Girls of Summer(72)
“What about you?” Rachel put her hand on Lisa’s. “And if you fold that scarf one more time, I’ll strangle you with it.”
Lisa sighed and left the scarf on top of the pile. “I’ve been thinking about that, Rachel. Especially after last night, after seeing how happy Theo was with Beth. And seeing him working for Mack. Theo really likes the work, and he’s good at it. He’s strong, and he likes being part of a team.”
“Okay, but what about you and Mack?”
“We can slow down—”
“I didn’t notice that you two were exactly speeding up.”
“You mean we haven’t slept together yet. No, we haven’t, and it’s not because I don’t want to. I do. But I’m still…anxious.”
“Lisa, you’re gorgeous—”
“Let me finish. Erich and I married far too fast. I thought I loved him. I guess he thought he loved me. I wish we’d had more time to get to know each other. I wish I’d been able to get a job somewhere, find out what I could do—”
“Lisa, you worked for the National Museum of Women in the Arts!”
“I know. And I did an excellent job. But I was trying to conform to the role that Erich and his parents set for me. And if you’ll remember, and you should remember because you were always championing Erich, I wasn’t prepared for marriage when Erich proposed to me, in front of my parents and the entire restaurant. I wish we had waited, even for a summer, to get to know each other better, to find out what we really wanted.”
“Because that’s how life works,” Rachel said. “We think about what we want and presto! Life gives it to us.”
“The point is, Rachel, Erich and I made a mistake.”
“Juliet and Theo aren’t mistakes.”
“Of course not. I wouldn’t change anything in the past, because I have those two amazing children. But I can take a tiny bit of control over what happens to me next.”
“You’re going to be rational instead of romantic.”
“If you put it that way, yes.”
Rachel shook her head. “That sounds kind of sad, Lisa.”
“I don’t mean to be sad, Rachel. I mean to be…kind. Thoughtful. I want to let Theo discover if he can work for Mack, if that’s the kind of life he’d like. I’d like to let him find out if he really cares for Beth. You know what he was like in high school, a new girl every week. Beth is wonderful, and Theo seems serious about her.”
Rachel gave Lisa a warm smile that went all the way to her eyes. “You are one of a kind.”
“I guess that’s a compliment?”
“It is. Plus, I want to buy this scarf.” She picked up the square of silk covered with flowers and tied it around her neck. “Elegant, no?”
“Anything you touch is elegant,” Lisa told her friend. “And thank you for listening to me. I’ll sell you that scarf at cost in exchange for the therapy sessions.”
twenty-seven
Theo was carrying cans of paint up to the bathroom when Juliet came out of her room with her computer slung over her shoulder. “I’ve done my Kazaam work, so I’m going to the OM office now.”
Theo put the cans down. “Hey, did you hear about the great white?”
“My Insta account exploded with photos. Poor Alice Cameron is losing her mind online. She’s insisting the great whites are no danger to people.”
“You’re wearing a dress!” Theo blurted. Juliet was usually in black leggings and a T-shirt, but now she was all girly in a sundress with flowers on it.
Juliet shrugged. “So? It’s summer.”
Theo snorted a laugh. He never could resist taunting his older, totally cooler sister. “You like Ryder. You’re showing it off for him.”
“Don’t be gross.” Juliet rolled her eyes.
“You know Beth hangs out with Ryder.”
“Beth works for Ryder.” Juliet started to go down the stairs.
Theo reached out and took her wrist. “Hey, wait. Seriously, Juliet, you don’t…have a thing going with Ryder, do you?”
She wouldn’t look at him. “Why do you care?”
“You may look sophisticated, but that man is leagues more experienced than you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Juliet jerked her wrist away from his grip. “You think I’m na?ve? You think I’ll fall for the old seduce and abandon trick you’ve pulled on every girl on this island?”
“Oh, come off it—”
“If you’re so worried about someone getting hurt, why don’t you stop seeing Beth? You know her father likes Mom.”
Juliet could always hit above her weight. Theo felt like he’d been punched in the gut. “Yeah, I know that. But, Juliet, Mom and Mack are…old. They can take care of themselves.”
“Theo?” Dave yelled up the stairs. “We’ve got another load.”
“Be right there!” Theo yelled back. “Just think about it,” he muttered to Juliet.
“You think about it, too,” Juliet told him.
* * *
—
Juliet reviewed her conversation with Theo as she walked into town. It was true that Ryder was more sophisticated than she was. Could she trust him? Maybe he pulled the “we have such electricity” bit on every woman.