“Anthony,” said Shelly. Big smile, open arms.

“Shelly,” said Anthony. Smaller smile.

Joy watched them closely as they embraced and did that New York cheek-kissing thing. She didn’t observe any kind of spark between them, any chemistry.

Anthony looked her way and—what was that? Some kind of a salute? Then he turned back to Shelly and said, “You be careful of these things. You eat one, you want to eat ten. They’re little joy bombs, just like the name claims.”

A section of a moment passed and then Shelly said, “Ohhhh!” She smiled. “Joy bombs. I get it.”

“Also my name is Joy. It’s a play on words, you see.”

“Ah. A double entendre, if you will.”

“Oh, I will.”

Shelly laughed a little, not insincerely, and then said, “Anthony Puckett, you are a hard man to track down.”

Anthony glanced at Joy again and then back at Shelly. Did he look a little panicked? And what was going on with this last name?

“Wait,” said Joy to Anthony. Where had Joy heard the name Puckett? She searched her memory and came up empty.

“Hang on,” said Anthony to Shelly.

“Mom?” said Maggie to Joy.

“Anthony?” said Joy.

“We have to talk,” said Shelly to Anthony. “I came all this way to see if we could finally do that thing with your fa—”

“Not now,” said Anthony, cutting her off. Not since that first car ride had Joy seen Anthony blush, not even in the heat of, well, in the heat of the moment, but now she thought she saw some color rise to his cheeks, visible even through his impressive summer tan.

“What?” said Joy, miffed.

“Not you, not now,” said Anthony, looking at Joy. He turned to Shelly. “I mean, you, not now.”

“Oh, come on,” said Shelly. “This is ridiculous. I came all this way! That ferry trip takes fifty-five minutes, you know! To go what, thirteen miles?”

“Why does she keep calling you Anthony Puckett?” asked Joy.

Shelly ignored her. “My feet are killing me, Anthony. I’m not leaving unless it’s to go to a bar and figure this thing out once and for all. I’ve got five different publications lined up for this, ready to rock.”

“Publications?” said Joy. “What kind of publications?”

“Nothing,” said Anthony. “No publications. Shelly, why don’t you come back in a little while? I want to talk first to Joy here.”

“No way,” said Shelly. “We’ve been talking about this all summer. I want to lock this down, Anthony.”

“All summer?” said Joy.

“Joy—” said Anthony.

There were prickles on the back of Joy’s neck and up and down her arms. “You know what?” she said. “You guys go to your bar. Maggie, Olivia is in the back. You call her out here the minute things get busy. I’ve got to run home for a few minutes.”

“Joy—” said Anthony again.

“Anthony?” said Shelly. “What’s going on here? I’m getting a vibe.”

“Joy,” said Anthony, more urgently.

“Uh-uh,” said Joy. “Nope. You, not now.”