Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
“ A re you sure this isn’t an inconvenience, Maggie?” Iris asked as they carried a table out onto the beach.
“Of course not. You know we’ve done this for guests before. No guest is more special than my employees. Don’t worry about anything. If you or Alex needs anything from the kitchen, Riley said she’ll help out any way she can.”
Iris looked at Riley and then back at Maggie. “Honestly, you two are the best.”
“Maggie, did you remember the binoculars? I want to watch them from the kitchen,” Riley teased.
“Very funny. I left you and Andrew alone, the least you can do is stay out of sight during our date.”
Iris put her hand to her mouth. “Oh…I mean, it’s not…well, whatever.”
Riley laughed. “Iris, no matter what you end up calling it, tonight has all the signs that it’s a date. Get over it. You’re not marrying the guy.”
Maggie put her arm around Iris. “Don’t be nervous, everything will work out the way you want.”
“That’s the problem,” Iris said. “I’m not sure what I want.”
“Just enjoy the evening with an old friend. Let him make the first move,” Riley said.
“Yes, but before he gets here, perhaps you should think about what you want from this relationship. Think of the outcome, his leaving the island, your history, add it all up, and then decide if you want him in your life going forward. Once you decide that, you’ll know how to respond tonight,” Maggie added.
Iris nodded. “Okay, that sounds right.”
“Want me to go inside and get a knife so you can check your lipstick?” Riley teased.
“What?” Maggie asked.
Iris shook her head. “Never mind.”
“I think you’ve got everything you need. Don’t forget, send me a text if you need anything. My guess is Alex probably has the whole thing under control.”
Maggie nodded. “I agree. I’ll be upstairs in the carriage house, but I can be here in a second if you need anything. Same to you, Riley. Just text and I’ll join you in the kitchen. Don’t carry too much by yourself.”
Riley gave Maggie a thumbs up, and Iris nodded, holding up her hands to show crossed fingers. “Thanks, guys.”
“Oh, Iris, I almost forgot, when the date is over, I want details,” Riley said.
Maggie smiled. “Me, too.”
Iris could hear Riley talking to someone and assumed it was Alex. She ran her hand down her summer dress and pushed a few strands of hair from her face. She walked up the path to get a better view of Riley and Alex talking.
“Can I give you a hand with that?” Riley asked, running toward him.
“No thanks, I think I can manage. If you would point me in the direction of the path to the beach, I’ll be on my way.”
“Walk through the garden, go past the koi pond, and then the path goes right by a cottage on your right. The beach is just beyond that. We’ve set up a table and chairs for you and Iris. Although if you follow the sound of the waves, you won’t need my directions.”
Alex nodded. “Thanks, I assume Iris is already there?”
“She is. Enjoy your evening,” Riley said.
Iris quickly ran back to the table and tried to quiet her racing heart. She took deep breaths and then smiled as soon as he turned the corner toward the beach.
“Hello!” she yelled, and then ran to help him. “Let me help you.”
“These baskets were much lighter when I put them in the car,” he said, laughing. “That’s what I get for filling them after I put them in the trunk.”
Once the baskets were on the table, Alex stepped back and looked at Iris. “You look lovely,” he said, and then hugged her.
“Thank you,” she said, as she pulled away from the embrace. “Do you have your cellphone? You’re going to want to take photos of the prettiest sunset you’ve ever seen.”
He held up his phone. “I’m ready, but how about I pour us a glass of wine first. What’s your preference…white or red?”
“Red, please.”
Alex opened a bottle of Pinot Noir and handed Iris a glass as they walked to the edge of the water. He raised his glass to the sky and then to Iris. “Here’s to old friends.”
She smiled. “To old friends.” She sipped her wine and looked over the glass at his profile. There was no mistaking how handsome he was, but a scar along the left side of his jawline intrigued her.
As the sun dropped in the sky, Alex took several photos of the event.
“There’s the green flash,” Iris announced. “Do you see it?”
“I do, I hope the camera captures it. I’ve never seen that before. Does that happen every night?
Iris shook her head. “Not at all, but it happens often enough for people to expect seeing it in a Captiva sunset.”
Once the sun was gone, what remained behind was a warm orange glow on the horizon. It wasn’t long before they were in the dark.
“I’ve got a solution,” he said, walking back to the table. He reached inside one of the baskets and found four flameless candles.
“You bought four? What are you going to do with them when you fly home?”
“I’ll leave them with you. You can put them around your apartment, so you’ll remember me after I’m gone.”
Iris didn’t want to tell Alex that she didn’t need candles to remember him, but it was true. She loved their new friendship and let herself hope for more.
Alex put the candles on the table and in the sand. He put out two place settings on the table and placed several containers of food in the center. “I thought we’d eat Italian if that’s okay with you. I have lasagna, garlic bread, and tiramisu for dessert.”
Iris laughed at all he’d done. “I’m sorry, somehow I thought you were going to cook. Where did you get this? It looks familiar.”
He didn’t seem embarrassed by the situation. “Cook? Me? I’m a food critic and know where my talents are best needed. You don’t want me to cook. I got this entire spread from a restaurant called Cibo. It’s in Fort Myers and…”
“I know Cibo’s restaurant. Their food is fantastic. I assume you knew that already or you wouldn’t have gone there for our dinner.”
“I do indeed. I reviewed them once. It was a few years ago. If I’m in the area, I always go there for Italian.”
Iris was confused. “I don’t understand. When you’re in the area? I thought you hadn’t been to Southwest Florida before.”
“I never said that. I said I hadn’t been to Captiva, or Sanibel for that matter.”
He looked at her and seemed to understand her confusion.
“If you want to know why I never stopped in to see you before this, well, it’s simple. I couldn’t muster the courage…at least not until recently.”
“What changed?”
He sighed. “Eighteen months ago, I was in a bad car accident. I was in the hospital for several months. I wasn’t driving and it wasn’t my friend’s fault, but it changed my perspective on some things.”
“Such as?”
He didn’t hesitate. “I don’t let one minute go by without being intentional in my actions. If I want to see an old friend or a sunset on Captiva Island, I get on a plane and go. I don’t let anything stop me. Humans waste a lot of time, and I’ve been guilty of that more than most.”
“Is that how you got the scar on your face?” she asked, and then wondered if she’d upset him.”
He nodded. “It is. Does it bother you?”
She was quick to respond, “No, not at all. I think you’re…” She stopped herself, suddenly feeling a wave of warmth and embarrassment. “I think you’re very brave, " she finished, her cheeks flushing slightly.
“Thank you, Iris, That means a lot coming from you.”
She took several bites of her lasagna, gathering courage to admit her feelings. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve thought about you often, wondering what you were up to.”
“You have? That’s nice to hear. I wondered if my visit might be unwelcomed and a bit pushy. I know we don’t know much about each other as adults, but I’d like to change that. I’ve only a few days left, but I now know what I came here to find out. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I think you feel the same way I do. Can we spend more time together to see where this might lead?”
Alex was right. She wanted to see him again, but how? He lived in New York and she lived in Florida.
“How would that work? I’m not leaving Captiva.”
He nodded. “You let me worry about that. If I can come down here often, would it be enough for you?”
Iris wasn’t seeing anyone, and she had no intention of doing so, but Alex was a man who traveled the globe. There was no way they would entertain an exclusive relationship.
As she thought about his proposal, Alex leaned across the table and kissed her on the lips.
Iris jumped slightly, before giving in to the warm touch. She hadn’t expected it, and hoped she didn’t appear upset.
“I’m sorry, was that too much?”
She smiled. “No. It was lovely.”
She found it so wonderful, she leaned over the table and kissed him again.
“Does that answer your question?” she asked.
He took her hand in his. “It does.”
“Alex, I don’t think we should make promises we can’t keep, but I want to see you again. Whenever you come to Captiva, I’ll look forward to spending more time with you. We knew each other as children. Now, I want to know you as an adult.”
It was the best she could offer, given the circumstances.
He smiled and lifted his wine glass. “I can live with that. Here’s to us.”
She raised her glass and clinked his. “To us.”
Before Alex left, they kissed several more times. For many hours after, she would touch her lips, remembering their first date under the Captiva moonlight.
The next morning, Chelsea wasted no time getting to the Key Lime Garden Inn. It was seven o’clock and she was already full of energy.
“Good morning, Chelsea. Other than my scones, what’s got you up so early?” Maggie asked.
“My Christmas tree, that’s what. You should see the box it came in. It’s huge. I don’t know what we were thinking when we bought that thing.”
“We? If I remember, I specifically told you that based on the dimensions, there was no way that tree was going to fit in your living room. I thought I’d convinced you to go smaller?”
Chelsea shrugged and filled a coffee mug.
“You did, but then I changed my mind.”
“Chelsea, it’s one thing to get a real tree, and cut it down, but that isn’t possible with the fake tree. Now you’re stuck with that massive thing. Maybe since it’s fake, you should leave it on your porch and decorate it there. Every time someone passes your place they’ll see it.’
“I think it’s a great idea,” Riley added as she swept the kitchen floor. “It’s a perfect idea for decorating the outside of your house.”
“Right, because I was going to decorate the outside of my house…not,” Chelsea responded. She looked at Maggie and continued. “Anyway, I’m going to need you or Paolo to come over and help me get it into the living room and over near the window.”
Maggie shook her head. “Not Paolo, and don’t talk about it in front of him because he’ll disagree with me. He still isn’t able to accept his limitations.”
“What limitations? For heaven’s sake, Maggie. You’ve been a helicopter wife for the last couple of weeks. Isn’t it time you let him do more than sit in front of the television?”
“Chelsea, that’s not entirely accurate. He went to Sanibellia the other day and did some work. He’s taking it easy because he knows it's the best way for him to heal, but he’s stubborn. The doctor said he needs six weeks before going back full throttle.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive, but I think you need to let him do a little more than he has. Forget about the Christmas tree, though. That might be too much for him right now. You and I could probably handle it anyway.”
“When do you want me?” Maggie asked.
“Can you come over this morning?”
“Sure, I’ve got a few things to do around here first. I’ll head over at nine o’clock. Does that work for you?”
“It’s perfect. Thanks. Oh, by the way. Steven is going to be here for Thanksgiving after all. What time do you want us?”
“That’s exciting. I’m looking forward to meeting him. Food will be on the table at two o’clock, but if you want to come earlier, that would be great.”
“Sounds good. Also, I got a text from Rachel Adams. Looks like her and Jack Harris are getting serious. She said she’s finally considering getting married again.”
“Oh Chelsea, I’m so glad to hear it. How are things at the Vineyard?”
“I guess it’s thriving. Of course, this time of year it’s pretty cold on Cape Cod. She said she’s getting in touch with the rest of the lunch-bunch crew and wants us to have a video soon.”
“I don’t know about you, but I feel guilty for not getting together with the group every month,” Maggie said.
“I feel the same, but you know how life is. It’s not like we’re intentionally ignoring them.”
“Easy for you to say. At least living in Florida is an excuse. I was just in Boston with Paolo’s surgery, and I never got in touch with any of them. They’re going to be super mad when I tell them that.”
Chelsea shrugged. “They’ll get over it. I’ll let you know when we’ve got a date for the next lunch-bunch video. Also, have you checked in on Byron Jameson lately?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Great, another person I’ve not kept up with. Did you just hear me say I feel guilty?”
Chelsea waved her hands to dismiss Maggie’s complaint. “That’s different. I haven’t seen him around lately, and with the Christmas Parade happening in a few days, I wondered if he was going to be Santa again.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Riley said from the dining room. “I heard he’s still pretty upset about his wife’s passing. I don’t think he’s got another Santa Claus in him this year.”
Maggie put her hands on her hips. “Well that won’t do. Why don’t we stop over at his place after we get your tree up? If he’s having a difficult time, perhaps another chance to play Santa will help.”
Riley came into the kitchen. “I don’t think that’s going to work either. They already have Skipper Jones in the role. You’re not going to get Santa fired, are you?”
Chelsea thought for a minute and then answered. “Skipper can be an elf…or one of Santa’s little helpers.”
“Santa’s helpers were elves, Chelsea,” Maggie explained.
“Oh for heaven’s sake. He can be a reindeer for all I care. We’ve got to get Byron out of this funk, so whatever it’s going to take to make that happen, we’re going to do.”