Page 77 of The Summer Club
“Some of the best,” Andi allowed, her voice catching.
Nate smiled softly. “If you’re willing to give it a shot, I want more of this.”
Andi had to look away. His words meant too much. “Nate…” she began.
“What?”
There was so much to say. Things that worried her, things that stood against them. Most of all, how much this meant to her and how much she’d hoped to hear those very words he’d just said. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Nate sat back, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
It was her turn to smile. “Okay. Yes. Let’s give it a shot.”
Nate tipped his head back and started to laugh.
“What?” She didn’t understand. “What’s so funny?”
“After all that, all you can say is ‘okay’?”
Andi made a face. “You asked. I said okay.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Would you like me to reconsider?”
“What I’d like to do is kiss that smart mouth of yours.”
Now two nights later and sitting on the edge of her bed with Molly, Andi wanted to share a small piece of that decision with Molly. To be honest with her teenager.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Molly asked, plopping reluctantly on the bed beside her.
Andi looked at Molly. Already she looked more grown-up that summer. Soon, they’d be home in Connecticut and she’d be starting her freshman year of high school. She had so much ahead of her. And that night was supposed to be special. Andi changed her mind; she wouldn’t tell her yet.
“Nothing,” she said. “I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. Going off to the Vineyard with your dad. Hanging out here with me and the crazy family, despite all the hoopla. You’re a great kid, Molly. I’m lucky to be your mom.”
Molly screwed up her nose. “That’s what you wanted to tell me?”
“Want me to think of something else?”
“Nope! All good.” She jumped up and reached out to her mother. “Now can we stop being sappy and go? We’re going to be late and Grandma will kill you.”
Down at the rehearsal dinner party, Andi found her twin standing by the bar with Martin. “So how’re we doing? Preparing a sarcastic toast? Plotting to burn down Riptide before you go?”
Hugh handed her a drink from a tray of champagne being passed. “Very funny and no. I’ve decided to make peace.”
Andi and Martin exchanged looks of mock horror. “With yourself? Your choices in life?”
“Shut up.” He took a sip of champagne and made a face. “This weekend is too important to Mom and Dad. And Sydney.”
Andi put a congenial arm around him. “Good brother. Was it what Tish said?”
“No, not really. It was more about this place. I never wanted to inherit it for financial reasons—Martin and I are grown-ups. We can take care of ourselves.”
It was exactly how Andi wanted to feel, though, to be honest, it was worth a lot. And she was a single parent with a decent but underwhelming teacher’s salary. “I’m still working on that part,” she admitted.
“No doubt,” Hugh allowed. “We are too.”
Martin nodded. Clearly, the two had had quite a talk.
“But we’ve had a lot of good years, here at Riptide. I’ve got to hope Sydney will keep those going, no matter who owns the place.” He looked at Martin and winked.
Andi wasn’t sure what the wink meant, but from the look on his face Martin seemed to. Maybe they’d reconnected that week, amidst all the family chaos. Chaos did that sometimes; if it didn’t break you, sometimes it pushed you together. Maybe it was something else. Whatever it was, they looked happy and Andi wasn’t about to pry. Despite the heartache of their vacation, there was a wedding to celebrate. Somehow, by some stroke of luck or love, each member of the Darling family had had something good that had come of those two weeks together and Andi would leave it at that.