Family Reunion, Nancy Thayer [the kiss of deception read online .txt] 📗

toward the water, but Cal called them back. “Games first!”

The rest of the day passed swiftly. Ari knew how important it was that Cal kept them on a definite routine. They played Magic Ball, sending it around in a circle, and tug-of-war, and held a contest to see how far each camper could jump. Finally they were allowed into the water, which was a crazy free-for-all. Then the minivans to the community school for lunch, and nap time and story time. Next, they rode in the minivans to the small Maria Mitchell aquarium near the town pier and saw seahorses serenely floating up and down in tall, narrow tanks, and the rare blue lobster. Outside, in the circle tank, swam the dogfish, which looked like small white sharks. After an appropriate amount of giggling and shrieking at the sight of what the sea held, the group was channeled back to the buses and back to the community school. Here they were instructed to draw some of the creatures they’d seen at the aquarium. At four-thirty, the parents arrived to pick up their children, and peace descended over the room.

Ari automatically joined Cal and Sandy as they tidied broken crayons, crumpled paper, and bits of plastic into the trash. Ari was hoping Cal would take the time to thank her for the tees, so she wasn’t surprised when he suggested the three of them sit down for a moment. They gathered at one of the small round tables the children used, and Ari grinned at the sight of them balancing on the tiny chairs.

“Ari,” Cal said, his voice serious. “We need to talk about those T-shirts.”

“Okay.”

Cal said, “You’re new and we haven’t discussed rules with you. It’s not like we have an employee handbook. But we do have a list of needs and a plan for allocating money. Something as important as those tees should have been okayed by all of us before you handed them out.”

“But…” Ari had learned a lot about compromise and conciliation during her student-teaching days, so she spoke with composure. “I was told that the camp doesn’t have enough money for tees. It seemed so sad that they didn’t have them. My grandmother made them, without even suggesting it to me first. My grandmother loves to craft. But, okay, I get it that I should have talked to you first, so I apologize.”

“No need to apologize,” Cal said. “We’re grateful for the tees, of course, Ari. The children are thrilled, that’s what’s important. Please give your grandmother our thanks.”

“I will,” Ari said. “And I promise not to do anything without consulting you—the two of you—first.”

“Good,” Cal said, clapping his hands on the table. “Is there anything else we need to discuss? No? Then we’re out of here.” He rose and headed to the door, held it open for both women, and followed them out.

Ari settled into her car, feeling grumpy as she drove out of the parking lot. She wouldn’t tell her grandmother about this rule of Beach Camp. Ari understood their reasoning, but she felt like one of the children who had just gotten her feelings hurt.

She was at the rotary when a buzz came from her phone in its clever dashboard mount. Beck Hathaway. She pushed “Accept.”

“Hey, where are you?” Beck asked. His voice was low and easy. She could almost hear him smiling.

“On lower Orange, heading toward home.”

“Turn around and come back into town and I’ll take you to dinner.”

“I’d like that, Beck, but the truth is, I’m exhausted. Playing with fifteen children under the hot sun has turned out to be more challenging than I’d anticipated.”

“Maybe tomorrow?”

“I’m working tomorrow, too. Every day until Saturday. Plus, I want to spend some time with my grandmother.”

After a moment’s silence, Beck said, “So basically, your summer is booked?”

“Gosh, no, Beck! I’d love to see you. Maybe Saturday?”

“Saturday I’m spending with Hen.”

“Really? What a cool older brother you are.”

“She’s a cool younger sister. We’re going to see the new Disney movie. We’re planning on buying the largest bag of popcorn. After, we’re going to the Juice Bar for ice cream.” Beck paused. “Want to join us?”

Ari laughed. “For a Disney movie and popcorn and ice cream? How can I resist? Yes, I’d love to join you.”

“Good. I’ll tell Hen. She’ll be thrilled. I’ll be in touch about the time.”

“So what did you do today?” Ari asked. She realized she enjoyed talking to Beck, hearing his voice.

“I worked on a paper I’m writing for Psychology Today. Answered emails. Caught up on my office work. Oh, and I went for a long, bracing swim. Cleared my head.”

“Cold water does wonders for the disposition,” Ari echoed.

“It’s not so cold this June. One of the benefits of global warming.”

“Our poor planet,” Ari said.

“Didn’t you get the memo? It’s illegal to worry on Nantucket in the summer.”

Ari laughed.

Beck said, “Okay, then, I’ll look forward to seeing you on Saturday. With popcorn and Hen.”

“I look forward to seeing who is going to sit in the middle at the movie,” Ari said mischievously. When their call ended, she realized she was in a much better mood than when she’d started the drive home.

At the rotary, she stopped to let a few cars pass. She was in the left lane, watching for her chance, when she saw her father in the same snazzy navy blue Porsche with the same young blond woman. For a split second, Ari thought it wasn’t her father—he was laughing, relaxed, and the sun fell on the couple, lighting them up as if they were in the last scene of a romantic movie. But he turned his head slightly, and she knew that profile, that slightly prominent nose, the hair with its silvery touches of gray.

I’ll honk and wave! she thought, with an insane kind of rebelliousness. Let him explain to his mistress who that was who waved at him. But the moment passed, the Porsche slid smoothly around to the Airport Road, and behind her a pickup truck honked