Chapter 27
Three months later
Mandy met Jill and Emma at the Club Car for Friday night drinks a little after six. Cory had the children, so she didn’t have to rush home and she was excited to be out with her sisters. It was a rare night that they all were off and they had something to celebrate.
Once they were settled at the bar and had their cocktails of choice, chardonnay for Mandy and Emma and a dill pickle martini for Jill, Jill proposed a toast.
“Happy Divorce day, Mandy!”
“Congratulations,” Emma added.
“Thanks you guys.” It was a bittersweet day. They’d signed the final divorce paperwork earlier that morning. Mandy was relieved that it was over, but also there was a lingering sadness at the same time. Her lawyer, Taylor, had been incredible. She’d worked out a settlement with Cory’s attorney that was more generous than Mandy had expected. And because both parties agreed, the process also went more quickly than she’d anticipated.
She and Cory had settled into a fairly amicable relationship. They both wanted what was best for the kids and that meant getting along as best possible. Mandy limited their communication to specifics about the kids, pickup and drop-off coordination. And Cory finally seemed to realize that it was truly over.
“How are you feeling about it?” Emma asked gently.
“I’m good, now. I had a mini-meltdown earlier before I had to go sign the papers. It just hit me that it was really over. But then I snapped out of it and realized that’s a good thing. It just took me a while to get there.”
“That’s understandable,” Jill said.
“I have some news, too,” Emma leaned in and smiled. “Paul and I are moving in together.”
“That’s awesome news! Your wedding will be next,” Jill said. Mandy smiled. The planning for Jill’s wedding was done and it was going to be impressive. She was flying the whole company in and putting them up at the Wauwinet, a gorgeous waterfront hotel that reminded Mandy of the Great Gatsby, with its sweeping lawn and croquet.
Emma made a face. “Um, no. Neither one of us wants to get married anytime soon.” But then she added, “Okay, that’s not completely true. Paul said he’d marry me anytime I’m ready. But he’s been divorced for years. I told him I am in no hurry and I might never want to do that. And he said as long as we’re living together, that’s fine by him.”
“He adores you,” Mandy said.
“He is a keeper,” Emma agreed.
They ordered some appetizers to share and after a while, another round of cocktails. The Club Car was busy as usual and they saw a number of familiar faces and chatted with people they knew as they came up to the bar to order drinks.
“Who is that guy that just walked in, end of the bar? He looks familiar. I think he comes into Mimi’s Place now and then,” Jill said.
Mandy followed her gaze and nodded.
“That’s Matthew Flynn. He comes in for lunch every week or so. He’s a nice guy. He lost his wife to cancer a few years ago and his kids are in college. He runs a boat business, sightseeing and deep-sea fishing.”
Jill looked at her carefully. “You know quite a bit about him. He sounds like he could be a good candidate for you, when you’re ready to start dating.”
Mandy laughed at the idea. “I chat with all the customers when they come in. He’s often by himself and sits at the bar, so we’ve gotten to talking a bit. I don’t think he’s interested in dating anyone and I know for certain that I’m not ready. Not yet.”
“He’s coming this way,” Emma said.
Mandy smiled and caught Matt’s eye as he approached them. He was a handsome man, with thick blondish brown hair and a stocky build. He wasn’t overweight, just on the bigger side, and he had a healthy appetite. He loved the food at Mimi’s Place. His blue eyes lit up as he reached them and he smiled.
“Hello, ladies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the three of you in one place. Usually it’s one of you at a time, right?”
Mandy nodded. “Yes, this is a rare night off for us. Matt, I’m not sure if you’ve been introduced to my sisters, this is Jill and Emma.”
He shook both of their hands. “Nice to officially meet you.” He glanced at the three of them. “Is it a special occasion? Someone’s birthday, maybe?” He seemed to pick up on the sense of celebration.
Jill grinned. “Yes, we’re celebrating that Mandy’s divorce is final today.”