“My favorite kind.” Izzy led them to the kitchen, and they found room on the counter to set the potato salad and brownies down. “There’s wine and beer, help yourself to whatever you’d like to drink. Will’s outside on the grill so wander out to the deck whenever you get hungry. He’s making his famous Juicy Lucy burgers and hot dogs.”

“What’s a Juicy Lucy burger?” Lucy asked.

Izzy grinned. “It’s out of this world delicious. Seasoned meat with lots of cheese in the middle of the burger.”

“I think I have to try one of those,” Lucy said.

Paula and Lucy poured themselves glasses of chardonnay, made their way out to the deck and said hello to Mia. Hallie was there, too, and Marco. Paula looked around but didn’t see any sign of Andrea.

“Is Nick here, too?” she asked her cousin.

Hallie shook her head. “No, he’s working tonight. You know how busy Saturday nights are in the restaurant.”

“That’s true. I know he has someone that covers now and then.”

“He does, but he tries to save it for something he really needs the time off for. He’d have fun here, but he doesn’t really know Mia and Izzy like we do.”

“Who is that tall guy talking to Mia?” He looked familiar to Paula, but she couldn’t quite place him. He had dark hair and a smile that lit up his face.

“That’s her next-door neighbor, Ben. He was at the hotel last year for his sister’s wedding. It was one of the biggest I’ve ever done. They live in Manhattan, Upper East Side. It was a spare-no-expenses wedding.”

“Right. That’s why he looked familiar.”

Mia looked up and saw them, and waved them over. She gave them both hugs and introduced them to Ben.

“Paula and Lucy both work at The Whitley where your sister was married,” she said.

Ben smiled and shook both of their hands. “Great to meet you. My sister’s wedding was something else. It’s a beautiful spot.”

Paula nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’m also Mia’s next-door neighbor—well, part of the year.”

“You live in Manhattan, too?” Paula asked.

“I do, but I love it here. During the summer months I mostly work from here and only fly back occasionally if it’s a meeting I can’t get out of.”

“What do you do?” Lucy asked.

“Real estate development, mostly. I have some buildings I’ve bought and rent out or bought and flipped. And I do educational training stuff. That I can do online, so it’s what I focus on more when I’m here.”

“You’re here for the season now?” Lucy asked.

“I am. I’m going to do everything possible to avoid leaving this island for the next few months.”

“Ben!” Someone hollered from the living room. “You gotta come see this!”