Page 16 of An Island Summer
Meghan recounted her time at Rosewood Manor, her exchange with Toby and the ride home. “I don’t understand why he would be so uncertain about me being there,” she said, stroking Charlie. “I considered letting it go and not seeing Rupert every day, but there’s something pulling me to see him. I really think he’d be happier if I came around.”
“Maybe it’s because you’ve always wanted to be someone glamorous, and he thinks you are.” Tess gave Meghan a big grin.
“Could be,” Meghan said, thinking. “I can’t put my finger on it. I just like being with him.” The idea of not seeing Rupert settled heavily upon her. “But it feels like Toby might not want me to see him. Toby knows him better than I do and if he feels like I shouldn’t see Rupert, then I should probably respect that.”
“Did you ask Toby if he didn’t want you going to see his grandfather?”
Meghan shook her head. “He’s not the easiest person to talk to.” She fluttered her hands in the air. “Let’s talk about something else. Get my mind off of it.”
“Well, I have just the thing,” Tess said.
Meghan twisted around, shifting the dog. “Really? What?”
“While you were with Rupert, I looked for more jobs online and I found a brand-new place that’s taking applications. It’s called Mariner’s Inn.” She grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and pulled up the website.
“It’s gorgeous,” Meghan said.
“What if we run up there and put in our application?”
“Yes,” Meghan said, excited to think about something other than Toby’s standoffish behavior. “Let’s go right now.”
Meghan and Tess drove until they made it to the village of Salvo. They pulled up outside a massive white inn with a wide front porch, nestled in the sand among the palm trees.
“This is incredible,” Meghan said, getting out and taking in the manicured walkways of the magnificent structure. Pots of red geraniums adorned the long row of white rocking chairs, and paddle fans above them whirred from a birch-lined ceiling. Two massive stone chimneys flanked either side of the inn, punctuating the red tin roof.
Meghan tipped her head back to view the huge structure as Tess got out of the car. Then she stepped over toward her friend and took the gray-painted steps one at a time, smiling at a few folks who were rocking at one end, playing checkers on a brightly painted wine barrel. She opened the door and they stepped into the cozy interior. Front sitting rooms on either side of a sweeping grand staircase held twin sofas facing each other. They looked like she could sink into them and never crawl out. A driftwood coffee table between the sofas held a vibrantly painted glass vase that was bursting with blooms.
“Where should we go?” Tess asked, looking around.
“Maybe there,” Meghan replied, pointing to the back of the inn where the restaurant was bustling with visitors.
They continued on to the large dining area with white-clothed tables and flickering candles, where the view of the blue ocean could be seen from every direction through the large glass doors. A bar trailed along one side of the room, through the glass wall, and out to the deck in back.
“Hello,” a hostess said, wearing the staff uniform: a crisp white shirt and black waist apron to match her trousers. “Will you be dining with us today or having a drink at the bar?”
“We’re actually looking to apply for a waitstaff position,” Meghan said.
“Oh, great! Come this way.” The hostess took them to a table next to the glass wall, overlooking the Atlantic that seemed to be showing off its turquoise underbelly—something it didn’t always offer. “Have a seat.” Meghan sat down, taking in the high, beamed cathedral ceiling and beach-wood chandeliers, the whole place giving her a very good feeling.
“What positions are you two applying for?” the hostess asked.
“Tess and I are looking for waitressing jobs,” Meghan replied. “We both have considerable experience in the field,” she said, beginning her well-rehearsed spiel. “I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for ten years now, and we’ve both held lead positions.”
“I’ll grab the applications so you can get a head start on them,” the hostess said. “And then I’ll go get Tabitha Perry. She’s our manager and main server and will ask you two some questions. Would you like a cocktail on the house while you wait?”
Meghan looked over at Tess, both of them clearly excited by the possibility of working somewhere like the Mariner’s Inn. “Yes,” she answered.
“I’ll bring you our best-sellers. What’s your preference—sweet, sour, or salty?”
“Sweet for me,” Tess said, and Meghan agreed.
“All right! Back in a second.”
When the hostess had left, Tess leaned forward, her eyes round with delight. “Free cocktails while we wait? I’m sold on this place. Look at it.”
“I know. It’s stunning. Great job finding it.” Meghan surveyed the tables—all full—thinking about how much tip money she could make in a place like this. “Now, we just have to both get the job.”
Tess made a face. “What if one of us gets it and the other doesn’t?”
