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  They hugged for a moment, then Lexie pulled back. “What are you going to do with this prince?”

  “I have no idea,” Toby said. “It’s like being asked to babysit a two-hundred-pound infant.”

  “Infant he is not and I don’t think he’s helpless at all.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Toby, this guy is very smooth, and he’s sexy beyond belief. Roger is pretty, but he doesn’t smolder.”

  “What are you talking about? Smolder? Graydon? What in the world have you been reading? He’s a nice man who dedicates his life to his country. The truth is that I feel a bit sorry for him.”

  “I don’t think he needs anyone’s sympathy. I know you made a vow to wait until you’re married before you get into bed with a man, but things happen.”

  “I still feel the same way,” Toby said. “It’s just a personal choice.”

  “True, but men have a way of changing a woman’s mind. Broken glass and towels that barely close—and ‘barely’ is the key word here—can make a woman rethink any and all vows.”

  “What happened between you two to make you say these things?”

  “Nothing. Not really. It’s just that when it comes to men you’re an innocent.”

  “I’m not as young or as innocent as you think.”

  “Toby, I’m saying that you should have a good time with him. A great time even. In my opinion, it’s okay to forget your self-imposed vow and spend every minute in bed with him. I have a feeling that he would give you a very good time. But don’t—whatever you do—do not fall in love with him.”

  “Of course I won’t. There’s no future for us. And I don’t plan to get into bed with anyone.”

  “I wish I could stay and talk about this but I have to go.” Lexie stood up. “Email me every day?”

  “Yes,” Toby said and got out of bed to hug her friend again. “Now go! I need to get dressed and feed the prince. What do you think he eats? Hummingbird tongues?”

  Lexie didn’t smile. “I think you’re going to be surprised by him. By now he’s probably cleaned up the basement and the attic.”

  “You have to write me about what happened between you two.”

  “I will,” Lexie said, then left the room. She wasn’t surprised to see that her four suitcases were gone. She had no doubt that the prince had carried them downstairs. “Tell me everything that happens!” Lexie said loudly.

  “I will,” Toby called through the doorway. “Every word.”

  Downstairs, Graydon was waiting for Lexie by the front door with her jacket over his arm.

  “Let me guess. My bags are in the car.”

  “They are,” Graydon said.

  “You know, I thought my boss was slick but you’re much worse. Tone down the charm, will you?”

  Graydon didn’t smile but his eyes were twinkling. “I play the lute.”

  Lexie groaned. “I don’t know whether to pity Toby or envy her. Just promise me that when you leave she’ll be smiling.”

  “That I can promise,” Graydon said, and kissed her forehead in a brotherly way. “I’ll take care of her.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lexie said as she went to the waiting car.

  When Toby got downstairs it was already late. She’d meant to be back at last night’s wedding site by now, as there was a lot to oversee and do. The kitchen smelled very good. Roger probably sent food for Lexie, she thought. Toby looked around for the prince but didn’t see him, but then she glanced through the window and a movement outside caught her eye. He was wandering around in the back garden, looking at the beds of flowers.

  “He probably has a dozen gardeners who work for him,” she said aloud, then went to the stove and helped herself to one of the warm pancakes. They were unusual: small, and they seemed to have oatmeal in them. The flavor was of some fruit that she didn’t recognize. It was truly delicious.

  “Good morning.”

  She turned to see Graydon standing in the doorway, and for the first time she noticed the sunroom. It had been completely cleared out! Only the table and chairs remained and she was surprised to see a built-in seat against the far wall.

  “Wow!” Toby said. “I guess Lexie really was feeling guilty if she cleaned up this room before she left. It looks great, doesn’t it?”

  “It does,” he said.

  “Sorry,” Toby said. “I’ve forgotten my manners. Good morning.” She looked him up and down, and saw that he was dressed as though for a garden party, while she had on an old pair of cotton pants and an even older T-shirt. Whatever was she going to do with him today? And since nearly everyone she knew was off-island, how was she going to find a more permanent place for him to stay?

  “Did you try these pancakes?” she asked. “They’re really good. I’ll have to ask Roger where he got them.”

  “I did have some,” he said. “Are you planning to go to the chapel site this morning?”

  “I have to.”

  “I was wondering because it seems that your car was exchanged.” He pulled back a curtain to show Jared’s old red pickup in the narrow drive beside the house.

  “Oh, no!” Toby said. “I bet Wes did this. He was taking people to the airport and the ferry this morning, so he’d need the extra seats. But he knows I have to clean up. Now what am I supposed to drive?”

  “You weren’t left the keys to the truck?”

  “I’m sure they’re in there, but it’s a standard shift and I can only drive an automatic. Maybe Ken can help.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Graydon said.

  “You? But you said you didn’t know how to drive.”

  “I said I wasn’t cognizant of all the road signs, but I have driven a few larger vehicles. Besides, I told you that I’d help you clean.”

  Toby hesitated. “You’re not exactly dressed for garbage duty.”

  Graydon’s face lost its humor. “This is what I could find in my brother’s luggage.”

  Toby thought about looking for a pair of jeans for him, but she couldn’t spare the time. As for driving, it was either him or spend an hour trying to find someone else. “All right,” she said. “I’ll direct you.”

  “I would appreciate that.”

  Outside, Toby checked in the back of the pickup. All her supplies had been removed from her car and put in the truck bed. Graydon opened the door for her and she stepped up into the old truck. He got in the driver’s seat, took the keys from over the visor, and started the engine.

  “Everybody who drives this truck complains about it,” Toby said. “Except Jared, that is, but then it’s his truck. People say it’s hard to get it into second gear, and I think the clutch sticks sometimes. And this driveway is very narrow. If you don’t back straight out, you can tear off the mirrors. And it’s hard to see into the lane so if anyone’s coming you have to be careful not to get hit. For that matter, the lane is also very narrow and it’s two-way. When I first got to Nantucket, I had a really hard time driving around. I was afraid of hitting people or parked cars, or of crashing into vehicles that were coming toward me and …” She trailed off because he had his arm across the back of the seat, ready to reverse, but he was waiting for her to finish.

  “Anything else I should know?” he asked.

  “I guess not.” As he began to back out of the drive, she held her breath, sure that between the tall fence and the side of the house, he’d at least scrape a mirror. But he didn’t.

  He stopped to let a car pass, then smoothly backed onto the lane.

  “Be careful,” she said. “It’s summer and there are thousands of tourists here who are looking at the scenery and not at the road.” Just then a big black SUV came toward them. A woman was driving, a cell phone plastered to her ear, and she didn’t even seem to see the truck. Toby drew in her breath and grabbed the seat with one hand and the armrest with the other.

  Graydon easily moved to the right, so close to a wall that Toby could have touched it, but he didn’t scrape anything. When she