Page 3 of The Summer Club

It was the traditional first meal of every family vacation at Riptide, where steaming bowls of chowder would be passed, wine would be uncorked, and the dinner table conversations would run long into the night as everyone talked over top of one another, giddy with arrival energy and promise of three weeks at the shore.

“Molly, why don’t you bring our bags upstairs and I’ll help Grandma.” She turned to her mother whose smile went tight.

“You heard. She’s coming.”

Andi felt for Cora. Her grandmother, Tish, reserved a special brand of ire for her mother. “What can I do to help?”

“Nothing! There’s nothing anyone can do. That woman is impossible. And now I have to host her as well as help your sister host a wedding.”

“Vacation is ruined.” Hugh dashed down the stairs and hopped off the last step, throwing his arms up in a dramatic imitation of their mother. “Ruined!” Then, he closed the space between them and picked up his twin sister and spun her around. Martin and Sydney were right behind.

That was one good thing about arriving last: the greeting was a big one.

“You’re here!” Sydney squealed. “How was the trip? Did you remember Molly’s bridesmaid dress? And yours?” Sydney put her hands to her flushed cheeks and exhaled. Her enormous solitaire diamond ring caught the light, firing off a million tiny sparkles in the air between them.

“Good, yes, and yes!” Andi assured her.

“I’m sorry,” Sydney gushed. “This wedding has sort of taken over, but I promise it won’t take over the family vacation.”

“It better not,” Hugh said. “It’s not all about you.” Despite the smile, Andi knew that he more than halfway meant it. And despite the fact that they were twins, Andi had long felt like the middle child of the three of them, since Hugh and Sydney had a bit of a long-established rivalry for their parents’ attentions. Adulthood hadn’t improved it.

“She’s overwhelmed with wedding plans. Hasn’t slept in weeks,” Martin reported, with far more empathy.

“It’s true. I’m going to look like a zombie bride.”

Andi shook her head. “Stop. You look great, and whatever needs doing we’ll get it done together.” That was the thing about Sydney; no matter what was going down, she always looked dewy and beautiful. Unlike her sister’s and brother’s dark hair and fair, freckled skin that blotched easily or looked downright sallow in the wrong light, Sydney had been born the perfect color of a peach: tawny skin and blonde hair. Now she flashed Andi her signature smile. “Really? Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. Let me go find my wedding folder, and I’ll show you what’s left.” Before Andi could reply, Sydney was dashing back up the stairs to find the folder.

Andi and Martin exchanged looks. “And I thought I needed a glass of wine.”

Martin wagged his finger. “In the last hour I think your mother has taken first place in that department.”

“Yeah, keep the gin away.”

“I can hear you!” Cora sang out from the kitchen. She’d returned to her post at the stovetop.

Andi went to the kitchen in search of wine. “Did we not know she was coming?” she asked, referring to Tish.

Cora grimaced. “She wasn’t due to arrive until the evening before the wedding. She’s three weeks early! It’s high season here. The only place she’ll stay is Chatham Bars Inn, but God knows if they’ll have an opening this last minute.”

It was unlike Tish. Riptide was hers only in name. On the rare occasion she came to the Cape, she always reserved her own room at the Bars. They dressed up and met her there in the Star dining room for a formal dinner. And that would be the beginning and end of the visit. Never did she come to Riptide. In fact, Andi couldn’t recall a time she’d ever seen her grandmother set foot in its living room.

“Did she say why she’s coming early?”

Cora pressed her fingers to her forehead. “You know your father. He doesn’t ask questions. God forbid we offend the queen.”

Andi felt genuinely bad for her mother. Tish’s visits were trying for her.

There was a bottle of chilled Riesling in the fridge and Andi made quick work of opening it.

Hugh joined them. “Is there no vodka?” He rummaged through the fridge.

Andi poured herself a glass and took a long swallow. She’d just arrived and was already drained. But there would be no relaxing yet. She could feel Cora eyeing her. “Yes?”

Her mother made a face. “I need some more littlenecks. Would you make a run to the fish market?”

“Right now?”

Hugh slammed the fridge. “The fish market it is.” He winked at his twin. “After the liquor store.”

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