“Linen closet’s also available,” Stella called after her. “Mix it up!”
“Your family is deeply weird,” she told Tyler.
“You said that already.”
“It bears repeating.”
Bernie stood to leave, creaking audibly. “Well, this has been illuminating. Same time tomorrow?”
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Tyler asked.
“Than watch you get flustered by pottery? Nope.” Bernie shuffled toward the door. “Besides, someone needs to witness Stella’s scientific achievements.”
“It’s important data,” Stella said solemnly.
“The most important,” Bernie agreed. “See you tomorrow, kid.”
After he left, Stella helped clear the last of the afternoon dishes while Tyler restocked supplies. It was quietly comfortable, just the sounds of work and the distant ocean.
“So,” Stella said eventually. “Is she okay?”
“Who?”
“Meg. With the bathroom calls and everything.”
“She will be. After Thursday. Then we’ll figure out the space thing.”
“Maybe she could work from the beach,” Stella suggested. “Set up a whole outdoor office. Very California.”
“Don’t give her ideas.”
They finished closing prep in silence. As they headed for the door, Stella paused by the shell basket one more time.
“Do they really come from all over?”
“All over the world,” Tyler confirmed. “Margo’s got shells from places I can’t even pronounce.”
“Cool,” Stella said quietly. “That’s actually really cool.”
And Tyler thought he saw her glance up at the ceiling one more time, like she was imagining her own shells up there someday.
But that was probably just wishful thinking.
Wasn’t it?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Meg pressed herself against the kitchen counter, laptop tilted at a precarious angle while Tyler reached around her for coffee filters. The San Clemente resort’s social media deck was due in twenty-four hours, and she was trying to add final touches while making herself as small as possible.
“Sorry,” Tyler whispered, stretching over her shoulder.
“No, I’m sorry,” she whispered back, trying to save her file one-handed.
The laptop tilted dangerously. Tyler caught it just as Stella appeared in the doorway, took one look at their kitchen tangle, grabbed a granola bar from the counter, and immediately retreated.
“I’ll just...” Stella vanished back down the hall.
“Great,” Tyler muttered. “She’s eating granola bars for breakfast again.”
