Nantucket Weddings - Pamela M. Kelley Page 0,48

with Nate and they all headed to Baxter’s Boat House, a restaurant and bar that was just a short drive away and right on the harbor. It was busy there, but they were able to get two tables side by side that were right at the dock’s edge. Mia had been to Baxter’s once before and was happy to be there again. They were close to the water and some people even came by boat, pulling up and docking right in front of where they were sitting.

A waitress came to the table and everyone ordered Bloody Mary’s, which Ben said was a Figawi weekend Monday tradition. Mia sipped her drink and watched the boats go by. There was a steady stream of them, all shapes and sizes, coming and going in both directions. It was a beautiful, sunny day, perfect for boating.

“Did you ever think about getting a boat?” Mia asked as another gorgeous boat cruised by.

“See that one?” Ben pointed to the boat she’d just been admiring. “That’s a Sea Ray. I was here one day with Nate, years ago. We’d had a few drinks, and I saw one of those pass by and decided that I wanted one. Nate took me to the marina. They have a show room there and I came this close to buying one.”

“What stopped you?”

“Nate did, actually. He knew it was just an impulse. He said the only people that should buy boats are people that are crazy about them, and that will take the time to learn how to fix them if something goes wrong. And he said things always go wrong when you least expect it.”

Nate leaned over and added, “I told him that he’d be smarter to just find a friend with a boat and then he wouldn’t have to worry about any of that.”

Ben winked. “So that’s why we’re still friends. I just got my boat fix for a while.”

They ordered a bunch of food when the waitress returned. Baxter’s mostly served seafood, and they were known for their fried clams.

“Any interest in sharing a fisherman’s platter with me?” Ben asked.

“Sure.” Mia didn’t eat a lot of fried food, but at least once or twice every summer she indulged and a fisherman’s platter had a bit of everything—fried scallops, shrimp, fish and clams, plus fries and onion rings. Their food came out quickly, and it was a fun time, eating outside, watching the boats go by and feeling the warm sun on her face. Mia had a second Bloody Mary and by the time they all finished eating, she was full and a little sleepy.

Nate dropped them off at the Hyannis airport, and they didn’t have to wait long for their Cape Air flight back to Nantucket. Mia had mixed feelings about these small planes. They only held nine people, including the pilot. She was just glad that it was a short flight.

She gripped the arm of her seat as they taxied down the runway.

“Nervous flier?”

“I am. I flew in one of these small planes once when it was raining. Izzy and I both watched as the pilot pulled out a laminated list of instructions and we both panicked, thinking he didn’t know what to do next and it was some kind of cheat sheet. We learned later that it was just a routine checklist.”

“I love to fly. My college roommate had his pilot’s license, and we went up a bunch of times. He was a little crazy. We’d get up there and would be gliding around nice and smooth, and then he’d put it into a dive and start doing tricks, loops and rolls.”

“Were you terrified?” Mia would have been.

“I probably should have been. But, no. It was exhilarating.”

Mia looked outside as the plane picked up speed and then, like a bird, lifted up and they were on their way. She relaxed a little once they reached their cruising altitude.

“Thanks for inviting me along today.” She knew she’d always remember the day. It was an experience she might never repeat.

“I’m glad you came. I like spending time with you, Mia. And I’m looking forward to being neighbors at the condos soon, too.”

“When are you moving in?”

“Will said Friday should work for me. You’re Thursday, right? Once we’re settled, we’ll have to celebrate. Maybe have a joint open house and invite all of our friends over.”

“That might be fun!” Mia liked the idea. She and Ben chatted easily for the rest of the short flight. She glanced out the