The Party #5
She pulled herself together. “Would I be so wrong if I did want that? I’m fond of your father, and your grandfather. They do so much for the community and their company is an island institution. It’s sad that you won’t be joining them.”
“I think you fit in perfectly at the company. I’m sure Dad will want you to take over eventually.”
“What if I don’t want to?” It sounded like a dare.
Completely surprised, Lucas asked, “Um, well, why wouldn’t you want to?”
Samantha laughed. “For one, some of us don’t think Nantucket is heaven on earth.
” She waved her hand up as if to dismiss his response.
“And yes, I lived here last summer. It’s fine.
Although I prefer swimming pools to salt water.
And let’s see, maybe a mall or an opera house or a Starbucks or even a casino in the area. ”
“Those are all available a short drive from here,” Lucas pointed out.
“A short drive and a ferry ride, that is if it’s not too windy or stormy for ferries to run.”
Lucas stared at Samantha. He thought of saying, You’re a gorgeous woman, and I don’t like you even a little bit.
But of course, he didn’t say that. He knew his father needed her. Guilt washed over him. He was supposed to be the assistant. He’d let his father down and now he knew that Samantha was a necessary solution.
“I get it,” Lucas said, trying to be charming.
“But I know my father values your assistance highly.” Values your assistance highly?
His words echoed in his mind. Who talked like that?
Someone fifty years old and starchy. This was supposed to be a party, not a duel to the death.
Lucas scratched the back of his head energetically.
“I know what you’re doing,” Samantha said, rolling her eyes.
“What am I doing?”
“You’re signaling your sisters to come save you.”
What is she, a mind reader? “Not at all,” Lucas said. “I just—it’s just so dry in the winter—” Was he going to tell her he had dandruff? He didn’t have dandruff!
Florie sidled up to them, proving that Samantha’s guess had been accurate. Florie had understood the signal that the three kids had devised long ago when one of them needed rescuing from a difficult situation.
“Hi, Samantha!” Florie was as friendly as a puppy. “Lucas, Mom needs you in the kitchen.”
Lucas said, “Excuse me,” and walked away.
Florie had met Samantha before but hadn’t figured out whether she liked her or not.
“Guess what!” Florie held up her hand. “Last night Daniel, he’s over there with the black hair, he asked me to marry him. Isn’t this ring pretty?”
Samantha sighed and eyed the ring. “Very pretty.”
“Daniel’s from Wisconsin and he’s a poet, and I’m going to live there with him, in Wisconsin! I feel like I’m moving to Mars.”
Samantha grimaced. “I know how that feels.”
“Oh? Where are you from?”
“Texas. I’m from Texas.”
“You are? Oh! Did you know Larry McMurtry? Have you been to his bookstore in Archer City, Texas?”
Samantha snorted. “I lived in Houston. It’s a long way from Houston to Archer City. Excuse me. I need to say hello to Brick Three.”
As Samantha sauntered away, Lydia joined Florie. “She’s a box of chocolates.”
Florie whispered, “Lucas gave us the signal. I had to come rescue him.”
“We need to be nice to her,” Lydia said. “Dad will need a lot of help at the office and she’s thinking of moving to Kansas City.”
“Oh, no,” Florie said. “Poor Dad!”
“I think he’ll be okay,” Lydia said. “Look over there.”
A burst of loud laughter came from the corner near the dining room. Brick Three was surrounded by several men, all of them exploding from something Brick Three had said.
“You see,” Lydia continued. “People love Dad. Dad loves people. He’ll be able to find a new assistant easily. Don’t make yourself guilty because you’re moving to Wisconsin.”
“Florie! Lydia! Sorry we’re late!”
The sisters turned to see Jane with Mabel, walking into the room holding hands with a Matt Damon look-alike.
Lydia and Florie broke into enormous smiles.
Florie raced over to her friend and hugged her hard. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come!” In her overflow of happiness, Florie hugged Coop, too. “Oh, sorry, Mr. Franklin.” She stepped back, flushing.
“You can call him Coop now,” Mabel said. Turning to Coop, she said, “If you don’t remember Florie, she is my best friend and she’s going to be a bridesmaid at our wedding.”
“Maybe you’ll be one at mine,” Florie said, holding out her ring.
Jane left the happy group and went into the dining room to see how much punch was left.
Her best friend, Betsy, was there, with her husband, Mark, and their daughter Allie and Allie’s husband, Scott.
Betsy was holding her six-month-old granddaughter in her arms. The little girl was the wonderful kind of chubby babies get where their wrists disappear beneath baby fat.
Jane smiled at the group, thinking that recently Florie had asked if she ever got jealous of her friends. Oh, yes, she was jealous now. She couldn’t wait to be a grandmother.
But she would have a baby of her own in May. Tomorrow, when things calmed down, Jane would tell Betsy her news.