Though her father had not originally intended to, Maddie was glad he’d stayed for the party. Even better, he and Nancy seemed to be getting along, though Maddie supposed they might never be best friends.
An hour before the party, Maddie was in her bedroom suite, dressing in a winter-white knit skirt and cowl-neck sweater she’d bought for the occasion because they would showcase her mother’s wampum earrings and Rex’s beautiful gift.
As she slid the bracelet on, her phone rang.
“I’m bringing one less chair,” Rex said. “Taylor doesn’t feel well, so she won’t be coming.”
So much for trying to befriend his sister and get the lowdown on menopause. On the plus side, Grandma wouldn’t have to deal with her.
After hanging up, Maddie finished dressing. Then, looking into the full-length mirror, she noticed that, yes, the purple of the wampum combined with the silver definitely complemented the skirt and sweater. She liked the way it looked; she liked the wayshelooked. Pretty, maybe. Happy, definitely. Both of which felt really nice.
The guests arrived and crowded into the cottage right on time. Kevin was in charge of showing off the renovations: oohs and aahs quickly echoed up and down the hall.
“I got to keep my old mattress,” Maddie heard Grandma say when the tour group reached her room. “The fact that you can change something does not mean you have to.” After a slight pause she added, “And I’m keeping my bedroom drapes open at night, so anyone who wants can look inside and see me in my altogether.”
Laughter filled the air; Maddie groaned lovingly.
Once the tour was over and the eating and drinking were underway, Rex, in his “formal” attire of a light blue dress shirt and black jeans, moved to the fireplace, where he’d lit a fire. Then he turned off the music, raised his glass, and clinked it with a spoon.
“Okay, neighbors and friends. I have an announcement. Or rather, Maddie and I have an announcement.”
The jam-packed room fell silent. Maddie’s cheeks grew warm, not from the fire or a hot flash, but because she sensed that her coppery skin was blushing. She hoped he wasn’t going to announce that they were … an item. As far as she knew, only Rafe, Joe, and Grandma had tracked that so far.
She bit her lip and waited.
“I expect we’re all familiar with Arnie’s Bait and Tackle?” Rex asked the group.
Maddie gulped. She took a breath and wanted to yell, “STOP!” Had he forgotten not to reveal the plan until, and if, it was certain to happen? She hadn’t even told Rafe yet, nor her father. But as her heart raced and her brain searched for a way to shut him up, Rex kept talking.
“Some of you might know old Arnie has retired. But, as luck would have it, one of our favorite washashores—and one of tonight’s hostesses—is going to convert his space into a bookshop.”
Maddie stood frozen, her feet cemented to the new floorboards Kevin had installed. She had no idea how to stop the bald man at the mantel.
“Well,” Rex went on, avoiding her eyes, “this afternoon I received word from our marvelous town fathers—and mothers—that the deal is official. All that’s needed is for Maddie to sign on the dotted line.”
She nearly dropped her glass. She set it on the table and pressed both palms to her cheeks, trying to quell the heat. She thought about retreating out the back door and praying for a menopausal cure-all blast of cold air, but didn’t know how she could possibly thread her way around all the chairs and the people in the way.
“Seeing as how he did such a great job on this place,” Rex kept talking—God, why was he still talking?—and gestured toward Kevin, “my talented brother-in-law will handle the renovations. And he’d better get a move on because Maddie plans to open the place at the start of the season.”
Had they talked about that?
Evelyn interrupted. “A bookshop! How perfect. We’ve needed one up here.” Her face glimmered with well-applied makeup; her white hair was perfectly coiffed, her white cashmerecardigan and white wool pants complemented a festive, red satin camisole. Evelyn was the epitome of an attractive, well-tailored woman of means.
“If you have kids’ books,” neighbor Lisa—who was dressed for the occasion with a string of multicolored flashing lights dangling from a black corduroy jumper—interjected, “Loren will spend her allowance there!” Loren was Lisa and Mickey’s young daughter.
Maddie then realized that rather than stand mute, she needed to speak. So she cleared her throat and said, “The back deck will be a small café where customers can enjoy tea. And maybe scones.” Then she glanced toward her grandmother. “I’m hoping you’ll provide your herbal teas, Grandma?”
Grandma stared blankly at Maddie as if struggling to process the news. “I knew you and Rex were up to something,” she scolded. “I guess no one told you it’s not nice to keep an old lady in the dark.”
“But Grandma—” Maddie began, then Rex interrupted.
“We didn’t want anyone to be disappointed,” he said. “In case it didn’t work out.”
Maddie, still bewildered, simply nodded agreement, though Rafe and her father surely were wondering why Maddie hadn’t told them.
“Unfortunately,” Rex addressed his attentive audience again, “Maddie must sign the papers at the town hall on January third at eleven in the morning. As someone who went through this kind of process a few years ago, I wanted to be with her. But unfortunately, I’ll be on the other coast with Kevin and Francine and Jonas and their gang.”
Kevin, Francine, and Jonas cheered and the others applauded.
