Andie turned around and headed back to town, thoughts of Maxi crossing her mind.Hadshe done the right thing to encourage her? Probably not, since James didn’t cheat, but maybe all the things Jane and Claire were doing to bring James on board with Maxi’s dreams would be a new beginning for them. Maxi leaving could be a blessing in disguise. Andie hoped so. She liked Maxi and wanted to see her happy.
She was starting to get attached to people and to the town. When Jane had come into the foyer and seen her on the phone with Courtney, the bridezilla, Andie had worried Jane might be mad that Andie had taken it upon herself to talk to the bride. But Jane had been relieved. Andie had felt proud to help smooth things over with Courtney and her mother, Marilyn, who had dominated the conversation. Andie actually had a feeling that Courtney might have been more easygoing if not for her mother butting in, but what could you do? Good thing Andie had helped out, though. Jane was right—she didn’t have the personality for it. She got flustered too easily.
Andie liked being a part of the team at Tides, but that would never be enough for her. She needed something else to do.
Almost as if it had a mind of its own, her rental car turned toward Main Street. She drove past the shops with their cheery awnings and flower-laden window boxes, passing a cute boutique shop, a florist, a hairdresser, and then the antiques shop. Its door was closed, its window boxes empty, and the lights off.
The building was a decent size and in a good section of town. Andie found herself wondering what the apartment above looked like. Was it outdated? In need of major work? Her room at Tides was getting a bit small, and it was also a room they could rent out. With the current upswing in guests, it didn’t make sense for her to take up that space.
If she decided to stay in Lobster Bay, buying the antiques shop and apartment would be a perfect solution for her. Excitement rippled through her as she weighed thoughts of staying with thoughts of going back. Suddenly and with much clarity, she had a clear winner. She knew exactly what she wanted to do.
Chapter Fifteen
The Purple Blueberry was everything Maxi imagined it would be. Awash in vibrant tones, the outdoor bar was dotted with round tables shaded with colorful umbrellas. Strings of lights with large filament exposed bulbs were strung around the tall purple fence that blocked the bar from the neighboring business. Artwork hung on the fence and the walls of the building. Inside was another bar and more tables, but it was a gorgeous evening and the crowd was outside.
Maxi sat at a small table, taking it all in as she sampled a glass of pinot noir from a local winery. The buzz of conversation, the excitement of creative energy, the colorful casual outfits. This was what her life had been missing.
“Maxi, great to see you here!” Chandler Vanbeck rushed over, making Maxi feel a little uncomfortable. She didn’t want him to think she’d come looking for him. “Mind if I join you?”
“Of course not.” Maxi gestured toward the empty chair across from her.
“So how are the paintings coming along?” Chandler relaxed back in his chair, crossing his ankle over one knee and taking a sip of his white wine. He was wearing cargo shorts and a T-shirt with a colorful artsy dog face on it. Quite a different look from their previous meeting, where he’d worn business-casual chinos and a button-down shirt.
“Good. Great actually. I’m almost done with the second one, so it should be no problem to have three ready for the opening.” She couldn’t believe that she was casually talking about having her artwork at a gallery opening.
“Perfect! I think you’ll be surprised at the attention your work gets.” Chandler leaned forward, a little too close, causing Maxi to lean back to maintain the distance.
Was he flirting? She wasn’t sure if she liked being flirted with, especially now that she’d been so wrong about James. She’d been second-guessing her decision to stay at the cottage and feeling bad about the way she’d suspected her husband. Then again, James hadn’t exactly acted like he would welcome her back with open arms. Maybe he was mad at the way she’d acted. She wouldn’t blame him if he was.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m surprised I got back into painting so easily. It’s been years.”
“You’re a natural. I could tell by that sketch I saw. Can’t wait to see the paintings.”
A woman who Maxi recognized as the one she was introduced to at the diner drifted up to their table. Today she was wearing a bright-yellow linen shirt and white pedal pushers. She had gigantic daisy earrings and necklace to match. Overly large white-rimmed sunglasses completed the outfit. “Hello there. Maxi, right?”
Maxi nodded. “And you’re Muriel?”
“Yes! How lovely of you to remember.” She glanced at an empty seat. “May I?”
“Please do.” Maxi felt a lot better now that it wasn’t just her and Chandler. It wasn’t that he was entirely unpleasant. Actually, he was rather handsome. And he’d been so nice to her. She might have welcomed his flirtation if things were different, but when she thought about having a man in her life, all she could think of was James.
“Chandler tells me you’re a new artist.” Muriel gave Maxi a smile of encouragement. “You must be good if he’s including you in the opening.”
Maxi blushed. “I’m sort of new. I used to paint a lot when I was younger, but then I got married, had a family...”
“Oh, I know what you mean. That’s one benefit of getting older. You finally have time to do whatyouwant.”
Maxi nodded her agreement. She liked Muriel. The woman was outgoing, smart, pleasant.
A familiar figure hovering around the edge of the tables caught her eye.
James? Except he wasn’t wearing his usual clothes. He was dressed down, casual. Handsome. Their eyes met, and Maxi’s heart flipped. For a second, she was transported back to their younger days when they were both more carefree. James looked good, better than he had in years.
Maxi waved him over, and Muriel turned. “Who is that?”
“My husband.” Maxi couldn’t help her voice rising an octave at the end as if it were a question.
“Hi.” James stood beside her at the table, looking nervous.
