by Terri DuLong
“Well, good luck tomorrow. See you at the knitting group this evening.”
I had closed the shop at five, raced home to have dinner with Orli, and was back just before seven. Dora had already arrived and was preparing the coffeemaker.
“How’d it go today? Were you very busy?”
“Yeah, it was a good afternoon, and oh, Doyle Summers stopped by to sign up for the knitting class. So that’s three confirmed.”
“Wonderful. I’m sure it’ll be a fun class for the men.”
We both turned toward the door as knitters began arriving, and I was quite surprised to see Mallory’s mom walk in with my mother.
“Jane,” I said, going to give her a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming to the island.”
“Yeah, your mom invited me for a few days and I had some vacation time, so I thought I’d come for a long weekend.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if part of the reason was to calm my mother down about CC.
“Well, that’s great,” I said, giving my mother a hug. “Glad you could join us tonight. Is Mallory coming?”
“Just spoke to her on the phone, and yes, she’s on her way.”
Within a half hour, the aroma of coffee filled the air while ten of us sat around gabbing with needles clicking.
“Oh, meant to tell you, Josie,” Berkley said. “Saxton is going to stop by to sign up for your knitting class.”
“That’s great. Then we’ll have four.”
I looked up from the vest that I was working on for Orli as I heard Raylene sniff. “Something wrong?” I asked.
“I just can’t get over men wanting to learn to knit. Silliest thing I’ve ever heard of. You’d never see my Carl getting into knitting.”
“It’s not silly at all,” Dora said. “Chloe was telling us about this British fellow who was quite prominent in the area of knitting. He had a strong influence on knitting after the war as a teacher and designer. So I don’t think it’s as uncommon as you might think.”
“Well . . . I just hope they don’t decide to join our knitting group,” Raylene said.
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” I heard the edge in Dora’s tone. “But this group is open to anybody who would like to join us.”
So there, I thought, and bent my head to continue knitting so Raylene wouldn’t see the smile on my face.
“Speaking of silly things,” my mother said. I knew where she was headed, and my smile vanished. “You know my friend, CC? You’ve all met her when she’s visited here. Well . . . it seems she’s taken up with a fellow young enough to be her son.”
“No,” I heard Raylene say, clearly relishing the fodder this provided for gossip. “You can’t be serious. Why on earth would she do such a thing?”
My mother shrugged. “I have no idea. I think she’s going through a postmenopause or something. She’s planning a trip to Tuscany with him . . . and . . . she’s footing the bill.”
“Oh, my goodness.” Raylene leaned forward, caught up in the drama. “That sounds like he could be one of those . . . what are they called? Jigglers?”
This did bring forth a round of laughter, but I’d heard enough.
“I think you mean gigolo, Raylene. And Mom, give CC a break. You should be glad that she’s happy.”
“Well, I just don’t understand how she could be happy being taken advantage of.”
“Bottom line, it’s not up to you to decide.”
“Josie’s right,” Jane said. “We need to let go of it. CC’s a big girl and she’s not stupid. She’s always been very responsible. The person she chooses to travel with is her choice.”
“Well, she’d better be careful,” Raylene said. “Or she’ll get herself labeled as one of those panthers.”
Flora choked on her coffee and shook her head while trying to control her laughter. “Good Lord, Raylene. I think you mean a cougar.”
“Right. Whatever.”
I looked over at Mallory and was certain the grin on her face matched mine.
9
I glanced over at my bed and realized that it looked the way it had when I was dating in high school. Slacks, dresses, and blouses were flung every which way across the bedspread. Shoes were scattered over the floor. I let out a deep sigh.
“Cripe, get a grip, Josie,” I said to myself in the full-length mirror. “It’s an interview, not a date.”
I decided the white cropped pants, aqua hand-knit cotton sweater, and gold sandals would have to do. Casual, dressy, and appropriate.
I glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was 11:45. Time to head downtown and meet Dr. Simon Mancini.
When I arrived on the outside deck of the Pickled Pelican, I saw a man who appeared to be in his early to midforties sitting alone at a table in the back. That had to be him. I let out a deep breath, hoping to control my nerves. Geez, I thought, Chloe was right. He does look like Dr. McDreamy.
I let out a sigh and walked toward his table. “Dr. . . .” I had to catch myself from saying McDreamy. “Mancini? I’m Josie Sullivan.”
“Josie,” he said, a huge smile covering his face as he stood and extended his hand. “Yes, but please, call me Simon. Have a seat. It’s very nice to meet you.”
It only took a nanosecond to take in his height, which was a good five inches above my five seven; his dark hair, which was on the longish side, shot through with flecks of gray; and his incredible good looks. Oh, yes, this doc was going to create quite a stir on the island.
“Thanks,” I said, sitting opposite him.
“I feel fortunate that Jonathan contacted me about you. It’s not always easy finding competent RNs, especially in such a small town.”
“And I feel fortunate to be considered. I loved working with Dr. Clark in the clinic and hated losing my position there.”
“Hey, Josie, you guys ready to order?”
I looked up to see our waitress. “Hey, Brandy. Yes, I’ll have a burger, fries, and sweet tea, please,” I said, realizing it probably wasn’t the healthiest meal to have with a doctor.
But I smiled when I heard Simon say, “Sounds great. I’ll have the same.”
Shifting his focus back to me, he said, “Well, I’m sorry about the loss of your job, but hopefully Jonathan’s loss will be my gain. So let’s discuss hours and salary.”
By the time our food arrived, I knew the pay was more than generous and the schedule of eight till five, with an hour for lunch, was fair. I prayed that I’d get the position.
“Now, there is one other thing,” he said. “I plan to be open every other Saturday morning, to accommodate patients who work during the week. However, on the Saturday that I’ll need you to work, you can have the previous Wednesday off. Would that work for you?”
“Oh, definitely. That would be great.”
He nodded and took a sip of his tea. “Good. Now on to when I would need you to begin work. I hope that won’t be a problem.”
He took a bite of his burger, chewed, swallowed, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. I suppressed a smile as I realized that despite being a doctor, he had a healthy appetite for burgers.
“As you might know, I’m having the entire building restored. I bought the house over on D Street.”
I nodded and continued to eat.
“I plan to live upstairs and my office will be downstairs, so it’ll be ideal. I have contractors working in there now, but they tell me it will be early to mid-January before it’s entirely finished.”
“Okay,” I said.
“Would that be a problem for you? It’s only mid-September. Would you be able to wait until January to begin work?”
“Gosh, that would be perfect for me. At the moment, I’m working at the yarn shop in town. Helping out Miss Dora, because Chloe fell and broke her arm. She won’t be able to return to work till December, and I’d like to be able to stay and help them out until that happens.”
“Wonderful.”
“Plus . . . my daughter’s father lives in the Boston area. Orl
i is turning sixteen a few days after Christmas, so he’s invited us up there to spend the holidays and celebrate her special birthday. I’ve kind of put that on hold waiting to see about this job.”
He nodded his head slowly, as if thinking. “I see,” he said, after a few moments. “So if I had asked you to begin work before the holidays, then you wouldn’t have gone on the trip?”
I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to say. “Well, no. Orli knows that as a single mom, my work is important. She would have been disappointed and so would I, but . . . I’ve always worked to support us.”
“Well, then, Josie Sullivan . . . if you would like this position, I’d be very happy to hire you as my RN.”
I felt a giggle escape me and blurted, “Just like that? Don’t you want to interview anybody else?”
He threw his head back, laughing. “Yup. Just like that. Jonathan gave you an excellent recommendation as a nurse, but I can see for myself that you’re also a conscientious and motivated employee. So, yes, if you would like it, the position is yours.”
“Oh, gosh. Yes. Definitely. Yes, I’d love the position, and thank you. Thank you so much.” I knew I was babbling, but I couldn’t help it.
He laughed again and reached his hand across the table to shake mine. “Well, welcome aboard, Josie. I think I’m going to enjoy working with you.”
Brandy cleared away our lunch plates and asked if there would be anything else.
“Coffee?” Simon asked.
“Sure,” I said, not knowing his schedule. “Sounds great.”
“So,” he said. “Tell me about yourself. You’re originally from Cedar Key? Do you have siblings? Do they live here too?”
I nodded. “Yes, I’m originally from here. I’m an only child, but my parents live on the island. My mom’s an author, and they live out near the airport.”
“No shit,” he said, causing me to smile. I liked this guy. He was a doctor, but he was down to earth and easy to talk to. I had a feeling he’d be a hit with the locals. “Your mom’s an author? What does she write?”
“Romance novels,” I said, and heard him say No shit again, followed by laughter.
“Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever met a romance writer before. Do you also write?”
I shook my head, and it was my turn to laugh. “Ah, no. Much to my mom’s disappointment, I am not a writer. She had a degree in journalism and was working as a journalist when she met my dad. She was hoping I’d follow in her footsteps.”
“But you chose the noble profession of nursing. Good for you. Sounds like you’re quite an independent woman. Raising a child alone, living on your own, doing what you enjoy for work rather than something you felt obligated to do.”
“Thanks,” I said to Brandy as she placed the coffee in front of us. “Hmm, I guess you could say that,” I told Simon. “Actually, my mom would probably say I’m much too independent. How about you? Are you originally from St. Augustine? Dr. Clark said that’s where your practice was located.”
Simon took a sip of coffee and shook his head. “No, I’m originally from Gainesville. Born and raised there, went to the university, and that’s why I wanted to set up a practice here. I come from a pretty large Italian family—two brothers and two sisters. My dad’s Italian, but my mom is British. They met when she did a transfer year at UF, where he was also a student. We used to come to Cedar Key for long weekends when I was a kid. Boating, fishing, that kind of thing. I always loved it here, and it brings back happy family memories, so when the opportunity arose, I thought, why not? Just do it, Simon. Live on the island and open up a practice there.”
I nodded. “Well, good for you. Sounds like you also do what will make you happy. Gosh, I can’t even imagine having four siblings. Are you close? Do you still see each other?”
Simon laughed again. “Oh, yes. My parents insist on it. They’re very big on family. So at least once a month we gather at their house in Gainesville for dinner and to catch up on things. My brothers live in the Tampa area, and both sisters live near Jacksonville. So getting to the folks’ house for dinner is easy logistically.”
The more Simon talked, the more I liked him. “And so,” I said, remembering Chloe’s words to Gabe, “how do you think Mrs. Mancini will like living here on the island?”
Without hesitating, he said, “Oh, there isn’t a Mrs. Mancini. Not anymore. I’ve been divorced for over ten years. She remarried—a lawyer this time. So she’s Stephanie Pope and lives on Amelia Island.”
I knew Amelia Island was on the east coast and close to St. Augustine, where Simon’s previous practice had been located. I thought it odd that he would stay in the same area for ten years after divorcing his wife.
As if reading my thoughts, he said, “We have a daughter. Lily. I needed . . . wanted . . . to be close to her, so that I could see her often.”
“That’s understandable. I’ve always felt bad that Grant is in the Boston area, but it’s worked okay all the way around for both Grant and Orli. He visits here occasionally, and Orli spends some holidays and summers up there with him and his mother. So I think he’s always felt very included in her life. That’s why this birthday celebration is so important to both of them, and they feel that I should also be there.”
“Oh, I agree,” Simon said. “Yes, family is very important no matter the miles that separate you or the circumstances that make you a family.”
“How old is your daughter?” I asked.
“Lily just turned 18.”
Before I could ask any more questions, he called Brandy over for the check, passed her his credit card, and said, “Well, I’m very glad we had this lunch, Josie, and that you’ve accepted the position. Would it be all right if I called you should I have any questions concerning the office or if I’m looking for ideas and suggestions? I’m traveling back and forth to St. Augustine until the apartment here is finished, so maybe we could get together again when I’m on the island.”
I got the feeling that the subject of his daughter was closed, but I also felt that there might be more to his story.
“Sure,” I said, standing up to leave. “And again, thank you so much for offering me the position. You have both my home and cell numbers, so just give me a call anytime.”
He bent his head to sign the receipt and said, “Great. I’ll be in touch.”
As I walked toward the stairs, I could feel his eyes on my back following me as I left.
10
“Oh, Mom! I love you so much,” Orli squealed as she enveloped me in a tight bear hug. “You’re the best. You really are! We can go to Boston for the holidays?”
“We can,” I said, sharing her excitement. “Not only do I have a new nursing position, but I don’t have to start till January, so that will free us up to go. I’m going to call your father now to let him know.”
“Great,” she said, heading to her room. “I’m calling Laura to tell her. Tell Dad I love him when you talk to him.”
I dialed Grant’s cell phone, and he picked up right away.
“Hey, Josie. How’s everything going?”
“Very well,” I said, and proceeded to tell him about my new job and that we could accept his offer to spend the holidays with him.
“That’s wonderful news. I’m so happy for you that you got the job, and I’m happy for me that you guys will be up here for Christmas and Orli’s birthday. I know my mom will be excited too.”
“Do you have a date in mind for us to fly up there?”
“Hold on, I’m looking at my calendar.” There was a pause, and then he said, “Okay, Christmas is on Thursday and Orli’s birthday the following Sunday. Why don’t I book you on a flight for Monday, December twenty-second, and you can fly back home on Tuesday, the thirtieth. Would that work for you?”
“It would. Sounds great.”
“Okay, I’ll get everything booked and I’ll be in touch soon.”
“Orli sends her love, and, Grant, thank you.”
“Love back to her and i
t’s my pleasure.”
I hung up the phone and felt a smile cross my face. He really was a very special man. Sometimes I wondered if maybe I had been wrong not to marry Grant almost sixteen years ago when I realized I was pregnant with Orli. But no, I think our relationship had evolved over the years the way it was supposed to, minus a marriage contract. It would have been very difficult for Grant to support a family as a new grad trying to get established with a law firm. I most likely never would have become a nurse, and I had to admit, I did value my freedom and the independence of not having to answer to anybody.
I was just about to make myself a cup of tea and settle down with some knitting when the phone rang. I thought maybe it was Grant calling back with details, so I was surprised to hear Simon’s voice.
“Hi, how are you?” I said.
“Fine, and I’m sorry to bother you so soon, but on the drive back to St. Augustine I had a million things floating around in my head. I’m thinking I should hire a girl to cover the desk. You know, like a receptionist. I don’t expect you to make and confirm the appointments and be in charge of the general office work. You’ll be busy enough doing nurse-related tasks. So I was wondering if maybe you knew of somebody who might have adequate office skills and would like a job.”
“Hmm,” I said, trying to think of somebody. I hadn’t even thought to ask him about that, because many times in a small office the nurse also handles the front desk. “Well . . . not off hand. But let me think about it. I’m sure there’s somebody on the island who would love that position. Call me back next week and hopefully I’ll have found somebody for you.”
“Great. Thank you. Oh, and Josie . . . I really enjoyed having lunch with you today and getting to know you.”
“Same here,” I said before hanging up.
I poured water into my mug and added an herbal tea bag. I got the feeling that our meeting might have meant a little more to him than simply an interview for a job. Based on his good looks and personality, I realized that might not be a bad thing. Forget it, Josie, I thought. You’re barely out of whatever it was that you had with Ben.
