Girls of Summer(47)

Juliet snorted. “So, fill it the night before.”

“You’re such a hard-ass.” Theo waited while the machine boiled the water and filled his cup. He carried it over to the kitchen table and sat down.

“Theo, you talk like a fifteen-year-old. Stop it. You’re too old to be so crude.”

“Well, you’re too pretty to be so cranky.”

Surprised, Juliet let down her guard. “I just saw Beth Whitney in the car with Ryder Hastings.”

“Who’s Ryder Hastings?”

“The new rich guy who’s come to save our island.”

“And that’s a bad thing? Because, you sound bitter.” Theo poured three teaspoons of sugar into his mug and stirred.

“I thought we were…starting a thing,” Juliet admitted.

“Well, just because Beth was in his car…” Theo asked casually, “How did Beth look?”

“Right,” Juliet said. “I’d forgotten. You like Beth.”

“Everyone likes Beth,” Theo said miserably.

   Juliet gazed at her handsome, softhearted brother, and she wanted to put her arms around him and cuddle him as she had when he was very small and had hurt himself on his bike. Now he looked like a Greek god, but a very downhearted Greek god.

“We’re not going to know what’s going on sitting here like a pair of burst balloons,” she said. “I’ll go take a shower and get some Kazaam work done on my laptop. You should shower and get dressed, and maybe go through the stuff in your chest of drawers, find out if you’ve got anything here that will fit you.”

“Mom put a ton of her stuff in my room.”

“Oh, poor baby. I’m sure you had much better accommodations in California. So put it out in the hall if it bothers you. And start a load of laundry. Cheer up. When I’ve got some work done, we’ll go into town and I’ll buy you lunch.”

Theo lifted his head and smiled. “Thanks, sis.”

Juliet headed up the stairs to shower. She was in a better mood after talking with Theo. He was such a good guy and he seldom got upset when she bossed him around. Plus, he still had a crush on Beth, and Juliet could remember the high school years when she’d caught Beth staring at Theo as if he were a hot fudge sundae on a scorching summer day. A Beth-Theo romance was not out of the question. And Beth was two years younger than Juliet, which would make Ryder seem even older to Beth.

Juliet sang in the shower.





sixteen


As they strolled down the brick sidewalks of Main Street, Theo said he thought the town hadn’t changed much.

“Are you kidding? A lot has changed,” Juliet said.

“Huh?”

“Congdon’s Pharmacy is gone. Arno’s is gone. Tonkin’s.”

They turned down Federal. Theo said, “The Catholic church is still here. Hey, and the post office and library.”

Across from the brick town buildings stood a white clapboard structure that had once been a home, then a series of offices. The Mooney Building. Now it had a patio out back and steps led down to a bright café.

“The Corner Table Café,” Juliet told him. “It has it all. Healthy food and Wi-Fi.”

Theo laughed. “Checking out the crowd included?”

She ignored him. He followed her to the refrigerated cabinet stretching along one wall. Juliet was right, the food looked fresh and delicious. Theo chose a container of mac and cheese and one of lasagna.

   “Please,” Juliet said. “Could you eat a salad? Maybe some roasted broccoli?”

Theo stacked the container of roasted broccoli on top of the others. Juliet had salmon on arugula. At the register, she took out her credit card. Theo reached out for some cookies.

Juliet said, “You don’t want those.”

“Give me a break,” Theo snapped.

She looked exasperated. “Those are gluten free. The ones you want are at the left.”

“Oh, right. Thanks,” Theo muttered.

They settled in at a corner table. The café wasn’t crowded but it was busy. Theo’s food had been heated up in handsome black bowls. They had real utensils, not bendy plastic ones, and free carbonated water. Theo dug in.

“Juliet!”

Theo, still chewing, stared up at the voice. Beth was walking their way. Unlike Juliet, who looked like any Silicon Valley techie with her cropped hair and black clothes, Beth was classy, silky blond hair waving over her shoulders, white shirt, tan skirt, sandals. He swallowed his food without tasting it.

“Beth.” He actually stood up, the way he’d been taught to do when a woman approached a table. He hadn’t done that in a long time.

“Hi, Theo.” Leaning over, she kissed him on the cheek. “You’re back on the island again. And you’re here, too, Juliet!”

“I am.” Juliet forced a smile. “Maybe for a while. We just got here.”

“Want to join us?” Theo asked.

“Sure,” Beth said. She set her laptop on the bench. “I’ll get some lunch and be right back.”

   Juliet murmured, “Theo. You’re drooling.”

“Am not.” Still, just in case, he ran his hand over his chin. “She didn’t look like that in high school.”