settings on a blue-and-white-checkered cloth. There were tall glasses of iced tea and a basket of warm cornbread squares, covered by a cloth napkin. Liza went into the kitchen to see if Claire needed any help and Daniel followed, washing his hands at the kitchen sink.
Together they carried out the rest of the lunch: a bowl of salad made with fresh lettuce and tomatoes from Claire’s garden, and half a peach and blueberry crumble left over from the weekend. Last but not least, Claire carried out the chowder pot and ladle.
As she filled the three bowls with the hot, fragrant soup, Daniel snapped open his napkin with a flourish. “You’re right, Liza. The lure of fame and fortune pales in comparison to Claire’s cooking. What was I thinking?”
Liza laughed. “I was never really worried.”
Claire bowed her head a moment, offering silent thanks for her meal, and Liza and Daniel did the same. When Claire lifted her head she was smiling. “Start everyone. I know it’s warm outside, but the soup will still cool down and taste pasty if you let it sit too long.”
As they started on their chowder, Daniel said, “So you never said who was starring in this movie. Anyone famous?”
“Oh, yes.” Liza quickly swallowed. “Very famous. Charlotte Miller and Nick Dempsey.”
Daniel’s expression looked blank for a moment. Liza could tell he didn’t know who she was talking about. “You know, she was in that comedy about the two sisters and one of them becomes a femalepirate? And the one about the secretary who becomes a country-western singer? She’s been on all the magazine covers the last few months. Haven’t you been in a supermarket lately?”
“Oh … right. I know who you mean.” He smiled and nodded and started eating again. “She’s pretty,” he added.
“Yes, she is,” Liza agreed. No question about that.
He met her eye and smiled. “Come to think of it, I’m lucky you didn’t hang around there that long. Some producer would be signing you up to be an extra, too.”
Liza rolled her eyes at his heavy-handed compliment, but appreciated it nonetheless. “Thanks, but I like my job. Maybe I’ll go to Hollywood if the inn doesn’t work out.”
Daniel laughed. “I know who Nick Dempsey is. I’m not that far out of the loop. He’s been in some suspense movies, playing police detectives or CIA agents. Those two truly are movie stars. I wonder how long they’ll be around. This could bring a lot of publicity to Cape Light.”
“Charlie Bates thinks so. He wants to persuade the producer to film a scene in the Clam Box. I guess he plans to be in the background, flipping burgers and shouting out orders.”
“That sounds about right.” Daniel laughed. “I hope he doesn’t give the cast and crew heartburn with his hometown cuisine.”
“Or worse,” Claire chimed in with a serious expression. She suddenly stopped herself from saying more. She rarely said a negative word about anyone. Liza could see that she regretted even that small comment. “Just seems a shame that the Hollywood people might get the impression that the Clam Box is the only type of food we have to offer here. There’s definitely more to New England cooking than fried clams and Charlie’s pasty chowder.”
“That would be a shame,” Daniel agreed. He helped himself toanother chunk of cornbread and slathered on a pat of melted butter. It just wasn’t fair; he ate whatever he wanted. Liza didn’t know where he put it. Wherever it landed, though, it looked just right on him.
Liza cleared away the soup bowls and chowder pot and brought them inside while Claire started to dish out their dessert. Behind the sound of the running water in the sink, Liza suddenly noticed someone knocking on the screen door at the front of the house.
She shut off the water, quickly dried her hands, and ran to answer it, trying to smooth out her hair with one hand as she ran.
As she drew closer, she saw a man and woman standing on the porch. The
Together they carried out the rest of the lunch: a bowl of salad made with fresh lettuce and tomatoes from Claire’s garden, and half a peach and blueberry crumble left over from the weekend. Last but not least, Claire carried out the chowder pot and ladle.
As she filled the three bowls with the hot, fragrant soup, Daniel snapped open his napkin with a flourish. “You’re right, Liza. The lure of fame and fortune pales in comparison to Claire’s cooking. What was I thinking?”
Liza laughed. “I was never really worried.”
Claire bowed her head a moment, offering silent thanks for her meal, and Liza and Daniel did the same. When Claire lifted her head she was smiling. “Start everyone. I know it’s warm outside, but the soup will still cool down and taste pasty if you let it sit too long.”
As they started on their chowder, Daniel said, “So you never said who was starring in this movie. Anyone famous?”
“Oh, yes.” Liza quickly swallowed. “Very famous. Charlotte Miller and Nick Dempsey.”
Daniel’s expression looked blank for a moment. Liza could tell he didn’t know who she was talking about. “You know, she was in that comedy about the two sisters and one of them becomes a femalepirate? And the one about the secretary who becomes a country-western singer? She’s been on all the magazine covers the last few months. Haven’t you been in a supermarket lately?”
“Oh … right. I know who you mean.” He smiled and nodded and started eating again. “She’s pretty,” he added.
“Yes, she is,” Liza agreed. No question about that.
He met her eye and smiled. “Come to think of it, I’m lucky you didn’t hang around there that long. Some producer would be signing you up to be an extra, too.”
Liza rolled her eyes at his heavy-handed compliment, but appreciated it nonetheless. “Thanks, but I like my job. Maybe I’ll go to Hollywood if the inn doesn’t work out.”
Daniel laughed. “I know who Nick Dempsey is. I’m not that far out of the loop. He’s been in some suspense movies, playing police detectives or CIA agents. Those two truly are movie stars. I wonder how long they’ll be around. This could bring a lot of publicity to Cape Light.”
“Charlie Bates thinks so. He wants to persuade the producer to film a scene in the Clam Box. I guess he plans to be in the background, flipping burgers and shouting out orders.”
“That sounds about right.” Daniel laughed. “I hope he doesn’t give the cast and crew heartburn with his hometown cuisine.”
“Or worse,” Claire chimed in with a serious expression. She suddenly stopped herself from saying more. She rarely said a negative word about anyone. Liza could see that she regretted even that small comment. “Just seems a shame that the Hollywood people might get the impression that the Clam Box is the only type of food we have to offer here. There’s definitely more to New England cooking than fried clams and Charlie’s pasty chowder.”
“That would be a shame,” Daniel agreed. He helped himself toanother chunk of cornbread and slathered on a pat of melted butter. It just wasn’t fair; he ate whatever he wanted. Liza didn’t know where he put it. Wherever it landed, though, it looked just right on him.
Liza cleared away the soup bowls and chowder pot and brought them inside while Claire started to dish out their dessert. Behind the sound of the running water in the sink, Liza suddenly noticed someone knocking on the screen door at the front of the house.
She shut off the water, quickly dried her hands, and ran to answer it, trying to smooth out her hair with one hand as she ran.
As she drew closer, she saw a man and woman standing on the porch. The
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