Karen Trailor Thomas

When the Sutherland family reunion descends on Malvern Gardens Inn, it catches eighteen-year-old Jennalee Preece in rebellion. Daughter of the inn’s owners, Jennalee hasn’t forgiven her father for uprooting the family from a comfortable life in San Francisco and dropping them in the middle of California’s gold country, far from anything hip, or fun, or exciting.<br><br>Acting out with local boys and refusing to play the piano she loves, Jennalee finds the Sutherland hordes a welcome diversion. Amid the countless well-off families come the Laidlaws -- on motorcycles. This black sheep branch of the family seems as rebellious as Jennalee does, and she’s drawn to their punk violinist son, Harley.<br><br>Over the four-day Fourth of July weekend, the Sutherlands drink, party, squabble, and even manage to burn down part of the inn. Can Harley pull Jennalee from her rebellion and help her find emotional stability with the music they share?

Sutherland

“Now you’re getting warm, warmer, whoops, cooler.”


Donna stopped and turned. “This is so lame.”


“Warm, warmer, hot, scorching, blazing. Jesus, asshole, can’t you see it or is the piano in the way?”


Donna grabbed the clipboard and started out. “Cunt,” she said as she passed Jennalee.


She couldn’t go back to Chopin after this. He was distant now, as distant as her own life seemed so much of the time, and she stood at the massive window, her audience now silent.


When she left the Oak Room, she detoured past Building Eight, where a Laidlaw motorcycle remained unattended out front. This set her wondering as to the whereabouts of Garth and Harley. After picturing them at various locations—pool, patio, lobby—she had to consider they might be inside, that Harley might at that very moment be talking to Garth or worse, Garth talking to Harley.


Chapter 18