Tiny Island Summer (20 page)

“Ben, do you mind helping John with the grill? Thanks that’s so helpful of you.” She rushed to finish and say her piece before he could add anything.

“Sure, nice to meet you Eric,” he nodded his head before bowing out to the patio.

“I’m sorry. I have no idea what he’s doing here. He just showed up.” Darcy apologized. If she thought Ben had moved out of earshot, she was wrong. Ben froze, straining to hear every word and imagine each nuance.

“Darcy, it’s fine. I like your dress,” Ben heard him say.

Ben’s blood began to boil, and he clenched and unclenched his fists. When he heard her low giggle, Ben nearly walked back in to punch him. No doubt that guy had his hands on her. Ben forced one foot in front of the other until he stood next to his brother.

“You promised you wouldn’t punch him,” John teased.

“I didn’t realize how difficult that would be,” Ben replied.

“Wipe the scowl off your face, you decided to come over. Be charming. If you want to win her, you need to work a bit harder.”

“Is that it? That’s your advice?” Ben bit out.

“No, my advice would have been different from the beginning. Clearly, you liked her from the first time you met her. My advice would have been don’t be an idiot and stop trying to run away from what you want.”

“Are you done?”

“Sure,” John smiled at his brother.

Char approached and John pulled her in for a quick kiss. Ben rolled his eyes. They’d been together for long enough that summer that their PDA had taken on the same level as that of someone’s parents. It was obvious and expected and made you feel kind of awkward. He got it; they were happy and they liked each other. Great. He was alone.

“Char, can you come help?” Darcy called out.

“Sure,” she replied. “Ben, come too.”

John glanced at his brother. John’s blank expression gave him no clue, so Ben followed Charlotte inside. Darcy had handed a hot casserole dish to Eric, a large dish of roasted vegetables to Charlotte, and tried to maneuver both a pitcher of water and more wine and glasses by herself.

“Let me,” Ben said, rushing forward to help her.

“Thanks,” Darcy replied not even meeting his eyes.

“Darcy. I know, I . . .” He began, but quickly trailed off.

He had so many things to say to her. He didn’t even know where to start. Some of his anxiety must have shown on his face, because, surprisingly, she approached him. She nearly touched him; she looked like she would stroke his hair and cheek if he’d let her. He would gladly tell her everything and let her soothe him.

“Can you grab the wine?” Darcy asked suddenly.

Their hands brushed as she handed him the wine and glasses and she shivered. He’d seen it; he remembered so well how she’d shivered in his arms that night in the woods.

“That night didn’t—”

“Please stop, Ben.” She closed her eyes and turned away from him.

Ben couldn’t let words go unsaid. Seeing her with someone else, not just hearing about it second-hand from his brother, had forced his hand. He touched her, he wanted her to turn and look into his eyes. She sighed but kept her gaze downcast. Feeling emboldened, he put a hand under her chin and raised her face to his.

“No, I won’t,” he said. “I was wrong, Darcy. I’m sorry for blaming you. I’m sorry for projecting my anger onto you. So many things, I’m sorry for.”

“Ben, not now. Okay?” she whispered.

Her voice nearly broke with emotion. He watched as she shook off their moment together. She pulled her shoulders back, raised her chin, and looked straight ahead, avoiding his gaze.

“Please get the door.”

Ben stepped in front of her, opened the door, and gave her plenty of space to step through.

“About time, we were running low,” Char called over to Ben cheerfully.

He sat down opposite Eric next to Char.

“I think I’ll follow your lead,” Ben teased Char.

She rolled her eyes and poured him another glass. The meal commenced with the usual amount of platitudes heaped on everyone for cooking.

“So Eric, what have you been up to this summer?” John asked, eager to start some sort of conversation.

“I’m working on a novel set in Bayfield in the nineteenth century.”

John nodded. “What made you think about Bayfield?”

“I came up to help a buddy with the B and B renovation. He’s been coming here his entire life. But me, I can’t seem to leave yet. I’ve become fascinated by the history of the bay and couldn’t shake an idea I have.”

“I’m sure we must have run into your buddy before then,” John continued. “We’ve spent practically half our lives here, my brother and I.”

“I’ve been here for the past year or so. But my buddy, Ed, spent most of his childhood here.”

“Ed? I think I remember that guy,” Ben chimed in. “Always chasing after some girl.”

Eric smiled. “That’d be Emily. She owns the coffee shop now.”

“He wasn’t the only one chasing after her,” Ben teased under his breath.

John choked on his drink and Ben slapped his brother on the back.

“Are you planning on staying here then?” Ben prodded.

Eric shared a look with Darcy that made Ben’s hands fist. Ben shifted in his seat. He hated the thought that they had any nonverbal understandings.

“Last winter was rough,” Eric drawled.

“You think so? I love winter here. I love the quiet,” Ben continued. “The snow falls thick and deep, like a blanket over everything. Most of the shops and restaurants on the island and in Bayfield close up or keep very limited hours. You can come and spend a week and never see another person.”

Ben caught Darcy’s eye and she smiled.

“It sounds peaceful,” she told him.

The others faded from his mind. He locked eyes with her and spoke only, and directly, to her.

“It is, and beautiful. I love to snowshoe through the woods during the day and spend the night in front of the fireplace,” he said, almost inviting her to spend a winter’s night with him.

“Night comes very early,” John interrupted their moment, catching Darcy’s eye. “As you might imagine.”

“I guess I prefer summer weather and the longer days,” Eric added, draping his arm over the back of Darcy’s chair. “But I’ll suffer through another winter here. I’m unlikely to finish all my research before the weather turns.”

“I love the change of seasons,” Char inserted herself into the conversation. “But winters are too long to daydream about them on a beautiful summer evening.”

“Fair point Charlotte,” Darcy agreed.

“Eric, you’ve traveled quite a bit,” Char began. “What has been your favorite place?’

“I have to confess, I’m a complete Anglophile.”

“Darcy too,” Char replied and Darcy glared at her from across the table.

“I know. I’m jealous,” he squeezed her shoulder and she smiled.

“Are you taking a trip?” Ben asked, curious. Everyone else seemed to know some secret.

“I have a job interview in London,” she said quite simply.

“Wow, good for you,” Ben said, a bit dumbstruck.

“I’ll be sad to see you go,” John chimed in.

“John, it’s only an interview.”

“But it’s a foregone conclusion. They wouldn’t fly you out if they didn’t want you for the job,” Eric added.

“I can’t believe you’re giving up this town house,” Ben said.

“I have to,” she muttered, keeping her eyes downcast.

Guilt washed over Ben. He’d done this, hadn’t he? But he couldn’t believe she could leave so casually. Every time he saw her, Darcy seemed so happy to be there. Hadn’t she just a moment earlier been speaking so wistfully about the change of seasons on the island? She wanted to leave before witnessing any of it herself?

“I’m shocked,” Ben persisted. “I have to say. I can’t believe you’re okay with losing this house.”

“How can you lose something that was never yours in the first place?” Darcy asked.

He knew they were talking about things, not people. But he felt a lump form in his throat all the same, especially when he saw hurt flash across her eyes. Was she talking about them?

“Anyone ready for dessert?” she asked suddenly with a bright smile.

Too bright,
Ben thought.

Before anyone could add anything, Darcy pushed her chair back from the table and went inside.

Char and John seemed content to stare deeply into each other’s eyes, leaving Ben and that guy to sit awkwardly across from each other. Ben tried to avoid making eye contact with Eric and did his best to look through him. From his position at the table, he could see into the kitchen. It was a prime view. He watched as Darcy stretched onto her toes to reach for something in the cabinet over the fridge. Her little dress barely covered her, and Ben found himself nearly panting as he looked on.

“Excuse me,” Ben told Eric suddenly.

He got up from the table and walked up the stairs, willing himself to move at a normal pace when all he wanted was to rush up the stairs and grab her.

“Can I help?” Ben asked as he slid the door shut behind him.

Darcy stayed in position and glanced over at him, perhaps surprised that he had been the one to come to her assistance. Suddenly realizing how short her skirt had become she pulled it lower and smoothed it out, blushing slightly.

“I have a pie server up there. Do you mind?” she asked.

Ben smiled and walked over to her. He deliberately brushed against her back and gently grabbed her upper arms to move her out of the way. He reached overhead and grabbed the server with ease, not even needing to stretch to retrieve it. Ben turned and moved closer than necessary to hand it to her.

“Thanks,” Darcy whispered, not meeting his eyes.

Ben itched to touch her, the air between them nearly crackled with electricity. He caressed her wrist after handing her the pie server and she nearly shook. Darcy took a quick step back, as if he’d hit her, desperate for space between them. She pulled two pies out from the oven and put them on the countertop before grabbing a carton of ice cream out of the freezer.

“Can you take those down?” she asked him, indicating the pies with a tilt of her head. Her eyes didn’t met his. She kept her gaze averted even as he stared at her, willing her to look up.  

“Sure,” he replied, working to keep the hint of disappointment from coloring his voice or facial expressions.

Darcy waited until he grabbed the pies before following a few paces behind him. He opened the screen door and stood closer to her than required. He could practically see the fine hairs on her arms stand on end. Ben smiled to himself and let her pass.

Conversation lingered long after dessert. Charlotte and John lazily enjoyed their final glasses of wine, Eric sat quite content with his hand on Darcy’s thigh, and Ben seemed in no hurry to leave, much to Darcy’s chagrin. It had been a night full of too many close encounters with Ben for her liking. Deciding the night had gone on long enough with the departure from her original plan, Darcy gathered up the dishes and walked inside.

Ben and Eric both jumped to help her with the dishes. She filled the sink with sudsy water, expecting the men to wander back outside. Usually, men took any sign of cleanup as their cue to leave, but they didn’t.

After they had finished their wine, Charlotte and John joined the party. Darcy had more help than she knew what to do with and began to feel flustered by all of the attention. She washed as Charlotte rinsed, Ben dried, and Eric put away. John sat at the kitchen table. Glancing up from the sink, she watched John twiddle his thumbs at the table. Not that she could blame him. They were done in about ten minutes, even with the odd tension between Ben and Eric about who knew the kitchen—and where the dishes should go—better.

As Darcy drained the sink, she tried to get Charlotte’s attention as surreptitiously as possible. But for whatever reason Charlotte avoided meeting her gaze. Darcy loudly cleared her throat, but Charlotte turned deliberately away.

She elicited concern from Ben and Eric, however.

“Are you feeling okay?” Ben asked.

Eric reached out a hand to touch her forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”

“I’m fine,” she said to them both, fighting the roll of her eyes. After a moment’s pause and careful thought, she realized it gave her the opening she had been looking for. “But actually, I would love to take a walk.”

“Let’s go then,” Eric said quickly, realizing that they had to move fast if they wanted to successfully escape.

“Great,” she replied with a smile. “Char, you’ll lock up right?” Darcy asked evenly, turning to her and nearly glaring at her to get the point across.

“Oh, yeah, sure. Of course,” she sputtered, looking momentarily confused.

“I’ll see all of you later. Have a good night everyone.” Darcy told them all cheerily, as she took Eric’s hand and led him to the front door—grabbing her purse on the way out.

Eric and Darcy headed down the street quietly, holding hands and not speaking.

“Is it a full moon or something?” Eric asked when they were far enough away from the house, to not have to worry about eavesdropping.

“I know, right?” she replied, letting out a long exhale. “Eric, I’m so sorry about that whole . . . situation. This isn’t how I pictured our night going at all.”

Eric chuckled and pulled their intertwined hands up to his lips for a kiss.

“It’s fine. I’m happy if I get to spend time with you no matter the circumstances,” he said earnestly.

They turned onto Mondamin Trail and walked silently toward town. The only sound was the gravel road as it crunched underfoot. Even though the sky got darker in La Pointe than anywhere else she’d ever been, they didn’t need a flashlight to find their way. The moon and stars shone as brightly as streetlamps on the clear night, illuminating their path. As they walked through town, Darcy realized she had no idea what path they were on.

“Where are we going, Eric?” she asked him as they passed the dock.

“I thought we’d go to my cottage. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” she answered, a bit surprised that the destination hadn’t occurred to her.

She clenched and unclenched her fists and bit her lip. Going to his cottage? Was she ready for this? Would this be okay?