It sounded nice to Blue, too. She imagined blue skies, puffy white clouds, and a grassy meadow filled with scampering puppies.

Riley began spreading out the blanket. Without looking up, she said, “You’re Dean’s mom, aren’t you?”

The tea glass stilled in April’s hand. “How do you know that?”

“I know his mom’s name is April. That’s what Blue called you.”

April took a slow sip before she answered. “Yes, I’m his mother.” She didn’t try to lie to Riley but simply stated that she and Dean had a difficult relationship and briefly explained the Susan O’Hara charade. Riley understood celebrity privacy issues and seemed satisfied.

All these secrets, Blue thought. She tugged on her BODY BY BEER T-shirt. “I haven’t made it to the shower yet. Although you won’t see that much difference after I do. I don’t care about clothes.”

“You care in your own way,” April said.

“What do you mean?”

“Clothes are great camouflage.”

“With me, it’s not so much camouflage as comfort.” Not exactly true, but she was only willing to reveal so much.

April’s cell rang. She glanced at the screen and excused herself. Riley lay on the blanket and rested her head on her backpack. Blue watched a pair of ducks go bottoms-up looking for food. “I wish I’d brought my sketch pad,” she said when April returned. “It’s so pretty here.”

“Are you formally trained?”

“Yes and no.” Blue briefly outlined her academic career and the highlights of her less than satisfactory experience with the college art department. A soft wheezy sound drifted their way. Riley had fallen asleep on the blanket.

“I reached her father’s manager,” April said. “He promised someone would be here by the end of the day to pick her up.”

Blue couldn’t believe she was sitting with a person who knew how to reach Jack Patriot’s manager. April nudged a dandelion with the toe of her raffia sandal. “Have you and Dean set a date?”

Blue wouldn’t perpetuate Dean’s lie, but she also didn’t intend to clean up after him. “It hasn’t gotten nearly to that point.”

“As far as I know, you’re the only woman he’s ever asked to marry him.”

“He’s only attracted to me because I’m different. Once the newness wears off, he’ll find a way out.”

“You believe that?”

“I hardly know anything about him,” she said truthfully. “I didn’t even know for sure who his father was until today.”

“He hates talking about his childhood, or at least the parts of it that involve me and Jack. I don’t blame him. I lived a totally irresponsible life.”

Riley sighed in her sleep. Blue cocked her head. “Was it really so bad?”