William Hightower was still MIA, and Deirdre and Nicole were still in Miami when the second episode of Do Over aired. Avery, Maddie, Kyra, and Roberto watched it on William’s big-screen TV in the sawdust-scented space, sprawled on his living room couch. Troy and Anthony shot and recorded their reactions, which in Avery’s case went from mildly nauseated to ready to hurl as they once again watched themselves at their worst: struggling to nurse the Millicent back to life while adjusting to the fact that they were being turned into reality TV stars—every bit as reluctantly as William Hightower was being forced to turn his private island into a B and B.

“Mario looks pretty good for a man his age,” Roberto said.

“Yes.” Avery was grateful to have something positive to say. “And the man can cook, too.”

“All Dante men cook. It’s in our genes. And our mammas teach us. It’s also part of our mating ritual.” Roberto’s smile turned mischievous. “It looks like he had a little bit of a crush on Madeline.”

“Oh, no. He was very sweet to all of us.” Maddie said this quickly. “And I was married then.”

Roberto shrugged. “Sometimes married or not married isn’t the most important thing.”

“I can hardly believe how awful we’ve been made to look.” Kyra had her laptop on her lap. Dustin sat on the couch beside her. She spoke directly into the lens of the camera Troy held on his shoulder.

“From what I’ve seen online, people are watching and talking about the show.” Avery’s eyes were on the screen. The show was like a train wreck from which she couldn’t look away.

“It’s good that we have an audience. I mean, we need there to be a big one, right?” Maddie hesitated. “It’s just that we look so vulnerable. And inept.”

“Yes, let’s not forget inept.” Kyra’s tone was dry and angry. “Avery’s the only one who looked like she had any idea of what was going on.”

“That’s because she was.” Maddie sighed.

Kyra’s fingers moved on the keyboard of her laptop. “Great. Someone went on the Do Over Facebook page and offered to do our hair and makeup free of charge.” She tapped some more. “Someone else offered financial coaching to dig us out of the hole we’re in so that we won’t have to humiliate ourselves on national television.”

Avery was too appalled even to groan in embarrassment.

More keyboard tapping. “There are a lot of posts loving Max Golden and the Millicent.”

“And Dustin’s a pretty big hit, too.” Kyra sounded far less happy about this.

The program finally ended on a freeze-frame of Max and Dustin at the kitchen table. There was a promo promising “surprising revelations” to come. Troy and Anthony circled them, shooting at will.

“Max is getting all kinds of fan emails and posts. There was news coverage last August about what happened, but a lot of the people watching and falling in love with him don’t know that he’s . . . gone. I’m not sure how the scene with Parker Amherst is going to go over.” Kyra closed the laptop, set it aside, and pulled Dustin onto her lap.

“It’s so bittersweet to watch him,” Avery said.

“But you know he would have loved all the attention.” Kyra snuggled Dustin closer. “Max never met a camera or an audience he didn’t like.”

“I know.” Maddie’s tone lightened. “I’m kind of picturing him up there with his Millie, gloating that he’s got a role on a reality TV show.”

There was laughter but it was tinged with sadness.

“I hope there’s no backlash when that final episode airs. I’m not sure our viewers are looking for anything that heavy.” Kyra dropped a kiss on her son’s head. “God knows, we didn’t choose what to air.”

“That’s true,” Avery said. “But we’re the most visible targets. I don’t think Lisa Hogan has posted her email or contact information for complaints.”

“No, she hasn’t.” Kyra stood with Dustin in her arms. His head lay on her shoulder; his thumb had stolen into his mouth. Her look turned thoughtful. “Maybe someone needs to take care of that omission.”

Chapter Twenty-four

Maddie stood on the deck of the houseboat the next morning watching the pink of sunrise fold into the pale blue morning sky. The island rooster and his harem pecked at the ground, which was still damp from the previous night’s thunderstorm, while a flock of gulls dive-bombed the now calm waters off Mermaid Point for breakfast. Long-legged wading birds stood in the tidal pool, the morning breeze teasing their feathers. She wondered how Will was faring and why he’d stayed away so long, and she looked forward to Deirdre and Nicole’s return after what they’d pronounced to be a resoundingly successful sales trip.

Roberto’s boat was still shuttered and the network crew’s boat, now also moored to the retaining wall, was equally silent. Stepping off the deck, she stood on the small crescent of beach and contemplated the swimming pool, which seemed empty without William Hightower’s strong-armed crawl slicing through it. The whole island, inside and out, felt vacant without him.

She was sitting in the Adirondack chair at the edge of the sand when Kyra joined her, a still-sleepy Dustin cradled in her arms, her video camera slung over one shoulder. Kyra deposited Dustin gently on the sand along with his pail and shovel and a sippy cup of juice then plopped down in the second Adirondack.

“It all looks so sparkly clean after the rain.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Maddie dug her bare toes into the damp sand. Dustin drank his juice in one long, thirsty gulp then began to dig. “It’s so incredibly peaceful here.”

The faint sound of traffic behind them on U.S. 1 reached their ears. At the sound of each boat motor Maddie stilled slightly, assessing it for any hint of familiarity, waiting to see if any of the boats steaming toward Alligator Reef would slow and head toward Mermaid Point instead. She was relieved that it was too early for the paparazzi, even Nigel Bracken, who’d proven to be the most persistent of the pack. But each boat that wasn’t William Hightower returning, after five days away, was a disappointment she was having a hard time keeping to herself.

“I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” Video camera in her hands, Kyra panned slowly from the main house, across the beach, to the boats in the channel.

“What?”

Kyra gave her the look she’d used as a teenager; the one that had always warned Maddie not to underestimate her. “Wild Will. He’ll be back. And it might be better if you weren’t sitting around mooning over him when he gets here.”

“Me? Mooning?” Maddie attempted a careless laugh that she didn’t quite pull off.

“Mom. Face it. You’ve got a crush on the guy.”

“Kyra, he’s an icon. Every woman my age has a crush on him. It doesn’t mean—”

Kyra cut her off without so much as an acknowledgment of her protest. “And you’re hopelessly out of practice. Whatever skills you might have once possessed are rusted out. And frankly, if you’re going to freeze at the sound of every boat motor, well . . . I’d keep those sunglasses on. You don’t want someone who’s used to getting anyone he wants to see just how interested you are.”

A small, desperate part of Maddie wanted to ask what Kyra thought would work, but she remained silent. No matter how grown-up Kyra acted, she was not only Maddie’s daughter but Steve’s.

“And while we’re on the subject of crushes on male celebrities,” Kyra continued, “I’ve agreed to let Dustin spend the Fourth of July weekend with Daniel.”

“But I thought it was agreed that Dustin wouldn’t spend time anywhere near Tonja Kay.”

“He’s not. Dustin and Daniel are going to spend the holiday at Bella Flora together. I told Daniel I’d be staying nearby to be sure she doesn’t arrive ‘unexpectedly.’”

Maddie leveled a look at her daughter. Where Daniel Deranian was concerned nothing was ever as simple or direct as it sounded.

“So you’re just going to leave him there with Daniel? You’re not planning to stay?”

“I made a reservation next door.”

“Aw, honey, you know it would be better to keep your distance. And if this gets out, every paparazzo in the northern hemisphere will be hotfooting it to Bella Flora.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got our disguises all figured out.” Kyra took Dustin’s empty sippy cup and fixed Maddie with another look. “Besides, you’re the one I’m worried about. I get that you’re free to date and all that. And Dad does have Kelly.” Kyra wrinkled her nose, still unhappy that her father had a girlfriend. “I just don’t think William Hightower is a good choice to start with. It’s like riding a Harley when you’ve only ever been on a mini scooter.” Kyra nodded emphatically. “I think you need to start with someone a little less dangerous. You know, someone less likely to break your heart. Someone who comes with training wheels.”

* * *

Avery climbed off the houseboat onto the retaining wall and carried her mug of coffee over to the closest Adirondack, where Maddie sat scribbling on a yellow pad. Dustin dug happily in the sand near her feet. More from habit than any sense that it would make a difference, she placed herself, back to camera, between the network crew’s boat on which Troy stood filming the curly-haired toddler.

A few feet away the rooster arched his neck, stuck out his chest, and crowed in her direction before strutting off without even looking to see if his groupies followed. Avery shook her head. “Every day I think old Romeo’s going to crow at daybreak and every day I’m disappointed. I’m not giving up my digital alarm anytime soon.” She watched as the last of his harem follow him around the bend in the path. “I don’t know what they see in him.”