Page 86 of The Hotel Nantucket
“I didn’t get in any trouble,” Chad says. “My parents were angry, of course, and they were disappointed. But mostly, they were worried about how the incident would reflect onthem. They thought everyone would say they were bad parents, and so they did what they could to sweep it under the rug. They bought me a brand-new Range Rover as a graduation present and it was delivered to my house the day after Paddy went home, so it felt like I had done all these heinous things and wasrewarded.” Chad shakes his head and his eyes flood with hot tears as he thinks,What the actual f—
Ms. English lays a cool hand on his arm. “But you corrected course on your own,” she says. “You came to me and I put you to work in a place where we don’t sweepanythingunder the rug.”
Chad wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. “You told me that you believed even the biggest messes could be cleaned up.”
“And that’s what you did,” she says. “I’m sure your parents are very proud of you.”
“They’re not, though,” Chad says. “Neither one of them has praised me for getting this job. My father told me to quit!”
“But you didn’t quit,” Ms. English says. “Because you do have character, Long Shot.”
“I don’t want to work at my father’s company,” Chad says. “I want to stay at the hotel until it closes for the season.”
Ms. English tsks. “You have to get on with your life.”
“But I don’t want—”
They’re interrupted by a silver-haired gentleman in a pink shirt who puts a hand on Ms. English’s back and says, “Hello, Magda.”
Ms. English rises from her stool and offers the gentleman her hand. He kisses it like someone in the movies, and Chad thinks,Who is this dude?The guy is gazing at Ms. English like she’s a Victoria’s Secret Angel, and Chad feels uncomfortable—like he’s the one interrupting them, not the other way around—and protective too. He gets to his feet.
“Hi,” he says. “I work for Ms. English.”
The gentleman turns to Chad, then looks at Ms. English. “This is your long shot?”
Ms. English chuckles. “It is indeed. Xavier, please meet Chadwick Winslow. Chadwick, this is Xavier Darling.”
Mario’s “I Love You” Playlist for Lizbet
“XO”—Beyoncé
“Let My Love Open the Door”—Pete Townshend
“Whatever It Is”—Zac Brown Band
“Never Tear Us Apart”—INXS
“Come to Me”—Goo Goo Dolls
“Everlong”—Foo Fighters
“Head Over Feet”—Alanis Morissette
“Never Let You Go”—Third Eye Blind
“Wonderful Tonight”—Eric Clapton
“Swing Life Away”—Rise Against
“Something”—The Beatles
“You’re My Home”—Billy Joel
“I Believe”—Stevie Wonder
“Better Together”—Luke Combs
“You and Me”—Lifehouse
