Chapter 7
Phil looked up at Hannah from the gently rocking boat. Rose was going to have a shit-fit. This troublemaking teenybopper was going to be on the island? During their precious vacation – an annual extended absence from daily life that meant diminished income and lost opportunities, their joint real estate appraisal business shuttered for over a month. And of all people, Keeley O’Brien’s daughter. Prancing around and throwing loud parties and probably setting houses on fire by accident, that’s what she was going to do. Oh, and drive Rose over the edge she had been teetering on.
“On the island? What house did you say?” he choked out.
“The Barefooter house? My mother’s? Actually, it belongs to my mother and her friends. Oh, and at my Aunt Pam’s house, Pam McGregor? At the other end of the island from you,” she said. She crossed her arms over her chest.
He couldn’t believe it. She was going to ruin one of the only times that Rose looked forward to: when their island was truly theirs alone. In October, Rose was that girl again, confident, proud, happy. She was the girl Phil had loved so much he’d made a fool out of himself chasing after her in spite of her lack of interest. And he had won her, finally. Eventually, after the smoke cleared and she could see that he was still waiting for her.
This girl, Hannah, couldn’t really be coming to the island now. Why? She didn’t know what she was up against. Rose would not tolerate her. It would be a battle. It could get ugly, especially now that Rose…things were falling apart with her.
That was why he had been looking forward to this time. Maybe on Captain’s, her favorite place, she would snap out of it. He was sure that underneath all of this new Rose, the old always-together Rose lurked.
He would talk the girl out of it. Really, did she want to be living out on this island when it was cold like this? Probably not, she just didn’t know what she was getting herself into. He said, “Oh, no, you really don’t want to stay here now. The place is deserted. You’d hate it. You know…you know what you’d love? The Hamptons! Parties, bars, oh...and shopping, lots of stores, lots. They got the works over there, even now it’s still pretty crowded, if you can believe it.”
The girl blinked, looking confused. Then she stood up taller. “No, I do want to be on the island right now, actually. I need to be alone and think. It’s perfect. I won’t be bothering you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Actually, yes. “No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. You’re just not going to like it. It’s deserted except for us two old codgers. And it’s freezing cold, too. No heat, no hot water. Some mornings we can’t get any water at all, it’s frozen in the cistern. “
“Oh, I know all about that. Aunt Pam has a generator, though, so I can have heat if I want.”
Shit. “Well, that’s nice. Still, it’s not the same in the fall. Dull as death. And a young girl like you should be off having fun, enjoying yourself. Unless you plan on throwing big parties, shipping people out here? I have to say that if that’s the case, it would be a problem. We were really looking forward to the quiet this time of year.” There, he said it.
Hannah looked like she was going to cry. The girl was the spitting image of her father, the full lips, the height, and the dark hair. And the vulnerability – the “I care” he used to always be spreading around. In contrast, her mother Keeley was closed off, tough. Oh, and wild, a party-animal if there ever was one. Pure trouble. If Hannah was like Keeley in that way, they were in for it. They’d have to pack up and leave. Except Rose wouldn’t just leave. No, not a chance of that.
Hannah said, shaking her head, “I’m sorry, but don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not planning on having any parties.”
I’ll believe that when I see it. Give her a little push in the right direction, though. “Yeah, you did say you want to be alone, didn’t you? Well, you can count on us to keep out of your way. We look forward to October every year, only out here in the summer for repairs, open up the house. It’s October that we love, nice and peaceful. Good for thinking if that’s what you want to do. Actually, you couldn’t pick a better place to be a hermit, guess that’s why old Captain Hughes set up house on this little sandbar,” Phil said, reaching for his oars again.
He’d better go if he didn’t want Rose to see him talking to this girl. If he took too long away from their house, she usually went looking for him. If all went well, Rose might never know the girl was on the island.
He would find a way to make sure of it.
“Well, better get going. Lunch awaits. Good luck to you,” he said, giving her his best impression of an untroubled smile, and raising his chin to her in a nod.
He turned the boat around and rowed away, careful not to look back and encourage her in any way. Maybe she’d change her mind and go party it up in the Hamptons instead.