ʺThen Iʹll see you all at six thirty tomorrow in the kitchen. Youʹve done a great job this week, but tomorrow, when the weekenders come, youʹll get your first experience of having a full inn. Get some sleep/ʹ

Will sent Ivy a look that was a sweet, long‐distance kiss, then flicked his eyes to Beth, as if checking on her one more time, and followed Aunt Cindy into the rain.

ʺKELSEY TOLD AUNT CINDY WHAT?ʺ IVY EXCLAIMED the following evening, as she, Beth, and Will nabbed a table at Oliviaʹs, an ice‐cream shop in the village of Orleans.

ʺThat she and Dhanya were meeting us here. I told her, if questions were asked, I wasnʹt covering for them/7

ʺThese guys from Chatham/ʹ Will said, ʺhow does Kelsey know them?ʺ

ʺShe doesnʹt,ʺ Beth replied. ʺThatʹs Kelsey for you. Believe me, thereʹs no stopping her — I learned that the hard way during our summers together in middle school.ʺ

ʺWell, she had better come ready to work tomorrow,ʺ Will said as they scraped their chairs back on the plank floor. ʺIʹm not picking up the It had been a long day for them, cleaning up from the storm and keeping pace with the constant stream of incoming guests and their assortment of requests. Kelsey had claimed she wasnʹt feeling well and had returned to the cottage early, miraculously recovering in time for dinner. Both Beth and Dhanya had headaches, but got through on aspirin and tea.

Ivy had skipped tea for some of Aunt Cindyʹs very potent coffee — the pot kept in the kitchen, not the more guest‐friendly brew served to visitors. She couldnʹt remember the dreams that had kept her tossing and turning the night before, except that Tristan was in them.

Once seated at the ice‐cream shop, Will opened a spiral pad and began to sketch.

ʹYour friendʹs late.”

ʺNo, weʹre early,ʺ Ivy reassured Beth, who had suddenly gotten nervous about her date and asked Will and Ivy to come along.