“Girlfriend?” Evelyn said, frowning.
“Domestic partner,” Maggy said. “You know, like Bebo and Uncle Scotty.”
Scott turned his head and discreetly spat a mouthful of French-press coffee into his linen napkin.
“Ohhh,” Roo said. “You mean this Chantelle is a lesbian. I didn’t know there were any lesbians on Belle Isle.”
Scott coughed violently, and Riley could see his back heaving with suppressed laughter. She passed him a glass of water and he took a sip, shooting her a grateful look.
“Do you know those girls, Scott?” Evelyn asked.
“Um, no, Evvy,” he said politely. “Actually not every gay person in Carolina knows every other gay person.”
“Hmm,” Evelyn said.
“Where is Bebo this morning, Uncle Scott?” Maggy asked. “We’re supposed to have our first doubles match at noon.”
Scott cut his eyes at Riley. “He’s got a bit of a headache this morning, Mags. But I’ll make sure he gets there in plenty of time.”
“Ohhh.” Maggy nodded knowingly. “A hangover. From the party last night, right?”
“How was the party, Riley?” Evelyn asked, skillfully changing the subject.
“It was nice,” Riley said. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful moon. It looked like it would drop into the ocean it was so huge and low over the water.”
“You must have had a good time. I didn’t hear you come in until after midnight,” Evelyn said.
“Was it that late? I guess I lost track of the time,” she said. She felt her phone buzz in the pocket of her shorts, signaling an incoming text message.
She jumped up and ducked into the butler’s pantry.
The text was from Nate.
Dinner tonight?
I’ll get back to you, she typed.
After Maggy had gone upstairs to change for her tennis match, Riley started clearing the brunch dishes.
“Um, Mama, don’t count on me for dinner tonight,” she said. “Parrish and Ed want me to come over before the fireworks, and I said I would because she’s upset that David and his girlfriend had to cancel their trip.”
“Just tell them to come over here,” Evelyn said. “You know I always plan for extras for Sunday supper.”
“Sunday?” Riley groaned inwardly. “This long holiday weekend has me all mixed up. I was thinking today was Saturday.”
“No. It’s Sunday,” Evelyn said. “I’m doing a tenderloin. Ed loves my tenderloin.”
“I’ll ask,” Riley said. “But the thing is, Parrish bought this gorgeous salmon filet when we went to town Friday, and I know it won’t keep another day. It won’t hurt for me to miss supper here this one time.”
“We always have family supper on Sundays, Riley,” Evelyn said. “You know that. Why would you make other plans?”
“Maybe I want to make other plans,” Riley snapped. “Good God. It’s just one Sunday. Billy and Scott will be here, and so will Maggy.”
“It’s not the same if everybody isn’t here,” Evelyn said, tears welling up in her pale blue eyes. “All I ask of you children is one night a week. Why is that so difficult?”
“Fine!” Riley said, throwing her hands up in defeat. “Fine. I’ll be here. I’ll eat the damn tenderloin, and then I’ll go out.”
“Good,” Evelyn said. “And what about Parrish and Ed?”
“No,” Riley said. “Parrish and Ed are not related to us by blood or marriage, so you don’t get to guilt trip them into making a command appearance here.”
* * *
Riley was waiting on the front porch when Billy pulled up in his golf cart. His hair was still damp from the shower, and the bags under his bloodshot eyes were impressive.
Riley hurried down the steps and snatched the plastic tumbler from her brother’s hand, dumping the contents onto the lawn.
“Hey!” he protested. “That was Sprite.”
“Sprite and what?” Riley demanded.
“Ice cubes. You can smell my breath if you don’t believe me.”
“No, thanks,” Riley said. “You want to drink yourself into a coma at home, be my guest. But I don’t want your niece seeing you shitfaced before noon. She happens to love you, Billy, and she’s already had enough loss in her life this summer.”
“Geez. Would you chill? I just told you I’m stone-cold sober, Miss Breathalyzer.”
“For a change,” Riley said.
Behind them, the screen door opened, and Maggy ran down the steps, racquet in hand. “Ready, Bebo,” she said. Billy had the cart rolling down the drive before Riley had a chance to say good-bye.
* * *
She waited until Evelyn and Roo had gone off to play bridge and the house was empty. Riley took her phone out to the bluff and sat in one of the oversize Adirondack chairs.
Nate picked up on the first ring. “Hi,” he said. “I was hoping you’d call. Are we set for tonight? I could pick up a steak at the market to grill over here, or if you wanted to eat out…”
“I can’t tonight,” she said. “It totally slipped my mind that today is Sunday.”
“You don’t eat dinner on Sunday?” He laughed at his own joke. “Have you joined some weird religious cult?”
“Sunday dinner with the family at Shutters is Mama’s religion,” Riley said.
“Can’t you get out of it, just this once?”
“I tried. It’s pretty much a nonnegotiable issue with her.”
Silence.
“I’d invite you to join us, but I really don’t want to subject you to the whole family just yet,” Riley said. “Mostly, I just want to keep you to myself for a while longer.”
“You mean, you don’t want Maggy to know you’re seeing me,” Nate said. “It’s okay. I guess I get it.”
“This is not what I want,” Riley said, sounding as miserable as she felt.
“How about later, after dinner, for the fireworks?” he asked.
“Perfect,” she said eagerly. “Mama hates fireworks, but Roo loves ’em. I’ll get her to take Maggy, who’ll want to be with her friends on the beach at the club.”
“And where will you say you’re going?” he asked.
“I’ll lie like a rug,” she said cheerfully. “I’m sure Parrish will cover for me with Mama. It’ll be like we were college kids again.”
“I don’t suppose you want me to pick you up?” Nate asked.
“No!” It came out a little faster and a little more emphatic than she’d intended. “I’ll meet you—how about at the Mercantile?”
“Under the cover of darkness?”
“I don’t like this any better than you do,” Riley said. “I’ll be there no later than eight. Okay?”
“See you then,” he said.
Riley was about to dial Parrish when her friend walked out onto the lawn and dropped down onto the chair next to her.
“It’s really uncanny how you always know when I’m about to call you,” Riley said. “It’s like you have some kind of superpower.”