gossip on all the people they knew. When the doorbell rang, Paige jumped up to get the door and their food. It was still light out and when Paige opened the door, Lisa saw a police car in the driveway next door. When Paige brought their food over, she commented on it too.
“Violet has a visitor. First time I’ve seen a police car there. And we all know Brad Livingston is young, even for her, so it’s not a social visit. Wonder what they want with her?” She handed each of them paper plates and they helped themselves.
“Is she still driving you crazy?” Lisa asked as she picked up a spring roll.
“No, not really. She’s actually not too bad. We’ve chatted a few times now and she was nice enough to bring Bailey back when he snuck out one afternoon. She even gave me a key to her house.”
“She did?”
“She is going away for a long weekend and is having cheesecakes delivered and she asked me to bring them in and put them in the refrigerator.”
“What does she do for work?” Lisa realized she knew very little about Violet.
“I’m not really sure. She was kind of vague about it,” Paige said.
“There are rumors,” Sue said before taking another bite of her taco.
“I’ve heard them too, but I’m not sure I believe them,” Lisa said.
“I haven’t heard anything. I’m so out of the loop when I go to Florida. Give me the scoop.”
“Well, I don’t know that any of it is even remotely true,” Sue said. “But there has been some whispering that Violet runs a high level escort business.”
“On Nantucket? She’s a madam? Has people working for her?” Paige was surprised. It didn’t fit what she’d seen of her.
“No, nothing that organized. Just that she has certain arrangements with wealthy men that like to visit Nantucket.” Sue added a splash more wine to all of their glasses. “I only just recently heard that. Supposedly it’s why she moved to a new neighborhood. Because people were asking questions.”
“Hmm, well that would fit her hours and the late night visits,” Paige said.
“If it’s true. It’s probably just gossip.” Lisa lifted her glass and paused before taking a sip. “It does make you wonder though, why the police want to talk to her.”
9
“Ed Green called. He said to tell you he put a check in the mail today for his deposit and wanted to confirm that you’ll be starting on his project two weeks from today. And Mrs. Harvey wants you to install an awning. I told her you’d give her a call tomorrow morning.”
“That’s it? No other messages?” Chase asked. A look flashed across Beth’s face, a fleeting hint of pity that made him cringe. Her face was an open book and he could tell that she felt bad for him and knew he was hoping for a message from Lauren. He hadn’t heard from Lauren for several days now, since he told her he wasn’t going to do the condo project with David Wentworth.
“No, that’s it. How was your day?” Beth’s smiling face usually cheered him up but not today. But it wasn’t her fault he was in a bad mood. He took a deep breath.
“It was good, busy. I’m going to go finish up a few things.” He walked toward his office, then turned back to face Beth. “It’s been a busy week, why don’t you pop smoke, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Beth yawned. “I’d love to if you’re sure?” It had been a busy week. Chase had a dozen or so guys that worked for him and had several projects going at any given time and this week, he’d hired two more men and added another project to the mix. He knew that she’d been on the phone more than usual fielding questions and handling as much as possible so Chase wouldn’t have to be bothered.
“I’m sure. Go ahead and head out.”
“Thanks, Chase. You should do the same, don’t work too late.”
“I won’t be long.” Chase went into his office and shut the door behind him. He’d suggested that Beth ‘pop smoke’ the expression his father used to quit early because she was a hard worker and deserved it but also because he felt like being alone in the office.
He finished his paperwork and picked up his phone to call in a pizza order when it buzzed and the caller ID showed Lauren’s number. It brought a relieved smile to his face.
“Hey stranger!”
“Chase, I’m soooo sorry. I meant to call you back sooner. It’s just been so crazy around here.”
“I thought you might be mad that I didn’t agree to do the Wentworth deal?”
There was a moment of silence and then Lauren laughed a little. “Don’t be silly. I do think it would have been a great opportunity for you, but it’s your choice.”
Chase relaxed a bit. “Good, I’m glad to hear that. What are you up to tonight? Do you want to share a pizza? I was just about to order one.”
“Oh that sounds good, but I can’t tonight. I told Tracy I’d do something with her. We might go see a movie and maybe grab a bite to eat. But I did want to see if you want to come with me to a wine tasting dinner at the Wauwinet Friday night? There’s a group of us going, my brother and a few of his friends and Tracy might join us with her new boyfriend. It should be a lot of fun.”
“Sure. I love wine tasting.” He’d actually never been to one, but he liked wine well enough, and since Lauren was inviting him, he was happy to go.
“How fancy is the dress?” Wauwinet was one of the nicest and most expensive hotels on the island.
“Wear the suit you wore to the country club event, it’ll be perfect. See, you’re already getting your money’s worth from it.”
Chase laughed. He didn’t expect to wear the suit again so soon, but Lauren was right. It was a good investment and it fit him well. He was just happy for the chance to see her again. He knew he was falling too hard, too fast and should be more cautious, but he couldn’t help the way he felt.
“I look forward to it. See you on Friday.”
Beth left the office and made her way downtown to Main Street and Murry’s, the closest thing Nantucket had to a department store. She was in the mood to window shop and wasn’t in a hurry to go home to the empty cottage she shared with her best friend, Jill. Jill was an ER nurse at the Nantucket hospital and worked long shifts. Beth figured she’d take her time, maybe buy a new pair of shoes and get some takeout on the way home. She didn’t expect to run into anyone and laughed when she literally bumped into Abby as she came around a corner holding a stack of baby clothes.
“Hey! What are you doing here? I was actually going to call you and see if you felt like getting together soon,” Abby said.
“Chase told me to head out early soon after he came in. I think he just wanted to be alone. Last I heard, he was still waiting to hear from Lauren.”
Abby frowned. “She has some kind of weird power over him. I don’t trust her. I never have. But he won’t listen.”
“He hasn’t talked to her since he told David Wentworth he wouldn’t do the condo project.”
“Hmmm, well maybe that’s a blessing in disguise if she ends things before he gets in too deep. I think it would be easier now rather than later when he’s even more emotionally involved. How shallow of her though, if that’s why she’s not calling him.”
“I know. I agree. He looked so sad earlier.” It made Beth dislike Lauren even more. If she didn’t want to date Chase, she should just tell him and let him be miserable and move on.
“Do you want to grab a coffee now? I was just on my way to the register,” Abby asked.
“Sure. I wasn’t after anything in particular. I’d rather visit with you.”
Once Abby paid, they walked the short distance to India Street and The Bean, which was their favorite place for coffee and sandwiches. They both ordered a cappuccino and brought them to a small wooden table with a view of people walking by outside.
&nbs
p; “How are you feeling?” Beth asked. She and Abby had been best friends since elementary school and she was thrilled that she was finally pregnant. They’d had a hard time and ironically it wasn’t until after a failed UVF round when they decided to wait before trying again, that she suddenly found herself expecting.
“Pretty good. I’ve only gained about twelve pounds so far. I thought it would have been more because I feel like I’m hungry all the time and I’ve never eaten so much ice cream before.”
“You’re not showing at all yet,” Beth said. Abby didn’t look even remotely pregnant.
“I’m hiding it well. The doctor said I should really pop out in another month or so.”
“How are things going with Jeff?” Beth knew her friend had struggled a bit in her relationship before she finally got pregnant.
Abby smiled and leaned back in her chair. “Things honestly have never been better. Jeff is really excited about the baby and he has cut his hours back at work. Now instead of falling asleep on the couch by seven, he hangs out with me and has ice cream.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It’s a relief. I really was half-expecting him to fall back into his old habits, working late every night and crashing early right after dinner. We’ve actually had a few date nights lately.”
“I’m so happy for you. Jeff’s a good guy. I’m glad you were able to work things out.”
“Me too. But enough about me, what about you? Have you had any dates lately? Did you try that dating app I told you about?”
Beth shook her head. “Not yet. I downloaded it to my phone though.”
Abby laughed. “Well that’s a step in the right direction. You really should try it out though. I know a few people who have found great guys from it.”
“On Nantucket?” Beth was a little skeptical. She felt like she knew all the eligible men on the island and there was only one that interested her, and he was taken at the moment and off-limits, anyway.
“Yes, on Nantucket!”
“Maybe I’ll take a closer look. No promises though.”
“I just want you to find someone great. It won’t happen unless you take action.”
Beth laughed. “That’s easy for you to say, you’re happily married.”
“Well, yes, I am now. But, I wouldn’t be if I hadn’t taken the initiative and asked Jeff out.”
“You did? Why don’t I remember that?”
“Maybe because it was so long ago, but yeah I was crushing on him hard. It was my sophomore year and we had the same chemistry class. I was sitting next to him, so the teacher paired us up for a project and when I finally got my nerve up, I asked if he wanted to come over to my house to study together. We’ve been inseparable ever since.”
“I wish it was that easy now.” Beth knew she really should make more of an effort. It had been several years since she’d dated anyone seriously. It was easier to just put off doing anything about it. But time went by quickly and the sitting back and doing nothing strategy, hoping that the person she was interested in would eventually notice her, wasn’t working out so well.
Abby smiled. “It can be that easy. You can practically order up any kind of guy you want through the Internet or one of those apps. I think it sounds fun and it puts you in control. I would totally do it if I was single.”
Beth knew that she would too. Abby was fearless in many ways. Beth had always been the more reserved one. “Maybe I will give it a try. Can’t hurt right?”
10
His name was Ben and they were meeting Friday night after work at Millie’s Restaurant. He seemed nice enough, but then the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy had been downright charming and handsome too. When Beth called Abby to tell her about the date, Abby was thrilled but also advised caution.
“Meet him there, don’t tell him your last name and text me as soon as you get home.”
Beth was happy to agree. She was equally excited and dreading the date at the same time. She and Ben had messaged on the app for about an hour the night before, and he suggested meeting the following night. So, the plan was to meet at Millie’s and see how it went. She wouldn’t have time to go home and change before meeting him, so she had to pick out something she could wear all day. She finally settled on her favorite dark jeans and a soft navy top that brought out the highlights in her reddish blonde hair.
She didn’t usually wear much if any makeup during the day, since she was mostly by herself, but today she applied mascara, a bit of eyeliner, a dusting of rosy blush and a swipe of peachy pink lipstick. She wondered if Chase would notice. He almost never commented on her appearance other than the other night when she’d taken her hair out of the ponytail. He’d looked so puzzled trying to figure out what was different about her. It had almost made her laugh.
Beth arrived at the office a few minutes before nine. Chase sometimes came by in the morning before heading out to his worksite, but he’d stopped by the day before to get the plans for the new project, so she didn’t expect that he’d be in until end of day.
As predicted, there was no sign of Chase until a few minutes past four. He was preoccupied as he walked in, busy talking on the phone. He waved at Beth as he walked into his office and shut his door behind him.
Beth stood to leave for the day at a few minutes past five, just as Chase walked out of his office. He stopped short when he saw her. She’d put on a fresh coat of lipstick and fluffed her hair.
“You look great.” He grinned. “Do you have a hot date tonight?”
She knew he was teasing and decided to have a little fun back.
“I do actually. It’s a first date, so wish me luck!” She smiled big and almost laughed at the surprised expression on Chase’s face. She supposed she couldn’t blame him though. In the nearly three years that she’d worked for him, Beth had never mentioned dating at all.
“Oh, good luck. Who’s the lucky guy? Wonder if I know him.”
“Ben Andrews. You probably don’t know him. He’s new to Nantucket.”
“Name doesn’t sound familiar. How did you meet him? How old is he?”
Beth laughed a little at the rapid-fire questions. “Through a dating app your sister showed me. She’s been pushing me to get out there more.”
Chase frowned. “Abby’s never been out there. How does she know it’s safe?”
Beth appreciated his concern. “I had the same worry, but Abby insisted that everyone does it now and as long as you’re careful it’s fine, and a good way to meet people.”
“Where are you meeting him?”
“Millie’s and I’m taking my own car.”
Chase nodded. “Good. That’s smart. I have to run too. I have to go home and put on my monkey suit again. Lauren invited me to some wine dinner at the Wauwinet tonight.” He made a face and Beth laughed. That was definitely out of his element. And no wonder Chase was in a good mood again, now that Lauren was back.
“You’ll have fun, I bet. That place is gorgeous. It reminds me of the Great Gatsby with the sweeping lawns, and elegance. Almost feels like another era.”
“It’s not really my speed, but at least the food and the company should be good,” Chase said with a grin. “See you on Monday.”
Beth pulled into the parking lot of Millie’s and sat in her car for five minutes before going in. Her nerves had kicked into high gear and she seriously considered texting Ben and telling him something had come up and she couldn’t make it. But then they’d probably reschedule and she’d be going through the same back and forth again. She figured it was best to get it over with. But she didn’t want to arrive before he did. At a few minutes before six, she watched as a clean-cut guy about her age walked into Millie’s alone. It might be him. She was too far away to tell for sure and the picture on the app was a little blurry.
He’d said he was about 5’ 10”, but the only single guy she saw at the bar that also had brown hair and a blue jacket was 5’ 7” or maybe 5’ 8” at best. But it had to be him. She plastered a smile on h
er face and took a step in his direction. As soon as he noticed her, he waved and smiled in return. He might not be as tall as he’d said, but he had a nice smile and plenty of hair. He was thirty-one, the same as her.
“Beth?” He asked when she reached him.
“Ben?” He nodded and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you. I saved you a seat.” He pulled the tall chair back so she could slide in and sit. So, he was polite. That was a point in his favor. Once they were both seated, the bartender came over and they both ordered house margaritas, on the rocks with salt.
“So what brought you to Nantucket?” Beth asked once the bartender returned with their drinks. She took a sip and enjoyed the sweet and salty taste. First dates always reminded her of job interviews. You wanted to be yourself, but put your best foot forward at the same time. It was hard to relax. As it turned out though, Ben was pretty easy to talk to, which was a relief.
“I have a biology background and work with the Mass Audubon society as their Wildlife Sanctuary Director. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. What do you do?”
“Wow. Nothing as exciting as that. I’m an office manager for a construction company. My best friend’s brother is the owner.”
“You enjoy the work?” Ben asked as he reached for his drink.
“I do actually. I like talking to all of Chase’s clients and helping him to grow his business.”
They spent the next hour getting to know each other. Beth learned that Ben’s favorite color was green and that he could eat just about anything except for hard-boiled eggs. The conversation was going well enough that they each ordered another drink and decided to take a look at the menu. Beth wasn’t hungry enough to order a full meal and when Ben suggested they share a plate of loaded nachos, it sounded perfect.
Their conversation was light and Beth definitely felt like Ben was someone she could be friends with. But could she envision anything more than that? When their hands accidentally brushed as they both reached for the same tortilla chip, there was no spark, nothing at all. But he was really nice. So, when the bill came and he insisted on paying and asked if she’d like to go out again sometime, she said yes. Maybe an attraction would grow?
Nantucket Neighbors Page 8
