Page 14 of Summer People
“Yup.” He adjusts his floppy hat, drawing my attention, not for the first time, to the placement of the whale and the puffin. “You just have to light it. Want me to send Fisher over to?—”
I’m shaking my head before he can finish the question. “I can handle it. Thanks, Cank.”
His wife hands me my coffee and I take my bag of muffins. Then I settle on the stool and survey the ocean outside the window.
Thisis precisely why people come to this island. Nothing but rolling hills that lead to the ocean, a gorgeous lighthouse, and the birds to keep me company.
I take a sip of my coffee and hum, surprised by the rich flavor. Who needs a caramel macchiato anyway? Nothing is better than a warm cup of coffee. Except maybe a warm cup ofcoffee and a hot shower. That’s next on my list. I saw matches in the kitchen this morning. Now I’ll just have to figure out where the pilot is. It’s probably connected to the big tank in the backyard. As soon as I finish breakfast, I’ll head back to the house and light the pilot. Then, finally, I’ll have that warm shower I’ve been itching for.
See? Today is already better than yesterday.
CHAPTER SIX
fisher
“I heardshe only wears stilettos and is upset that we don’t have paved roads.”
“I heard she doesn’t wear anything but tube tops and she’s coming to the town meeting this morning to demand we set up outdoor heaters.”
Neither of those rumors is true, yet I’m not the least bit surprised that the gossip mill is already running at full power with fake Elizabeth Sweet stories. Every person I encounter is obsessed with talking about her. Not me. I’d rather not think about her, let alone bring her up in conversation.
And I definitely don’t want to think about the sweet floral scent that lingered on my coat and flannel for hours after I left her last night. I don’t want to think about the way her eyes lit up when she smiled. Because I don’t need another thing to think about, period. I have enough on my plate. Elizabeth Sweet is too young and too beautiful and will be nothing but a pain in my ass.
“I heard that Saturday is donut day at the bakery and that if I came in before you close up for the meeting, I could buy some,” I say, trying to get the attention of the women gossiping behind the counter.
It’s beyond idiotic that they’ll close up the bakery at nine thirty so the two of them can go to a town meeting that’s sole purpose is to waste everyone’s time.
Flora and her mother turn my way.
“Fisher!” Flora says, her nasally voice making me wince. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
I fight a frown. Sutton wants donuts. So I have to be niceish.
“Any chance I could get two double chocolates and two glazed?” I should smile, but I hate smiling. The best I can do is not to glare.
“Absolutely.” She hurries to the glass case and drops the donuts into a bag one by one. “And your usual coffee?”
I give a clipped nod just as the door behind me opens.
“I feel for the poor girl,” Cank says as he and his wife, Cheryl, walk in.
“And since she’s all the way out on the point, she probably didn’t think to walk to the inn for a shower.”
My brows slam together. The point? They have to be talking about the Sweet place. Why would she have to walk to the inn for a shower? I made sure everything was in working order yesterday morning.
“Good thing she stopped by,” Cheryl says.
Cank nods. “I told her the pilot was probably out. I’m sure she’ll get it all fixed. Sent her home with a few muffins to tide her over until Doris opens up this afternoon.”
Well, fuck me. There is no way the princess knows anything about a pilot light. At twenty-five, I’m not sure I even knew what a pilot light was, let alone how to light it. And I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth.
Also, not even Bing will eat Cheryl’s muffins—they’re hard as rocks. If she doesn’t blow up the island, she’ll definitely break a tooth.
Flora hands me my coffee and the bag of donuts, and I drop a twenty on the counter, then rush out without a goodbye.
I should have taken the truck. The knowledge that Libby might be heading into her basement has me picking up the pace. It’ll be a matter of seconds before she comes across her first eight-legged creature. I’d be surprised if I couldn’t hear her screams all the way over here. Got rid of all the spiders, my ass. We’re in Maine. Spiders are as abundant as salt water and fog.
I jog up the hill, heading right at the fork and passing by Blue. Where else would he be this early? Everyone knows what the island needs is another watercolor of the harbor. Fifty million isn’t nearly enough. At least he’s fully clothed for the time being.
