Page 24 of Winter Solstice
She needs another project—and fast. A big client.Who are the five people in Boston richer than Grayson Coker?she wonders.
She takes a deep breath. “Stand up,” she says. “People are waiting for us.”
As they’re driving out to the VFW, Jennifer’s phone pings. She checks the display, expecting it to be a report from the babysitter, but she sees it’s a text from Norah Vale. Kevin is driving, Patrick is sitting shotgun, and Isabelle is seated next to Jennifer in the backseat. Jennifer feels a wave of guilt that she is receiving a message from Kevin’s ex-wife. Why is she the only person among the Quinns who is still tethered to Norah?
Well, she knows why. The drugs.
The drugs, even the flicker of the possibility of drugs in Jennifer’s future, are too much to resist. Maybe if she stays away from the oxy… maybe if she just sticks to the Ativan… then at least she will be able to sleep.
She opens the text. It says:I’m assuming you’re on island for Bart’s party? Any chance you can meet me tomorrow for coffee? I’d really like to talk to you about something.
Jennifer knows she should delete the message. Or not respond. She shoulddefinitelynot respond with two glasses of wine sitting on top of her anxiety.
Jennifer gives Isabelle a sidelong glance, then she types back:I may have some time early tomorrow. Where for coffee?
Her phone pings a second later:Hub at 8:30?
Okay,Jennifer responds.See you then.
BART
He knows his mother won’t like it, but oh well. He lifts a bottle of Patrón and two Coronas from the bar and leads Allegra Pancik out the side door of the VFW, where there is, conveniently, a small porch with a table and two chairs overlooking the scrub pines of the state forest.
“But it’s your party,” Allegra says.
“We’ll be back before anyone misses us,” Bart says. “My presence isn’t really required. This is a party my mother threw to makeherselffeel better.”
“Parents,” Allegra says.
Bart isn’t sure what happened, but when he saw Allegra Pancik all dolled up like a geisha, he thought:My siblings are right. I do need a girlfriend.
And.
There.
She.
Is.
She was a freshman at Nantucket High School when he was a senior. So maybe he still has upperclassman allure? She’s not too young for him. At nineteen, she’s an adult, although not old enough to drink.
Legally.
“We’ll each do three shots,” Bart says. “Chased by these beers. Then we’ll go back inside.”
“I’m in,” Allegra says.
Tequila shot #1:
Bart says, “Why are you still on Nantucket? Did you not go to college?”
“Wow,” Allegra says. “Tough questions right off the bat.”
Bart cocks an eyebrow, a trick Centaur taught him while they were still in basic training.
“I went to UMass Dartmouth last year,” Allegra says. “Flunked out. Too much partying.”
“So let me guess,” Bart says. “This wasn’t your first shot of tequila?”
