ʺIvy!ʺ he said, surprised, and dropped his arm. ʺHave you been drinking?ʺ He pulled out his cell phone to check the time. ʺNot for two hours.ʺ He sounded clearheaded.
ʺWould you mind getting out of the car?ʺ she asked. He laughed. ʺWant me to walk a line, officer?ʺ
“Yup.”
He complied, grinning.
ʺListen,ʺ Ivy said, ʺyour buddy isnʹt scoring any points with Dhanya. Take Max home… quietly.”
Bryan nodded. ʺUnderstood. I apologize.ʺ He retrieved Max, who, after pimply talking with Dhanya, seemed to be a happier camper.
Ivy and Dhanya wearily entered the cottage, and after a momentʹs thought, Ivy locked both the front and back door. When she climbed into bed, Beth was lying with her eyes closed, the sheet pulled up to her chin. Resting on the pillow, close to her face, the amethyst glittered in the moonlight. j§. I ʺGood night,ʺ Ivy said softly. ʺEverythingʹs okay now.ʺ
ʺDonʹt be fooled,ʺ Beth replied. ʺHeʹs making plans. He wants revenge.ʺ
FRIDAY MORNING, BETH AND IVY WERE ASSIGNED TO the garden to weed and deadhead. While Ivy pried at stubborn roots, Beth silently worked her way down the rows of faded blossoms — snip, snip, snip. She had spoken little since the morning alarm went off, bringing each conversation Ivy had begun to a quick close with a one‐word answer.
ʺSo you donʹt remember Max coming around, yelling for Dhanya?ʺ
ʺNo.ʺ
ʺDo you remember dreaming?ʺ Ivy asked. ʺNo.ʺ I
ʺBeth, are you mad at me?ʺ Beth snipped off a flower head that was still blooming. ʺNo.ʺ Ivy gave up.
At three p.m., Aunt Cindy thanked everyone for a solid dayʹs work and shooed them off. Beth, Dhanya, and Will sunned in the garden, the girls falling asleep, and Will finishing up some sketches for The Angel and the Alley Cat. Kelsey, deciding she had been much too available to Bryan, headed to Nauset Beach, targeting an area on the long strip of oceanfront that was known to attract surfers.
Ivy returned to Pleasant Bay and handwrote a rambling letter to her motherMaggie disliked e‐mail. Describing Provincetown and recounting funny moments with the innʹs guests, Ivy omitted everything of real importance.
That finished, she debated whether to send a text message to her friend Suzanne. She knew that Suzanneʹs trip to Europe was her way of putting distance between last summer and now.
When Suzanne told Ivy and Beth that they wouldnʹt be hearing from her for a while. Ivy had understood. Suzanne had been totally in love with Gregory, and he had milked that passion as much as he could. Drawing Ivy into his web, he continually strove to make Suzanne jealous. In the end Suzanne, like Ivy, lost someone she truly loved.
Taking out her iPhone, Ivy typed in: MISS U. DONʹT HAFTO REPLY. JUST
THINKING OF U. LUV IVY. Then she left a voicemail on Guyʹs phone: ʺHi. Hope youʹre having a good day chopping at tree stumps. Say hello to Fleabag.ʺ Finally, she lay back and fell asleep.
Arriving home just before six. Ivy found Dhanya standing in front of the long mirror that was attached to the bathroom door, turning this way and that, studying herself in a short, flirty skirt.
ʺI think Iʹd better wear my bikini bottom under this.” she said, leaning over, looking at herself upside down in the mirror.
ʺWell, if youʹre planning to do a lot of that, yeah,ʺ Ivy replied, smiling.
Beth emerged from the bathroom combing through her wet hair. She smelled of herbal shampoo.
ʺChase called,” Dhanya told her. Beth frowned. ʺHeʹs been calling my cell all day.ʺ
ʺWell, now heʹs calling mine. Did you give him my number?ʺ
ʺNo. Itʹs on my phone and I lent it to him to make a call, but…ʺ Bethʹs voice trailed off.
ʺAnyway,” Dhanya said, ʺI told him youʹd phone when you finished your shower.ʺ ʺYou shouldnʹt have.ʺ
ʺBut I thought youʹd want to bring him tonight,” Dhanya said, and turned to Ivy. ʺBryanʹs uncle gave him passes to his indoor rink, and weʹre all invited.
Want to come?ʺ
ʺIce‐skating?ʺ It would be awkward with Will, but sooner or later they would have to get used to being around each other. ʺOkay.ʺ
ʺAwesome!” Dhanya said, and turned to Beth. ʺThe more people we have, the more fun it will be.ʺ
ʺMaybe,ʺ Beth said, retreating to the bathroom to dry her hair. A few minutes later, Kelsey blew in from surfer land, showered, then tugged on thin, skintight biking shorts and a workout top that was more demi‐bra than athletic wear.
Chase had earned an invitation on his second call to Dhanya, and Bethʹs mood shifted from obvious irritation to quiet resignation. As they gathered in front of the cottage, she hung close to Will. Bryan, friendly as always, noticed Kelsey in her sexy outfit, but didnʹt ignore the other girls. Cracking jokes, he herded everyone toward their cars like a boisterous camp counselor.
Twenty minutes later, they discovered Bryanʹs Uncle Pat, the rinkʹs owner, had the same outgo* ing manner.
ʺGot the date‐night music on,ʺ he told them as they stood at the counter for skate rentals. ʺDonʹt worry, ladies, I didnʹt pick it out. And Bryan didnʹt either.ʺ
Everyone except Bryan and Max rented skates. Max had ditched his Hawaiian prints for a preppy‐looking shirt with jeans; Ivy wondered if word had gotten back to him that Dhanya found him ʺtacky.ʺ Perhaps after driving him home last night, Bryan had given him a little advice.
ʺI didnʹt know you were into skating,ʺ Kelsey said to Max as he laced up skates that looked expensive and new.
ʺHeʹs not,ʺ Bryan replied for his friend. ʺMaxie keeps a complete set of toys at each of his residences.ʺ
Chase, walking around on his rentals, felt compelled to explain that he had left three kinds of skates at his home in Jackson Hole. Then he turned to Beth and said, ʺLet me help you with those laces, Elizabeth.ʺ
ʺIʹve got them,” Beth answered, but when she was done, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her to the ice. Bryan and Kelsey followed, then quickly passed them and all the other skaters with their long, athletic strokes.
Max, Dhanya, Ivy, and Will stood awkwardly on the rubber matting. Then Will reached for Dhanyaʹs hand, which left Max and Ivy to feel like the last ones chosen for playground dodge ball. ʺDo you want a partner?ʺ Max asked. ʺIʹd like to skate with you later on,ʺ Ivy answered politely, ʺbut Iʹd prefer to go alone at first.ʺ
She skated several circles of the rink, getting lapped by Kelsey and Bryan, but staying behind the couples, enjoying the feel of the smooth ice beneath her feet, and thinking that, if not Bryanʹs uncle, it must have been her own mother who had picked out the date night music. Oh, well, anything with a beat.
When Chase stopped to adjust his laces. Ivy skated up to Beth and linked arms.
ʺIʹm snatching your partner, Chase.ʺ Last winter, Beth and Ivy had skated together every weekend, both of them enjoying the exercise. Skating as a pair, matching each otherʹs stride and settling into a comfortable pace, was usually easy for them, but not tonight. Beth skated stiffly.
ʺI got a text from Philip,ʺ Ivy said, hoping Bethʹs affection for him would serve as abridge between them.
ʺSo did I.”
ʺI think he misses both of his ʹbig sisters.ʹʺ Beth nodded. ʺHeʹs really looking forward to the newest adventure of The Angel and the Alley Catʺ ʺWillʹs sending it Monday,ʺ Beth said. ʺHowʹs Will doing?ʺ Ivy asked, then felt the jerk in Bethʹs arm. ʺDonʹt pull away from me, Beth. I love him as much as I love you, you know that. Please donʹt pull away from me.ʺ
They skated the curve of the rink, Beth looking straight ahead. ʺHeʹs okay,ʺ Beth said at last. ʺAnd how are you doing?ʺ Ivy asked. ʺOkay.ʺ
Ivy felt completely shut out. Striving for patience, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching Max ease back to join Will and Dhanya. There was a moment of conversation, then Max skated off with Dhanya.