“I guess she loves him.”
“It didn’t look like love to me. It looked like coercion. Love is supposed to flow both ways. Have you noticed that Richard never comes with her? He expects her by his side whenever he commands it, but it doesn’t work in reverse.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed.” Emily reached for her sweater. “I’ve sometimes wondered if we’re the problem. Perhaps he doesn’t like us.”
“How can he not like us? We’re awesome!” Brittany grinned and then shrugged. “Honestly? He doesn’t know us. We’ve only met him twice and on both occasions he was so busy working the room he barely did more than nod.”
“We’re not important enough to merit a slice of his very valuable time.”
“We’re important to Skylar. That should mean something, surely? He doesn’t like anything or anyone that takes her away from him. It worries me.”
“It worries me, too. But what worries me most is that she sometimes seems almost scared of him.” Emily stuffed the remains of the picnic into the bag and slid it onto her shoulder. “I’ve been on the phone with her when he’s shown up unexpectedly and she dashes off, even if we were in midsentence.”
“You think he’s physically violent?”
“No! I hope not.” Emily caught her eye and then shook her head. “No, I’m sure he isn’t. He cares too much about his public image to ever lose control like that. But she’s always a little jumpy when she talks about him, and very careful not to upset him. She’s trying very hard to be who he wants her to be and losing who she really is in the process.”
Brittany thought about Skylar, so bright, happy and optimistic. “It’s like watching someone trying to cage a bird and it doesn’t make for comfortable viewing. Think we should say something before she flies back?”
Emily shook her head. “No. She needs to work this one out for herself. She knows we love her and she’ll talk to us when she’s ready.”
“I want to fire an arrow into Richard Everson’s butt and I will still want to fire an arrow into his butt if he wins in November. Why is she even with him?”
“I suspect she’s still trying to please her parents.”
“You’d think that the most important thing to them would be her happiness.”
“That’s the theory. Not always the practice.”
Remembering Emily’s own background, Brittany made an apologetic sound and pulled her friend into a hug, the gesture sending bags tumbling onto the sand. “I’m sorry. I’m a tactless idiot.”
“You’re not. And I’m as worried about Sky as you are. If you’re firing arrows into butts, you could add her parents to the list. Now move your feet. You’re treading on the blanket.” Emily extracted herself and stooped to fold the blanket.
“You can’t ever really see inside another person’s relationship. Maybe it will all work out,” Brittany said doubtfully and Emily gave her a troubled look.
“Maybe. But if it’s right, if it’s really love, I don’t think it should be that complicated, should it?”
“You’re asking the wrong person.” Brittany took the blanket from her and picked up her flip-flops. “I’m starting to think that there is nothing in the world more complicated than love.”
Emily touched her arm. “You really do love him, don’t you?”
Brittany stared out to sea. “I think a small part of me never fell out of love with him. Does that sound crazy?”
“No, it sounds like you. You’re loyal to your friends. You stick with people through thick and thin.” Emily’s hand was warm. Comforting. “Do you think he loves you?”
Brittany thought about the past few weeks, about the gradual shift in their relationship. The laughter, the long talks in the dark while they lay there wrapped together. “I think he does. But it’s hard for him to say those words. He’s never said them to anyone, Em. And if you struggle to trust people, handing over your heart is the ultimate test of trust.”
And she wasn’t sure he could do that.
ZACH EXECUTED A PERFECT landing on the ocean, and his four passengers, a family from Boston who regularly used his services, stepped from the plane onto the dock of the private island they used regularly over the summer months. The days were growing shorter, the temperature falling and the leaves starting to change. Another storm was forecast, but for now the weather was perfect. Maine was dressed up in her finest for the tourists, the sea sparkling in the sunshine.
He arrived back at Puffin Island in time for his last flight of the day.
This time his only passenger was Skylar.
As he landed, he saw Emily’s car swing into the small parking area. The glimpse of a mahogany ponytail in the passenger seat told him Brittany was there, too.
He made his final preflight check, watching out of the corner of his eye as the three women climbed out of the car and hugged.