Page 51 of Summer After Summer

“You should’ve come out here, like the rest of Manhattan.”

“Neither of us wanted that.”

Ashley finishes her drink and picks up the bottle. “Probably a bad idea to have another.”

“Probably.”

“Did you want to avoid me too, Olivia? The other night.”

“Probably.”

“I really am so very sorry.”

“You said.”

“Is there anything I can do to make you believe it?”

I cup my glass in my hands. “The fact that you’re here, trying, helps.”

“I’m glad.” She checks the gold watch on her wrist.

“Do you have to get home?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“You can stay if you like.”

She takes out her phone and taps out a text, her long nails clacking against the screen. She frowns as she waits for a reply, then her features clear. “Dave’s on it.”

“How is Dave?”

She sits in the rocking chair, cradling the bottle the way my mother used to cradle me. “He’s good. You know, he’s a great dad. It’s hard to remember what a dummy he was when we were kids.”

“Not a dummy, exactly,” I say. “Maybe a bit of a bully.”

“He feels so bad about that. We both do.” She puts the bottle down at her feet. “God, we were awful, you know? Both of us.”

“People change.”

“Not around here.”

“This house is going to change pretty soon.”

“That must be weird for you?”

“It’s weird going through everything, especially my mom’s things.”

“I assume Charlotte and Sophie aren’t helping at all.”

“Nope.”

“Why do you let them walk all over you like that?”

I shrug. “It’s the role I play. And I didn’t want all of Mom’s things tossed away like so much trash.”

“And you wanted to see Fred?”

“I didn’t know he’d be here.”

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