Ivy had skipped tea for some of Aunt Cindyʹs very potent coffee — the pot kept in the kitchen, not the more guest‐friendly brew served to visitors. She couldnʹt remember the dreams that had kept her tossing and turning the night before, except that Tristan was in them.
Once seated at the ice‐cream shop, Will opened a spiral pad and began to sketch.
ʹYour friendʹs late.”
ʺNo, weʹre early,ʺ Ivy reassured Beth, who had suddenly gotten nervous about her date and asked Will and Ivy to come along. ʺYou look so pretty.” Beth smoothed her hair self‐consciously. Liking print fabrics of all kinds, Beth sometimes looked as though she was dressed in mismatched wallpaper. But tonight, under the guidance of Dhanya, Beth had kept it simple. Her amethyst pendant, which Ivy and Will had given to her last birthday, accented the violet hue of her blue eyes.
“So when was the last time you saw this guy?” “Middle school. His family has a vacation house here. I didn’t recognize him Tuesday, when Mom stopped for gas on the way here, I don’t think he recognized me either — just Mom — she always looks the same.
ʺI donʹt know how he got so tall,ʺ Beth went on, ʺor so gorgeous. It’s like one of my characters came to life!ʺ
ʺSo what does he look like?ʺ Ivy asked, scanning the crowd. ʺHe has dark curly hair — lots of it. A strong jaw. Did I mention heʹs gorgeous?ʺ ʺSeveral times in the last three days,ʺ answered Will.
ʺSomehow he grew shoulders. I mean, a real chest and shoulders,ʺ Beth said, gesturing with her hands. Ivy smiled. ʺSounds as if he could be on the cover of a romance novel.ʺ
ʺAlong with the shoulders and chest, does he have a brain?ʺ Will asked.
ʺYes. Heʹs going to Tufts University.ʺ ʺSo I donʹt see why you need us here.ʺ Will sounded grumpy.
ʺWell, itʹs just that I might not be able to think of anything to say.ʺ
Will raised his pencil from the paper and stared at her. ʺBeth, youʹve been writing romantic dialogue for years!ʺ
ʺSo what does that have to do with talking to a real guy?ʺ she asked.
ʺYou talk to me all the time. Arenʹt I a real guy?ʺ
Ivy laughed. ʺIgnore him, Beth. He doesnʹt get it.ʺ Will glanced from Ivy to Beth, then laughed along with Ivy. ʺI guess I donʹt,ʺ he admitted, and flipped to the back of his sketch pad, where he and Beth tried out new ideas. They were creating a graphic novel — Beth writing the story, Will illustrating it — about Ella the Cat Angel and her sidekick, Lacey Lovett, a human angel, battling forces of evil. Ivyʹs ten‐year‐old brother, Philip, had requested it.
ʺSo, about this new villain,ʺ Will said. ʺIf s a serpent,ʺ Beth told him. ʺA serpent.ʺ Will nodded. ʺThatʹs good — kind of biblical.ʺ
ʺA serpent with feet,ʺ Beth added. ʺExcellent,ʺ he said, sketching quickly. ʺThat gives us mobility. Iʹm exaggerating the head so I have room to draw in a lot of expressions.ʺ
Beth and Ivy leaned forward, watching the creature emerge from Will’s deft strokes. ʺNo, the headʹs big, but not like that,ʺ Beth said suddenly. ʺHe has a human face. He has eyes with lids and a human mouth, though it can stretch horribly like a snakeʹs.ʺ She slid her amethyst up and down its chain. ʺAnd tiny ears,ʺ she added. ʺHe hears vibrations through his belly. He can hear emotions as well as words — thatʹs what makes him so dangerous.ʺ
Will glanced up from his sketch at the same time as Ivy. It sounded as if Beth was seeing something and describing it, rather than make up a description.
ʺHis eyes are gray,ʺ Beth continued, pulling on her pendant ʺI was thinking yellow or amber,ʺ Will said, ʺa color like fire.ʺ
ʺTheyʹre gray,ʺ she insisted. ʺIʹm sure of it.ʺ ʺElizabeth!ʺ Ivy and Will turned quickly toward a guy with dark curly hair and gray eyes. Although his tone demanded attention, Beth didnʹt reply until Ivy nudged her. ʺHi, Chase,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ear.
ʺYouʹve brought friends,ʺ Chase observed. ʺNice.ʺ
Will stood up and offered his hand. ʺWill OʹLeary.ʺ
ʺAnd Iʹm Ivy.ʺ
ʺMy two best friends,ʺ Beth said to Chase. ʺNice,ʺ he repeated. Ivy studied Chase, trying to interpret ʺnice.ʺ Was he stating his approval of Bethʹs friends, or was he annoyed because she had brought them along? She suspected the latter.
The four of them sat down and a minute of uncomfortable silence followed. Will returned to his sketching, apparently unwilling to contribute any‐thing to Bethʹs romantic dialogue.
ʺBeth told us your family has a vacation house here,ʺ Ivy began. ʺHow lucky!ʺ
ʺHere, and the Keys and Jackson Hole,ʺ he said. ʺWater or snow, it doesnʹt much matter, as long as Iʹm skiing.ʺ
ʺYeah, thatʹs how I used to be,ʺ Will said.
Ivy blinked with surprise. Will hated snow, and his dream destinations were the Big Apple and Paris.
“Really,” said Chase, but he didnʹt sound too interested.
ʺBut that was before I had my three surgeries.” Ivy knew that the only thing Will had on his medical record was childhood immunizations. Part of her wanted to kick him under the table, remind him to be polite; the other part of her wanted to laugh.
ʺOh,ʺ Chase responded unenthusiastically.
ʺThe doctors told me I could continue to ski, but if I fell, I might never walk again.ʺ
Beth stared at Will. Chase looked as if he didnʹt know whether to believe him or not.
Ivy shook her head. Will glanced at Ivy, smiling mischievously, and resumed sketching.
ʺSo what beaches and trails do you like best on the Cape?ʺ Ivy asked Chase. ʺIf you come here every summer, you must know them all.ʺ
ʺI love Billingsgate Island. Iʹm taking Elizabeth there tomorrow.ʺ
ʺYou are?ʺ Beth replied with surprise. ʺWhereʹs that?ʺ Ivy asked. ʺIn the bay, about six miles from Rock Harbor. It used to be occupied — had a lighthouse, homes, a school, and a factory — but it washed away years ago. Now the island surfaces only at low tide.ʺ He turned to Beth. ʺWeʹll kayak there and have a picnic.ʺ
ʺIt sounds awesome,ʺ she said quietly, ʺbut I have to work.ʺ ʺOn a Saturday?ʺ
She nodded. ʺWeekends are the busiest time at an inn.ʺ
ʺCanʹt someone cover for you?ʺ He looked at Ivy, as if she might volunteer.
ʺAunt Cindy needs all of us,ʺ Ivy told him.
Will glanced up from his sketch. ʺSo what kind of summer job do you have, Chase?ʺ
He didn’t seem to hear Will. “I was hoping you would surprise me with a fantastic lunch, Elizabeth — something you packed just for us.”
Perhaps it was the way he said “Elizabeth” that made Ivy leery, like a guy who thought that by speaking a girl’s name he could cast a spell over her.
“You would love the island,” he went on. “And there’s a sunken boat nearby, At low tide, its old ribs rise out of the water. Very mysterious looking. It will inspire one of your stories.”
“I’m really sorry, Chase. How about later in the week?”
“I’m busy,” he told her.