Evvie at Sixteen (8 page)

“Have a good time, Evvie,” Mrs. Baker replied. “And don't worry about your aunt. I'll take good care of her.”

“I know you will,” Evvie said, trying not to laugh. Somehow Mrs. Baker had gotten the idea that Evvie was now taking care of Aunt Grace, which, of course, was nonsense. At best she was keeping her company most of the day. At worst, she was aggravating the old woman in between spurts of pillow fluffing and mystery reading. But Mrs. Baker was still doing the caretaking.

Even so, the thought of a lunch away was intoxicating. Evvie didn't care how young or bratty Clark's cousins might prove to be, or how provincial their mother, fresh from Syracuse or Wilmington, might seem. They weren't old. And after a mere two and a half days with Aunt Grace, anyone who wasn't old was a pleasure.

Evvie jogged the half mile to Clark's house, eager to put distance between her and Grace. Besides, she had yet to see Clark's Eastgate home. It had figured in a few of Megs's reminiscences, and Evvie was curious to see what it was like.

As soon as she rang the doorbell, she knew what it would be like, and as soon as the maid opened the door, she saw she was right. Clark's house was almost identical to Grace's, same breathtaking views of the ocean, same thrown-together country feeling. Evvie smiled. She'd have to tell Sam that once you'd seen one summer person's home, you'd seen them all. That should cut down on his feelings of being outside looking in.

“Evvie, do come in,” Clark said, and he gave her hand a squeeze hello. “Brad, Vivienne, please say hello to Evvie Sebastian. Evvie is Meg Winslow's daughter, Brad. You remember Meg.”

“The most beautiful girl in Eastgate,” Brad replied. “Much too young for me, Vivienne my dear. Evvie, how is your mother?”

“Fine,” Evvie said, since that, she assumed, was what he wanted to hear.

“Sebastian,” Brad said. “That name sounds familiar.”

“It's Father's name, dear,” Vivienne said.

“I know that,” Brad said. “No, as a last name. What's your father's first name, Evvie?”

“Nick,” Evvie said. “Nicholas.” It occurred to her that Brad might have been involved in one of Nicky's less successful schemes, and she grew almost faint from the thought.

“Nick Sebastian,” Brad said. “I know. He was up here one summer, made quite a stir.”

Evvie smiled with relief. “That was the summer he met my mother,” she said. “The summer they fell in love.”

“That's it,” Brad said. “It was all very romantic, very scandalous. Families disapproved. Romeo and Juliet. They're still married?”

“Yes, they are,” Evvie said.

“There's something to be said for romance, then,” Brad declared.

“We had a romance,” Vivienne said. “Although my husband seems to have forgotten it.”

“But this was in the old school of romance,” Brad said. “Secret meetings, broken hearts. Clark's among them, isn't that true?”

“I was young,” Clark said. “It mended. Meanwhile, Nick and Meg had four daughters. Evvie is the oldest. She's spending the summer at Grace Winslow's.”

“Grace,” Brad said, and snapped his fingers. “That's right. The rigid, Puritanical, old maid aunt, fighting to keep the young lovers separated. How is she these days?”

“She sends her rigid Puritanical regards to you,” Evvie said. She might not like Aunt Grace, but Mr. Hughes had no right to be nasty. “She specifically remembered a drunk-driving incident.”

“A lot of fuss over very little,” Brad said, but Evvie was pleased to see he was disconcerted. “I hit a cow. Damn thing had no business being on the road. Did more damage to my car than to the cow. Father paid off the farmer. It was nothing really.”

“I'd forgotten all about that,” Clark said. “Grace has a wonderful memory for things we'd all prefer to forget.”

“I never knew about it,” Vivienne said. “What other youthful indiscretions have you been keeping from me, Brad dear?”

“Whatever they've been, I'm sure you'll find out all about them while we're in Egypt,” Brad said. “Evvie, is your mother still beautiful?”

Evvie nodded.

“And your father still handsome?”

She nodded again.

Brad shook his head. “Good looks, charm, and a happy marriage,” he said. “Money, too, I suppose.”

“We have enough,” Evvie said, as she'd been taught to, years before.

“Extraordinary,” Brad said. “Well, I suppose you've been invited here to meet my boys.”

“Our boys,” Vivienne said. “Clark said you'd been gracious enough to agree to spend some time with them over the summer, Evvie.”

“If they want to,” Evvie said. “I don't know what their plans are.”

“They have no plans,” Brad said.

“They plan to relax, swim at the beach, maybe fall in love,” Vivienne said, smiling at Evvie. “I assume those are pretty much the same plans you have for this summer.”

“I'm here to visit my Aunt Grace,” Evvie said. “Her foot is broken. So I won't have much time to fall in love.”

“It doesn't take much time,” Vivienne said. “Clark dear, why don't you find the boys, and tell them to come down. I'm sure they've settled in sufficiently.”

“Whatever you say, Vivienne,” Clark replied, and left the room. Evvie wasn't thrilled to be alone with the Hugheses, but she didn't see any alternatives. So she walked over to the window, drew the curtain aside, and stared out at the ocean.

“How old are you, Evvie?” Vivienne asked.

“Sixteen,” Evvie replied. “I'll be a junior in September.”

“Schyler's entering his senior year,” Vivienne said. “And Scotty's going to be a sophomore. They both attend Mayfield Academy. Do you know it?”

“I know of it,” Evvie said.

“And where do you go to school?” Vivienne asked.

Evvie realized she didn't know the name of the school she'd be going to. She was about to admit it, until she realized it didn't matter. She could lie. “Wilson High School,” she said.

“A public high school?” Vivienne asked.

Evvie nodded. “We went to private schools when we were younger,” she said, which was only partly untrue. “But my parents thought a public high school would be better. We'd get to meet a wider variety of people that way. My parents are opposed to us knowing only our own kind.” She was proud of herself for getting that speech out. As far as she knew, the Sebastians were the only people of their kind.

“We have to send our boys to a prep school,” Vivienne said. “Bradford travels so much on business, and I like to go with him when I can.”

“Mayfield was good enough for me, it's good enough for my sons,” Brad declared. “Good enough for my father, too, for that matter. His father before him. The Hugheses always go to Mayfield. Mayfield, then Dartmouth. Nothing wrong with that.”

“It sounds good to me,” Evvie said. She wondered where the cow had gone to school, but knew better than to ask. Sam would ask, she thought, and realized how much she wished he was there with her.

She felt that way until Schyler and Scotty entered the living room, and then she was very glad Sam was wherever he was. Schyler Hughes turned out to be the best-looking boy she had ever seen. He had dark hair, pure blue eyes, and a genuine cleft in his chin.

Scotty, she noticed quickly, was also good-looking, and Evvie automatically felt a twinge that Thea wasn't there to fall in love with him. But Schyler was a stunner. The only person Evvie knew who was so immediately breathtaking was Claire.

“Evvie, I'd like you to meet my two young cousins,” Clark said. “Schyler and Scotty Hughes. Boys, this is Evvie Sebastian. She's staying down the road from us this summer.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Evvie,” Schyler said, and he smiled at her. Evvie thought her knees would buckle, and when he made eye contact, she was sure of it. But her parents had taught her how to handle any emotional situation, so she knew to smile and say hello and give nothing away.

“We were just talking about schools,” Vivienne told her sons. “Evvie goes to a public high school.”

“Oh, really?” Schyler said. “Where?”

For a moment, Evvie couldn't remember where. Someplace with an
H
she thought. Or maybe an
R.

“Harrison,” she said. “In Pennsylvania.” She felt relieved that she knew where her family was, just in case she needed them in the next twenty seconds.

“I don't think I know it,” Vivienne said. “Is it near Philadelphia?”

Evvie shook her head. “It isn't near anything,” she said. “It just exists on its own plane in the universe.”

“Meg and Nick create their own universe, wherever they go,” Clark said. “They're extraordinary that way.”

“Have you lived there long?” Vivienne persisted.

About two weeks seemed like a terrible answer. “We moved there fairly recently,” Evvie said. “Where do you live, Mrs. Hughes, when you're not traveling?”

“Boston, of course,” she replied. “Do you think Brad would let us live anywhere else?”

“It was good enough for Grandfather,” Brad said. “And for Father as well. It certainly should be good enough for you.”

“I'm from Raleigh originally,” Vivienne declared. “Which, in Brad's eyes, means I'm fresh off the boat.”

“Mother, I really don't think Evvie is interested in our family history,” Schyler said.

“Schyler has a point,” Clark said. “Boys, why don't you take Evvie to the deck, and walk on the beach for a few minutes. I'll call you when lunch is ready.”

“Thanks, Clark,” Schyler said, and before Evvie knew it, he had linked arms with her, and was escorting her out of the room. The boy was slick.

Scotty trailed behind them. Evvie would have felt sorry for him, except she wished he weren't there. Some other time she might enjoy getting to know him, but right then, all she wanted to do was spend some time staring into Schyler's sky-blue eyes.

“I like Clark's house,” Schyler declared as he walked with Evvie to the deck. “It's old-fashioned, of course, but it's quite comfortable. And it's right on the ocean.”

“My Aunt Grace's house is very much like it,” Evvie said.

“I don't know your aunt well,” Schyler replied. “Am I going to like her?”

“I doubt it,” Evvie said. “She's an acquired taste. Like arsenic.”

Schyler laughed. He took Evvie's hand, and walked down the steps to the beach below.

“Why are you staying with her if you don't like her?” Scotty asked, following them.

“My parents asked me to,” Evvie said. “Aunt Grace broke her foot, and they thought she'd like some company.”

“We're here because Mom and Dad are going away for the summer,” Scotty said. “Again. Last summer they sent us to camp, but Schyler got a girl in trouble, and he was kicked out.”

“It was nothing,” Schyler said. “She missed curfew, that's all. To hear Scotty tell it, we had to have a shotgun wedding.”

“I'm glad you didn't,” Evvie said.

“So am I,” Schyler said, and he smiled at her. Evvie wasn't surprised to see he had a thousand perfectly straight glowing white teeth.

“I wouldn't have minded going to computer camp this summer,” Scotty said. “Do you like computers, Evvie?”

“I don't dislike them,” Evvie replied.

“I love computers,” Scotty said. “When I grow up, I'm going to start my own computer company and make billions of dollars. What are you going to do, Evvie?”

“I don't know yet,” Evvie said. “But I don't think I'll make billions at it.”

Schyler laughed. “You won't have to,” he said. “A girl as pretty as you are will have your choice of men. You can marry someone who's already made his billions.”

“What a timesaver,” Evvie replied. “Scotty, will you marry me?”

“I'm never getting married,” he said. “I might get divorced if I got married, and then I'd have to give away half my billions. Forget it.”

“My first rejection,” Evvie said.

“Ask me,” Schyler said. “You might have better luck.”

“Do you have billions?” Evvie asked.

Schyler shook his head.

“We have trust funds,” Scotty said. “But we don't have billions.”

“Sorry, then,” Evvie said. “Trust funds are a dime a dozen. If I'm going to get engaged today, it had better be to someone with billions.”

“You'd do better to ask Cousin Clark, then,” Schyler said. “He's the one with the really big money around here.”

“Clark doesn't even work,” Scotty said. “He's so rich he doesn't have to. That's why we're here. Dad doesn't like him, but Mom figures Clark doesn't have any kids of his own and maybe he'll put us in his will. We have to behave ourselves all summer long and not get into any trouble.”

“Do you get into trouble a lot, Scotty?” Evvie asked.

“I don't,” Scotty said. “But Schyler sure does.”

“I do not,” Schyler said. “Scotty, if your brain was half as big as your mouth, you'd already be worth those billions.”

“What did I say?” Scotty asked.

“Too much,” Schyler replied. “Are you going to have much time away from your aunt?” he asked Evvie.

“It's hard to say,” Evvie replied.

“I hope you will,” Schyler said.

“I hope so, too,” Evvie said. “Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Certainly,” Schyler said. “Do you know where it is?”

“In the house somewhere, I assume,” Evvie said. “I'll be back in a minute.” She smiled at the boys, and walked to the house.

“Ah, Evvie,” Clark said, opening the door in response to her ring. “Is something the matter?”

“Just making a rest stop,” Evvie told him. “I left the boys out back.”