Chapter Fourteen
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Riley was glad that Jack texted her that he was taking an earlier flight. It would get him into Hyannis at three thirty, which was perfect timing to get home to Chatham, settle in, and then head to the inn, where Riley was going to do the first chocolate turndown service and then the wine and cheese happy hour at five.
She didn’t hit any traffic on the way to Hyannis even though it was a Friday. This time of year, the Cape was so much quieter. It was nothing like the summer when the population doubled and traffic could be annoying at times. Still, it was never as bad as in Manhattan. But that was why Riley didn’t bother with having a car in the city. It was too expensive and it was often faster to walk.
She parked and made her way into the small airport. She was glad that the weather was good. It was a clear day, cold but sunny and there was a possibility of flurries later, which would add to the festivities downtown. She knew Jack had grown up in Chicago, so he was used to city life. He’d never been to Cape Cod. She guessed it would seem very small-town to him. But she hoped he would like it and also like her family. She couldn’t imagine anyone not liking her mother and sister. She was very curious to see what they would think about Jack. He was defi nitely different from other boyfriends she’d had in the past. He was more career focused and driven, really a workaholic.
Riley admired his work ethic, but wished at times that he would relax a little and have a bit more balance to his life. Jack was such a creature of habit. They typically went out once during the week and once or twice on the weekend. Usually it was Saturday night as by the time Friday rolled around, Jack was exhausted and wasn’t up for much beyond crashing on the sofa with takeout and going to bed early. Once in a while, he invited her to join him on a quiet Friday night, but usually he preferred to decompress alone and she knew that he often brought work home with him and kept going so that he wouldn’t have to work over the weekend.
She spotted him as he came off the small plane and grabbed his overnight bag off the trolley as he walked toward her. He looked good. He always did. Jack had a clean-cut preppy look about him and was wearing tan pants and a pink button-down shirt with a navy cashmere sweater over it. His hair was shining from the gel he’d used to slick it back and it looked like he’d had it cut this week. It was a little shorter than usual. He smiled when he spotted her and pulled her in for a hug and kiss when he reached her.
“How was your flight?” she asked him.
“Fine, fast. Not bad at all, really.” He looked around him, at the traffic going by on route 28 and the familiar fast-food restaurants in the distance. “So this is Cape Cod? I thought it would look a little different.”
Riley grinned. “Wait till you get to Chatham. This area is like the city of the Cape. It’s not all like this. You’ll see.” They walked to her car and Jack threw his bag in the back seat and climbed into the passenger side. Riley pulled out of the airport and onto route 28 and headed toward Chatham. Jack told her all about his week as she drove. He was just starting a new case and it was interesting. His focus was on corporate litigation and he couldn’t share client specifics, but he told her enough that she could understand what he was working on.
She took him along the back roads into Chatham so that they drove along the shore, past the Chatham Bars Inn and the lighthouse, and he was impressed by both. And by the huge mansions along the water.
“Is your mother’s place on the water?” he asked.
Riley smiled. “No. These homes are worth millions. Ours is much smaller but it’s not far from the beach. And it’s right on Main Street, so it’s an easy walk to downtown.”
A few minutes later, she turned onto Main Street, came around a corner, and pulled into her mother’s driveway. Jack grabbed his bag and they headed inside to meet her mother.
She was waiting for them in the living room and got to her feet when they walked into the room. Riley introduced Jack and he reached out his hand and flashed his most charming smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sanders. Riley mentions you often.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, too, Jack. Thank you for making the trip to see us. Would you like a coffee or tea?”
“I can get it, Mom, sit down and relax,” Riley said.
Her mother laughed. “Very well. I’ll take a green tea, with a bit of honey.”
“I wouldn’t mind a coffee,” Jack said.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” Riley headed to the kitchen while Jack settled on the sofa near her mother. She made her mother’s tea first to let it steep while she made coffees for her and Jack. A few minutes later, she returned with the tea and coffees and sat next to Jack on the sofa.
“Your mother was just telling me about the repairs at the inn. And that you helped her get the rooms rented out quickly,” Jack said.
Riley nodded. “It worked out well. There were a lot of people searching online for the Chatham Christmas Stroll and they found the blog posts I put up.”
“It won’t be long before you land a new job.” Jack sounded sure of it.
“Hope so. I had a phone interview this afternoon, just before I left to get you at the airport,” Riley said.
“How did it go?” Jack asked.
“I think it went okay. It’s hard to tell sometimes. They said they will let me know about next steps.”
“You might want to check the job listings on my company’s site. I heard they might need someone with your background. I don’t know much more than that, but the details should be up on the site. It might be fun to work at the same company,” he said.
“Thanks, I will look later.” A thought occurred to her. “Are you sure your company doesn’t have rules about employees dating each other?”
“Hmm. Not that I am aware of. Seems like that is how a lot of people at my company meet their partners. We spend so much time there.”
Riley laughed. “That is an understatement.”
Jack laughed, too. “Since we’re already dating, I don’t think it will be an issue as we’ll be up-front about it,” he added.
“Do you like what you do, Jack? Riley says you often work long hours,” her mother asked.
He nodded. “Fortunately, I do. And I know the hours are working toward making partner. So, hopefully it will be worth it.”
When they finished their coffees, Riley showed Jack where they were sleeping upstairs and he brought his bag up to the room.
When they came downstairs it was time to head to the inn. Riley drove them over and showed Jack around, giving him the tour of the downstairs, including the two rooms that had been repaired, as the guests hadn’t checked in yet for either. They’d let her mother know they’d be there shortly before five. They were beautiful rooms. All of the rooms at the inn were very cozy and elegantly decorated with seascape watercolor paintings and thick white comforters and pretty accent pillows in shades of blue and green. A small table made of polished dark pine was by a window, and matching chairs with seafoam-green cushions sat on either side.
“Doesn’t look like either room had work done,” Jack said.
“I know. Sean, the carpenter my mother found, did a great job,” Riley agreed. They made their way back to the kitchen and Riley opened the drawer where she’d stashed the chocolates. She counted out nineteen boxes. She’d had the candy shop put two chocolates in each box, and every room, except for Franny’s, had two people staying in it.
At a quarter to five, Riley planned to start the turndown service with the two rooms that had been repaired, since they were vacant. By the time she got upstairs to the other rooms, the guests would likely have headed to the living room for wine and cheese.
“If you want to join my mother in the living room, I’m going to go do the turndown service quickly and then I’ll join you,” Riley said.
Jack raised his eyebrows. “You’re going to do it? Doesn’t your mother have people for that?” His tone was dismissive as if the work was beneath her.
“She has help, but Ethel finished up hours ago. This won’t take me long. I’m just fluffing pillows and dropping off candy.” Riley smiled. “I’ll be along shortly. You can pour me a glass of red wine if you like.”
“All right. See you in a bit, then.” Jack made his way into the living room where her mother was getting ready for the wine and cheese service. Riley put the little chocolate boxes in a bag and set off to start the turndown service. It didn’t take long. She went into each room and folded the comforter back, fluffed the pillows, and placed a box of chocolate in the middle of the main pillows.
After she finished the two unoccupied rooms, she went to the two other downstairs rooms, knocking first to make sure she didn’t interrupt anything, before using the master key to let herself in. She worked quickly and a few minutes later, headed upstairs. Half of the rooms were empty but a few were occupied. Franny happily let her in and watched as she turned the bedspread down and laid the box of chocolate on her pillow. Franny’s eyes lit up. “I may need to open that box now to see what’s inside.”
Riley laughed. “It’s chocolate. Truffles today.”
Franny opened her box and nodded approvingly at the selection of one milk chocolate and one raspberry dark chocolate truffle. “This is a lovely treat. Thank you, dear.”
“You’re very welcome. Will we see you in a few minutes for wine and cheese?”
“I’ll be there. I’m looking forward to it.”
Aidan and Luke’s room was next, and they were both there, as well. Aidan invited her in, looking amused. “Is this the chocolate service you mentioned?”
She nodded. “Unless you don’t want it?” she teased.
“We want it! Don’t we, Dad?” Luke said.
Aidan laughed. “I guess we do.”
It took Riley just a few minutes to turn down the comforter, fluff the pillows, and set the two boxes of chocolate down. Luke immediately ran to one of them and grabbed it. “Can I open it now?” he asked.
“You can open it, but wait until later to eat it,” Aidan said.
Luke opened the box eagerly then looked up. “What about if I just have one now and save the other for later?” He tried to negotiate.
Aidan nodded. “Sure, that’s fine. Maybe I’ll do the same.” He picked up his box and opened it. Riley was happy to see that so far the chocolate turndown service seemed to be a hit.
“Will I see you both downstairs in a few minutes? Luke, there will be hot chocolate and cheese and crackers.”
“Can I have hot chocolate?” Luke asked.
Aidan smiled. “Absolutely. And I am just about ready for wine.”
Riley glanced at a clock on the wall and saw that it was a few minute past five. “You guys should head down. I just have a few more rooms to do and I’ll be right behind you.”
They headed downstairs as Riley left for the next room. Five minutes later, she was done and made her way to the living room. Her mother was at the front desk, welcoming the two new arrivals and giving them the keys to their rooms.
“Once you’re settled in, please join us for wine and cheese hour in the living room,” she told them.
When Riley reached Jack, he was chatting with Franny. He handed her the wine she’d requested earlier. It was a red blend that Riley had picked up at Trader Joe’s in Hyannis on her way to the airport. It was inexpensive but also smooth and delicious. She took a small sip and glanced around the room. Everyone had a glass of wine in hand, or in Luke’s case, a mug of hot chocolate. When she glanced their way, she caught Aidan’s eye and she waved him over and introduced him and Luke to Jack. She did not mention that she and Aidan had dated many years ago, just that they went to high school together.
“Have you two been dating long?” Aidan asked after Jack stepped away to get more cheese.
“Almost two years.” Riley knew that sounded like a long time.
“So you guys are pretty serious, then?” Aidan asked.
Riley nodded. They were exclusive, but it didn’t feel overly serious, because she didn’t usually see Jack more than once or twice a week. And they’d both been fine with that. But Riley was starting to wonder if she might want more. Especially now that she wasn’t working and had more time to think about where things stood with their relationship.
Jack returned with a plate of cheese and crackers and Riley helped herself to a slice of cheddar on a cracker. A moment later, her sister and Rob and the girls walked in. Riley went to say hello and introduced them to Jack. Riley and Amy left him chatting with Rob while they went to the kitchen with the girls to make their hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows.
“He’s cute,” Amy said. “Was that tall guy by the cheese and crackers Aidan? I noticed a young boy standing by him.”
“Yes. I’m sure he’ll remember you. I’m surprised you haven’t run into him over the years. Chatham is a small town.”
Amy laughed. “Just wait until you have kids one day. I don’t go anywhere. And we didn’t move back here until shortly before then.”
“Okay, you have a point. And he has Luke, too, so he’s probably not out and about either.”
“Everything changes when you have kids. Once in a blue moon Rob and I get a sitter and go out, but that’s only been in the past year or so. It was just too hard to pull it off before then. We were both so busy and exhausted that the last thing we felt like doing was getting dressed up and going out to dinner.”
“Well, you should take advantage of my being here for the next few weeks. I’m happy to watch the girls anytime so you two can have a date night.”
Amy looked intrigued by the offer. “I just might take you up on that. The girls would love it and it would be fun for us.”
“Just let me know. I’m wide open after this weekend.”
Aidan walked over and introduced himself to Amy. “It’s been a long time, but I thought I recognized you. Riley told me you’re back in Chatham now, too, and have twins.”
“It’s great to see you, Aidan. Riley told me you were here and you have a child, too, a nine-year-old boy?”
“Yes, Luke.”
Riley left the two of them to chat and went to walk around the room, topping off people’s wineglasses and encouraging them to help themselves to more cheese and crackers.
When she reached Franny, she held out her glass and offered her thanks. “This is just lovely, Riley. I told your mother as well. It’s so nice to see everyone this way and the room looks so festive.”
Riley had to agree. They’d added electric candle lights in all the windows and she’d run a string of mini-lights across the fireplace mantel. The tree glowed merrily in the corner and soft Christmas carols played in the background.
“It is nice. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. You’re coming with us to the tree lighting?”
Franny nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good. We’re heading out shortly.” Riley finished her walk around the room. She brought the now-empty bottle to the kitchen. The wine and cheese had been a big hit. A few minutes before six, Riley brought the cheese tray into the kitchen. It was mostly empty at this point. She dumped the remaining few crackers and pieces of cheese in the trash and rinsed the platter with soap and hot water.
She walked back into the living room and addressed the group. “Thanks so much for coming to our first wine and cheese hour. It’s six now, so some of us are going to walk downtown to the tree lighting. All are welcome to join us.”
People began leaving and either headed up to their rooms or out the door. Riley quickly cleared the empty glasses and brought them into the kitchen and gave them a quick rinse.
When she returned to the living room, everyone looked ready to go. They put on their coats, hats, and mittens and headed out the door. Riley glanced at her mother, who was settling herself onto her crutches.
“Mom, are you sure you can manage? I could probably drive you closer.”
But her mother shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s not far and I’ll just go slow.”
Everyone headed out and slowly made their way down Main Street. There were so many people walking in the same direction that they had to go slowly. So, her mother managed to keep up just fine.
Riley noticed that many of the shops were now decorated for Christmas with lights in the windows and it looked so pretty as they walked along. When they reached the tree, there was a big crowd gathered. Carolers sang “Jingle Bells” and then it was time to turn the lights on. The crowd cheered when the tree lights were plugged in and the huge tree lit up. It was a magical sight and Riley felt a rush of joy as she saw the looks of wonder on the girls’ faces and on Luke’s as they stared at the tree.
They strolled along a bit after that. All the shops were open and some were handing out mulled warm cider. They stopped at the coffee shop, which had stayed open later than usual. Caitlin was outside and was dressed like an elf, all in red, and was holding a silver tray of iced gingerbread cookies shaped like Christmas stockings. She offered a free cookie to everyone that came by. The girls and Luke were first in line to get one.
“Riley, what do you think? Can I tempt you with gingerbread?” Caitlin asked with a grin.
“Of course. Thank you.” She reached for a cookie and grabbed one for Jack, too, and handed it to him.
“So, what do you think of Chatham and my family, so far?” she asked.
“Very nice, all of it. Your mom is a sweetheart.” He grinned as he took in the crowded Main Street and twinkling lights everywhere. “This is like a Hallmark Christmas movie.”