Ever After (Nantucket Brides 3)

“Are you okay with this?”

“Sure,” she said. “It’s just a bit of a shock.” She looked at him. “But, no, it’s not. Not really. Braden never treated Shelly as a little girl, at least not after she reached puberty. What’s that look for?”

“Raine said Braden asked him an odd question. He wanted to know if Raine knew where to buy a set of motorcycle leathers.”

Hallie and Jamie looked at each other and laughed at the vision of a lawyer in black leather with silver studs.

Jamie told Hallie of his talk with Braden and how he’d looked after her all her life. Jamie recounted Braden’s attraction to Shelly but that he’d held off for the sake of Hallie and his mother.

“He did all that for me?” Hallie asked in wonder.

Jamie could see what a shock it all was to her and that she needed a way to relieve the stress. “Let’s hit the gym.”

Hallie groaned. “How did I get stuck with a doctor-jock?”

“I’m not sure, but I think a couple of ghosts did it all. You and me, and maybe Braden and Shelly. Raine said that Braden kept talking about a storm last night that locked him and Shelly together in the tea room.”

They looked at each other and laughed.

And now Jamie was on the table and Hallie was finishing with his knee. It was nearly four P.M.

After Jamie got dressed, they walked back to the house together. There, sitting on the kitchen table, was one of the lavish teas, with food piled high and a steaming pot of tea.

“Edith, I love you,” Jamie said as he washed his hands, Hallie beside him.

“I enjoyed your relatives’ visit, but I’m glad to get back to normal,” Hallie said. “We need to thank Edith for all this and do something nice for her.”

“Shall we give her a trip away from her angry daughter-in-law?” Jamie suggested.

“I wonder how Betty and Howard did with all your relatives staying there? Especially the children.”

“I’m sure the Montgomery kids were perfectly polite, but Mom said Cory discovered the way into the attic and found a box full of magazines with naked men on the covers.”

“Ooooo,” Hallie said. “Will she share?”

“I think that—” He broke off at a knock on the back door. “Speak of the devil, it’s Betty.”

He went to the door, Hallie just behind him.

“Hello,” Jamie said as he opened the door. “It’s good to—”

“Have you seen my mother-in-law?” Betty demanded. “Has she been over here to see those damned ghosts of yours?”

“We haven’t seen her,” Hallie said, “but she brought us another fabulous tea from your beautiful inn.”

“We should pay you for them,” Jamie said. “Tell me what you charge and Hallie and I will repay you. Plus a delivery fee.”

Betty frowned. “What are you two talking about?”

“The teas Edith brings over,” Hallie said. “But maybe you don’t know about them. Sorry, but as Jamie said, we’ll pay for them.”

“Tea?” Betty said. “Delivered to you by my mother-in-law? Brings them over often, does she?”

“Yes, fairly regularly,” Jamie said, leaning on his crutches.

“Remember the last time I was here?” Betty asked and they nodded. “The next afternoon Howard and I sent Edith to Arizona to visit her daughter. She just got back this morning and she’s already disappeared. I don’t know who’s been bringing you food, but it wasn’t her.”

“Then who was it?” Hallie asked, puzzled. She stepped aside so Betty could see the table with the opulent tea set up. There were a couple of tiered trays full of sandwiches and cookies, cakes and pastries.