And to her disappointment that Rafe still wasn’t there.
Then she thought about her damn foot. And the damn cast. And how it was a damn stupid way to have to spend the rest of the summer.
Closing her eyes, Maddie realized that maybe her boring, predictable life wasn’t so bad after all. There was some comfort in knowing what to expect nearly every minute. Every day. Which was why she knew that, realistically, she’d be home soon. She would patch things up with her father, of course she would. Rafe would be off to Amherst. The fall semester would begin. All would be forgiven . . . and everything would be safely predictable again. Except that she’d be rich.
She took another bite of salad.
And then her phone rang.
Chapter 19
“Maddie? Hi. It’s Rex. The bald guy.”
She laughed. “Hmm,” she said, “let’s see. I know a lot of bald guys. Could you be more specific?”
“The one from the restaurant in Edgartown.”
“Okay. That narrows it down.”
“Ha!” he replied. “You’re a funny lady.”
Funny? Maddie would not have used that word to describe herself. While she enjoyed people who had great senses of humor, and she loved to laugh, she never thought she inspired others to laugh, too.
“I’m not sure my son would always agree,” she said.
“Then he’s missing out.”
She chewed on her lower lip, glad Rex wasn’t there to watch her do it. “I’ll be sure to tell him.” Pushing the fork around in the salad, she moved the potatoes and the chopped egg and the bits of green onion from one side to the other.
“So,” he continued, “would you like to have lunch with me?”
A different Madelyn Clarke must have entered the cottage—different from the one who’d been rooting through her grandmother’s possessions, then been frustrated, restless, annoyed. And, most importantly, preparing to leave the island.
“Yes,” the new Madelyn Clarke replied. “I’d like very much to have lunch with you.” She paused, as if waiting to come to her senses and take back what she’d just said.
“Great. How about Thursday?”
She hesitated. Was it too late to change her mind? But did she really want to go back to her old self? “Thursday’s fine,” she said. “I’m sure I can get a taxi to Edgartown . . .”
“No way! We won’t be dining at the Lord James. I need a few hours off; my sous chef can cover lunch for me. I’ll have to be back by four to start dinner, though. He hates it when I take advantage of his good nature.”
She laughed, relieved that he expected lunch and nothing more. There was, after all, no such thing as love at first sight. Especially when both parties were well over forty.
“So, I’ll pick you up around noon?” he was saying.
“That’s fine. Yes. Great,” she jabbered. She didn’t ask where they’d go. Chances were, she did not know the place. “I’ll look forward to it.” She supposed that was the right thing to say.
“Good. Me, too. See you then.”
They hung up. Maddie blinked.
She had a date.
The day after tomorrow.
She moved around the cottage, opening the windows, trying to stave off a rush of heat that suddenly billowed inside her.
The next thing she thought was,Yikes. A date.
