by Nan Rossiter
Lizzy glanced over her shoulder at the waiting line. “You better hurry up and get signing,” she said. “You don’t want to keep your fans waiting.”
Sally took the book and opened it to the title page. Then she looked up. “I don’t even know what to say . . . words don’t begin to . . .” She shook her head. “I should’ve been thinking about what I’m going to write.” She glanced at the growing line and swallowed. “Should I make it to both you and Elise?”
“No, no. Elise is getting her own copy . . . just sign it, Sal—no pressure! I know how you feel.”
Sally tapped her pen, thinking, and then scrawled out the words: To my dearest, oldest friend—I don’t know what I’d do without you! All my love, Sally Adams. She handed it back to Lizzy and smiled sheepishly. “It’s not what I really want to say.”
Lizzy shook her head. “The whole book is a letter to me, so don’t even think twice about it.”
Sally smiled and then turned to Elise and gave her a hug too. In fact, everyone got a hug and a moment of Sally’s undivided attention—so much so that she spent more time standing than sitting. As each person got their book—or two or three—they all lingered, enjoying the fine food and finer company. No one wanted to leave—they all loved Sally that much!
Finally, Aidan pulled the last book out of the last box. “Wow, Sally! You sold all of them!”
“No,” Sally said, looking up in surprise.
Wendy nodded. “We had just enough.”
“This is the last one!” Aidan said, grinning.
Hearing this, everyone cheered and Sally looked around. “My cup truly does runneth over!”
Late that evening, Sally sat on the porch with Jax curled up next to her and thought about the day and the lovely celebratory dinner they’d had at The Brotherhood. Lizzy and Elise, Levi and Emma—showing off her beautiful engagement ring—and Lily, as well as Tracey, T. J., and Olivia, had all come. She’d tried to get Abe to come, too, but he’d said he wanted to get home before dark. She said she understood and hugged him and thanked him for coming.
She smiled—it had truly been a wonderful day and evening, one for the memory books . . . and then she remembered the true highlight of the evening—Aidan calling Liam “Dad,” surprising everyone and making Liam’s eyes glisten. It really couldn’t have been any nicer.
She felt the cool evening breeze whisper of autumn, pulled Coop’s flannel shirt snugly around her, and realized another Nantucket summer was coming to an end. It made her feel a bit melancholy. “Where does the time go?” she whispered, smoothing Jax’s velvet ears as she thought of the long winter ahead. Jax opened one eye, yawned, and nestled closer—he seemed unfazed by the passing of time—and she pictured him racing through his first snow and curled up in front of the fireplace on a stormy winter night—little things that would make the winter months cozier. “Life goes on, ole pie,” she said wistfully, “and all we can do is keep going.”
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out to look at the screen. She’d received a text from her editor: Congratulations on a wonderful day, Sally! Summer Dance is going to be number seven on the New York Times best-seller list this Sunday! Soo—after you catch your breath—we need to talk about what’s next!
“Next?!” Sally said, laughing and shaking her head. “You just never know what the next chapter will bring, Jax,” she whispered softly, and hearing his name, the little yellow Lab rested his head on her lap and thumped his tail in agreement.
A READING GROUP GUIDE
SUMMER DANCE
Nan Rossiter
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The suggested questions that follow
are included to enhance your group’s
reading of Nan Rossiter’s
Summer Dance.
Discussion Questions
1. As a girl, Sally always tried to be good, but by the time she was sixteen, she gave up. Why do you think this happened? How was her childhood affected by circumstances beyond her control?
2. For most of her life, Sally is consumed by sin and guilt and punishment. Who or what influenced her? Do you think it’s right to place such a strong emphasis on these things?
3. Lizzy is much more willing than Sally to question the beliefs of the church—she even leaves the Catholic Church to marry Simon. How do these two women, raised to believe the same things, end up having such opposing viewpoints?
4. Sally doesn’t tell anyone about her affair with Cooper—not even her best friend—but in the end, she writes a book and shares it with everyone. Why is she so reluctant to tell Lizzy? How does she change?
5. Why do you think Sally finally decides to divorce Drew?
6. Lizzy believes the Old Testament is outdated. What are some of the examples Lizzy uses to prove this point? Do you agree?
7. How has the Catholic Church changed to address the issues of today?
8. Toward the end, when Sally and Liam are spreading Coop’s ashes, Sally starts to say a prayer by rote, but then she stops and speaks from her heart instead. What does this reveal?
Want to see Liam’s side of the story?
Be sure to check out
NANTUCKET
Available now from
Kensington Books.
Keep reading for a sneak peek.
Chapter 2
A cool breeze rustled through the open bedroom windows. Liam stirred, and in the half-light of dawn, looked around the room that had been his since he was a boy. He pictured it as it was back then—the shelves lined with books about whales and pirates and shipwrecks; later, they’d been filled with biographies about explorers and aviation. Now the books were mostly about world leaders and world wars, and the only other personal items were photos of Coop in his famous Red Sox cap, and Moby and Tuck curled up together in front of the fireplace.
For years, the room had been painted a soft ocean blue, but the previous winter Liam had painted it tan. Other than that, it was exactly as it had been when Coop first built it. The wainscoting and trim were painted a creamy white, and the four large twelve-over-twelve windows along the back wall—sparkling with a gorgeous view of the ocean—were also white. Liam always thought it was the nicest room in the house and he’d wondered why Coop hadn’t kept it for himself. One day, he’d asked him and Coop had said he preferred to sleep in the front of the house . . . so he could hear.
“Hear what?” he’d asked.
Coop had shrugged. “Everythin’.”
Liam would never forget the first night he’d slept at his uncle’s. At the time, the extra bedrooms were still under construction, so Coop had carried Lily’s and Daniel’s bags to his room, and although Lily had protested, Coop had insisted, saying he and Liam would be sleeping under the stars anyway, so he wouldn’t be needing his room.
That evening, after a cookout—complete with s’mores—and a long walk on the beach, the gorgeous night sky had been so inviting, they’d all ended up sleeping under the stars, and Liam—who must’ve been around four at the time—had never forgotten it.
Through sleepy eyes, he’d gazed up at the vast, velvet sky, sparkling with diamonds, and listened to the lovely sounds of the adults talking and laughing and sipping their drinks, and when he finally drifted off, he’d felt utterly safe and loved.
Two and a half years later, on a snowy night in December, he’d longed to feel that way again, but when Coop carried his bags to one of the newly finished bedrooms, turned on the light, and said, “This is your room now,” he could barely nod. “If there’s anything else you need, just holler,” he’d added, and Liam had looked around the simply furnished room with its empty bookshelves and nodded again. Then they’d both stood there uncertainly until finally, Coop had wiped his eyes with his thumbs, whispered, “Damn you, Lily,” and knelt down to give his six-year-old nephew a hug. “G’night, pal.”
Liam had hugged him back, trying ever so hard to be brave, and after his uncle left, he’d tugged his cold pajamas out of his bag, pulled them
on, climbed into the stiff, strange bed, and listened to the icy sleet hitting the dark windows. Then with tears streaming down his smooth cheeks, he’d prayed with all his might that his mom and dad would be in the kitchen making pancakes when he woke up . . . just like they had two summers ago.
“Nobody’s making pancakes today either,” Liam said, playfully pulling on Tuck’s ears. The big dog—who was sprawled across the bed next to him—rolled onto his back and stretched his legs up in the air, waiting for a belly rub, and Moby—who was curled up on a pillow—wondered if it was time to find a quieter spot.
Liam scratched Tuck’s long belly and the big dog’s eyes rolled back in utter contentment. “What are we going to have for breakfast?” Liam mused, propping his head up on his free hand and looking out at the sliver of orange peaking over the watery horizon. Hearing the word breakfast, Tuck rolled onto his side and leaned over to stuff his nose in Liam’s face.
“Nice,” Liam said, sitting on the edge of the bed, wiping the wetness and inadvertently touching the scar near his temple.
Half an hour later, after wolfing down their breakfasts, Tuck and Moby were outside, nosing around the yard, when Liam came down the steps with his hair wet from showering. “Let’s go, Tuck,” he called, and the big golden galloped to the truck. “See you later, Mobe,” he said, scratching the cat’s ears. “Keep an eye out for moles—they’re making a mess of the yard.” Moby blinked at him and then hopped up onto one of the sunny Adirondack chairs. “You won’t catch moles if you sit in a chair all day,” Liam said with a frown.
As soon as he opened the truck door, Tuck hopped in and waited for Liam to roll down his window. Then he pressed his barrel chest against the door and hung his head out as far as he could, his cold, wet nostrils quivering with excitement as he took in all the wonderful scents of the cool, dewy morning.
Ten minutes later, Liam pulled up in front of Cuppa Jo to Go, the local hot spot for breakfast, and got out. “Be right back,” he said, coming around the truck. “You stay here,” he added, tousling his ears. He climbed the worn, wooden steps of the long gray building and then held the door open for two college girls who were leaving with cups of coffee cradled in their hands.
“Hey, Liam, what can I get ya?”
“Hey, Sally, the usual,” Liam said, reaching for a coffeepot.
“Bacon, egg, and cheese?”
“Yes, please . . . and could you make one of your famous chicken salad wraps?”
“Thinking ahead for once?” Sally teased, pushing back the silver hair that curled around her kind, seventy-year-old face.
“Yeah,” Liam said with a laugh as he filled his cup with steaming black coffee.
“So, where’s my pal?”
“Out in the truck.”
“How come you didn’t bring him in?!”
“Because it’s so hard to get him to leave.”
“Oh, hogwash! He’ll go anywhere for a piece of bacon.”
While he waited for his order, Liam looked out the window and watched the two girls who’d been walking out when he was coming in talking to Tuck, and he could tell—by the goofy look on the big golden’s face—that he was loving the attention. Liam shook his head, paid for his order, thanked Sally, and went out, but when he got to the truck, the girls were walking away and Tuck was gazing longingly after them. “That’s girls for ya,” Liam consoled, holding Tuck’s chin and looking into his soulful brown eyes. “They love ya and leave ya.” Tuck swished his tail in agreement and then, sniffing the bag in Liam’s hand, forgot all about his loss. “Fortunately for you,” Liam said, “I’ve got the cure-all—bacon!”
For the rest of the ride, Tuck was back and forth between the lovely smells drifting through the open window and the even lovelier smell drifting from the bag.
As Liam unlocked the boathouse and opened the front carriage doors, Tuck gave the parking lot a quick once-over. Then he charged after Liam, skidded to a stop at his feet, plopped down on his haunches, and gazed at him forlornly.
“You sure know how to work the system,” Liam said, unwrapping the sandwich and breaking off a generous piece of bacon. He held it out to him and Tuck took it politely. Liam took a bite and set the rest of the sandwich on the workbench next to his coffee. As he did, a cool breeze rustled through the boathouse, stirring the papers that had blown under the workbench the night before. Liam knelt down, pulled them out, and laid them across the stern of the boat he was working on. Taking another bite, he perused the news. There wasn’t much that interested him and he was just about to fold it up to put in the winter burn pile when he noticed an ad for an opening at one of the local art galleries . . . and although it was the gorgeous painting of an island that caught his eye, it was the artist’s name that made his heart stop.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Nan Rossiter’s adult fiction is often compared with the work of Nicholas Sparks, especially her first novel, The Gin & Chowder Club. Nan’s second novel, Words Get in the Way, is an uplifting story about a single mom whose young son has autism. Her third novel, More Than You Know, touches on the bonds of sisterhood and the tragedy and despair of Alzheimer’s disease. Under a Summer Sky ties the first three books together in an unexpected way, and Nantucket touches on the difference time can make, the truths that never alter, and the bittersweet second chances that arrive just in time to steer a heart back home. Her novel, Firefly Summer, is an uplifting story of the resilience of sisterhood and the bright glimpses of joy and solace that, like fireflies after rain, can follow the deepest heartaches.
Nan is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and is also the author-illustrator of several books for children including, most recently, The Fo’c’sle: Henry Beston’s “Outermost House,” called “a lovely vision of one man’s communion with nature” by Publishers Weekly.
Nan lives in rural Connecticut with her husband, two handsome sons, and a black Lab named Finnegan.
To learn more, visit www.nanrossiter.com.
THE GIN & CHOWDER CLUB
The friendship between the Coleman and Shepherd families is as old and comfortable as the neighboring houses they occupy each summer on Cape Cod. Samuel and Sarah Coleman love those warm months by the water; the evenings spent on their porch, enjoying gin and tonics, good conversation, and homemade clam chowder. Here they’ve watched their sons, Isaac and Asa, grow into fine young men, and watched, too, as Nate Shepherd, aching with grief at the loss of his first wife, finally found love again with the much younger Noelle.
But beyond the surface of these idyllic gatherings, the growing attraction between Noelle and handsome, college-bound Asa threatens to upend everything. In spite of her guilt and misgivings, Noelle is drawn into a reckless secret affair with far-reaching consequences. And over the course of one bittersweet, unforgettable summer, Asa will learn more than he ever expected about love—the joys and heartache it awakens in us, the lengths we’ll go to keep it, and the countless ways it can change our lives forever. . . .
WORDS GET IN THE WAY
The modest ranch house where Callie Wyeth grew up looks just as she remembers it—right down to the well-worn sheets in the linen closet. But in the years since Callie lived here, almost everything else has changed. Her father, once indomitable, is in poor health. And Callie is a single mother with a beautiful little boy, Henry, who has just been diagnosed with autism.
Returning to this quiet New Hampshire community seems the best thing to do, for both her father’s and her son’s sakes. Even if it means facing Linden Finch, the one she loved and left for reasons she’s sure he’ll never forgive. Linden is stunned that Callie is back—and that she has a son. Yet in the warm, funny relationship that develops between Henry and Linden’s menagerie of rescued farm animals, Callie begins to find hope. Not just that her son might break through the wall of silence separating him from the world, but that she, too, can make a new start amid the places and people who have never left her heart....
MORE THAN YOU KNOW
Losing her father on the night she was born could have torn Beryl Graham’s family apart. Instead, it knitted them together. Under their mother’s steady guidance, Beryl and her older sisters, Isak and Rumer, shared a childhood filled with happiness. But now Mia Graham has passed away after battling Alzheimer’s, and her three daughters return to their New Hampshire home to say good-bye.
Swept up in memories and funeral preparations, the sisters catch up on each other’s lives. Rumer and Isak have both known recent heartache, while Beryl has given up hope of marriage. But surprising revelations abound, especially when they uncover Mia’s handwritten memoir. In it are secrets they never guessed at—clandestine romance, passionate dreams, joy, and guilt. And as Beryl, Rumer, and Isak face a future without her, they realize it’s never too late to heed a mother’s lessons—about taking chances, keeping faith, and loving in spite of the risks....
UNDER A SUMMER SKY
The old Cape Cod house that Laney Coleman shares with her minister husband, Noah, and their five boys is usually brimming with cheerful chaos. There’s nothing fancy about the ancient kitchen or the wooden floors scuffed by the constant parade of activity and the clicking claws of their two Labrador retrievers. It’s a place to savor the sea breeze wafting through the windows, or sip coffee on the porch before another hectic day begins. This summer, life promises to be even busier than usual, because Noah’s younger brother, Micah, wants to hold his upcoming wedding on their property.
Though thrilled that Micah has found happiness after past heartache, Laney is apprehensive about having her home turned upside down. She has other concerns, too—her youngest son is being bullied at school, and Noah’s father is not the robust patriarch he once was, in mind or body. As the bride and groom’s large, close-knit families gather, there will be joyful celebration but also unexpected sorrows and revelations, and a chance to store up a lifetime of memories during the fleeting, precious days of summer. . . .
