With a bravery that he didn’t fully understand, Julien took his plate of food over to Natalie and Hannah to say hello. Natalie’s strained expression fixed itself, although it was clear that she didn’t feel she needed to impress the harbor master. “Julien, hello,” she said.
“Hi there.” Julien had never liked Natalie; she was a wannabe, a wealthy person who wanted to show off all she had. Sure, there were plenty of people like that on Nantucket, but they weren’t Julien’s type. “I see you’ve met my new friend.”
Natalie gave Hannah a bug-eyed look. “Funny. We’re old friends from college. I was just asking Hannah how she knew Thomas. You know, Thomas was quite close to my husband.”
“I invited Hannah to come with me,” Julien lied.
Hannah gave him a funny look, one that carried numerous meanings. He’d caught her in her lie about being Thomas’s cousin, but he also decided to cover for her. Why was he doing that? He didn’t know.
“You know how these things are,” Julien went on. “I feel awkward in groups. But I wanted to honor Thomas as best as I could.”
Natalie continued to frown. “You were there. That last night at the city council meeting. I remember. You stood up and spoke.”
Julien raised his shoulders. “A lot of people spoke that night.”
“Thomas had a lot to say,” Natalie said, flaring her nostrils.
“I really am sorry for your loss,” Hannah interjected. Her lips were tinged red from the wine.
Natalie gave her a befuddled look, then muttered something about needing a glass of wine herself. She left Julien and Hannah behind, flipping her hair.
Hannah peered up at Julien, as though he mystified her. Julien wasn’t sure if he liked all this attention. She reached out to touch his shoulder, then seemed to think better of it.
“Thank you,” she said.
Julien took a bite of potato salad, then offered her his plate and watched as she took a bite, as well. While she ate, he grabbed a glass of wine and raised it. “It isn’t my business why you’re here. Nothing’s my business, minus what goes on at the docks.”
“You’re the harbor master,” Hannah said with a smile. “I’ve never met a harbor master before.”
Julien laughed gently. “And what kind of work do you do?”
“I’m an investigative journalist,” Hannah said under her breath. “At least, I was.”
“Back in Florida?”
Hannah nodded, blushing. “I published the greatest story of my career, and my life blew up in my face.”
Julien couldn’t fully fathom that.
“My daughter hates me. No one will hire me,” Hannah continued. “And look at me now? I’m sniffing around where I don’t belong, all because I don’t have anything better to do.”
“It’s good wine, though,” Julien said.
Hannah’s eyes glowed with laughter. If Julien wasn’t mistaken, he thought she was on the verge of tears, too. Julien couldn’t wrap his mind around her.
Hannah confessed she needed the bathroom, so she left Julien alone for a few minutes. He’d lost his appetite, but he forced himself through a spicy chicken sandwich and drank a little more wine. He willed himself to ask Hannah more questions when she got back. It had been ages since he’d felt anything for a woman. Maybe this could be a great experiment: a bit of flirtation, if only to remember that he was still alive.
But then, Eleanor Pike emerged through the crowd and headed right toward him. She moved quicker than her seventy-something frame should have allowed, and she still had on that wide-brimmed hat, which meant that everyone had to keep their distance. Julien’s heart thumped.
He hated to admit he was afraid of her.
“Julien, hello,” Eleanor said, her dark eyebrows high.
“Hello, Ms. Pike.”
“Who was that you were talking to?” Eleanor asked. “I don’t recognize her.”
Julien knew better than to suggest that Hannah was Thomas’s second cousin. Eleanor would see right through that lie, just as Julien had.
