Page 96 of These Summer Storms

“We’re not allowed,” Emily said. “Jack won’t let us.”

“Who’s Jack?” Gabi asked, looking to Alice.

“He’s Alice’s sailing partner,” Emily replied. “Stern. Handsome. Worked for my dad.”

“Is he?” Gabi asked, suddenly very interested.

Alice scrambled to triage the moment. “The fact that he’s handsome is irrelevant.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” came his deep voice, sending a shiver through her—not that she would ever admit that. Gabi’s and Roxanne’s eyes went wide as he leaned in and extended his hand. “Jack Dean. Nice to meet you.”

“Is it, though?” Alice said, under her breath.

“Gabi Romero-Jiménez,” she said before turning a knowing gaze on Alice, the kind that only decades-long friends could deploy. “And you didn’t even have to trip over a dog leash on the way up. I’m impressed.”

Chapter

14

“You didn’t get aletter?” Gabi said around a mini lobster quiche from the little plate she’d piled high with canapés before suggesting they take a walk along the eastern side of the island, away from the crowds.

“He didn’t leave them for everyone.” Alice paused as another helicopter—would they ever stop?—flew overhead, low and loud as it descended to the landing pad. She looked at her watch, knowing it was wishful thinking—helicopters had clearance to arrive and depart Storm Island until seven, still hours away.

The sound of the helicopter abated, and Gabi said, “Who else didn’t get one?”

“No one. Just me.” Alice raised a hand. “It’s not a thing. I’m fine with it.”

“Okay, well, it’s a very big thing,” Gabi said. “What the fuck, Franklin? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Maybe your mom just…overlooked it? She’s grieving and—”

“First, Elisabeth Storm wouldn’t let a little thing like widowhood getin the way of doing her duty. But in this case, it wasn’t her duty. It was Jack’s.”

“Jack, the hot fixer?”

“Is he hot?” The question came out way too casual to be for real.

“Oh please, we don’t have time for this. The hotness is empirical—the height, the thighs, and the jaw,” Gabi said. “Also hot: the way the two of you circled each other, so I’m definitely planning to get into that on Friday night—you’re coming for dinner.”

Alice smiled. “Deal.”

“In the meantime, though,” Gabi continued, “I’m only here for three hours so stop bullshitting me and please explain why your dad gave the letters for each of you to some guy he works with.”

“He’s not just some guy. Jack was my dad’s second-in-command. And not just the letters—he’s in charge of the whole inheritance game Dad left for us.”

“But couldn’t he have given them all to Sam, who he also worked with?”

“Instead, he told Sam he couldn’t speak for twelve hours a day.”

“With love, Alice, your dad was an asshole.”

“This is what I’ve beensaying,” Alice said.

“So, everyone has something to do.”

Alice nodded and gave Gabi the short version, proving that old friends really are the best kind, because she immediately understood the delight of Sam having to shut up and the pain of Greta having to end it with Tony, and shared the vague sense that whatever truths Elisabeth was required to tell would be uniquely unhinged, and understood the confusion they all felt over Emily’s not having a task at all.