Under a Summer Sky Read Online Free PDF Page B

was my grandfather and his best friend, Nate Shepherd, who really got it going. Legend has it that they used to have some pretty wild parties and invite all the neighbors—and all the kids would come along and have a bonfire down on the beach, and now those kids are the friends who are here tonight.” He smiled and shook his head. “My grandparents were very old school—cocktails at five, Big Band on the radio, getting dressed to the nines for dinner—but no white dresses or slacks before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. It was very ladi-da,” he added wistfully. “But, I guess, after my grandfather died, the gatherings fell apart . . . that is, until my uncle Isaac convinced my dad they should start them up again.”
    “Well, it’s a wonderful tradition.”
    They continued to walk along Nauset Light Beach under the moonlight, watching the beam from the lighthouse skim across the clouds. A rogue wave rushed up the beach, and Laney had to scoot around Noah to avoid getting wet. Laughing, she said, “When I was little, I always thought the foam along the edge of a wave looked like the bubbles on the edge of pancake batter when it’s poured on the griddle.”
    Noah laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
    She bumped him playfully, and he smiled, but then grew quiet.
    “What’s the matter?” she asked.
    He stopped walking and searched her face. “Laney, I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. I don’t want you to ever ask me why I didn’t tell you something.”
    “Okay,” she said tentatively.
    They continued to walk along in silence, and finally, Noah said, “Remember the other night when we were talking about how young my dad was when I was born?”
    She nodded, studying his profile.
    “Well . . .” He paused, struggling to find the right words.
    “You don’t have to tell me.”
    “I do though . . . because it’s part of me, and if we’re going to keep seeing each other—which I hope we are . . . I mean I hope you want to.”
    “I do want to.”
    “Okay, well then it’s something you should know because I have this thing about being completely honest and forthcoming, no matter what the outcome . . . and this is due, in large part, to my dad taking a very long time to answer questions I’d been asking him since I was little. In fact, he didn’t answer everything until I turned sixteen.”
    Laney nodded, and Noah looked over and smiled. “Well, first I should tell you how incredibly blessed I am to have the family I have. My mom—Maddie—is the best mom on earth, and I know she loves me with all her heart. In fact, I don’t think anyone outside the family would even guess she’s not my real mom.”
    Laney looked up in surprise, and Noah’s eyes glistened. “My biological mom’s name was Noelle—she died in childbirth . . . having me.”
    “Oh, Noah, I’m so sorry.”
    He nodded. “More than anything, I wish I’d had the chance to meet her. My dad gave me a photograph of the two of them—it was actually taken at a gin and chowder party,” he added. “She was beautiful. Long dark hair—a little longer than yours—dark blue eyes, and young . . . but older than my dad.” He paused. “This is one of the biggest questions I had. I knew Maddie wasn’t my real mom, but I desperately wanted to know more about the woman who was. And my dad would only say that she died. But, come to find out”—he paused—“she was married.” Laney raised her eyebrows, and in the moonlight, she could see the solemn look on Noah’s face. “And she wasn’t married to just anyone—she was married to my grandfather’s best friend.”
    “No,” Laney whispered softly. “How in the world . . . ?”
    Noah shook his head, as if he had trouble believing it too. “My real mom was a nurse, and she took care of Nate’s first wife, Anna, when she was dying of cancer, so my dad had known her almost all his life. After Anna died, Noelle’s job ended, and she went on to take care of