Page 22 of A Nantucket Wedding

“I am. I missed you. But I had a wonderful time. David’s beach house is stunning. You’ll have to come with me to see it.”

As she talked, she pulled her small roller suitcase behind her down the hall and into their bedroom.

And she waited for Scott to come out of their office and give her a welcome-home kiss.

Nothing.

She sat on the bed, kicked off her heels, and massaged her feet. Walking in warm sand on the beach versus walking in stilettos on hard sidewalk: no contest.

“Did you miss me?” she called. She wanted him to come to her.

“Of course!” he called back.

On bare feet, she padded down the hall and into the office. Scott was at the computer, squinting at a chart, moving the mouse.

“You’re working hard for a Sunday.” She moved behind him and put her hands on his shoulders and smooched the top of his head.

“I didn’t think you’d be back until later. I’ve got to get this analysis done.”

“Okay.” She noticed, as if for the first time, how luxurious his hair was. “You’ve got beautiful hair, Scott, so dark and thick, like an animal’s pelt.”

He shook his head sharply, as if shooing away a fly. “That tickles.”

She removed her hands. “I’ll go unpack. And shower.”

At the door he called, “Hey.”

She stopped.

“I’m glad you’re home. But youareearly. And I need to finish this. It’s important. Give me twenty more minutes, okay?”

“Okay.” She had to be fair. This was the way they were. Both of them.Finish the work first; she could cross-stitch it on a wall hanging. She shouldn’t, couldn’t, judge Scott by the few foolish moments she’d spent with Ethan.

In their bedroom, she unpacked her clothes and sorted them: laundry, dry cleaner, shoe rack. She removed her flip-flops from the plastic bag she’d kept them in. They still had some sand on them. She took a long moment to hold them, remembering. Then she held them over the wastebasket and brushed the sand away.

She showered, pulled on yoga pants and a T-shirt, and carried her briefcase into their office.

“Almost done,” Scott said.

She unpacked her laptop. She’d thought she’d have time on the island to read through at least one file, but somehow she hadn’t worked all weekend. Like a drug, the need to work pulled at her mind. She could start—

“Done!” Scott rose from his desk chair, stretched, and yawned. “What shall we order in for dinner?”

She kept her back to him. “Whatever you want. And I’ve brought you the most delicious bread. I made itmyself. It’s unbelievable. I’ll heat it up for you for anamuse-bouche.”

“I’ll tell you what I’d like to amuse my mouth.” Scott put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

“Oh, good,” Jane joked lightly. “I didn’t think you’d missed me at all.”

“God, I know, Jane. I’m sorry. But in my defense, I’m stressed.”

“You sound like a lawyer.”

“I am a lawyer.”

“You’re a husband, too.” She turned in his arms and looked up at him.

He smiled. He had a wonderful smile. “I promise to perform my husbandly duties later on, or even before we eat, depending on which of your appetites is stronger. I set the DVR to tape the Sunday morning show, so we can watch it while we eat.” He stepped back and checked his watch. “Time for a Scotch.”

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