“Sure. He’s my cousin.”
“Reeeaaallly?” Izzy asked, sounding as though that was the most interesting thing she’d ever heard in her life. “What’s his name?”
&
nbsp; Alix had come to stand beside her friend and they were looking at the man with their breaths held.
“Jared Kingsley.”
“Kingsley?” Alix asked, puzzled, then her face fell. “He isn’t Jared Montgomery?”
The man laughed. He was not bad-looking, but his clothes looked like they hadn’t been washed in a while. “Oh. It’s like that, is it?” He was obviously teasing them. “He’s Kingsley here but he’s Montgomery in America.”
“America?” Izzy asked. “What does that mean?”
“There.” The man pointed across the water. “In America. Where you just came from.”
Both Izzy and Alix smiled at the idea that the island of Nantucket was a separate country.
Izzy wanted to make absolutely sure he was the man they thought he was. “Do you know what he does for a living?”
“He draws house plans. He drew a garage for me and it’s a nice one. I rent out the apartment over it in the summer. You girls need a place to stay?”
It took the two young women a moment to digest the idea that one of the greatest architects in history had been reduced to “he draws house plans.”
Alix spoke first. “No, thanks. I’m—” She broke off because she didn’t want to tell this stranger her business.
He smiled as though he knew what they were thinking. “If you girls are interested in him, you’d better get in line. And you’ll have to put it off because ol’ Jared’s going to be out for at least three days.”
“Thanks,” Izzy said.
“If you change your mind, I’m Wes. Just think of the direction of the beautiful Nantucket sunset and that’s me.”
Izzy and Alix went back around the building to the ice cream shop. They were both starry-eyed. Stunned.
“Jared Montgomery is also Jared Kingsley,” Alix finally managed to say.
It dawned on Izzy what was in her friend’s mind. “And you’re staying in Kingsley House.”
“For a year.”
“Do you think he’s the Mr. Kingsley who lives there with you?” Izzy’s eyes were so wide they were circles. “That he’s the man who’s supposed to help you if you have any problems with the house?”
“No. I mean, I don’t think so. I couldn’t imagine such a thing.”
“But you hope so!” Izzy put her fingers to her temples. “I foresee plumbing disasters by the dozen. You’ll forget and turn on the water and douse him. He’ll have to remove his clothing and you’ll be wet too, then you’ll look at each other and tear your clothes off and—”
Alix was laughing. “I won’t be that blatant but I could see … maybe dropping a packet of my latest designs that just happen to land faceup and right at his feet.”
“That’s good,” Izzy said. “The fabulous sex can come later. First let him see what you can do in the way of architecture, then you sit back and let him take over and be the man. That’s a good plan.”
Alix was dreamy-eyed. “He’ll tell me that he’s never seen such innovative and well-thought-out designs in his life. He’ll say that I have a talent like he’s never seen before and he wants me with him every moment so he can teach me everything he knows. An entire year with my own private tutor. A year of learning and—”
“That’s it!” Izzy said.
“What is?”
“This whole will thing,” Izzy said. “Your mother said that this old woman who you never even met—”