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By the time the hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and clams were being passed around, my brothers found me and took a seat. We ate like kings, the way we always did on Labor Day weekend, feasting on every good summer food—the smell of the charcoal grill and the wood fire in the air and the sweet watermelon that crowded our plates for space with meat. We toasted with our beer bottles to another great year.
Soon, Jeremy followed my line of vision, “She grew up to be something else,” he said with a low whistle.
“Yeah, she’s staying at the house for the weekend,” Rory added.
I groaned out loud. Rory chuckled. “Dibs on the first cold shower.”
“Bright side, brothers,” Jeremy said wryly. “No more arguing when somebody used up all the hot water before your shower. We don’t need any hot water at all this weekend.”
We clinked our beer bottles together in tacit agreement. Then we looked at each other and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Kendall demanded as she and Julie walked up.
“The stuffy people at this party,” I said quickly. “Jeremy spends enough time with the upper crust that his version of what they’re probably talking about it is hilarious.”
“Aw, thanks, bro,” Jeremy said with an eye roll. “I’m glad I’m pretentious enough to keep you amused.”
“Always have been,” Rory said, helping us cover.
“Well, give us a sample,” Kendall said.
Jeremy cleared his throat, slid his eyes to me for a second which I knew meant, thanks for putting me on the spot. “That group over there?” he indicated several women and one man, all friends from the Hamptons that came most years. “See the blonde? That’s Mrs. Pillover. She’s showing them her new Apple watch band. They’re all jealous because she had the winning bid at Sotheby’s. Got the one-of-a-kind, verified leather strap from Thomas Jefferson’s backpack. She had it made into a special, historically significant smart watch strap.”
They laughed and I gave a chuckle myself. “His backpack?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Yeah, he had a backpack. Probably invented them. He carried it all over Monticello, used it to haul his portable surveying equipment.”
“That was George Washington,” Julie said.
“No, Jefferson built Monticello.”
“Yes, but he wasn’t a surveyor. That was Washington. After his dad died, he got work trekking into the Shenandoah Valley to survey it when he was like fourteen or something. Jefferson was a man of letters, dabbled in architecture. Not a math and measurement guy. Have you seen his failed calendar at Monticello? They had to cut a hole in the floor because he measured wrong.”
We sort of gaped at her casual knowledge, her gentleness at correcting Jeremy. We were all just talking shit, but she was serious about the history of our nation—without showing off or making anyone feel bad. I was seriously impressed. After a second we all wheeled our gaze at Jeremy and started cracking up. He shrugged, “What, I’m supposed to know we have a scholar in our midst? I’m used to bullshitting my brothers that don’t know any better.”
That just made us laugh harder. Julie practically doubled over giggling and had to put out a hand to steady herself as tears of laughter streamed down her face. I liked to see her laughing. It felt freeing to me, and when her hand landed on my shoulder as she reached out to secure her footing, I sure as hell liked that even more. I might have to book an extra slot in that cold shower tonight.
7
JULIE
“It’s late and I’m about to pee my pants. Stop making me laugh!” I giggled with tears in my eyes. “I’m going to bed.”
“Sounds like you better go pee first,” Kendall said.
“I’m serious! I have to get some sleep!”
I gave my bestie a half-hug and stumbled toward the house. I stood up tall and stretched my back, took slow breaths to get over the giggle fit. Those guys were hysterical with the convos they made up for the rich people at the party. Kendall and I had jumped in and acted out a ridiculous exchange between two uber-wealthy women arguing over whose plastic surgeon was better. I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time, maybe not since I was a kid. It felt so good to let loose like that. The only problem was everybody down on the patio didn’t have a care in the world. I had a dangerous ex about to walk free, and he’d be walking straight to me if I knew anything about him.
I shook that off and tried to pull myself together. It was not time to go into a terror spiral about Eric. I was far away from him, and I had this one weekend to relax and kick back with my bestie and her family. It was my first real break in years, and I’d be a fool not to make the most of it. Here were people who knew me and cared and were kind. I had the gift of this weekend and I wasn’t going to ruin it by moping around. I just needed to get some sleep. I felt frazzled after working double shifts to get the weekend off. I’d be fine after a good night’s rest, waking up in this beachside house that might as well be a palace, all blonde wood and coastal accents.
