“Your dad’s okay with that?”
“Well, duh, yeah. He’s paying them.”
Annie hadn’t expected that. The fact that Abigail wouldn’t be on the island very often for the next few weeks was one thing, but renting the apartment seemed more . . . important. But even though Annie had just spent more than four days with him, he hadn’t mentioned it. Sure, they’d agreed that after they were married, he’d remain in charge of his girls and their financial needs, but Annie would have thought . . .
Stop, Murphy chided.He’s a man. When it comes to communicating, you know they usually suck.
Annie would have responded if Lucy wasn’t in the car.
“Well, living there should give Abigail more time for her schoolwork.” She tried to sound unfazed, but didn’t dare look at her passenger again for fear of revealing her real feelings. Wanting, needing to change the subject, Annie asked, “Did you know Taylor has a brother?”
“What?”
“Taylor. You know. Kevin’s wife. Jonas’s mother?”
Lucy laughed. “Nope. I didn’t know she has a brother. Is he as weird as she is?” Then she deftly wound her hair into a knot and pinned it atop her head, as if she’d been to a hairdressing academy. Perhaps she’d read a how-to article online when she’d been bored at her mother’s.
“You do know that calling someone ‘weird’ isn’t a nice way to describe someone, don’t you? I mean, you’re not five years old anymore, are you?” Annie said it in a joking manner so Lucy would get the message without being offended.
“I don’t say it about anyone but them. And maybe about Abigail. But only to you.”
Annie patted Lucy’s arm. “Well, okay, then, between you and me, you’re right. Taylor’s brother is a little . . . let’s call it ‘unusual.’ ”
Lucy laughed. “How?”
“He’s older than she is. He used to own a fancy restaurant in Boston. And he’s a really good cook.”
“What’s ‘unusual’ about all that?”
“I only know no one was enthusiastic when he showed up unannounced. He’s probably fine.”
“Where’s he living?”
“With them. Taylor and Kevin.”
“What about Francine and Jonas?”
“They went to Earl’s.”
“Geeez.The Vineyard shuffle.”
“I guess.” Then Annie told her that Francine and Jonas were going to stay on the island so that Francine could have the baby there, which they agreed would be awesome. It was easier to talk about happy things than to think about how, if Abigail wasn’t available, Annie might end up being the ugliest bride the Vineyard had ever seen.
That will never happen, Murphy said.Not even on your worst day.
Which was easy for her to say.
But what if someone took ugly pictures and posted them all over social media? Or what if Trish showed up with a PR person?
Trish!she thought again. She really must get back to her. Which was why, after depositing Lucy at John’s town house, Annie finally listened to her voice mail.
“Call me back ASAP,” her editor had said. “In other words,now.”
The “now” had been almost a week ago.
So as Annie headed to theOn Timepier, she turned in to the parking lot at Memorial Wharf, stopped, turned off the Jeep, and returned the call.
But, as Trish’s had, Annie’s connection went to voice mail.
