Tiny Island Summer (2 page)

“Great. See you there,” Darcy replied before getting in the car. Char hesitated.

“Come on Char, let’s go.”

Her best friend got into the car as John’s figure retreated around the side of the house.

“He seems nice,” Darcy began.

“I like him,” Char said breathlessly.

Darcy fought to hold back a snicker. “I gathered that. Just, you know, be careful. We don’t know this guy, and you seem to be falling pretty hard.”

“Am I obvious?”

Darcy chuckled. “Yeah, Char. It’s obvious. You look like a cartoon.”

Charlotte frowned, furrowing her brow in consideration.

“Rein it in a little bit. Be cool,” Darcy cautioned.

“Yeah, okay,” Char took in a deep breath. “I never act like this around guys.”

“And it has been very entertaining.” Darcy chuckled. “For me at least. But we will be living next door to him all summer.”

“You’re right,” Char agreed as Darcy parked the car in front of the Beach Club.

Darcy watched Char pull her shoulders back and lift her chin in determination. Char strode away from the car, her platform sandals crackling against the gravel in the lot.
I like this Char best of all.
Darcy smiled and followed her inside. John waved from a booth along the wall overlooking the lake.

“Great view,” Darcy complimented as she slid onto the bench next to Char.

“It’s nice here. Especially in the summer, it’s fun to watch the ferries go out and come back.”

“Is that what we can expect to do here?” Darcy asked. “Watch the ferries?”

John chuckled. “We have a couple bars too. But most people come here to enjoy the outdoors and relax.”

A waitress came by and took the order then, and quickly returned with a round of Leinies for the table.

“To a great summer,” Char toasted, raising her glass.

“Cheers,” John and Darcy replied in unison.

“So you’ve been coming up here for a while?” Char asked.

Darcy took a sip of her beer, happy to let Char take the lead.

“I have been here nearly every summer of my life. My mom bought the town house next to yours when she was pregnant with me. Nearly all my childhood memories with my brothers have taken place on this island.”

“Brothers?” Char asked.

“Four of them. I’m the oldest.”

Darcy’s eyes involuntarily went wide.

“Your poor mother,” she muttered under her breath.

He grinned at that and Darcy grimaced, realizing how carelessly she’d spoken.

“She probably should qualify for sainthood, having five boys in ten years,” John replied with a conspiratorial wink.

Darcy had no reply other than an ill-timed gasp. Luckily, Charlotte’s burgeoning legal skills kicked in.

“Are you still close with them?” she asked.

“My brother Ben is my best friend. He’s the second son. We live in the same condo building in Minneapolis. But my other brothers . . . it’s complicated.”

Char and Darcy nodded.

John took a thoughtful sip of his beer. “Ben is actually coming up to join me for a few months. He’ll be here by the end of the week.”

“That’s nice,” Darcy replied by rote.

Dinner arrived as Darcy finally worked up the courage to ask the question she couldn’t stop thinking about.

“I hate to be rude John, I’m just terribly curious. What do you do that you can take off time every summer?”

“You haven’t figured it out?” he asked surprised.

“No,” Darcy shook her head.

“I’m a high school English teacher.”

Darcy felt her jaw drop. “Really?”

Char elbowed her hard. Darcy’s behavior had turned abominably rude. She shook herself out of her state of shock.

“Sorry. I’m very surprised.”

“I can tell,” he replied.

“I think Darcy is trying to convey that if you had been a teacher at our high school, she might have actually gone to class,” Char teased.

“I hear that a lot,” John said with good humor. “And since you asked me, you won’t mind if I return the favor?”

“No, not at all,” Darcy replied smoothly. “I work for an auction house in Chicago. I’ve been sent up here on something of a trial basis, to see how many big estates I can find and land.”

“What does that mean?” John asked as he leaned forward, placing his crossed arms on the table.

“The toughest part of the business is finding property to sell. Fine art, valuable ceramics, and antique furniture doesn’t exactly fill every house in the country. My job involves treasure hunting. If I can find a cache up here, then I get a raise and a promotion.”

“And if you can’t?” John prodded.

Darcy bit her lip. “Then I’m out.”

John nodded, but Char’s eyes had glazed over as they always did when Darcy explained her job. She loved her job, but she knew it could be quite boring for others. Darcy could spend all day carefully handling objects, photographing and measuring them, writing down their description in minutiae, and spending all night researching the history of the pieces. But she’d never met anyone outside of the field whose eyes didn’t cross after ten minutes of listening to her talk about it.

“I’m sorry, it’s boring, I know,” Darcy hastily replied.

“No, no, it’s not at all. It’s interesting. I’d never thought about that field before, to be honest.”

“I hear that a lot,” Darcy said with a polite smile.

“I’m sure,” he nodded.

“Char’s much more interesting.”

“You are?” John asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I think she’s exaggerating. Law school has ruined me.”

“How?”

“I can’t read anything without analyzing all the ramifications. It can be a bit annoying, actually.”

“It sounds helpful. But if it’s too much for you, I could set you up with a summer reading list. We could discuss the books and maybe I could help you find pleasure in literature again.”

Char smiled broadly. “I’d like that.”

“Excuse me for a minute,” Darcy told the pair.

Under the guise of needing the ladies room, she sneaked over to the bar to give Char and John a moment alone and pay the bill. She could tell that the two of them had connected. Something tangible existed between them after only a few hours.

Darcy sighed as she signed the credit card receipt. Envying her friend served no purpose. She held no jealousy toward anything about Charlotte. Darcy had a hard enough time getting close to someone after a few dates, let alone a few hours. Charlotte embraced her vulnerabilities and seemed to jump at every chance, both romantic and otherwise, that came her way. Darcy couldn’t seem to trust her instincts enough to do that.

Watching Charlotte and John together felt different to her. Sure, she’d seen Char hit it off with a guy. Her easy smile and ready laugh made her ready for a flirtation, no matter the moment. But something about the pair of them together, be it the slightly wistful look in Char’s eyes or the smile that tugged at the corners of John’s mouth, convinced Darcy that theirs would be more than a passing acquaintance. Darcy shook her head. Maybe she was projecting her feelings onto them? She felt ready to meet somebody, ready for a romance of her own. Had it already been three years since James?

She rejoined the table as John and Char were both caught in a fit of laughter. Darcy mustered up a smile of her own. Tiredness settled over her suddenly. She needed rest.

“Are you ready to go?” Darcy asked, not even sitting back down.

“Sure,” John replied, getting out from the booth.

A flash of disappointment shadowed Char’s face.

“Let me just get the bill,” John said moving toward the bar.

“No need, I took care of it,” Darcy told him.

“Thank you.”

“It’s the least we could do after you helped with the luggage.”

“That was nothing. But maybe I can take you both out on the lake tomorrow?”

Darcy looked at Char. Char smiled in pure delight.

“We would love that,” Darcy agreed.

“Of course. So I’ll see you tomorrow morning, how about eleven?”

“Sounds great,” Darcy answered, replying for them both since Char had suddenly gone mute again. “See you tomorrow.”

John nodded at Darcy but turned to Charlotte. “See you tomorrow.”

She mouthed
bye
.

Darcy restrained herself from rolling her eyes or grabbing Char and yanking her back to reality. But she did turn and leave with Char quickly catching up.

“That was nice,” Darcy whispered as they reached the car.

“Mmm hmm,” Char agreed dreamily.

“Even for a serial dater like you, this must be a new record for falling head over heels.”

“Ha-ha, very funny. I’m not head over heels.”

“I’m only teasing,” Darcy rushed to assure. “I think he likes you too.”

“We’ll see,” Char said with a shrug. “You know, not
every
relationship has to be serious. It’s perfectly okay to have something more casual.”

Darcy swallowed her groan. She envied her friend’s attitude about dating but not the lectures.

“I’m just saying,” Char continued in a higher octave, “fun, flirty flings are fundamental.”

“Your fantastic alliteration notwithstanding.” Darcy chuckled. “I don’t see it that way. Why bother if it isn’t serious? Why date someone if you don’t see a future? Why put yourself out there?”

“I don’t want to start this fight again,” Char sighed. “But I have to say that being vulnerable isn’t a crime. And there is always something worth learning from every relationship.”

Darcy’s cheeks burned and her eyes widened at the insinuation.

“I didn’t mean like that. Everything isn’t sexual.” Char giggled, smacking her friend on the arm. “Although . . . you know . . . it’s nice to pick up a few things now and then.”

Darcy fought to keep her arms at her side, but she longed to cover her ears and hide. Char had been her closest friend since college, but talking about her
intimate
life—or lack thereof—with
anyone
made her squeamish.

“Look,” Char grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to stop. “Don’t be in a rush to discount someone because he doesn’t immediately check everything off your list, okay? You can’t expect perfection, and you wouldn’t want it either. Give people a chance, even if you can’t see it in the long-term. Let someone surprise you.”

“Fine,” Darcy bit out through clenched teeth. “But can we please stop talking about this?”

“For now,” Char agreed.

“No, that’s not going to work, Mom,” Ben replied, rubbing his temples with one hand as he held the phone to his ear with the other. “You can’t live on your own anymore, that’s the whole point.”

“Honey, honestly. Go with your brother. Please don’t come here.”

“I can’t do that. You know what the doctor said. You can’t be on your own.”

“What if I get one of those live-in nurses?”

“So now you’re willing to let a stranger into the house?” he asked with mock indignation.

Ben’s hand tightened into a fist and he clenched his jaw to keep from saying something he’d regret.
If you’d listened to me a month ago, when I’d suggested it, my life wouldn’t be upside down.
Ben closed his eyes and forced himself to take in a deep breath and calm down.

“I didn’t realize how limited my options were,” she said.

“Mom, what do you want in all of this?” he asked, frustration adding exasperation to his voice.

“I don’t want to be a burden. I’ve worked to be independent my whole life and this is humiliating.”

“I get it,” Ben replied, getting up from his leather couch to slowly pace the hardwood floors of his living room.

“No, honey, you don’t. I’m sorry to pull rank on you, but you don’t get it. There’s a lot you don’t get.”

“Come on, Mom, we want the best for you. We all do.”

Mom snorted at that. He didn’t blame her. His brothers hadn’t exactly been supportive or helpful. Ignoring what the doctors had to say about her health and what she wanted, they’d focused on silly, unimportant, material things. Ben only hoped they wouldn’t live to regret how they’d been acting, but he couldn’t fix them. He couldn’t fix her either. He could only help her, no matter how painful that might be.

“They do too, Mom,” he whispered.

“If they did, then I wouldn’t have to put this all on you.”

“That’s not fair. If I didn’t want to do this, believe me I wouldn’t.”

“Probably not. But I don’t want you to come live here. I don’t want you moving in. I already had eighteen years of that,” she joked.

“That’s fine, but I’m coming to visit once a week.”

He heard his mom sigh.

“And that’s something you’re going to have to accept. I’ll be there. ” Ben furrowed his brow.

He would have preferred having this talk in person. He needed to see her and her reactions and to emphasize his concerns with his body language and undeniable presence. Ben knew all too well how easy ignoring a disembodied voice over a telephone could be. He’d done that to her for years since leaving for college. He had to take charge of her situation.

“Only if you stop pacing.”

Ben froze then sank onto the couch. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she sighed. “Okay, once a week. Are you sure you can do this?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Because if it’s too much, I can find someone else, someone to hire, someone without any ties to us.”

“Don’t do that. I can handle this, I can.”

“Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll be leaving for Madeline in a couple days. After I am settled, I’ll come see you. Expect me early next week.”

“Okay,” she said, resigned.

“Bye Mom.”

“Ben?”

“Yes,” he hesitated.

“Have fun, okay?”

Ben chuckled. “I’ll try.”

He hung up the phone and immediately turned it on silent before shoving it under the cushions. Agreeing to help his family and actually helping his family amounted to two entirely different things. He’d stepped up because he’d been worried that no one else would, and Mom deserved better than that. But if he were being honest with himself, he’d acknowledge that he loved being the hero. He loved being the
best
brother—the most responsible, the one with the best career.

But now? Dealing with doctors and lawyers, selling his town house, and fighting with his company for a sabbatical had him worn out. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t know what he was doing. He wished he could take a break and have fun, like Mom suggested. Living without responsibility sounded like a dream that he knew he could never accept. He cared too much, especially for his family. He’d never be able to sit out and let his brothers take charge.