Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
“ S o you have cameras watching them when you guys aren’t there, right? What is that like? Do you get better footage, then?” Philippe asked.
Lauren was sitting on Angela and Philippe’s huge deck, that overlooked the ocean. Philippe had just put several marinated swordfish filets onto the grill for dinner and was keeping an eye on it while they enjoyed a glass of wine. Angela was having a non-alcoholic spritzer.
“Sometimes we do. After the first day or two, the cast typically gets more comfortable in front of all the cameras, but once the big cameras and production team leaves they are less guarded. Especially if alcohol is involved.”
“Are they heavy drinkers?” Angela asked.
“Some of them are enthusiastic drinkers. It’s mostly social, but with an extra drink or two for most of them, especially if it’s a party night or some kind of event going on.”
“Any romances happening yet?” Angela asked.
Lauren shook her head. “Not yet. But last night’s footage was pretty uneventful as the guys were all in Boston for the evening.”
“Do you think it might become a regular series? Then you’d be back every summer.” Angela looked hopeful and Lauren felt the same.
“It’s possible. It would be amazing to come back again next summer. I don’t want to get my hopes up, though. We really never know how a show will be received,” Lauren said.
“I have a good feeling about it. I mean, it’s Nantucket. Everyone has heard of this island, but very few have actually spent time here. This show will let them experience the wonder of it.” Philippe grinned. “As long as there is some messy drama, of course.”
Lauren laughed. “Yes, a show where everyone gets along and just goes to the beach on a pretty island might not satisfy the viewers. Hopefully, the drama will come. It always has before.”
When the swordfish was ready, Philippe plated it up, along with grilled asparagus and crispy buttered new potatoes. Lauren took a bite of the fish and swooned.
“This is so good. I’ve never tried to cook swordfish myself. This is as good as any I’ve had in a restaurant.”
Philippe looked pleased to hear it. “The secret is cooking it on the grill and letting it soak in Italian salad dressing for an hour or so.”
When they finished eating, Angela got up to clear the table, but Philippe motioned for her to stay seated. “I’ve got this. Be right back.”
He returned a few minutes later with a raspberry pie and three plates. “Angela made this. She’s been craving pie.”
Angela laughed. “It’s true. And I’ve discovered pie makes an excellent breakfast.”
“Not every day though,” Philippe said sternly, and they all laughed.
“Seriously though. This is my new favorite. Have you ever had raspberry pie?”Angela asked.
“No, I can’t say that I have.” It looked incredible though, with a light, flaky crust and gooey raspberries oozing everywhere as Angela cut slices for everyone and handed one to her.
Lauren took a bite and there was a flavor explosion in her mouth. “It’s like eating a giant raspberry square!”
Angela smiled. “Exactly.” She turned to Philippe. “Have you had any luck getting interest for Kate’s book?”
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. I just mentioned it to a few people I’ve worked with. The timing isn’t right for any of them at the moment. But they all said they’d keep it mind.”
“I know that happens a lot, deals falling apart. I just feel so bad for Kate. She was so excited, and it seemed like such a solid, sure thing with that brother and sister team involved,” Angela said.
“In this business, there are very few sure things. I think the brother is going through a bitter divorce and that kind of put a halt on most of what they are working on,” Philippe explained.
“That makes sense,” Angela agreed.
After they’d had enough pie—Angela went back for a second slice—they headed into town to the art gallery. They decided to take separate cars, so Lauren could just head home afterward, as they lived in opposite directions.
The art gallery was downtown, near the wharf. Lauren found a spot in the lot by the smaller Stop and Shop on the wharf. She got lucky as someone pulled out as she driving by. Philippe and Angela had to loop around a few more times before they found a spot nearby. Lauren walked to the art gallery and waited outside for them to arrive.
Angela had explained that the event was like an open house and that it would go from six to eight. There was a good crowd gathered—Lauren guessed there were close to a hundred people in the art gallery. Kristen waved when she saw them and walked over to say hello. She looked elegant in a sleeveless burnt orange silk dress that showed off her toned and tanned arms. She gave them welcome hugs all around.
“Thank you so much for coming.” She glanced at a man about her age that passed by and called him over. “Andrew, have you met my friends Angela and Philippe?” She looked at Lauren. “And this is Lauren. She’s a producer on the reality show that is filming here. Andrew owns the gallery.”
Andrew smiled. “Yes, I remember Angela and Philippe. It’s nice to see you both again. And Lauren, a pleasure to meet you. I hope the filming is going well?”
Lauren nodded. “Very well, thanks. It’s a fun project.”
“Help yourselves to the Champagne. And there should be some good appetizers coming around,” Andrew said.
“Thanks, Andrew. I’ll lead them to the champagne,” Kristen said. They followed her to the back of the gallery, where there was a bar with glasses and champagne on ice. “Champagne for everyone? Angela, I think there’s some sparkling water here, too.”
Once they all had a glass of bubbly, Kristen walked them around and talked about her different paintings. There were seascapes with classic Nantucket elements, like lighthouses and ferries coming into the harbor. There were also gorgeous floral paintings—knockout roses on white picket fences, with the ocean in the distance and vivid blue hydrangeas. The images were familiar, but the artistry was really special. Lauren wasn’t experienced in evaluating art, but she could appreciate something beautiful and Kristen had a way of capturing light and colors.
“These are really stunning,” Lauren said. She was tempted to buy something but decided to hold off until she headed home. She assumed the gallery would be able to ship it better than she could.
Angela fell in love with a painting of a flower garden with bright yellows, pinks and purples and a soft pink and orange sunset.
“Philippe, do you like this? I can see it on the wall in the nursery. What do you think?”
“I love it. Let’s do it.” He leaned in and gave Angela a quick kiss.
“That’s one of my personal favorites,” Kristen said. “I’m so glad it’s going to a good home. I’ll let Tony, Andrew’s assistant, know.”
“Is Tyler here?” Philippe asked.
“He should be here any minute. Oh, would you all excuse me? Andrew wants me to meet someone.” Kristen headed off to mingle while Lauren, Angela, and Philippe slowly made their way around the rest of the gallery. Twenty minutes later, Angela tried to hold back a yawn, but failed miserably.
“I’m so sorry. I know it’s ridiculous that I’m so tired already,” she said.
“It’s not at all. I think it’s normal, especially in your first trimester,” Lauren said.
Philippe looked concerned. “We can head home anytime. Are you ready to go now?”
Angela nodded. “Not just yet, but soon. Maybe ten minutes or so? We still need to pay for that painting.”
“Right. I’ll go take care of that now,” Philippe said. He wandered off to find Andrew’s assistant.
“Someone’s waving at you,” Angela said.
Lauren turned and saw Hudson at the champagne bar. She smiled and he headed their way. Lauren introduced him to Angela. “Hudson is helping us with equipment and camera work for the show.”
“Nice to meet you. You’re Bella’s partner, right?”
Hudson nodded. “I am. She was hoping to come tonight, but the restaurant is short-handed, so Nick is working late. They’ll probably come tomorrow.”
Angela smiled. “Kristen will be thrilled, no matter when they come.”
“Did you see Kristen?” Lauren asked him.
“She was by the door when I walked in and I did a quick tour of her new stuff. I’m tempted. I already have a great seascape of hers. I might sleep on it and come back.”
“The one you are eyeing might be gone,” Lauren teased him.
He grinned. “True. We’ll see what happens.”
They all chatted for a few more minutes until Philippe returned.
“We’re all set with the painting. I’m going to swing by over the weekend to pick it up. It will have a sold sticker on it until then.”
“Perfect. I’m ready to go, then.”
Hudson glanced at Lauren. “You’re leaving already? Did you all come together?”
Lauren nodded, as Angela smiled widely. “We did, but we took separate cars. I suspected I might want to leave earlier. But Lauren, you should stay.”
Lauren hesitated as Kristen walked toward them.
“Oh good. I was going to come and find you to say goodbye. We’re leaving, but I was just telling Lauren she should stay. No need to rush home because I’m exhausted.”
Kristen laughed. “You should stay. A few of us are going for a drink in about a half hour when this winds down. You should come. Hudson is coming, right?”
He looked her way. “Right. You should come. We’re just walking a few doors down to the Club Car.”
“Okay, sure. I’d love to.” The Club Car was modeled like a railroad car and had the cutest flower boxes along the windows. Lauren had driven by a few times when she was downtown, but she hadn’t been there yet.
“Good, that’s settled then. Angela, I’ll walk you guys out. I need to make the rounds again,” Kristen said.
“Thanks so much for dinner,” Lauren said to Angela and Philippe as she gave them both a hug goodnight. “I’ll call you later this week.”
Once they walked off, Lauren turned to Hudson. “Show me the painting you have your eye on.”
He led her to a collection of seascapes, all beautiful, but one was darker than the others. The sky looked ready to storm, and the sea was eerily flat and glasslike, as it often was before the winds kicked in. A house sat on a bluff overlooking the ocean with a single light on. The mood of the piece was in anticipation of what was ahead.
It didn’t surprise her when Hudson took a step toward that painting. “This is the one. What do you think?”
“I think it’s stunning.” She grinned. “If you don’t buy it, I might have to and I don’t have anywhere to put a painting right now.”
Hudson laughed. “Okay, sold. It tugged on me when I first saw it.” His eyes met hers for a brief moment. “And now I really don’t want to let it go.”
Lauren felt a flash of sadness that she couldn’t get the painting, but it was gone in an instant and she was glad it was going to Hudson. “Do you know where you’ll put it?”
He nodded. “I have a small den/office that has a distant view of the ocean. There’s a big spot on the wall that should work.”
“You can sit there working and be inspired.”
“Exactly. I look at that painting and I see the possibilities of what’s ahead.”
Lauren took a sip of champagne and glanced around the room. It was starting to clear out a bit. “What is next for you, after our show wraps?” she asked.
“A rom-com, actually. It’s based on a book Bella acquired about six months ago.” He told her a bit about the story and Lauren remembered seeing it everywhere for a while. “I think I heard about that one on TikTok.”
“That’s how everyone heard about it. It totally blew up on BookTok. Bella is a huge reader and keeps an eye on things like that—what people are responding to. The screenplay is done and we should start shooting by the end of the summer. What’s next for you?”
“I’m not exactly sure. The last reality show I was on before this one isn’t being renewed. But there are other things coming. Possibly a new show set in LA. I should know more next month.”
“So you’ll be heading back to the West Coast.” Hudson’s tone when he said the West Coast almost made Lauren laugh. He clearly didn’t miss living there.
“Well, yes. LA is where most of the work is…and my apartment. How long did you live there?”
“Too long,” he said quickly, and they both laughed. He smiled as a dark-haired man walked up to them. “Tyler, have you met Lauren?”
Tyler smiled. “Not yet. You’re Angela’s friend? Kristen said you’re coming for a drink with us. And you work with this guy?”
“I do. I’m a producer for the reality show that is filming here.”
“I love that more film stuff is happening on Nantucket. We’ve had the film festival for a number of years now, but that’s more about celebrating film in general. Now that Bella and Hudson opened their production company, it’s bringing new work to the island. And I’m all for it.”
“Thanks. It’s exciting to be a part of it. If I can avoid needing to go back to the West Coast to find work, I’ll be a happy man.” He glanced at Lauren. “No offense meant.”
She laughed. “None taken.”
“I’m going to go check with Kristen to see if she needs any help to close down. We should be ready to go in about five minutes or so,” Tyler said.
Five minutes later, as the last customer walked out, they followed and Kristen led the way to the Club Car. Tyler mentioned that he’d stopped in on the way to the gallery and made a reservation for a table.
Which was a good thing, as the restaurant was still busy even though it was a quarter past eight. They were seated by a window overlooking Main Street, with its cobblestones and people streaming by. Their server handed them menus and took their drink order.
“I know you all probably ate already, but I’m starving,” Kristen said.
“She can never eat before a show,” Tyler explained.
Kristen nodded. “Nerves. Now that it’s over, I need something.”
When their drinks arrived, champagne for Kristen and Lauren and a Cisco IPA for the Hudson and non-alcoholic beer for Tyler, Kristen put an order in for a crab cake appetizer.
“Is that enough?” Tyler asked. “You could get the halibut, it’s great here.”
Kristen handed the server her menu. “I don’t want a big dinner, this will be perfect.”
“How did you two meet?” Lauren asked. She always loved hearing those stories.
Kristen smiled. “He moved into the cottage next door. And that was pretty much it.”
Tyler nodded in agreement. “We were both interested right away. But we started slow, got to know each other as neighbors first and it grew from there.”
“We have a lot in common,” Kristen added. “Tyler’s an artist, like me. Well, not exactly like me, he writes books, but you know what I mean. We both work from home and need a lot of quiet to focus.”
“We mostly live in my cottage now, but Kristen kept hers, too.”
“My studio is there, so that is where I work, while Tyler is holed up in his office solving crimes.” She grinned at him and he pulled her close and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
Lauren thought about what Angela had told her about Kristen, how she hadn’t had great relationships before Tyler. Her last one had been with a real estate developer who was separated but hadn’t seemed in any hurry to finalize his divorce. Lauren was glad that she’d found happiness with Tyler. They seemed well suited.
She glanced at Tyler. “Hudson mentioned that you play on a men’s hockey league together. Did you play as a kid, too?”
“Yeah. I think we all did. I loved playing hockey. I thought I’d be terrible as it had been forever since I’d stepped on the ice. But it comes back to you. And it’s good exercise,” Tyler said.
“He’s being modest,” Hudson said. “Tyler is our center, and he’s fast.”
Tyler chuckled. “It is fun. And you’re just as good, probably better.” He looked Lauren’s way. “Hudson plays goalie and almost no one can get by him. He was a star player in high school.”
“High school was a long time ago,” Hudson said.
“Did you guys know each other in high school?” Lauren was surprised.
Tyler shook his head. “No. But we lived a few towns away and played against each other once or twice a year. His team always crushed it.”
Hudson grinned and lifted his beer. “Those were my glory days. It sure was fun, though.” Lauren tried to picture Hudson as a star hockey player. She wouldn’t have thought of it, but she could see it now. He was average height at maybe five-ten or so and lean and wiry. Hudson was in excellent shape and he had an intensity about him, a focus when he worked that she could see him bringing to the ice. She had to admit, the image was an attractive one—Hudson in his hockey gear, slapping the puck away as he prevented the other team from scoring.
Kristen’s crab cakes arrived along with a basket of fries that they all snacked on, just because they were there.
The conversation turned to the show. Kristen asked them how it was going and after they said things were great, Tyler mentioned that he’d heard some grumbling.
“I was at the post office the other day, mailing a package and stood in line for a while. There were two women in front of me who were pretty incensed about the show and felt it was a bad thing for the island. They seemed like the type that might do more than just complain to each other.”
“What was their issue?” Hudson asked.
“It was kind of ridiculous. They were mostly complaining about what could happen. Like it might be noisy or they might make a mess on the beach. A bunch of nothing, but still it’s good to be aware of it.”
“We haven’t had any issues brought to our attention yet,” Lauren said. “But I expect that we probably will at some point. The realtor that handles the lease for the rental warned me that some people are not happy that we are filming here. But we got all the necessary permits.”
Tyler grinned. “Good, then there’s nothing those old biddies can do about it.”
“No. But we do need to try to keep the noise level down. I’m very aware of that. We haven’t had any big parties yet, but they are coming and I’ll try to head off any issues by inviting all the neighbors to attend.”
“We’ll need extra bodies at the parties anyway,” Hudson chimed in.
“That’s very true. In fact, if you two are interested, it would be fun to have you attend.”
Kristen looked unsure. “I don’t know if I’d want to be on camera.”
But Tyler looked intrigued. “That could be interesting, actually. And we could just stay in the background. It’s not like anyone would want to hear what we say.”
“It might be good to be a fly on the wall…you could pick up material for one of your books,” Hudson said.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Tyler agreed.
Kristen laughed. “Okay, as long as I can hide in the background and just observe, I’m in.”
When they finished their drinks, Tyler insisted on picking up the tab and they headed out. It was almost ten and both Lauren and Hudson needed to be up early as they were filming again the next day.
They all said their goodbyes outside the Club Car. Hudson was parked near Lauren, so they headed off in the same direction.
“I’m glad you came out with us. That was fun,” he said as they reached her car.
“It was nice to get to know Kristen better. Tyler too. It was a fun night,” Lauren agreed.
“See you at the house tomorrow.” Hudson turned to go and Lauren slid into her car and turned on the engine. She was tired, but happy. It really had been a fun night.