Lizzy could see Kitty’s table across the field. There was still a line in front of it, and the fact that people were willing to forgo tonight’s headlining band to wait for their very own Kitty Cake was a testament to her sister’s new business. After their father had approached her about taking a more active role at the bakery, Kitty had waited a whole twenty-four hours before presenting him with a detailed plan on not only how to modernize but grow. Within a month, they had a website capable of taking online orders, a new sign out front, and an automated voicemail system.
Then came the bigger surprise, the business plan Kitty had been working on for months: Kitty Cakes, a mail-order cake business that would send custom cakes anywhere in the country. It had been a harder sell to their father, but Kitty had anticipated as much. That’s why she had first pitched the idea to Annabelle Pierce during Charlie’s Fourth of July party. She became Kitty’s first investor, and was the one to present Kitty Cakes in their meeting with other potential investors after their father finally agreed to secure the first round of funding. Now they were valued at over four million dollars, and were HamptonFest’s number one sponsor.
“Grab me a piece of sour cherry cake,” Will called out as Mary started away toward the Kitty Cakes table.
Mary gave a noncommittal wave. As much as she hated to admit it, she and Will had developed a unique friendship that seemed to revolve exclusively around a mutual love of land preservation and baked goods.
“Are you going to share?” Lizzy asked.
He sighed, heavy and dramatic. “We’ll have to see. I’m very hungry.”
She laughed and he smiled, and that wonderful warmth in her center glowed bright again.
Lizzy was surprised by how much she had been looking forward to HamptonFest. Her first semester at Columbia had kept her so busy that she felt she barely had a moment to breathe, let alone spend time with Will. Not that he made an issue out of it. The two of them split their time between Will’s apartment in the city and the Montauk house.
As Hank got closer, Will leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Ready?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
Jane looked over at both of them, eyebrows knitted together. “Did I miss something?”
Lizzy was about to reply, but then Hank finally arrived.
“Lizzy! Jane! Oh, I’m so glad I found you both!” Then he gave a cursory nod to Will. “Hello, hello, hope you’re enjoying yourself.”
Will just nodded.
Lizzy still didn’t know how he had managed to keep his HamptonFest donation a secret so even the organizer didn’t know when he was talking to his benefactor, but she also knew it was exactly the way Will wanted it to be.
“Okay, it’s time!” Hank said, already hurrying toward the stage. “Lizzy, give the signal!”
Why Lizzy had to be the one to cue Piper, she had no idea. But she still went up on her tiptoes, looking for her friend up in the wings offstage. The band was just finishing up their set when she caught sight of her standing next to her now-fiancée, Sasha, and a group of six-year-olds, waiting for her cue.
“What’s going on?” Jane asked.
Lizzy ignored her and pulled out her phone, texting Piper:
LIZZY
GO TIME
Her friend saw the message a moment later. She looked up to find Lizzy in the crowd and gave her a thumbs-up. Then she leaned forward, whispering something to the band, who nodded in reply. For some reason, Sasha began to cheer, too, as if they had worked together to avert a global crisis.
The murmur of the crowd was silenced as the band’s drummer started a drumroll. All eyes went to the center of the stage as Hank waltzed forward, smiling benevolently at the crowd.
“Hello, hello, hello! If I can have everyone’s attention!” he announced. The crowd hushed. “Thank you all so much for being here for our first inaugural HamptonFest!” He paused for a splattering of claps and shouts. “I hope you’re enjoying the music, courtesy of our sponsors, Donato Lodge, Green Justice, and Kitty Cakes!”
A loneWAHOOrang out from the front of the stage.
“Thank you, Lydia,” Hank said, his smile looking strained. “Well, I know you think we’re wrapping up for the first night of our three-day festival, but if you don’t mind sticking around for another minute, there’s one last surprise. So now, without further ado, straight from East Hampton Elementary, I would like to introduce Ms. Bennet’s first-grade class!”
The crowd erupted in applause as a neat row of six-year-olds filed onstage, led by Piper and Sasha.
“What is going on?” Jane whispered, eyes wide.
Will’s arms tightened around Lizzy’s waist as she smiled.
Piper walked forward, bowing slightly to the crowd, then turned to the class and raised her arms. With a flick of her wrists, they began singing the opening verse of “God Only Knows,” their small voices cracking and wobbling and creating such a perfect sound that Lizzy thought her heart would burst.
