Wondering when you’re coming back?
Mike rolled his eyes. Apparently, he’d need to have another talk with her. She certainly wasn’t getting the hint. How could he possibly make it clearer that he didn’t want to date her anymore? He’d told her so in no uncertain terms. She just wasn’t getting the message. Maybe it was time he blocked her number.
Andie rushed through the pantry, away from Jane and her darn questions. The truth was that she was avoiding the lobby because she’d seen Shane in there earlier fixing the spindle on the staircase. It was silly because it had been decades since she’d broken up with him, but she just didn’t want to talk to him. Why add more stress to her life? There was no point in reconnecting since she would be leaving Lobster Bay soon enough.
She turned left, intending to cut through the dining room and then go out the side door, except—
“Watch out! That paint is wet!”
Over thirty years had passed, but Andie recognized Shane Flannery in an instant. They stood staring at each other, and the years peeled away. It was as if they were both awkward high school seniors again. Except Shane looked way better than he had back then. How unfair was that?
“Andie. Hi.” Shane smiled, revealing the dimple on his right cheek.
“Hi.” Andie’s tongue appeared to be stuck to the roof of her mouth.
“How are you?”
“Good. You?” Andie tried to add something clever, but nothing came out.
“Pretty good. Got out of the navy, and now I do carpentry work.” He gestured toward the room, where there was clearly a big project going on. “You’re standing on Sally’s brush.”
“What?” Andie’s gaze jerked down, and she lifted her right foot to reveal a squashed brush. The bottom of her flip-flop was smeared with red paint. “Crap!”
“Yeah, Sally’s not going to be happy you ruined her brush.”
Shane looked amused as Andie tried to balance removing the flip-flop with one hand while trying not to spill the nectar she was holding in her other. He could have offered to help!
“Well, nice seeing you.” Shane turned back to his work, and Andie hobbled off.
Seriously, was that it? She didn’t know what she had expected, but the interaction with Shane felt like a slight. She was probably being overly sensitive. It had been decades since they’d seen each other, so there was no reason to act like they were buddies. Even though they’d dated, that was so long ago. He’d been married since then, and of course he was over her. Probably barely even remembered they’d dated. And what did it matter? She’d gotten over him long ago. Hadn’t she?
Chapter 18
Jane had a momentary surge of panic when she got to Tall Pines only to find that Addie wasn’t in her room.
One of the nurses, Gloria, noticed her standing at Addie’s door. “She’s up in the art room.”
“Art room?” Jane remembered taking the tour when she’d first looked at Tall Pines. They had several recreation rooms. She hadn’t pictured her mother using any of them and hadn’t paid much attention. She’d been more concerned about the rooms themselves, the meals, and, most importantly, the price.
Gloria nodded. “She’s painting with another resident, Stella Ambrose.”
“Really?” Her mother had made friends this quickly?
Gloria smiled. “Go see for yourself. It’s on the second floor, end of the hall to the right.”
The art room was large, with long tables and easels at the front. Light spilled in from a large palladium window. Addie was standing at one of the easels, her concentration focused on the work in front of her. A short woman with colorful glasses and short, spiked white hair dabbed large blobs of paint on the canvas at the easel next to her.
Neither woman had seen Jane come in, and she paused to watch her mother. Addie looked happy, serene. Other than keeping the gardens up, Addie had never had time for hobbies while running Tides. At least maybe her mother could get a chance to unleash her creativity during this stage of her life.
Jane entered the room and stood behind Addie. “That’s beautiful, Mom.”
The other woman turned to address her. “Thank you, dear!”
“Umm… you’re welcome.” Jane hadn’t been talking to the woman or even looking at her work.
Addie laughed. “Now don’t be silly, Stella. Jane ismydaughter.”
Jane was encouraged that her mother remembered her.
