“And who is?” Riley offered her friend a blueberry muffin, but Parrish refused.
“It’s a toss-up between Ginny Cranshaw and Nate Milas. Ginny was on the same ferry as Ed last night. She’s sporting a huge new diamond—at least three carats, and she’s definitely had her eyes done. Word is both the plastic surgery and the rock were a consolation prize from Woody after his latest affair with one of his surgical nurses.”
“Parrish! Shh!”
“Too late, Mom. I already know about Dr. Cranshaw,” Maggy said. “Holly said her mom found a bunch of texts from one of his girlfriends on his phone. So gross!” She reached across the table and clutched Riley’s hand. “So can I do it, please?”
“I’m just not sure,” Riley said. “I’ve never even met Annabelle’s mom.”
“She’s super nice,” Maggy said. “She took Annabelle all the way to D.C. for the Justin Bieber concert this year.”
“Well, that definitely qualifies her for mother of the year, in my book,” Riley said. “But you’re still not spending the night with Annabelle until I talk to her super-cool mom and tell her about your diabetes and explain about your food and injections.…”
“Okay, great. I’ll have her call you when she wakes up.” Maggy jumped up from the table, planted a kiss on Riley’s cheek, hugged Parrish, then dashed out the kitchen door with her backpack in hand.
“Wait! That wasn’t a yes,” Riley called, but Maggy was already pedaling down the path on her bike.
Parrish poured herself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher on the table. “And now you’re free to go to the party with us tonight.”
“I don’t want to horn in on your time with the kids,” Riley said. “What time did they finally get in last night?”
“They didn’t. David texted at eleven that they couldn’t get on any flights. It happens sometimes, when you’re flying on a buddy pass. Especially on holiday weekends. Stupid me. I should have just told him to put a ticket on my Amex card.”
“Oh, Parrish! I know you’re bummed. And after you’d made all those plans, too.”
“I’ve been crying like a big baby all morning long. Ed thinks I’m a menopausal mess. Which is why I’m glad you can go out with us tonight. I think we both deserve some fun.”
“I never said I wanted to go,” Riley said. “And I definitely never said I thought it was okay for my daughter to spend the night with a woman whose name I don’t even know, and who apparently doesn’t get up before eleven a.m. on Saturday.”
“Relax,” Parrish said. “Maggy introduced her to me at the pool this week. Her name is Chantelle and she seems perfectly nice.”
“We’ll see. And, by the way, thanks for meddling in my business.”
“You’re welcome,” Parrish said. “So, it’s settled. You’re coming tonight.”
“Nothing is settled,” Riley said. She hesitated. “You said the other hot topic beside Ginny Cranshaw’s facelift is Nate Milas? What’s the latest?”
“I thought you didn’t care about Nate Milas. Didn’t you tell me you told him to stay away from you and your family?”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to know what kind of skullduggery he’s up to now,” Riley said. “If it affects this island, it affects me. Now spill it, because I know that’s why you came over here.”
“Since you insist,” Parrish said impishly. “I had a fascinating conversation with Annie Milas at the Mercantile just now.”
“Do tell.”
“She told me Nate’s been in meetings in Chapel Hill and Morehead City all week.”
“Yippee. Probably lining up his dredging and demo permits.”
“Actually, he’s putting together plans to turn the Holtzclaw place into some kind of marine fisheries research facility. Annie said he’s donating the land to UNC and building it out with docks for their boats and stuff, and that old house will be turned into classrooms and dorms.…”
“He’s giving it away?” Riley asked. “You’re sure he’s not selling it?”
“That’s what Annie said. She said Nate turned into a hippy-dippy conservationist while he was living in California. She was all worked up because she said she’s sick of people insinuating he wants to turn Belle Isle into Myrtle Beach.”
“Of course she’d defend him and put a positive spin on it. She’s his mom. What else would you expect?” Riley said.
“You’ve really got it bad for Nate, don’t you?”
“You’re nuts,” Riley said. “He’s an arrogant ass.”
“I like him. I’ve always thought he was a decent guy, and this seals the deal as far as I’m concerned. I don’t understand why you’re so suspicious of his motives. As far as I can tell, he wants what you want.”
“I’m suspicious of him because I know him better than you do,” Riley said. “And, unless he wants to keep the island the way it’s always been, he definitely does not want what I want. I guarantee when he bought up all this land Wendell assembled, he had an agenda, the same as Wendell. He may have figured a way to put a happy, shiny spin on it for his mom and people like you, but it’s there.”
“You’re hopeless,” Parrish said. “Seriously, Riles. All this anger and bitterness is warping you. It’s a holiday weekend. I’m trying not to be sad about missing David and Amanda. Come to the party with us tonight, okay? Forget all this drama. Let it go for one night and try to enjoy yourself. Will you? For me? Please?”
Riley got up and stared out the kitchen window at the bluff and the water below. Sailboats skimmed across the surface of the bay and the sky was an amazing blue. Carolina blue. She’d been so busy trying to salvage what was left of her life, she’d forgotten to savor the beauty right outside this window. Maybe Parrish was right.
“Okay, I’ll go,” she said, turning around to face her friend. “But I refuse to have fun.”
“Deal,” Parrish said. “We’ll pick you up at seven. Try to look cute, would you?”
48
Nate collapsed into the armchair in front of the television. He had an ice-cold bottle of Corona in one hand and the remote control in the other. He heard the sound of tires crunching on the crushed-shell driveway outside his cabin, then light footsteps on the cabin’s front porch. He didn’t move. He didn’t need to because he already knew who the visitor was.
Annie walked in without knocking. “What are you doing? It’s time to go.”
“Go? I’m not going anywhere,” Nate informed her. “I’m beat. I’ve been in meetings or on the road all week. I just want to sit here, by myself, drink a beer, and watch a ball game.”
His mother didn’t move. She tried staring him down.
“Did I mention the ‘by myself’ part?” he repeated.
“Yeah, I’d like that, too,” Annie retorted. “I’ve been up chopping vegetables and making salads since five a.m. because the café’s prep chef didn’t show up for work. And we’ve been slammed all day.”