ʺSorry, I have to go,ʺ Beth said, and clicked off the phone.
Ivy glanced over her shoulder. A week ago, she would have sat on the bed, patted the place next to her, and asked her friend, Howʹs everything? Now she gazed silently at Beth, who frowned at her image in the mirror, wriggling her shoulders as if she had touched something distasteful, and headed downstairs.
ʺSTRAWBERRY DAYS!ʺ IVY SAID SEVERAL HOURS LATER, happily slipping her hand in Guyʹs and gazing up at a banner that stretched between two antique fire trucks. The annual week‐long carnival, which raised money for the Capeʹs fire departments, was a colorful jumble of booths and rides spread beneath strings of lights.
ʺWhere do you want to start?ʺ she asked.
ʺGames,ʺ said Guy, smiling down at her. ʺI feel lucky tonight. How about darts?
Over there.ʺ
The booth, tended by a woman wearing a fire hat, had rows of red, white, and blue balloons. Guy plunked down two dollars.
ʺHereʹs your dahts,ʺ the woman said with a strong Massachusetts accent. ʺGood luck.ʺ Guy picked up a dart and turned it in his hands, examining it. ʺI canʹt remember. . which way does it go?ʺ he asked Ivy, then laughed at her reaction.
ʺIʹm kidding.ʺ Raising his arm, he aimed and threw. Pop!
ʺOne!ʺ said the woman. He missed with the next dart. ʺOne for two.ʺ Guy set his jaw and threw — Pop! — and threw again. Pop! ʺThree for four,ʺ the woman announced. Guy threw the final dart. Pop! ʺFour for five! Pick a prize, any row, sir!ʺ
Guy turned to Ivy. ʺWhat would you like?ʺ
ʺYou choose,ʺ Ivy told him, curious to see what he would select. Guy studied the rainbow of stuffed animals. ʺTop row, third from the left.ʺ The woman handed him a plush white horse with wings. ʺIf s either an angel horse or Pegasus,ʺ Guy told Ivy as he laid the stuffed toy in her hands.
ʺPegasus,ʺ she repeated. ʺYou know your mythology.ʺ
Guy gave her a crooked smile. ʺMore proof that Iʹm a classy guy.ʺ
ʺI always knew it! Thank you,” Ivy said, tucking the toy under her arm. ʺPeg is very sweet.ʺ
They moved on to another booth and took turns tossing hoops over bottles, then caught a ride on the Ferris wheel, rising and falling through the twinkling lights of the carnival.
ʺWant another ride or dinner?ʺ Guy asked her when they got off.
ʺDessert for me,ʺ Ivy said. ʺAnd then another ride. And then another dessert.ʺ
He laughed and they walked with arms around each other, following the signs to the food concessions. On the way. Ivy was flagged down by Max.
ʺIvy, over here!ʺ he called. He and Beth were sitting on a bench near the bumper cars. ʺWhoʹs that?ʺ Guy asked. ʺMax. And Beth.ʺ
ʺIs Will here tonight?ʺ Guyʹs voice held a tinge of uneasiness. ʺI think they all came together/ʹ she replied, and saw the guarded way Guy glanced around.
ʺWhy donʹt you get in line at the burger stand while I say hello,” Ivy suggested.
She joined Max and Beth, squeezing onto the bench. ʺHey, where are the others?ʺ Max pointed. ʺIn the Dodgʹems. Beth didnʹt want to drive one.
And I know how Bryan and Kelsey get into slamming cars, so I didnʹt want to either.ʺ Ivy smiled, then stood for a moment to watch. The bumper cars were the old‐fashioned kind, with tall black poles ending in snakelike tongues that licked and sparked across a metal ceiling. Will and Dhanya drove smoothly around the polished floor; Bryan, Kelsey, and someone else, spun their cars like lunatics, causing multiple crashes.
ʺIs that Chase?ʺ Ivy asked, surprised. ʺYes,ʺ Max replied, when Beth didnʹt.
ʺThe smell,ʺ Beth murmured. ʺIvy, that terrible smell.ʺ
ʺKind of like burnt hair?ʺ Max asked. ʺBumper cars always smell that way.ʺ
Ivy sat down. ʺI didnʹt think Chase was coming tonight.ʺ
ʺNeither did we,ʺ Max replied. ʺHe was waiting in the parking lot and followed us in.ʺ
Be careful/ʹ Beth said. ʺIf s dangerous/ʹ Ivy frowned. Was it Chase who was scaring Beth?
ʺIt’s electric, but it’s safe,ʺ Max assured her. Beth shook her head, twisting the chain of her pendant. They were carrying on two different conversations. Ivy realized, neither seeming aware that the other didnʹt understand.
The cars stopped, and Kelsey, Bryan, and Chase kept up their boisterous shoving and laughing as they came down the exit ramp. Will and Dhanya followed quietly.
ʺHey, Ivy! You should have been out there with us, you and Guy,ʺ Kelsey said, then stopped to look around. ʺWhere is Mystery Man?ʺ Ivy pointed over her shoulder toward the burger stand. ʺGetting something to eat.ʺ
ʺMystery Man,ʺ Bryan said. ʺYou mean our friendly local amnesiac?ʺ
ʺWhere?ʺ Chase asked, his gray eyes shining with curiosity. ʺThe gorgeous guy, third in line,ʺ Kelsey told them.
They craned their necks to see. When Ivy saw Willʹs eyes narrow, she turned to look as well. Guy was talking to a dark‐haired girl, shaking his head and gesturing forcefully, as if making a point.
He walked away from the girl, but a moment later, after she said something to his back, he turned toward her again and continued the conversation, more heatedly than before. ʺExcuse me,ʺ Ivy said as she moved toward them.
ʺCatfight!ʺ Kelsey announced hopefully. Before Ivy reached Guy, the girl walked away. She was digging in her purse and Ivy caught a snatch of the ringtone from the girlʹs phone.
The girl pressed the phone to her ear, then gazed back one more time at Guy.
Ivy barely caught the sound of her light voice as the girl hurried away. ʺDid she say ʹBye, Lukeʹ?ʺ Ivy asked. Guy spun around. ʺWhat?ʺ
ʺI thought she called you ʹLuke,” Ivy said. ʺShe didnʹt,ʺ he replied, but he wouldnʹt meet Ivyʹs eyes. ʺDo you know her, Guy?ʺ
ʺIʹve never seen her in my life. She was asking directions.ʺ He had gotten awfully riled up over a set of directions. ʺTo where?ʺ His eyes sparked. ʺIs this an interrogation?ʺ Tilting her head to one side, Ivy studied him.
ʺNo.ʺ
ʺSorry,ʺ Guy apologized, his voice softening. ʺI shouldnʹt have snapped.ʺ
After a moment. Ivy nodded. ʺAnd I shouldnʹt have pressed you.ʺ
Guy looked past her, glancing around anxiously. ʺIʹm really tired, Ivy. Do you mind taking me home?ʺ
ʺDonʹt you want to eat something?ʺ
ʺI have stuff in my cooler.ʺ She gave in with a sigh. Perhaps Luke was the name of the person who called the girl on her phone, Ivy thought, as they walked silently to her car. Even so, she knew that something had upset Guy and he was covering it up.
When they arrived back at Willow Pond, Guy didnʹt want her to stay. ʺIʹm going straight to bed,ʺ he said, climbing quickly out of the Beetle.