“Okay, then.”
“We’re trying to eat more plant-based, too,” Angela said. “Philippe’s mother sent us a meal delivery box as a gift a few weeks ago. It had all the ingredients for three meals and they were surprisingly good. Philippe liked them, too. Especially one that was a stuffed sweet potato with quinoa, an herb cheese made from cashews, and a red pepper sauce. It tasted really good and was filling, too. I could send you the recipe if you like?” she offered, and added, “I think even Rhett would like it.”
Lisa laughed. “That would be great, thanks. Let me know the name of the meal delivery service, too, that might be an interesting way to try some new recipes.”
“I’ll send you the info. We liked it so much, we ordered another box.”
“How’s your cleaning business going? I overheard one of our customers at the bar mention your name the other night,” Rhett said.
“I hope it was a good mention?”
“Oh, it was. Someone was looking for a new cleaner and your name was the first one recommended.”
Angela smiled. “That’s wonderful to hear. I wonder if that was Evelyn Murphy. We got a new client a few days ago. Business is really good.”
“Harriet mentioned that you are keeping her busy,” Lisa said. She was glad to hear it, too, as she’d felt a little guilty that she hadn’t been able to hire her back when she returned from being in Jamaica for the winter. But she really needed someone year-round and didn’t want to give up her mornings with Angela.
“Yes, she’s full-time now and it will work out well because we are definitely going to be slower in the winter when she goes to see her mom in Jamaica.”
“Good, that sounds perfect for both of you then.”
“Tyler called yesterday, too, and he wants me to start coming weekly again. I’m heading over there this afternoon.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize he’d stopped.” That surprised Lisa.
“He just skipped a week. People do that sometimes. He said he was deep into a book and just didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“That sounds like Kate. She talks about getting ‘into the zone’ and how sometimes the story almost writes itself, and other times it’s much harder.”
“I don’t really understand how they do it, but yeah, he said it was something like that. He was really stuck and it was like pulling teeth to get the words…so that’s why he didn’t want to be interrupted. Would make it even harder, I guess.”
“Kristen gets like that, too, with her painting. It must be going well now, as I haven’t heard from her in a few days.”
Angela smiled. “She had us all over for dinner recently and mentioned that she’d been having a good week. I was thinking of inviting her and Tyler over for dinner soon, and maybe Kate and Jack, too. All those writers will have plenty to talk about.”
“That sounds fun. I’m sure they’d love it,” Lisa said as Rhett got up and returned with a generous slice of cheddar and bacon quiche.
He sat back down with a slightly guilty look. “I don’t know how anyone can be satisfied with a bowl of fruit for a meal. Dieting is for the birds.”
“Dieting is no fun,” Lisa agreed. “You don’t need to go to extremes, though. Just cut back a little. I know it’s easier said than done, but I need to do it, too. I’ll try to cook a little healthier this week and do smaller portions. That’s my biggest downfall. I always want more.”
“Me, too,” Rhett agreed.
“And we can make an effort to get more walking in. I was thinking of walking the beach after breakfast. Do you want to join me?”
Rhett grinned after he took the last bite of quiche. He’d inhaled it. “Yes, I will. And I’ll resist getting a second serving, even though I really want one.”
Sue made herself a second cup of coffee and brought it to her kitchen island where her laptop was already fired up. She liked to start her day by going through emails over coffee, then after breakfast, she’d go upstairs to her office and work there for the rest of the day. Often, she’d stay in her pajamas until later in the afternoon, unless she was going somewhere. At some point after lunch, she usually took a break and jumped in the shower and then pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a comfy t-shirt and sweater. She worked better when she was comfortable and it seemed like lately that her waist had expanded a bit, so her jeans felt a little tight. She knew she’d added a few pounds during the past year as she went through menopause—one of several things she didn’t like about it, along with hot flashes and feeling more moody than usual. Lisa and Paige had already gone through it and assured her it was all normal and annoying.
Hot coffee often triggered a hot flash, and Sue was sweating profusely as Curt made his way downstairs and into the kitchen for a quick cup before heading into the office. He rarely ate breakfast. He looked sharper than usual this morning. She could definitely see the weight loss. Something else was different, too.
“Is that a new blazer and tie?”
Curt smiled. “Yes. I didn’t have a navy one and my others are kind of big, so I picked this up the other day. I saw the tie at Vineyard Vines and thought it was appropriate.”
The tie was cute. It was very preppy Nantucket, with pink whales on a turquoise blue background.
“I like it. Brings out the blue in your eyes.”
Curt looked pleased and surprised by the compliment.
“Thank you. Are you stopping into the office for the weekly meeting later today?” Every Thursday, they had a weekly meeting at four, where they reviewed the events of the week and made goals for the next week. They often left right after the meeting and went for cocktails at the Club Car. For a few months now, she’d mostly skipped the cocktail hour.
It just didn’t interest her the way it used to. She almost always made it in for the meeting, though. That kept her somewhat connected to the ups and downs of the office and she was often able to help with suggestions on how to solve client issues or strategies on how to approach potential new clients.
“I’ll be there.”
“And drinks after? I think the whole office is going today to celebrate Brad’s fourth anniversary.” They always liked to make a little fuss on each employee’s yearly anniversary with the company. Their employees appreciated the recognition and everyone enjoyed the celebration.
She shook her head. “No, not tonight. I told Lisa and Paige I’d meet them at Millie’s for dinner and drinks. But I will order a cake from Stop and Shop and bring it in when I come later today.”
“Good. I won’t have any, but I know everyone else will love it.”
Chapter 13
Sue picked up the anniversary cake on her way into the office later that afternoon. The energy in the small office was high when she stepped in the door. Brad was high-fiving Curt and Sue smiled when she saw it, guessing that he had just signed a new policy or a new client.
Curt turned at the sound of the door opening and came over to her.
“Hey, there. Great news, Brad just expanded the Rogers account. They moved all the business and automobile coverage over to us.” That was good news. The Rogers were a fairly new account. Brad had met the husband golfing and he’d been looking to lower their home insurance policy. Adding the other coverage meant they were happy with the service they’d received from Brad and the agency. Sue walked over and congratulated him.
“Curt just told me the good news. That’s really great to hear, and we have lots to celebrate. It’s hard to believe it’s your four-year anniversary.”
Brad flushed at the compliment.
“Thank you. A good excuse for cake, right?”
Sue smiled. “Yes, and you might need to have Curt’s share, too, since he’s off carbs.”
Brad laughed. “That won’t be a problem.”
Sue set the cake in the conference room and everyone in the office gathered there promptly at four. Curt led the meeting and everyone shared their wins and challenges for the week.
Brandi had a challenge with a client that was co
nsidering dropping them to go with a less expensive option, and Sue gave her some data and walked her through an approach that could hopefully save the account, to show how a slightly more expensive policy with better coverage could save the client money in the long run. Brandi took detailed notes and looked grateful.
“Thank you. The detailed numbers info might do it with them. They are so focused on the data.”
When they finished up, Curt asked Sue again if she wanted to join them for drinks.
“Come with us,” Brandi chimed in. “It’s been ages since you’ve come out.”
Sue was surprised somewhat by the comment and flattered, too. It was nice to be wanted.
“Thanks. I will soon, but I can’t tonight, I have another commitment. You guys have fun, though. You all deserve it. You’re all doing a great job.” A few minutes later, as she grabbed her coat and purse and turned to leave, Sue noticed that Brandi and Curt were deep in conversation. Brandi was smiling and Curt was leaning toward her, totally engrossed in what she was saying. Neither one of them looked her way as Sue opened the front door.
When Sue reached Millie’s restaurant, she saw Lisa’s car parked by the door. She went upstairs, and both Lisa and Paige were already sitting at a table, sipping margaritas. Sue glanced at her watch and it was only a few minutes past six.
“We both got here a little early and saw a margarita go by, so we went ahead and ordered drinks,” Lisa said with a smile as Sue shrugged her coat off and settled into a chair. A moment later, their waitress came by and Sue ordered a margarita as well. As soon as it arrived, they all tapped their glasses together and toasted to a night out.
“What’s Curt up to tonight?” Paige asked.
“He went for after-work drinks with a few others in the office. One of the guys work anniversary is today and they usually go for drinks after the weekly meeting, anyway. Just an excuse to celebrate.”
“Cheers to that.” Lisa lifted her glass and took a sip.
“You didn’t want to go out with them? We could have rescheduled,” Paige said.
Sue smiled. “No, I’d much rather be out with you two.”
“Is Brandi going with them?” Lisa asked.
“Yes, she asked if I was going to join them. Said I hadn’t been out with them in ages. I haven’t. I probably should go one of these weeks.”
Paige looked thoughtful. “I would. She’s a pretty girl. I wouldn’t want her spending too much time with my husband. If I was married.”
The image of Brandi and Curt deep in thought as Sue left came to her for a moment and she shook it off.
“I’m not worried about Brandi, or Curt. He’s a harmless flirt.”
“True. But he’s lost quite a bit of weight, you said? He’s a handsome guy. And she’s single. Might not be a bad idea to just remind her that you two have a great relationship,” Paige said.
“I’ve never had to worry about Curt,” Sue said without hesitation.
“No. But how well do you know this Brandi? She’s the one I’d maybe be a little concerned about.” Paige took the last sip of her margarita and looked around to catch the waitress’s attention to order another.
“Things are good with you and Curt, right?” Lisa asked.
The question took Sue by surprise.
“Yes, things are fine. Totally fine.” She’d never had to worry about Curt before.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Paige smiled as the waitress came over and she ordered a second drink, and a platter of loaded nachos and side of guacamole and chips for the table.
“What’s nothing?” Sue was confused by Paige’s tone.
“Remember what I mentioned to you on the phone?” Lisa asked.
Paige leaned in and lowered her voice. “Lisa and I saw Curt and Brandi and a few others at the Club Car. Brandi was very friendly and kind of touchy feely with Curt, hand on his arm, that kind of thing. But it really probably is nothing. Don’t give it another thought.”
Sue thought about that, and also knew that Paige was extra sensitive to this kind of thing, as two long-term relationships had ended when she’d caught her partner cheating. She suspected she was seeing something that wasn’t really there.
“I won’t. So, what else is new with you two?”
“Miriam Carlton just filed for divorce. I ran into her at the market yesterday,” Lisa said.
Sue’s jaw dropped. “Miriam, really? I thought she and Ryan had the perfect marriage. What happened?”
Lisa hesitated for a moment. “We went for coffee and she told me everything. I think she needed to talk. He cheated with his secretary.”
“Such a cliche.” Paige shook her head in disgust.
“They always looked so happy,” Sue said. “And they have kids, too? Twins?”
“Yeah. Melissa and Cody are juniors in high school now. Miriam blamed him, of course, but she also said that they’d grown apart. She was a stay-at-home mother while he mostly worked all week in Boston or New York and flew home on the weekends. He worked most weekends, too, and they stopped doing things together as much as they used to. It still took her by surprise, though.”
“That’s too bad. How did she find out?”
“He was in the shower and his phone went nuts. Kept buzzing with text messages. It was so urgent that she glanced at the phone to see if it was some kind of emergency. That’s when she saw that it was Karli, his secretary, but the messages were not at all work related.”
“What did she do?” Paige smiled as the waitress set down her margarita.
“She said she sat there in shock, but when her husband came out of the bathroom, she handed him his phone and asked him what was going on. There was no way he could explain the messages, so he confessed. He begged her to stay, said it was a momentary lapse that didn’t mean anything, but she wasn’t having any of it.”
“Did she consider staying with him?” Sue asked.
“She said she did for about two seconds. But the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Karli wasn’t his first. Other things that she’d dismissed before took on new meaning. But, more than anything, she said she simply could never trust him again,” Lisa said.
“The first time is the hardest. Once they open that door and get away with it, the temptation can be hard to resist. Remember when I gave Bob a second chance? That didn’t last long.” Paige said.
Sue did remember. Paige and Bob were engaged and had been together for almost eight years. A few months before the wedding, she discovered he’d been unfaithful. He swore it was just a one-off, that it didn’t mean anything. And she loved him, so she took him at his word. But things were never the same again. She ended it and learned that it hadn’t actually been the first time he cheated. It was just the first time he got caught.
So now, after Lisa’s conversation with Miriam, Sue understood why they’d asked about Curt and Brandi. But, she knew Curt and trusted him implicitly. Still, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to be more social with everyone in the office. Next time they all went out, she’d join them, even if it was just for one drink. Curt could stay out all night and Sue just didn’t enjoy that anymore, being the last ones left at the bar. No, she’d make an appearance, then head home, get comfy in her pajamas and curl up in front of the TV or with a good book.
Chapter 14
Chase did most of the work on the flip house on weekends, so that it wouldn’t cut too much into his other contracted work. Since they’d met with Rick, he’d taken care of the plumbing issues and had moved on to the renovation work. Beth knew Chase was worried about the overall costs, though, and she was, too. Neither of them could afford to take a loss on the project.
She’d told Chase she’d stop in mid-day once she had all the samples and they could look at them together in the house and decide which tiles, backsplash and flooring to go with. She had a good selection of options, but she had her favorites that she thought could make the most impact—now she just had to persuade Chase that the slightly more expensi
ve options might be the most cost-effective in the long run, when it resulted in a higher price.
She gathered up all the samples in a big cardboard box, put them in the back seat of her Honda Civic, and drove out to the house. She could hear the sound of a power saw as she opened the front door. Chase didn’t even turn until she got closer and set her box on the kitchen counter. He turned off the saw and stood, brushing wood dust off his work jeans.
“Hey, there. Are these all the samples?”
“Yes, let me know what you think.” Beth laid all the tile samples on the counter and the wood samples on the floor. Once they saw the pieces on the floor, two looked really good.
“These two cost about the same.” She liked both equally.
“Okay, let’s do this one, then.” Chase pointed to the lighter of the two options and she made a note on her phone and then put them back in the box.
Beth had grouped the tiles by color combinations, varying shades of blue and gray with ivory and cream. Chase immediately pointed to her favorite combination, an elegant gray with a hint of blue and a creamy white.
“I like that one, but what’s the cost of the different options?”
Beth told him, and he frowned when he realized the one he liked was the most expensive.
“Maybe we should go with this one instead.” He pointed to the least expensive option, which was also the most ordinary.
“That one is my least favorite. And remember what you said. An upscale look will sell better. We’ll be able to get a higher price. It should pay off more, even though it’s slightly more expensive now.”
“We can’t afford it. Go with the cheaper one.” He bent over to turn his saw back on and Beth glared at him.
“No. We need to discuss this. I don’t want the cheaper one, and you don’t either. You just don’t want to spend the money.”
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