Page 65 of Summer Romance

The paddling isso easy. I can’t remember when it was this easy. My muscles are sore because yesterday was our Sunday ride, and this feels restorative rather than taxing. We are in a rhythm, and, as usual, Greer and Iris take it very seriously and Cliffy takes lots of breaks.

“Let’s stop at Pelican Island,” Ethan shouts. It’s just ahead of us, and it’s high tide, so it’s smaller than it was when we were there together.

Cliffy perks up and shouts, “Yes! Is that it?”

We slow down as we approach and Ethan jumps out to pull the canoe on shore. We get out without getting wet, and it feels like a luxury. “This would be fun in pirate costumes,” Ethan says to nobody in particular.

Cliffy jumps on this. “Can we do that next time? I like the big hat with the three corners.”

Iris is listening and I see her teetering between wanting to join in with abandon and thinking maybe this is babyish.

“I have that hat, and I now have a striped shirt with a stuffed parrot that sits right on the shoulder,” Ethan says like it’s the most normal thing in the world. “And a treasure chest full of stuff you guys might like.”

“Okay,” Iris says. “And an eye patch?”

“I have a bunch of those,” he says. And to me, “Good thing we’re so slow about throwing stuff out. I even have a Jolly Roger flag we could hang off the back of the canoe, to make it sort of foreboding.”

Cliffy hugs Ethan so spontaneously that I think I notice it before he does. “I’m going exploring,” Cliffy says, and leads Iris between the trees to see what may be lurking on the other side of the island.

Greer has taken her phone out and is taking a picture of Beechwood in the distance. I’m annoyed because I just want her to enjoy the new perspective and the sound of the water lapping up against the rocks from every angle. I don’twant her seeing this as another opportunity to gain footing with her friends.

“Can I see?” Ethan asks.

She looks surprised but says, “Sure.” She hands him her phone, and I nearly faint.

“It’s a good photo,” he says. “I like the way you kept the inn to the left so that it’s mostly the unbroken tree line.” He hands the phone back to her.

She looks at the photo again and almost smiles. “I’m going to go find Iris,” she says, and takes off behind the trees.

“What was that?” I ask.

“What?”

“Like, you just communicated with my daughter? She let you touch her phone and accepted a compliment. What kind of sorcery is this?”

He laughs. “I don’t think you realize how much time I spend with teenagers. I’ll give you pointers.” He takes a step toward me and I am afraid that if I take even one step toward him, I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself.

“Everything I say is wrong.”

He squeezes my hand and lets go. “It’s sort of a subtle thing, I guess. But you have to meet them where they are. I talk about skateboarding with kids so that eventually they’ll take my advice about other stuff. If she’s into social media, meet her there.”

This is right, of course. “I’m not sure I know how to do that.”

“Just in little steps, I think. Teenagers need a little room.” He looks back at the shore, hands on hips. “I used tolove looking at Beechwood from here because it made me feel like I left it. Like I could enjoy the town from a distance, when it wasn’t smothering me.”

I look at him and wonder what it would take for this place to stop smothering him.

“Anyway, this is definitely more fun with kids. And I guarantee the next time we do this, we’ll be in costume. Even Greer.”

“I’m in,” I say.

“And Iris feels like a natural on the water. Have you noticed that?”

“I have,” I say. “She’s strong.”

He turns back toward me and I can’t help but touch the front pocket of his shorts. “Do we have the day together tomorrow?” he asks. His voice is husky, as if it’s holding back an avalanche of emotions.

“Yes. Starting at nine. And it’s Tuesday, so the evening too,” I say. This morning, I actually sat down and made a grocery list for the entire week, went shopping, and picked up Greer’s contact lens prescription—all so that I would be able to spend more time the rest of the week with Ethan. It’s funny what you’ll do when properly motivated. “Do you want to come with me to Phyllis’s again?”

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