The Inn at Angel Island

Chapter Nine

LIZA heard the back door slam and saw Peter marching toward her. “Liza, have you seen that wide scraper with the red handle? I need it for the…” His voice trailed off as he took in her expression. “Liza, what’s the matter? What’s happened?”

She looked up and shook her head. It was very hard to say it out loud.

“You don’t look so good,” he said gently. “Do you want to talk?”

“I’m all right,” she said, but she knew she had to tell him. “I just spoke to my boss. That promotion I was going for? Sounds like they’re giving it to someone else.”

“No, that’s impossible. You deserved that promotion. You work night and day for that company. They can’t do this to you,” Peter railed, sounding every inch the protective big brother. “And to tell you over the phone? That stinks.”

“My boss didn’t actually say it point-blank. When I asked her, she just said she would talk to me about it when I got back to the office. But I definitely think that’s what she was trying to tell me. She was trying to prepare me for the bad news.”

Peter gave her a thoughtful look. “Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Maybe you misunderstood?”

Liza met his gaze and sighed. “Maybe. But I don’t think so.”

Peter sat down next to her. “What if you went back to the office and claimed your territory? Boston’s only a two-hour drive. You could go today. Meet with your boss and make her reconsider?”

Liza had thought of that and had finally rejected the idea. “It’s not just Eve’s decision. And I don’t think they’ll change their minds and give it to me just because I stomped my feet and demanded it. Besides, Eve said she couldn’t talk about it with me yet. Maybe the decision isn’t final,” she added, though she honestly felt that there was slim hope left.

Peter leaned over and put his arm around her shoulder. “I know this must really hurt. I wish there was something I could do for you.”

Liza forced a small smile. “Thanks, pal. Just listening to me moan and groan helps. A little anyway.”

“Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? The painting can wait. You can take a ride somewhere, go into Cape Light or Newburyport? Get some distraction. Do you want me to come with you?”

Liza considered the offer. Both of those towns were perfect for an afternoon of walking around and browsing. But it would take more than window-shopping to cheer her up today. She felt so angry she was about to burst at the seams.

“I think I’ll feel better if I just stay here and paint some more,” she told him. “It will help keep my mind off it.”

“All right. Whatever you say. If you change your mind and decide you want to go back to Boston and fight, you just go. I can take care of this place.”

“I know you can, Peter. Thanks.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and stood up. “I just need a minute or two. I’ll be in soon,” she promised him.

“All right.” Peter gave her a last look, then left her to get herself together.

Liza turned away from the house and looked at the shed and the garden and the property beyond.

The sun was high in the sky and felt strong today, warming the damp earth and calling forth the scents and sights of spring. Green shoots were pushing up from the soft ground, and the buds on the trees were swelling, about to burst into flower.

How could this be happening? Didn’t the entire world realize she was sad and devastated?

Spring obviously didn’t care. It was coming anyway. The seasons moved on, each day leading to the next. It was a comfort in one way and, in another way, offered her a humbling measure of perspective.

Liza worked diligently for the rest of the day, struggling to get her mind around the devastating news.

She wasn’t sure if Peter had told anyone about her disappointment, but the rest of the house seemed to sense she was unhappy about something and stayed out of her way.

She didn’t even come down for the special short ribs dinner that evening. Instead, she soaked in a hot bath, and once the coast was clear, she snuck down for a bowl of cold cereal that she ate in her room.

As tired as she was, Liza felt too riled up to fall asleep.

She lay in the dark, her eyes wide open, playing out scenarios in her mind. She would return to the office, confront Charlie Reiger, face down Eve Barkin, and give them both a piece of her mind.

But what good would any of that actually do? Unless she was willing to quit her job and walk out on all of them.

That would be satisfying, she thought. For a few minutes anyway.

But it was a terrible career move. It would be hard enough to find a new job in this economy without being branded as a nutcase or a hysteric. The story would hit the grapevine quickly, sealing her fate.

What will I do without that job? she wondered. It’s my entire life-even though I’m not sure I like it anymore. How pathetic is that?

Well, I could always come back here and run the inn. Now there’s a pleasant fantasy. She smiled to herself, amused at her own wild ideas.

It was a crazy notion. Crazy and impossible.

Too bad I’m so logical, Liza thought with a sigh. People like me never have any fun.

LIZA was the last one to come downstairs the next morning. Claire greeted her warmly. “Did you have a good rest?” she asked, as Liza poured herself a mug of coffee.

“Not bad, all things considered.” She didn’t feel as angry anymore at her situation, just deflated and sad.

Liza hadn’t talked to Claire about her work situation, but Liza was sure the housekeeper had heard something from Peter. She seemed to be sending Liza silent waves of comfort, her sympathetic smile speaking volumes.

“A good night’s sleep is a wonderful thing,” Claire noted. “It heals your spirit and puts things in perspective, don’t you think?”

Liza had to smile. “Yes, it does. A little, anyway.”

“It’s a beautiful day,” Claire went on. “The weatherman said it was going to rain but no sign of it yet.”

“Let’s hope the clouds wait until tonight. I’d hate for Daniel to miss a day of work.”

“Oh, he’s out there,” Claire assured her. “He was down a few men on his crew for some reason. Daniel asked Will to help him. And Peter volunteered, too,” she added with a sly smile.

Claire looked down, continuing to wash out the griddle. “Though I’m not sure if he really needs all that help… if you know what I mean.”

“Poor Daniel,” Liza said with a smile. She poured herself more coffee and swiped a slice of whole wheat toast from a plate on the table. “Guess I should check this out. Nobody’s come back inside yet screaming, right?”

“So far, so good,” Claire assured her quietly.

Liza went out the back door and soon spotted her brother. He carried a large paintbrush and a bucket of yellow paint. “Hey, kid. How are you doing?” Peter greeted her.

“Hanging in. What’s going on out here?”

“Daniel is short a helper or two today, and he asked Will if he wanted to step in.” Liza detected a distinct note of pride in Peter’s tone. “I might help myself. The outside is the priority, don’t you think? The faster Daniel finishes, the better for us.”

“Fran did say something like that,” Liza agreed. Which reminded her-with all her own troubles, she had lost track of the real estate agent. She had to call Fran this morning and see when she was bringing the Hardys back.

“Maybe we should all work outside today,” Peter said, sounding enthusiastic. “It would be great to have the front of the inn done before the Hardys come back. It could make all the difference. Curb appeal and all that?”

Peter had been reading too many “sell it yourself ” articles on the Internet, Liza thought. Then again, working with Daniel for the day wouldn’t exactly be a hardship.

“Sure,” she told her brother. “I’ll help paint the outside.”

Maybe she was just volunteering so that she would have a good distraction from her worries, she realized. And maybe that wasn’t the worst thing either.

A short time later, Liza stood on the porch, carefully applying cream-colored paint to the columns and railing. Daniel had not been delighted to hear that a band of amateurs insisted on painting with him, but they were his customers and, for various reasons, he was down several of the men on his regular crew today.

Since he knew they needed the job done as quickly as possible, he didn’t refuse their help.

Liza liked working outside. It had gotten claustrophobic in the tiny bathroom yesterday, and she had dreaded facing that project again. But outside, with a blue sky above, the sun shining brightly, and a light breeze blowing, it was hard to be unhappy. All she had to do was glance out at the ocean, and the blue waters immediately washed away any negative thoughts.

“So, you’ve ended up working for me after all. Never say never.” Daniel walked up behind her, the sound of his voice so close, she jumped up and hit her paintbrush on his knee.

“Sorry,” she said. She looked up and smiled.

“I should have expected that.”

“Yeah, you should have. It will wash out, right?”

“Someday,” he said lightly. He grabbed another brush and dipped it into the paint tray she was using, then started to paint the railing on the other side of the steps. Was he going to partner up with her on the porch? Liza wasn’t sure she liked that idea. It made her too nervous. She was sure she would end up hitting him with the brush again. Or worse.

“We’ve been lucky with the weather,” he said, seeming unmindful of her discomfort. “It usually rains a lot around here this time of year. That would have really slowed us down.”

“It has been great weather,” she agreed. Thinking back, the only rain she had seen out here had been the night she arrived.

She glanced over at him. It was funny how just talking about the weather seemed so… significant. She felt as if she were in high school or something, talking to a boy she had a crush on and not knowing what to say.

“So… are you a big Sox fan, or do you just like the hats and T-shirts?”

“A fan… and I wear the hats and T-shirts to prove it.”

He laughed. “Think they’re going to make it to the Series this year?”

“Of course I do. They have a great chance.” She turned and looked at him. “I’m counting the days until the opening at Fenway. Then it’s really spring.”

Daniel laughed. “Wow, you are a fan.”

Liza didn’t say anything. She turned around and got back to the painting. Lots of men thought it was funny to meet a woman who liked baseball as much as she did. Amusing… or just plain odd. She couldn’t help it. She also liked opera. That was just who she was.

They continued working without talking. Liza didn’t mind at all. It was an easy kind of silence between them, not tense or strained. She liked just being near him for some reason. It was exciting and somehow comfortable at the same time.

She was so focused on painting that she didn’t hear the car coming up the drive until it had pulled all the way up to the house.

She looked up to see who it was and nearly dropped her brush. A silver Volvo convertible had arrived, and Jeff had jumped out of the driver’s side.

“Liza, please don’t be mad. I know you asked me not to come. But I can explain,” he began, as he walked toward her.

Liza stood up and drew in a long breath. What in the world?

She glanced down at Daniel. He had stopped painting and was staring at her. “A friend of yours?” he asked quietly.

“Sort of,” she murmured back. “My ex-husband.”

He nodded and looked back at the porch rails. “I get it.”

“Good. At least one of us does,” she replied.

Jeff stood in front of her at the bottom of the steps. He stared up with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry to bother you, Liza. But we really need to talk.”

Talk? What did they have left to talk about? Liza walked down the steps to meet him. “Didn’t you get my note about the roses?” she asked him quietly.

“I did.” He reached out and touched her shoulder for a moment, then let his hand drop away. “That’s when I realized that I needed to talk to you. Face-to-face.”

Liza stared at him in disbelief. “I told you in no uncertain terms it was time for us both to let go and lead our own lives. What part of that message didn’t you understand?”

“Liza-”

“No,” she cut him off. “You shouldn’t have come without calling first, Jeff.”

“I know. But if I called and asked, I thought you would tell me not to come.”

He was right about that. He smiled down at her and stuck his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. He wore a fine-gauge-wool sweater over designer jeans. His light brown hair was freshly cut, and his blue eyes sparkled.

He was an attractive man, she noticed in some distant part of her brain, but she wasn’t attracted to him anymore. Was she?

Why did he have to come back like this and get her all confused again?

“I’m sorry, Liza, but after I got that note, everything seemed so final. I realized our marriage was really over and-I just couldn’t handle it.”

“I felt a little shocked, too, when I finally got the decree in the mail,” she said, trying to sound reasonable. “But we knew this was coming for a long time. It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise.”

“What can I say?” Jeff rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a wistful smile. “That very official letter was hard to handle, Liza. Then your note just blew me away.”

Liza met his gaze and sighed. This was more than she had expected. Was he here to try to reconcile? Was there any chance at all of them getting back together? She would have said “no way” a few days ago. Now, though, it seemed as if she didn’t have a clue about what was going to happen in her life anymore.

She noticed Daniel had left the porch and walked over to his truck. He seemed to be politely ignoring the little drama, but Liza was sure he could still hear every word.

Peter had also come around the side of the building with Will. They were both staring at Jeff as if he had descended from another planet.

“Can we go inside?” Jeff asked quietly. “I really have a lot to say to you.”

He took a step closer and took hold of her hand. Liza felt herself freeze inside and pulled away.

“No, we can’t go inside. We don’t have anything to talk about, Jeff. I want you to go.”

Jeff laughed nervously but was not put off. “Okay then, I’ll tell you right here,” he insisted. “I’d rather talk about this privately… but what the heck. Let the whole world hear. I’m not ashamed of what I’m feeling.”

Oh, no. This situation was getting worse by the second. Liza didn’t know what to do. There seemed no way to stop him, and she knew if she took him into the house, it would be even harder to get rid of him. In spite of herself, she turned and caught Daniel’s eye. Well, I have this ex-husband who just won’t let go. A slight problem in regard to starting any new relationships. But I’m working on it.

Miraculously, Daniel seemed to understand and disappeared around the side of the house.

“All right,” she said to Jeff. “Just tell me, please.”

And then go, she added silently.

He smiled at her, cleared his throat, and stood up straight, shoulders back. “Here’s the revelation that came to me, Liza. Yes, we’re officially divorced and all that. But maybe that’s what it took to make me see what you really mean to me. What our marriage means to me. I want you back, Liza. I made a big mistake, and I’m willing to do anything I have to do to make it up to you. I can see now that we shouldn’t have given up so easily. If you’ll just give me a chance, our relationship can be good again. We can get back together and finally start a family.”

Liza blinked. Her eyes had filled with tears for some strange reason.

“Jeff… it’s too late for all that…” Her voice sounded shaky, as though she were unsure of her words. Was she unsure? Had he got her thinking again about starting over?

“You don’t have to answer me now, Liza. Give it a chance to sink in.” He took her hand again, and this time, she didn’t pull away. “The other night, when I read your note, I realized how much I still love you. I really do,” he insisted. “I’ve made my mistakes. Nobody is perfect. If you’ll just forgive me, it will be completely different this time, I promise… If we had a baby, it would all work out for us. It’s the chance of a lifetime, Liza. I just don’t want to miss it.”

“Oh Jeff,” she said sadly. “A child is not the answer.” She was suddenly sure of that. “It never was,” she told him. “Please, just go, will you? It was wrong of you to come here like this. I’m very… upset. Really.”

“Liza, don’t say that.” He reached for her, and she pulled away.

Then she slipped past him and ran down the steps, tipping over the paint tray in the process.

Jeff tried to follow her. She heard his fast steps on the gravel. She turned and saw Peter step into Jeff ’s path and grab his arm, not roughly but firmly enough to stop him.

“Liza said she doesn’t want to talk to you right now, Jeff. I think you should just respect her wishes and go.”

Jeff glanced at his former brother-in-law but didn’t struggle. He just stared at Liza, a pleading look in his eyes.

Liza saw a bike in the drive, leaning against a tree, and ran toward it. Will must have gone for a ride and left it there, lucky for her. She jumped on and started riding.

Jeff called after her, but she didn’t turn around. She hoped he didn’t try to follow her with his car. But she could go off the road onto a path and lose him easily while on the bike, she realized.

If only it were that easy to get him out of her life.

Liza rode fast but aimlessly. She climbed the hill on the main road and flew down the other side as if she were being pursued by a pack of hungry tigers. She passed through the island center and considered going into Daisy Winkler’s tearoom, where she could hide away, read books, and sip mint tea all day. But that stop was too close to home. If Jeff pursued her, he would be sure to find her there.

She rode on and turned onto Ice House Road, the road that cut north to south on the island and ended up at the Angel Wing Cliffs.

Thick gray clouds had moved in, covering the sun, as if Jeff had brought the bad weather with him, she thought. There was a strong wind, too, that seemed to be blowing against her no matter which direction she rode. It made it much harder to pedal, especially uphill. Liza was glad she’d worn a heavy sweatshirt that morning for painting and that there was a fresh water bottle on the bike rack.

She thought she might ride up to the cliffs and sit there for a while. Hopefully, Peter would persuade Jeff to go back to the city. Quickly.

But as she rode along, she came to the old cemetery and decided to stop there. She parked her bike on the side of the road and walked in through the wrought-iron gate. Set on a hill and surrounded by a low stone wall, the cemetery was not very large.

There were headstones that dated back to the 1600s, when the first inhabitants of the island had arrived; the markers were old stone tablets, moss covered and practically worn away by the caress of salty winds and rain. And the simple passage of time.

Searching for the marker for her aunt and uncle, Liza saw quite a few gravestones marked with the surname North. Claire must be a native of the island, Liza realized, her family lineage dating back all the way to the earliest settlers. Somehow, Liza wasn’t surprised.

Wandering down the narrow rows, she finally found the headstone marked Dunne and under that the names Clive and Elizabeth, and the dates of their births and deaths. She gazed down at it a moment. She had expected to find the spot bare. But someone had planted spring bulbs in a cluster at the bottom of the stone, and she could see that the earth had already been cleaned of weeds and turned, the green shoots making their way up toward the sun.

There would be flowers blooming here in a few weeks. Maybe sooner than that. The thought pleased her but also made her wonder who had been so careful and considerate, coming to this remote spot to plant flowers that no one would see.

It should have been me, Liza thought. But I was too busy, as usual, doing my oh-so-important work for the agency. It must have been Claire, she realized. Just a guess, but it seemed like something Claire would do.

Well, I’ll come again and bring more flowers, Liza promised herself. There was plenty of time for that.

She sat down on the grass near the marker and read the inscription:

Two roads diverged… I took the one less traveled by,

and that has made all the difference.

– Robert Frost

Frost was their favorite poet. Frost and Whitman. Liza had found their beloved, worn-out volumes of Leaves of Grass and Frost’s collected works when she was cleaning out the bookcases. She had put them aside to take home as mementos. Her aunt used to read passages from Leaves of Grass to her, but Liza had never read the entire collection of poems on her own. She would start it, she decided, maybe tonight. It had to be a more worthwhile pursuit than staring at a computer screen and trying to catch up on office work. Where had that gotten her?

Liza gazed at the gravestone, wondering what Aunt Elizabeth would have thought about the scene at the inn today. Would she have encouraged Liza to have more patience with Jeff and consider his hope to reconcile? Liza had a feeling her aunt wouldn’t have encouraged that. Actually, she wouldn’t have tried to push her one way or the other. “Listen to your heart, Liza, not your head,” Aunt Elizabeth used to say.

Her heart was telling her that it was over with Jeff. That she was even fortunate they had never had children together. That would have been a big mistake, she could see it now very clearly. She would have children someday. But she wasn’t ready.

“If you’re not sure, give it time. The right answer will come to you,” her aunt used to say. “Give it time.”

That was her aunt’s guiding principle. Give things time. That seemed to be Claire North’s philosophy as well. Of course, it seemed that out on this island, there was an endless amount of time. It was different back in Boston, in her own life.

Jeff had been pressuring her their whole married life. Liza could see that now. He had come this morning, trying to sweep her off her feet. But this time, she wouldn’t be rushed.

Liza stood up and gazed at the grave again. She wished her aunt were around to talk to, to give her some advice about… about everything.

One thing suddenly seemed clear. If Aunt Elizabeth were around, she would probably be displeased with the way Liza and Peter were rushing to sell the inn. Aunt Elizabeth had given the best years of her life to that beautiful old building, and now they were just abandoning it. It made Liza feel sad and even ashamed of herself in some way.

Liza had been telling herself they had no other choice. But there were always other choices. That’s what her aunt would have said. If you were daring and honest enough to look for them.

She felt a few raindrops and pulled up her hood, then felt around in her pocket for a tissue. She found a shell instead.

How had that gotten there? She must have picked it up on the beach at some point but didn’t remember when.

She held it for a moment, then placed it near the headstone.

It was a very pretty shell and all she had to offer right now.

Her aunt would like it. She had always been pleased by original gifts, Liza recalled.

Liza closed her eyes a moment and said a prayer. It was not something she was used to doing, and the words slowly came to her. It was a prayer her aunt used to recite at night as she tucked Liza and her brother into bed.

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous.

Teach me to serve You, as You deserve,

To give and not to count the cost,

To fight and not to seek for rest,

To labor and not to seek reward,

Save that of knowing that I do Thy will.

Finally she stepped away and said good-bye to her aunt and uncle. The rain was falling steadily now, and the wind was even stronger. It was time to return to the inn, whether Jeff was still there or not. She reached into her pocket again, looking for her cell phone. It wasn’t there, and Liza stood in the rain, searching all her pockets, twice, before she faced the fact that she had somehow forgotten it back at the inn.

She almost started laughing. How ironic. After carrying her BlackBerry around everywhere, like an extra body part, she didn’t have it handy when she needed it most. She shook her head, went and got her bike, and wheeled it onto the road. Nothing to do now but head home the same way she came.

Liza pedaled steadily but slowly through the rain. She wondered if a car or truck would pass and give her a ride back.

But nobody came along the old road going in her direction.

The sky grew even darker, and she heard a rumble of thunder, then saw a bolt of lightning strike out over the water. Daniel had been talking about the spring storms just this morning. Well, here they were, Liza realized. Right on time.

Maybe this one would knock down the inn, and they wouldn’t have to worry about painting it, fixing it, or even selling it.

Liza felt her clothes getting waterlogged from the rain.

Her jeans stuck to her legs and made it hard to pedal. She finally got off the bike and began to push it as she walked on the shoulder of the road.

The entire situation suddenly made her laugh out loud. This was just a metaphor for her entire life, wasn’t it? She could only imagine what she looked like, with her soaking wet clothes and her hair plastered to her head, pushing along the broken-down old bike. She had splashed through so many puddles her legs were covered with mud up to her knees. Her sweatshirt and jeans clung to her skin.

What was that saying she once heard? “Man plans, God laughs.”

She had always been a very good planner. Her life was organized and scheduled, every assignment, appointment, and deadline neatly noted in her daily diary. School, marriage, buying a condo, her promotions up the corporate food chain.

Now here she was. At her wit’s end. Laughing like a crazy lady. Pushing a bike on a country road in a thunderstorm. She didn’t remember noting this episode in the plan. God was getting a good laugh today, wasn’t He?

Liza paused and turned her face up to the sky. “Pretty funny. I hope you’re enjoying yourself!” she shouted.

She heard a car coming up behind her and quickly yanked the bike to the side of the road. She turned and saw a white pickup truck slowing to a stop.

It was raining so hard she couldn’t trust her vision… Was that Daniel behind the wheel… or just her hopeful imagination?

The truck pulled up slowly alongside her, and the driver’s side window came down. It was Daniel. He took her in from head to toe, looking like he wanted to laugh and was struggling to hold it in. “Want a lift?”

She stared at him a moment, trying to remember the last time she had been so happy to see someone.

“Thanks, but… I’ll only get the inside of your truck soaking wet. And it’s not that far now. I can walk the rest.”

Daniel abruptly stopped the truck, got out, and grabbed the bike without even asking. He tossed it in the back of the pickup with one swift, easy motion. He was pretty strong, she realized.

“Would you like to ride in the cab? Or in back with the bike?”

Liza imagined herself hoisted up and thrown in the truck bed. He looked like he could do it, too.

“In the cab, thanks.” Liza walked around to the passenger’s side and got in. Daniel slipped behind the wheel and closed his door. “Put your belt on,” he reminded her as he started the engine.

The wipers slapped at the rainy windshield, and the windows grew foggy despite the blower. She felt her shoulder brush Daniel’s as the truck rolled along, hitting puddles and potholes in the old road. It felt very close and intimate in the truck cab. Daniel stared straight at the road. His thick, dark hair was slicked back, emphasizing his strong profile.

She pushed her wet hair back with her hand, knowing she looked a perfect mess. Like a drowned cat. No help for it, she decided. She wiped a little space on her window with her hand and noticed they were near the town center.

“So you were sent to hunt me down and bring me back? Dead or alive, is that it?”

Daniel laughed. “Something like that. I didn’t have my loyal bloodhounds handy, but I volunteered anyway.”

He had volunteered to come find her? That was… interesting.

“What about my ex-husband?” she asked quietly. “Didn’t he volunteer?”

“Yes, he did, now that you mention it. We decided to split up and look on different sides of the island. I drew a little map for him with some… directions.”

Liza glanced at him, detecting a small smile. She had a strong feeling Daniel’s map would have Jeff driving in circles for days. But she didn’t comment.

“He might have found his way back by now, though,” he added, making her laugh. He glanced at her. “Are you worried that he’s waiting for you?”

Liza shrugged. “I wouldn’t say ‘worried.’ And I certainly wouldn’t mind a cup of tea,” she added, as Daisy Winkler’s cottage came into view.

Daniel glanced over at her and smiled, quickly turning the truck toward the tearoom. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. And here we are, right in front of Daisy Winkler’s.”

“Yes, here we are. How convenient,” she agreed, meeting his dark gaze for a moment. Then she opened her door and slipped out her side of the truck.

The rain came down steadily as they ran down the path to the front door of the cottage. Liza was closest to the door and rang the bell. Daniel stood behind her. He had opened his jacket and held the edges out over her, like a canopy.

“Get under,” he urged her as they stood waiting for Daisy to come to the door.

She stepped back, her shoulders nearly touching his chest.

She felt her breath catch at his nearness and felt the warmth of his body, even through her wet clothes. She was glad that he couldn’t see her face. She was sure her cheeks were bright pink.

Daisy finally came to the door. Her small face stared out at them quizzically.

“Hello, Daisy. Are you open today?” Daniel asked politely.

“Yes, of course. Come in, come in…” Daisy urged them forward. Liza stepped inside, then felt self-conscious as she dripped water all over the entranceway.

“Oh, my dear, it looks like you’ve been swimming. Did you fall off a boat?” Daisy inquired in a serious tone.

Liza smiled and shook her head. “I was out on my bike, and the rain started.” She stared down at her mud-covered shoes. She looked as if she had just emerged from a swamp. “Oh, dear… I don’t want to make a mess in here. Maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll get something for you.” Daisy waved her hands in the air as she trotted off to some other room of the cottage.

Liza glanced at Daniel as Daisy disappeared. He was so tall, his head nearly grazed the low ceiling. “She must be getting a towel,” he whispered. Liza nodded. Then he reached out and pushed a wet strand of hair off her cheek. His touch was gentle and startling at the same time. “You do look like you fell off a boat. You look like a drowned-”

“Don’t say it,” she warned him fiercely. But couldn’t help smiling.

Before he could answer, Daisy reappeared. She carried a towel along with a load of clothes draped over one arm. “I picked out a few things that might fit you from the thrift rack in back.”

Daisy had a thrift rack in here, too? Liza hadn’t noticed that during her first visit, but she had only glanced inside and hadn’t really looked around.

Daisy handed over the bundle of clothes. “There’s a powder room right there.” She pointed to a pink door in the short hallway that separated the tearoom from another large room. “You dry yourself off and put on some warm things. I’ll get everything together for your tea.”

Liza glanced down at the clothes as Daisy trotted off in the opposite direction. The clothes were very-Daisy-ish. “I can’t wear this stuff. I’ll look like a mannequin in a costume museum,” she whispered to Daniel.

He picked up the edge of a sheer, frilly blouse. “This looks promising. Why don’t you try this one?”

“Dream on, pal.” Liza snatched it back, and he laughed.

She headed for the powder room, shut the door, then jumped back when she saw her reflection in the small, gilt-edged mirror. Daisy’s offerings suddenly looked much better. Anything would be an improvement, she realized.

A few minutes later, Liza emerged feeling drier, warmer, and much more presentable. She had washed up, twisted her wet hair into a knot at the back of her head, and secured it with some bobby pins she found in the bathroom. From the pile of antique clothes, she had picked out a dark blue velvet blouse with long full sleeves and a row of tiny, shiny buttons down the front. The blouse came down below her hips and had a high neck with a pointed collar. It would have looked very modest-a great disappointment compared to the sheer frilly number Daniel had picked out-except that it was a little snug across her bust.

But that couldn’t be helped, Liza thought. It was the only top that didn’t make her look like a heroine in a gothic romance. Well, not completely.

She couldn’t find anything suitable to replace her wet jeans, though Daisy had given her several long skirts. She managed to clean her pants off a bit and replaced her wet socks and sneakers with some thick, warm socks.

When she came back to the tearoom, Daniel was seated at a small table by a window at the front of the shop. The table was set for two with china teacups and plates. A teapot stood between the place settings, alongside a tiered tray of cakes and little sandwiches that made Liza instantly aware that she was starving.

Daniel was looking out the window and didn’t notice her approach until she pulled out her chair. “Not much improvement, but I feel a bit dryer,” she reported as she sat down.

His eyes widened, taking in her appearance. “You look great. I love that shirt… Here, have some tea. I think it’s ready.”

He leaned over and poured her a cup of tea, which was made with real leaves and had to be filtered with a silver strainer.

Liza felt a bit shaken by his compliments and was glad she didn’t need to handle a warm teapot at that moment.

“Daisy recommended something called Lapsang Souchong. I hope you like that kind.”

“It looks fine,” she said agreeably. “I’m not very fussy about tea. I hardly know the differences between all the blends.”

“Me either,” he admitted. “This one smells nice,” he noted, pouring himself a cup.

The tea did have a pleasant, flowery fragrance, Liza noticed. A sugar bowl held a selection of cubes, white and brown. Daisy also delivered paper-thin slices of lemon, a honey pot, and a small jug of cream. Liza added some honey to her cup, stirred, then took a sip.

Daniel fixed his tea with sugar and cream. The same way he liked his coffee, she noticed.

“So, you don’t really seem the tearoom type. Do you come here often?” she asked.

“Only when I need a good book. Or find a pretty woman wandering in the rain.”

Liza had been gazing at him but now looked away. His compliment made her blush. “I see… Does that happen often?”

“No, not often enough, come to think of it.” He popped a tiny cake in his mouth and smiled at her. “Hmm, these are good. Poppy seed.” He pointed one out on the tray. “You should try one.”

Liza scanned the tray and picked out the cake he suggested and also took a tiny sandwich, which looked as though it had cucumber and cream cheese inside.

She placed both on her plate with the silver tongs Daisy had supplied.

“So, how long have you been divorced?” he asked suddenly.

“Oh, not long. About three weeks officially. Though we’ve been separated for months. Nearly a year now, I guess. The paperwork seemed to take forever. Jeff is a good guy,” she added, “but we just want different things now.”

She looked up at him. “You’re not married or anything, are you?” Claire had told her Daniel was single, but Liza wanted to be sure.

“No, never been married. I was engaged once. It didn’t work out,” he replied quickly.

She wanted to ask why not but didn’t feel comfortable pushing for the details. “How long have you lived on the island?” she asked instead.

“Oh, about five years now. I was living up in Maine before that. In Portland. I just wanted a change,” he explained briefly.

Liza suspected there was more to that story, too, but she didn’t want to sound as if she were interrogating him.

“Five years is a long time. It must have been the right choice for you.”

“It was. So far, anyway,” he added. “How about you, Liza? Do you ever think of making a change? Of staying here?”

Liza was sipping her tea and suddenly sat back. The question caught her by surprise. “I didn’t at first. It was the furthest thing from my mind. But now… I’m not so sure. I’m wondering if we’re selling the inn too quickly, not considering all the possibilities.” She sighed and shook her head. “But my brother and I agreed to sell, and I don’t want to go back on my word to him.”

Daniel nodded. “I understand. Maybe he’ll come around to your point of view.”

“I doubt it. I’ve already tried to talk to him. Peter’s very set on selling. He needs the money for his business,” she confided.

“I see. And I guess you want to get back to your office. You have a big job in advertising, right?”

“Not as big as I thought, apparently.” She glanced at him. “I thought I was getting this great promotion. It was practically promised to me. But now it looks like it’s going to someone else.” Strangely, confessing that to Daniel wasn’t hard. For some reason, she felt none of the pain and embarrassment she had felt the day before.

“Oh… that’s too bad. That doesn’t seem right.” He offered her a sympathetic glance and poured more tea in her cup, then filled his own again. “You seem very devoted to your work.”

“Obsessive is probably a better word to describe it,” she admitted. “But now I’m beginning to wonder: What was the point? Sometimes I think I’d love to just quit that job. The problem is, I don’t know what else I would do. I just sort of work, eat, sleep… I’m a pretty boring person,” she added with a grin. “You ought to know that right up front.”

“Now that you mention it, that was one of the first things I noticed about you.” He met her glance and held it, his expression saying that he found her anything but.

“That’s funny, I thought the same thing about you.”

He smiled, then reached across the table and took her hand. “Well, we’re in agreement. No wonder we get along so well. You really ought to consider quitting your job and staying out here. Nothing much ever happens. It’s perfect for people like you and me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Liza glanced up at him but couldn’t manage any more of an answer. She savored the sensation of his warm, strong hand holding hers. She liked looking into his eyes and feeling the rest of the world just slip away. It did feel perfect being with him, sitting here, sipping tea, the rain beating on the windows.

But this wasn’t real life, just a serendipitous moment.

“Actually, Audrey Gilroy tells me that you’re a volunteer at the medical clinic. So you’re not quite that boring after all. What do you do there?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, some EMS. Basic first-aid stuff.” He shrugged. “If people need a real doctor, we get them over to Southport Hospital or air vac them out.”

“Where did you learn to do EMS work? Did you drive an ambulance or something?”

“Back in college. It was a part-time job.” He looked as if he were about to say more when Daisy came by.

She smiled down at them. “How is everything? Would you like another pot of tea?” she asked, noticing theirs was just about empty.

“I’m fine,” Liza answered. She looked at Daniel. “We should probably get back to the inn,” she added, glancing at her watch. “I’ve been gone awhile now. They might just send out the real bloodhounds.”

“I guess so,” he agreed. “Just the check please, Daisy.”

Daisy smiled and produced a little order pad from the pocket of her apron. She tallied up their check and set it facedown on the table. Then she took another pad from a different pocket and tore off a sheet from that one, too.

“And here’s your poem.”

“Thank you, Daisy,” Liza said sincerely. “I really enjoyed the last one you gave me. I never got to tell you.”

“That’s all right. My poems are like birds. They’re meant to fly away and give other people pleasure with their song. Pass them on, dear. Pass them on.”

“Okay, I will,” Liza promised, liking the idea.

Daniel put some bills on the table and stood up. Liza did, too, and scooped up her pile of wet clothing. “What do I owe for the blouse?” she asked Daisy.

“Oh… you keep it as a gift. It looks perfect on you. I think it was just sitting here waiting for you. I wouldn’t feel right taking anything for reuniting it with its rightful owner.”

Daisy’s logic was a bit pretzel shaped, Liza thought, but the gesture was generous. Everyone around here seemed so generous in spirit, reaching out for connection. It was so different from the city.

“Thank you. That’s verynice of you,” Lizasaid, thinking she would find some way to make it up to Daisy before she left the island.

“It’s nothing at all. Don’t be silly.”

Daisy walked them to the front door of the cottage. The rain still fell steadily but not quite as hard. Daisy handed them an umbrella. “You can borrow this. Drop it off sometime when you pass by.”

“Thank you, Daisy.” Daniel opened the umbrella and held it out with one hand. Then he slung his other arm around Liza’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Ready to make a run for it?”

Liza nodded, his nearness leaving her a bit breathless before she’d even taken a step. They ran to the truck, and Daniel opened her door, sheltering her with the umbrella as she climbed in. Then he walked to his side and got in the driver’s seat. Daisy waved and went into her cottage, closing the door.

Daniel put the keys in the ignition but didn’t start the truck. “We never read Daisy’s poem,” he said.

“Right… well, here it is.” Liza took the sheet of notebook paper out of her shirt pocket and unfolded it. She read the words aloud:

A little madness in the Spring

Is wholesome even for the King.

– Emily Dickinson

“Interesting.” Daniel smiled briefly. “I’ll have to think about that.”

“Me, too,” Liza agreed.

But she could guess what he was thinking. The same thing she was. She was having a little spring madness today-running off in the rain and hiding out with him in the tearoom. It had been perfectly out of character for her… and perfectly wonderful.

She reached over and tucked the poem in his shirt pocket. “Here, you keep this now. Daisy said to pass it on.”

He touched her hand, holding it to his chest for a moment.

“Thanks.”

“Thanks for the tea,” she said quietly. “That was an adventure.”

“I hope it wasn’t too exciting for you.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Nope, not at all. It was just right.”

“Good. I’m happy to hear that.” He started up the truck, swooped past the General Store, and turned toward the main road that led to the inn. Then he reached across the seat and took her hand. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

“I would like that,” she said quietly. “Very much.”

She would love to spend time alone with Daniel again and get to know him better. But she wasn’t sure when or how that would happen.

In a few days she would return to the city, and he would stay here. Not just distant in miles but in an entire way of living and thinking.

Starting up a relationship with Daniel didn’t seem at all practical. But the touch of his hand on hers reminded Liza that it was too late to worry about that. A relationship had already begun.