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〃Jimmy McTeague is shallow。 He is。 He's not smart either；〃 one deb said； her party dress ruined because someone spilled a Bloody Mary down the front。 〃He's pretty but he's dumb。 And my uncle went to Yale with his father； and let me tell you； that man was nearly kicked out for cheating and once that kind of thing happens； you never know。〃
Owen stood back； beyond the lights that had been set up along the tents； and watched them all。
The small gift in its box； in his trembling hands。
〃Smooth。 Just be smooth；〃 he whispered to himself。
He wanted to make sure Jenna saw the gift。
Saw what it meant。
4
Jimmy McTeague held onto a bourbon and water as if for dear life； and he laughed with his jock friends； and he eyed the other girls； and he thanked Mrs。 Montgomery for the excellent whiskey。 〃People who have whiskey like this should own the world；〃 and even when he said it； he didn't know what it meant； and when he saw Owen standing just at the edge of the party； he raised his glass and shouted； 〃Yo； Mooncalf； get your ass over here！〃
5
Jenna Montgomery； in her own words：
Here are things I've read about and I really believe：
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything； they just make the most of everything that es along their way。
Happiness lies for those who cry； those who hurt； those who have searched； and those who have tried； for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives。
Love begins with a smile； grows with a kiss and ends with a tear。
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past； you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches。
Okay； before you think I'm just some rich bitch who gets sentimental and gooey over romance novels； the reason I think about those things is because when you are beautiful and you have money； it's those simple things you have to remember。
And I was pretty happy for the most part； right up until summer。
This probably began because Daddy didn't want me to open Montgomery Hill on Memorial Day like we always did。 Mom was already up there； a week or two early； and I'd only just e home from finals。
I have always gone to Outerbridge Island since I was about four； and I never miss a summer there。 It's what I look forward to after a tough year in school； and since I would turn eighteen over the summer and I had just finished school … but I'd be entering Sarah Lawrence in September … I really wanted to enjoy what time I had left to just be a kid。
Daddy was in one of his moods； though； and I suspect that woman he knows was part of it。 Mom told me all about that woman when she gave me the speech about sex and life and marriage when I was fourteen。 〃Men have problems with their bodies；〃 she said； looking only a little embarrassed。 〃They all cheat。 It's just something we put up with if we can。 It's nothing about love。
Don't even think that。 It's just their biology。 They have their good sides and their bad sides。 And there are plenty of bad women； too；〃 she added。 〃Like that woman。〃
That woman lived in Brooklyn； in a brownstone that my father had bought for her in the 1970s。 I took the subway out to it once； and stood on the steps in front； looking through the windows。 That woman had a nice chandelier and some paintings on the walls but it was a fairly plain house in Park Slope。 I sort of think I saw a little of her； too； walking up the street。 She wasn't even pretty； which was sort of what amazed me。 She wasn't like my mother。 She was tall； with big feet； and red hair that needed some kind of style。
Her face was nothing like my mothers； nothing like the women I knew； she looked sort of round and plain。
I don't really know if it was that woman I saw； but I suspect it was。
So； just after high school graduation； I was all ready to go to the island； but Daddy was just moody and told me that I needed to stay because of Jimmy； who was supposed to have been in town。
All right； Jimmy McTeague。 He's a tennis player who goes to Wimbledon every year； he's practically a National champion； and his father owns McTeague Sports； the chain； although I never understand why they don't have stores in Manhattan。 I met Jimmy when he was at Exeter； at some dance； and I was just thinking he was cute。 Marnie called him the Leech for some reason which I didn't quite understand； but I knew there was something interesting about him。 He lived a different life than me； and I never really saw myself with that kind of Midwestern jock…type。 He was always sweating； too； which I guess goes with the whole athletic thing； but not something that's pleasant to be around an hour after a match。
Still； by the time I was seventeen； I really liked Jimmy。 And no； I had no thoughts of marriage or anything like that。 We hadn't actually even been intimate or anything； just held hands a lot and went to dances and out to dinner。 When I debuted； Jimmy shared the drudgery of that awful debutante season by being my escort； when I was really pissed off over not getting into Columbia； Jimmy actually flew in from the West Coast … where he had some important tennis match … and took me out to dinner。
Then； the night after I would normally go to the island； Jimmy told me we could sail there in this little boat he kept in Greenwich at the club。 And that first night on the boat； I became a woman。 We drank too many glasses of Chardonnay； and one thing led to another。 Jimmy was never very aggressive in bed。 He was kind of shy that way。 So I pretty much had to seduce him； but once we both closed our eyes and let our bodies take over； we knew how to make love。
And it really was love。 It really was。 I felt it。 We spent that first night on the boat。 We got into the harbor at about twelve or one in the morning； and just slept together in the little bed。 He snored sweetly。 Not a hacking or sawing snore； but like a puppy dreaming。 He did say something funny to me in the morning； something that struck me as odd； something about how maybe now we could think more about the future now that we'd mated； and I laughed at him and he looked a little angry when I laughed。
All right； I knew that maybe there would be trouble with Owen when I saw him on the jetty when we got off the boat the next day。 He looked like he'd been waiting there all night。
Like he'd been watching us。
The little turd。 He really was。 I care a lot for him； of course。 We've known each other since we were both kids。 He's the son of the gardener。 His mother sometimes helps out with parties and laundry and other things。 He's cute； which helps； too； because although I have nothing against boys that aren't very good looking； there's something about a good looking one that just makes you want him around all the time。
So I'm barely dressed； some tacky beach towel around me basically； and there's Owen at the shore seeing both of us ing up from the boat and the first thing he says to me is； 〃What happened？〃
I felt all nervous and even giggly like I needed a cigarette。 I told him I didn't want to see my mother for a day or two。 And then Jimmy just took over； like he always does。 He has this way with guys … he always gets them on his