“This is part of his life,” her grandmother said, looking around. “A nice part to have.”
“I’m learning that. I can’t say I blame him. The nights I’m working late, I miss not being able to walk the beach or get in the water.”
“You could always get a job in a doctor’s office and work a normal Monday through Friday.”
She’d thought of that too. It’d been a dream but so hard to find.
Being alone, she tried to make as much money as she could and a doctor’s office wasn’t where the money was.
It’d be an option in the future if things with her and Rowan worked out.
“I could. Nothing to worry about now.”
She opened the small cooler she’d brought out and grabbed a bottle of water, handed it to her grandmother, then got another one for her.
“Why don’t we take a walk on the beach?” her grandmother asked.
“Sure.”
“Can we leave everything here?”
“We can. It’s far enough back by the property that no one will touch it.”
She learned that was a sign that it belonged to someone in the houses, whether they lived there or were renting.
They stood up and left their shoes. She pulled her phone out, checked her number, saw it was good, and a stroll on the beach wouldn’t make a difference, but grabbed a fruit snack packet to shove in her pocket anyway.
Better safe than sorry.
“How many texts did you get from Sandy since I’ve been here?” her grandmother asked.
“More than I can count. I’m not answering them.”
“Good for you. She’s pissed I’m here, isn’t she?”
“She’s pissed about everything in life. She keeps asking when she can drive up and stay with the kids and visit the beach. I got a voice message with the kids pleading to see me, that they missed me. She’s aiming low now. She thinks I’m in an apartment. Because I’m not replying to her, she’s mad. I told her I’m working most days.”
“Which she wouldn’t care because to your sister it’s just a free place to stay and eat your food and make a mess while she did what she wanted.”
“Yep. She’d leave me with the care of the kids on a day off so she could go lie out in the sun and find some guy to pick up while she was here.”
Her grandmother laughed. “I’m not sure I’d go that far, but I could be wrong.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” she said. “When Sandy is feeling unloved, she finds a guy and doesn’t care who it is or how long it lasts.”
Her grandmother shook her head. “It disgusts me, but I’ve long since stopped working myself up over it.”
“It’s not worth it. Tell me your thoughts on Rowan more. Not just that we both look happy. Do you think I don’t fit into this life? I’m trying. I really am.”
Her grandmother sighed. “Saylor. Do you not want to be living the way you are here? In the water, doing the things he likes?”
“I do,” she said. “Honestly. I love it and never knew I could.”
“Then don’t phrase it the way you did. You make me think you’re only doing things to make him happy. I bet he would be devastated if he thought you were only doing it for him.”
“He would be. I guess I’m unsure of myself. I like Logan and don’t feel out of place around him. Some of his other surfer buddies I’ve met briefly but stayed back on the beach or at the house. They seem nice.”
She wouldn’t bring up the women. That bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
