“They’re going great. Getting air-conditioning put in,” Violet said. “And Rob here, when he’s not busy complaining, is working on repairs to—I don’t know—stuff.”
“Right, I’m busy with stuff.” He caught himself right before he rolled his eyes. “Windows, decking, roofing, plumbing. You name it, it needs to get done.”
“And painting.” Violet turned to Evelyn. “I’m going to paint each cottage a nice bright color. It’s going to look great.”
“I bet it will.”
“See, she thinks buying the cottages was a good idea, too. Just like Melody.” Another gloating smile.
He had to admit his sister was enthusiastic about her purchase, even if he thought it was a foolish investment. There was something to be said for her being this happy. Hopefully, it stayed that way when she realized the hard work and long hours that went into running a resort. But she had always wanted something to call her own as she bopped from job to job. As much as he hated to admit it, maybe this was exactly what she needed.
“You two should come to the Sandcastle Festival this weekend. It’s right down the beach from the resort. Near the big gazebo at the town beach. Do you know where that is?”
“I do,” Violet said. “That sounds like fun.”
“There are people who come from all around and make the most fantastic sandcastles. Very elaborate. And then there’s a kids’ competition and that’s cute too. It’s Saturday. And there’ll be lots of food booths there. The cafe will have a booth.”
“With ice cream?” He grinned.
“Yes, we’ll have sandwiches and ice cream cones.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great. I’ll see you both there. Thanks for coming in.” She turned and headed back to the kitchen, and he deliberately looked away. But Violet wasn’t having any of it. She grinned and shook her head.
“What?” He glared at her.
Chapter 6
Emily sat in the lunchroom at school with Blake and some of her friends. Blake and Angela Healey were deep in a discussion about a calculus problem that neither had solved. They were oblivious to the noise around them. The talking. Laughter. The clatter of trays.
She watched them thoughtfully. Angela was quiet, a bit of a nerd, with straight brown hair and big black glasses. She had a wry sense of humor and took school seriously. Which actually made her a perfect match for Blake.
She scowled when she saw Jeanie Francis heading their way. Would the girl never get the clue that Blake wasn’t interested in her?
Jeanie plopped down in the chair across from him. “Hi, Blake.”
He looked up, and she caught the slightly annoyed look before he hid it. “Uh, hi, Jeanie.”
“Whatcha working on?”
“Angela is helping me with this calculus problem.”
“At lunchtime? Lunch is when we get to take a break.” Jeanie leaned over and closed the calculus book. “Want to go outside and get some fresh air?”
Blake carefully opened up the book and gave Angela an apologetic look before turning to Jeanie. “No, I really want to figure this out. If we do, there’s extra credit.”
“But I wanted to talk to you.” Jeanie placed a careful pout on her face.
Emily bit her tongue so she wouldn’t say something she shouldn’t.
“I’m kinda busy right now. Can we talk later?”
Jeanie let out a long-suffering sigh. “I guess so. I still don’t know why you’re doing schoolwork during lunch break.” She stood, tossing her curls as she shook her head before flouncing away.
“You can go with her if you want,” Angela said as she looked down at the paper in front of her.
Blake shook his head. “Nah, let’s get back to figuring out this problem. I really could use the extra credit.”
