The three brothers seated themselves on the bench on the starboard side of the ship as it listed port-ward, and they turned toward Long Island, one of the larger islands in the center of the bay. It was a gorgeous day, and the wind was just right.
“So, um,” Derrick began from beside him. “This marriage came up awfully fast.”
William leaned forward beyond him to address Brent. “But Jackie’s awfully nice.”
“Not saying she isn’t,” Derrick said. “I’m just asking…” He viewed Brent directly. “What’s the big rush?”
“You married Olivia after six weeks,” William replied.
“Yeah.” Derrick shook his head. “And look where that landed.”
“I appreciate your concern, little brother,” Brent said. “I really do. But Jackie and I are fine.”
“So what?” Derrick persisted. “You didn’t give her an engagement ring?”
“Of course I did. The one that belonged to Grandmother Margaret’s mother.”
“Yeah? Then where is it?”
William appeared interested in the answer to this question, too.
“She’s getting it sized,” he said, supplying the explanation Jackie had given him. “It was too loose, and she didn’t want to risk losing it.”
“It’s a shame you two couldn’t get that done before the wedding.”
“Yeah, well. I didn’t know it was a problem until recently.” Brent flipped down his sunglasses when the sun glinted against the boat. “And anyway, it’s not the engagement ring that matters for the ceremony. It’s the wedding bands.”
“You have them?” William asked.
Brent chuckled. “Tucked away for safekeeping, yep.”
“Coming about!” their dad shouted. The captain and the men ducked under the swinging boom holding the mainsail as it swerved abruptly in the opposite direction, turning the boat the other way. Then, they were seated on the port side, the wind and the current tugging their vessel along as they sailed parallel to the land.
“Jackie’s much more than meets the eye,” Brent told his brothers when they were newly settled. “She’s more than pretty. She’s accomplished and smart. Sweet and thoughtful, too.”
“I’ll second that last part.” William tugged on the bill of his hat. “She seems awfully sweet, I mean. Sofia took right to her, and Sofia’s always been a great judge of character.” He grinned broadly, patently alluding to himself. “Case in point.”
Brent and Derrick guffawed.
“Yeah, yeah. Sure,” they both said. Then the wind kicked up, its blustery chorus punctuating their happy banter.
…
After Eleanor left, Hope made up an excuse about being tired so she could go back to the carriage house and take a nap. Not that it was a lie. She fell into an exhausted sleep, dozing for more than two hours and completely missing lunch in the main house. She awoke feeling refreshed—and to a mild bubbling sound, drifting into the cottage through the screen door to the deck.
Hope found her mom soaking in the hot tub outside while applying a “Mother of Earth Mud Mask.” It had mostly dried on her face, causing deep grooves and wrinkles where the mud had cracked.
Ava heard her approach and looked up from the paperback novel she was reading. “Oh, hi. How was the nap?”
“Really great, thanks.” Hope took a sip of the coffee she’d brought out with her. Since she’d missed the midday meal, she’d snacked on some more of that delicious banana bread and had also indulged in a few of those yummy cookies. At least nobody was watching her carb intake at the carriage house.
Her mom sat up and set down her book on the folded hot tub cover, which had been slid back on brackets. Warm steam rose up around her as perfuming bubbles percolated nearby. Although she was in her fifties, Ava still had the figure of a thirty-year-old and wore a tiny red bikini.
She claimed she maintained her body through hard work, low carbs, and a StairMaster. Which Hope found admirable. Though she wasn’t about to forgo chocolate and bread herself, she gave her mom credit for the amazing discipline she exhibited in at least one area of her life. In that way, she was a lot like Jackie.
“Did you reach your sister?”
“Not yet. I texted her but haven’t heard back. I’ll try again later.”
“The sooner she gets here the better, in my opinion.” She shot Hope a knowing look. “For all parties concerned.”
Hope slid her phone out of her pocket, checking it again for any missed messages or calls. But there was nothing from Jackie, probably because she was busy wrapping up that Martin wedding and preparing to finally attend a wedding week of her own.
Ava sighed dreamily and ducked down lower in the water so it covered her shoulders. “This is the life. If I’d experienced this side of Blue Hill before, I never would have left it.”
“Ha ha.” Hope took a seat on a lounge chair on the deck, gazing out over the water. A large sailboat was trolling along, and she counted five men on board. A couple of them—a guy wearing a fishing hat and another in a baseball cap—waved their arms while shouting hello. A third man wearing sunglasses gave a slow wave, his smile sparkling, and her heart skipped a beat. She’d know that grin anywhere.
“Look,” she said, standing. “That’s Brent.”
“What? Where?” Ava glanced frantically around, partially blocking her face with upturned hands.
Hope bounced on her feet. “Not here. There.” She held up her phone, recalling Jackie’s instructions to capture as much of the activity as possible on Instagram. What a stellar update this would be.
She otherwise wouldn’t have been able to provide a glimpse of Brent’s sailing trip, but now she could add this fun tidbit to Jackie’s Instagram story. She loaded the Insta app and pressed the camera icon.
Wait. That’s my face. Argh.
She angled her phone toward the water and began filming a video of the big boat sailing past. Afterwards, she’d post it to Jackie’s story.
This was going to be so cool.
Brent spotted her on the deck and waved. With her free hand, Hope waved back. Then Brent surprised her and made an elaborate show of blowing her a dramatic kiss.
“Now that’s smitten,” Ava commented from beside her.
Heat warmed Hope’s face as she tried to end the recording.
Wait. What? Noooo. Where did it go-oh-oh?
She fiddled with her phone, hoping it hadn’t uploaded.