Page 24 of The Book of Summer

“Bess Codman, you’re cute as ever.”

“But it’s a dance,” she says, ignoring Evan and speaking as fast as her mouth will carry her. “And the more he antagonizes her, the more she digs in. I’m trying to compel Cissy toleaveCliff House. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s about to fall into the ocean.”

“All of Nantucket has noticed. I heardVanity Fairis writing an article about it.”

“Fantastic. And my grandmother weeps from the heavens,” Bess says. “Anyway, here’s the problem. I want Cis to leave but the more your father keeps sticking in her craw, the more she’s going to stick around here.”

“Cissy has a lot of craws.”

“Yes, she’s a real craw machine. Swear to God, Evan, if your dad was simply nice to her, if he treated her with a crumb of kindness or respect, she’d get bored and leave. Isn’t that what everyone wants? Cissy would be out of Chappy’s hair and I wouldn’t need to organize a funeral. As much as Cissy torments your dad, he doesn’t want her dead. I don’t think so anyway.”

“No,” Evan says. “He would not want that at all.”

“Can you just convince him to, I don’t know, step away from the fight? At least until I get her out of the house?Please?”

“All right, Bess,” Evan says, eyes softening, the playful spark falling right out of them. “I don’t know that he’ll take advice from me but I can sure as hell try.”

“Thank you.” She exhales. “That’s all I ask.”

As they stand stiff and silent, Bess notices the reflection of her sweatpants in the oven door. A sudden wave of dizziness overtakes her. What must she look like? Evan saw her in that very kitchen, in those very pants, a thousand years ago, back when Bess had the youth to make it seem like a casual outfit choice instead of the very definition of “giving up.”

“So, I’d better—”

“It’s been awhile, Bess,” Evan says, his voice like velvet. “How long?”

“Four years,” she answers with a sharp nod, as if confirming to herself.

“Since your wedding, then? Am I right?”

Bess nods again but won’t catch his eyes.

“Four years,” Evan says. “That’s quite awhile. Guess you didn’t miss this place.”

“Are you kidding?” She looks up. “I’ve missed it with every speck of my being. Sconset is a dream. The ocean. The sand. The wild roses and honeysuckle and bayberries on the dunes. There’s nowhere like it in the world.”

“Wow,” Evan says with a dry laugh. “They say Sconset is a place folks get sentimental about but I didn’t think that’d apply to Dr. Bess Codman.”

“Don’t even start with the ‘doctor’ stuff.”

“I have to say, you weren’t so enamored with the lilacs and bayberries when Cissy dragged you back here to finish up high school with all of us barbaric islanders.”

“Yes, poor me.” Bess rolls her eyes. “Don’t let my teenage surliness fool you. It’s what I wanted.”

“Uh, I thought it wasn’t your choice? If I recall, you were kicked out of boarding school.”

“Was I?” she says with a jokey shrug. “I don’t quite remember it that way. Well, it’s been real, but I’ll let you go.”

Bess pushes off from the counter, as if she needs the extra momentum to get out of that house.

“Thanks, Evan,” she says. “For not being a total jerk about this. Okay. See you later.”

She turns to go.

“We had fun, didn’t we?” Evan calls from where he stands, fixed against the cupboards.

Bess pauses and then peers over her shoulder.

“We did,” she says. “On the other hand, Nantucket can screw with your memories.”