Summer by the Tides

by Denise Hunter

  The subject soon changed to books, and Maddy listened a few minutes longer until Jonathan mentioned he was getting hungry. At the squeak of the mattress, Maddy turned and padded quickly down the stairs, not wanting to get caught spying.

  “What on earth took you so long?” Emma asked as soon as Maddy had sunk into the bucket seat beside her.

  Maddy reached for her seat belt and stretched it across her body, clicking it into place. “I, um, couldn’t find it at first.”

  But as Emma put the car in gear and pulled away from the beach cottage, Maddy had a terrible feeling she’d found a lot more than she’d been looking for.

  Chapter 17

  Present day

  Maddy slipped through the back door and stepped out onto the deck. She squinted against the sun, which glared blindingly on the water.

  Emma was already on the deck basking in its light, her short hair springing in all directions. She wore a white V-necked T-shirt and pink pajama shorts that were scattered with little cupcakes.

  She tossed a fond smile over her shoulder, her eyes going to half-moons. “Happy birthday, little sis!”

  “Let a girl wake up before you hit her with all that energy.” Maddy took a sip of hot coffee before sinking into the chair next to Emma’s and adjusting the robe over her bare legs.

  “How’s it feel to be another year older?” Emma said.

  Thirty-two. How had that happened? “Not altogether wonderful, if I’m honest.”

  Especially if she took stock of the current state of her professional and personal lives. But for some reason her thoughts slid instead to Connor and the nice conversation they’d had the day before.

  “You’re a virtual baby,” Emma scoffed. “Still young and fresh, no signs of aging. Still turning heads. Talk to me again after you hit the big 4-O, turn invisible, and have to diet for a month to lose a single pound.”

  Maddy gave her a wan smile. The only signs of aging Maddy could see on her sister were laugh lines. Those didn’t even count.

  “You’re still gorgeous, Emma. I’ll bet you turn heads all the time.”

  “Well, I was all but invisible to Ethan, I know that much.” Emma waved away her own words. “Enough about me. It’s your birthday! What are we doing to celebrate today?”

  The door creaked open, and Nora slipped out onto the deck, already made up. She’d paired her white shorts with a bright purple top that complemented her auburn hair and fair skin.

  Pippy stood, her tag jingling as she shook, then she approached Nora.

  “Good morning,” Nora said, stooping to sweep Pippy into her arms. “Happy birthday, Maddy.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Did you see the package that arrived yesterday?” Nora asked.

  “It was from Holly. She sent me a basket of beach stuff to ‘remind me to relax.’”

  “Sounds like she knows you all too well.” Emma’s gaze shifted to Nora. “We were just discussing birthday plans. Let’s take the day off. We could go to Bald Head Island or go kayaking or whatever you want. It’s your day.”

  “I think I want to go to church,” Maddy said impulsively.

  Some of the things Connor said had hit home. She’d been hit-or-miss with church at home on account of her work hours, and the sisters hadn’t attended at all since they’d come to Seahaven.

  “Okay,” Emma said. “I’ll go with you.”

  “I guess I will too,” Nora said. “It’s probably the same people we knew from before. I wonder if they still have that old organ—and the woman who played it—the one with the white granny fro.”

  “Oh, she was ancient then,” Emma said. “She can’t still be alive, can she? Remember that usher with the glass eye? It always felt like he was staring me down.”

  “I was so scared of him when I was little.” Maddy sipped her coffee, trying to wake up. “Then when I was five or six he helped me tie my shoe, and I realized he wasn’t so bad after all.”

  Nora scratched Pippy behind the ears, and the dog’s eyes all but glazed over. “Gram dated him for a while.”

  Emma gasped. “She did not.”

  “I didn’t think Gram dated anyone after Gramps passed,” Maddy said.

  “I don’t think she dated much,” Nora said. “But I know she went out with him at least once—she mentioned it to me.”

  “She and Gramps had the perfect relationship,” Emma said with a sigh. “I don’t think anyone else could live up to him.”

  Nora humphed. “There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship.”

  Maddy lifted her mug in a mock toast. “Hear, hear!”

  “What do you want to do after church?” Emma asked.

  “You know what?” Maddy said. “At the risk of sounding like an old fuddy-dud, I think I’d just like to relax and take a nap. These late hours at the restaurant are getting to me.”

  “You should do that,” Nora said. “I think I might go for a jog on the beach, if it’s not too hot when we get back.”

  “You? Jog?” Emma smirked. “Isn’t golf or tennis more your style?”

  Nora ignored the scorn in Emma’s tone. “I like the endorphins it gives me. I can take Pippy along, if you don’t mind. She might like it. She seems like the adventurous sort.”

  “She’s never gone running before,” Emma said. “She might tire easily.”

  “I don’t run very far or very fast. Just a mile or so.”

  “Suit yourself. Just keep her on a leash, or you’ll be the one doing the chasing.” Emma’s gaze drifted to Maddy. “So how about if we take you out to supper tonight? We can dress up and make a night of it.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  Maddy had been wanting to experience Sullivan’s Landing as a customer, but hadn’t had the time. Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity.

  “Not the Landing,” Nora said firmly. “It’s your day off.”

  “For heaven’s sakes, no,” Emma said. “No work today. How about that fancy restaurant on the other side of the bay—the Harbormaster? They filmed a scene from that Nicholas Sparks movie there, and I heard someone raving about it at the coffee shop.”

  “It’s awfully expensive,” Maddy said. She’d looked up the menu online. It was important to know the local competition—even though the Harbormaster was above the Landing’s pay grade.

  “Oh, it’s a special occasion.” Emma raised a saucy brow. “Besides, Nora can afford it. Can’t you, Nora?”

  Maddy gave Emma a look. She wished they’d get beyond these snarky comments.

  Nora’s lips thinned, and her mug clattered on the glass table as she set it down. “Of course. Wherever you want to go, Maddy. It’s your birthday, after all.”

  That evening a pretty hostess led the sisters across the Harbormaster’s dining room. The restaurant wasn’t yet crowded as they’d skipped lunch and decided on an early supper.

  The table for four was swathed in white linen, impeccably set with sparkling silverware, and situated by a glass wall overlooking the quiet bay. Soft music played in the background, mingling with the low hum of conversations. The savory smell of grilled steak hung in the air.

  Chilled by the air-conditioning, Maddy slipped on her lightweight sweater as she settled into the leather chair. She let her gaze rove objectively around the front of house. The building was old but recently refurbished. They’d kept the scarred, wide-planked floor, but it was scrupulously clean. Old brick walls gave the room added character, and antique chandeliers dangled from the lofted ceiling, giving off a dim glow that made the space feel intimate.

  The staff seemed efficient and friendly. They wore white oxford shirts and black trousers. The long-haired servers wore theirs back in a bun or ponytail, and they were all clean-cut and well-groomed.

  “It’s really charming, huh?” Emma said.

  “Definitely a different vibe from the Landing,” Maddy said. “More formal and sedate.”

  “Well, I for one can’t wait t
o try the crab cake appetizer. And we have to save room for dessert,” Emma said. “I want to try out their pastries. They have a sampler.”

  “I’m sure they don’t compare with yours.” Maddy opened her menu and winced at the prices. They were even higher than she remembered.

  Nora was perusing the menu too, twin frown lines etched between her brows. She bit into her bottom lip.

  “There’s a landlubbers section at the bottom,” Maddy told Nora. She’d never cared much for seafood.

  Nora’s frown disappeared, and she gave Maddy a smile as she closed the menu. “I saw that. The chopped steak looks really good. I think I’ll get that. What are you getting?”

  “That’s just a glorified hamburger,” Emma said. “Did you see the coffee-crusted filet mignon? I’ll bet it’s to die for.”

  “That’s too heavy for me.” Nora straightened the silverware. “I snacked a bit this afternoon.”

  The server came by and took drink orders. Emma and Maddy ordered one of their specialty teas, and Nora stuck with water.

  When the server left, Maddy’s gaze drifted to movement beyond Emma’s shoulder, focusing on a man several tables away. She recognized Connor’s profile, even though he was clean-shaven, and his hair was slicked back in a style she hadn’t seen on him before. He wore a gray plaid button-down shirt and khakis, another first.

  Across the flickering candlelight from him was an attractive woman with a long brown bob and sideswept bangs. Her features were small and dainty, her halter-style black dress complementing her tanned, slender shoulders.

  The woman laughed at something Connor said and brushed her bangs to the side in a feminine gesture that for some reason gave Maddy a pang of jealousy.

  No, not jealousy. Confusion. They were obviously on a date. And hadn’t Connor told her just yesterday that he hadn’t been on a date in years? What was up with that? Why would he lie to her?

  She’d only known him a couple weeks, but he’d seemed so genuine when they were talking. On the other hand, she knew better than to trust her own intuition. He could be a complete con artist for all she knew.

  “Did you hear me, Maddy? What are you looking at?” Emma turned and looked over her shoulder.

  Maddy took a sip of the tea the server had apparently brought while she’d been distracted.

  She looked up in time to see that Emma had caught Connor’s attention. Too far away to engage in conversation, they all exchanged waves.

  Maddy froze as Connor’s eyes connected with hers. Some emotion flickered on his face. Guilt? Or maybe just chagrin at having been caught in a lie?

  Maddy gave him a stiff smile and turned her attention to her sisters. She made an effort to engage in conversation about the house and the needed repairs.

  When the conversation dragged on, Maddy turned her thoughts to Gram’s overgrown flower beds. She had big plans to restore them to their former glory. She would do a thorough weeding, thin out the perennials, prune the rosebushes. She wanted to add some colorful annuals too. Some red zinnias and yellow lantanas for the sunny spots. Pink and white impatiens for the shaded areas.

  The server returned, took their orders, and scurried back to the kitchen. For the next while Maddy made sure to keep her eyes away from the table behind Emma. It was harder than she wanted to admit.

  She didn’t know why the situation upset her at all. Maybe because she’d believed him and he’d fooled her. She shook her head. Would she ever learn? She should just give up men and become a nun. Too bad she wasn’t Catholic.

  She was too caught up in her thoughts to notice Connor’s approach.

  He appeared at their table, towering over them, a spicy scent wafting around her. “Hello, ladies. Fancy meeting you here.”

  “Fancy is the perfect word,” Emma said. “This place is beautiful.”

  He turned his attention to Maddy, his eyes searching hers. “Hi there.”

  She hated the way her heart stuttered at his attention. She offered a strained smile. “Hello.”

  “It’s Maddy’s birthday today,” Nora said. “We’re out celebrating.”

  “She’s thirty-two,” Emma added.

  Connor’s brows rose as his eyes slid to Maddy, searching. “Is that right?”

  “Mmm.” Maddy straightened her silverware.

  “Well, happy birthday, Maddy. I hope you’re having a great day.”

  “So far, so good.”

  “I also wanted to let you know I’d be happy to help out on the house repairs. I’d started painting the exterior before your arrival but got sidetracked by the restaurant. Now that Maddy’s freed up my schedule, I have some time on my hands.”

  “That’d be great,” Emma said.

  “Thank you,” Nora said.

  “We were just lamenting our lack of handyman skills,” Emma added.

  The server approached with their appetizer, and Connor stepped back to give her room. “Well, I see my friend is headed back to our table. I’ll let you ladies get on with your celebration. Just wanted to stop over and say hi. Have a nice supper.”

  Maddy made room on the table for the large oval plate. Three crab cakes were artfully arranged in a puddle of yellow sauce and topped with sprigs of parsley. A fan of lemon wedges completed the presentation.

  “Ooh, look at those,” Emma said. “They look scrumptious.”

  Savory smells wafted her way, but Maddy’s appetite was gone.

  “You can have mine.” Nora scooped up a cake and set it on Maddy’s plate. “I’ve never been a big fan.”

  “Thanks.” Maddy dug into the crab cake and tried to appreciate the blend of flavors. It was moist and perfectly seasoned, and the sauce complemented the crab flavor.

  “Mmm.” Emma’s eyes were closed as she chewed. “So good.”

  “It’s a relief to have the house officially cleaned out,” Maddy said, her mind still on that conversation with Connor. “Hopefully the repairs won’t take us long.”

  “Wishful thinking,” Nora said. “Connor will only have so much time. We’ll have to muddle our way through most of it. Have you noticed that the porch is lopsided? Any idea what to do about that?”

  “There’s always YouTube,” Emma said. “You’d be surprised what you can learn just by watching videos.”

  Maddy’s gaze flickered over her shoulder to Connor’s table. The woman was talking, her fingers clasped loosely on the table. Connor leaned forward on his elbows, gaze focused, listening intently.

  Maddy’s heart gave a heavy thump. He affected her, and she didn’t like it. She didn’t realize until now how many times she’d thought of him since they’d talked yesterday. How many times she’d repeated his words in her mind. How many times she’d pictured that bracketed smile and those warm gray eyes, trained so steadily on hers.

  She’d thought he listened closely because he wanted to know more about her. Now she saw he was just a good listener, period. It was his nature to make other people feel interesting and captivating.

  Yes, that was it. For a few minutes yesterday she’d felt captivating. And she hadn’t felt that way in a long time. Nick had been attentive at first, but less so as their relationship progressed. Looking back, his attentiveness had probably been a big act.

  She finished her crab cake, hardly even tasting it. Emma had finished hers too and was scraping up the last of the sauce from her plate.

  “You can have the other one,” Maddy said.

  “No, it’s all yours, birthday girl.”

  “Really,” Maddy said. “I have a big meal coming, and if we’re doing dessert, I’m going to have to stop now.”

  Emma gave a cheeky smile. “Well, we can’t let it go waste, now can we? That’d be a crime.”

  The waitress appeared at their table, a bottle of champagne in her hands. “Ladies, a bottle of Dom Perignon, our finest champagne.”

  “No, thank you,” Nora said. “We’re fine.”

  “It’s actually a gift—from the gentleman.” She gestured toward Connor.
<
br />   He was wrapped up in conversation with his date and didn’t notice their attention.

  “Well, isn’t that nice?” Emma said as the server proceeded to fill Nora’s glass.

  Maddy winced, thinking of Nora’s pregnancy. She shouldn’t be drinking even if she was only barely pregnant. Surely she knew that; it hadn’t been that long since she was pregnant with Chloe. Maybe she wasn’t actually planning to drink it.

  Emma waved the server off her glass. “None for me, thank you.”

  Emma didn’t drink at all, and though Maddy rarely indulged, she allowed the server to fill her glass halfway. She didn’t want to be rude. It had been a gift in her honor, after all.

  She caught Connor’s eye just then and raised her glass, giving him a nod. Her sisters waved their thanks.

  Nora lifted her glass in a toast. “To Maddy—another year of success and prosperity and all the best life has to offer.”

  “Hear, hear,” Emma said, raising her tea.

  Success and prosperity. Those things were starting to seem empty. In her heart of hearts she wanted someone special to share her life with. And yet, romantic relationships were unpredictable and ultimately disappointing. It was a paradox she hadn’t yet figured out how to resolve.

  They clinked glasses, and Maddy took a sip of the champagne. Its effervescence made her eyes water, and the pungent flavor was quickly lost on her as she watched Nora lift the glass to her lips and take a sip.

  “Are you sure you want that?” Maddy asked.

  “Of course,” Nora said. “Why wouldn’t I? Do you have any idea how much this stuff costs?”

  “It’s just—” Maddy’s eyes toggled to Emma and, finding no help there, back to Nora. “I thought you didn’t care for champagne, that’s all.”

  “It’s not my favorite, but I’m not going to turn away a gift. What do you think of it?”

  “It’s good.” Maddy’s stomach tightened as she watched Nora take another sip. “Kind of fruity, I think, but I’m no expert.”