Ever After (Nantucket Brides 3)

Ever since they’d met, their attention had been on him—and rightfully so. His war injuries, the skiing accident, his fears, all took precedence.

But today had been about Hallie. Whatever his personal feelings about her applying for a job were, he’d put them aside and helped her. He called people and got information. His uncle Frank had had a few good suggestions.

“The trouble is that I have so little experience in physical therapy,” Hallie said as she looked at her updated résumé. “Massage, yes, and I worked part-time at the hospital with a great teacher, but…”

“You need to include what you did for your father,” Jamie said.

“How do I put that on my résumé? Do I tell that when I was fourteen the principal called me in to ask about the drugs they’d found in an illegal search of the kids’ lockers? Kids were putting oxy in bottles labeled for allergy medicines.”

She looked at Jamie, her eyes wide.

“Think your principal would write a recommendation for you?”

“A glowing one.” She turned back to the computer. “Thanks,” she said.

All day Jamie stayed in the room and read one of his detective novels. It seemed natural to discuss with him whatever she was writing or finding on the Internet.

“What about San Francisco?” she asked. “I could apply there.”

“Beautiful city. Hard driving on the hills, but a nice place.”

“Portland sounds good. Or maybe I should go south. Maybe Arizona. Or California.”

“They’d all be lucky to have you,” he’d said and gone back to his book.

Only once did he again suggest Colorado. “My family would love it if you lived there.”

Every word Todd had said came to Hallie and her face showed it.

“Okay,” Jamie said, his hands up in surrender. “I get it. You’ve had enough of us.”

“Your family is lovely,” Hallie said, “but I want to make it on my own.” When Jamie just nodded, Hallie thought how astounding it was that you could spout a current cliché and be believed. Every TV show and movie had some smart-talking girl saying she wanted to make it on her own, so when she said the same thing, no one seemed to question it.

But Hallie didn’t actually want to be on her own. She would love to have help and get a job someplace where she knew people. How could she do it all by herself? Get an apartment, furnish it, meet people, make a social life as well as a professional one? Or could she stay on Nantucket and try to meet people here?

But she didn’t let Jamie see any of her doubts.

By evening she’d sent out over two dozen emails of inquiry. She’d asked people for letters of recommendation, asked institutions about possible jobs, and had even printed out a few pages of places to live in some glamorous cities. But the thought of leaving her house in Nantucket made a wave of sadness pass through her.

At dinner—prepared together—Jamie reminded her that Jilly’s wedding was tomorrow. “You want to go with me?”

“I’m not sure I should go,” Hallie said.

“Mom sent over a dress for you to wear. She said it’s really pretty.”

“I can’t accept—”

“It’s a loan,” Jamie said, sounding agitated. “Not a gift. It belongs to one of the cousins and you can give it back to her after tomorrow.” He put his hand on hers. “Hallie, please tell me what I or my family have done to offend you.”

She pulled her hand away. “Nothing. All of you are perfect. You are beautiful to look at, interesting personalities. There’s not a flaw in any of you.”

“Okay,” he said. “Just know that Aunt Jilly will be hurt if you’re not there. What happened between you two the night she and Uncle Kit came over? She’s called me twice asking about you.”

“Nothing happened.” She couldn’t meet his eyes. Maybe the females in his family knew about the pregnancy, but few of the males did. And until Hallie knew for sure that Ken had been told, she wasn’t saying a word.

“I see,” Jamie said and got up from the table.

“You don’t want any dessert?”