“Interesting boy,” Mother said. “You seem comfortable with him.”
“We’re only friends.” Elsa pulled a silk scarf from her purse. “It was nice of you to invite him tonight, but don’t think that just because we’re going out again means we’re some kind of item.”
Mother lifted one eyebrow. “Does he know that?”
“I’m sure he does. I’m not his type.” Preparing to ride in his convertible, she tied the scarf over her hair.
Father’s expression grew serious. “Then what does he want? Why is he spending so much time with you when there are other young women he could pursue?”
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask him while you had the chance.” Elsa laughed, but the questions stung.
CHAPTER
15
It took an hour or more to drive to Coney Island, on the southwest corner of Long Island, but the time passed quickly. Elsa updated Archer on the plight of the Petrovics and the new Spalding relatives she’d met, and he shared about his quest to achieve independence from his father. He still hadn’t moved out on his own, and as much as he joked about it, she could tell it bothered him.
“You’d have an easier time paying rent if you sold the Rolls,” she suggested.
“And ride public transit with the masses? Not my style.” He laughed, but Elsa suspected he wasn’t kidding. “Besides, this auto was a gift from my father, remember? Not only would it be rude to sell it off, but the profit I’d gain would still be from my father since he gave the Rolls to me in the first place. So paying rent with that money would prove nothing. Savvy?”
“I get it.” Elsa braced herself against the door as he took a turn too fast. “What about that suit you’re wearing? Did it really cost you four months of paychecks?”
He squinted at her, though his hat brim blocked the lowering sun. “Listen, doll, don’t worry about it. Didn’t your mother teach you that talking about money was ‘vulgar’?”
A retort sprang to mind, but the hard set to his jaw made herswallow it. She hadn’t meant to pry, and she sensed he’d been pressed enough tonight.
By the time they parked and found Ivy and Percy at the appointed meeting place, however, he was all smiles and confidence again.
“Did you save any room for Nathan’s?” Ivy hiked a thumb over her shoulder at Nathan’s Famous Frankfurters and Soft Drink Stand, where hot dogs and root beer were only a nickel each. Situated on the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues, it was across the street from the subway station and always had a crowd.
Elsa put a hand to her stomach. “I’ll definitely have room later. Let me walk off dinner first. Shall we?” Threading through couples and families, they headed south on Stillwell, toward the beach, the men leading the way.
“How did it go, by the way?” Percy hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his trousers.
“We sampled cuisine from four of the top caterers in Manhattan,” Archer said. “How do you think it went?”
While the men chatted, Elsa explained to Ivy what her mother had arranged. “I wish I’d known about it ahead of time. It would have been so fun to have you there and cast your vote, too.”
“You do know my favorite food is hot dogs, right?” Ivy spread her arms wide, emphasizing once more where they were. “Percy would have been a good judge, though. His palate isquitediscerning.”
Elsa lowered her voice. “Did you two get along all right while you were waiting for us?”
Ivy grinned. “I gave him some smashing ideas for that novel he’s working on. You know something, for as different as he and I are, I’m more comfortable with him than I am with anyone at work, simply because I’m not trying to impress him. I don’t think Percy is impressed by anyone or anything, which means there’s no point in being anyone other than myself.”
Elsa squeezed her friend’s shoulder. Most of Ivy’s colleagues at the New-York Historical Society were real blue bloods of old New York with roots going back to the Dutch families. From what Ivy had shared, they believed Ivy was less fit to work there due to her middle-class upbringing and the fact that she wasn’t even from New York. She worked harder than any of them, though.
“Was Percy at least impressed with Nathan’s?” Elsa asked, trying to keep the mood light.
“He didn’t say so.”
“Can’t imagine he’d volunteer that. Let’s ask.” Elsa linked her arm through Ivy’s and waited for a break in the men’s conversation.
“Investments, I told him,” Archer was saying, obviously rehashing her father’s interview about his financial viability.
Percy burst out laughing. “That’s what you call it now? Oh, that’s rich.” He swiped off his glasses to rub his eyes.
Archer slapped him on the back, but his head turned to follow an attractive young woman passing by. “He works on Wall Street. He gets it.”
