Page 66 of Surfside Sisters

She found a bench across from the Bethesda Fountain, her favorite place in all of this brightly lit city. She loved the Angel of the Waters, and she could certainly use an angel in her life right now. She sat by the fountain, her thoughts tumbling, until the sunlight slanted in a different way. It was growing late. She rose and walked to the subway, got off at Fifty-ninth Street, and like an automaton, made her way to her building and up the four flights of stairs to her apartment.

She let herself into her apartment, locked the three thousand locks, and dropped her bag on the sofa. She’d had her phone turned off in the restaurant. She leaned against the kitchen sink, filling a glass with water. She curled up on her sofa and turned on her phone.

Gray had called twice, leaving a message both times, asking her to call.

She hit Call Back, and Gray answered at once. “I’ve had an idea.”

“Really. I wish I had one.”

“Seriously, this is a big deal idea.”

Keely laughed, thinking he’d take her for a ride in a balloon, or fly her to Paris for the weekend. “Tell me.”

“I want to take you to Connecticut this weekend. We’ll stay with my parents. They want to meet you, and I want to show you where I grew up.”

Keely was speechless.

“Good idea, right? I’ve got Friday off. We can drive up Friday morning and have the weekend to kick around in Mystic.”

“Mystic,”Keely said. How she loved that name. “That’s on the water, right?”

“Right, and we’ve got a boat, but it’s too cold to go for a sail. Still, the town is historic, and they’ve got Mystic Pizza, and a museum…”

“It sounds wonderful, Gray. I’d love to go.”

“Good. We’ll go.”

“What should I take for a weekend at your parents’?” Keely asked.

“Casual clothes,” Gray answered. “Jeans, sneakers, sweaters. It’s spring, but it will be cool up there. Maybe a nice shirt for the evening.”

“Tell me, Gray,” Keely said, her voice teasing, “areyouwearing sneakers?”

She was rewarded with a low laugh. “What? You think I don’t wear sneakers?”

“Do you?”

“All right. You’re right. I wear leather loafers. But I do have boots up at the Connecticut house for riding.”

“Of course you do,” Keely said, her voice affectionate. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Instead of packing, Keely sank down on the bed with her hands folded at her lips, almost as if she were praying. This weekend was a huge step for Gray, and for Keely. She felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders—Gray was opening up to her. He was taking her to meet his parents, the mother who had never recovered from her miscarriages, who couldn’t show affection to Gray. How would she react to Keely? What could Keely do to show his parents how much Keely admired Gray?

Andadmiredwas the correct word. She was not yet ready to say, even to herself, that shelovedGray. She wasn’t a teenager anymore, beguiled by her own adolescent passions. But was she wrong to want just a touch of that magical, captivating, mesmerizing emotion that could make her feel helpless, limp, intoxicated with love? Shewantedto love Gray that way.

Her cell rang again. Absentmindedly, she answered.

“Oh, Keely, I’m so glad I got you.” Brenda’s warm, slightly croaked voice summoned up her presence for Keely, her plump, bustling, rosy-cheeked, farmer’s wife warmth.

“Of course, Brenda. What’s up?”

“It’s your mom.”

“What happened?”

“Don’t be scared, she’s not in the hospital or anything. But, um, she’s…she’sdepressed,that’s what she is. You know she had to retire.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve been worried about her. She seemed depressed in December. I’ve been calling her almost every day.” Keely winced as she spoke. She hadn’t been calling her mother almost every day. More like once a week.

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