Page 38 of Starfish Cottage
“No, I’m sorry. It’s just that I love Shell Cove, and I don’t want to move. I don’t want a new job. I don’t want to leave my friends.”
Lorelei was furious. “Is this about that cottage girl?”
“Maddie?”
“Yeah, whatever her name is. I’ve seen you guys looking at each other.”
“We kind of have to look at each other. We were working together.” Dex had no idea what she was talking about. Had Maddie been looking at him? Surprisingly, the thought made his heart do a little skip.
“Well, I doubt she’s going to be waiting for you to take her to the party. I’m sure she’ll find someone else. Especially after I told her that you’re moving away.”
Dex frowned. “Wait. You told her that? When did you talk to her?”
“The other day.” Now Lorelei looked guilty. If Dex had to guess, maybe she’d said a lot more than that he was moving. And that explained why Maddie had been acting a bit standoffish.
It also drove home the fact that Dex was making the right decision. He didn’t know who this Lorelei standing in front of him was, but it wasn’t the girl he’d fallen in love with. And it certainly wasn’t the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Maddie walked around the cottage, surveying the work Dex had done during the day while she’d been downtown working on the event.
She’d stayed at the event until almost seven, so she wasn’t surprised to discover Dex had left by the time she got home. It was Friday, so he was probably on his way to Portland with Lorelei.
The first day of the event had gone off without a hitch, and both the merchants in the tents and the shops had reported robust sales. Sully’s was almost out of ice cream, and that was a good sign. Maddie didn’t need signs, though. She could tell by the swell of tourists that the event was a success.
The president of the Marco Rosone fan club had been pleased and even said this was better than the one they usually had in New York. He wanted to have one in Shell Cove every year. Even better, she’d overheard several tourists saying that they wanted to come back for a relaxing vacation. They’d loved Burt’s moonshine exhibit, and Maddie had to admit the old guy really gave a good show.
Dex had finished most of the work on the walls in the living room and dining room, and the place was starting to shape up. The cabinets still needed work—she’d been busy with the event and hadn’t had a chance to do more sanding—but they were useable, and that was a project she could plug away at when things settled down.
She stepped over one of the tools strewn about the floor of the living room without a thought. Funny thing, she was just getting used to Dex’s disorganized mess, and now he’d be gone. She brushed away feelings of sadness. Dex was going to live with his true love, and she was happy for him. It was funny. At first she would have been unaffected at his leaving town—maybe even glad—but now she felt a hole in her life.
She grabbed a glass of wine and opened the door to the outdoor deck. The tide was coming in, and she could hear the roar of the waves crashing on the beach. She inhaled deeply, tasting the salty, humid air. The full moon sparked off the crests of the waves. She was exhausted from the day, but a sense of satisfaction filled her. She had a strong feeling that Shell Cove, the Beachcomber, and Starfish Cottage were going to be okay.
She settled into the sectional and sipped her wine. She would call it an early night. With the Gatsby party to set up for tomorrow and then the party itself tomorrow night, it was going to be a long day.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sharkies was more crowded than Dex had ever seen it, but Dex hadn’t minded, elbowing his way through the crowd. He and Nick were seated at one of the high-top tables with frosty mugs, and Nick was looking at him in confusion.
“So you broke up with her? Just the other day you were going to move to Portland to move in with her.”
“I know. Crazy, right? But I realized that moving to Portland isn’t really what I want. And maybe Lorelei isn’t the one for me.” Dex had agonized over the decision all night but still felt it was the right one.
Nick broke into a big smile. “Finally! I could have told you that, but you’re too hardheaded to listen.”
Dex laughed. There was nothing better than joking around with your oldest friend, and now that he wasn’t moving, he could look forward to much more of that. Another reason he knew he’d made the right decision.
“So you’re going to that party on the pier then?” Nick looked hopeful.
“I guess.”
“You have to. I don’t want to be the only one dressed in one of those old suits.”
“Do we really have to dress up?” Dex didn’t love the idea.
“According to Jules, I do, and I sure would appreciate the company. It will be fun. At least that’s what Jules said.” Nick made a face, and Dex knew he didn’t think it would be fun at all but was doing it for Jules.
“I suppose I could.”
