Girls of Summer

by Nancy Thayer

  “But what about you and Theo?”

  “To be honest, I don’t know. Theo’s working for my dad now. Dad says he’s a good worker. I don’t want to get in the way of that, either.”

  Juliet leaned toward Beth. “You are such an only child. Are you afraid that if Theo does something wrong, Mack will yell at him or fire him?”

  “Well, that could happen.”

  “Realistically, it absolutely could. And you know what? Theo could go get a job doing something else. Maybe he’s not cut out for the construction business, but maybe he is. Or he’ll knuckle down and work harder. The point is, you can’t be afraid of Theo and Mack arguing. You can’t be afraid that your daddy will be mean to your boyfriend. Men argue all the time. And believe me, siblings argue all the time. We say terrible things to each other and slam out the door and fifteen minutes later we’re sharing a bowl of popcorn in front of Saturday Night Live.”

  “I suppose you’re right…” Beth fiddled with a pen. Suddenly straightening, she said, “Okay, if we’re being honest, let’s talk about Ocean Matters. I could tell during the meeting today that you kept pushing Ryder’s attention to what I have accomplished.”

  “Well, you have done all the organizational bit.” Juliet shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “And I don’t want to take your job.”

  “I don’t think you need to replace me. I think Ocean Matters needs both of us, and I think you and I work well together.”

  “Do you have a contract?”

  “No. It was Prudence Starbuck who contacted me about working here. I had barely landed back on-island when she sort of hijacked me into this. I’m getting an excellent salary but we haven’t had time to do all the human resources groundwork.”

  Juliet folded her arms and settled back in her chair. “This is interesting, Beth. Very interesting.”

  “Does that mean you want to work with me?”

  “I’m not sure.” Juliet held up her hand. “Not being mean. Stating facts. Because, well, here, let me show you.”

  Juliet flicked open her phone and brought up her email. She scrolled down and handed it to Beth.

  Beth read slowly, scrolling down. Sitting back, she stared at Juliet with admiration. “Juliet, all these groups want to hire you to do their social media.”

  Juliet smiled. “I know. Ever since we put up the OM website, I’ve had crazy mad offers from all sorts of places.”

  “But you’re working for Kazaam, right?”

  “Right. And I’m working for OM free of charge. Obviously I can’t keep doing that forever—”

  “But OM’s budget is certainly large enough to pay you.”

  “I know. Plus, a lot of groups are offering a huge salary and great perks.”

  “But would you have to move to New York, or wherever?”

  “No, that’s the beauty of my job. I can work anywhere as long as I’ve got my laptop.” Restless, Juliet rose and paced the office. “I like my job at Kazaam, but it’s not very challenging. These other organizations, especially Ocean Matters, are important. Necessary. World-changing. I want to be part of that.”

  “But you couldn’t work for two or three places at once…”

  “Of course I could, if I had my own company,” Juliet told Beth triumphantly. “I could pick and choose from these offers. So I could work and travel with Ryder at the same time.”

  “Travel with Ryder?”

  “Yes.” Juliet tilted her head and peered at Beth from under her eyelashes. “Ryder asked me to travel with him. Well, to be with him.”

  “Oh, wow, Juliet. That’s awesome.” Beth hesitated. “Do you love him?”

  “I don’t know. And I don’t want to rush into anything. I’ve done that and it doesn’t always go well. But he’s fascinating, Beth. I’m madly attracted to him. He’s like work and romance rolled into one delicious Ferrero Rocher.”

  “Wow,” Beth said. “This is huge.”

  “It is,” Juliet agreed. “But I’m really excited about starting my own business, and Ryder is so passionate about Ocean Matters. I think we could both work and be together.” Juliet paused. “I think we could. I’m not sure, and it’s scary, but I want to try.”

  “You are amazing,” Beth said.

  “Thanks,” Juliet said. She gave Beth a challenging look. “So you wouldn’t mind working with me on OM, right?”

  “Well, of course not,” Beth said.

  “Okay, then, how would you like to be my stepsister, too?” When Beth looked confused, Juliet said, “If your father marries my mother.”

  Beth said faintly, “Marriage? Are they talking about marriage?”

  “I don’t know, but wouldn’t it be nice?”

  “I’m not sure…” Beth studied her hands, as if the answer were there.

  Juliet shrugged. “Well, your father could marry a younger woman who could have a baby, and then you’d have a half-sibling.”

  Beth lifted her head and smiled at Juliet. “Oh, I think I’d much rather have you in my family.”

  “And my brother, too?” Juliet asked with a mischievous smile.

  “I’d like to have your brother in my life,” Beth answered honestly. “No, the truth is, I’d love to have him in my life. And, Juliet, don’t tell him what I said.”

  “I won’t. I promise. But I do think he’s crazy about you.”

  Beth blushed. “I think we should get back to work.”

  “You’re right,” Juliet said. “Now where were we?”

  “We’ve got to post about the shark,” Beth reminded her.

  They set their laptops together and worked side by side companionably, questioning, commenting, choosing, and both of them wondered secretly if this was what it felt like to have a sister, and both of them decided secretly that if so, it was extremely nice.

  twenty-eight

  Early in the morning, Lisa walked through her quiet house, a mug of coffee in her hands. Mack and his crew had done a great job of repairing the living room and dining room ceilings and renovating her bathroom. So they were finished here, and working hard on a summer house that needed to be done before the family arrived for Labor Day.

  Everyone had been so busy the past few days. The autopsy had shown that the great white shark had had so much plastic in its stomach it couldn’t digest food. Ryder went to an environmental meeting in Washington, and Beth and Juliet worked hard publicizing the shark’s death. Theo came home at nine o’clock after working long hard hours for Mack’s crew, and Juliet wandered into the house at all hours, always on her phone, talking to her Boston office.

  Lisa liked having the kids home, and both Juliet and Theo were doing their share of the chores, laundry, grocery shopping, dishes, going to the dump. Lisa had no complaints there, but she did feel a low-grade irritation that she couldn’t invite Mack to her house for dinner because…Why? It was no secret that she was dating Mack. But it was also no secret that Theo cared about Beth, and Lisa didn’t want to get in his way. She liked Beth, and she knew that Theo had crushed on her in high school, but the question remained: Could Lisa see Mack if her son was seeing his daughter? Or was she just being silly? After all, nothing had really happened between her and Mack yet.

  But she missed him. It had been only a few evenings that she hadn’t seen him, and their phone conversations had been short because they were both tired.

  Still, they had to eat. And this was her house.

  She pulled her phone from the pocket of her robe and called Mack. When he answered, she said, “Could you come to dinner tonight? I’ll leave the store with Gretchen and get home early to make something delicious.”

  “That would be amazing, Lisa.”

  “Would seven work for you?”

  “Absolutely.”

  They talked some more, about the ordinary events of the day, and she found herself lean
ing against a door, gazing out at her garden, which suddenly was full of flowers.

  The hydrangea was blooming in that exquisite shade of turquoise blue. Her dahlias brightened the garden with every color, and daisies, daylilies, foxglove, and roses mixed together in complementary hues. Her everlasting flowers—Queen Anne’s lace, strawflower, blue globe thistle, baby’s breath—were flourishing, almost taking over her garden. The borders of her lawn looked wilder now, more colorful, and oddly pleased with themselves.

  And so was Lisa, she realized.

  Because Mack was in her life.

  Standing in the open door, gazing at her flowers, Lisa felt a shiver of elation run through her. She hugged herself. This was her garden. This was her house. Mack was the man she loved. Her children were grown and healthy, and as always, they came bounding into the quiet shelter of her life, bringing color and noise and decisions and emotions. Her children were like gorgeous creatures escaped from a zoo, rampaging through the house, eating her food, complicating every hour of her day, and she wanted to be done with that. She loved them, but she loved Mack, too, not more, but in a different, intimate, and delicious way. And in a way she deserved. And would choose.

  Lisa called Betsy and asked her to open the store. Lisa would come in later. In her knee-length night T-shirt and an apron, she moved around the kitchen, planning something Mack would like that was not a grilled steak. She settled on lasagna with lots of hamburger and cheese. She put it together and slipped it into the fridge to be baked that evening. She would pick up a bottle of red wine on her way home.

  * * *

  —

  Dark clouds rolled over the sky as Lisa walked home that evening. She hadn’t had a chance to check her weather app because the store had been so busy, but she ditched her plan to eat on the sunporch. They couldn’t eat in the dining room. The ceiling still smelled slightly of paint, and they hadn’t moved the furniture back in place. They would eat in the kitchen. That would feel cozy.

  At home, Lisa changed into a summer dress and sandals. Pretty, but casual. She had an hour before Mack would arrive. She put her favorite cloth over the kitchen table, set out her daily china and silverware, put the lasagna in to bake. She worked at the sink washing lettuce, her thoughts all over the place. She was certain that Theo would bound in the door like an overgrown puppy, excited that she’d made lasagna, but she was equally certain she’d tell him it was for her and a guest. He could go eat pizza and drink with his friends at a bar. Juliet wouldn’t want to eat with them. When Lisa told her daughter she was having Mack over for dinner, Juliet would make some sarcastic remark and leave the house. Which was fine. This was Lisa’s house. It was her life.

  As it turned out, Juliet texted Lisa that she was going to be out for the evening. Theo didn’t bother to text, but neither did he barge in after work. It was kind of a miracle.

  Mack arrived a little after seven. Clearly he had showered and cleaned up.

  “Wow, something smells delicious,” he said when he followed her into the kitchen.

  “That’s lasagna,” Lisa said, walking to the stove.

  Mack came up behind her, put his hands on her waist, and pulled her against him. “That’s you,” he murmured into her hair.

  A rush of desire swept through her. She leaned against him, closing her eyes, relishing the feel of his body against hers.

  Mack kissed the top of her head and stepped back. “Where are Juliet and Theo?”

  “I’m not sure. I think they’re both out for the evening.”

  Lisa bent to take out the lasagna to let it set before cutting. She was aware of Mack behind her as she bent over, and she was glad she’d worn a dress with a full skirt. Would she ever stop worrying about the size of her bottom? Did any woman ever stop worrying about that?

  She tossed a salad with wine vinegar and oil as Mack poured the wine.

  “Good day?” she asked.

  Mack talked about the summer house they were building and how glad he was that Theo had joined his crew. As they ate dinner, the conversation turned to the shark and all the concern its presence and its death caused.

  “Beth talks about Ocean Matters all the time,” Mack told Lisa. “Or she did, before she moved out to Ryder’s place.”

  Lisa almost choked on her salad. “Beth is living with Ryder?”

  “No, she’s living in a garage on his property.” Mack put down his fork. “Beth is…concerned about you and me.”

  “She doesn’t like me,” Lisa said.

  “No. She doesn’t like me with you. And it’s not about our age difference. Beth is—” Mack cleared his throat. “Beth likes Theo a lot. She thinks she can’t be with him if I’m with you.”

  Lisa also put down her fork and poured them each more wine. “It is an odd situation.” Looking down into her glass, as if reading the future, she said, “I’m sure that Theo likes Beth a lot, too. No, more than that.” Raising her head, Lisa took a deep breath and said, “I think Theo has been in love with Beth since high school. And the way the two of them looked together when they were holding hands, walking in the rain—they were glowing. They were so happy. Oh, Mack, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to get in their way.”

  “But I don’t want to lose the chance to be with you.”

  Lisa nodded. She felt her cheeks flame. “I want to be with you, Mack. But I don’t really know what that means.”

  “It means we see each other exclusively and get to know one another better and maybe we’ll get married someday.”

  Lisa was speechless.

  “That’s what I want,” Mack said, “and I think that’s what you want, too. I want us to live together for the rest of our lives.”

  “But, Mack,” Lisa said, her face crimson, “we don’t even know if we are compatible…in bed.”

  Mack smiled. “Yes, we do. I’m more aroused by you in the kitchen with a pan of lasagna than I have been in any other situation, with any other woman, for years. We’re magnetic, you and I. And we’ll do very nicely in bed.”

  Lisa flushed, her heart racing. After a minute, she asked, “Would you like more lasagna?”

  “Yes, but not now,” Mack said.

  She looked at him, puzzled.

  “Right now I’d like to drive you out to see a house we just signed on to renovate.”

  “Okay…”

  “It’s got a great view. No one is living there. I’m subcontracting it from the Redford Corporation. It has some furniture, and running water, but I think the electricity has been cut.” He added softly, “It’s an interesting house. An empty house, with no one coming or going.”

  “Oh,” Lisa said, breathing out the word. Here it was, the decision, to be with Mack without interruptions by anyone. She met his eyes across the table and felt his desire as if it were a flame. “Yes, I’d like to…see that.”

  They stood up. She glanced around the kitchen. “I should put the lasagna away…”

  “We can do it later,” Mack told her, and held out his hand.

  Lisa followed him to his truck and sat on the long bench seat in the cab. The air was sultry. A wind was beginning to rise. The sun hadn’t set but the sky was dark with clouds.

  Mack drove them out of town, onto the Madaket Road, and on out west before turning right on a narrow dirt road. An elegant modern house cast a low silhouette on the horizon. Bushes and scrub oak covered the surrounding land in green.

  Mack handed Lisa down from the truck and led her to the front door.

  “There’s an alarm,” he said. “I know the code.”

  Once they were inside the house with the door safely shut against intruders, Lisa felt herself relax. The house itself was spare and sparse, the interior minimalist, the floors and walls in shades of gray and taupe.

  “Let me show you around,” Mack said, taking Lisa’s hand. He led her upstairs,
to the empty bedrooms and baths. The master bedroom had a balcony overlooking the lawn and the swimming pool. Back downstairs, she saw the open plan living and dining room and the enormous kitchen.

  “This is a marvelous house,” Lisa said. “What could they possibly want renovated?”

  “They want the living room turned into an entertainment room with a seventy-five-inch television and super speakers. They want the dining room extended to form an outdoor eating area near the pool. And other, smaller changes.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t want to change a thing.”

  In a low voice, Mack said, “I’d like to change something.”

  Lisa faced him, trembling. “It’s different, you know, simply to be in this neutral space with you. It seems we’re always in my house or yours, always on guard for someone to barge in.”

  “I know. But here, we’re alone, and safe.” Mack ran his fingers just above her ear, smoothing her hair back, his touch light and gentle.

  “Mack.” She put her hands on his chest. She tilted her face up for a kiss.

  Mack wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him, kissing her for a long time. “Want to do this?” he asked.

  “I do. Oh, I do. But, Mack, where? There are no beds…”

  Mack grinned. Taking her hand, he led her to the back hallway. “Our suite tonight includes two grade-A swim floats of vinyl coated foam, complete with full circle pillow. In addition, we have a selection of super-size beach towels.”

  “Are you kidding?” Lisa asked.

  “I’m not kidding,” Mack said.

  The floats had been stacked on their sides against the wall. Mack pulled them out into the dining room, laid them side by side, and covered them with the beach towels.

  “But, Mack, this is something a teenager would do.” Lisa was laughing and thrilled and terrified.

  “Exactly,” Mack said.

  He approached her and pulled her down onto the twin-mattress-sized floats. They were surprisingly sturdy and comfortable. He eased her back so that her neck rested on the swim pillow, and he began kissing her on her ears, her cheeks, her neck. The light from outdoors was fading, and no shadows moved. It was like lying inside a rain cloud, dark and spangling with mysterious energy.