This scrap of encouragement worked on Arlo like a plant starved for water. He positively bloomed—his back straightened, his smile broadened, and his eyes brightened. Lena, who was generally not in the habit of lavishing praise, found it an interesting and potentially useful reaction.
“It was really smart how you talked them out of it, though,” said Arlo.
“I suppose,” said Lena, “we make a good team.”
Arlo’s chest puffed up with pride. “I agree.”
“Well, I must change and see to the Ficollos,” said Lena.
“I have to admit, I didn’t peg you for a girl who would wear a bikini,” said Arlo.
“Why not?” Lena turned and headed toward the door. “I happen to know I look fantastic in a bikini.”
“Another thing we agree on,” Arlo said quietly. Then louder, “Oh, hey, Zeke and I will be at the basketball courts after work. If you don’t have other plans, you could stop by.”
Lena stopped and considered the invitation. It was nicely done, she had to admit. Including Zeke gave it a cordial, no-pressure tone that eliminated the risk of those awkward professions of love she had so disliked having thrust upon her in the past. Also, there was something she needed to ask Zeke. “Perhaps I will.”
“Great!” The resulting smile looked at risk of splitting Arlo’s face in half.
As Lena headed for the dining room, she wondered what she had just set in motion. Arlo reacted to her kindness like an eager puppy. A decidedly adorable puppy, she had to admit. If she wasn’t more careful with how she dispensed future praise, she could very well find herself making a habit of it.
* * *
“You should have seen it, Zeke,” said Arlo as he shot the basketball. “She handled those two old biddies.” The ball banked off the backboard and dropped through the hoop. Zeke caught the rebound and passed it back to Arlo. “And get this. She told me that we make a good team.” He chuckled and shot the ball again. “How about that.”
The ball rolled around the hoop and fell out. Zeke got the rebound again, but this time dribbled back to the three-point line.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind, I told her she could meet us here after work,” said Arlo.
Zeke shrugged, then sank the three-pointer.
“Nice one.” Arlo rebounded. He dribbled a few times as he stared up into the evening sky. There were so many more stars out here in the country. “It’s just, I’ve never met a girl like Lena before. And I’ve met a lot of girls. She’s … interesting … and beautiful … and she calls me on shit. I kinda like that.” He passed the ball back to Zeke. “Not that I’m in love or anything ridiculous like that. Love is the worst thing that can happen to a guy. It makes them idiots.”
Zeke rolled his eyes and bounced the ball hard at Arlo, who caught it and spun it on his finger. Zeke clapped, looking impressed.
“You think that’s cool? Watch this.” Arlo kept the ball spinning as he passed it back and forth between his hands, then under one leg, then behind his back.
Zeke clapped again.
“More Harlem Globetrotter than NBA all-star.” Lena had just arrived and now stood courtside, her arms crossed. “Why am I not surprised?”
Arlo tossed the ball high, gave her a quick bow, then caught the ball again.
“How was your first day?” she asked.
“More exciting than I expected,” he said.
“And how was your first day back, Zeke?” she asked.
Zeke gave her a thumbs-up, then caught the ball from Arlo and took another shot.
“Zeke, I hate to put you on the spot, but I promised Isabella I’d ask,” said Lena. “You caddied for Franklyn this afternoon, didn’t you?”
Zeke smirked and nodded, perhaps wondering if it should be referred to as caddying or as therapy.
“Did he talk about Isabella at all?”
Zeke pressed one hand to his heart and the other to his forehead, making an expression somewhere between rapture and swoon.
“I thought so,” said Lena. “Still too frightened to ask her out. Ah well. Same as last summer, I suppose. The two of them stealing longing looks at each other across the table.”
Zeke stuck out his tongue.
“True,” she said. “But there’s nothing to be done.”
“What’s this?” asked Arlo.
“Franklyn and Isabella have been secretly pining for each other for years, but neither has the courage to act on it.”
Arlo dribbled the ball between his legs. “Sounds like they just need a push.”
“From whom?” Lena looked genuinely perplexed.
“Us, of course.”
Lena and Zeke exchanged an uncomfortable glance. Then she said, “That seems rather meddlesome, not to mention presumptuous.”
“I prefer ‘solicitous’ and ‘proactive,’” said Arlo.
“Spin it as much as you spin that ball,” said Lena. “It amounts to the same thing.”
“Sounds like you’re afraid of shaking things up.” Arlo took a shot, and the ball went through the hoop with a swish.
“Sounds like you enjoy it,” said Lena.
“Only when it suits me,” said Arlo. “Think about it. There’s Isabella and that Franklyn, then there’s Brice and Vito. All four of them pining for each other and nobody doing a thing about it.”
“How did you know about Brice and Vito?” asked Lena.
“Because I have eyeballs. Don’t tell me—that’s been going on for years, too.”
Lena and Zeke exchanged a guilty look.
“Think how much happier both couples might be together,” Arlo continued. “And think about how much easier it would be for us if they stopped whining all the time.”
Zeke put his hand on Lena’s shoulder and gave her a pleading look.
“You want to do this, too?” she asked.
He gave a serious, emphatic nod.
“If you feel that strongly about it…” She crossed her arms and looked warily at Arlo. “What did you have in mind?”
Arlo grinned. “Something that’s going to take all three of us to pull off.”
* * *
The next day, at Lena’s suggestion, Isabella invited Dr. Elore, Franklyn, Ms. Nalone, and Vito to join her in exploring the new hedge maze that her father had installed for her. Additionally, and also at Lena’s suggestion, Isabella insisted that Arlo and Brice be on hand in case anyone became lost or needed assistance.
Dr. Elore and Franklyn were mildly intrigued by the idea of a labyrinth, both being enamored with intellectual puzzles. And of course Franklyn relished any event that might put him in close proximity to Miss Ficollo.
Ms. Nalone and Vito were less enthusiastic about the invitation. Ms. Nalone chafed at the hours missed from direct sunlight, and the event cut into Vito’s usual weight training time. But Ms. Nalone saw it as an opportunity to get Vito and Miss Ficollo together, and Vito became much more interested when he learned Brice would be there.
Brice was beside himself with worry about what might happen to the resort while it wasn’t under his watchful eye, but he could hardly decline Miss Ficollo’s request.
“Thank you all for coming,” said Isabella as everyone gathered at the maze’s southern entrance. She gave them a smile that, had it been properly witnessed and documented, might have stood in the Guinness Book of World Records as the perkiest ever achieved. “I’d like to get started on our adventure!”
“Is there a program?” asked the doctor, who approved of plans, programs, and schedules.
“I’m so glad you asked, doctor,” said Isabella. “Yes. We can’t wander the maze in one big clump, so we’ll break into groups. There are several entrances to the maze. Ms. Nalone, Vito, and I, accompanied by Lena, will take the southern entrance here. Dr. Elore and Franklyn, accompanied by Arlo and Brice, will take the east entrance. We’ll converge at the center of the maze, which has a beautiful fountain and a delicious picnic lunch laid out for us. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”