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“You might think my head is screwed up, but I’m not so screwed up that I could miss something like that.”
“What would she want with a caretaker?”
“Maybe she doesn’t want anything long-term. Maybe she’s after what a lot of tourists are—one hell of a fun summer.”
After another long pause, his brother said, “I’ll take care of it,” and then he was gone.
21
Jack had been in a fog since Ashleigh dropped the bombshell that she was leaving him for her best friend. Actually, it’d been more of a red haze. But something about the fresh ocean air ruffling his hair, the soft warm sand beneath his feet, and all the smiling swimsuit-clad people enjoying the beauty and warmth made him feel like a small semblance of the man he used to be. He’d never been to a place like this.
Closing his eyes, he turned his face up to the sun, breathed in a huge breath, and slowly let it go. The call of seagulls punctuated the laughter, and he could hear the group closest to him and Ismay talking about ordering hot dogs from one of the vendors nearby. Mention of the food helped him separate that scent from the various suntan lotions that filled his nostrils, and he felt the stirring of hunger.
“Let’s get a hot dog,” he said, opening his eyes and looking at his sister, who was sitting on the towel next to his.
She was reading again. She’d been reading pretty much since he got here, but he didn’t mind. He didn’t want to have to carry on a conversation, to answer any questions about how he was feeling or if he’d heard from Ashleigh. He preferred to just live in the moment and enjoy this brief cessation of pain.
“They have burgers, too,” she said.
“I’ll get you one, if that’s what you prefer. But I’m sticking with a hot dog. And maybe some cotton candy.”
“I’ll definitely skip the cotton candy. And the hot dog. But I’ll take some of that astronaut ice cream.”
When he got up and turned toward the concession stand, he nearly ran into Bo. “Hey, man. I thought you weren’t coming.”
Bo peered around him at Ismay before meeting his gaze. “Changed my mind. I haven’t been to the beach yet this year. Figured it might be fun.”
“It’s a nice day for it,” Jack said. “I was about to get a hot dog. You want one?”
Bo didn’t seem eager to accept things. He was always wary, reserved, as if he were afraid there might be strings attached. So Jack felt somewhat gratified, as if Bo was beginning to trust him, when he nodded. “Sure, I’ll take one.”
“Relish?”
“Onions, no relish.”
“Got it. Ismay’s right there.” He gestured, even though he knew Bo had already seen her. “Why don’t you join her, and I’ll be right back.”
Bo nodded and Jack got in line. While he waited, he turned to watch the other people on the beach, and Ismay and Bo caught his attention. There was something going on between them, he decided. It was subtle, but the way Ismay looked at Bo made him think—
No, he told himself. He had to be wrong. She’d already chosen the partner she wanted to spend her life with. She’d come here to be with Remy for the summer. And yet...
“Can I help you?”
Jack shifted his attention to the little window of the food truck and placed his order. But while the food was being prepared, he looked back and saw the expression on his sister’s face as she talked to Bo. She admired him, all right. He knew her well enough to be able to read that easily.
Would she be happier with Bo? He wasn’t rich like Remy, but Jack really liked him. And he knew his parents had concerns about Remy, who’d shown zero interest in their family. Ismay insisted he was just busy, that it took a superhuman effort to get through med school, and maybe that was it. But Jack couldn’t help wondering if this summer might turn out to be an inflection point for both of them, spinning them off the trajectory they were currently on and flinging them in a direction they never saw coming.
Ismay was much more excited to see Bo than she’d been to see Bastian. She knew that wasn’t how things should be. But she couldn’t help smiling every time Bo looked at her. And the way he looked at her... It made her feel breathless, which was odd. She was acting completely out of character. She’d never been the type to become infatuated with someone so easily.
“How’s Jack handling the work?” she asked while her brother was getting the hot dogs.
“He’s a hard worker,” Bo replied. “Knows what he’s doing. And if he doesn’t know, he’s eager to learn.”
“I hope it hasn’t been too inconvenient having him stay with you.”
“Nah. I like him. Makes it easy. But Bastian came snooping around today.”
She’d told Bastian that Jack was working with Bo. That had to be what’d instigated the visit. “What’d he say?”
