“I do. Just as a hobby, though. The thought of doing it for hundreds of people like you do is intimidating. I never knew you wanted to be a chef. I thought you might go into the family business after college.” Paul’s family ran a clothing store on Main Street. He made a face at the thought.
“I hate retail. I sort of fell into restaurant work. After graduating from college, I spent the summer working in the kitchen at The Straight Wharf. It was just supposed to be temporary, but I fell in love with it and decided to go to culinary school. That’s where I met Patsy and a year later, we were married.”
“That was fast.” Emma knew he’d married but didn’t know the history of it.
“We probably never should have gotten married,” Paul admitted. “We’re very different. Patsy is loud and passionate and the life of the party. She was fun to be around. When she got pregnant, it seemed like the thing to do.”
Emma was surprised. “Oh, I didn’t realize you had children.”
“I don’t. She miscarried a month after we got married. It became apparent not too long after we started the restaurant together that we weren’t well suited. Patsy was somewhat difficult to work with. I’m sure I was too. It just wasn’t a good match.”
“I’m sorry that didn’t work out. Divorce is hard.”
“Yeah, it is. It was a long time ago for me though.” He grinned. “I’m over it now. I’m sorry that you are going through it. You were married a lot longer than I was.”
Emma sighed. “Almost fifteen years. And I thought we were happy. Well, happy enough. Looking back now I realize we were probably more like roommates, but we were always great friends.”
Paul opened his mouth as if he was going to ask a question, but then thought better of it and took a sip of his drink instead. She guessed he’d been about to ask why they got divorced.
“He left me for another man. Can you believe it? His best friend from college. I had no idea, none. I think I’m still a little bit in shock.”
Paul set his drink and met Emma’s gaze. “Em, I am so sorry. Jeez. I can’t imagine.”
“I know, right? How could I not have known?” She explained how they’d reconnected when Tom took a job in town. “He said they’d experimented in college but realized it was more than that when they saw each other again.”
“So, how are you doing? That must be difficult to process.”
Emma laughed. “That’s an understatement. It makes you question everything. In a weird way, I suppose it’s a little better than if it had been another woman? I don’t know. I’ll just say I’m in no hurry to get into another relationship any time soon.”
Paul nodded. “I bet. It was close to a year before I dated after the divorce.”
Emma wondered if there was anyone serious in his life now. She noticed there was no ring on his finger, but knew that some people didn’t always wear their rings when they worked with their hands.
He must have seen the question on her face. “I still don’t date much. Nothing serious anyway. It’s hard with the hours I work. I have a cat though. He’s good company.”
Emma smiled. She remembered that Paul had always loved animals.
“I’m tempted to get a cat too. I’ll have to run that by Jill as we’re both staying at my grandmother’s place.”
“If you do decide to get one, let me know. I can give you the name of the shelter I went to.”
“I’ll do that.” Emma glanced at the clock as she tried to hold back a yawn. She was enjoying catching up with Paul, but it had been a long day. “I should probably get going. I didn’t realize how late it was.”
Paul took the last sip of his drink. “Same here. I’ll walk you out.”
Mandy pulled into her driveway at a little past five. As the garage door opened, she was surprised to see Cory’s car already there. He was rarely home from work this early.
“Kids, go get changed and start your homework,” she said as they walked through the door. “I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
Mandy hung her coat up and headed into the kitchen. The house was silent except for the sounds of the children as they ran upstairs. The door to the downstairs study/office was open a crack and Mandy was thinking the room was empty as it was so quiet, and that Cory must be up in his bedroom. But then she heard a familiar chuckle and his voice, but he was talking so softly that she couldn’t make out any words. She poked her head in the door and when Cory turned, she waved hello.