Chapter 2:
Salmon, Chardonnay, and Forced Smiles
"Thank you," Mellie muttered after he'd passed her the plate of asparagus.
As they did most nights here, they were having dinner around the large oak table in the dining room of Kleinwood. Years ago, as the Moran family had expanded with spouses and grandchildren, his grandparents had paid a carpenter from Boston to hand-carve a table that could fit eighteen. Tonight, it sat only fourteen, but come Sunday, extra seating would be needed to fit the entire family.
"This looks delicious," Nadine told him.
She was to his right.
"I hope you like salmon and chardonnay because we could live off of both," Blake joked.
As napkins were placed on laps, Edie stood from her chair and held up her glass of wine.
"A toast," she began. "To both of my beautiful babies being on island." When Blake's eyes met his mother's, she said, "no matter what…" Edie's stare drifted over to Nadine. "Or rather who it took to get one of them here."
Blake's jaw clenched.
"And to our guest," Aunt Ellie added after a moment.
Edie forced a smile. "Of course." She cleared her throat. "To a fabulous Moran family Fourth of July weekend," she said before she took her seat.
Plates were passed around and glasses of wine were already being refilled as conversation broke out amongst the group.
"I don't think your mother likes me," Nadine said.
"I'm sorry about that."
He'd warned her in the car that Edie could be very particular, especially when it came to people she'd never met before. Trust, loyalty, and respect were huge in his mother's book, but sometimes giving strangers the latter slipped her mind.
"More wine," he'd offered with a smile.
"Please," Nadine mumbled.
After the dinner plates had been cleared away, he'd excused himself, skipping dessert, so he and Nadine could settle into their rooms at Windbriar. After they'd arrived, they'd propped open windows, letting fresh air into the bedrooms, but they had yet to unpack their suitcases.
As Blake unzipped his bag, someone knocked on the door to his bedroom. Even without a verbal invitation to come in, the knob turned.
"I brought you back a slice of cherry pie," Meredith told him.
His sister sunk down onto the end of his bed as he placed his folded t-shirts into one of the dresser drawers.
"Thanks," he said.
Cherry pie had been a favorite of his since his grandmother had first taken him cherry picking at the age of eight. Now, he felt guilty about passing on dessert because his mom had probably had it made tonight in honor of his arrival.
Blake turned back to his open suitcase and pulled out the button-downs he'd brought. He crossed the room to the closet. While he hung his shirts on wooden hangers, he watched Meredith wring her hands.
"Did you want to talk about something?"
Other than the phone call in the car this morning, they hadn't spoken since Molly's birthday.
"No."
They hadn't seen each other since Christmas, but even then, Meredith had been distant. Or maybe it had been him who had put that distance there between them. After all, he was the one who pushed her away when she tried to talk about anything that reached beyond the superficial.
"We haven't had a visitor here in years," she said.
Blake looked up. "We should share this place with as many people as we can." Lord knew that they had the space and the financial means to do so.
"Mom, Dad, and Aunt Mindy are very particular about who comes." Meredith stood from his bed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Everyone is really," she whispered.
He knew that his mother would have a hard time seeing a stranger being brought onto the island, but he hadn't expected Meredith to struggle with welcoming someone new. Like their father, she possessed the ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. It's what made her good at her job.
"Nadine's a friend," he said as he closed the door to the closet. "I think you'll like her once you get to know her."
"I'm just glad you didn't bring Elizabeth." Blake rolled his eyes as she walked toward the door. "I'm doing a puzzle downstairs with Mia if you'd like to join us." Meredith turned back and held onto the doorframe with one hand. "Mom said she'll walk back here in a bit. She's having a nightcap with Ellie and Mindy."
"Okay."
After the door closed, Blake let out the breath that he hadn't even known he'd been holding.
The introductions on the dock had been awkward, dinner around the large oak table had consisted of forced smiles, and his relationship with Meredith just wasn't what it used to be.
He sat on the edge of his bed and stared out the window at the water.
Why had he thought that coming here was a good idea?