Page 18 of Considering Us

When I was done talking to her, Heath was standing next to me. “They’re checking him out now,” he said. “Kid’s going to be fine. Was that the coach who just showed up?”

“Yeah, that’s Kyle Holling. He’ll take things from here. I guess I’ll, um, call an Uber to get back to campus.”

“We can give you a ride,” he said, flashing that big white smile.

“Just one second,” I said, practically running over to Kyle.

“I’m going to go back to school,” I told him. “The ambulance guys are giving me a ride. Let me know how Jamie is, okay?”

“You sure you don’t want to stay?” he asked. “You can ride back with me later.” Kyle eyed Heath, who was clearly waiting for me. Could he tell that I was so excited to just spend a few more minutes in the Hot Paramedic’s presence?

“I need to, you know, get ready for that silly meeting at The Barnacle tonight. Of course, I’d rather stay with you. But Andrea would not be pleased if I skipped out on this. This is a really big deal, from what she’s told me so far. You know how it goes.” It was all true, but I felt like I wasn’t being honest with Kyle.Why am I feeling guilty about any of this?We were just friends. Still, I felt like a twinge of something, and it didn’t feel good.

“Good luck with Connelly,” he said. “I need to check on Jamie,” he conceded, standing up. “I think about us all the time, just so you know. I know I’m not supposed to, but I do.” He walked into the hospital room, leaving me standing there, not sure what to think or feel. I took a breath and turned back toward Heath, who was waiting for me. He bit his bottom lip in the cutest way possible, and I followed him out the door.

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I tore my closet apart trying to find something acceptable for a meeting with Ward Connelly at The Barnacle. I had dressed much like the students during my time at Rockwood, mostly because it was easy. Khakis and polos required little thought and, with some wrinkle-release spray, were very little maintenance. I had also eaten an aggressive amount of ice cream since arriving on St George’s Island—a lot, even by my standards—so the nicer clothes in my wardrobe were a bit snug. Thefreshman fifteen were creeping up on me, but I didn’t have time to give it much thought. I pulled on a black knee-length dress with no waistband, straightened my hair with my flatiron, and put on more makeup than usual. After the night I had already had, this was the last thing I wanted to do. I’d rather stay in my apartment and watch something cute involving emergency responders. MaybeRoxanne.

Walking to the chapel, I replayed the conversation with Heath in my head. When Matt pulled up to Wentworth House, Heath hopped out and walked me to the front door. I was buzzing with all kinds of nervous energy, sensing that he was as interested in me as I was in him, and it was very exciting. I thanked him for the ride and for taking such good care of Jamie. He asked if I was free anytime over the next week or so, and we determined that we were both available the following Saturday. It was the day after the Connelly event, and I deserved a break. Something to look forward to.

“Okay, I’ll plan an afternoon of fun for us. We’ll have a good time,” he had said, smiling big at me again. I couldn’t help but stare at his muscular shoulders, arms, and chest and wonder what it all felt like. He was a piece of fine art.

The back door of the chapel was open, just like Kyle said it would be. I listened for any student activity, but it was silent.Too hot out, I thought, given that most of the campus didn’t have air conditioning. Maintenance staff had been placing fans all over the place, but it hadn’t helped much. I hoped for cooler conditions in the subterranean level of the dining hall.

I followed all my instructions, ultimately walking down a long passage that must have been the tunnel from one building to another. Opening the final door led me into The Barnacle. It was dark, with tiny white twinkle lights framing, as I had predicted, portholes, except that these only had fake glowing fish behind them since we were in a basement. There were, indeed,life preservers, mermaids, a big ship’s wheel, and, yes, a large whale hanging from the walls. Jimmy Buffett’s “Boat Drinks” played softly in the background, presumably so conversations were possible. Not that there were many people there, to begin with.

I noticed Ryland Dennis sitting with a man of about sixty years in large leather armchairs. He waved me over, and I begrudgingly went.Of course, he’s here. “Hi, Ryland,” I said in a flat tone.

“Don’t sound so thrilled, Devon,” he said with a snark. “Ward, this is Devon Paige, who you are meeting with tonight about the event. Devon, I am the faculty member assigned to Ward for the unveiling reception. Something we do around here at Rockwood.”

I thought back to Kyle’s story about Al Horton. “Sounds good,” I said. “Nice to meet you, Ward,” I said, reaching out my hand to shake. He was thin and pale, with gray hair that appeared slicked back but not heavy with gel or another product. He wore glasses with clunky black frames, tight jeans, a thick hunter-green corduroy shirt, and a purple paisley scarf.In this heat. Ugh.Luckily for him, The Barnacle did seem to be air-conditioned. If only they had brought the same cooling system to my kitchen above us—another reason to be annoyed by this whole situation.

Ryland snickered; at what, I wasn’t sure. “Why don’t you go get a drink, Devon, and then I’ll leave so you two can talk?”

It always felt like he was telling me what to do or directing me in some way. I didn’t like it, but this was not the time to tell him off. I felt like it might be soon. “Sure,” I said evenly and walked over to the mahogany bar, where Marnie was drying a wine glass with a towel. “Marnie? You work at The Barnacle?!” I was incredulous. What else didn’t I know about Rockwood?

“A few nights here and there,” she said. “What can I get you?”

“A whiskey sour, if you don’t mind.” It all felt strange and like I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be. “How much do I owe you?”

“There’s a tab,” she said. “So, nothing. You’re on the special events account.”

“There’s a bar account?” I asked, dumbfounded, while I watched her ream a lemon and add the juice to the shaker.

“Yeah, I guess,” she said, shrugging, never one to engage in small talk. She shook up my cocktail, strained it into a glass filled with a large ice cube, and added a cherry. “Here you go.”

I dug a ten-dollar bill out of my wallet. “Take this,” I said. “Thank you,” I whispered, not knowing why I was being quiet. I was so confused about everything that was happening.

Ryland had already moved out of his seat and was talking across the room to some elderly men in sports jackets with canes leaning against the sides of their chairs. I sat down across from Ward Connelly. “So,” I began. “We need to plan a reception.”

“We do,” he said, blinking a few times. “I look forward to my creation being unveiled to the Rockwood community. Rockwood means so much to me. This is my gift to a place that continues to nurture my soul and the Connelly legacy.”

A little presumptuous to see yourself as having a legacy, I thought, but I had a job to do and needed to humor him the best I could. “Are you the only alum in your family, or are there others?” I posed.

He chuckled softly. “Many Connellys have graced these floors, these lawns, these halls,” he said, taking a significant sip of dark liquor. “This year, especially as my daughter has joined the ranks of the Stallions. That’s what my piece is called, by the way.The Stallion. Don’t tell anyone. I’m letting the scotch speak right now. You’re the only one who knows.” He put his finger to his lips and gave a smug smile.

“I won’t tell,” I said. “So, your, um, daughter. Should I include her in the VIP seating area invitation? We’ll have an area roped off.” Why hadn’t Andrea included information about a child who was a current student? So much was left for me to piece together on my own.

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