Ruth shifted, glanced at her flat chest, and drew in her breath, hoping to add a little volume. Nothing.

Mama nudged Ruth forward as she found a wide grin and walked up to Mrs. Manchester. “It’s wonderful to have you back, Mrs. Manchester. It’s never summer until you arrive.” She greeted every regular guest with that line or a version of it. “Will Mr. Manchester be joining us at the end of the week?”

“Not likely,” Mrs. Manchester said. “He’s very busy with work.”

“Too bad,” Mama said. “We will miss him.”

Bonnie peered over the tops of her glasses at the hotel and sighed, as if already bored.

“Glad to have you back, Bonnie,” Ruth said tightly. “I hope you’ve fared well.”

Bonnie regarded Ruth. “Help me with my bags, Ruth. I want to go for a swim.”

Ruth stood still for a moment. “Did you have a nice winter?”

“We moved into a new house.”

“You moved out of your grandparents’ house?”

“Daddy said it was time we had a place of our own.” She fiddled with a dog charm dangling from a silver bracelet. Her nails were neatly trimmed and painted in a clear coat. “Time to get the bags.”

Ruth chose one of the three luggage carts by the front door and wheeled it toward the car as Mrs. Manchester opened the tailgate. Ruth, Mrs. Manchester, and her mother unloaded the suitcases and stacked them carefully on the cart as Bonnie checked her nails and Pete edged toward the sign that read POOL.

“Peter Jr., do not go far,” Mrs. Manchester warned.

“I’m not,” Pete said, his gaze on the ocean.

“Let’s get checked in, children,” Mrs. Manchester said. “Good to see you again, Ruth. You’ve grown.”

“A full inch,” Ruth said.

Ruth pushed the cart to the glass door, paused, and opened it for Mrs. Manchester and her children. She glanced back to her mother, expecting a smile or sign of encouragement, but instead, she looked slightly stiff. What was it with Mama?

The next car rolled up under the carport, Mama’s grin returned, and Talley stepped up to unload. Ruth propped open the main building’s door with a rock they kept for just such a job and followed the family into the lobby. By the end of the day, they would have repeated this task over two dozen times.

Ruth opened the register and watched as Mrs. Manchester signed it while Bonnie glanced again at her nails and Pete shifted his weight from foot to foot.

“How many more days do we have left?” Pete asked.

Mrs. Manchester sighed as she signed her name and set the pen down. “Pete, we only just arrived. Don’t ask me that question for several days.”

“But how long?”

“Fourteen days.”

Pete grinned. “Can I go swimming?”

Mrs. Manchester’s voice carried whispers of fatigue and annoyance. “As soon as we get to our room and unpacked.”

Ruth followed the family out the south side of the main building down a concrete sidewalk to the last bungalow. The Manchester family reserved the same end unit every year because it had two bedrooms separated by the biggest living room that opened onto the ocean.