“Then that’ll make two of us.” She gave her big sister an overly bright smile. “So what is the plan for this week? And since when did these things grow from a night to a whole week?”
Ashley sighed. “Sometimes I wonder which of us is the oldest.”
“Hey, you’re the one with a daughter getting married.” Olivia gave her a smug smile. “That’s another advantage of not having kids. There’s no one to age me.”
“Fine. Well, myvery youngdaughter isn’t in charge of her hen week, her friends are, so I don’t know much about it other than they’ve picked the brains of her future in-laws for the best things to do on the island. I believe we’ll be heading for cocktail bars, beach and spa time, and, in their words, someworld-class partying, which I’ve translated as we’ll be doing a lot of drinking and dancing.” Olivia groaned, and Ashley laughed harder. “Thought that might shut you up. Don’t worry, none of your high-flying finance colleagues will see you grinding your drunken arse along with all the hip young things.”
“God, enough.”
“You won’t be saying that when some young stallion has his crotch in your face.”
Olivia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was a million miles away from who she was. “Is Sophie really going to enjoy this?”
“Of course she is, because Sophie is a normal twenty-two-year-old. She can’t wait to let her hair down for a week before she gets married and starts a whole new life with the man she adores.” Olivia opened her mouth to reply, then shut it again, aware that what she’d been about to say was insensitive. “I know marriage didn’t work out for me,” Ashley said quietly, clearly reading Olivia’s mind. “But it has for Jessica, and I have faith that it will for Sophie. Even if it doesn’t, I admire her for being bold and brave enough to take the risk, to dive into life headfirst.”
She knew Ashley was proud of her daughter, but still, the words stung. “You think I’m not doing that?”
Her sister let out a long breath. “Sorry, I don’t want to argue. You love your job, I get that. I just worry that you put too much emphasis on its importance because of Mum.”
“You saw the way she gave up a chance of a career, alife, to look after us all, look after Dad. How can making sure your husband’s dinner is on the table when he swans home late from work be in any way fulfilling?”
“Because she loved him? Loved us?”
“But what aboutherlife? Whatshewanted to do? She’ll never know what she was capable of.” And it looked like both of Olivia’s sisters were following suit. Both had married young, and both had given up careers to bring up their kids. “I just want more out of my life than wiping bums and cooking meals.” Before Ashley could erupt, she patted her arm. “Sorry, that’s me being glib and unfair. My nieces and nephews are a joy. But equally it isn’t fair to dismiss my decision to focus on my career as boring or say I’m somehow ducking out of life. I’m not. I’m diving into it headfirst, I’m just doing it in a different pool.”
Ashley burst into laughter. “I could argue about heights of diving boards or swimming pools versus flinging yourself off rocks into the sea, but I’m going to let it drop.” She waved a hand toward the windshield. “Take a look at this place, Liv, and tell me you’re not charmed by it.”
For the first time, Olivia took proper notice of her surroundings. Ashley wasn’t wrong. The Jeep trundled down wide, tree-lined cobblestone streets, passing elegant houses with imposing columns, and then cut along the waterfront, where the buildings became more rustic; they were made from a grayed wood but still immaculately maintained, their front gardens alive with color—white roses trailed around porches, vibrant pink and blue hydrangeas sat in pots beneath the windows. Between the houses, flashes of the harbor glistened in the sun. “This is where Sophie’s Steve grew up?”
“No, his family are from Boston, but they holidayed here every summer. Sophie came out with them last year and fell in love with the place, which is why she decided she wanted to get married here.” Ashley turned into the red-brick drive of a sprawling New England–style building and slotted into a parking space. “This is us.”
“Wow.” The gray shingle hotel was a stunning mix of old-style charm and modern elegance.
“Feeling better about coming now?” Ashley grinned as she cut the engine. “The Davies sisters are together again, Liv, and we’re going to have a blast.”
“You know I hate my name shortened,” Olivia grumbled. But when Ashley took her hand and led her to the back of the hotel, her grumpiness vanished. There was no place for it in the presence of such serenity. Her gaze skimmed across the loungers laid out on the pristine lawn, over to the electric-blue hydrangeas, and then beyond, to the rippling water alive with sailboats. “Sod it, you’re right. It feels good to be here.”
The feeling of contentment grew as she wheeled her case past the rocking chairs on the veranda and through the big wooden double doors into the bright lobby of the hotel. And it exploded into sheer joy when Jessica rushed over to greet her. “Baby sis, you made it!”
At work Olivia was respected; in fact some people were a little afraid of her. With her sisters, though, she’d always be the baby, the one they took care of, looked out for. And as she was wrapped in Jess’s bear hug, she felt not just home but wanted, cherished.
“Aunt Olivia.” Sophie ran across the lobby. Flowing blond hair, lithe slim body, eyes sparkling with happiness—her niece was beautiful inside and out.
“At last, someone who calls me by my proper name.” Feeling emotional, she turned and hugged the bride-to-be. “You look so happy.” She stood back a moment, studied her face. “Please tell me you’re as happy as you look.”
Sophie beamed. “I’m marrying my soulmate next weekend. Before that I have a week on this beautiful island with my family and best friends, where we’re going to party like wild divas. Of course I’m frigging happy.” She grabbed Olivia’s suitcase. “Now let’s get you checked in and go hit the bar.”
Connor weaved his way out of the back of the kitchen and onto the grass, inhaling a lungful of fresh sea air. Fuck, he was shattered. It was the second year he’d come to Nantucket for a temporary stint as chef/occasional barman to help with the summer rush. Had he been this knackered last year?
Undoing the top few buttons of his chef’s whites, he went to sit on one of the wicker chairs. He closed his eyes for a moment and let the warmth of the sun soak through his tired body. Working in a kitchen he was used to; it was his job. Working in the kitchen of a luxury hotel in peak holiday season was another few gears up. Then there was all that drinking until three in the morning.Irresponsible. Yeah, he could picture his dad saying it.
The door opened and a dark-haired guy emerged; he grinned when he saw Connor. “Taking a breather, old man?”
Luca was another temp working the summer in Nantucket before heading back to Italy and life as a student. He worked in the kitchen as a porter, which basically meant he spent a lot of time cutting up vegetables and tidying up after the chefs. Only slightly more of a dogsbody than Connor. Then again, he was also a lot younger. “Twenty-eight isn’t old,” he grumbled, but even as he said it, he felt like there were more than a few years separating him from the guys he’d been partying with last night.
“Come on, man, you disappeared at three like Cinderella.”
“I feel more like one of the ugly sisters.” He drew a hand down his face, trying to wake himself up. “I’m not used to late nights.”
