Page 98 of A Nantucket Wedding

Felicity nodded. “Good idea.”

They took a moment in the kitchen to blot sunblock on their noses. Out on the deck, Poppy lay as limp as a fish on the lounger, her sunhat over her face. Esmeralda was still at the hotel.

Jane and Felicity tiptoed past Poppy, not wanting to wake her as they went across the deck and down the wooden steps and through the brush to the beach. When they were near the water’s edge, they turned to each other, wide-eyed.

“Esmeralda!” Jane shrieked.

“I know!” Felicity agreed.

“AndEthan! What a tool! He told me he was divorced and the truth is, he’s only separated!”

“Given the way he trotted right along after Esmeralda to go to her hotel last night, I wouldn’t say they’re all that separated!” Felicity kicked a pebble into the surf. “He was such a flirt!”

“I know. I totally fell for his act.”

“Are you talking about my brother?”

Jane and Felicity exchanged guilty looks. Poppy was waddling through the brush, coming toward them.

“Busted,” Jane admitted.

“Could you hear us?” Felicity asked.

Poppy grinned. “I didn’t need to hear you. Whenever I see a couple of women huddled and pissed off, I know they’re talking about Ethan.”

“Well, he did try to seduce Jane,” Felicity said defensively.

“I’m not surprised. Remember, I grew up with the guy. I’ve seen him go through women like I whip through a bag of chips.” Poppy slanted her eyes at Jane. “Did he succeed?”

“No, thank heavens. But it was close,” Jane admitted. “It wasn’t only that he’s so handsome and sexy. It was also that I was having some…issueswith Scott.”

“God,marriage,” Poppy sympathized. “Could we walk? I need some exercise. My blood pressure’s shooting up with the pregnancy.”

Jane and Felicity fell into step with Poppy.

“Myissues have been resolved,” Jane said.

“For now,” Poppy said. Quickly she added, “I mean, it seems to me that marriage is one long train ride of issues. Occasionally we get to sit down and eat in the dining car, but most of the time we’re stumbling from car to car, trying to keep our balance.”

Felicity burst out laughing. “Nice metaphor.”

“That’s why I enjoy working,” Poppy admitted. “Dealing with twelve department heads arguing at full volume is easy-peasy after spending a day at home.”

“I hear you,” Felicity agreed.

The sun was warm on their shoulders, the sand hot on their feet. They stepped into the lazy waves to cool off.

“So what do you think of Esmeralda?” Poppy asked.

Jane and Felicity hesitated.

“She’s beautiful,” Jane said. “And so—energetic.”

Poppy laughed. “That’s one word for it. I’ve known her—kind of—for years, ever since Ethan married her. She and Ethan are well matched, both so gorgeous and so unable to settle down. We almost became friends after Daphne was born. We got the cousins together to play with each other, so we spent time together, too. But not for long. Esmeralda would invite me and the kids to her house, and then somehow she always got an absolutely essential phone call, state secrets and all that, so she’d disappear with her phone and I got stuck playing preschool with three children. She’s a user.”

“And Canny?” Felicity asked.

“Canny’s a sweet little girl. My kids love her. Good thing, since she’s their cousin.”

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