Free Summer Harbor by Susan Wilson Page B

pal was back. On this sweet-smelling late June night, walking along the bluff with a gibbous moon glimmering a path on the calm ocean, Grainger had an odd, almost physical, sense of knowing peace. He was perfectly happy in that moment, and grateful to have recognized it, however transient it might be. Life would never be better. In the fall, Mack and Kiley would head to college and he would be in the Army. But right now he had his best friend by his side, and his other best friend a few moments away.
    Sometimes he was glad he’d had that one pure moment of clarity, that he’d recognized it for what it was: an incipient nostalgia that graced every movement that night. This was the last summer of their youth and they knew it. Sometimes he wished it had never happened, that he had never known what such peace felt like; and therefore, would never have longed after it.
    Grainger and Mack had paused before going up the steps to the front door of Kiley’s house. They looked up at the light coming from Kiley’s bedroom window. Music spilled out, too faint to identify more than its relentless disco beat. A shadow crossed the window, and that shadow quickly transformed itself into Kiley, golden in the soft bedroom light, dancing to that barely audible music. Silently, they watched Kiley’s private dance. Her arms rose over her head and then fell in graceful arcs as she turned, her dance half ballet and half Flashdance . As she passed in front of the lamp, its light shone through her thin nightdress and her silhouette betrayed the marvelous changes the winter had brought to her.
    Grainger was grateful for the darkness, which hid the amazement in his eyes. He heard Mack’s breath released in a soft whistle. And just like that, everything changed.
     
    Pilot was getting restless at Grainger’s feet. He stood up and shook, then came out from under the table—a forbidden maneuver until beckoned—and looked up at his master as if to say, “Time’s up buddy, it’s walk time.” When Grainger didn’t react, he returned to his former position with his chin on Grainger’s boots, but not without first heaving a great sigh of disappointment.
    Mattie Lou kept coming over and offering Grainger more to drink, a little more dessert? Normally Grainger ate, paid, and left, thirty minutes top to bottom. By now, an hour and a half had gone by. Grainger knew his out-of-character behavior was driving Mattie Lou nuts. She’d had a crush on him since high school. Even though she’d been married twice and had three or four kids, she still loved nothing better than to make flirty remarks that she seemed to reserve just for him.
    “Another beer, or are you waiting for something else?” Mattie twitched an eyebrow at him.
    “No, thanks. I’m okay.” He kept his voice low.
    Grainger was waiting out his opponents. It was like a game Mack and he had played as kids: who can stay underwater longest? He felt a little underwater now, watching Kiley and Will. He knew he could go over to their table, perhaps even should. But a simple, “Hi, how’ve you been in the last eighteen years, and whose kid is this?” wasn’t possible. There was too much that would be forever unsaid if they reduced their reunion to a chance encounter in the Osprey’s Nest. Any conversation Kiley and he might have would be operatic in proportion.

Ten
    The waitress coyly asked if they wanted change of the two twenties Kiley laid down on a thirty-two-dollar tab.
    “No, we’re fine.”
    “That’s a twenty percent tip, Mom.”
    “I’m feeling generous.”
    “Great, can I buy a car?”
    “Not that generous. Besides, you won’t need one at school.”
    “I could drive to school, save you having to take me.”
    “In your dreams, pal.” Kiley shuddered at the idea of her child driving alone along the interstate. Falling prey to nut cases lurking in the rest stops who would steal his car, or do worse. She was going to have to get past wanting to protect him. On the other