Free The Family Beach House by Holly Chamberlin Page B

nose tattooed. Weren’t nose rings gross enough?
    The only awkward moment came when Adam unnecessarily, and apropos of nothing, recalled the fact that their mother, Charlotte, had won a beauty contest when she was seventeen. What was there to say to that, except, “She must have been very pretty.”
    â€œShe was beautiful,” Adam had replied, the implication being, of course, that Jennifer was not.
    As soon as the dessert plates were cleared into the kitchen, the group drifted onto the big front porch. (Percy, who had a limited tolerance for company, went up to Ruth’s room.) The night was warm. The waves were just audible. Everyone took seats. Craig perched on the wooden rail. He asked Jennifer where she had grown up, and where she had gone to college, and did she miss living in Ogunquit year round.
    â€œOf course she does,” Adam said under his breath. “That’s why she’s with Dad, so she can get her hands on Larchmere.”
    Craig noted that Tilda had gone to Hampstead College, too, and asked his sister what year she had graduated. Tilda told him and Jennifer said that she had graduated the year Tilda was a freshman. No, they hadn’t known each other.
    After about twenty minutes of orchestrating the conversation, Craig announced that he had plans to meet a friend. When he was gone, the conversation went dead.
    Bill looked down at his cell phone and excused himself to take a call from the minister regarding a detail for Charlotte’s memorial service, which was being held at St. Peter’s-by-the-Sea in Cape Neddick.
    When he had gone inside, Adam, who had not addressed Jennifer since dinner, said: “So, Jennifer, Ruth tells us you have a little design business.”
    Jennifer smiled. “Yes. I own an interior design firm.”
    â€œThat must make a nice little pastime.”
    Ruth shot her nephew an angry look, which he ignored. Hannah shot a questioning look to Tilda, who didn’t know how to respond.
    â€œWell,” Jennifer said, with great composure, “as a matter of fact it’s a full-time job. I work at least forty hours a week. And that doesn’t include the time spent commuting from one location to another.”
    Adam laughed. “Hard to imagine that sort of thing would be profitable in this economy. People tend to cut out what’s not necessary and spend only on the important things.”
    The tension on the porch was palpable. Susan looked as if she could leap from her chair and strangle her brother-in-law. Kat looked confused.
    â€œI do just fine,” Jennifer said after a moment, with a tight little smile.
    Ruth cleared her throat and said, “Not to change the subject but—”
    But Adam spoke right over his aunt. “You don’t need a degree for that sort of work, do you? No special training? Just tell people to paint their walls green instead of orange.”
    Tilda was mortified by her brother’s behavior but felt completely incapable of coming to Jennifer’s defense. Yes, she thought, I am truly tongue-tied.
    â€œExcuse me.” Jennifer rose and walked into the house. Ruth got up and followed her.
    The moment the women were gone, Susan turned to Adam. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded. “How could you be so rude?”
    Adam shrugged. “I wasn’t being rude. I was simply asking about her business. I think we have a right to know what our father’s girlfriend does for a living.”
    Kat was looking at her hands, which were flat out on her lap.
    Tilda finally said, “You could have been nicer, Adam.”
    Hannah said, “Yeah.”
    Ruth came back out onto the porch. She looked furious. “Jennifer is leaving for a B and B. Your father is confused. He doesn’t know why she isn’t staying here, as usual. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it’s because his son was an ass to his girlfriend.”
    â€œOh,” Tilda