Page 26 of The Summer Club

It was the biggest question of all. “You’re right,” Andi said. “Tish has always treated us differently. Now I guess we know why.”

It was one thing none of them could argue about. Riptide aside, Tish had always regarded the children differently. Though they didn’t see much of her, it was crystal clear on the limited occasions she did visit. The twins were tolerated. Sydney was adored.

For the first time Andi became aware of the bustle and noise behind them in the restaurant section. The bar had begun to fill with the afternoon crowd. Lunch patrons and shoppers who’d grown hungry for fish and chips or lobster rolls. Normally her own stomach would be growling by now, especially with the smells coming from the kitchen. But the conversation had soured her appetite. She looked at her watch. “I’ve got to get back for Molly. She’s been home alone all morning.”

Poor Molly, Andi thought as she reached for her wallet. Here on a family vacation to spend quality time with her mom and reunite with her uncles and aunt and grandparents. And now sitting home alone on a glorious beach day. Her chest tightened. When her ex-husband, George, arrived to pick Molly up the following week, he’d probably have all kinds of fun things planned. None that involved family fights over dinner and being left home alone while the adults went to duke it out at the local pub.

“Let’s settle up and go,” she said. When she tried to get the bartender’s attention to hand him her credit card, Martin was faster. “You’ve all had a rough start. Let me treat.” Andi was grateful and relieved. She couldn’t remember how much she had left in her checking account. Things were tight these days living on just her teaching salary alone and she was still learning to budget. A simple thing like treating friends or family to drinks—something she used to do all the time without any thought—could tip the whole cart. Another ripple of divorce.

On both sides of her, her sister and brother remained quiet. “So what’s next?” Andi asked. “We need a plan before we walk back in the house.”

“I’m not ready to talk to Mom and Dad,” Hugh said too quickly.

“Well, I think I need to,” Andi said. “I have questions.”

Sydney sank back on her stool. “This is going to ruin my wedding, isn’t it?”

“No!” they all said in unison.

“How about this?” Martin asked. Martin was famous for trying to make peace. “What if we all go about our business as usual, even if we can’t really talk openly just yet. So we’ll proceed with things like dinner and beach trips as a family. And we’ll do what we have to to help Sydney and James get ready for the wedding. But aside from that, we don’t get into it until everyone has cooled down. Agreed?”

It was what they had agreed to before and had already failed at. But Andi found herself nodding along with the others. She was numb. Their parents had been forced to reveal a family secret that had implications far beyond their childhoods. Somewhere out there was a father Andi and Hugh had never known existed. And their grandmother had given away the one possession the whole family treasured most.

But Martin was right. They needed to pull together, despite the animosity and fresh wounds, if only for a little while longer. Andi had a daughter to take care of and a little sister’s wedding to face. What other choice did any of them have?

Outside of the dark confines of the Squire, the sun on Main Street seemed impossibly bright. They all blinked like vampires. They walked up the sidewalk past the Candy Manor with its bubblegum-pink awning. The area in front of the door smelled like sugar and melting chocolate. Molly loved that place; Andi would bring her back into town after dinner. She glanced in the boutique windows they passed: women’s resortwear, canvases of ocean scenes in the gallery window, a line out the door at the ice cream shop. Downtown Chatham was humming with happy tourists and vacation goers, a sea of pastel attire and smiling children. Andi looked at the faces around her: Hugh’s scowl. Sydney’s downturned mouth. Martin’s resigned expression.

They were almost back at Hugh’s Jeep when a pale blue Bronco rolled past. The doors were off and the top was down: Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’?” floated out of it. The driver was wearing aviator sunglasses and a backwards baseball cap. Andi did a double take.

Hugh waved. “Hey!”

The Bronco braked to a sudden stop.

“Wait, do you know who that…?” Andi started to say.

But Hugh was already jogging over to the driver’s side.

Sure enough, it was Nate. Andi stood back, straining to hear the conversation from the sidewalk.

“Wow. He’s pretty cute,” Sydney said, beside her.

“Do you remember Nate, from when we were kids?”

Sydney grinned. “I do now.”

“Your parents mentioned him; something about him being an old family friend,” Martin said. “They said he’s back here for the summer.”

Andi shook her head. “Why does everybody know this except me?” She watched Hugh and Nate talking. She was pretty sure she heard the word “tonight,” but it was hard to tell over the bustle on the sidewalk. An impatient line was starting to pile up behind the Bronco. The sun glared down on them on the sidewalk. Somebody beeped.

Just then Nate looked up at Andi. She felt like a schoolgirl, just standing there. Staring.

“Hey, girls!” There was that boyish smile again. And with it that flutter in her stomach.

Beside her, Sydney popped to life and waved hard. “Good to see you again, Nate!”

Andi waved back with what she hoped was far less exuberance.

Someone beeped again, Hugh stepped away, and Nate was off.

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