“That would be nice, Princess, but your mom has a job and a life back on the mainland.”
“She should find one here, like you did.”
“It’s pretty hard to find a job in a small town.”
Brooklyn kicked at the sand in the driveway. “It would be more funner to live here with you. We could see you all the time.”
Megan laughed. “Your uncle would never get any work done if you were here, Brookie.”
“I still think it’s a good idea.” Brooklyn scowled as she climbed into the car. “Bye, Uncle Connor. Bye, Miss Amanda.”
Megan hugged her. “We did have a fabulous time. Thank you for making that possible.” Then she leaned in closer and whispered, “Good luck with my brother. You’ll need to be patient with him. But he’s a really great guy.”
“He is and I will.” She hugged Megan back.
Megan and Brooklyn drove off, and Connor turned to her, taking in a deep breath. “I do love that little girl, but she sure has boundless energy.”
“She does. Any bets on whether she talks Megan into moving here?”
“Doubt she’d win that one. Megs loves her job. And they’re close enough to visit often. It’ll be easier when the bridge is finished.”
“When is it supposed to be finished?”
“Next year sometime? I think.” He took her hand. “How about a play date today with your favorite neighbor? Picnic on the beach? Some swimming?”
“A play date sounds wonderful. I need some time to decompress. Let me go slip on my suit and I’ll make up some sandwiches or something.”
“A step ahead of you. I’ve already got the picnic made.” He grinned. “Okay, Megan helped me.”
She was back outside in ten minutes, sunscreen carefully applied and a bright teal coverup over her swimsuit. Connor set up a cozy oasis beneath a pop-up canopy, with a large brightblanket, a stack of towels, a cooler with soda, and a picnic basket open with a peek of the goodies inside.
“Look at you all prepared.” She sank down beside him.
“I’m trying to impress my neighbor.” He winked at her.
“She’s dutifully impressed.”
He jumped up. “How about a swim before we eat?” He reached down a hand and pulled her effortlessly to her feet.
She stood beside him on the sand, grinned, and then pushed him backward as he stumbled slightly. “Last one to the water loses.” She raced across the sand and laughed when she felt him scoop her up in his arms as he plunged into the water.
“Put me down.” She laughed.
“You don’t play fair. So now you go swimming.” He kept walking deeper, then tossed her into the water. She came up sputtering and laughing, the warm water caressing her skin.
“Hey.” She swung her arm in a circle, throwing an arc of water at him.
Soon they were embroiled in a water fight like two kids Brooklyn’s age. She dunked him. He tossed her. They splashed. The cares that so often had weighed her down dissipated with the rolling waves and warm sunshine. Soon, exhausted, they headed up to the pop-up, grabbed towels, and dropped down on the beach blanket.
She couldn’t remember having this much fun in a long time. Just easy-going laughter, teasing, and… just plain fun.
He pulled a plate of tiny triangle sandwiches out of the basket. Connor said Brooklyn helped make them, which explained how some of them were squished. They also had fruit, cheese, and crackers, and finished off with pieces of a pecan pie Megan had made, its buttery, nutty flavor the perfect end to the picnic.
They packed up their things, and Connor turned to her. “Want to come over and watch the sunset?”
“That sounds nice. Let me grab a quick shower to rinse off the sand and saltwater. I’ll be over soon.”
She hurried to her cottage and showered, then slipped on a pair of capris and a pink knit shirt. Her attire here on the island had slowly evolved into brighter, more casual clothes with the help of numerous shopping trips to the local stores. She decided to let her hair dry naturally—something she never would have done in New York where she used her expensive, fancy hair dryer and curling iron daily. But this slower, more relaxed lifestyle was growing on her.
