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  Besides them, Lexie would give Jared hell for scaring Alix off, and even Toby would probably be sad. And no doubt every relative on the island would say that Jared had run her off because he wanted his house back.

  Any way he looked at it, Alix leaving before the year was up was bad.

  Alix was looking out the windshield as they went down the streets and around two English-style roundabouts, one of which was called a rotary. Wherever they went, she was amazed by the courtesy of the drivers. Jared motioned to any vehicle that was stuck on a side street to go ahead of him and all the drivers waved back their thanks. He stopped for all pedestrians, who also raised their hands in gratitude. Cars, people, bicycles, road-crossing critters, were all given spaces and all actions were acknowledged with courtesy and thanks.

  They pulled into the parking lot of a pretty little building with a big doughnut above the door. DOWNYFLAKE was painted on it.

  “Why’s it called that?”

  “I have no idea,” Jared said. “You can ask Sue.”

  He opened the door for her and they entered a homey-looking restaurant that Alix immediately liked. And she had her first glimpse of what it meant to have grown up on an island. Jared knew everyone. He said hello to the staff and to nearly every table full of people.

  “Sit anywhere,” a pretty woman with a menu said.

  “Thanks, Sue,” Jared answered and went left to a booth by the windows. He stopped to exchange greetings and comments about deer and boats and fish with a group of men sitting at a large round table, then took his place across from Alix.

  “Sorry about that. I’ve been away for days and I needed to catch up. Hi, Sharon,” he said to a cute, tall, slim waitress.

  “You get back last night?” she asked.

  She had a lovely Irish accent and she handed Alix a menu as she poured coffee for him. Alix nodded yes for the coffee. When she left, Alix looked at the menu. “What’s good?”

  “Everything.”

  “I think I’ll have the blueberry pancakes and a couple of doughnuts.”

  He turned, nodded to Sharon, and when she returned, Alix gave her order. Jared said nothing.

  “You aren’t ordering?” Alix asked when the waitress left.

  “I always get the same thing and they just bring it.”

  “I can’t imagine living somewhere that a restaurant knows your order.”

  He glanced out the window for a moment. “When I’m in New York, sometimes I get so homesick I think I’m going to evaporate.”

  “What do you do then?”

  “If at all possible I get on a plane and come home. Aunt Addy was always here and always up to something, and my—” He stopped talking. He’d been about to mention his grandfather—which was unusual, as that had been an unbroken taboo all his life.

  But it was as though Alix read his mind. “Izzy said that Nantucket was one of the most haunted places on earth. Have you seen any ghosts? Or maybe Kingsley House is haunted.”

  “Why do you ask?”

  Alix was aware that he’d avoided answering her questions. “Odd things keep happening. Pictures falling off tables, fireplace soot coming down in a lump, that sort of thing. This morning I was trying to decide between a blue shirt and a peach one and the collar of the blue one moved.”

  Jared knew his grandfather liked blue the best. “It’s a drafty old house. Have you heard the floors creak?”

  He was still avoiding her questions. “No, but I think a man kissed me on the cheek.”

  Jared didn’t smile. “Were you frightened?”

  “Not at all. It was rather nice.” She started to say more but an older couple came by and wanted to say hello and how very sorry they were to hear of Addy’s passing. Alix drank her coffee and watched him as he smiled and talked. With his messy, graying beard and his long hair, he looked tired. She’d followed his career enough to know that he was a hard worker. Sometimes it seemed that everyone in the U.S. who could afford it wanted a house designed by Jared Montgomery. There were at least four books about his work, and many others that contained photos. His work seemed to be featured in half the magazines on the stands. She’d often wondered if he ever slept.

  It was odd to think of him as a person with a life, friends, and family. That he had a talent that was off the charts was just something that happened. He was supposed to stay on the island but he’d said he was leaving, and she had an idea that it was to get away from her and all the things she’d planned to ask him.

  When the people left, he turned back to his coffee.

  “Thank you for the flowers,” she said. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

  “I shouldn’t have lied.”

  “No, you should have. If you hadn’t, I would have bombarded you with questions. You don’t have to leave Nantucket. I promise I won’t bother you.” She’d said this earlier, but this time there was no resentment in her voice. “I won’t ask questions about designing, or about where you get your ideas. I won’t even ask how you came up with the Klondike building. Not while we’re on Nantucket. Here, you’ll be Kingsley to me, not the great and famous Jared Montgomery. But …” She smiled at him. “Off-island, all bets are off. Is that a deal?”

  Jared gave her a weak smile, and he wasn’t sure what to reply. This morning he’d gone into the house early to have another look at the model of the chapel that she’d made. His business partner, Tim, had sent him yet another email saying he needed the design for the California house now! The movie couple wanted a Jared Montgomery design—not one from someone else in the firm, but from Jared personally.

  This morning Jared had the idea of persuading the movie stars to build something designed by Alixandra Madsen. He’d tell them of her father, who’d taught Jared everything he knew. He’d lay it on thick about how she was up and coming and they’d be the first to have one of her designs. And a private chapel secreted away on their big estate would be just the thing.

  And giving Alix a commission would partially pay back Ken for all he’d done for Jared. “Pass it on.”

  “What did you say?”

  He didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud. “I was thinking about what a generous deal you’re offering. When I was a student I was insatiable for knowledge.” In between carousing, he thought. Away from home, all those long-legged college girls … Half of his designs had been done three hours before he had to present them.

  He smiled at her. What he had to do now was to get Alix to show him her model so he could act surprised at the sight of it. He didn’t want her to think he’d been snooping—or that someone who didn’t exist had shown him her plan.

  Their breakfast orders were put before them, scrambled eggs with spinach, bacon, and cheese, a toasted cranberry muffin on the side for him. Alix had pancakes rich with blueberries and a couple of chocolate-covered doughnuts.

  As Jared started to eat, he thought that he needed to get her away from her thoughts of leaving. She needed a reason to stay on the island. “Did you know that weddings are a big business on Nantucket? Multimillion. I don’t know much about it, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to make a wedding for your friend here.”

  “And your girlfriend Toby could help?”

  Jared smiled so broadly that the hairs on the back of Alix’s neck stood up. That lip of his! She looked away.

  “Toby’s not my girlfriend. She’s out of my league. I’m much too …” He ran his hand over his beard as he searched for the right word. Earthy? Salty? Too male?

  “Too old?” Alix asked.

  Jared looked at her. “Old?”

  “You said she was a kid. Twenty, wasn’t it?”

  “She just turned twenty-two. Her father gave her a refrigerator for her birthday.”

  “Oh!” Alix said. “Did he wrap it?”

  This time Jared realized she was joking. “Knowing her dad, he probably filled it with hundred dollar bills—all of which Toby returned. She’s determined to support herself.”

  “By raising fl