Page 66 of Summer Light on Nantucket

Blythe smiled. Brave little Holly, who could take on her older sister.

Miranda forced a laugh. “Holly. Don’t be such a child.”

“But Iama child.”

A bedroom door slammed. Holly ran down the stairs.

“I’m going to hang out with Grandmother for a while.”

“That’s nice,” Blythe said. “Where’s Miranda?”

Miranda came down the stairs. “I’m here.” She sauntered into the kitchen, chewing on a stick of red licorice.

“Miranda, I have to fly up to Boston this evening. I’ll be home tomorrow, but I’m going to ask Grandmother to stay here tonight with you all. You can have dinner at the snack bar and ice cream later. I want everyone in the house by ten. I’ll call to check. You can watchA Quiet Place: Day Onewith everyone, but you have to watch something happy and fun after—Hannah Montanaor something. I’m phoning Celeste now.”

“Mom,” Holly interrupted, “I can deal with theQuiet Placemovies.”

“You’re only going to be in Boston for overnight? What’s up with that?” Miranda asked.

Blythe knew that whatever she said would be shared with Celeste, Kate, Bob, and Teri.

“I have to sign some paperwork and they need it today.” Blythe headed up the stairs, away from any further questions. “I’ve got to shower.”

“See you later, Mom!” Holly called as she left the house on her way to Celeste’s.

In her room, Blythe sat on her bed and called her former mother-in-law.

“Hello, Blythe,” Celeste said. Her voice was strong.

“Celeste, I have to fly to Boston this evening to sign some papers. I’ll be back in the morning. Could you spend the night here? They’ll have dinner at the snack bar.”

“Yes, of course. I’d love to stay with them.” Celeste hesitated. “Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s fine. This trip is a nuisance, but I need to do it,” Blythe assured the other woman, and what she said was not a lie. She did need to do it. “Holly is coming over now. I’ll call to check in.”

“Safe trip!” Celeste sounded happy, almost excited. Being with her grandchildren always cheered her up.

Blythe took a quick shower, wondering what to wear to meet Aaden. She wanted to look both irresistible and untouchable. No matter what he said or how enticingly he said it, she was not having sex with him.

Or maybe she was. This would be a test.

She changed out of her silk blouse and pants and put on one of her most expensive, alluring summer dresses. Checking her watch, she saw that it was a little after four o’clock. At this time of year, flights were going to Boston almost every twenty minutes. She’d catch whatever she could. She checked her makeup. Her summer tan was flattering. She needed only mascara and lipstick.

She put her toothbrush in her purse.

Down in the kitchen, she scribbled a note on the chalkboard,telling everyone what she’d already told Miranda. Dinner at the snack bar. Celeste would come to spend the night. She’d be home in the morning.

The house was quiet as she walked through it. Why did she feel so guilty? Her children adored their grandmother.

It took ten minutes to drive to the airport. She parked in the long-term lot and walked toward the terminal. Her heart was picking up speed.

She wasn’t frightened, she was—apprehensive. This meeting with Aaden would be about seeing him again, talking about their lives. Deciding whether they could become more to each other than dreamy memories.

Deciding what she wanted. Who she wanted—if she wanted anyone.

At the Cape Air counter, she bought a round-trip ticket. The flight would leave at five-ten. She texted Sandy and then Kate to tell them that she’d be in Boston tonight, back home tomorrow. That was the magic of Nantucket. You could feel you were in a different world, but you were never far away from a city.

She texted Aaden to tell him what plane she was arriving on.

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