“Tea is ready,” Sig announced from the threshold, prompting Leo and me to turn to him in unison. He gave us a look as if perhaps he knew he’d interrupted a moment. “Made some crumpets, too, since she was clearly expecting a more proper tea.”
“Thank you, oh domestic one,” Leo said before turning to me. “He’s definitely the cook in this relationship.”
I followed them out into a grand dining room, where Sig had set up a formal-looking tea service. A mountain of crumpets were stacked atop each other on a plate.
“So, you actually made these?” I asked.
“Yes. From scratch.”
“Impressive.”
“There aren’t many ingredients,” Sig said. “Make sure you eat one before they cool. There’s nothing like melted butter on them.”
I grabbed one and buttered it. It was exactly as he’d promised, savory and delicious. Leo took it upon himself to pour me a cup of tea. That was sweet.
Sig crossed his arms. “So, Felicity, what is it that two single guys do for fun around here?”
“You’re asking me?” I said with my mouth full of crumpet. “Seems like you two have no problems finding fun, with your parties and all.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Parties?”
“Yeah, I saw the flashing lights coming from here one night, and I’ve heard music from across the bay more than once.”
Leo shook his head. “There was no party. That was Sigmund playing his music and fucking with me. We haven’t really met anyone since we’ve gotten here. The previous inhabitants installed those strobe lights and the sound system.”
I chuckled. “Well, that’s sort of bizarre. I just assumed you were party animals.”
“Anyway, you never answered my question,” Sig said. “What’s hot around here?”
“Well, there’s the bar by the beach. A lot of people hang out there, even on weeknights. Then there’s the center of town. There are a lot of nice restaurants. But if you chose to spend a portion of your US trip here, of all places, you may not be looking for exciting night life.”
“Sig and I have wanted different things out of this trip,” Leo said. “Narragansett was his compromise to me since I put up with the other locations. And I’m most definitely looking for peace.”
“I’m looking for a piece of something too.” Sig winked.
Leo rolled his eyes. “Never mind tourists. Tell me, what do the locals like to do?”
“Things are pretty laid-back here. We mostly sit on our decks and drink beer, or watch the sunset over the bay. We might go clamming or fishing and see what fresh catch we can bring home for dinner.”
Leo smiled. “You fish?”
“Occasionally. Although, I’d need a boat to get to some of the best parts of the bay for quahoging.”
“Co-what?” Leo asked.
“Quahoging. The act of digging for quahogs. Clams.”
“Ah. You need a boat to do that?”
“Well, there’s a section of the bay where you can harvest a lot, but you need a boat to get there from here.”
“I see.” Leo licked butter off the side of his lips. “If I can get a boat, will you take us there?”
“Um…I don’t know...” I stammered.
Leo’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to volunteer you to be our tour guide. That’s not your job.”
“I just don’t know if I can commit to anything right now. I’m in the process of looking for a summer job. I have a couple of leads, so I don’t know my schedule for much longer.”
He nodded, still seeming disappointed. “Fair enough.”
I exhaled. “So...how long are you guys here exactly?”
“Until the end of August,” Leo answered.
“Leaving sooner would be my preference,” Sig interjected. “I’m more eager to return home than Leo.”
“Then you guys head back to England?”
Leo sighed. “That’s the plan.”
“His family will have his balls if he doesn’t come back by September,” Sig interjected.
Leo chose to move on. “So, you said you’re going to law school in the fall. Tell me more. Which school and what type of law are you looking to specialize in?”
“Drexel. And I want to use my degree to work in child advocacy someday, to help children who grew up the way I did. That’s very important to me, to do something close to my heart where I can make a difference.”
“If only everyone followed their passion, the world would be a better place.” Leo smiled.
Sig looked between us. “Did I miss something? Children who grew up the way you did?”
“I told your cousin earlier that I grew up in the foster care system.”
“An orphan?”
I hated that term. “Yes.”
Sig blinked a few times. “Let me get this straight. You’re a redheaded orphan. You live with an older woman. Is her name Miss Hannigan, by any chance?” He tilted his head. “Do you have a dog named Sandy?”
Very funny. I rolled my eyes. “I think it’s pretty hysterical how well you know Annie, Sig. I wouldn’t have taken you for someone so well-versed in musicals. First Mary Poppins, now this.”
Leo’s face reddened as he turned to his cousin. “You are an absolute buffoon.”
“And you’re…Daddy Warbucks, apparently.”
Leo nearly spit out his tea.
“Actually, our nan took me to see Annie in London when I was a kid.” Sig looked over at me. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop being an arsehole for now,” he said. For the first time since I’d met him, he seemed genuinely interested. “What happened to your family?”
Before I could answer, Leo said, “I don’t think you need to be prying into her background right now. Let the girl enjoy her tea without having to give you her life’s story.”
“I don’t have a problem talking about it,” I insisted.
Leo nodded.
I braced myself to explain. “My mother died of a drug overdose when I was seven. She’d been estranged from her family long before I was born. When you’re left without a parent at that age, you don’t have people eager to adopt you. People prefer newborns, not scrawny seven-year-olds who don’t talk much. So, I was placed in various homes, but for one reason or another, no one was ever able to adopt me. I got very lucky—made it through the system without being physically or emotionally harmed. That’s not the case for many kids. So, bottom line, someday I’d like to be able to help those who are less fortunate than I was.”
Sig nodded. “That’s commendable.”
“Is that a compliment from your snarky ass?” I asked.
Leo snorted.
I shifted my focus to him. “What is it that you do, Sigmund?”
“Besides lurk in the shadows of my much better-looking and successful cousin, you mean?” He stood suddenly. “It seems I might have matched with a gorgeous Persian girl who’s approximately two miles away. I need to get ready.” He lifted his teacup toward me. “Nice chatting with you, Freckles. I mean, Felicity.” He winked.