of the island—something she and Simon used to do so often that she had every twist and turn of the path burned into her memory as vivid as the taste of his lips against hers.
Now, she avoided that route. Took her shortcuts around the island. And Simon would probably be dodging the crawl of tourists who used to slow them down, make them share a glance and a smile, and give them an excuse to park their bikes on the closest patch of sand and climb up onto one of the big rocks that was half-submerged in the water, thigh to thigh, hand in hand.
She knew that Simon would be in none of those places. Simon would be at Hackney’s, Trillium Café, or maybe even the Dockside Grill. And she might just be frequenting one (or all?) of them today.
Maybe she’d see if Naomi wanted to join her. Or maybe she’d push her luck and go alone, see if her heart could handle another evening alone with Simon and all the emotions that he stirred up inside her.
Even now, if she closed her eyes, she could still feel the sensation of his kiss, the exact pressure of his mouth, the way he was always the last to pull away.
Right, she thought sternly, snapping herself out of it. She clearly needed a chaperone. She’d find Naomi. She needed to collect her check from her anyway.
She turned her bike at the next corner, slowing as she approached Lakeside Gifts. Up ahead, she saw Naomi standing a few storefronts down from her shop. She had seasonal help—a girl from Notre Dame who lived on the island from May through the end of August. Still, it was unlike her to step away from the store. Unless…
Ellie quickened her step and saw that, sure enough, Naomi was holding the small pocket flask she’d inherited from her grandfather half a decade ago. She rarely pulled it out, and had made a promise to old Pops to only keep his favorite whiskey in it, something that she’d rolled her eyes over at the time but still honored.
Ellie smothered a smile and willed herself not to laugh as she approached her friend. After all, this was a very stressful time for Naomi. Very, very hard on her nerves.
“They said hello,” Naomi hissed through wild eyes, and Ellie had to bite down on her lower lip. Hard. Through the open window, she could hear Jewel squawking loudly.
“Hello?” he called. “Hello? Helloooo? Hello. Hello?”
It was truly amazing just how many inflections of a single word that bird could conjure up.
She sighed and rested a hand on Naomi’s shoulder. “How long has it been going on for?”
“Forty-five minutes,” Naomi said, blinking back tears. “And the shop doesn’t close until nine tonight.”
The bird squawked louder, desperate to get a response, and beside her, Naomi choked down another sip of her grandfather’s favorite libation.
“The thing is,” Ellie said gently. “Most people say…hello.”
“Shhhh!” Naomi’s eyes were huge as she turned to stare at her head-on. “He’ll hear you,” she whispered urgently. “He was just about to quiet down.”
Was he? Ellie wasn’t so sure of that. Still, the squawking did get a little louder. Frantic, really.
Naomi screwed the cap back on the flask. “It’s going to be a long afternoon,” she sighed, staring miserably down Main Street.
“Do you want me to take him to the studio?”
Naomi looked tempted, but then she shook her head. “The cage is too big to carry. Besides, I love the little guy. I just…” She gripped Ellie’s elbow as the bird let out another squawk. “That word! It won’t stop! I hear it even in my dreams!”
Now Ellie laughed. She had to. “Who was the offender this time?” she asked. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, it ruined Naomi’s entire day. He didn’t stop until the shop closed and a blanket was put over his cage.
“A kid,” Naomi sighed. “I shouldn’t be mad, but…I’m sort of boiling.”
“Let your assistant cover for the rest of the day then. I’m thinking of getting a drink. Or a coffee.” Or…or where else could Simon be?
“Thanks, but we’re swamped. Nice weather. Can’t complain.”
“Well, if you change your mind, call me,” Ellie said.
Naomi nodded wearily as she stepped back into the shop. The bird calls were at a feverous pitch now. “I will. And thanks.”
“That’s what friends are for,” she said, grinning. And it was, she thought, as she continued down the street. And it was another reason why there was no way