The Wedding Promise (19 page)

After cleaning and preparing the rooms all morning, Claire headed into town with a big shopping list and sent Liza to the Gilroy Farm next door for other necessary ingredients for her recipes—fresh herbs and goat cheese, mainly, and Liza wanted some of the beautiful lavender bouquets Audrey sold to decorate the bedrooms.

She pedaled her bike to the farm and down the dirt road flanked by white fencing. A few of the goats grazed in the meadow beside the road, and Liza waved to them. Audrey and her husband had nearly three dozen goats in their herd now. The herd grew quickly, and the Gilroys had sold a number of the kids in the spring, but Liza still knew many of the goats by sight and even by name. She thought they were very sweet, especially the kids. She had even considered having a few at the inn but wasn’t sure how that would go over with the guests.

Liza parked her bike near the small shop where the Gilroys now sold their products. Audrey had originally sold her goods in the big room used for cheese-making, but just last month she had converted an old toolshed into a tiny but charming shop. Liza could see Audrey inside, through the small window. The shed was painted yellow, inside and out, with dark blue trim. The old wooden door held a big wreath of fresh lavender that smelled wonderful when you walked in.

Audrey, who was stocking the refrigerator with logs of fresh cheese, turned to greet Liza. “Hey, stranger, what a nice surprise.”

“Hi, Audrey. Sorry I haven’t called you lately. I really meant to, but I’ve been super busy.”

“With the wedding? Are they using the inn?” she asked eagerly.

“Yes. The wedding is set for June nineteenth.” Liza quickly filled Audrey in on the wedding plans and the adventures she’d had so far working on it—including how Daniel had asked her to his house for dinner and then how she and Daniel had been dancing on the brick patio at ten in the morning and Sylvia Bennet had snuck up on them.

“Sylvia sounds like a handful,” Audrey said.

“She’s not so bad,” Liza admitted. “I’m starting to think she’s just very stressed about the idea of letting go of her daughter.”

“Wait . . . let’s rewind a bit. Did you just say that Daniel asked you to his house for dinner?”

Liza nodded happily. “Sylvia handed me this long list of repairs she wants done for the wedding, and Daniel invited me over to his house to discuss it.”

“And did you talk about the repairs?”

“Among other things. We talked a bit about growing up. It turns out he spent summers on the island when he was a kid, just like I did. We figured out that we might have even seen each other at times. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Quite a coincidence,” Audrey agreed. “What’s more amazing is that he told you that much about himself—and made you dinner.”

“I thought so, too.” Liza felt almost starry-eyed, thinking back to that night. “He asked me out for tomorrow night,” she added, “but I just booked a huge group for the weekend, and I have to cancel. I hope we don’t move back to square one.”

Audrey listened with concern while she straightened out a display of scented soaps, all made from goat’s milk. “Don’t worry, Liza. He’ll understand.”

“I hope so. But I still wonder why it’s so hard for him to talk about his past. You’ve known him longer than I have, Audrey. Why is he so secretive?”

Audrey sighed and shrugged. “I may have known him longer, but I probably don’t know him any better than you do, Liza.”

Liza felt an old doubt niggling at her. “He’s not involved with someone else, is he?” She hated to ask the question, but she couldn’t help it. Her ex-husband, Jeff, had been unfaithful to her and she’d never seen it coming. She had trusted Jeff completely. And now she worried about her own judgment with men. She couldn’t let herself be betrayed like that again.

Audrey shook her head. “I don’t think it’s anything like that. In all the time we’ve known Daniel, he’s never mentioned anyone. He’s never even seemed that interested in anyone, certainly not as interested as he is in you.”

“That’s good to know.” Liza sighed. “But there must be something,” she reasoned.

“I’ve thought so, too, at times,” Audrey admitted. “But anything I do know . . . or I’ve guessed . . . well, you need to hear it from Daniel. We’ve worked together at the clinic for over two years now, and all I can tell you is he’s a complicated person—and a first-rate EMT.”

Liza instantly felt contrite. “I’m sorry, Audrey. I shouldn’t have asked you. I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward spot. It’s just that at times I feel like I’ve hit a wall.”

“I understand,” Audrey sympathized. “He’s a good man, really. Maybe he’s made some mistakes, but who hasn’t?”

Liza nodded in agreement, but Audrey’s words made her wary. Had Daniel had a run-in with the law of some kind? Was that why he ended up on the island?

“So, tell me about this huge group of guests who are showing up for the weekend,” Audrey said. “Do they like goat cheese?”

“I hope so. Claire sent me over to buy out your store.”

While Audrey filled Liza’s shopping list, Liza told her about her lucky break with the cycling group.

“Seems like good things are coming your way, Liza,” Audrey said, totaling up her bill. “First a wedding, now a sold-out weekend, and it isn’t even Memorial Day.”

“I can’t complain,” Liza replied. As usual, she noticed that not only had Audrey given her a generous neighbor discount, she had also thrown in several bars of soap, lavender bunches and sachets, and a big box of goat’s milk fudge.

“Audrey, I have to give you more money for all this,” Liza insisted, barely able to lift her canvas tote bag.

“Don’t be silly. It’s free advertising for me. I’m sure they’ll all want to go home with some goat cheese when they taste Claire’s omelets and quiche.”

“Good point. I’ll make sure everyone knows where to come.” Liza took a few flyers about the farm from the counter and stashed them in her bag as well.

She strapped the big bag into the basket at the front of her bike and slowly made her way back to the inn. She did believe that Audrey didn’t know much more about Daniel than she was telling. Was he really, as he claimed, just a very private person? Or was he hiding something, some unfortunate episode in his past?

Liza was actually glad now that Audrey had not divulged any deep, dark secrets. If there was some secret, she wanted to hear it from Daniel when he trusted her enough. If he ever did.

Why did it matter so much, she wondered, pushing the bike the last few yards up the road to the inn. Was she falling in love with him? She felt as though she was. It was scary—and wonderful.

So, of course, she wanted to know everything about him. But she resolved not to bug him anymore. There are issues in every relationship, even the good ones, Liza reminded herself. Nobody is perfect, though he seemed just about perfect to her. She had to just focus on the present and be happy with what he was willing to give. And see what happened from there.

When Liza reached the inn, she saw Daniel’s truck in the drive. He had just arrived and now he jumped down from the cab to meet her. She parked the bike and took the big bag out of the basket, carrying it pressed to her chest with both arms.

“Did you just make a goat-cheese run?”

“I did.” Liza nodded and smiled.

“Looks like you bought out the shop.”

“We’re having a big group in for the weekend, a cycling club based in New Jersey. They just called last night. There will be fifteen of them.”

Daniel gave a low whistle. “Sounds like a full house.”

“You’re not kidding,” Liza said. “I’m even giving up my room and sleeping in the attic. They agreed to use some of the older rooms. I’m giving them a discount rate on those.”

“What the rooms lack in decor you’ll make up for with fresh cheese, I’m sure,” he said, looking at the bulging bag again.

Liza laughed. “It’s not all cheese. Audrey gave me soap and other stuff.” She suddenly looked up at him. “But this means I can’t go out with you on Friday night. I have to stay and watch over things. I’m really sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry. I understand. What if someone needs an emergency cup of herbal tea in the middle of the night?”

Now he was kidding and making her laugh again. “Exactly. I don’t expect to sleep a wink.”

“How about next weekend?” he asked hopefully.

Liza was about to happily agree, then realized that next weekend was a holiday, the unofficial start of the summer season, and she had more guests coming in.

“I’d love to but that won’t work either. It’s Memorial Day, and I have more guests coming.”

“That’s a good thing, Liza. Don’t look so glum. We’ll figure it out.” He leaned close for a moment and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. “You won’t get rid of me that easily,” he added in a softer tone.

“I hope not,” she said sincerely.

 

 

BY the time the cyclists were due to arrive on Friday, Liza and Claire were ready and waiting. The upside of expecting so many guests at once, Liza realized, was that it had momentarily distracted her from the wedding plans.

The group’s leader, Josh Cabot, was the first to arrive. He drove up in a hybrid hatchback with a huge bike rack on the back, and came to the door wearing a T-shirt and cargo shorts with a big blue pack over his shoulder. He was about Liza’s height and very fit looking.

“What a beautiful place,” he greeted Liza. “I’m beginning to think it’s a good thing the reservation in Ipswich didn’t work out. The club will love it here.”

“I hope so. We’re all ready for you, but maybe there are a few special requests I should know about?”

“Actually, there are,” Josh replied. He took a folder out of his pack and flipped it open. “We have three members who have requested vegetarian meals and one who’s a vegan.” Liza nodded. She thought she knew the difference but was going to look it up, just to make sure.

“No problem,” she said. “Just let me know their names, and I’ll make a note in the kitchen.”

“Then there are a few requests for nonallergenic pillows . . . and nonwool blankets.”

“All the pillows are new and made of hypoallergenic materials,” she promised him, “and we have plenty of cotton quilts.” She should have known this group would have at least a few health nuts.

“And a question I should have asked you on the phone the other day,” Josh went on. “Do you serve yogurt at breakfast and if so, is it organic?”

“Yes, and yes. Claire, our cook, has even put smoothies on the menu this weekend,” Liza replied quickly. It wasn’t entirely true, but it would be in a few minutes. “And we have a lot of fresh organic goat cheese products on hand. Not to mention, lots of organic bananas.”

Josh looked happy to hear that. Her shopping spree had not been in vain. “How about granola, trail mix, fresh fruit—that sort of thing?”

They didn’t exactly have trail mix on hand, but Liza knew there were enough varied ingredients in Claire’s cupboards to whip up a quick batch of mix before Josh had emptied his pack.

“I think we’re covered on all of that, and I can always run into the village center or down to Cape Light if there’s anything the group needs.”

Josh took his room key and grinned. “How about the weather? Can you arrange that for us, too?”

Of course she couldn’t. But maybe Claire had some pull, she thought with a smile. “I’ll put in a good word,” Liza promised. “Welcome, and I hope you enjoy your stay and your time on the island.”

“I know I will, Liza. When the group sees this place they’re going to think I’m a genius.”

Josh’s prediction was accurate. The cycling group loved the inn but kept Liza hopping throughout Friday afternoon and well into the evening. They were an early-to-bed, early-to-rise bunch and didn’t wake her in the middle of the night. But there were plenty of requests, from organic shampoo to ice packs to yes, chamomile tea.

 

 

JEN was still in bed on Saturday morning when her cell phone rang. She picked it up from the nightstand and quickly saw that it was Kyle. “Hi, honey, did I wake you?” he asked gently.

“Not really . . . I was sort of awake. What time is it?” She hadn’t checked when she picked up the phone.

“Seven o’clock. I was going to call you last night, but I was stuck in the office and it got too late.”

Kyle was supposed to come back to Cape Light on Friday night, but he’d been asked to stay and work so was going to fly in that morning. It seemed a long way to go just for one night, Jen knew. But they did miss each other and any time together was important. They also had an appointment with Reverend Ben on Sunday morning. At least Kyle would be able to make that.

“What happened? Did you change your flight?” she asked.

Kyle’s brother was going to pick him up at Logan Airport around nine and drive him back to Cape Light. “Do you need me to pick you up? I can drive in to Boston, it’s no big deal.”

“I’m sorry, honey. I can’t make it back this weekend at all. I thought I could manage a day, but something’s come up. I’ve been asked to meet with some guys on the executive committee about that job opening. They want to take me and some other guys out to dinner. They just asked me last night. It was really short notice,” he added quickly.

“Yeah, that was short notice. Don’t they realize you have a life?” Jennifer didn’t mean to sound so crabby, but she was barely awake and he was wrecking their entire weekend.

“I know, just flexing their muscles, I guess. But it’s really important that I go. Otherwise they’ll just scratch me off the list.”

And that would be a bad thing?
Jennifer wanted to say. But she knew that wasn’t the right response. Kyle obviously felt honored by this invitation, and she should try to understand and feel happy for him. Besides, she reminded herself, it was unlikely that he’d get this job if there was so much tough competition. There were other, far more experienced analysts being interviewed. She had to let him feel his moment of glory, didn’t she?