Page 74 of Stony Point Summer
“No. We agreed, Jason,” she says, her voice carrying across the yard in the warm summer air. “When you’re gone, you’re gone.”
“Comeon.” Jason takes a step after her, then stops and whistles for the dog—who is following close behind Maris.
“That’s what happens when you move out,” Maris calls to Jason. She turns, then, and walks backward another step while sending her final arrow. “It’s an inconvenience.”
“Maris.”
Standing in place, she pulls her sunglasses low on her nose and peers over the frame at him. “House is all locked up. No going inside, Jason. Like we agreed. You can wrap up here early and get ready at Ted’s.” When she turns away and heads to the street at the bottom of the driveway, her last words rise behind her. “Take care, guys!”
Jason just stands there watching her go. He’s not surprised, either. He left his beautiful wife almost two weeks ago. Packed a bag and walked right out to clear his head, get some space,whatever. And regardless of his dating attempts with her since then, this was another shove-back from Maris today.
Still he watches as she leaves, turning onto Sea View Road now. Yep, it’s why he loves her. She’s damn strong and isn’t afraid to dish it right back to him. She was just waiting for the right time—and the right audience.
Carton in hand, Jason turns around. Well, she found it, all right. His producer, Trent, stands there with a raised eyebrow. And the cameraman, Zach, is shaking his head, all while Jason shifts the box in his arms.
* * *
“In the doghouse, man,” Zach calls from where he stands in the shade of the big maple tree. Behind Zach, the morning sun shines on the old barn studio. Faded fishing buoys hang from the barn’s wood-planked walls.
“After the surprise Maris pulled off for you yesterday?” Trent asks. “What the hell did you do this time?”
Zach’s assistant watches Maris turn onto the street. “You’re not evenlivingtogether right now? Damn.”
Jason waves them off with his envelope-filled hand. And that’s it. They heard enough and he’s not going to give them any grist for the gossip mill. Instead, he walks to his SUV, finagles his key fob to open the liftgate and shoves his clothes carton inside.Withhis bills. Maddy is at his heels, sticking close with some anxiety.
“Shake it off, Barlow,” Trent warns, walking up to him as Jason grabs a leather messenger bag and lowers the liftgate. “You need a happy marriage going on for your viewers.”
“Got it.” Jason drops his keys in his pocket. “Let me open the barn studio.”
“We’ll check the lighting and set up,” Zach says, motioning for his assistant to grab their camera gear.
“Need to get the filming done this morning,” Trent reminds Jason. “The Fenwick demo starts in earnest next week, and it’ll be hard to break away from that.”
“What are we after today?” Jason asks while unlocking the barn studio door and walking in with the dog. “Run things by me again.”
As Trent talks; as he mentions getting promo clips for the meet-and-greets scheduled for the fall fair circuit; as he tells Jason that CT-TV will have tents promotingCastaway Cottageat those fairs, Jason listens. His producer goes on about grabbing some footage inside the barn, near Jason’s wall of framed cottage renovations; some outside, even sitting on the bench on the bluff. Maybe on the beach, too. Zach apparently needs more Stony Point drone shots.
But Jason does something else, as he listens and walks into his barn studio. It works every time. He inhales the faint scent of wood dust and his father’s old masonry tools. That familiar whisper of aroma calms him. Which gets him to turn to Trent, too, after setting down his messenger bag.
“We have to sellyoutoday, so folks will come to meet and greet you inperson,” Trent’s explaining while looking around the studio, and picking up an architectural sketch from Jason’s drafting table, and glancing at the mounted moose head at the top of the stairs to Maris’ loft.
“So, I’llbeat these fairs?” Jason asks.
Trent nods. “Mark your calendar. You’re about to get busy.”
“About to?” Jason quickly checks his vibrating cell phone and sees messages from a couple of his contractors, one from a client and one from Kyle—reminding him to show up at Elsa’s tonight.
Just then, Maddy scrambles up the stairs. Her collar jangles; her paws click on the steps. Once in the loft, she walks around to the edge, lies down and rests her muzzle beneath the railing to watch Jason down below.
“Good you brought the dog,” Trent tells him.
“Oh yeah, man,” Zach agrees. He turns his camera lens on Maddy keeping watch. Her ears are alert; her eyes, on her master. “She’s the real star. Demo Dog pics always get more Likes on social media than you do, Barlow.”
“Thanks for that,” Jason says while taking off his linen blazer.
Trent gives him a friendly shove. “Actually could’ve used a clip of you with your wife, now that I think of it. Especially for the show’s opening credits.” He looks toward the barn door. “Ah, well. Another time, maybe.”
“Yeah.” Jason hangs his blazer on a wall hook. “Might not have worked out today.” He glances out the double slider to the driveway, where all’s quiet now. “Okay,” he says, setting his phone on his desk. “Let’s do this, Trent. It’s a short day, so we have to make every minute count. Elsa’s grand opening is tonight, and I’m not waltzing in late.”
