Girls of Summer

by Nancy Thayer

  twenty-four

  “Dad!” Beth cried.

  “Mom?” Theo asked.

  Mack and Lisa stopped dead in their tracks, like hunters suddenly faced with a grizzly bear. They were both thoroughly soaked, and Lisa’s lipstick had smeared, and Beth was pretty sure it wasn’t from the rain.

  “Hi, kids,” Lisa called, waving as if they were more than four feet away. “Isn’t it fun to walk in the rain? I haven’t done this since I was a child.”

  “Mom,” Theo said. “Dude.”

  “Let’s all go inside and get dry and have some hot chocolate!” Lisa chirped, as if unable to stop pretending they were all in fourth grade.

  “I think,” Beth began, her voice croaking, “I think I need a hot shower.”

  “Good idea!” Lisa was like a kindergarten teacher, determinedly cheerful. “Nothing like a hot shower and—”

  Mack spoke up. “Why don’t you go in, Beth. I’ll drive Theo and Lisa home.”

  “Oh, we can walk, it’s not that far,” Lisa protested.

  “Beth,” Theo said, “I’ll get my car and we can—”

  “No, it’s late,” Beth said. “I have to work tomorrow.” She ran toward her house.

  “Come on, Mom,” Theo said.

  Beth turned in time to see Theo and his mother splashing down the street.

  Beth kicked off her sandals and went up to her bedroom. She stripped off her wet clothes, pulled on a terrycloth robe, went into her bathroom, and wrapped a towel around her hair. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. How had this happened? In one moment she’d gone from ecstatic to miserable.

  Her father knocked on her door. He entered, dressed in dry clothes but barefoot.

  “So that was awkward, right?” His tone was light, friendly. He’d pulled on sweatpants and a tee, and his hair stood up all over from a speedy towel drying.

  “It was.” Beth bit off her words.

  “Come downstairs. Let’s talk.”

  Beth sniffed and nodded.

  Mack led her into the large open room. Beth followed meekly.

  Mack sat in an armchair. She sat at the other end of the coffee table, in another armchair. They looked at each other.

  “Why don’t you start?” Mack suggested.

  “Fine.” Beth tried not to sound angry, but her throat was tight. “So what, Dad, you’re in love with Lisa?”

  Mack said gently, “I like her more than anyone I’ve met since your mother.”

  “So you’re going to marry her?”

  “It’s far too early for me to be talking about that. And what about you and Theo?”

  Beth folded her arms over her chest. “Well, obviously I can’t be with Theo if you’re with his mother. Plus, come on, Dad, you know she’s ten years older than you are.”

  “That doesn’t make any difference.”

  “Don’t you think people will gossip?”

  “Honey, it’s a small town. Everyone gossips all the time.”

  Beth twisted uncomfortably in her chair. With a quavering voice, she asked, “And what were you two doing? Were you coming to the house to…to…” She couldn’t finish her sentence.

  “Beth, I don’t think this is something you and I need to talk about.”

  “Isn’t it?” This was more complicated than she could bear.

  Her father bristled. “This is my house, too. I haven’t brought anyone into it since your mother died. You’re a grown woman now. If we lived in another town where real estate wasn’t so expensive you wouldn’t be living with me.”

  “So I’m in the way,” Beth cried. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

  “Oh, Beth, come on. I don’t mean you’re in the way. For God’s sake, this is getting us nowhere.”

  “Actually,” Beth said, lifting her chin, cooling her voice, “this is very helpful. Tomorrow I’ll find another place to live.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Her father ran his hands through his hair. “We can find a better way to resolve this.”

  “I don’t think so. I think we’ve said everything we need to say.” Beth stood up and walked across the room.

  When she reached the doorway, her father called out, “You haven’t told me about you and Theo.”

  She stiffened, but didn’t turn her head. “I don’t need to tell you anything. I’m an adult, not a child.”

  She went up the stairs, head held high, but in her room she threw herself on her bed and howled into her pillow. What was wrong with her? Why was she being so mean to her dad? She wanted him to be happy.

  And she wanted to make love with Theo. That was the problem. She’d had such fun at the play with him, and it had been so romantic, walking home in the rain, holding hands, feeling the warm rain slide her clothes against her body…All her life she’d been dreaming of this moment with Theo, and it had been wrenched away from her by the sight of her father and Lisa. So Beth was acting like a spoiled child who dropped her ice cream cone.

  She didn’t want to be that spoiled child. She was an educated, enlightened, intelligent woman. She was much more herself when she was in school. It was living with her father that regressed her. If she’d been living somewhere else, tonight’s situation wouldn’t have happened. Her father and Lisa could have done, well, whatever they’d wanted to, but more important, she and Theo could have been together as adults, as two grown-ups who wanted to be with each other. In bed.

  Tomorrow, Beth decided, she really would find another place to live.

  * * *

  —

  “So that was weird, right?” Theo asked his mom as they walked in the rain to their house.

  “It was,” Lisa agreed.

  “What were you doing?” Theo asked.

  “What were we doing? The same thing you and Beth were doing. Walking in the rain.”

  “Mom.”

  “Theo.”

  “You know he’s a lot younger than you.”

  “Really? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

  Theo sighed. “Do you like him a lot?”

  “I like him a lot.”

  “So what’s going to happen?”

  “Well, first of all, I’m going to keep seeing him. He makes me happy.”

  They were almost to their house. The rain was still racketing down so hard some of the drops bounced off the sidewalks. Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder rolled over their heads.

  “I bet it’s flooding down on Easy Street,” Theo said.

  Lisa smiled. “You’re such a guy.”

  Theo was quiet for a while, then he said, casually, “I like Mack.”

  “I like Mack, too. And for what it’s worth, he thinks you’ve got the makings of a fine carpenter.”

  Theo asked, “Is it too weird, me working for him, you, um, dating him?”

  “I can handle it,” Lisa replied. “Can you?”

  After a beat, Theo answered, “Yeah.”

  “Is it nice, seeing Beth again? Do you talk about Atticus? You three were such a gang.”

  “Yeah, we were, but it’s different now. Time has passed. We’ve changed. I like her, Mom.” It was easy to say this in the darkness, while they walked side by side. “I like her a lot.”

  “I don’t think she likes me.”

  “Really? She hasn’t said anything. Give her time. She’s kind of, well, I mean, she finds it hard to trust people, I think. Because of Atticus.” After another long pause, Theo said, with a grin that carried into his voice, “She really likes me. So she’s going to like you.”

  “Dear Lord,” Lisa said. “You’re as vain as you were as a teenager.”

  * * *

  —

  Theo woke to the irresistible aroma of bacon. He had such a good mom. As he quickly showered, shaved, and dressed, he replayed last evening
. He’d experienced way more emotions than he was comfortable with. First, he was probably in love with Beth, which came along with a tangle of complications. Beth had changed so radically last night when she saw her father and his mother walking in the rain.

  And it was odd, his mom and Mack. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He wanted to talk with Juliet about this. When they were small, they used to hide behind the sofa and whisper with each other about whether or not they wanted a stepdad. Basically, they did not. They were a fine enough family as they were. Except sometimes Juliet cried because she wished she had a dad to see her in her ballet recitals, and Theo always got sick to his stomach because the school had father-son dinners once a year and Theo couldn’t go with his grandfather because he wasn’t in good health. They said he could come with a friend or his mother, but forget that. When they were younger, they hadn’t considered that their mother might want a male…friend. Now they were older, and their mother seemed so happy when she was with Mack.

  Theo didn’t want to mess that up for her.

  twenty-five

  Beth unlocked the door and entered the Ocean Matters office. She was all discombobulated today, torn between sweet thoughts of Theo and hurt feelings because since their walk in the rain last night, he hadn’t phoned or texted her. She could reach out to him, of course, but stubbornness stopped her. Call her old-fashioned, but she felt very deeply that he should call her. And there was the bonus misery of her father and Theo’s mother. Did Theo want to drop her because he didn’t want to get between his mother and Mack? Okay, he could at least man up and tell her that. And she wanted to move out of her house, but where could she go? It would be impossible to find a place to live on the island in the summer, even if she could afford a place the size of a closet.

  She pulled out her chair and settled at her desk. She woke her computer. Concentrate, she told herself. The ocean is more important than your little problems.

  The Ocean Matters inbox was full of emails, which was something positive. OM was getting noticed, people were responding. She scanned the emails before going back and answering them, one by one. It took all her willpower to stop thinking about Theo, and she still was sniffing back tears.

  “Good morning, Beth.”

  Beth jumped in her chair.

  “Oh, Ryder! I didn’t know you were back.”

  “Sorry to startle you. I flew in just now and came right to the office. I should have texted you.” Ryder frowned. “Beth, you’re crying. Are you okay?”

  Beth swiped at her face. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. Tell me what’s going on. I hope it’s not something about Ocean Matters that’s upset you.”

  Ryder took hold of his desk chair and spun it over so that he was facing Beth. He sat there, with concern in his beautiful blue eyes.

  “It’s not Ocean Matters,” Beth said, trying to smile.

  “Can you tell me what it is?”

  Beth dipped down to take a hanky out of her bag. “It’s family stuff. I got into an argument with my father, and I can’t live with him anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  “Oh, it’s so complicated and silly. I like this guy Theo, Theo Hawley. And he likes me. But my father is dating his mother. And my father’s been widowed for most of my life and he deserves a chance at happiness.”

  “But why can’t you live at home?”

  “Because as long as I’m there, Lisa, Theo’s mother, won’t be comfortable at my dad’s house. I mean, of course she can come over. I like her. We could talk and stuff. But later…and I think they might be serious and that’s good for both of them.” Beth looked up at Ryder. “I’m sorry. I’m babbling. None of this is your concern.”

  Ryder folded his arms over his chest and sat quiet for a moment. Then he said, “You know, my parents own a fairly sizable house on the island. I don’t stay there very often because I’m seldom here. Anyway, it’s got a caretaker’s apartment over the garage. Small, but completely furnished. You’re welcome to stay there.”

  “Oh. Oh, well, I don’t know. I didn’t mean to dump my troubles on you.” Beth tried to smile.

  “Look, this is completely no strings attached. I never go into that apartment. Mrs. Fletcher comes in twice a week to clean the big house, but she doesn’t do the garage. You’d have complete privacy.”

  “This is so nice of you, but really, it’s not necessary—”

  Ryder leaned forward, planting his elbows on his knees. “Beth, it is necessary. I want Ocean Matters to be a success, and that depends on you and your work. If you’re unhappy, you’re not going to be as focused on our mission. But it’s up to you. I’m just offering.”

  “Well,” Beth said slowly, “it would solve a lot of problems for me. I’m sure I could concentrate on my work more. Not that I’m not working hard now—”

  “Beth, it’s obvious you’re working hard,” Ryder said.

  Beth nodded. “Thank you, Ryder. I’m grateful for this offer, and actually, I’d love to stay in your apartment for a while. Maybe for the summer, until I get things sorted out.”

  Ryder rose, reached in his pocket, and pulled out a key attached to a miniature buoy. “Great. I like it when problems are solved. Now back to work.” He headed to the door. “I’ve got a meeting.”

  “Aye, aye, commander,” Beth said. “And thanks.”

  She focused on her computer, brought up the email, and ran her eyes down the new names in the inbox. One email caught her attention and she opened it.

  Hi, Beth, hey, I’d love to meet with you and have a chat. Possible today? Tomorrow? XO Juliet

  In a flash, Beth typed: Sorry. No time.

  Immediately, Juliet answered: This isn’t about my idiot brother. It’s about Ocean Matters.

  Beth hesitated. She didn’t want Juliet, who was so infinitely superior tech-wise, to be more important to Ocean Matters than Beth.

  Sorry, Beth emailed. Maybe tomorrow.

  Oh! She wanted to scream! All the complications keeping her apart from Theo made Beth feel helpless and confused. She straightened her shoulders and told herself to pull up her big girl pants. There was one thing she could do. She left the office, locked the door, and hurried to her house.

  Her father’s house.

  It was empty and quiet when she entered. Quickly she put together two duffel bags of necessities—clothes, toiletries, books, her laptop. She’d come back later when she’d figured out what else she needed.

  She carried it all to her car—that car with its empty backseat—and drove to Ryder’s family house and garage. They were on Hulbert Avenue, the long street that stretched right along Nantucket Harbor to the Coast Guard station and Brant Point lighthouse. She couldn’t believe her luck. No cars were in the drive, but she parked her car on the street, not wanting to take someone else’s place, and lugged her duffels to the garage door on the side of the house that opened to stairs leading up to the second floor.

  It was amazing.

  At the ocean side, sliding glass doors led to a small balcony with a small round table and two chairs. Just inside was the living room, with a sofa and two chairs placed to face the water. A low table between them held glossy books about the island.

  The color scheme was pale gray, pale ivory, pale tan, merging with the world outside. The back half of the space was divided into a bedroom with a double bed and a long closet holding a clothing rack and shelves, a bath with a shower, and a galley kitchen. A small glass dining table stood between the living room and kitchen. Everything was simple and uncluttered. Beth sort of hated to clutter it with her bulging duffel bags.

  Walking to the sliding glass doors, she opened them and stepped out on the narrow balcony. A short lawn led to a tumble of pebbles and then to a small private beach, and then to the harbor. It was a sweeping, breathtaking view. And for a while, it was her view.

>   Her cell rang.

  “Where are you?” Ryder asked, his voice loud with excitement.

  “Oh, I’m at your garage—”

  “I’ll pick you up. They’ve found a great white shark dead on Madaket Beach.”

  Before she could respond, Ryder cut off. She hurried down the steps and out to the driveway. In only seconds, Ryder was there.

  Beth hopped in to the passenger seat. “Are you sure it’s a great white?”

  “They’re unmistakable,” Ryder said.

  “What killed it?”

  “We don’t know yet. The great white’s only enemy is humans. Maybe it was shot.”

  It didn’t take long to get to Madaket Road, but once there, the narrow two-way road was packed bumper to bumper with cars. Ryder concentrated on driving, past the old pump, past the entrance to Sanford Farm and its walking paths, past the Eel Point turnoff leading to the 40th Pole Beach, past the dump, past the 1st Bridge off the Madaket Road where kids lay on the dock to catch crabs, past the sign for Madaket Marine.

  Ryder groaned when he saw the line of cars U-turning and looking for parking spots. He found a place on a dirt road, parked, jumped out, and hurried toward the beach. Beth followed. At the far western tip of the island, this beach had the strongest waves and the worst undertow, but its long gleaming stretch of sand was unsurpassed in beauty. If you climbed the dune, you could see Madaket Harbor with its calmer waters and docks. The lure for most people was the brilliant sunsets, but swimming on the Atlantic side was also popular for everyone, especially strong swimmers.

  And now a shark had washed up on the western shore, where families were swimming every day. This was a major event.

  Beth saw photographers and journalists heading out to the site, among a crowd of people she recognized as conservationists and people she didn’t know but guessed from their apparel were tourists: a father with a small child riding on his shoulders, a group of giggling girls, the town’s local eccentric, covered with tattoos.

  “Beth! Wait up!”