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“Sandra isn’t as perfect for me as you would have been, Allie. I need settling down.”
“You?” She lifted her sunglasses to peer at him, wondering what he’d think about her level of wildness if he’d seen her seduce his brother. “You’d be miserable settled down.”
“No, it’s time. I’m thirty. I’ve been running wild too long.”
“Well, then settle down with someone who can run wild the way you need to, Erik. Like Sandra.”
Erik was quiet for a while, scooping sand and letting it trickle through his fingers. Had she reached him? “Maybe you’re right. I need someone wilder than you. And you need someone steadier than me. Like Jonas.”
“Nah.” She kept her voice dismissive, annoyed with her racing heart. “We’re just having fun. He lives in Boston, I live in New York—”
“Where you don’t have a job. Perfect time to move.” He snapped his fingers. “Hey, I can get ordained online and marry you guys.”
“Erik!” She was laughing now in protest. “Enough.”
“I’d love to have you as my sister-in-law,” he said. “You could name your first child Erik. And your second.”
Her phone rang. She dug it out of her beach bag, saving Erik from a mouthful of sand, and checked the display. Da Vinci Design! “Ooh, job phone call!”
He crossed fingers on both hands. “Good luck!”
“Hello?” Allie struggled to her feet, feeling silly taking a business call lying in the sand in a bathing suit top and shorts.
“Hello, Alison. This is Jennifer Birchfield from Da Vinci Design. I’m calling to tell you that we were impressed with your résumé and would like to have you in to talk about the assistant art director position.”
Allie whirled to face Erik and pumped her fist. “Thank you, that would be great. I’m very interested.”
Erik gave her a double thumbs-up.
“We’re talking to people tomorrow. Can you come in at four?”
“Absolutely. See you then.” Allie ended the call and let out a woo-hoo that Jennifer Birchfield could probably hear in the city.
“Interview?”
“Interview! Tomorrow! With Da Vinci! Assistant art director! I’m totally qualified. I have a good feeling about this.”
“Do you have to leave tonight?” He looked crestfallen.
Allie’s grin drooped and she felt a strange panic. No, she didn’t have to leave that night, but she would have to leave early the next morning, depending on train or bus schedules. She wouldn’t be able to get back until late tomorrow night. Or there might be a second interview she’d need to stay in the city for. Jonas was leaving Lake George first thing Wednesday morning.
Tonight could be their last night together.
* * *
JONAS LIT THE charcoal in the tiny grill on the cottage’s back deck. You couldn’t beat burgers on a hot summer evening. And these had a twist, with store-bought pesto mixed into the beef, and slices of tomato and fresh mozzarella waiting to top them. A burger caprese salad. He’d bought asparagus to grill, and of course, a bag of Lay’s classic potato chips, his favorite. And watermelon.
On the counter sat a bottle of Bartolo Mascarello’s 2008 Barbera d’Alba, a medium-bodied red that wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the strong flavors in the burgers. A Duke Ellington album he’d bought on iTunes earlier that afternoon was playing on the iPod.
He was nervous, and not exactly sure why. He and Allie had had a nice day together yesterday and again today. After a run and swim that morning, they’d packed lunch and driven around to the east side of the lake for a short hike at Shelving Rock Falls, an easy three-and-a-half-mile round-trip, but a beautiful one, with spectacular views. He hadn’t done that trail since he was a kid. Allie had seemed fairly relaxed, though he still had the feeling she was holding back, reluctant to open up about herself. Whether from fear or reticence, he wasn’t sure.
Everything she did say seemed to come straight from her heart or her funny bone. Spending time with her made him realize too many of his interactions with friends and colleagues were superficial and serious. One of the reasons he enjoyed Sandra was how much she made him laugh. But apart from her, he’d somehow lost touch with the fun people in his life.
God forbid he turn into his father, obsessed with his studies, socializing only with other serious academics, attending parties with what seemed to be a permanent scowl. Dad had even been somber and intense about golf and tennis. Did he ever cut loose? Jonas couldn’t imagine.
With Allie, Jonas was rediscovering—or maybe discovering for the first time—a more playful part of himself.
